A66106:902
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse wherein Christs parable of the lost son found is opened and applied as it was delivered in sundry sermons / by Samuel Willard ...
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The eldest son was in the field, and where could he have been better? He was getting money, while the other was spending it. The Scribes & Pharisees were great sticklers in the law and outward worship of God: hear how he boasts of himself, Luk. 18. 11. and yet all this may be where there is no sincerity; see, Mat. 5. 20. A man may do abundance and be a stranger to saving grace.
The eldest son was in the field, and where could he have been better? He was getting mony, while the other was spending it. The Scribes & Pharisees were great sticklers in the law and outward worship of God: hear how he boasts of himself, Luk. 18. 11. and yet all this may be where there is no sincerity; see, Mat. 5. 20. A man may do abundance and be a stranger to saving grace.
Reas. 1. Because a man may do all this upon false and unsound principles, for,
1. There may be bodily service where there is not the heart, Ezek. 33. 31. It is the censure which our Saviour passed upon the ⟨p. 357⟩Pharisees of his time, applying the saying of the Prophet to them, Mat. 15. 7, 8. and declared it to be vain service, vers. 9. Hence that, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little.
2. Men may do all this for outward credit and applause: When Religion is in fashion, there are many that court it merely for fashion sake, many love to be as the times are; Many are very Religious only in complement, to be talked of, commended, &c. This fault also our Saviour found in the Pharisees, and chargeth hypocrisy on them for it, Mat. 6. 1, and 5.
2. Men may do all this for outward credit and applause: When Religion is in fashion, there are many that court it meerly for fashion sake, many love to be as the times are; Many are very Religious only in complement, to be talked of, commended, &c. This fault also our Saviour found in the Pharisees, and chargeth hypocrisie on them for it, Mat. 6. 1, and 5.
3. Men may do a great deal because they hope to be saved for their doing: As there is in all men a reaching desire after happiness, so there is also a natural pride, they are willing to be their own saviours, in quest of which men will take much pains; and when they apprehend life to be had by doing, they will do much: this also was another ground of, and defect in the doings of these Pharisees, Mat. 6. 7. Rom. 9. 31, 32.
USE, 1. Here see the Reason why some that have in their time been great Professors, and careful, do afterwards degenerate, and grow licentious: for if all that so profess are not sincere, do not act from a sound principle, no wonder if they decline: If the seed that hath no rooting, though it grow a while, and ⟨p. 358⟩out-grow many, do at last die, wither, decay, we are not to wonder, nor ought this any way to discourage those that are sinners.
USE, 1. Here see the Reason why some that have in their time been great Professors, and careful, do afterwards degenerate, and grow licentious: for if all that so profess are not sincere, do not act from a sound principle, no wonder if they decline: If the seed that hath no rooting, though it grow a while, and ⟨p. 358⟩out-grow many, do at last dy, wither, decay, we are not to wonder, nor ought this any way to discourage those that are sinners.
USE, 2. Let it counsel us, to have a care that we do not ground our confidence in this, that we do more than others: think not our selves better, or surer merely for this: Though God will not reprove you for your sacrifices, yet he may for your hypocrisy, and so you may weary him with your vain oblations, Isa. 1. 13. Remember there is no Justification legal, by the work we do.
USE, 2. Let it counsel us, to have a care that we do not ground our confidence in this, that we do more than others: think not our selves better, or surer meerly for this: Though God will not reprove you for your sacrifices, yet he may for your hypocrisie, and so you may weary him with your vain oblations, Isa. 1. 13. Remember there is no Justification legal, by the work we do.
Whiles this joyful entertainments is provided for and afforded to this younger son, his elder brother is in the field, the father doth not send and call him in unto it: This is not without its spiritual meaning; hypocrites may seemingly do a great deal, but still they are strangers to, and have no share in the joy of true Believers, Prov. 14. 10.
Reas. Because he is a mere stranger to that which is the cause of his joy, viz. converting grace; he doth not know what it is, what is ⟨p. 359⟩the worth and excellency of it, nor what are those grounds of spiritual joy which proceed from it: these are spiritual things, and therefore a natural man cannot receive them, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The hypocrite is truly unregenerate, and hence he moves in an inferior orb, and can no more know what the joys of a Believer are, than a beast can understand the nature and advantages of a life of reason: he is in the flesh, but these are not fleshly joys.
Reas. Because he is a meer stranger to that which is the cause of his joy, viz. converting grace; he doth not know what it is, what is ⟨p. 359⟩the worth and excellency of it, nor what are those grounds of spiritual joy which proceed from it: these are spiritual things, and therefore a natural man cannot receive them, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The hypocrite is truely unregenerate, and hence he moves in an inferiour orb, and can no more know what the joyes of a Believer are, than a beast can understand the nature and advantages of a life of reason: he is in the flesh, but these are not fleshly joyes.
USE, 1. This may show us the true reason why hypocritical men are so little affected with the conversion of a sinner to God: when the report of it comes to them, it may be they are angry and envious, however they are not stirred up by it to praise God for them, to congratulate with them their happiness, and partake in their joys: Alas, they were not invited, they do not see nor know what it is to have been dead, and be alive, to be restored from spiritual death, to be brought home to God, of a Prodigal to be made a son.
USE, 1. This may shew us the true reason why hypocritical men are so little affected with the conversion of a sinner to God: when the report of it comes to them, it may be they are angry and envious, however they are not stirred up by it to praise God for them, to congratulate with them their happiness, and partake in their joyes: Alas, they were not invited, they do not see nor know what it is to have been dead, and be alive, to be restored from spiritual death, to be brought home to God, of a Prodigal to be made a son.
USE, 2. Here we also see a reason why unconverted men wonder when they hear the People of God speak of their joys and comforts; whereas they look upon them as sorrowful and miserable men, and think them mad to please themselves with phantasms and dreams; whereas their own blindness and ignorance is the cause of their admiration. Felix thinks Paul ⟨p. 360⟩is distracted, whereas he himself is distempered; Hence let not the People of God judge themselves by, or think worse of themselves for worldly mens opinion concerning them.
USE, 2. Here we also see a reason why unconverted men wonder when they hear the People of God speak of their joyes and comforts; whereas they look upon them as sorrowful and miserable men, and think them mad to please themselves with phantasms and dreams; whereas their own blindness and ignorance is the cause of their admiration. Foelix thinks Paul ⟨p. 360⟩is distracted, whereas he himself is distempered; Hence let not the People of God judge themselves by, or think worse of themselves for worldly mens opinion concerning them.
USE, 3. If Hypocrites may not feast it with the People of God here, much less shall they do it in the Kingdom of Glory: If they may not partake with them in the feast of Tabernacles, much less in their consummation: How miserable a thing then is it to be a professor and no more? to hew wood and draw water with the Gibeonites? to do the drudgery of the Law, but not to partake of the joys of the Gospel? a legal life is a life of much business, but of no comfort; there are many terrors which may oppress the conscience for defaults, and much labour in striving to attain an unattainable legal perfection; but no true joys, which can only flow from the sense of God's love and pardon in Jesus Christ; beware than of Hypocrisy.
USE, 3. If Hypocrites may not feast it with the People of God here, much less shal they do it in the Kingdom of Glory: If they may not partake with them in the feast of Tabernacles, much less in their consummation: How miserable a thing then is it to be a professor and no more? to hew wood and draw water with the Gibeonites? to do the drudgery of the Law, but not to partake of the joyes of the Gospel? a legal life is a life of much business, but of no comfort; there are many terrours which may oppress the conscience for defaults, and much labour in striving to attain an unattainable legal perfection; but no true joyes, which can only flow from the sense of God's love and pardon in Jesus Christ; beware than of Hypocrisie.
2. We may observe the ground of the offence, viz. The information he had of his brothers kind entertainment: this he guesseth at by the noise he heard of joy, but waits for further information, which he receives by one of the servants, who readily informs him of it, and fully acquaints him with the occasion.
2. We may observe the ground of the offense, viz. The information he had of his brothers kind entertainment: this he guesseth at by the noise he heard of joy, but waits for further information, which he receives by one of the servants, who readily informs him of it, and fully acquaints him with the occasion.
The action of this servant, is exemplary; it tells us thus much;
Observ. That in our relation of matters of fact, we should do it with all fidelity and candour, to make the best of things and not the worst; The servant both tells what his master had done, and gives a good reason for it, that one would think might have been convincing, however it is otherwise taken. It is very certain that a story may be true, and yet so told as may be advantageous or prejudicial to him whom it concerns. Doeg, for all that we read, spake true of Ahimelech, but in such manner as was pernicious, and carried a lie in it, and is therefore called a lying tongue, Psal. 52. begin. Which may give us warning to beware how we represent matters in our relation of them: have a care therefore of a spirit of detraction, else its certain the most spotless actions of the most innocent persons, may be laid open to the malice and spite of men: and the rather avoid it, because it is a disease the times labour of. There is something also commendable and imitable in the action of the eldest son; he enquires before he determines, he doth not presently conclude, from what he hears, but seeks to be certified in the truth; which if it were more practised amongst Christians, would prevent many unjust censures which are, by over credulity, past upon the innocent. But I especially intend to take notice of the ground it self of his offence, whence observe this,
Observ. That in our relation of matters of fact, we should do it with all fidelity and candor, to make the best of things and not the worst; The servant both tells what his master had done, and gives a good reason for it, that one would think might have been convincing, however it is otherwise taken. It is very certain that a story may be true, and yet so told as may be advantageous or prejudicial to him whom it concerns. Doeg, for all that we read, spake true of Ahimelech, but in such manner as was pernicious, and carried a ly in it, and is therefore called a lying tongue, Psal. 52. begin. Which may give us warning to beware how we represent matters in our relation of them: have a care therefore of a spirit of detraction, else its certain the most spotless actions of the most innocent persons, may be laid open to the malice and spite of men: and the rather avoid it, because it is a disease the times labour of. There is something also commendable and imitable in the action of the eldest son; he enquires before he determines, he doth not presently conclude, from what he hears, but seeks to be certified in the truth; which if it were more practised amongst Christians, would prevent many unjust censures which are, by over credulity, past upon the innocent. But I especially intend to take notice of the ground it self of his offense, whence observe this,
