our heauenly Father And let vs bee so farre from reuenging wrongs offered vs that wee pray for them that hate vs and blesse them that curse vs ouercoming euill with goodnesse as wee are commaunded And so much for this first doctrine And the sonne said vnto him Father I haue sinned against Heauen Here is the confession of this prodigall childe to his worthy father as if hee should haue said truth it is I haue sinned against the God of Heauen in sinning against you my naturall parent and whereas before I thought my selfe to good to bee your childe or to remaine within your house yet now I change my opinion and thinke not my selfe worthy to bee sonne to so good a father and that the worst place in your familie is to good for mee so vntoward a sonne And so much is to bee vnderstood in the 21 verse But in that hee confessed hee sinned against God by disobeying of his father wee learne this doctrine Doct. 4 That those which wrong men doe sinne against God In iniuring men on earth wee sinne against the Lord in heauen This is proued by the wise man where hee saith Hee that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him Pro. 17.15 hee that derides the creature doth mocke the creatour and he that contemnes the worke doth by consequence speake against the workeman Also the Apostle proues the same when he saith Cor. 1.8.12 Now when yee sin against the bretheren wound their weeke consciences ye sinne against Christ Where the holy Apostle sheweth that those offences that are committed against the weake bretheren doe redound to bee committed against Christ when they offend the members they sinne against the head And therefore Christ saith Math. 18.6 Whosoeuer shall offend one of those littleones that beleue in mee it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea Thus wee see that if any offend the least christian he doth offend Christ and shall bee seuerely punished and this Christ will doe when hee will passe sentence of condemnation against the reprobates I was a hungred and yee gaue mee no meate I was thirsty and yee gaue mee no drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me not in to you and so forth Where for the omitting of good duties to bee performed to the members of Christ Christ takes the omission of dutie as done to himselfe and so a sin done against God The reasons to proue this doctrine are Reason 1 First because whensoeuer wee wrong men we breake the commaundement of God and so wee must needes sinne against God Now hee commaundes a law of equity that that I would that men should vnto mee doe I the same vnto them and hee bids vs doe good vnto all c. Now when wee breake any of the diuine lawes of God wee trespasse against God and this made Dauid to cry out Psal 51. I haue sinned against thee against thee onely But one might haue said Dauid you haue wronged Vriah in taking his wife away It is true but I haue broken Gods law and so sinned against God by killing Vriah Secondly in wronging men wee sinne against God because euery man and woman carries the image of God and so wronging the person of man hee wrongs the image of God And this Iob did consider well of which did terrifie him from wronging his seruants as appeares by his words what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when hee shall visit mee what shall I answere hee that hath made mee in the wombe hath hee not made him hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the wombe Sith that God is offended when man Vse 1 is wronged it serues first for instruction that wee should take heede how wee doe wrong any man or woman and not to say I care not for him or her for hee is but a base person a man of no accompt c. Nay but take heede how you iniure and wrong him bee hee neuer so base in your eies hee may bee an heire of Heauen and a true child of God and at least hee carries the image of God in some measure vppon him and so you cannot safely wrong him but you sinne against the God of Heauen and besides you are forbidden to wrong any bee they neuer so base and vile But such persons as wrong these base ones as they terme them dare not wrong a greater person because if they should they might haue the law inflicted vppon them and so thereby bee brought into danger as to bee cast into prison c. But to hurt and trouble a poore christian that they feare not to doe but such must know there is as great danger to wrong the poorest christian as in iniuring the greatest personage in the world for the wrong done to the member redounds to the head and the hurt offered to the porest christian is a sinne against Christ him selfe and as the Prophet Zacharie saith Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye There is none would endure one to stirre or row a thorne or any such like thing in ones eie but one should feele it for there is no place so tender about one as the apple of the eye how much more sensible is God of the iniuries and wrongs offered vnto his children and cannot endure them that thus touch him in so tender a place as to wrong his beloued ones such shall bee sure to smart for it And if the Lord would not haue Balaam to wrong his Asse much lesse will hee suffer wicked men to wrong his children but many care not what iniury they doe to others so they can act it cunningly and worke it subtilely that they may not bee seene or so that the lawes of the Realme will not take hold of them As the wife many times towards the husband shee cares not what hard speeches shee giues him because there is no humane lawes against her for it but such wiues must know that seeing God is offended when their husbands are thus wronged by them they shall not goe vnpunished vnles they repent for Gods law and precept is violated that commaunds wines to bee obedient to their husbands in the Lord. So many times the husband hee wrongs his wife in word countenance and somtime in their disordered passions in blowes when in truth there is no cause offered him but this argues there is but a little feare of God in him that thus will wrong his owne flesh such men little consider when they reuile their wiues they reuile God himselfe and when they thus wrong them they sinne against him for they breake his commaundement that chargeth euery husband to loue their wiues as Christ loued his church and to to dwel with them as men of knowledge c. But vnles such husbands come to true repentance for the iniurie thus offered to their wiues God will surely plague and
THE PENITENT SINNERS ENTERTAINEMENT Set foorth by Mr. IOHN HILL Student in Diuinitie and now Preacher of Gods Word at Dublin in IRELAND AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE for IONAS MAN 1614. TO THE VVORshipfull and vertuous Gentlewomen M is TEMPERANCE CREW wife to Mr. Thomas Crew and M is Mary Blinco wife to Mr. Iohn Blinco I. H. desireth all grace and peace vnfainedly to bee multiplied c. GOdly and christian gentlewomen whom I loue in the truth 2. Ioh. 1. I hope I may speake of you as did that worthy Apostle of the elect lady who by the fruits of her piety and godlines manifested her election so you by the loue you beare towards God his ordinances and seruants doe declare euidently 1. Ioh. 3.14 your translation from death to life and by your vertuous and holie liues you demonstrate freedome from sin which are of euerlasting life I haue made bolde Christian Gentlewomen to patronize this small worke vnder your fauours in token of thankefulnes for your many fauours I haue receiued from you not doubting but small things of this nature will bee much respected and willingly receiued both in respect of your owne priuate gaine as also the profit benefit which the whole Church of God may reap gather frō it Now if you or the rest of the body of Christ shall receiue any benefit by it for the furthering of that worke of repentanee and sanctification of life giue God the glory and praise And so J humbly take my leaue commending you to the prouidence of God and the word of his grace Act. 20.32 which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Steane this 20. of Aprill 1612. Yours in all christian duties to commaund IOHN HILL THE PENITENT SINNERS ENTERTAINEMENT LVKE 15.20 21 22 c. So he arose and came to his Father and when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke c. IN all this parable of a godly and religious father and a stubborne and impious sonne is prefigured and set downe the vnspeakeable loue and compassion of God our heauenly father to all his children in Iesus Christ which haue beene rebellious and disobedient before their calling In these words are set down two things viz. First the duties of a penitent sinner Secondly the promotion that the penitent person comes vnto In the dueties of the penitent person there are two things to be considered First a perswasion of mercy sure confidence of obteining compassion if he did returne implied in the word Father as if he should haue said truth it is O Father as my life works haue beene toward thee I doe not deserue to be thy son as in the words following may appeare but yet neuer the lesse I am perswaded that though I haue failed of my duty towards thee yet thou wilt not faile of thy loue to me although there be no desert of mercy in me yet I know there is cōpassion for seeking for with thee and this is the first ground the penitent person laies to obtaine mercie Secondly the penitent person confesseth his sinne whereby he had offended his father for there must be a confession that as the childe is to be well perswaded of the loue of his father so hee must be ill perswaded of himselfe in respect of his sinne and therefore he saith I haue sinned against heauen and before thee that is against the God of heauen and against thee my naturall father and so I haue broken both the tables of the commandements And he confesseth also he was not worthie to be called a sonne to so godly a father or to receiue mercie that was so full of impietie making himselfe vile and base in his owne eyes that he might be highly esteemed in his Fathers eies which is the first part Now for the second part of this text which is the promotion the penitent sinner shall be exalted vnto set downe in the 22. 23. verses rendering a reason wherfore the father did thus promote him The promotion set downe is this the father seeing his riotous and vnthriftie sonne returne home with a broken and humble heart and with a resolution to become a new man and rather desiring his fathers loue then his goods he presently offers himselfe to his childe before he could aske for his needs he commaunds his seruants to bring forth such things as his penitent sonne wanted and to giue it before he did craue it for the father seeing his sonne so well clothed with humilitie and with godly remorse for his former life within he wil not reiect him though he came poore and ragged outward but cals for the best robe to couer him The comparison is taken from a King and a princelike childe whose manner was to weare robes and before the sonne could aske for apparrell which he stoode in neede of the father giues him a robe to put on for seeing he had made himselfe base in his owne eyes he would cloath him royally that hee might seeme precious in his fathers eyes And put a ring on his hand that is hee would not only giue him things for necessity but also to adorne beautifie him as the Apostle saith vpon our vncomely parts he will put more comelinesse on And shooes on his feete And whereas he came barefooted to his father he commaunds shooes to be put on his feete to keepe and preserue them from thornes and stones that might annoy hurt thē And bring the fatte calfe c And whereas he came with a languishing stomacke for want of meate for before he had beene feeding amongst swine now he will refresh him with a tender calfe with pleasant and comfortable meate And let vs eat be merie Here is cause of mirth reioycing on both sides First on the fathers side that had lost an vntowardly sonne and now had found an obedient sonne that went from him dead in his sinnes and returned quickned vnto the life of grace that departed impenitent and returned humbled in all which there was cause of mirth and this cause the father renders himselfe to his eldest sonne for my sonne was dead and is now aliue he was lost but is now found c. Secondly there was cause of reioycing in the sonne because he went from his father a dead man and now he comes to his father a liuing man he went from him stubborne proude disobedient he returnes meeke penitent and obedient in truth he departed from him a childe of Belia◠and returnes to him the childe of God in all which there was great cause of ioy on both sides And so much for the somme and order of these words The drift of the parable is that if a godly father had a stubborne and vngodly sonne that had departed from him and spent his portion amongst ryotous and lewd companions yet if
the best roabe they shal all be Conquerours ouer all their spirituall enemies and bee made Kings and priests And they shall haue all these spirituall graces and gifts deliuered to them by the King of Heauens Ambassadours the faithfull ministers of Christ by the word and Sacraments And this shall hee haue whom the King of Heauen will fauour indeede And so much for this doctrine Then the father said vnto his seruants In that the father when hee would giue any gift to his son doth it by the hand of his seruants wee learne this doctrine Doct. 8 That when God doth purpose to bestow vpon any of his children any sauing grace or speciall gift hee doth it not immediatly from his owne hands but by the hands of his seruants the Ministers The Ministers of God are the conduit pipe to conuay graces and gifts to the children of God I cannot haue time to prosecute this point because the time is past already and therefore I will leaue it and only touch a little of an other doctrine and so wee will make an end for this time And the father said bring forth the best robe and put it vpon him and put a ring on his finger and shooes c. In that comming to his father with repentance and humility the father giues him all things hee stood in neede of comming ragged hee hath the best robe put vppon him and a ring vpon his hand for ornament and shooes c. From hence wee learne this doctrine That whosoeuer comes to God with an humble heart and true repentance Doct. 9 shall receiue at Gods hands whatsoeuer hee stands in neede of That repentance will get any thing at Gods hand not only for necessity but also something for delight This may bee proued by the words which Christ speakes to the Church of Laodicea she boasted of her plenty when as shee was full of penury sheee thought shee had all things when shee wanted all good things yet Christ promiseth her if shee would come to him hee would furnish her with all good things and if shee would receiue his councell he would decke her with the richest iewels and therefore hee saith Reu. 3.17.18 I councell thee to buy of mee gold tryed by the fier that thou maist bee made rich and white raiment that thou maist bee cloathed and that thy filthy nakednes may not apeare anoint thine eies with eie salue that thou maist see c. Now in buying and selling there must bee somwhat giuen and receiued Now therefore shee must sell her sinnes by repentance and godly sorrow and she must esteeme of the fauour of God and graces of Christ in lieu thereof and this being done shee shall receiue in steed of her pouerty the riches and graces of Christ and his spirit and in stead of her filthinesse she shall haue the white rayment and righteousnes of Christ to couer her and all her wickednes and infirmities shall bee taken from her and whereas shee was blinde that shall bee remoued and her eies shall bee opened and her vnderstanding enlightened by the spirit of wisedome knowledge But what neede I goe from my text to proue this that when wee come to true repentance wee shall haue all good things bestowed vpon vs For here the father commaunds the seruants to fetch out the best robe now all the robes that are in Gods wardrobe are all best robes For the thiefe vpon the crosse that died with Christ and repented and beleeued in him had one of the best robes as well as Abraham Iacob or any of the Patriarkes and they are all long robes not scanting but couering and hiding all our filthines with the Kingly robes and shining garment of Christ And hee will not content himselfe to giue him a robe but hee will also put a ring vpon his hand for ornament so the Lord will decke and adorne euery true repentant sinner with the comely graces and vertues of his spirit And whereas hee comes bare-footed and surbated with trauell he puts shooes vpon his feet So the Lord when one comes to him by true repentance he will bestow vpon him the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace that he may bee able to walke through all rough and hard waies yea the shadow of death and shall not bee hurt And whereas hee came home with a languishing soule for want of foode the father calls for the fat calfe and the best cheere hee had he bestowes vpon him So the Lord bestowes vpon the penitent sinner the best diet and banquet Many times earthly fathers haue it not ready wherewith they may entertaine their children but God hath it alwaies in a readines a feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines and fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified euen the body and bloud of Christ for God the Father makes the feast Iesus Christ is the matter of the feast and the Holy ghost the applier of it Now in the Sacrament the worthy receiuers receiue all these things all needfull things shal bee supplied vnto them thereby for if the eating of one fruit which was forbidden vs brought such an vniuersall misery vpon all the posterity of Adam how much more may we bee perswaded that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine in the Sacrament which is commaunded will bring a more happy estate to the worthy receiuers thē the other lost for this meat will not only nourish vs but cure vs also The elder brother which is to be vnderstood of the Iewes hee was angry and repined at the kind dealing of his father towards his yonger brother but now our elder brother Christ Iesus is well pleased with euery penitent sinner which comes to his Father and makes intercession for them And if an earthly parent will thus loue a yonger sonne which hath bin a lewd and riotous companion how much more will our heauenly Father entertaine euery penitent person that comes to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with resolution to cleaue vnto God they shall bee sure to haue supply of whatsoeuer grace they stand in neede of So also the father reioyceth and they are merry that his wandring sonne is returned home againe and therefore the father makes a feast First God the Father maketh a feast for euery penitent sinner and hee reioyceth to see a sinner to returne to him Ier. 32 41. for hee delights to doe such good Also Christ himselfe reioyceth to see such as conuert vnto him for it is meate and drinke for him to doe his Fathers will And the Angels in Heauen doe both desire and reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luke 15.7 And not onely so but all the Saints Church of God that heare of the conuersion of a sinner and addition to the Church will magnifie God and reioyce vpon it Secondly there will bee a feast of ioy to the party conuerted when hee sees a
of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and prayers and they shall looke vpon mee Zach. 12.12 whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne whom c. This will make one turne to Christ when they see their sins so odious as to bee the speciall instruments to wound and kill the Lord of life and also when they doe consider that Christ gaue himselfe for them this infinite loue and mercie will mooue them to true repentance and godly sorrow It is not misery as can conuert one to God and turne one from ones sinne for then the diuels might haue bin conuerted before this time for they are in anguish and perpetuall misery and Iudas might haue repented for hee was sensible of horrour enough in his conscience but that rather did driue him from God because he could not apprehend the mercie and kindnesse of God The reasons to proue this doctrine are First because till such time one haue this perswasion one shall neuer come to Reason 1 true confession which is one part of sound repentance and one will neuer confesse ones sinnes without hope of mercie Secondly because it is vnpossible that one should pray aright without one haue this perswasion of mercie and therefore Christ sets downe this as the foundation of all true prayer Our father which art in Heauen For wee can neuer haue any comfort that our sinnes are pardoned till wee can boldly goe to him in assurance of mercie And though wee haue failed of our duties towards him yet hee will not faile of mercie to vs because hee is our Father Sith this is so that the perswasion of mercie is a speciall meanes to stirre vs vp to true and sound repentance it serues for a double reproofe of two sorts of people Vse 1 First of those impious beasts and monsters of the world that if one reproue them for their blasphemy swearing Sabboth-breaking drunkennesse filthines and such like sinnes they presently haue an answere for to cloake it and extenuate it oh but the Lord is mercifull but to whom to such as continue in this impiety no but doest thou abuse the mercie and long suffering of God that should leade thee to repentance and so thereby doest harden thy heart in impenitency and doest heape vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath that thus on earth adde drunkēnes to theft these abuse the name of God and it is more fearefull to abuse the Gospell then the lawe It were a sinne to breake the positiue lawe of a Prince but more if hee stampe vnder his feete the priuy seale of the Prince wherein his pardon is written thus disgracing mocking it and yet hope for mercie of him Wee would count it the part of a mad-man Such are the dealings of all such presumptuous wretches they breake the positiue lawes of the King of Heauen and earth and continue in the breach of the first and second table of the commaundements and not only so but abuse the priuie signet of God and hope for mercie notwithstanding their vngodlines but such must know that the Lord will not bee mercifull to such but contrariwise the wrath and seuerity of God For if a Father should vse all the duties of kindnes to his child and yet hee would bee very rebellious to his Father still and all because his Father is louing and kinde vnto him such a childe would be quickly censured to bee a very vngracious and wicked child how much more are such impious and in a high degree vngodly which dayly displease God blaspheme his name prophane his Sabbaths c. and all because God is mercifull and gracious But these make a contrary vse of the loue of God then the Prophet Zachary exhorts the faithfull vnto in the place before alleadged that they should looke vpon him whom they had pierced and lament but the wicked wretches looke vpon him and gnash their teeth at him and blaspheme his name and so are made impenitent Secondly it serues for reproofe of such whom God hath afflicted with many crosses and they see in themselues many sinnes and much corruption and then vpon this they sit themselues downe whyning and crying and neuer set forward one foote to goe to God for mercie and pardon of their sinnes and a remouing of the Crosse Thus they thinke there is lesse mercie in God then is in mā for if a godly parent though his childe haue played the vnthrift and rebellious childe yet if hee would come home with sorrow and humilitie and acknowledge his faults he will presently receiue him and shew him mercie and yet we cannot perswade our selues of the like successe with God Thus wee make Gods of our selues and make the mercifull God more cruell then man which is most fearefull once to thinke Can wee forgiue the faults and wrongs committed one to an other that haue but a drop of mercie in cōparison of that Ocean Sea of mercie and pitty in God and shall wee not bee fully assured wee shall haue pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes if wee come to him by repentance Let vs not dishonour God so highly to make God lesse mercifull then mortall man for man hath made no promise to remit the wrongs and iniuries offered to him but God hath bound himselfe by couenant yea by oath to pardon the sinnes and offences committed against him Againe man cannot forgiue all wrongs perfectly but hee would haue some stirrings and motions in his minde against the party but if wee had all the sinnes of Cain Saul and Iudas yet if wee could come to God with faith in his mercie and godly sorrow and repentance for our sinnes hee would receiue vs to mercie and giue vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes and seale it with the blood of the euerlasting couenant Wherefore let vs no longer looke vpon the greatnes of our sinnes but vpon the mercie of God which exceeds our sinnes nor on the greatnesse of our crosses but vpon the infinitenesse of gods compassion and kindnesse and let vs resort to him in hope of mercie The second vse serues for instruction vnto euery one that whatsoeuer our crosses bee or how many soeuer our sins bee or how great soeuer our offences be yet let vs haue a resolution to goe to God and wee shall finde mercie for wee are in this case fit subiects for his mercy to worke vpon for mercy pleaseth him he is greatly pleased to shew mercy to such Let vs conclude before hand that if we resolue to bee true vpright christians thē we may boldly call God Father if wee can perswade our selues wee are his children wee may beleeue wee shall finde mercie at his hands Wherefore let vs confesse our sins and leaue our sins and wee shall finde mercie For if a Iudge of an Assize should say to a felon or some malefactor in the Gaole If you will confesse your theft