N00302:94
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. That all the affairs of the world are ordered & disposed of by Divine Providence. Whatsoever any of the Children of men have or enjoy, it is of God. The universal extent of the Providence of God to all affairs, and things in the world, is a principle whereof there is no liberty for any man to make a question, the denial whereof, even in the sound judgment of Mere Ethnics was branded with the deserved note of Atheism: and the confirmation of this truth is fully established in Scripture, assigning to all Creatures an absolute dependence upon the disposal hereof: See Psal. 145. 15,16. The ⟨p. 32⟩eyes all wait upon thee &c. and in many other places.
1. That all the affairs of the world are ordered & disposed of by Divine Providence. Whatsoever any of the Children of men have or enjoy, it is of God. The universal extent of the Providence of God to all affairs, and things in the world, is a principle whereof there is no liberty for any man to make a question, the denial whereof, even in the sound judgment of Meer Ethnicks was branded with the deserved note of Atheism: and the confirmation of this truth is fully establisted in Scripture, assigning to all Creatures an absolute dependence upon the disposal hereof: See Psal. 145. 15,16. The ⟨p. 32⟩eyes all wait upon thee &c. and in many other places.
2. That in the course of this Providence many wicked men enjoy all favours in abundance. This is so notorious a truth, that the so frequent, and almost constant observation of it; hath sometimes dazzled the weak eyes of the People of God, and put them to a demur in their thoughts. In Job's time it was not a thing so obscure as his friends would have made of it; hence Job in his own vindication amply describes it, Job 21. begin. David or Asaph, gives no less a pathetical description of it, and his own imbecility in those offences which he had taken at the observation of it, Psal. 73. begin, Jeremiah also seems to be in some suspense about it, Chap. 12. 1. What power, honour, and and dominion had Nebuchadnezzar conferred upon him? What an oracle of Wit and Policy for his time was Ahithophel? What eloquent curious language had Herod and Tertullus; yea, and we may still observe men to be fullest fraught with these common favours, who neither glorify God, nor have any desire to glorify him therewithal.
2. That in the course of this Providence many wicked men enjoy all favours in abundance. This is so notorious a truth, that the so frequent, and almost constant observation of it; hath sometimes dazled the weak eyes of the People of God, and put them to a demurre in their thoughts. In Job's time it was not a thing so obscure as his friends would have made of it; hence Job in his own vindication amply describes it, Job 21. begin. David or Asaph, gives no less a pathetical description of it, and his own imbecillity in those offenses which he had taken at the observation of it, Psal. 73. begin, Jeremiah also seems to be in some suspense about it, Chap. 12. 1. What power, honour, and and dominion had Nebuchadnezzer conferred upon him? What an oracle of Wit and Policy for his time was Acbitophel? What eloquent curious language had Herod and Tertullus; yea, and we may still observe men to be fullest fraught with these common favours, who neither glorifie God, nor have any desire to glorifie him therewithal.
3. That these men are left of God to use these, or rather abuse them, at their sinful pleasure, is evident in those divers ways wherein he so leaves them. For though it is true that God doth restrain wicked men unto such limits as ⟨p. 33⟩he sees meet even such as shall make all serviceable to his Glory at last, yet they are in very high measures given up by God; For,
3. That these men are left of God to use these, or rather abuse them, at their sinful pleasure, is evident in those divers wayes wherein he so leaves them. For though it is true that God doth restrain wicked men unto such limits as ⟨p. 33⟩he sees meet even such as shall make all serviceable to his Glory at last, yet they are in very high measures given up by God; For,
1. That they do abuse them is manifest, by the evil improvement which they make of them: Observe but what course men of greatest advantages do usually steer in this world; doth not all drive at the advancing of the interest of Satan's Kingdom, and not of Christs? And how few great men improve their power for his Glory? the most do it for his dishonour; hear the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 16. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, &c. These carnal things for the most part serve but to strengthen the enmity of the heart against God; poor, weak, and base things are they which for the most part follow Christ:
1. That they do abuse them is manifest, by the evil improvement which they make of them: Observe but what course men of greatest advantages do usually steer in this world; doth not all drive at the advancing of the interest of Satans Kingdom, and not of Christs? And how few great men improve their power for his Glory? the most do it for his dishonour; hear the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 16. Not many wisemen after the flesh, not many mighty, &c. These carnal things for the most part serve but to strengthen the enmity of the heart against God; poor, weak, and base things are they which for the most part follow Christ:
2. Gods leaving them thus to do discovers it self in three things.
1. His withholding his spirit, and not affording to them his renewing or assisting Grace, without which no man can improve any thing to the Glory of God. When God doth not give a man an heart to be for him, he thereby leaves him to himself, and it is a Judgment; Moses bewails it, Deut. 29 4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, &c. And there needs no more but this suspension, the consequent upon which is for men to go in the ways of their own heart, and sight of their ⟨p. 34⟩eyes: When God intends that a People shall go in his ways, he promiseth them his Spirit, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. The spirit of God is the inward guide of the Children of God, they that are deserted by him, are consequently given up to their own guidance.
1. His withholding his spirit, and not affording to them his renewing or assisting Grace, without which no man can improve any thing to the Glory of God. When God doth not give a man an heart to be for him, he thereby leaves him to himself, and it is a Judgment; Moses bewails it, Deut. 29 4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, &c. And there needs no more but this suspension, the consequent upon which is for men to go in the wayes of their own heart, and sight of their ⟨p. 34⟩eyes: When God intends that a People shall go in his wayes, he promiseth them his Spirit, Ezek. 36.27. I will put my spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. The spirit of God is the inward guide of the Children of God, they that are deserted by him, are consequently given up to their own guidance.
2. His laying no outward check or restraint upon them to hinder them, or stop their course. When God would no longer leave Israel to himself, he hedgeth up his way with thorns, that he shall not find the way to come at his lusts and lovers, Hos. 2: 6,7: But when […] men have a large range, liberty and opportunity, when he afflicts them not, but they prosper and have all at will, and there is no outward control, this is a leaving men: thus God did to Ephraim, Hos. 4.7. Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone:
2. His laying no outward check or restraint upon them to hinder them, or stop their course. When God would no longer leave Israel to himself, he hedgeth up his way with thornes, that he shall not find the way to come at his lusts and lovers, Hos. 2: 6,7: But when 〈…〉 men have a large range, liberty and opportunity, when he afflicts them not, but they prosper and have all at will, and there is no outward controle, this is a leaving men: thus God did to Ephraim, Hos. 4.7. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone:
3. His turning of these favours into snares and provocations of their lusts, […] allure and draw them after them: There are many lusts in the heart of man and these outward mercies are suitable matter for them to work upon: and when God lets it be so; yea, judicially orders it to be so; when he gives them their table to be a snare, their wealth a snare, their health and strength a snare, their wit and knowledge a snare; when pride, profaneness, and sensuality are promoved and nourished ⟨p. 35⟩by these things, then God gives men up to their own hearts lust, and lets them walk on in their own ways, Psal. 81. 12. He puts their Portion into their own hand, and lets them go whither they will, and do what they please with it.
3. His turning of these favours into snares and provocations of their lusts, 〈…〉 allure and draw them after them: There are many lusts in the heart of man and these outward mercies are sutable matter for them to work upon: and when God lets it be so; yea, judicially orders it to be so; when he gives them their table to be a snare, their wealth a snare, their health and strength a snare, their wit and knowledge a snare; when pride, prophaneness, and sensuality are promoved and nourished ⟨p. 35⟩by these things, then God gives men up to their own hearts lust, and lets them walk on in their own wayes, Psal. 81. 12. He puts their Portion into their own hand, and lets them go whither they will, and do what they please with it.
2. To answer some doubts which may here arise;
1. Whether this doth not cast imputation upon Gods Holiness, in giving men his favours, and leaving them to themselves, when he knows they will both abuse them, and dishonour him by their so doing; whereas his Holiness engageth him to seek his own Glory in all his works of Providence?
Ans. That God will be no loser of his Glory by any of his Creatures, in any of his works which he doth to or for them, is a truth not to be questioned; but the ways in which he will be a saver, and no loser, are to be commended to the management of his own infinite wisdom, which doubtless will not fail in the execution, and though he may for a while seem to be on the losing hand, whiles men are running on the score with him, and meditating nothing of payment; yet if we can let God alone till his day and time of reckoning with men, he will then make it to appear that he will be glorified in all the Pharaoh's and wicked men of this world, whom he hath raised ⟨p. 36⟩up, and suffered at present to abuse his manifold mercies to their own ruin; and were it not that God knows how to get his pennyworths out of them, he would never credit them so far as he doth: God will be glorified in Zidon, as well as in Zion.
Ans. That God will be no loser of his Glory by any of his Creatures, in any of his works which he doth to or for them, is a truth not to be questioned; but the wayes in which he will be a saver, and no loser, are to be commended to the management of his own infinite wisdom, which doubtless will not fail in the execution, and though he may for a while seem to be on the losing hand, whiles men are running on the score with him, and meditating nothing of payment; yet if we can let God alone till his day and time of reckoning with men, he will then make it to appear that he will be glorified in all the Pharaoh's and wicked men of this world, whom he hath raised ⟨p. 36⟩up, and suffered at present to abuse his manifold mercies to their own ruine; and were it not that God knows how to get his pennyworths out of them, he would never credit them so far as he doth: God will be glorified in Zidon, as well as in Zion.
2. But God seems by this to be an encourager of wickedness, and promoter of mans vile designs: Is not this to put a Sword in a madman's hand, that he may destroy himself therewithal? And if God hateth sin, why would he thus give men advantage to sin against him?
2. But God seems by this to be an encourager of wickedness, and promoter of mans vile designs: Is not this to put a Sword in a madmans hand, that he may destroy himself therewithal? And if God hateth sin, why would he thus give men advantage to sin against him?
Ans. The wisdom of God in ordering of allthings according to his own counsels, is not for us mortals to call in question: God hath other Attributes besides his Justice to make known, and they are his bounty, patience, goodness, long sufferance; and this he can do upon the vessels of wrath, and thereby makes way for the glorious manifestation of his Justice upon them that are not led to repentance by: but abuse his goodness, Rom. 2. 4, 5. Neither doth God by this encourage sin, since by his holy Law (which is man's rule, and a discovery of his righteous Judgment) he strictly forbids, and severely denounceth threatenings against all sin: Neither is God's bounty the moral cause of promoting of sin, but hath argument in it to p•omptmen to holiness and obedience; ⟨p. 37⟩but it is man's corrupt heart abusing it to such ends; whereas an holy heart is encouraged by all God's benefits to study his Glory and praise, Psal. 116. 12. And yet God may righteously leave man to follow his own wicked heart, and so to misimprove all his beneficence to his own just condemnation; yea, he may raise up Pharaoh to that very end, Exod. 9. 16. But I come to the Reasons of the Doctrine, which will serve further to clear the truth from imputation; and they are taken from the ends which God designs in thus doing; which though they are at present secret in regard of the individual persons who are thus left, till God of his Providence shall be pleased to make more full and clear discovery of them, yet in themselves they are always one of these two, for all Gods dealings with mankind do ultimately centre in the one or the other viz. either.
Ans. The wisdom of God in ordering of althings according to his own counsels, is not for us mortals to call in question: God hath other Attributes besides his Justice to make known, and they are his bounty, patience, goodness, long sufferance; and this he can do upon the vessels of wrath, and thereby makes way for the glorious manifestation of his Justice upon them that are not led to repentance by: but abuse his goodness, Rom. 2. 4, 5
1. That thus way may be made for the more illustrious manifestation of revenging Justice, in the destruction of sinners: They are thus made vessels of wrath f••ted to destruction, Rom. 9.22. Where much is given, there is much expected: The more that men have abused, the more wrath awaits them: Doubtless a man of great parts and understanding, hath more to account with God for than a fool, the rich and wealthy man, then the poor, a Magistrate, or a ⟨p. 38⟩Minister, then a private Man: The more advantage Men have put into their hands to serve God withal, the more they have to answer for, you may see what indictments God draws up against Babylon, Isa. 14. Tyre, Ezek: 27. which had the advantage of other Nations, of worldly pomp and wisdom: For such God hath wonderful plagues: This patience, and goodness, as they are largely displayed before such at the present, so they, by mens abusing of them, open a way for the more notable executions of Justice.
1. That thus way may be made for the more illustrious manifestation of revenging Justice, in the destruction of sinners: They are thus made vessels of wrath f••ted to destruction, Rom. 9.22. Where much is given, there is much expected: The more that men have abused, the more wrath awaits them: Doubtless a man of great parts and understanding, hath more to account with God for than a fool, the rich and wealthy man, then the poor, a Magistrate, or a ⟨p. 38⟩Minister, then a private Man: The more advantage Men have put into their hands to serve God withal, the more they have to answer for, you may see what endictments God draws up against Babylen, Isa. 14. Tyrus, Ezek: 27. which had the advantage of other Nations, of worldly pomp and wisdom: For such God hath wonderful plagues: This patience, and goodness, as they are largely displayed before such at the present, so they, by mens abusing of them, open a way for the more notable executions of Justice.
2. That he may prepare a way to make his Grace notably appear to be Grace, the truth is, Gods ways are very mysterious, and past mans finding out; and oftentimes, when we may have reason justly to fear, that such a sinner is mounted on Horse-back, to run the swifter to his own utter ruin, yet even then God hath gracious designs in all this: God sometimes allows a sinner a long Te•der, and lets him run to the end of it, and then pulls him back: God suffers him to lay a scene for his own ruin, and then displays his riches of his grace in saving him from it, when he hath used all possible means utterly to have undone himself: Manasseh in the old, and Paul in the New-Testament stand for eminent examples of this, and the latter of these speaks thus of it, • Tim. 1. 13, 14. Who was before a blasphemer. ⟨p. 39⟩&c. But I obtained mercy, &c. and the grace of our Lord Jesus was exceeding abundant, &c.
2. That he may prepare a way to make his Grace notably appear to be Grace, the truth is, Gods wayes are very mysterious, and past mans finding out; and oftentimes, when we may have reason justly to fear, that such a sinner is mounted on Horse-back, to run the swifter to his own utter ruine, yet even then God hath gracious designs in all this: God sometimes allows a sinner a long Te•der, and lets him run to the end of it, and then pulls him back: God suffers him to lay a scene for his own ruine, and then displayes his riches of his grace in saving him from it, when he hath used all possible means utterly to have undone himself: Manasseth in the old, and Paul in the New-Testament stand for eminent examples of this, and the latter of these speaks thus of it, • Tim. 1. 13, 14. Who was before a blasphemer. ⟨p. 39⟩&c. But I obtained mercy, &c. and the grace of our Lord Jesus was exceeding abundant, &c.
USE, 1. To teach us not too much to bless our selves in our enjoyment of outward favours. God's love is not from hence to be positively concluded: It is the wise mans observation, Eccl. 9. begin. No man knows love or battered by all that is before him. And yet there is nothing more common than for men to be be proud and self conceited in these things whereas they are indeed nothing else but some of the offals of God's favours, which he can spare to the swine of the world, and often throws out to them in a plentiful measure: Things common to the Elect and Reprobate are not just matter of boasting; if you have all these blessings, and are wicked in the enjoyment of them, you are not happy but miserable in that enjoyment.
USE, 1. To teach us not too much to bless our selves in our enjoyment of outward favours. God's love is not from hence to be positively concluded: It is the wise mans observation, Eccl. 9. begin. No man knows love or batred by all that is before him. And yet there is nothing more common than for men to be be proud and self conceited in these things whereas they are indeed nothing else but some of the offals of God's favours, which he can spare to the swine of the world, and often throws out to them in a plentiful measure: Things common to the Elect and Reprobate are not just matter of boasting; if you have all these blessings, and are wicked in the enjoyment of them, you are not happy but miserable in that enjoyment.
