N00302:740
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.
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.
2. The affections which go into compassion are two,
1. Grief; whereby the mind is moved and troubled at the creatures misery: the sight of it oppresseth the heart, when he sees it; he cannot tell how to bear the sight of it; hence also often proceed sighs and tears of pity over the object. Thus, God also (speaking in our dialect) seeing poor Sinners in their misery, expresseth himself like one whose heart is ready to burst, Hos. 11.8. How shall I give thee up? how shall I deliver thee? my heart is turned; my repentings are kindled. And after like manner, Jer. 31.20. in this grief also we are wont to be troubled at our selves if we have done any thing to bring the creature into such a miserable condition, and hence we relent, and repent; and so God also speaks of himself, in the forecited, Hos. 10.8.
2. Love; for without love there can be no compassion: hatred is inexorable; it• rejoiceth and triumpheth in the misery of its enemy; and the more miserable it sees him, the more it can rejoice in it: but compassion argues good will: hence God useth such expressions concerning Ephraim, Jer. 31. 10. Is Ephraim my dear Son? is he a pleasant Child? &c.
2. Love; for without love there can be no compassion: hatred is inexorable; it• rejoyceth and triumpheth in the misery of its enemy; and the more miserable it sees him, the more it can rejoyce in it: but compassion argues good will: hence God useth such expressions concerning Ephraim, Jer. 31. 10. Is Ephraim my dear Son? is he a pleasant Child? &c.
3. The natural operation of this affection in us, is to stir us up to do what we can for ⟨p. 301⟩the succour of the person thus in misery. If we do indeed throughly pity the condition of one that is in sorrow, we cannot sit still: this affection will hale men to action, they will certainly afford the best help they can: thus God by virtue of this compassion of his, succours, saves, delivers the Sinner, frees him from misery, restoreth him to a better state, this affection sets him on work, Jer. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him.
3. The natural operation of this affection in us, is to stir us up to do what we can for ⟨p. 301⟩the succour of the person thus in misery. If we do indeed throughly pity the condition of one that is in sorrow, we cannot sit still: this affection will hale men to action, they will certainly afford the best help they can: thus God by vertue of this compassion of his, succours, saves, delivers the Sinner, frees him from misery, restoreth him to a better state, this affection sets him on work, Jer. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him.
2. In the clearing up of the Doctrine, consider 1. That God is a God of compassion. 2. That this is the moving cause of all the mercy which he shows to a Sinner.
2. In the clearing up of the Doctrine, consider 1. That God is a God of compassion. 2. That this is the moving cause of all the mercy which he shews to a Sinner.
1 That God is a God of Compassion appears:
1. Because it belongs to his Attributes, Exod. 34. 6, 7. merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin. Hence his People ascribe this title to him, Psal. 86. 15. But thou oh Lord art a God fall of compassion.
2. Because his works declare him to be so: his works of providence towards his visible Covenant people evince it, Psal. 78.37. But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not. His works of special favour towards his Elect, in pardoning their Sins, and accepting of them to be his Children, do more notably confirm it.
2. That this is the moving cause of all the mercy which he shows to a sinner, will appear.
2. That this is the moving cause of all the mercy which he shews to a sinner, will appear.
1. From the nature of God: He is the first mover to his own actions, and cannot possibly be moved by any thing out of himself: Hence man's pity and God's, differ in respect of the the moving cause: Man hath such an affection habitually, but it lies still till an object excite it; but God is otherwise, it moves it self: That which moves in us, hath the respect of a cause, and that which is a cause is in nature before the effect, but the good will of God to man, whence all his compassion flows, was from Eternity, Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore in loving kindness have I called thee.
1. From the nature of God: He is the first mover to his own actions, and cannot possibly be moved by any thing out of himself: Hence man's pity and God's, differ in respect of the the moving cause: Man hath such an affection habitually, but it lyes still till an object excite it; but God is otherwise, it moves it self: That which moves in us, hath the respect of a cause, and that which is a cause is in nature before the effect, but the good will of God to man, whence all his compassion flowes, was from Eternity, Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore in loving kindness have I called thee.
2. God renders this as a reason of all his mercy towards his Creatures: When he speaks of pitying and relieving them, he reduceth •t to our good-will, and merciful nature, Jer. 3. 12,13. Hos. 11.9. Rom. 9.15. Psal. 78.38.
2. God renders this as a reason of all his mercy towards his Creatures: When he speaks of pitying and relieving them, he reduceth •t to our good-wil, and mercyful nature, Jer. 3. 12,13. Hos. 11.9. Rom. 9.15. Psal. 78.38.
