N00302:477
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.
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.
2. In these words is set down his deliberate conclusion, or consultation and determination what improvement to make of these arguments, which is, in sum to make proof of his fathers love in the most penitent and humble manner. More particularly, he resolves upon ⟨p. 203⟩two things: 1. That he will return to his father, I will arise, and go to my father. 2. How he will demean himself when he comes to him, viz. in the most submissive and self abasing manner that is possible, and this appears, both in his confession and petition. 1. In his confession, in which he acknowledgeth, 1. His sin, aggravated in two things. 1. The object against whom, against heaven. 2. The presence in which, before thee. 2. The merit or desert of his sin, I am no more worthy to be called thy son. 2. His petition, submitting to his fathers disposal, Make me as one of thy hired servants. Before I enter upon particulars, it will be needful to enquire, to what head in Divinity this is to be referred; whither to a preparatory or to a saving work: and I suppose it may be made evident that it refers to a saving work, and that true conversion is here deciphered, and set forth in these and the following words, verse, 20. begin.
2. In these words is set down his deliberate conclusion, or consultation and determination what improvment to make of these arguments, which is, in summe to make proof of his fathers love in the most penitent and humble manner. More particularly, he resolves upon ⟨p. 203⟩two things: 1. That he will return to his father, I will arise, and go to my father. 2. How he will demean himself when he comes to him, viz. in the most submissive and self abasing manner that is possible, and this appears, both in his confession and petition. 1. In his confession, in which he acknowledgeth, 1. His sin, aggravated in two things. 1. The object against whom, against heaven. 2. The presence in which, before thee. 2. The merit or desert of his sin, I am no more worthy to be called thy son. 2. His petition, submitting to his fathers disposal, Make me as one of thy hyred servants. Before I enter upon particulars, it will be needful to enquire, to what head in Divinity this is to be referred; whither to a preparatory or to a saving work: and I suppose it may be made evident that it refers to a saving work, and that true conversion is here deciphered, and set forth in these and the following words, verse, 20. begin.
It is true we have in these words only his deliberate purpose expressed; but we must remember that the will is the first subject of Religion, and when that is truly turned to God, there is a saving work wrought, and the whole man will follow, and so it did in this, vers. 20 he hath now renounced his far Country and made choice of God. The work here described is Repentance, but not a separate from, but ⟨p. 204⟩joined with & flowing from saving faith: for it was the spirit of Grace working faith in him, and acting of it who made him to draw this conclusion from the premises; that enabled him to adventure his soul upon God, and withal taught him how to do it in a penitent manner.
It is true we have in these words only his deliberate purpose expressed; but we must remember that the will is the first subject of Religion, and when that is truly turned to God, there is a saving work wrought, and the whole man will follow, and so it did in this, vers. 20 he hath now renounced his far Country and made choice of God. The work here described is Repentance, but not a separate from, but ⟨p. 204⟩joyned with & flowing from saving faith: for it was the spirit of Grace working faith in him, and acting of it who made him to draw this conclusion from the premises; that enabled him to adventure his soul upon God, and withal taught him how to do it in a penitent manner.
Hence those that place true Repentance in order before Faith, mistake: Though Faith usually first discovers it self to us in act of Repentance, and the comforts of it are sensibly felt after Repentance; yea, the greatest and noblest actings of faith are those that are exerted in Repentance; leading the soul in deepest sense of sin and unworthiness, to adventure it self upon the mercy and power of a justly offended God, in returning to him.
Furthermore, we are not to think that because this resolution is ascribed to the Prodigal as his act, therefore our Repentance prevents the Grace of God: Our Saviours design being not to describe conversion by its Author, but by its subject, and by the effects on the subject. If it be enquired whence Repentance comes, there are other Scriptures which point us to the Author; but if we ask how Repentance works, here we have it.
But I come to look more particularly into the words, and here; If we consider when and how the Prodigal came to draw up this conclusion, by referring it to the vers, foregoing, we ⟨p. 205⟩shall find that it ariseth from the discoveries made of his fathers fullness of benignity: whence we might observe this,
But I come to look more particularly into the words, and here; If we consider when and how the Prodigal came to draw up this conclusion, by referring it to the vers, foregoing, we ⟨p. 205⟩shall find that it ariseth from the discoveries made of his fathers fulness of benignity: whence we might observe this,
God wins the soul to himself nextly, not by terrors, but his benignity. It is true, God prepares them to entertain his kindness, by terrible discoveries, that so he may make it the more welcome; but still, these do but terrify, amaze, make afraid; but this is that which wins the soul, breaks the heart, encourageth hope, and by this way the spirit worketh the soul to Repentance. Hence that, Job 13. 20, 21.
God wins the soul to himself nextly, not by terrours, but his benignity. It is true, God prepares them to entertain his kindness, by terrible discoveries, that so he may make it the more welcome; but still, these do but terrifie, amaze, make afraid; but this is that which wins the soul, breaks the heart, encourageth hope, and by this way the spirit worketh the soul to Repentance. Hence that, Job 13. 20, 21.
USE, Thus may teach us that for Ministers to preach nothing but terrors, or for poor awakened souls to look upon nothing but terrors, is not the way to promote the work of the Gospel, or conversion of Souls: This drives only to despair: All our Doctrines, and all our hopes, must centre in the free Grace of God. But I come to the words themselves.
USE, Thus may teach us that for Ministers to preach nothing but terrours, or for poor awakened souls to look upon nothing but terrours, is not the way to promote the work of the Gospel, or conversion of Souls: This drives only to despair: All our Doctrines, and all our hopes, must center in the free Grace of God. But I come to the words themselves.
