N00302:897
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…
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.
The Son is angry that his faithful service is not rewarded so much as with a kid: The Jews thought their fastings ill laid out, Isa. 58. begin. If they do not prosper, and all things go as their hearts can wish, legal spirited men think themselves abused.
Reas. Because such as rely upon their own works and doings, though they may have taken up an Evangelical profession, and have gotten the name of Christ in their mouths as a word of course; yet they were never truly broken off from themselves; they never saw the emptiness of their own righteousness, nor understood what unprofitable servants they are, when they have done all: There is a root of pride remaining in all unconverted men, they are not humbled as they ought to be: As long as a man thinks his doings to be of so much worth, he will consequently count himself injured, if they be not rewarded according to his expectation.
USE, 1. Here we see the very root and ⟨p. 373⟩and ground of all our repinings, and murmurings at the providences of God which do befall us; it proceeds from a legal spirit: It is because we set up our counters for gold, and rate our poor sorry doings beyond their desert: and particularly many grumble and complain that they have no fatted calf; i. e. feasting and joy, though they labour hard, and live conscientiously, yet they spend all their time in the dark, have not the provision and entertainment which others have. It is true, a Believer may walk in darkness, and want light; but to envy others theirs, and to find fault with God that they themselves enjoy it not, and though they have waited long for it, yet it comes not, hath too much of a legal spirit in it.