N00302:111
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 teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Two lines from Luke]
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.
USE, 3. It may afford encouragement not to despair of unregenerate men, although they may at present be left to themselves, and wickedly to abuse all God's favours which they enjoy: God knows how to take them in their months: The poor Prodigal, left to himself, went for, but yet he returns at last, and is graciously welcomed by his Father: If men are bad at present, it doth not hence necessarily follow that they shall never be good: Hence be not put out of heart, do not think your prayers and tears are thrown away, which are laid out for their conversion; yea, but be the more earnest, by how much you see that they may be more serviceable to the glory of God than many others; how much their rich parts, abilities, ⟨p. 41⟩advantages would bring into the Treasury of the Temple, if God should be pleased to convert them.
USE, 3. It may afford encouragement not to despare of unregenerate men, although they may at present be left to themselves, and wickedly to abuse all God's favours which they enjoy: God knows how to take them in their months: The poor Prodigal, left to himself, went for, but yet he returns at last, and is graciously welcomed by his Father: If men are bad at present, it doth not hence necessarily follow that they shall never be good: Hence be not put out of heart, do not think your prayers and tears are thrown away, which are laid out for their conversion; yea, but be the more earnest, by how much you see that they may be more serviceable to the glory of God than many others; how much their rich parts, abilities, ⟨p. 41⟩advantages would bring into the Treasury of the Temple, if God should be pleased to convert them.
USE, 4. It may counsel us all to beware how we desire to be at our own will and dispose; to be left to our selves, to have our own portion in our own hand: God may grant such unreasonable desires, but if he do, we shall smart for it: Know therefore that every Child of Adam left to himself, will prove a Prodigal: If we are not willing to be under the direction of Gods Law, and conduct of his spirit, he may righteously leave us, and then we shall certainly do as this younger Son did, which is the next thing we are to enquire into.
USE, 4. It may counsel us all to beware how we desire to be at our own will and dispose; to be left to our selves, to have our own portion in our own hand: God may grant such unreasonable desires, but if he do, we shall smart for it: Know therefore that every Child of Adam left to himself, will prove a Prodigal: If we are not willing to be under the direction of Gods Law, and conduct of his spirit, he may righteously leave us, and then we shall certainly do as this yonger Son did, which is the next thing we are to enquire into.
Vers. 13. And not many days after, the younger Son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far Country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Vers. 13. And not many dayes after, the yonger Son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far Country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
In which words is described to us the second point of his folly, appearing in his improvident and wasteful misimprovement of his Portion; and this discovers it self in two things. 1. His getting as far as he could, with his Portion, from his fathers care and inspection. 2. His improvident and foolish expense of his Estate there, where he was out of sight as he hoped.
In which words is described to us the second point of his folly, appearing in his improvident and wastful missimprovment of his Portion; and this discovers it self in two things. 1. His getting as far as he could, with his Portion, from his fathers care and inspection. 2. His improvident and foolish expense of his Estate there, where he was out of sight as he hoped.
1. We are to observe his getting as far away, with his portion, as he could, from his fathers care and oversight, in which there are three things observable. 1. The hast that he makes expressed in these words, not many days after. 2. that he takes all with him: He gathered all together. 3. The place whither he carried it, into a far Country. I begin with the first.
1. We are to observe his getting as far away, with his portion, as he could, from his fathers care and oversight, in which there are three things observable. 1. The hast that he makes expressed in these words, not many dayes after. 2. that he takes all with him: He gathered all together. 3. The place whither he carried it, into a farr Countrey. I begin with the first.
1. The hast that he makes, as soon as he hath gotten his Portion, now he will be gone; he gets as much as he can out of his father, and when he can expect no more, now he leaves him, makes all speed to be gone, not many days after.
1. The hast that he makes, as soon as he hath gotten his Portion, now he will be gone; he gets as much as he can out of his father, and when he can expect no more, now he leaves him, makes all speed to be gone, not many dayes after.
Religion is to an unregenerate man nothing but a pander to his lusts: As long as men hope they can get any thing to further their worldly interest, they can be (with Jehu) zealous for God: Jehu could destroy Ahab's wicked house, and plead prescription from God for so doing, as though he was afraid to come a whit short of the command and threatening: but now when he hath what he would, all the competitors for the Crown are by this means removed ⟨p. 43⟩out of the way, now he grows cold in Religion at once, and Gods precepts neglected, a further reformation refused, Jeroboam's politic sin adhered to: and if we observe, we shall find that many there are who for by-ends make fair pretences, and are huge sticklers for God and his ways for a while, who, when once they have gotten some worldly advantage or advancements by it, of a sudden they become other men.
Religion is to an unregenerate man nothing but a pander to his lusts: As long as men hope they can get any thing to further their worldly interest, they can be (with Jehu) zealous for God: Jehu could destroy Ahab's wicked house, and plead prescription from God for so doing, as though he was afraid to come a whit short of the command and threatning: but now when he hath what he would, all the competitours for the Crown are by this means removed ⟨p. 43⟩out of the way, now he grows cold in Religion at once, and Gods precepts neglected, a further reformation refused, Jeroboam's politick sin adhered to: and if we observe, we shall find that many there are who for by-ends make fair pretences, and are huge sticklers for God and his wayes for a while, who, when once they have gotten some worldly advantage or advancements by it, of a sudden they become other men.
Reas. Because the most Religious natural men have chosen the service of God, not as their end, but only as a medium to attain some other end by: Now a mean is useful but in order to the end for which it is used, but the end is good for it self: Religion was appointed to be mans end, who was designed by the will of God, for his Glory: But carnal men have gotten some other end, which they think better than that which God hath appointed them, and finding (many times) that Religion is a needful step thereunto, they use it as a man doth a Ladder to climb upon, but when they are gotten up it is now of no more service to them, and now Religion is as easily thrown off again as ever it was taken up: It was an imputation which Satan would have cast upon Job, but the event proved it evidently a slander, after he had been upon the greatest trial, that he did not serve God for nought but it will be found a ⟨p. 44⟩truth concerning multitudes of our outside Professors: There were many of Christ's followers, that were so for nothing but the loaves, Job. 6. 26.
Reas. Because the most Religious natural men have chosen the service of God, not as their end, but only as a medium to attain some other end by: Now a mean is useful but in order to the end for which it is used, but the end is good for it self: Religion was appointed to be mans end, who was designed by the will of God, for his Glory: But carnal men have gotten some other end, which they think better than that which God hath appointed them, and finding (many times) that Religion is a needful step thereunto, they use it as a man doth a Ladder to climb upon, but when they are gotten up it is now of no more service to them, and now Religion is as easily thrown off again as ever it was taken up: It was an imputation which Satan would have cast upon Job, but the event proved it evidently a slander, after he had been upon the greatest tryal, that he did not serve God for nought but it will be found a ⟨p. 44⟩truth concerning multitudes of our outside Professors: There were many of Christ's followers, that were so for nothing but the loaves, Job. 6. 26.
USE, 1. This may discover to us a Reason of the Apostasy of many in these times and places. It is not to be doubted, but that here where Religion hath had the precedency, and men have been esteemed of according to the Profession which they have made, that may have taken it up clearly upon this account, viz. to get into credit, favour, privilege, preferment, and hence no wonder, if either when men have been frustrated of what they expected, or have gotten as much as they can probably hope to get by it, it grows an out-dated and useless thing with them: This is an hour of trial, and he that can maintain his Profession, when to all appearance of sense, it is a losing bargain, gives us reason to hope that that man is built upon a more stable foundation.
USE, 1. This may discover to us a Reason of the Apostasie of many in these times and places. It is not to be doubted, but that here where Religion hath had the precedency, and men have been esteemed of according to the Profession which they have made, that may have taken it up clearly upon this account, viz. to get into credit, favour, priviledge, preferment, and hence no wonder, if either when men have been frustrated of what they expected, or have gotten as much as they can probably hope to get by it, it grows an out-dated and useless thing with them: This is an hour of tryal, and he that can maintain his Profession, when to all appearance of sense, it is a losing bargain, gives us reason to hope that that man is built upon a more stable foundation.
USE, 2. It may put us upon it to take a strict account and trial of our profession, to see what foundation it is built upon: If it be Sandy, a shock of temptation will overthrow it: If it be for by and carnal ends, those ends, either hopelessly disappointed, or obtained as far as we can hope, will turn us off it: Such a Profession is dead indeed, and moves only by external weights; and if they be either taken ⟨p. 45⟩off, or run down to the ground, it will cease. The Vitals of Religion consist only […] heart throughly persuaded of the glorious […] of the waves and fear of God, and this […] that which will hold out to the end; whereas the other will last but till men have tried to the outside how much they can get to satisfy their lusts with, by professing God and his Service, and when their expectations on that score cease, it will not be many days ere we hear of them, that they have trussed up all, and are gone: see then to the foundation upon which you are built, if ever you hope to stand.
USE, 2. It may put us upon it to take a strickt account and tryal of our profession, to see what foundation it is built upon: If it be Sandy, a shock of temptation will overthrow it: If it be for by and carnal ends, those ends, either hoplesly disappointed, or obtained as far as we can hope, will turn us off it: Such a Profession is dead indeed, and moves only by external weights; and if they be either taken ⟨p. 45⟩off, or run down to the ground, it will cease. The Vitals of Religion consist only 〈…〉 heart throughly perswaded of the glorious 〈…〉 of the waves and fear of God, and this 〈…〉 that which will hold out to the end; whereas the other will last but till men have tryed to the outside how much they can get to satisfie their lusts with, by professing God and his Service, and when their expectations on that score cease, it will not be many dayes ere we hear of them, that they have trussed up all, and are gone: see then to the foundation upon which you are built, if ever you hope to stand.
2. HE takes all with him; He gathered all together; He leaves nothing behind him: What this all is, we have already heard, viz. All the outward blessing, favours, privileges which God bestows upon the Children of men, be it more or less. Hence,
2. HE takes all with him; He gathered all together; He leaves nothing behind him: What this all is, we have already heard, viz. All the outward blessing, favours, priviledges which God bestowes upon the Children of men, be it more or less. Hence,
Let God bestow upon him whatever he pleaseth, ⟨p. 46⟩for him never so much, yet he takes it not as any engagement upon him to serve God, or glorify him, but dishonoureth him with all: This was the sin which the Prop••• •aid to the charge of that wicked King, Dan. 5. 23. The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, thou hast not glorified. And this Paul declares to be the guise of men who are strangers from the grace of God, Rom. 2. 4, 5. The evidence and ground of this truth will appear if we lay together these particulars.
Let God bestow upon him whatever he pleaseth, ⟨p. 46⟩for him never so much, yet he takes it not as any engagement upon him to serve God, or glorifie him, but dishonoureth him with all: This was the sin which the Prop••• •aid to the charge of that wicked King, Dan. 5. 23. The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy wayes, thou hast not glorified. And this Paul declares to be the guize of men who are strangers from the grace of God, Rom. 2. 4, 5. The evidence and ground of this truth will appear if we lay together these particulars.
1. The heart of every natural man is estranged from God: they are born so, Psal. 53. 3. They go astray as soon as they be born: there is an estrangement in the understanding, they know him not, though God be near them, they see him not; though he doth all for them, they do not observe, it, Hos. 2. 8. She did not know I gave her Corn, &c. There is an estrangement in the Will, they care not for God, they are his enemies; yea, enmity it self against him, Rom. 8.7. They are estranged in their affections, hence they are called haters of God, Rom. 1 30. Now by virtue of this estrangedness, they are wholly indisposed, and utterly averse to the fear and service of God.
1. The heart of every natural man is estranged from God: they are born so, Psal. 53. 3. They go astray as soon as they be born: there is an estrangement in the understanding, they know him not, though God be near them, they see him not; though he doth all for them, they do not observe, it, Hos. 2. 8. She did not know I gave her Corn, &c. There is an estrangement in the Will, they care not for God, they are his enemies; yea, enmity it self against him, Rom. 8.7. They are estranged in their affections, hence they are called haters of God, Rom. 1 30. Now by vertue of this estrangedness, they are wholly indisposed, and utterly averse to the fear and service of God.
