N00302:469
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.
2. That they lay blocks in the way of their own conversion, that only sit poring upon their own misery, and look no further: What good would it have done the poor Prodigal, to have only sat, and wrung his hands, and cried, I perish, I perish? If he had looked no farther he had perished indeed. Though we must begin here, yet we must not end here, but look further for encouragement. The distressed man's enquiry is, where shall I have help? and so must yours, and now the spirit of grace is ready to direct you to one that is both able and full. therefore,
2. That they lay blocks in the way of their own conversion, that only sit poring upon their own misery, and look no further: What good would it have done the poor Prodigal, to have only sat, and wrung his hands, and cryed, I perish, I perish? If he had looked no farther he had perished indeed. Though we must begin here, yet we must not end here, but look further for encouragement. The distressed man's enquiry is, where shal I have help? and so must yours, and now the spirit of grace is ready to direct you to one that is both able and full. therefore,
USE, 2. Let it be for a word of encouragement to those that are at the point of death, who feel themselves miserable, but neither in themselves nor elsewhere can find deliverance, and are (possibly) ready to pass a sad sentence ⟨p. 196⟩upon themselves, that there is no hope for their souls. Thou hast seen an end of all created perfection, thou hast come to the bottom of thine own confidence; thou hast found an empty world, felt an empty soul; but didst thou never hear of God, or hast thou never tried him? If not, do not yet despair; first see what he can and will do for thee: you will say, I have tried many courses and they fail, and I am dis-heartened; well, but this is a way never yet frustrated thee, and let these Attributes put a little comforting hope into thy soul; consider then and believe.
USE, 2. Let it be for a word of encouragement to those that are at the point of death, who feel themselves miserable, but neither in themselves nor elsewhere can find deliverance, and are (possibly) ready to pass a sad sentence ⟨p. 196⟩upon themselves, that there is no hope for their souls. Thou hast seen an end of all created perfection, thou hast come to the bottom of thine own confidence; thou hast found an empty world, felt an empty soul; but didst thou never hear of God, or hast thou never tryed him? If not, do not yet despair; first see what he can and will do for thee: you will say, I have tryed many courses and they fail, and I am dis-heartened; well, but this is a way never yet frustrated thee, and let these Attributes put a little comforting hope into thy soul; consider then and believe.
1. That God is able to help thee: He hath all that, and more than all that which thou needest: He hath eternal life with him to give to all those that ask it of him; thou art starving, but he can feed thee, thou art perishing, but he can save thee: God loves to commend his power to us, that we may take hold of it, Isa. 27. 5. Let him lay hold of my strength, that he may make peace with him. Look upon him,
1. As he is God: That word is enough to tell thee he is able; God thinks it a word big enough to encourage his desponding, and almost despairing people, Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me, for I am God. The reason why thou canst find no help among the creatures, is because they are not God, Isa. 31. 3. The Egyptians are ⟨p. 197⟩men, and not God. And that you may know what he can do as God, look upon the work of Creation: when God would hearten his people to rely upon him, he calls up their consideration hither, Isa. 44. 24, 25. 12. 15. What cannot he who made a world out of nothing, do? Could God call for a world, and it answered his call, and can not he save a poor sinner from perishing? doubtless he can: what serve all the Divine Attributes for, but to display the greatness and immensity of the power of God?
2. As he is God in Christ: And there you shall see how he is not only absolutely able, but also suitably laid in with sufficient supply to save the perishing souls of prodigal sinners from perdition: Christ is a great Store-house, in whom is laid up all provision needful for the famishing posterity of fallen Adam: the great discouragement of a convinced sinner is, how can God do it and be just? Though there be a fountain of goodness in God, able to satisfy the soul that enjoys it, yet sin hath stopped up the channel, and Divine Justice interposeth, condemning the sinner to die: But now in Christ all these Channels are opened again; he hath satisfied Justice, and so broken open a new and and living way to God, and presented him sitting on a Throne of Grace; and thus God is able, notwithstanding his Justice, to open treasures ⟨p. 198⟩of many to sinners, and fill every hungry soul with good things. Divine sufficiency is by this means rendered communicable to the Children of men: And it is in this sense the Apostle speaks, Eph. 3. 20. He is able to do more than we can ask or think. Otherwise it had been a mockery put upon dying sinners, to have told them of abundant store of Grace and good, which it was no ways possible for them to come at. Now it is your work and business to apply this to your condition, and say, though I am perishing, yet there is a possibility that I may be supplied; though the world cannot relieve me, yet God can, and that not only by absolute power, but in a feasible way of his own finding out: I may then live and not die: And the very belief of this probability hath driven many a soul to him; and thou mayest, as well as the poor leper, frame a petition and argument out of it; If thou wilt, thou canst. Out of doubt it opens a door of hope, for a soul to know and believe, that if God will, he can both save him and be just.
2. As he is God in Christ: And there you shall see how he is not only absolutely able, but also sutably laid in with sufficient supply to save the perishing souls of prodigal sinners from perdition: Christ is a great Store-house, in whom is laid up all provision needful for the famishing posterity of fallen Adam: the great discouragement of a convinced sinner is, how can God do it and be just? Though there be a fountain of goodness in God, able to satisfie the soul that enjoyes it, yet sin hath stopt up the channel, and Divine Justice interposeth, condemning the sinner to dy: But now in Christ all these Channels are opened again; he hath satisfied Justice, and so broken open a new and and living way to God, and presented him sitting on a Throne of Grace; and thus God is able, notwithstanding his Justice, to open treasures
2. That God is bountiful, and ready to relieve such as are in want: This may add to thy encouragement and hope, though thou art not certain that he will help thee: The Prodigal did not know that his father would look upon him, but he knew him to be kind, and that ⟨p. 199⟩put him forward; so it should do thee; hence God hath written his Name in letters of goodness, Exod. 34. 6, 7. And to help here,
2. That God is bountiful, and ready to relieve such as are in want: This may add to thy encouragement and hope, though thou art not certain that he will help thee: The Prodigal did not know that his father would look upon him, but he knew him to be kind, and that ⟨p. 199⟩put him foreward; so it should do thee; hence God hath written his Name in letters of goodness, Exod. 34. 6, 7. And to help here,
1. Consider how much God doth for such as never return to him, nor ask mercy of him: God's general goodness, should lead sinners to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. When you see how God spares profane and wretched sinners, and suffers them to live; yea, provides liberally for them; fills them with hid treasures, gives them more than heart can wish, and the waters of an overflowing cup are wrung out unto them, so that their hearts are filled with food and gladness, they crown their heads with Rose-buds, and spend their days in wealth, and leave the residue to their babes: Argue from hence, what goodness hath he then in store for them that humble themselves, forsake their sins, repent, and return to him with their whole hearts?
1. Consider how much God doth for such as never return to him, nor ask mercy of him: God's general goodness, should lead sinners to repentance, Rom. 2. 4. When you see how God spares prophane and wretched sinners, and suffers them to live; yea, provides liberally for them; fills them with hid treasures, gives them more than heart can wish, and the waters of an overflowing cup are wrung out unto them, so that their hearts are filled with food and gladness, they crown their heads with Rose-buds, and spend their dayes in wealth, and leave theresidue to their babes: Argue from hence, what goodness hath he then in store for them that humble themselves, forsake their sins, repent, and return to him with their whole hearts?
2. Consider how many repenting Prodigals have upon their return been entertained and made welcome by him, who once did as thou hast done, run themselves out, spent all, and were ready to famish, but, betaking themselves to him, they were fed, and saved alive, and this may give you hopes to find the like favour at his hand; Consider therefore,
1. They were such who as little deserved this favour as thou: they had nothing of merit for which they should be •id welcome, and relieved ⟨p. 200⟩in their distress, for all mankind stand guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19.
1. They were such who as little diserved this favour as thou: they had nothing of merit for which they should be •id welcome, and relieved ⟨p. 200⟩in their distress, for all mankind stand guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19.
2. They had gone away from him, and wasted all in riot, as thou hast done: What a Prodigal was Manasseh? how miserably had he run himself out? yet he obtained favour: What a great sinner had Paul been? yet he was accepted,
3. They were such as had as little to plead for themselves as thou hast: They had nothing to plead but mercy, condescending mercy, undeserved mercy: they had no more to say for themselves than the poor publican had, Lord have mercy on me a sinner. For themselves; or of themselves, all they could say, was only to make this poor Prodigal's acknowledgement, vers. 19. and yet were not rejected, but found mercy.
3. They were such as had as little to plead for themselves as thou hast: They had nothing to plead but mercy, condescending mercy, undeserved mercy: they had no more to say for themselves than the poor publican had, Lord have mercy on me a sinner. For themselves; or of themselves, all they could say, was only to make this poor Prodigal's acknowledgment, vers. 19. and yet were not rejected, but found mercy.
3. Consider what relentings there are in the hearts of men, especial of Parents towards their Children: for, that is the scope of the Parable, to argue from the less to the greater; q. d. If a father can have so much mercy, a poor man, that hath but a little kindness, a little pity with him, what may we hope then that God will do? Can a Prodigal so argue from his fathers bounty, and encourage himself by it? how much more a poor guilty sinner from the bounty of God, with whom are everlasting mercies?
3. Consider what relentings there are in the hearts of men, especiall of Parents towards their Children: for, that is the scope of the Parable, to argue from the less to the greater; q. d. If a father can have so much mercy, a poor man, that hath but a little kindness, a little pitty with him, what may we hope then that God will do? Can a Prodigal so argue from his fathers bounty, and encourage himself by it? how much more a poor guilty sinner from the bounty of God, with whom are everlasting mercies?
4. Consider how richly God hath entertained returning sinners. The poorest, meanest Believer hath enough and to spare, no Believer in Christs family wants for any thing; that promise is fulfilled, Ps. 34. 10. God hath done for them more than they can express; and though they sometimes seem to complain, yet it is their infirmity and infidelity: What can a Believer want which he hath not? Pardon of sin, title of inheritance to all good things, favour with God, grace to serve him, a fatherly care for him; yea, and to spare, he hath joys, consolations, ravishings of soul; he may, not only feed, but feast it by faith on Jesus Christ: If you say, what is all this to me, who have no lot or share in this matter? I answer, it is this to thee, it should encourage thee to hope, and not utterly to despair of finding mercy; and from hence to animate thy soul to go to God, and wait upon him for it, to seek him diligently in the use of means; and to resolve not to sit still & die of the famine silently, but to make thy moan to God, and pour out thy complaint before him; to arise and leave this far country where there is nothing but famine and death, and, with the Prodigal, take up a resolution to return to God, and ask gracious entertainment with him for a poor dying perishing sinner, who is he alone with whom the fatherless findeth mercy.
4. Consider how richly God hath entertained returning sinners. The poorest, meanest Believer hath enough and to spare, no Believer in Christs family wants for any thing; that promise is fulfilled, Ps. 34. 10. God hath done for them more than they can express; and though they sometimes seem to complain, yet it is their infirmity and infidelity: What can a Believer want which he hath not? Pardon of sin, title of inheritance to all good things, favour with God, grace to serve him, a fatherly care for him; yea, and to spare, he hath joyes, consolations, ravishings of soul; he may, not only feed, but feast it by faith on Jesus Christ: If you say, what is all this to me, who have no lot or share in this matter? I answer, it is this to thee, it should encourage thee to hope, and not utterly to despare of finding mercy; and from hence to animate thy soul to go to God, and wait upon him for it, to seek him diligently in the use of means; and to resolve not to sit still & dy of the famine silently, but to make thy moan to God, and pour out thy complaint before him; to arise and leave this far country where there is nothing but famine and death, and, with the Prodigal, take up a resolution to return to God, and ask gracious entertainment with him for a poor dying perishing sinner, who is he alone with whom the fatherless findeth mercy.
Vers. 18. I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. Vers. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.
Vers. 18. I will arise, and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee. Vers. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hyred servants.
IN the former verse we had the Prodigal quickening and encouraging himself to return to his father, which is the first part of his deliberation.
IN the former verse we had the Prodigal quickning and encouraging himself to return to his father, which is the first part of his deliberation.
