N00302:729
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. Not to think to earn Grace and Glory by your own endeavours, or to do that of your selves which may bring you under the Covenant promise of life; this will never be: were there no more in the Gospel, but only that counsel, believe and be saved, the grace of the Gospel would do us no good: but when God speaks of making us to believe, of working the will and deed, that is the life of Gospel Grace: Christ bids us to come, but if he come not first, he would keep his Salvation to himself.
2. Not to put away the grace of God from you till you have made your selves fit for it. Many say, what have I to do to ask Grace, who am so vile and cannot come to God? I answer, none hath more need of it than such an one: and therefore do not say, I will wait till I have fitted my self; but wait on God for his preventing grace, to fit and prepare, and turn you unto him: say not, if I could get up yonder to him, it would be well, but wait for him to come to your pit.
3. Not to rest in means and endeavours, as if they were able to do for you what you need; but look up to Grace to help you to attend upon the means, and bless that attendance for your Spiritual good. Promise not to your selves any thing from Ordinances themselves, but only so far as he shall breath in them: ⟨p. 294⟩Wait therefore for the north and south wind to blow.
4. Be willing to wait the leisure of free grace. If that lead, it must not be limited, but suffered to take its own time; only it is our duty to be waiting in the use of all means, not growing weary, fainting or repining.
4. Be willing to wait the leisure of freegrace. If that lead, it must not be limited, but suffered to take its own time; only it is our duty to be waiting in the use of all means, not growing weary, fainting or repining.
2. To the converted, learn you also from hence,
1. Not to be proud of your grace, or think highly of your selves above others: He hath but a shadow of grace, and not that which is true, who is apt to say, I am not as this Publican. It is certain, where grace is most eminent, there the creature is least in his own eyes, not arrogating or ascribing any thing to it self. That Grace is the most insuspectible and renders us most unworthy in our own esteem.
2. Would you be serviceable in your generation to the glory of God, be directed to go to him in all you have to do, for his grace, that by it alone you may undertake. Paul will engage in any thing, so Christ shall stand engaged to strengthen him. It may teach us to begin every work with prayer, which we desire to have succeed; for if God be not in it, leading and strengthening, it will certainly fail: Not all other advantages of helps and means will be otherwise then abortive, if grace give them ⟨p. 295⟩not their efficacy. If you set about any thing without engaging God in it, the very spring, and rise, and strength of all is wanting.
3. If you find the work of Conversion wrought in your selves, or see it wrought in others, be sure to ascribe it to the grace of God as the leading cause. No flesh hath any cause to glory, but all the glory is his due: you have used means, attended on ordinances, been constant in duties, & now you find grace coming in upon these, Faith to believe in Christ, and rely upon him, an heart subdued to obedience; say not now that this is your own work; you saw not how it came in, but by this effect you are led up to the cause, and must say the finger of God was in it: Others have done the like for the matter of it, and never the near. You see that your labours with your Children or your servants are blessed, your reproofs and counsels take effect; think not now that you have done the work, or deserve the praise of it; but consider it: God's blessing upon your labours which hath done all: others have been as careful, and yet can see no fruit, God so dispenseth himself to the Children of men, as to take away all boasting, and when we look upon all our gains & attainments we must conclude with Paul, it is by the grace of God we are what we are. ⟨p. 296⟩Had not he come home to us, we had never gone forth to him; had not he been gracious to us, we had died in our sins. Have you seen your sin and misery? he opened your blind eyes; have you arose and gone to him? he saw you first, and being moved with compassion came to you, and took you up in his arms. Study therefore to live to the praise of his Grace; and still wait upon him for the continuance of it; for the completing of your Salvation, and bringing of you to glory, knowing that he who hath begun a good work in you, must also perfect it to the day of the Lord, if ever it be done; and except he leads, you can never follow.
3. If you find the work of Conversion wrought in your selves, or see it wrought in others, be sure to ascribe it to the grace of God as the leading cause. No flesh hath any cause to glory, but all the glory is his due: you have used means, attended on ordinances, been constant in duties, & now you find grace coming in upon these, Faith to believe in Christ, and rely upon him, an heart subdued to obedience; say not now that this is your own work; you saw not how it came in, but by this effect you are led up to the cause, and must say the finger of God was in it: Others have done the like for the matter of it, and never the near. You see that your labours with your Children or your servants are blessed, your reproofs and counsels take effect; think not now that you have done the work, or deserve the praise of it; but consider it: God's blessing upon your labours which havh done all: others have been as careful, and yet can see no fruit, God so dispenseth himself to the Children of men, as to take away all boasting, and when we look upon all our gains & attainments we must conclude with Paul, it is by the grace of God we are what we are.
Thus much for the season; now let us consider the manner of the Fathers carriage to his Son, according as it is described: 1. By the cause of it. 2. By the effect, or carriage it self. 1. The cause of it, he saw and had compassion. 2. The effect; He ran, &c.
THus much for the season; now let us consider the manner of the Fathers carriage to his Son, according as it is described: 1. By the cause of it. 2. By the effect, or carriage it self. 1. The cause of it, he saw and had compassion. 2. The effect; He ran, &c.
1. To begin with the cause; his seeing his Son, and having compassion on him, do not decipher two acts, but only one. God chooseth miserable man to be a subject of his mercy, and makes his misery an occasion of discovering it; but mans misery is not the impulsive cause, but Gods mercy: the meaning of the expression is, that he looked upon him with a compassionate eye, when lying in his misery, and his own pity moved him to do as he did. Divine Attributes, the declarative glory whereof God designs in the World, have a subject in which they are pleased to discover themselves: but this subject doth not move them, but they incline themselves to the subject. The word [Had compassion] comes ⟨p. 298⟩from a root that signifies bowels, and the English of it is, his bowels did earn; and the bowels being the seat of the affections, especially of pity, Hence the word is used to express great and active pity. Thence,
1. To begin with the cause; his seeing his Son, and having compassion on him, do not decipher two acts, but only one. God chuseth miserable man to be a subject of his mercy, and makes his misery an occasion of discovering it; but mans misery is not the impulsive cause, but Gods mercy: the meaning of the expression is, that he looked upon him with a compassionate eye, when lying in his misery, and his own pity moved him to do as he did. Divine Attributes, the declarative glory whereof God designs in the World, have a subject in which they are pleased to discover themselves: but this subject doth not move them, but they incline themselves to the subject. The word [Had compassion] comes ⟨p. 298⟩from a root that signifies bowels, and the English of it is, his bowels did earn; and the bowels being the seat of the affections, especially of pity, Hence the word is used to express great and active pitty. Thence,
In the former Doctrine, we heard that Grace prevents; here we see what grace it is that first moves, viz. The fathers compassion, when once this begins to set it self on work, he can sit still no longer, but riseth, runs, &c. Here consider, 1. What the compassion is. 2. The evidence and reason of the Doctrine.
1. What is the compassion of God which leads him to show favour to a sinner?
1. What is the compassion of God which leads him to shew favour to a sinner?
Answ. Compassion, when it is attributed to men, or reasonable creatures, is a compound affection, made up of love and grief, and admits of this description: It is an affection stirring up the soul to be grieved, at the discovery of some miserable object, and moving of him to endeavour its succour or relief. Affections ⟨p. 299⟩are the feet of the soul, and prime mover of the will of man; hence they are moved with reason either true or apprehended, and lead unto actions suitable to that motion: now though God be in himself [Greek or Hebrew], not capable of being moved with any outward object; and unchangeable in his will; and hence never more propense to any thing at one time, than at another, but performs all things according to the everlasting counsel of his will which is unalterable: Yet, speaking of himself after the manner of man, he assumes affections, as love, hatred, joy, compassion, &c. And that because in operibus ad extra, or in the works of providence there are such manifest fruits, as are wont in men to proceed from such affections: so that we may see something resembling this description, in the present case; observe then.
Answ. Compassion, when it is attributed to men, or reasonable creatures, is a compound affection, made up of love and grief, and admits of this description: It is an affection stirring up the soul to be grieved, at the discovery of some miserable object, and moving of him to endeavour its succour or relief. Affections ⟨p. 299⟩are the feet of the soul, and prime mover of the will of man; hence they are moved with reason either true or apprehended, and lead unto actions suitable to that motion: now though God be in himself 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, not capable of being moved with any outward object; and unchangeable in his will; and hence never more propense to any thing at one time, than at another, but performes all things according to the everlasting counsel of his will which is unalterable: Yet, speaking of himself after the manner of man, he assumes affections, as love, hatred, joy, compassion, &c. And that because in operibus ad extra, or in the works of providence there are such manifest fruits, as are wont in men to proceed from such affections: so that we may see something resembling this description, in the present case; observe then.
1. The object of compassion is a miserable thing: A creature brought into distress, groaning under his misery, and standing in need of his succour: Such an one is the sinner: he is one famishing, and ready to die; he is the forlorn creature, a miserable wretch, going without hope to the pit; an helpless creature, whom no created being can relieve and rid of his misery, he is both poor and perishing, as we before heard.
1. The object of compassion is a miserable thing: A creature brought into distress, groaning under his misery, and standing in need of his succour: Such an one is the sinner: he is one famishing, and ready to dy; he is the forlorn creature, a miserable wretch, going without hope to the pit; an helpless creature, whom no created being can relieve and rid of his misery, he is both poor and perishing, as we before heard.
