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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.
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⟩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 glorifie 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.
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.
2. None but the humble soul takes a right scantling of himself: this man only is he that knows himself: and we can never know God aright in the Covenant of his Grace, till we have a right apprehension, of our selves. Now that you may clearly understand your own unworthiness. Consider,
1. That you have never done any thing in all your lives, that can render you worthy in God's account: the Godly themselves must ⟨p. 243⟩say of all they do, they are unprofitable, Luk. 17. 10. The best deeds of sanctified men call for forgiveness; yea, for the merits of Christ to render them acceptable unto God, which makes them so far from boasting, that it puts them upon it to ask forgiveness. According to the first Covenant, those works were accounted worthy of acceptance and reward, whereby God was glorified in perfect obedience; wherein the heart and life were exactly conformed to the mind of the Law of God, that was given man for his rule; but since the fall, the best of men cannot thus do: And as for thee, thou hast been a sinner, how justly mayest thou take that to thy self, which the Prophet charged that wicked King withal? Dan.5.23. Thou hast kept no command of God, but fallen short of all, and what worthiness canst thou plead? those services which thou thinkest thou hast done, even they are worse than filthy rags; for the Church concludes hers to be no better, Isa. 64. 6.
1. That you have never done any thing in all your lives, that can render you worthy in God's account: the Godly themselves must ⟨p. 243⟩say of all they do, they are unprofitable, Luk. 17. 10. The best deeds of sanctified men call for forgiveness; yea, for the merits of Christ to render them acceptable unto God, which makes them so far from boasting, that it puts them upon it to ask forgiveness. According to the first Covenant, those works were accounted worthy of acceptance and reward, whereby God was glorified in perfect obedience; wherein the heart and life were exactly conformed to the mind of the Law of God, that was given man for his rule; but since the fall, the best of men cannot thus do: And as for thee, thou hast been a sinner, how justly maist thou take that to thy self, which the Prophet charged that wicked King withal?
2. How much thou hast done to render thy self unworthy: Thou hast not only done nothing for God and his Glory, but but hast been doing very much against it; nay consider.
1. What an unworthy creature thou art in thy natural state; so far from being amiable in Gods eyes, that thou art by nature a loathsome ⟨p. 244⟩object: Thy pedigree, original, state, all speak all against thee: thou mayest see what thou art, Ezek. 16. begin. Though thou hadst done nothing against God, yet thy very being is hateful: Who counts toads and snakes worthy of preservation, but rather of destruction?
1. What an unworthy creature thou art in thy natural state; so far from being amiable in Gods eyes, that thou art by nature a loathsome ⟨p. 244⟩object: Thy p•degree, original, state, all speak all against thee: thou maist see what thou art, Ezek. 16. begin. Though thou hadst done nothing against God, yet thy very being is hateful: Who counts toads and snakes worthy of preservation, but rather of destruction?
2. Thou hast carried it unworthily towards God in the whole course of thy life: all the days of thy vanity and unregeneracy, all thy course and carriage, hath been to set thee out of his favour. If vile and profligate abuses will give a man worth, thou mightest claim it, for such hath all thy life been. Consider,
2. Thou hast carried it unworthily towards God in the whole course of thy life: all the dayes of thy vanity and unregeneracy, all thy course and carriage, hath been to set thee out of his favour. If vile and profligate abuses will give a man worth, thou mightest claim it, for such hath all thy life been. Consider,
1. What God hath been doing for you: how many ways he hath been expressing kindness, pity, favour to you: The being he hath given you, the preservation afforded to you, the provision he hath made for you, the bounty he hath heaped upon you; but above all, the precious Salvation he hath set before you, and all the means given you for the promoting of it: innumerable have been the obligations, strong the cords that he hath laid upon you.
1. What God hath been doing for you: how many ways he hath been expressing kindness, pitty, favour to you: The being he hath given you, the preservation afforded to you, the provision he hath made for you, the bounty he hath heaped upon you; but above all, the precious Salvation he hath set before you, and all the means given you for the promoting of it: innumerable have been the obligations, strong the cords that he hath laid upon you.
2. What you have requited him with; in one word, Ingratitude (&si ingratum dixeris, omnia dixisti.) Nay, opprobrious contumity: For,
1. You have driven a trade of sinning against ⟨p. 245⟩and provoking him all your lives long: it hath been your custom from your youth upward; nay, you have done it with delight; you have made nothing to break his holy commands; yea, it hath been a sport and recreation to you, you could not sleep without it.
2. You have abused and mis-improved all his mercies, taking encouragement by them to sin against him: with his own you have dishonoured his great Name; with his flax, and his wool, &c. Hos. 2.8,9. You have spent that substance which he lent you in riot, have made his creatures to serve your sins, and so armed them against him, and thereby made the creation to groan under your oppression.
2. You have abused and mis-improved all his mercies, taking encouragment by them to sin against him: with his own you have dishonoured his great Name; with his flax, and his wool, &c. Hos. 2.8,9. You have spent that substance which he lent you in riot, have made his creatures to serve your sins, and so armed them against him, and thereby made the creation to groan under your oppression.
3. You have sought for succour, relief, comfort, to other things, and not to him, have trusted in creatures and not in the Creator, you have lived upon husks, and fed on the air, and have made your selves servants; yea, slaves to Satan and the World, and thereby disgraced your Original, and forgotten your end, which was to serve God, and depend upon him for all.
4. You have despised his Redemption and Grace, that hath been tendered to you in the Gospel: Jesus Christ, that precious Saviour, hath been less esteemed by you than your vile lust, and filthy pleasures; his patience hath been slighted, and grace refused; you have ⟨p. 246⟩turned a deaf ear to his counsel, the back and not the face to his proffers of Salvation; thus hath he been of no worth in your eyes. And now say, What are you worthy of? Ask your own Consciences, and they will tell you, that you do such things as are worthy of death: An heathen's Conscience will say so much, Rom. 1. ult. You are worthy to have all those mercies that you have thus abused, taken from you, and to be turned down into the place of woes and miseries: Hell is a place fit for▪ you, and the torments of it a due reward. Thus thou art unspeakably unworthy that God should show thee any mercy: Get then to be deeply abased, and ashamed of thy self; hang down thy head with the Publican, and so go to the throne of Grace, and ask mercy of God for his own sake, for Christ's sake; this is the way in which God is to be found, and entertainment to be had with him: God is not wont to send such away ashamed, but contented.
4. You have despised his Redemption and Grace, that hath been tendered to you in the Gospel: Jesus Christ, that precious Saviour, hath been less esteemed by you than your vile lust, and filthy pleasures; his patience hath been slighted, and grace refused; you have ⟨p. 246⟩turned a deaf ear to his counsel, the back and not the face to his proffers of Salvation; thus hath he been of no worth in your eyes. And now say, What are you worthy of? Ask your own Consciences, and they will tell you, that you do such things as are worthy of death: An heathen's Conscience will say so much, Rom. 1. ult. You are worthy to have all those mercies that you have thus abused, taken from you, and to be turned down into the place of woes and miseries: Hell is a place fit for▪ you, and the torments of it a due reward. Thus thou art unspeakably unworthy that God should shew thee any mercy: Get then to be deeply abased, and ashamed of thy self; hang down thy head with the Publican, and so go to the throne of Grace, and ask mercy of God for his own sake, for Christ's sake; this is the way in which God is to be found, and entertainment to be had with him: God is not wont to send such away ashamed, but contented.
