also greedily with Harlots consumed his living and yet see how unequal the Father between them he in all those years never gave him a Kid which was far less then the fatted Calf though to eat in an honest way and to make merry not with Whores and Drabs but with his friends who he being so dutiful a Son could be no such lewd Varlots but persons of good fashion and honest reputation whereas on the other side his love was such to his other Son that notwithstanding all his badness disobediences and mis-spendings of his substance he could no sooner see him coming towards him but he runs to meet him and quicken him in his pace and instead of chiding him pitties and kisses him and kills the fatted Calf too so soon as he gets him home to feast him And had not this elder Son great reason 〈…〉 his Father and refuse to joyn 〈…〉 with him and his other Son and Servants in such a merry frollick so inconsiderately made as he hath represented it to him have we not many that are ready to be of his minde what when they have said their Prayers a thousand times over been good Church-men honest livers sober persons no Thieves Drunkards Whoremongers Harlots or wicked livers but have as they think served God justly accordingly to the laudible customs of the Church and perhaps also in private Prayers and Devotions hearing Sermons praying in their Families fasting as often and making as many and as long Prayers as the Pharisees strict and zealous in their conversations abstaining from all gross and known sins yet they could never be assured of Gods owning them nor meet with such ravishments of heart as to cause them to rejoyce much in God and to be willing to dye and depart this life and lo here or there a grat Sinner a Whore a Thief a Murtherer a wanton Person being convicted of their Sins and confessing their faults and crying to God for his Mercy listning to and imbracing his Gospel so inwardly filled with and outwardly testifying their sense of Gods love and exceeding comfort and consolation therein that they can glory in God as forgiving them their Sins have hope in their Death and talk of their assurance of Gods favour as if they had been all their lives Saints must not these either be deluded persons or what what shall we say or think of God but as those in Ezek. 18.25 That his wayes are unequal or as in Mal. 2.17 That every one that is evil is good in the sight of the Lord or else where is the God of judgement or judgement of God where the equity of his doings and proceedings with men But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel and wilt be justified in thy sayings and overcome when thou art judged Psal 22.3 and 51.4 stay then and let us see what the Father hath to say to his offended and discontented Son before we justifie his plea and pronounce on his side and that is held forth in the words that I have chosen herein to treat on as followeth CHAP. III. The Text Pharaphrased Verse 31.32 And he said unto him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy Brother was dead and is alive again was lost and is found IT is a true saying of Solomon He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour comes and searches him out Prov. 18.17 For here we have an answer confutes all the Son hath said in his passion and clearly evinces the equity of the Fathers carriage between them and of his thus entertaining his Son in his return And first here we may admire the Fathers meekness and gentleness towards a froward passionate Son in that he gives him no bad nor angry language He sayes not thou proud and insolent fellow that offerest to make thy self wiser then thy Father and liftest up thy self above him to call him him to an account and draw a charge against him for his actings as if thou wert wiser and of more authority then he whereas it s thy part and place to submit thy self to him and give him honour in judging him wise and righteous in his doings No such angry speech proceeds from him but only he gently calls him Son and gives him a fair answer to his charge and an account of his doings shewing the great condescension and goodness of God to his pettish people in their spiritual Distempers He sees his Son was in a passion and he would not take the course further to heat and inflame him but seeks to calm him like a loving Father who seeing his Childes Body over-heated and in danger to fall into a Feavour endeavours some wayes its prevention being wiser then his Son he sets not himself to answer him according to his childish folly but exercises love with judgement and discretion towards him and though his Son in his anger would neither vouchsafe to call him Father nor his Brother Brother yet he in whom fury is not but Love Meekness and Charity will not therefore disown or provoke him but pacifie and rectifie him and therefore calls him Son Oh the graciousness of God as a loving Father to froward and male contented Children especially while he sees their frowardness proceeds from ignorance weakness or the strength of temptation a pattern worthy imitation Be we followers of of God as dear children and walk we in love as Christ hath loved us c. Shall we weak purblinde and sinful men be froward with and harsh to our froward brethren when through temptation and weakness envyings swellings and discontents befal them when as our great God and Father is so graciously tender milde and gentle to such yea to our selves when so distempered and discomposed towards him But see again how blinde passion is though it seems to see very much yea and to see more then others that have not their hearts thereby heated and quickned to make diligent observation of things before them It is indeed quick-sighted of what makes for its nourishment and strengthning in its cause but while it looks upon all such things as it were through Multiplying and Magnifying Glasses and sees them more and greater then they be and so represents them it is so filled with the sight of them that it over-looks and sees not other things before it that judgement charity and right reason takes notice of and the sight whereof reduces the other things seen to their due scantling and proportion For the calm judgment and charity of the wise and patient Father the representative of the most wise and merciful God sees and observes here what the Son over-lookt and what might stop the mouth of his most clamorous passion He was Eagle-eyed to see yea more than was to be seen of his own service and obedience which yet in this his passion he shewed but little of but see not
and promise and had the same reward as those last that seemed to be more favoured Their exception against him was not that they had less then he had promised them or then they had been content at first to labour all the day for but only that he made the last that had wrought so little a time equal with them to whom therefore all his answer is Friend I do thee no wrong didst thou not agree with me for a peny is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own is thine eye evil because mine is good take that thine is and go thy way I will give to this last as unto thee ver 13 14 15. Indeed this is not altogether the same case but if righteous rewardable persons such as the Apostles for so the occasion of the parable which was St. Peters taking notice of what they had done for Christ seems to carry it may in consideration of their labours and Gods bounty to others that have laboured less fall into such distempers for his goodness to them because equalized with them in the reward may it not be easier in case God seems to them to prefer such before them therein or rather such as have done him great disservice upon their acknowledging only and repenting of their sin as it happened to St. Paul 3. The Prophet Jonah undoubtedly was a good and gracious man being a Prophet of the Lord and a Type of Christ and yet he fell into a peevish distemper like to this of this elder Son because God had not more respect to him and his honour and credit as a Prophet as he thought its likely it would tend to his disparagement then to repenting Nineveh which was threatned by him before their repentance to be destroyed after forty dayes time The repenting Ninivites were like this repenting Prodigal They believed Gods threatning and repented and put away their evil works and God also repented of the evil which he had threatned to bring upon them and destroyed them not And as the Fathers entertainment of his Son displeased the elder Brother here so did Gods mercy and indulgence to Nineveh displease Jonah there for it is said The thing displeased Jonah exceedingly as if it had been some great evil that had befallen him and he was angry with him and he prayed unto the Lord and said Jonah 4. I pray thee O Lord was not this the saying that I said while I was yet in mine own Land therefore fled I before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art gracious and merciful long-suffering and of great kindeness and repentest thee of the evil and now O Lord take I beseech thee my life from me for it is better for me to die then to live What a peevish froward temper was this good man in that could have been content to have died for grief that Nineveh was spared whence the Lord said to him Doest thou well to be angry and shewed him his folly in that when Jonah went out of the City and sate and abode on the East-side of it and had made a Booth and sate under it till he might see what would become of the City and God had prepared a Gourd which grew up above Jonah and was a shade to him defending him from the heat of the Sun so that he was exceeding glad of it He also prepared a worme that on the morrow smote the Gourd that it withered and in the morning he prepared an East-winde that was drying and the Sun beat upon Jonah's head so as he fainted so as he then desired to dye rather then to live whereupon the Lord said to him Doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he in his great frowardness replyed I do well to be angry to the death justifying himself in his frowardness as this Elder Son did as if God had done him a double injury one in being so merciful to that cruel bloody heathenish City and another in being so harsh to him as to take away the comfort and shelter of the Gourd from him thereby exposing him to so much trouble much what as this Elder Son quarrelled with his Father for his supposed straitness to him and for his goodness to his Brother till God answered him there as the Father did his Son here to allay his heat and passion saying Thou hast pitty on that Gourd that thou never labouredst for neither didst thou make it to grow but it sprung up in a night and perished in a night and should not I have mercy on Nineveh a great City in which are more then six score thousand persons which know not their right hand from their left besides much Cattle Shewing as our Lord in these Parables how apt men are to be pittiful towards and tender over trifles and yet they are ready to take it ill that God so tenders and shews his compassion to the immortal souls of his choice creatures Indeed there was a difference between Jonah and this Elder Son if we take for true his passionate proclaiming his own dutifulness and obedience Jonah could not say as he that he never at any time transgressed any of Gods Commandments for he had but a little be-before gone quite contrary to his Commandement flying to Tarshish when God sent him at the first to preach to Nineveh for which God made him smart by causing him to be cast into the Sea where he had perished had he not upon his repentance and crying to God found wonderous mercy from him in prepaparing a Whale and causing it after three dayes and three nights to vomit him out upon the shore safe and sound But this was such a circumstance as renders the case far more for our advantage for one would have thought that such a notable transgression deserving such and a greater punishment and putting him upon such a need of crying for mercy himself and such a signal unparallel'd mercy obtained of God should have made him more to compassionate others that sinned and more well-pleased that they should in their repentance obtain mercy too Experiences of miseries use to make men more compassionate to others and mercies shewed to our selves should make us more desirous of mercy to others whom like or worse miseries have either layen upon or are at present impending over but it was otherwise with Jonah he that had needed and cryed for and obtained mercy for himself but a little before without which he had been no more heard of even he hardens his heart against such as needed like mercy now and could be angry unto death that God should take such care to call them to repentance and upon their repenting spare them Now if truly righteous persons after great lapses themselves and mercies received may murmur at Gods mercies to others because they obtain mercy upon repentance who had before deserved to have been destroyed how much more may it befall such persons having in their apprehensions never so offended or been in
from all Gods promises of protection mercy or blessing and so lay open to any danger that might befal him only meer undeserved yea uningaged mercy in God and Christ prevented his being actually torn in pieces and devoured for ever but as he was sound in none of Gods paths so he had no engagement from God that he could challenge to keep him from destruction even from dropping into Hell and everlasting damnation The servants of God might seek for him in the house of God amongst his Saints and Holy Ones but not finde him they might seek him in any of the wayes of the righteous and not finde him nay nor God nor his abiding Brethren could finde him there though they never so diligently seek for him 3. He was lost no endeavour or dispensation of God met with him for a time to work upon his heart and conscience and so in that sense to finde him out He was dead and deaf to all means used for a great while these many years saith the elder Son toward him neither those gifts and enjoyments which he had received from his Father and which were riotously mis-spent by him found him so as to work upon his heart and make him remember his Father from whom he had them Jesurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxed fat thou art grown thick then he forsook God c. Of the Rock that begot thee thou art unmindeful and hast forgotten God that formed thee Deut. 32.15 18. And she remembred not that I gave her her Corn and Wine and Oyl and multiplyed her Silver and Gold which she prepared for Baal saith God to back-slidden Israel Hos 2.8 Nor did the Famine brought upon the Land and the emptiness proved in all enjoyments and the defect of them the want he was reduced to the pains and afflictions he met with work upon him to remember his Father but he thinks of other wayes to get a livelihood rather then of returning to him again This people returns not to him him that smites them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts Isa 9.13 And God did this and that evil to Israel yet they returned not to him saith Amos 4.6 7 8. they have stricken me but I was not sick they have beaten me but I felt it not sayes the besotted Sinner Prov. 23. â—5 4. He was lost so as he knew not which way to get back again nay he had not a thought to return he wandered after satisfaction indeed but knew not the way to it nor could attain it but was like those in Psal 107.4 5. That wandered in the Wilderness and found no way hungry and thirsty their souls fainted in them they had not a City of habitation Such his estate till mercy saved him 5. He was lost he was miserably perisht through many foul sins and filthy transgressions and lewd courses and by many sad convincements convictions checks and bangs of conscience and as it were Devils and evil Spirits renting and tearing out his bowels wringing him with inward pains and sense of hellish miseries perplexities fears horrors despairs quite brought down as it were into the pit of destruction Manifold sorrows or great plagues as the vulgar reads it shall be to the wicked Psal 32.11 Yea they shall multiply sorrows to themselves that hasten from God after another their drink offerings of blood will not Christ offer nor take up their names into his lips Will not mediate nor intercede for any acceptance of any of their services in which thus bent they seek deliverance from their horrors and terrible perplexities no not any of the works of righteousness of their own with which perhaps they would establish their hearts before God they being but as things thrown to Dogs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Swine as these husks in the spirits account Phil. 3.8 9. Oh the misery of departing from God All they that forsake thee shall perish Psal 73.27 and thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee 7. He was lost perisht without God without hope in God and Christ had no hope to uphold him nothing of his former gifts part portion would now relieve him it was all spent and gone he had consumed that with riotous living and nothing this Citizen to whom he had bound or joyned himself affords him could give him any comfort but despair and destruction seize upon him and swallowed him up as it were so that he might say as in Ezek. 37.11 As for us our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Or as those Lam. 4.17 As for us our eyes as yet failed for our vain help c or as David The sorrows of death compassed me about the pangs of hell caught hold upon me I found woe and sorrow Psal 116.3 4. 7. He might be and sinners oft are lost and perisht as to this life by falling into some notorious evils fall under the law or into some loathsome and foul disease bringing him into death here in a perishing way for this world and all the mercy he might have had and enjoyed therein had he kept Gods wayes and not departed from them for so sometimes the word perishing or lost is meant of perishing or being lost men here cast and condemned at law sentenced to dye or utterly cut off from the land of the living and this is the way sometimes between the Bridge and the Water to finde mercy So the Disciples cried out to Christ Matth. 8.25 Master save us we perish that is we are lost as to our lives here 8. And unless he had perished thus perhaps he had perished worse even eternally from the presence of God and from the glory of his power so as to be lost and perisht for ever with the Devil and damned spirits in unutterable unbearable endless remediless miseries and destruction for sinners turned aside from God are in the way to this and this unless mercy prevent will be their issue Such is the portion of all that forget God and the Hypocrites hope shall perish See Heb. 2.3 and 10.29 30 c. Use And is not this a sad portion and who would turn from such a portion as the former to such a portion as this latter who but mad men would run from God to the Devil from all to nothing or from all that 's good to nothing but what is unspeakably bad and sad from Heaven and Happiness to Hell and Destruction what is there in the pleasure of sin or in the profit of it that can countervail either the pleasure or Profit of the former portion lost or the pain and misery of this portion incurred Oh what 's an inch of pleasure to an immeasurable pain a minute of sweetness to an endless bitterness yea if it were but a months or years but how much more to many years gall and wormwood a superficial appearance of delight to a real deep heart-sinking torment and distress how vain is the pretence of sin that we shall step but a
of murthers white as wool or snow ver 21. He can wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion and purge the blood of Jerusalem in the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning Isa 4.4 judging them and helping them to judge themselves and burning up what is reproved by him Oh! how precious is Christ then and how much to be prized by us who when the richest man in the world though the greatest King or Potentate cannot give a price to God sufficient for one mans soul to ransome it though guilty of the least sins yet he was judged of God whose judgment is according to truth a sufficient ransome for all men 1 Tim. 2.6 And there is vertue enough in his blood to obtain sparing for the greatest sinners and mercy to be extended to convert and grace to pardon them being converted to him Being made a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel a people guilty of greatest sins against the greatest mercies and forgiveness of sins Act. 5 3â— Oh! let us magnifie and run into this fountain to which also God in his mercy by Christ calls the greatest sinners 3. It leads to hope in God for backsliding and sinful brethren and much more for them that never so tasted God's goodness and sinn'd against such tasts and in that hope to seek and endeavour their conversion and upon repentance to receive them as God for the sake of Christ received and receiveth us Rom. 15.6 7. not to cast off the care of them and say with Cain Am I my Brother's keeper or up-seeker But rather as the Apostle says With meekness to instruct those that oppose themselves if peradventure God may give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth And that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil who are taken captives by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Yet herein praying for and asking discretion some rebuking sharply and wiâ—h some dealing gently as Jude saith ver 22 23. Of some have compassion making a difference and others saving with fear or terrour pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh As some the Apostles gave up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 4. It may provoke such as have sinned and done shamefully and wickedly even after grace received as Peter and David did not to despare but to look back back again to God and hope in his mercy and waite for it in his ways through Jesus Christ Confessing and forsaking their sins that they may finde mercy Prov. 28.13 For God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that he turn and live And therefore let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord for he is gracious and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Ezek. 33.11 Isa 55.7 However much or great evil or sin men have done it s not the way to be helped to despair of help or to seek for it elsewhere then in turning to God by Jesus Christ for whithersoever else a man turn he goes after vain things and things that cannot profit but in God and Christ as is said there is mercy and help Let Israel therefore though great sinners against greatest mercies hope in the Lord for with him there is mercy and with him is plenteousness of redemption Psal 1â—0 6 7. 1 Sam. 12 19 20. but delay not to turn to him least he cut us off in his wrath To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts least ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Delays in this case are dangerous for what 's our life and in whose hands but his that is offended by us 5. Yet let none presume upon this therefore To sin that grace may abound for though grace is more abundantly declared in saving and pardoning great sinners yet they that therefore do evil that good may come thereof if God leave them to sink and perish in their sinful presumption their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 because there is forgiveness with God so as in his hands to dispense or withhold it therefore he is to be feared and not presumptiously sinn'd against Psal 130.4 In this respect of calling back and shewing mercy to such offenders He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy whom he will he hardens The Chirurgeons greatest skill is shewed in healing the most shattered bones or most desperate wounds Yet who but a mad-man would therefore to prove his skill go break his bones in pieces or run upon sword points on purpose when as if he be healed he will be but in the same sound state happily as before and might have been without these pains and smarts they will put him to Yea and he runs a desperate hazzard of being never healed it depending meerly upon the Chirurgeon's good pleasure 6. If it be meet for us to rejoyce and make merry for the restoring of sinners and God also call upon us thereto then also 1. It faults those that neither indeavor it when they be fallen nor are glad for it when restored but rather murmur at it and are offended like the Pharasees here in this Chapter were either for seeking such that they might be restored or receiving them when restored so far are they from rejoycing at it If thou thy self that dost so hast an interest in Christ why shouldest thou be offended at thy brothers restauration and reception and not rather desire it yea endeavour and rejoyce in it there 's never the less room for thee in God's house nor never the less chear for thee for the multitude of them that dwell and feed therein Here the more the merrier and never a whit the lesser chear for as we have shewed the bread of Christ's giving is living growing and enduring bread that is no more consumed by being eaten and fed on and digested then the Sun is perhaps far less by being daily looked upon or the light of it walked in And if God please to shew mercy to any great sinners why shouldest thou snuff at it and envy it Is thine eye evil because Gods is good Oughtest thou not rather to rejoyce to see a soul saved from destruction and that God is so gracious to us who are all of us sinful enough to deserve a thousand destructions at his hands than to be offended at it Is it a light matter for a soul to go to hell what pleasure is that for thee or what profit in it surely they are more cruel than Tigers and the most savage beasts that would wish their worst enemies or the worst of sinners such a mischief and not rather desire and endeavour to prevent it and rejoyce to see any good ground to think that God hath prevented it upon any and yet how often is it found that not only profane
and wicked men take delight in making others sin and then make a sport and jest of it being savage Heathens under the denomination of Christians But even believers in Christ and seekers of him are too careless of their brethrens souls while they matter not if for their meat or drink or some foolish custome or will or pleasure their brother for whom Christ dyed do perish 1 Cor. 8.11 Rom. 14.25 How far is any unlike therein to Christ who thought it not too much to lay down his precious life to save us and we will scarce lay down a toy or trifle our will or pleasure a fashion or fancy to save our brethren and bring them from misery to endless happiness but it is meet when God reclaims by any means or shews mercy to any sinners especially to Prodigals and notorious offenders yea though he give them some more signal testimony of his favour to them upon their returning then he hath perhaps to our selves at any time which was the thing stomacked in the Parable to make merry and be glad for it and if so then 2. Let us be exhorted to such a demeanour and carriage in such cases God is sometimes affording such instances of his great mercy and goodness that we might take notice of him and give him the glory of it and set forth his praises He sometimes suffers such as profess his truth and have some right understanding also of it and affection to it to fall into temptations and thereby into great sins and sufferings and yet shews his mercy on them to their salvation by bringing them into sufferings for their sins he sometimes awakens them as the Prodigal here so effectually to repentance that they remember and turn to him and finde mercy with him though indeed there be too few such penitents to be found more there are that imitate this Prodigal in wandring from God and spending his gifts and their receits in riotous courses and sinful conversations then imitate him in converting returning unto God again which is a matter worthy lamentation surely the severity of God may be seen in part therein that he gives up so many that wander from him to their hardness and impenitency so as to persist to Death and perish therein Though God also hath a good and gracious end therein to others for therein he is admonishing us to beware of presumption and presumptuous sinning that seeing he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy in giving them repentance in such cases and whom he will he hardens for their presumptions we may stand in awe and take heed of abusing his goodness to any in such a way as to say Let us do evil that good may come thereof sin that grace may more abound God hath given repentance to some that have fallen fowly and shewed them mercy in receiving them again therefore I will be hold also to give way to my corruptions and take the pleasures of sin for a while I hope God will be merciful also to me and recover and receive me again and I shall not perish therein Surely the seeing many so turn away as not to return but back slide by a perpetual backsliding holding fast deceit and refusing to return as Jer. 8.45 might keep us from adventuring on so desperate a resolution Thus the Apostle teacheth us to improve a like consideration in Rom. 11.22 23. Be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural Branches that were hardned blinded and broken off for their unbelief ve 7.20 take heed least he also spare not thee Behold then the goodness and the severity of God on them that fell severity but on thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou also shalt be broken off See the like use also made of the like severity towards the Fathers that finned in the wilderness and perished there through God's displeasure 1 Cor. 10.1 2.10.11 they were our admonitions to provoke such as think they stand to take heed least they fall not presuming that though they throw themselves voluntarily into sin yet they shall rise or be raised up again because they are God's people and he hath loved and loves them and being once loved they must needs be always loved as some misread and abuse that saying in Joh. 13.1 contrary to Isa 63 9 10 11. Hos 9.15 and so that however they fin they cannot perish A perilous temptation that hath caused many to stumbleâ—â— and fall to their destruction Surely our Lord Jesus who was the Son of God in the most proper sense and the most sure of his love and favour even in the manhood yet would not listen to such a voice of the Tempter to cast himself from the pinacle of the Temple presuming it was impossible for him to be hurt because the promises belonged to him of which this was one that God would give his Angels charge over him to bear him up in their hands that he should not at any time dash his foot against a stone But knowing that God's promises are annexed to his ways and that his keeping them was it that should be attended with his being kept in them he repelled the temptation with having diligent respect to God's Commandement bidding man Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Mat. 6 6 7. in which he hath set us a good example that we might follow his steps and sure he is a presumptuous fool that durst venture to go where his Leader being wiser and stronger than he would not venture before him But yet when the goodness of God is so exercised and put forth in his mercy to any as to give repentance and restore them again from their falls and bruises as God is able to graffe in again what is broken off and raise up what is fallen even of those that are distinguished from and opposed to the Election that hath obtained Rom. 11.7 14 23. let us be glad and rejoyce therein both for their good in charity to them and that God is affording such a motive and incouragement to others that have sinned and are bruised thereby and lye pining away in their sins to rise again in repenting In such cases its meet that we should make merry and be glad as is here said and not with the Pharasees or Pharasaical Saints murmur at God's mercy and goodness towards them whither it be that he give them repentance and restore them to us here to â—ive with us and testifie their repentance by a better and more heavenly conversation afterwards as David Peter Manasses Mary Magdalene and others did or that he awaken them to repentance by bringing upon them some signal shame and punishment to death as befell the Malefactor upon the Crosse crucified with Christ And as God is sometime pleased to shew his goodness to others brought to like shame and death for the like or as bad or worse offences I know some foolish or Pharasaical ones are apt to strange
at God's dealings sometimes in such cases as if God could not be so gracious to such offenders as if it stood not with his holiness and especially if they be soon comforted and pretend to great peace and joy in their death having done and committed some hainous offences as Adultery Murther Felony c. They are apt to suspect they are but deluded persons and Satan that inticed and deceived them to commit such sins hath again deceived them to make them think God is merciful to them and forgives and accepts them To whom I would say It 's possible for Satan to delude souls after that manner as to make them presume of mercy without serious and hearty repentance of their sins as Agag who said Surely the bitterness of Death was past with him when he was gâ—â—ing to his execution 1 Sam. 15.32 and I wish many do not so delude themselves I am afraid it is so But yet it 's not good to either abridge the mercies of God towards nor the merits of Christ for the souls of greatest sinners so as to despair that such may be converted heartily and received again certainly and sometimes suddainly or to judge their repentance and consolations when there is no manifest appearing ground for so doing much less when there are appearing evidences of the contrary That God may both convert and forgive upon conversion greatest offenders many things may evince as the Parable also implies as 1. It is but suitable to God's oath who hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that he turn and live Ezek. 33 11. as we noted before and to his calling the worst of sinners the simple scorners and fools that hate knowledge Prov. 1.22 23. And those that are compared to the Princes of Sodom and the people of Gomorrha Isa 1.10 15 16. c. promsing forgiveness to such upon their repentance yea and back sliders that have come toward him and gone back again promising to heal their back slidings Jer. 3.12 14 22. Hos 14.4 2. It is suitable to the end of Christ's coming who came into the world to save sinners even chief of sinners even such as are Murtherers of Fathers Murtherers of Mothers Menkillers Whoremongers Defilers of themselves with Mankind Man stealers Lyers Perjured persons yea and those that by the Apostle are counted nothing inferior to but rather greater than these zealous Pharasees that set up their own righteousness against God's in Christ and out of false zeal persecute Christ in his truth and members for upon that account he afterward after mention of such notorious offenders stiles himself the chief of sinners though a Pharasee and one of the strictest sect for Religion among the Jews and far from those gross fleshly abominations 1 Tim. 1.9 10 13 14 15 16. indeed nothing but the blood of Christ and the grace of God in him will make such sinners or any sinners else to be Saints or cleanse them from their fins that will as appears in 1 Cor. 6 9 10 11. where such horrid offenders that had been such are said to be washed to be justified to be sanctified which what is it but to be made Saints in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God no sorrows tears or humiliations of ours can do it without purging with hysop Psal 51.7 that is with the blood and by the spirit of Christ and that will 3. Otherwise we must exclude from heaven those that the Scripture enrols among the Saints if we think God cannot convert and forgive great sinners or never doth What was David but a great sinner being guilty of acting adultery and murther and yet I hope he was a Saint Indeed he found many ready to say of him there was no help for him in God when God began to call him to account for his sin as appears Psal 3.1 2. the title whereof is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absolon his Son but yet he found it otherwise so as to rejoyce and glory in God vers 3. Thou art my shield my glory and the lifter up of my head Though Absolon's rising up against him was a punishment for his sin and a remembrance of it yet God was so therein with him having repented to shew the reality of his repentance and truth of God's acceptance of him that he was helped to carry that punishment of his sin with much magnanimity God lifted up his head when many thought as some Pharasaical Saints are apt yet to think of great sinners especially if brought to shameful sufferings for their sins as he then was surely he must be lamentably distressed and dejected in his spirit and hang down his head He lay him down and slept in the midst of his troubles for God sustained him and he would not be afraid of ten thousand of people that had set themselves against him round about ver 5.6 See what a saint-like spirit yea even under their sufferings for their sins God sometimes endues great sinners with upon their repentance and surely we may not say they were deluded and therefore neither may we conclude that others are so if having been great and notorious offenders they upon turning to God find him comforting them yea and filling them with expressions of confidence of his favour towards them and of their salvation For indeed 4. Christ therefore suffered like a sinner and malefactour that sinners yea such sinners as deserve and have shame and punishment here even the Crosse or Gallows for their just reward might through him be called and brought to repentance and dye like Saints and be Saints in their dying that is have hope and joy in him and in his salvation and this was evidenced in the Crosse and at the death of Christ For Christ himself though the Son of God and the most just person that ever was in the world yet he dyed like a Sinner Malefactour Thief or Murtherer not onely in that he suffered such a death as such offenders used to be put to by men the death of the Crosse but also in his dying as to the manner of it in respect of grief sorrow agonies that did accompany it yet not without evidences of his righteousness and hope in God his Father For did not he sweat through the violence of his agonies as it were great drops of blood trickling down to the ground And did he not cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me As bearing upon himself the punishment of such capital offences though upon our account not his own that such as are guilty of such offences and deserve such sorrows agonies and rejections of God might through him have hope and comfort in God in their dyings though of violent deaths by legal punishments as was seen in the Malefactor that suffering with him dyed like a Saint We finde no such matter testified of him no agonies nor exclamations as his sins deserved but on the contrary
and Servants at a greater distance this belonged to Israel alone Psal 147.19 20. and 148.14 yet in this he bound not his own hands but that in case these his adopted children or houshould servants rebelled against him and would neither by mercies and lenity nor by his threatnings and punishments be reclaimed he might harden and give them up yea and cut them off and destroy them as any of the other Nations about them and call in others into their places as he pleased Even as Solomon suppose chose himsef houshold-servants who had great priviledges so as to be pronounced happy in them because they might stand before him and bear his wisdome so as his remote subjects could not though he was good and just to them also yet he was at liberty for all that choise to cast off or put to death any of those his servants as well as others in case they lifting up themselves in pride should rebel against him and might have taken out of his remoter subjects whom he had pleased the dispose of honours being not of any of the servants however forward or obedient but of himself the Lord though to such as were ready to obey he would be ready to give good honours and rewards as he saw fitting So was the case here as the proposals of his choice honours by him of whom the dispose is even him that shews mercy and not of any that wills or runs for them upon condition of their obedience to be continued to them and his threatningt of destruction otherwise and to call in and honor those that were not a people into their place evince see Exod. 19.5 6. Deut. 7.10 11 12. and 8.19 20. and 28.1 13 43 44. and 32 21. with Rom. 10.19 though yet out of love to their Fathers he ingaged that he would not utterly cast away all their seed but reserve a remnant always with whom he would take pains as it were further and use means still to reclaim them to obedience and being made obedient receive them into favour again see for this Jer. 30 11. and 46.28 Zech. 13.8 9. with Rom. 11.28 and in all this he exercised and still exerciseth such power over men as a Potter over his clay framing them in his providential government one to honour and another to dishonour executing wrath also on one when fitted to destruction and shewing mercy and long-suffering to another and so having mercy on whom he will have mercy and hardâ—ning in their sins and rebellions whom he will and so he hath had mercy now on us Gentiles and framed us to honour even the honour fore-given to Israel as to many things in it having called us into their place and hath shewed severity to them giving them up to hardness and blindness and framing them to dishonour because of their unbelief and stumbling at Christ Rom. 9.30 31 32 33. and 11 20. though yet he hath not so rejected them but that the Apostle still prayed for them and endeavoured even for such as had stumbled that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 and 11.14 telling us they have not stumbled that they might fall â—nd that God is able to graft them in again â—â—d will if they continue not in unbelief nor hath he so honoured us but that if we continue not in his goodness we also shall be broken off Chap. 11.11 23 24 That 's the substance of those two too much mistaken Chapters of Rom. 9. and 11. and what I have here said of them agrees with the other Scriptures 3. Now in all this God still reserves the dignity of giving eternal life to Jesus Christ only to which he hath chosen in him from before the foundations of the world all that are or come to be and abide in him through the prevailing force of his grace with them chusing culling and bringing them out of the world into him or daining framing and disposing their hearts to eternal life and so to believe on him for it whither they be of the Jews or Gentiles the honoured or dishonoured vessels 2 Tim. 2.21 as it is said Know ye that God hath set apart for himself that is to be holy and blameless before him in love so as all the chosen into the former priviledges of the visible Church are not the man that is Godly Psal 4.3 typified in Isaac Gal. 4.23 28 31. Eph. 1.4 rejecting all that refuse and disobey Christ whither Jews or Gentiles whither they be workers for life according to any law of works and rejoycers in their fleshly priviledges of whom Ishmael was a type Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. or prophane abusers of the goodness and grace of God typified in Esau Heb. 12.16 17. and therefore it behoves thee and all men to come to Christ and to his grace wherein the Election is For 4 As salvation comes of the Jews by Gods Election and hath in it blessing for all the families of the earth so from that even from Christ who is Gods salvation to the ends of the earth Isa 49 6. none in Scripture language are called Reprobate till through their willful resistances against the light truth and grace of God extended to them through Christ all means used towards them becoming ineffectual God gives them up and leaves striving with them as Psal 81.10 11 12 13. Jer. 6.8 8 29 30. Rom. 1.21 24 28. 1 Thes 2.10 11 12. for Christ that blessed seed and Gods salvation hath dyed and therein given himself a ransome for all and tasted death by the grace of God for every one and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 2 Cor. 5.14 15 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 1 Joh. 2.2 And God himself who cannot lye hath sworn as he lives that he hath no pleasure none neither secret nor revealed in the death of the wicked by his still sinning but rather that he should turn and live and therefore calls such even the worst of sinners the simple scorners fools that hate knowledge and such as disobeying these his calls to the end shall perish and he will laugh at the destruction of saying Turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit to you and make known my words Isa 55.7 Exek 33.11 Proc. 1.22 23 24 25. Thence doth Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles tell us that God wills that all be saved and come to the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth which in a measure therefore at all times he was making known to and in the heathens so as they of them also that rebelled were without excuse Rom. 1.18 19 20 21. with 2.22 14 15 he being one God both of Jews and Gentiles and having constituted one Mediator of God and Men indefinitely the man Jesus Christ even him who hath given himself a ransome for all a testimony in due or in their proper seasons whence those frequent calls of all Nations all the earth to make a joyful noise to God serve him with gladness enter his Courts
such a plunge but alwayes in a posture of duty and obedience being puft up thereby to fall into passions and offences to see gross sinners upon an appearingly slighty repentance received to such favours as they have never had experience of the like These things seem to render valid the interpretation of the words that I have given besides the words themselves answered here by the Father to his froward Son Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine which agree unto none so properly as unto truly righteous and obedient Children And the words so looked upon though they do not suit just with the generality of the Jews or Pharisees who were Hypocrites nor may be so construed as to render them truly righteous yet by an argument from the greater to the less do more strongly reprove them after this sort If persons truly righteous and in the main dutiful and obedient have no cause to murmur at Gods great mercies towards grievous sinners if upon their repentance they be not only pardoned but also meet with such joyes and expressions of gladness in God and his Servants as themselves never had proof and experience of much less have formal Professors carnal Christians or Hypocrites that have nothing but a form of Worship and an appearance of Godliness and Devotion and that mixed too with great blindeness opposition to Christ his wayes and truth and with many other great latent evils and some open enough too sometimes much less I say have such cause to murmur at Gods mercies to penitent sinners and think themselves slighted in that their formal out-side and Pharisaical Professions are less regarded forasmuch as their formal Devotion and Religion is far short of the grosser Sinners hearty repentance and turning unto God Such sinners might say to them as the Thief upon the Cross to his fellow that mocked at Christ Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnaton in as bad a condition by thy resting in an ignorant formal out-side profession without inward life and power and therein indulging thy self in some seemingly less but as well forbidden corruptions such as their swearing by the Temple and by the Altar and thinking themselves guiltless therein when God had forbidden to swear save by his Name and by his Name too customarily rashly or falsly somewhat like mens swearing by their Faith and Troth or by the Mass or by the Name of God customarily and such other Oaths in which they hold themselves innocent Mat 23.16 17 18 19 Yea and adding to thy other sins that that makes thee equal with the chief sinners viz. opposition to Gods Wayes Truths and people even to the Name of his only Son called upon by them as Paul tells us when he had reckoned up many great sinners as ungodly unholy prophane murtherers of Fathers murtherers of Mothers Whoremongers defilers of themselves with mankinde Man-stealers c. for whom he sayes Christ Jesus came into the world to save them yet speaking of himself that had been of the straitest Sect of Religion among the Jews and abhorred and hated those grosser wayes of ungodliness yet because he had in his ignorant zeal for God and his Church and the Traditions of the Elders blasphemed Christ and his Truth and People and been a persecutor of and injurious ro them he stiles himself therefore the chief of sinners as if a greater sinner then those Thieves Whoremongers and Murtherers before spoken of by him thou I say art in as bad a condition as I poor prodigal was in before I repented and how much worse then now I am in having repented such as are so far guilty themselves as the Pharisees more generally had a spice of that persecuting spirit against Christ and his Doctrine have I say no cause to murmur against Gods goodness to repentant sinners but had need rather to repent them with them that they might obtain like mercy also as our Saviour implies that the Publicans and Harlots repentance and being thereupon admitted into Gods Kingdom and so into a state of righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 should have moved the Pharisees to repentance with them of their formal and pharisaical righteousness and other sinful evils found with them To that purpose is what is written in Matth. 21.31 32. Verily I say unto you that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you before you Pharisees formal Professors superstitiously righteous for John came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not but the Publicans and the Harlots believed him and ye when ye had seen it repented not that ye might believe I do not say then that all that murmur at Gods goodness to repenting Sinners are really righteous and the Sons of God No the generality of the Scribes and Pharisees were not so nor were the false Teachers and the Preachers up of Circumcision in the Primitive Churches such who were greatly offended at the Gentiles finding such mercy as to be received in in their uncircumcision in the flesh into the number of Gods Saints and holy ones The Apostle gives them other Characters when he sayes Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision Phil. 3.2 and sayes of such That their end was destruction ver 19. and that they were false Apostles deceitful workers messengers and Ministers of Sathan and the like 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. But I say such as cleave to God their Father and depart not from him in faith or life that are ever with him and have interest in all he hath these are truly righteous persons through Christ in the main though they also may possibly be sometimes leavened with the leaven of the Pharisees their corrupt principles or wayes if they take not heed thereof as is implyed Matth. 16.6 they may have froward sullen peevish and envious fits befal them yea and besides our Saviour for better winning in the Pharisees and taking off their prejudices might and I think did sometime speak to them upon supposal of their being what they judged themselves to be truly righteous as in Matth. 9.13 I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance CHAP. V. A three-fold state of men considered in the Text The first The state of righteous Walkers in three Branches the first Branch opened and applyed THE words then being thus explicated and cleared as to the two Sons therein mentioned let us go forward and I observe in them a threefold state or way of men here spoken to which I shall desire a little briefly to consider as God shall assist therein 1. The good state of truly righteous and obedient persons walking in the fear and obedience of the Lord and that is set forth in the first Branch of the reply of the Father to his elder Son ver 31. Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine 2. The sad and deplorable state of persons
is great in power rich in glory in mercy in wisdom in love and goodness able to do all things good to all and his tender mercies over all his works bountiful to Servants that are but hirelings and serve him only for their own interests and rewards and may not abide in the house for ever being not made Sons How many hired Servants saith the Prodigal are in my Fathers house that have bread enough and to spare Luke 15.17 Yea good to his enemies loving them and doing good to all making his Sun to shine and rain to fall on the good and on the bad the unthankful and evil giving whole Lordships yea and Kingdoms of this world in his great bounty to them also that regard him not bâ—t hate him careful of the very inferiour creatures feeding the Ravens caring for the Fowls of Heaven even the little Sparrows five of which are sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgot before him Yea he giveth food to all flesh for his mercy endureth for ever If David counted it so great an honor and priviledge to be Son in Law to Saul an earthly and mortal King whose breath was in his nostrils and his power of narrow compass in comparison of Gods as well as his goodness Oh what may not a soul promise it self of felicity and happiness in being the Son the adopted and genuine Son of a King so great so full so good so free so liberal to and careful of all even of the worst men and creatures as God is what cannot what will not such a Father do for his Children especially such Children too as obey and abide with him Yea what may they not upon that consideration incourage themselves to look for and expect from him having also such an elder Brother with him as is infinitely perfect and dear to him to plead for them and take away the defects and sailings of their obedience towards him shall he be good to strangers provide for inferiour creatures give large crumbs and offals to dogs and birds and beasts and will he not give what is convenient to his children surely yes Shall he give good things to his enemies and neglect his children surely no. Surely he hath far better things for them then for any others not so near to him nor in such relation with him It is our Saviours argument Consider the fowls of the air for they sowe not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Mark the Emphasis Your Father and therefore loves you Your heavenly Father who in that he is heavenly is above all and hath all power and all creatures subject to him and in that he is heavenly is holy and pure from earthly affections as covetousness and other passions which our earthly Fathers are bemudded with He is your Father your heavenly Father yet he feeds them that are of no compare with him to you and to whom he owns no such relation shall he feed them and neglect you what earthly Father will do so to feed his chickens and forget or famish his children much less can or will your heavenly Father Matth. 6.26 and the like in Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and not one of them shall â—all to the ground without your Father as â—f he would say doth he that is so early related and dearly affected to you who stiles himself your Father and owns you as his Children take such care of so inconsiderable a creature as a sparrow two whereof are sold for a farthing and who are so infinitely below him that he stiles not himself in such a relation to them and can he neglect you who are his Children whom he hath so valued as to give a price greater then heaven and earth even his own Son for you Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value namely with him then many sparrows This then is a relation estating in such a condition as affords exceeding ground of highest confidence and greatest expectation in and through Christ in whom he makes and takes us for his Children of greatest advantages and fullest happiness and in the mean while of all that he that is so great and good can do for us and sees good and meet to be done Behold then what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us who are in Christ Jesus that we should be called the Sons of God Surely it s well worthy of our beholding for there is in it to be seen heighth and strength of love and affection and matter of marvellous consolation and in beholding this we may 2. Behold also how infinitely we are ingaged to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ to love and live to them to honour and glorifie them for what love was that that led the Father to give his only begotten Son to be the Son of Man and thereby exposed to all the miseries of man yea all that man by his sin had deserved as its just reward to be sustained and born by him that he might open the way from destruction to such an high priviledge as Son-ship to God by him and make him the root of it for and to us through what he hath done to him in the body he prepared and gave him could it be less then infinite love in him that moved him to design such exaltation of so base and vile creatures as we by the so great abasement of one so high and glorious as he and oh what love was that in Christ Jesus what grace what pitty what mercy and kindeness not to shrink back from the state of service to make us sons yea from the state of sin and death For he that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and died for all that through him we might attain such dignity and glory as cannot be valued by us how should it engage our hearts and affections to him and make us ready with all diligence to obey and live to him that to such and so glorious an end died for us and rose again For he was made under the Law for such as were under the Law as in a sense all were Rom. 3.19 that we being redeemed from the Law might receive the adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. 2. Herein also we may see and be instructed into the way whereby sinners may be made the Sons of God even they that are not so but are the children of wrath For as Christ hath by his sufferings opened and made the way for it so he thereby as raised from the dead and taken up to glory in the nature of man and owned as the Son of God and glorified is become the root of Son-ship unto us as is said and therefore the way for us to be made the Sons of God is to receive and close with him the Son of God as God is commending him and setting him forth to us by
and everlasting fire is theirs not they its to avenge them of their enemies the Devil and his instruments and all the evils that here did molest them and to give them infinitely more occasion and provocation for ever to admire his mercy towards them and bless him Psal 145.20 21. Luke 12.32 Mat. 25.35 36 41 46. Isa 66 2â— â—4 A marvellous full and glorious portion and such as passes understanding only there is this difference between the believers enjoyment of it now and hereafter now they have the title to it and the encouragement of the faith and hope of it and so much of it as they need and God sees good for them But hereafter they shall have all that shall be then to be had in the most full absolute and glorious sight and fruition of it Use 1. And the consideration of this with all before may serve 1. To move such to contentation with their condition for what can they want who have such a portion as God and all that are his to satisfie and save them The just shall live by faith and this is a truth to faith not to sense and in living by faith may abundantly and will administer content in every condition and Godliness with contentment is great gain The Lord is my shepheard saith David and thence infers I shall not want yea thence he had abundant experience of Gods provision for him and supplies of him and faithfulness to him in all cases and therefore concludes Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the dayes of my life Psal 23.1 6. as thence also or from the like consideration of Gods goodness and the blessedness of all that trust in him he exhorts and incourages others Fear ye the Lord ye holy ones for there is no want to them that fear him the Lions shall lack and be bit with hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 34.8 9 10. It s true the dispose of all is in the Fathers hand but he being wise and loving gracious and full of compassion and abundant in goodness and truth cannot nor will suffer his children at home with him to want any thing that may be good for them And it s but a childish humour from which its good that we be weaned to pet and cry and be froward for that that is not good but hurtful for us having all things that are our Fathers and he being free to afford out of it all good for us Be careful in nothing be peevish and discontent in nothing be not covetous of more then we have or of more then he thinks meet to give us into our possession and fruition but be we content with what we have for he hath said I will never leave thee no I will never forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is our helper we will not fear what man can shall do unto us Heb. 13.5 6. Minding what we have in Christ and what ground of confidence that God will give us all things with Christ because he hath not spared Christ but delivered him up for us all let us through him be content with what he gives us either of outward supplies for this life or of spiritual gifts discoveries experiences comforts or the like waiting upon him to give us especially spiritual blessings and taking what he gives without envying at others or murmuring at him for what he gives them But 2. Oh the evil nature of envy frowardness pride and discontent though a man hath all things in Christ and God is faithful to give us all things with him as he sees we need and is good for us and though he gives abundantly like a Father to us yet the froward soul findes no good Prov. 17.20 Frowardness and discontent eats out the good of what we have and deprives us of the comfort of it rendring it as nothing to us and hinders us of what we might further have as being freely exposed to us as may be seen in Haman partly and in this elder Son Haman though he had Honour and Riches and Wife and Children the Favour of the King and as he thought of the Queen too yet the only want of a bow or prostration from Mordecai a slight from him marrs all the mirth from all other things What 's all this to me saith he when he had been telling his Wife and Friends of all his glory and happiness and enumerating all its several particulars so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate such a viper is envy and discontent to eat out the bowels of them that breed and nourish it And what less or better here was the case of this Elder Son this righteous person leavened with the Pharisees leaven though all his Father had was his yet all that contents not because his Father had killed for his Brother the fatted Calf and therein testified his love to him and joy for him as if all was lost that fell besides himself But what was he like to lose his share in any thing because of because of his Brothers having part therein surely no. The fatted Calf was not taken from him by being killed for his Brothers welcome there was meat enough in it for him and his Brother too yea for the Father and Sons and Servants and all to feast on and if that could have been too little yet the Son needed not fear want the Father hath enough beside to maintain and satisfie him nor was his love the less to him by being testified thus to his Brother The same feast though made by occasion of his Brother and for his entertainment is free for him also and his Father had intreated him to come in and take part of it there was neither want in his Fathers love nor in the sufficiency of the chear to have made him as merry as his Brother and the rest that were making merry within It was only his own pettish humour and discontent causelesly at his Fathers dealing that was the let that he was not as merry and as well refreshed as any of them his Father would have had him come in and welcome and to be sure his Brother would have been glad to have seen â— much love and freeness in him towards him and all the servants would have liked to have had his company with them and as for the fatted Calf it was an everlasting dish that would have given him with all the rest full satisfaction it was spiritual and living meat like to or better then that the Jews call living water that is Spring-water that while its drawn out or received in its streams is not lessened by mens taking of it but runs still perpetually and increases in its running and meets the person that likes to use it and offers it self of its own accord unto him Such is living bread and meat like the meat in the miracle the loaves and fishes that multiplied in the eating of them increased
whom they injoy their happiness and livelihood and about whom and whose good the Master appoints them their choise imployment It was meet we should make merry and be glad for it is my Son and thy Brother what though he hath been a bad husband he is not so now What though a spend thrift an evil liver then indeed we had cause of sadness but now he that was so is reclaimed and he is still my Son thy Brother That a Second 3. It is meet c. Because of the sad estate he hath been in and from which he is raised again and brought to this condition He was a Son a Brother of whom there was great fears and for whom we had great grief and exercise he hath been long away and far from us there was little hope that we should ever see him again he hath been in great poverty necessity and straits he hath been pinched with hunger dryed up with thirst naked and destitute of clothing and harbour ready to famish and perish with want and this in a strange Country where all were set to ruin him none to help him It s a thousand to one but he had perisht and been lost for ever and yet from this strange and sad case he is at length returned safe again and should we not make merry for the good of such a relation that hath been in such perils of death and drowning or of perishing by the most cruel and lingring death that of Famine It 's true he is not come into a better condition in it self than those that abide and walk with God but he is come to it out of a worse than ever they were in and therefore hath reason hereafter to be more wary to keep home and may walk more thankfully and dutifully because under the sense and mindfulness of the greater mercy to him And as we had more abundant cause of grief and fear for him so we have now answerably more abundant cause to make merry and be glad for him as we are most glad of the safety of ours after the greatest danger of utter loosing them That 's a Third 4. It was meet that we should make merry c. If we consider whence this hath happened to him that he is come safe home again It 's the Lords own work and a work of more abundant grace marvellous and miraculous power and mercy to convert a sinner after he hath been with God and departs from him again And as God rejoyces in his works generally Psal 104.31 so especially in those that are works of his mercy because mercy pleaseth and delights him Mich. 7.18 and yet more in those in which his mercy is most glorified by him And surely as all the works of God are wonderful and glorious and its meet we should have pleasure in them so especially those in which he is most brightly discovered and his glory that is all matter of gladness is most of all displayed And such is his mercy in converting and calling back from death and giving pardon and life to a rebellious offender and therefore it 's meet that all flesh should bless his holy name in this and such works as these especially and that all his people who have thereby more abundant occasion of beholding and cause of admiring his goodness and whose hearts may thence receive most incouragement to obey and serve him have cause to rejoyce in him and in his doings herein It was meet that we should make merry and be glad 5. It was meet in respect of its tendency and fruit which is the glorifying of God and drawing in other sinners to repentance that they also may be saved the most acceptable thing to God 1 Tim. 2.3 David being pardoned for and healed of his great sins of Adultery and Murther delivered from blood-guiltiness Would teach trangressors the way so as sinners should be converted to him his tongue should sing aloud of and greatly commend Gods righteousness though he could thenceforth less speak of his own His lips being again opened should shew forth Gods praises Psal 51.13 14 15. As the turning away of good men from God by sin doth mightily dishonour God and stumble and hurt others so the returning of backsliders to God tends much to the glorifying him and doing good to others by their examples before them and confessions and praises of God to them strengthening those that are in God's way and recalling others that stray from it yea and incouraging them to Repentance That 's a fifth Reason Use And this consideration also in its several Branches may be of divers usefulness to us as 1. It magnifies and tends to provoke us to magnifie the greatness of the grace and mercy of God to Mankind that hath prepared and made a way in and by his Son Jesus Christ that rebellious sinners and back-sliders from him might be brought back again to him and be received of him There is with the Lord plenteousness of redemption so as he can and will redeem Israel from all his iniquities He can forgive and revive such as none else can or will Such as being put away for Whoredome have joyned themselves to others that might not be received again by the Law yet he can receive and forgive such and declares himself ready to it also through Jesus Christ Jer. 3.1 2.8.12 13. All things that could not be atoned or from which men might not be justified by the Law of Moses all that believe in Jesus Christ are justified from by him Act. 13.38 39. And he can call and revive and quicken the most dead souls through the seven Spirits of God that are in him Revel 3.1 And so it leads us 2. To magnifie and commend the exceeding preciousness of the blood of Christ and the fountain opened therein For the house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13.1 The house of David we know was guilty of blood and the City Jerusalem a bloody idolatrous City compared to a woman to be judged for breaking Wedlock and for shedding Innocent Blood Adultery and Murther Ezek. 16.38 and yet this fountain in Christ's most pretious blood will extend to and is vertuous for the washing them God hates the bloody and deceitful man David was guilty of both and yet in the multitude of God's mercies he durst go into God's house and appear before him Psal 5.6 7. And praying to God to wash him from those sins saith That if he would purge him with Isop and wash him he should be whiter than the snow Psal 51.7 8. And the like is promised upon their repentance to the Princes and People of Jerusalem and Judah though compared to the Princes of Sodome and people of Gomorrah for badness Isa 1.10 16 17. Such is the vertue of the blood of Christ that in coming to it and bathing in it in turning to God and believing in his Son it can make a City that is an harlot and full
rebuking his fellow sufferer for his reproaching Christ acknowledging the justness of their sufferings and our Saviours innocency and praying Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom he heard this comfortable word which doubtlesse strengthened his confidence and gave him full assurance of his salvation Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Surely this was written for an incouragement even for such offenders also to hope in God by Jesus Christ and betake themselves to him for mercy in an humble acknowledgement of their offences and of his power to forgive and help them which that they also may obtain of him even to the giving them large confidence in him and full assurance of their salvation Christ's graciousness to him doubtless doth testifie that none may say what should such hainous sinners dye like Saints though yet in one sense such dye not as Saints while they glory not in nor justifie the cause of their death as those that dye for Christ and righteousness sake may and often do but in that regard take shame to themselves and acknowledge the righteousnesse of the shame and punishment ordered to them as deserved by them and submit themselves thereto And surely it would be too great an injury to the grace of God and to his love to mankind and to their welfare and too great a derogation to the vertues of the precious blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus to imagine that such mercy may not be shewed to them that are so great sinners both as to make them in their receit of it hearty in their repentance and chearful in their spirits under their sufferings in the hope of God's salvation Object Ah! but the suddainnesse of the conversion and speedinesse of the consolations and the coming so easily by them without more drooping and humiliation makes some question They expect such great sinners should long lye under dejection and sadness before they get a good word from God and if not so they are apt to conclude them under a delusion or but hypocrites in their profession of joy and consolation Answ Truly I would not be misunderstood to speak in behalf of any that are not truly penitent and turned in to Christ or that are daubed with untempered morter and slightly healed Yet this is evident that sometimes the grace of God makes quicker work in mens conversion and he more speedily comforts them thereupon than the wisdom of the flesh or of man judges fitting as by this Parable appears as also by the carriage of the Pharasees toward Christ often censuring him for his receiving sinners while it appears they were not satisfied of their conversion I conceive had they been first made Pharasees they would not then have been offended and judged them sinners still The woman that at Simon 's house stood behind Christ and washed his feet with her tears c. had not satisfied the Pharasee that she was a convert for then would he not have had indignation thereat nor said in his heart If this man were a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner Luc. 7.39 Surely Christ knew her better then he did and knew her to be a real convert though it seems she had not so publickly bewailed her self and bewailed her sin as to satisfie the Pharasee that she had left it And what appears to have been the sorrow and humiliation of the Malectour we finde nothing said thereof and yet evident tokens appear of his real conversion and he had speedy absolution For 1. He rebuked his fellow for his carriage towards Christ as if he had been turned a suddain Preacher of repentance to him Fearest thou not God seeing we are in the same condemnation 2. He confessed his sins and justified the righteousness of his death submitting himself upon that account to bear it patiently And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds 3. He confessed Christ and justified him in his sufferings and that when the whole multitude the Princes Priests and zealous Pharasees and learned Rabbies the chief builders did most of all reject him despise and deride him And when he was in his deepest sufferings But this man hath done nothing amiss 4. He in this lowest case of Christ when his own Disciples durst not own him owns and professes his faith in him that he was Lord and King and that he should have the kingdom and so that God would glorifie him through and after those his sufferings saying Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom And 5. In that faith he calls upon him as upon the Saviour of the world or of sinners saying Lord remember me c. as intimately professing his faith that he could forgive and save and blesse him We finde no great lamentation for his sin nor dejection under the sense of it but yet a better confession of faith we scarce finde from any of the Apostles who were now shrunk from him Yea Peter that thought to have stood it out denied him See here how suddainly and silently the grace of God may work a notable alteration as to conversion and then see the speediness of Christ in forgiving and comforting He lets him not hang long drooping to his death upon the Crosse but presently tells him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And was it not so with David he said he would confess his sin and God forgave the punishment of it He said but I have sinned and Nathan replies the Lord also hath taken away thy sin thou shalt not dye Psal 32.5 2 Sam. 12.13 So Peter had but begun to speak to the Gentiles and presently the Holy Ghost fell on them and they spake with tongues without any long humbling them first for the sins of their Gentilism or bringing them into the profession of Judaism by circumcision as it seems the Disciples of the Jews had some thought he should have done by their quarrelling with Peter for his eating with and receiving them Acts 11. Yea and Peter himself says what was I that I could withstand God! as if there might be some such leaven in him also as to have kept them longer out from comfort and made them more humbled first before he would have received them had they been at his disposing Truly I suspect it s our hypocrisies or want of thoroughness in coming off from our idols our sticking long in the place of the breaking forth of children that increases and lengthens our throws and sorrows Hos 13.13 As while David kept close his sin his bones waxed old and he roared out with daily disquiets Psal 32.1 2. the heart that comes off soon and roundly from its sin is sooner comforted So the compassionte Father here so soon as he sees his Sons resolution and finds him upon his way to him yea While he was yet a great way off presently runs to
meet him and falls upon his neck and kisses him Oh hasty Father and too passionately fond thinks his Pharasaical Son to shew so much love before no more humbling He was not yet fallen on his knees scarce and behold his Father falls upon his neck He had not yet confessed his sins only says he would and the Father prevents him with his compassion and before he could utter all he had to say calls for the fatted calf and the best robe to feed and cloth him and therefore he hears of it afterward As soon as this thy Son was come that hath devoured all thy substance with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted calf And so how apt are we to say Oh! they must be soundly humbled before we may shew them any hopes of mercy towards them and yet indeed its hope of mercy here that humbled him yea the best and sweetest humbling is after the receit of mercy Then Mary loved much and wept much when much was forgiven Luc. 7.47 and so in Ezeck 16.60 61 62 63. when God remembers his Covenant with adulterous and idolatrous Jerusalem and makes an everlasting Covenant with them then she shall remember her ways and be ashamed c. yet if God speedily comfort men we are ready to say it was some delusion they were not humbled enough But what is that that men call humbled enough I fear as some are not humbled and ashamed for their sins so some may mistake and idolize it If by being humbled enough they mean so as to give satisfaction for their sins or make an amends for them that 's an enough that none can attain to and therefore Christ humbled himself to death the death of the Crosse for us Philip. 2.7 and was not he humbled enough for us think we it is upon the account of his humiliation and not of ours that God receives satisfaction and forgives us None can be sufficiently humbled for the least abuse of any mercy to deserve the forgiveness of it thereupon but in Christ God is the best estimator of our being humbled so as to be fitted to receive what Christ's humiliation and sufferings for us have purchased and he seems to men sometimes to accept of a small measure or time of humbling as the instances before recited make manifest And if God speak peace to any upon short and slight humbling to appearance yea or when he sees us go on frowardly turning aside in the way of our 〈◊〉 if he see our way and heal us and create the fruits of his lips peace to us as Isa 57.17 18 19. seems to import who or what are we that we should limit or fault the Holy One When God comforts any how can they be dejected would we have them play the hypocrites to humour us counterfeit terrour and dejection when God speaks peace to them surely no. Again we vain creatures are apt to judge of mens being humbled by the outside the sad countenance plenty of tears sorrowful tones wringing of hands c. but God sees the heart And God that knows the heart bare them witness says Peter speaking of the Gentiles so suddainly in their uncircumcision received in by him And indeed we may find the Scriptures mention persons as well humbled and so as God counts them meet to be comforted When 1. They having sinned do or are willing to ingenuously confesse and not hide cloke extenuate or plead for their sin and filthinesse and turn from them So in Prov. 28.13 He that bideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them finds mercy And in 1 Joh 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Though this confession as to particulars is not needful to be made publike to all men but to God I said I would confesse my sins to the Lord and thou forgavest me Psal 32.5 and in some cases to some faithful men Jam. 5.16 that are concerned and the heart made free to 2. When they see themselves so vile and their sins so hainous that they cannot take comfort in any of their confessions weepings humiliations fastings but go out of all to the grace of our Lord Jesus and his precious blood Psal 51.1 2.7.16 17. And indeed they are proud persons that have their hope in other things as their weepings humiliations c. for they think so well of themselves as to conceive some excellency in such their acts that they may do something in their worthiness with God to procure his acceptance of them It 's a greater act of humility or humiliation to see such emptiness or nothingness in them all as to disown any resting in them or comfort from them but only to hope in the mercy of God and the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ And 3. In case God lead them out to sorrows and griefs bring shame and sufferings upon them to be willing to yield our selves to God To be afflicted and mourn and weep Jam. 4.9 Accept the punishment of ones iniquity and bear the indignation of the Lord till his wrath be past as having sinned against him Mic. 7.8 9. This God himself makes the character of an humble heart in his sight when in the view of him the uncircumcised heart is humbled and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity confessing that they have walked contrary to God and he hath walked contrary to them Lev. 26.40 41 42. and that was the great act of Christ's humbling himself for us that he accepted the punishment of our iniquity and yielded up himself to bear it quietly not repining or grudging thereat And here also in this Parable the Prodigals humiliation appears in this chiefly that rising and coming to his Father he confesses his sin submits himself to bear the shame of having his Father or Servants see his poor estate and to be in any place how mean soever that his Father would put him in though of an hired servant so he might but be received And surely when we finde any that have been great sinners turned in from their evil ways confessing their sin and vilenesse and submitting to the grace of Christ to seek their absolution rest and righteousnesse there submitting themselves to walk in his ways and bear his chastisements and if in so doing yea though there be some imperfections in their so doings they meet with refreshings and rejoycings in God and Christ and in the riches of his grace we may rejoyce in their behalf as here the family are called upon by the Father Let us make merry and be glad Though others that are prophane scoffers may take occasion from such falls and miscarriages of professors of the truth to jear and blaspheme for which and for whom we have cause in such cases to be sad and grieved and others take occasion thereby to abuse God's goodnesse and mercy to such to harden themselves in sin for whom we