The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from…

Now if any should yet further demand, Why the Lord should ¹give unto penitent persons a precious faith to espouse them to Christ? I conjecture, briefly, that these may be the Grounds or Reasons. 1. To convince all the world, that there is no loss in leaving of sin. Abjice tectum & tolle coelum, said one. The repentant person forsakes his sins, but presently finds a Saviour; he is divorced from that which would damn him, and by faith is espoused unto one that will save him. 2. To support the soul of the penitent, which of all other is most sick and heavy laden: It is most sensible of sin, and guilt, and Gods displeasure, on all which it cannot long look alone. If the penitent person had not faith to see a Mediator, he would not long have an eye to look upon his transgressions. It is a truth, that Repentance could never act it self, unless the penitent person had faith to act it self too. The sorrow in Repentance would infinitely sink into despair, and the forsaking of sin would turn into a forsaking of God, if Faith saw not a Mediator for Transgressions, and a merciful God through him. 3. Lastly; The Lord intends singular mercy to the penitent ²persons; to perform many precious promises of pardon and grace and comfort unto them, and therefore gives them Faith, unto which all the Promises are made. The promises may be considered two ways; either in respect, 1. of Intention, so they look unto the Penitent; of Application, so only Faith is the Hand in the Penitent which actively applies the Promises. Again, you know that the Promises of God are Yea, and Amen in Christ, (i.) they are all sealed by him, and made good unto us by him; so that first we must have Christ, before the Promises made good unto us by Christ: And therefore God gives unto the penitent person the Grace of Faith to espouse him unto Christ, that so he may settle upon him all the Dowry (upon the Marriage) of the rich mercy and good in his precious Promises.

Now if any should yet further demand, Why the Lord should ¹give unto penitent persons a precious faith to espouse them to Christ? I conjecture, briefly, that these may be the Grounds or Reasons. 1. To convince all the world, that there is no loss in leaving of sin. Abjice tectum & tolle coelum, said one. The repentant person forsakes his sins, but presently finds a Saviour; he is divorced from that which would damn him, and by faith is espoused unto one that will save him. 2. To support the soul of the penitent, which of all other is most sick and heavy laden: It is most sensible of sin, and guilt, and Gods displeasure, on all which it cannot long look alone. If the penitent person had not faith to see a Mediatour, he would not long have an eye to look upon his transgressions. It is a truth, that Repentance could never act it self, unless the penitent person had faith to act it self too. The sorrow in Repentance would infinitely sink into despair, and the forsaking of sin would turn into a forsaking of God, if Faith saw not a Mediatour for Transgressions, and a mercifull God through him. 3. Lastly; The Lord intends singular mercy to the penitent