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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. He acknowledgeth that he is unworthy of the least outward mercy, so far from being worthy to be treated as a son, as not to deserve to be treated as a creature: and here he acknowledgeth,
1. That he is unworthy of his life, that he is a Child of wrath by nature, and doth not deserve that God should suffer him to breath in his world, it is a great kindness that he is not consumed, and destroyed from off the face of the earth, and turned down into the pit long before this, Lam. 3. •2.
2. That he is unworthy of livelihood: he cannot challenge, as a debt from God, so much as the least bit of bread, or draught of water, but if he do bestow it upon him, it is a condescending favour, Gen. 32. 10.
2. That he is unworthy of livelyhood: he cannot challenge, as a debt from God, so much as the least bit of bread, or draught of water, but if he do bestow it upon him, it is a condescending favour, Gen. 32. 10.
3. Unworthy that God should condescend to step aside to do him the least courtesy at all; that he should visit him with any mercy, Matt. 8. 8. Hence he wonders at all, saith, as David, Who am I? or as Mephibofheth, 2 Sam. 9. 8. What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? The ungrateful sinner is quarrelling with God, let him show him never so much kindness; but the humble sinner wonders at God, let him show him never so ⟨p. 238⟩little kindness, because he judgeth that none can be little to such a worthless creature as he.
3. Unworthy that God should condescend to step aside to do him the least courteousie at all; that he should visit him with any mercy, Matt. 8. 8. Hence he wonders at all, saith, as David, Who am I? or as Mephibofheth, 2 Sam. 9. 8. What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? The ungrateful sinner is quarrelling with God, let him shew him never so much kindness; but the humble sinner wonders at God, let him shew him never so ⟨p. 238⟩little kindness, because he judgeth that none can be little to such a worthless creature as he.
2. He acknowledgeth that he is much more unworthy that God should pardon his Sin, and take him among the number of his Children, that he should relieve his famishing Soul, and bestow his Grace upon him: it is such a thing that he dareth hardly speak of, Luk. 18. 14. when Paul speaks of his calling to the Ministry, how doth he set it forth? see Eph. 3. 18. To me, who am less than the least of all Saints: how much more may every one say so of his Conversion? he will acknowledge, that if God refuse to come and save him, he doth him no wrong, Rom. 9.19,20. if he do it, it is mere Grace, Eph. 2.8.
2. He acknowledgeth that he is much more unworthy that God should pardon his Sin, and take him among the number of his Children, that he should relieve his famishing Soul, and bestow his Grace upon him: it is such a thing that he dareth hardly speak of, Luk. 18. 14. when Paul speaks of his calling to the Ministry, how doth he set it forth? see Eph. 3. 18. To me, who am less than the least of all Saints: how much more may every one say so of his Conversion? he will acknowledge, that if God refuse to come and save him, he doth him no wrong, Rom. 9.19,20. if he do it, it is meer Grace, Eph. 2.8.
2. He acknowledgeth his worthiness of all misery: that he is not only undeserving, but ill-deserving; that he hath not only forfeited all mercies, but procured to himself all woes; is not only unprofitable, but is also a great provocation to God. In particular,
1. He acknowledgeth that all the sorrows and sufferings of this life, are not only his desert, but less than his desert, Ezra 9.13. Job 11.6. He will not only justify Gods anger, but magnify his mercy in all the sorrows that befall him here in this World, Lam. 3.22. if God take away his Estate, comforts of his life, strip him naked of all, yet naked as he is, he chargeth not ⟨p. 239⟩God, but blesseth him, Job 1.20,21,22. the threatenings of God are just, his executions of them righteous, and his moderation of them merciful.
1. He acknowledgeth that all the sorrows and sufferings of this life, are not only his desert, but less than his desert, Ezar 9.13. Job 11.6. He will not only justifie Gods anger, but magnifie his mercy in all the sorrows that befal him here in this World, Lam. 3.22. if God take away his Estate, comforts of his life, strip him naked of all, yet naked as he is, he chargeth not ⟨p. 239⟩God, but blesseth him, Job 1.20,21,22. the threatnings of God are just, his executions of them righteous, and his moderation of them merciful.
2. That the utmost of the wrath and curse of God is duly and truly his merit: that he hath done things worthy of Death, and that it belongs to him as his wages, Rom. 8. ult. Dan. 9. 8. he sees Hell to be a place proper for him, and confesseth that it is mere patience that hath hitherto kept him out of it, else he had been there ere this: he sees weight enough in his Sin, to sink him down into the nethermost Hell, and that he is not there as well as others, undergoing endless, easeless, remediless torments, is not because he is better, but because God is more merciful to him.
Now when the humbled Soul is thus made sensible of his own worthlessness, hereupon these further fruits of it discover themselves.
1. He is really taken off from all confidence in himself: he now dares to rest no longer upon any thing that is his, whether of nature or grace, to give him favour with God, and plead for him in his presence. He now dares not to rely upon his duties, though done with never so much seriousness and sincerity; no, they are Loss, Dung, Rags to him; they are not to be trusted in, or accounted of.
2. He is taken off from exalting himself, ⟨p. 240⟩and his own duties: all self conceits are beaten down; and his business is to undermine them, and undervalue them; he denies himself, this is true humility, Mat. 16. 24. He despiseth his own services, they are nothing, nor is he ever she more worthy for them.
3. He comes before God with self-abhorrence: comes not as a proud man, that thinks he comes for nothing but what he may expect and challenge, and it will be an affront to deny it him, as they did, Isa. 58. 3. No, but he lays all his excellencies, and all his moralities, and all his good duties in the dust, under God's feet, and acknowledgeth that he may, if he sees meet, trample upon them, and do him no wrong, Job 42. 6. If he had thought a thought or spoken a word in defence of his own worth or deserving, he loathes himself for that word or thought; he eats it again, and professeth he will speak no more, and condemns himself for what he hath spoken already.
3. He comes before God with self-abhorrence: comes not as a proud man, that thinks he comes for nothing but what he may expect and challenge, and it will be an affront to deny it him, as they did, Isa. 58. 3. No, but he layes all his excellencies, and all his moralities, and all his good duties in the dust, under God's feet, and acknowledgeth that he may, if he sees meet, trample upon them, and do him no wrong, Job 42. 6. If he had thought a thought or spoken a word in defence of his own worth or deserving, he loaths himself for that word or thought; he eats it again, and professeth he will speak no more, and condemns himself for what he hath spoken already.
Now the Reason why God works this grace in conversion, is because his great design in the New-Covenant, is to bring about man's Salvation in a way of Grace, the Glory of which Attribute is the bottom end of his counsel concerning his Elect, Rom. 9.23. Now then grace appears to be grace, in respect of the subject, it is applied to, when this subject is made to appear the most undeserving; and every circumstance ⟨p. 241⟩lowering the creatures desert, heightens the excellency of this Grace: Hence you shall find the Scripture loves to set it off with this, Deut. 26. 5. &c. Ezek. 16. begin. Eph. 2. begin. And, inasmuch as man is actively to give God the glory of this grace, it is therefore needful, that he see and feel in himself, that which may put the Emphasis upon it: Thus the Apostles argument was, Rom. 5. 7, 8. To see good, honest, innocent men taken to heaven, would be no such great matter to be spoken of, but to see such as had been wicked, had provoked God, were sinners of the Gentiles, &c. saved, this is matter for heaven to ring of to all eternity: none will so wonder at their own salvation, as those that have been deepest apprehensive of, and humbled for their own sinful unworthiness of mercy, and provocation of God to wrath; they will glorify God indeed, who see that he hath saved them fro•• lowest hell, in which he might have left them in chains, prisoners, to have suffered wrath for ever.
Now the Reason why God works this grace in conversion, is because his great design in the New-Covenant, is to bring about man's Salvation in a way of Grace, the Glory of which Attribute is the bottom end of his counsel concerning his Elect, Rom. 9.23. Now then grace appears to be grace, in respect of the subject, it is applyed to, when this subject is made to appear the most undeserving; and every circumstance ⟨p. 241⟩
The more full application of this truth will fall under the following Doctrine; containing the other part of Gospel humility, it may suffice to hint at one here.
USE. To convince and persuade poor sinners of their worthlessness: If ever you would come unto God acceptably, you must come ⟨p. 242⟩unto him empty of all self-conceits, renouncing all worth or excellency in your selves: so long as you think you deserve any thing so long Christ will refuse you: He will have you to cast your selves upon mere mercy, unto which you have no claim of your own, but sue for it as beggars, who can no way oblige their benefactors to do them a kindness. See then and view how unworthy you are that God should do any thing for you; unworthy of common favours, much more unworthy to be called his Sons or Daughters: For motive, consider,
USE. To convince and perswade poor sinners of their worthlesness: If ever you would come unto God acceptably, you must come ⟨p. 242⟩unto him empty of all self-conceits, renouncing all worth or excellency in your selves: so long as you think you deserve any thing so long Christ will refuse you: He will have you to cast your selves upon meer mercy, unto which you have no claim of your own, but sue for it as beggars, who can no way oblige their benefactors to do them a kindness. See then and view how unworthy you are that God should do any thing for you; unworthy of common favours, much more unworthy to be called his Sons or Daughters: For motive, consider,
1. None but the humble soul can expect acceptance with God: He sees the proud afar off, but the humble he will exalt: When you lie lowest, you are nearest the height of happiness: it is from the dungeon, from the lowest pit, that Christ fetcheth those whom he makes him Nobles; it is the meek he will teach his way.
1. None but the humble soul can expect acceptance with God: He sees the proud afar off, but the humble he will exalt: When you ly lowest, you are nearest the height of happiness: it is from the dungeon, from the lowest pit, that Christ fetcheth those whom he makes him Nobles; it is the meek he will teach his way.
