into that separation and with-drawing from his Father which brought upon him all this misery that befel him which now after so large a view taken of the elder Brothers state comes in the next place as the second Branch of this Text to be considered by us viz. CHAP. VIII The second state of wanderers from God in two Branches opened and applyed THE misery of departing and wandring from God implyed in these words This thy Brother was dead was lost a two-fold metaphorical expression to represent it by Let us briefly and but briefly consider them Branch 1. Was dead A sinner by leaving God and running after sin and Satan brings death upon himself becomes as a dead man So Solomon tells us too Prov. 21.16 He that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the dead For as the Apostle saith also to the Believers Rom. 8.13 If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye and it must needs be so for 1. With God is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 In his favour is liâ—e Psalm 30.5 and his eternal Word or Son is that eternal life that was with the Father in the beginning in whom was life and that was manifested in these last dayes more fully to us 1 John 1.2 with John 1 4. The Spirit of God is life and the spirit of life Rom 8.2.10 by whom God through Christ breaths in life and so this God this one Father Son and Spirit having life in himself gives life also to others as he pleases and hath given to all life and breath and all things and so in the beginning when he made man made him of the dust of the earth and breathed in him the breath of life and man became a living soul Gen. 2.7 both as his body and person was made alive in the world indued with breath sense motion and understanding and also as his soul or inward man being upright and having its dependance on God being in subjection to his Word and Spirit in his image and likeness and so in his favour while upright he was owned of him and in union with him and had peace and joy and spiritual life in himself as so deriving it from him but in departing from him his word and command which is life and tends to life also is death and man so doing he dyed Spiritually First as to the loss of the favour of God in which was his life and of his subjection to God and fellowship with his Word and Spirit the fountain and conveyor of life and he fell under his displeasure in and from which is death even the death of the spirit of man inasmuch as the favour and fellowship of God his Word and Spirit being withdrawn his life was withdrawn with them and inasmuch as it lay open to his anger to inflict misery upon it and so the inward state of the soul and spirit became unquiet dead without sense of the life of God the favour spirit and operations of his grace in it and was filled with fear shame guilt as the effects of the life withdrawn and misery deserved and exposed to and then bodily death as to its principles entred and so the sentence for dying at Gods pleasure bodily and for ever had not mercy looked upon man and prevented followed also Gen. 2.17 and 3.18 19 Rom. 5.12.18 2. But God rich in mercy looking back upon his prodigal Son man here devised his recovery and to that end sent his Son or Word that eternal life that was with him and made him flesh and in that flesh mortal and under the sentence of death that was upon man and accordingly delivered him up to death for our Sins who by his death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil and swallowed up death from off the nature of man as it is in him and filled it with immortallity and eternal life so as he having dyed dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him but the fulness of the God-head dwells in him bodily and all the fulness of his favour grace and blessing in which is life yea and the Spirit of Life is in and upon him so as he also in dying and by his death inasmuch as it was sustained by him for us even for all men hath obtained a release of all men from under that first Death and Judgement in which all universally and alike were condemned to dye as it did and must have stood upon us without his interposing and hath the ordering of Death and Grave and Hell in his hand and dispose with power and authority to bring us thereout and enliven and quicken soul and body yea and invest them with immortality and eternal life as pleases him he being in himself and for mankinde the resurrection and the life the deliverer and the raiser and the only ground or foundation cause and effector of the Resurrection in others either as to soul or body and the life quickning them and in which they being quickned live John 11.25 Yea in him is and God hath given to us even to the same us whom he commands to believe which is all men or men indefinitely eternal life so as that in partaking of him we partake of the Resurrection and are raised up in and by him in our spirits and partake of life spiritual life and so whosoever believeth in him though dead in himself is enlivened by him and shall live and being made alive in believing and going on yet to believe shall not dye shall not lose this life that he hath in and by him for ever but is alwayes in the raised state as to his state spiritually and shall be so at the last day bodily too and so alwayes in the favour of God in which is life in a justified state from sin and wrath curse and death and in a state of acceptation with God and heir-ship to the life promised further of God in and by him and hath his interest in and fellowship with God the fountain of life and the Spirit of God and its influences who is the Spirit of life and gives and upholds life as it is said He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and so as all mankinde are in a released state from the destructiveness of the first death as in and of it self and in a possibility of life because in the hand of Christ where is life even spiritual and eternal life yea both for soul and body as in a root and fountain for them and communicable to them so all such of men as in hearing and receiving the Word and Doctrine of Christ which is called the word of life and life Acts 5.20 John 6.63 Prov. 4.13 because Christ objectively is in it as the matter of it set forth in and by it and his Spirit which is life and the Spirit of Life accompanies it and breaths in it are therein by the
A Gracious Reproof TO PHARASAICAL SAINTS Causlesly murmuring at GODS MERCIES TOWARD PENITENT SINNERS In Explication of Luc. 15.30 31. Written by JOHN HORNE sometimes Minister of Lin Allhallows Psal 119.1 2 3. Blessed are the undefil'd in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him with the whole heart They also do no iniquity they walk in his ways Bat As for transgressors wo to them for destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity Psal 37.38 Prov. 20.29 Is thine eye evil because mine is good Matth 20.15 London Printed for Tho. Passenger at the three Bibles on London bridge 1668. TO THE READER Reader WHither thou beest Saint or Sinner and one of them assuredly thou art thou maist through Gods blessing find something useful for thee I hope worthy thy perusall and serious consideration in this insuing Treatise If thou beest one that knowlest the grace of God in truth and thereby art sanctifyed to God and followest after holiness here is that that may perswade thee and shew thee causâ— to be holy still and to go on in denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world abiding in Christ and walking with God Both as it sets before thee the good and blessed state of those that so do and as it shews the miserable and sad state of those that do otherwise and especially of such as having tasted the graciousness of the Lord withdraw from him again and after they have begun to be good turn to do badly forsaking the way of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness Prov. 2.13 of which therefore also it doth admonish thee However strongly thou think thou standest that thou take heed of falling of which there is need enough to be admonished in this back sliding and truly and too shamefully adulterous and sinful generation Wherein they that depart from iniquity make themselves a prey and wherein men being frighted from or scoffed and derided at for nothing so much as truth and plety there is too general a temptation upon men be afraid or ashamed to be or however to confess and shew themselves to be seriously holy and religious Atheisme Prophanesâ— Popery and all manner of debauchery growing into fashion and nothing scarce looked upon as more obsolete and antick than soundness and sincerity with true zeal and fervency in the exercise and practise of the truth of Religion And yet it also admonisheth thee to beware of the leaven Pharasees which is hypocrisie of being too rash and censorious in judging those that having been prophane and evil livers or abusers of God's grace and truth return therefrom to a better mind or of judging God's and Christ's or his Servants dealings with such when by the profession of such persons he or evidently and apparently they are more gracious and ready to receive sinners than thou wouldst have them There is nothing more eminently discovered in God than love and charity to the souls of men whereof the whole Gospel and all the holy men in the Scriptures bear their testimony especially in his receiving repentant sinners And therefore nothing should be more desired by us and rejoyced in on their behalf than their conversion to him and finding his gracious acceptance God's children should be and are in some measure like to God himself who is their Father and therefore as his elect holy and beloved put on bowels of mercy kindness lowliness of mind long-suffering and above all charity which is the bond of all perfection as the Apostle exhorteth Col. 3.12.14 Nor doth any thing scarce make men liker the Devil than to endeavour to hinder or to repine at the conversion of sinners or God's mercy to them as that was one concomitant or product rather of the Pharasees zeal and religion their opposing Christ and grudging at him for his charity to sinners so I suppose it was none of the least of the ingredients of that evil frame which occasioned his stiling them the children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 Well may we be glad indeed when we find any such thing as a sincere convert in these evil days and God gracious to sinners therein When there are so many Apostates from God so few Converts to him Converts there may be some to this or that opinion or practise from some open prophanness sometimes to thriftiness and worldliness and yet even such conversions are not so frequent in these days as from thriftiness to prodagality and rudeness sometimes possibly to some opinionative profession or zealous endeavour after righteousness that is not Gods but mens own but few that when they return return to the Lord Jer. 4.1 to mind and receive and walk in the knowledg and faith of him and his great goodness to mankind in Jesus Christ our Lord and so to behold his glory as thereby to be changed into his image by the operation of his power and spirit and so to worship God in the spirit as testifying of his grace in his Son Phil. 3.3 Rejoyce in Jesus Christ have no confidence in the flesh When we see any turning to this we have cause to be glad and rejoyce for them for they turn from death to life from misery to salvation and unspeakable felicity But alas more play the Prodigals in going from Christ and God and the living in the faith and knowledge of him as the fountain of life and righteousness to live upon either their outward or inward receits from him their riches friends wit parts or their righteous frames and endeavours receits and attainments which lived upon will soon with the Prodigals patrimony be spent and leave them to losse and beggary or â— servile drudgery and desire of husks then do imitate him in returning to God and Christ to live in his house and upon him and his provision therein the grace not in us but in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.1 which is and may be matter of great lamentation Yet if thou beest a sinner walking in thy self thine own will wisdom righteousness lusts affections or appetites and so not in Christ Jesus not in the way of understanding not in the spirit but in the flesh and so in a state of sin as such there be great store both of persons in a sort zealous and of prophane here is that that may move thee to repent and to turn to God therefrom Both the evil and dangerousness of the state of sin and sinners and the acceptableness to God of true and unfeined repentance in returning to Christ and so to God in and by him is here toucht upon and it s largely evidenced that God is ready to embrace such as so do return and to give them the most sure signs and pledges of his mercy toward them as having joy in their salvation And indeed this is the main scope of the Parable herein paraphrastically explicated and of the Text opened and applyed and by
consequence of a great part at least of the ensuing discourse to commend to thee the great goodness of God as to those that walk with him in his ways to which he invites thee in calling thee to repentance so also to those that turn at his reproofs into his ways in his readiness to forgive sins past through his forbearance and to testifie his gladness for their escape from the dangers of destruction they were in while sinning in his giving them the comforts of his grace in Christ and taking them under his most safe and satisfying protection and blessing Surely as its better to be feasting and making merry at home with a rich liberal and loving Father than to be abroad among strangers nay enemies in a strange Country keeping swine in the cold fields and ready there to perish with hunger So and far more better is it to be in God's fear and in the faith of Jesus walking in the ways of righteousness and enjoying the comforts of the Holy Ghost in the assured perswasions of God's favour towards us and of eternal life and happiness than to be the drudges and sworn vassels of sin and Satan grapling with the stings of an accusing Conscience and fears of God's most dreadful and everlasting wrath and vengeance and hurried on in the ways of sin thereto by evil spirits who rejoyce so much in nothing as in bringing men unto everlasting destruction The assured hope of attaining which good things and escaping which evil things is in this Parable and discourse set clearly before thee as to the good ground thereof to be proved in an hearty turning to God in Christ by thee And verily the certainty of speeding well in any course is a marvailous great spur to the undertaking it hope of profit and pleasure upon uncertain grounds usually draw men to great adventures here much more do certain Behold here certain grounds of hoping for and expecting the greatest profits and pleasures that are possible proposed to thee to move thee to repentance Even a certainty grounded upon God's word who cannot lye and Christ's accustomed grace to repentant sinners who being the Son of God neither can nor will deceive us Oh then mind and be moved by them to serious and speedy repentance thy time is short thy life uncertain if thou dye in thy sins all hope of mercy is for ever gone lay hold therefore of the present opportunity while it is afforded thee lay hold on eternal life enter the strait gate set upon the holy race and so run therein as thou mayst obtain Men will divers together run in an earthly race for an earthly prize of any great value though they know before hand that but one of them shall obtain it but in this heavenly race is a heavenly prize exceeding all earthly values and all that run for it aright are sure to obtain it no ones getting it shall hinder another that runs with him Yea as in the Parable of the labourers in the Vineyard Matth. 20. they that set out a great deal later than others may yet be at the race end as soon and obtain it as fully and certainly as they that set out before them So that thou mayst run at a certainty and fight not as one that beats the Air but to good purpose if thou wilt but yet be perswaded to set upon this heavenly race and holy combate against sin and Sathan Let the greatness of the gain then proposed of the pleasures promised of the satisfaction assured and the greatness of the certainty of attaining them in a serious turning to God in Christ to seek after and endeavour for them draw thee into a stedfast resolution of quitting thy ways of sin and falshood and embracing and walking on the ways of righteousness and salvation And do it betimes and without delay least thou defer too long and the Devil and Sin draw thee on by little and little till they bring thee inevitably into Perdition But peradventure Satan will suggest unto thee to hinder thee of the good both of these my advices and of the whole following Treatise such thoughts as some men harbour in their hearts yea and some fear not to utter with their tongues reasoning to this purpose All men are under one or other of these two absolute Decrees either of Election unto life or of Reprobation to destruction and therefore I must needs be under one of them also If I be Elect as I hope I am then to what purpose is all your cost and labour for its impossible for me to miscarry what ever I do and however I live at present my sins cannot frustrate God's decree and purpose nor may you or any body else lay any sin to my charge For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifies and if he justifie me in my present state what need is there for me to repent that I may be justified or who shall condemn me seeing Christ's death is for me and shall secure me from all my sins past present and to come so as they cannot harm me and whereas no unclean thing may inherit God's kingdome that cannot hurt me for if I be elected I shall and must at one time or other be so effectually called as against all my resistances and notwithstanding all my present sinnings I shall obey and so be washed and sanctified and shall against all fallings or possibility of falling persevere in grace to the injoyment of the inheritance And why then may I not take the pleasure of my sins while I may seeing they shall neither prejudice my conversion nor my salvation and if it be not so with me but I am a reprebate then I cannot be saved though I should endeavour to follow your advise and to repent For then Christ dyed not for me nor hath procured for me at least any effectual and saving grace some common gifts and graces indeed I may attain some illuminations good desires and half repentances which can never translate me from under this sad Decree but only will serve to aggravate my future wo while I shall sin against the greater light and knowledge And had I not better take my course then and continue as I am than put my self upon bootless labour to no purpose rising a little higher to fall the heavilier and sink the deeper into misery Needful it is to endeavour the removal of these reasonings out of thy mind which retained will render all good advise to thee wholly ineffectual and so Answ 1. Fabrit Lac. Com. ex oper Luth. clas 2. p 93 94. I might say with Luther Istae voces sunt sceleratae si praedestinatus sum sive bene sive malè egero salvabor c. those are wicked sayings If I be praedestinate live I how I will I shall be saved they tend to harden thy heart in thy sin while it is called to day whereas the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will
with thank fulness as in Psal 66.1 98 4. 100. 117 Peter the Apostle of the Circumcision tells us the same that God is not willing that any perish but that all should come to repentance and therefore is patient towards us and his long-suffering is to be accounted salvation as be saith Paul also writes as indeed he doth in Rom. 2.4 5. in whose writings he saith are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable namely in the mystery of Christ wrest to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3 9 15 16. now what might those things more likely be then those in which he seems to the unskillful to say that God would have some to perish and that his long-suffering is out of a purpose to destroy them which thou that pleadest so as before is said and such as thou art evidently wrest by your inferences to your destruction Better it is to believe the plain sayings of those holy men which they have delivered as the sum of the doctrine committed to them to be declared by them in all the world as the Apostle Paul expresly says of those passages above recited in 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. that they are the testimony whereunto he was ordained an Herald or Preacher and an Apostle a Teacher of the Gentiles not in equivocation and deceit for verily God sent not his servants into the world to deceive men with lies but in faith and verity ver 7 judging those understandings of or inferences and doctrines from any other sayings of Scripture about abstruser things that clash with those plain sayings to be mistakes than to lean to such understandings or inferences against them Mind also what our Saviour replyed to one that asked him if there were but few that should be saved and obey his counsel thereupon bidding him to strive to enter the strait gate before it was shut as the next verse implies Luc. 13.24 25. He taught him not to believe according to thy reasonings that either he must be pulled in strive he never so much against it or else there was no admittance for him but all his strivings to enter would be lost labour to him Our Saviour calls all the ends of the earth to look up to him and be saved he being a just God and a Saviour that hath not said to the house of Israel and by consequence to no body else that they should seek his face in vain but he speaks in righteousness and declares right things Isa 45.19 21 22. whosoever comes to him he saith he will in no wise cast them out he coming down from heaven to do his Fathers will and that is that every one that seeth or beholds the Son and believes in him should have everlasting life Joh. 6.37 38 40. Ask therefore and thou shalt receive seek and thou shalt find knock and it shall be opened to thee for he saith not some only that are elected to it but every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeks finds and and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Mat 7.7 8. cease thy reasonings then and instead thereof Incline thine ear and come unto Christ hear and thy soul shall live Isa 55.2 3. Assure thy self God is no respecter of persons if thou hearing consent and obey thou shalt eat the good things of the promised inheritance but if thou persist in thy disobedience thou shalt be destroyed for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Isa 1.19 20. and let this suffice to those thy reasonings But 2. If thou adde and say some that believe the Doctrine I herein preach take liberty therefrom to sin and may as well as from the other principles for if Christ dyed for all then must all be eternally saved and having liberty to turn to Christ when they will given them through Christ they may be bold to sin still till they please to turn I say breifly 1. That men may and will take liberty too often to sin where none is given them many do abuse Gods goodness and truth to their own destruction and yet his truth and goodness are blameless therein for its usually by believing some lye which they adde to his truth and for which he will reprove them Prov. 30.6 and so thou here addest falshoods to his truth For 2. Neither do the Scriptures nor I nor any that hold closely to them teach thee that all that Christ dyed for must and shall therefore be saved eternally but on the contrary they say that some deny the Lord that bought them as thou dost while thâ—u deniest to believe in and live to him and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 and that those that Christ dyed for may stumble and turn from him and in so doing may be destroyed and perish Rom. 14.15 1 Cor. 8.11 and upon that account they warn believers to take heed of offending their weak brethren Christ having dyed for all that they that live might live to him will therefore adjudge to a terrible destruction such as refuse to live to him chusing to live to themselves and to their sins 2 Cor. 5.10 11 14 15. 3. Nor do they assert that any man that refuses to turn at Christs calls at the present have liberty given them by him to turn when they will every obstinate holding fast of sin and refusing to turn when he gives liberty in his calls by his grace without which and further than that effects it none have any liberty at all to any thing that is spiritually good forfeits the liberty given and God may should he be severe to take the forfeiture as sometimes he doth upon that account withdraw it and swear in his wrath that men not entring his rest when by his grace they might they shall not enter it afterward if they would Num. 14.22 23 40 41 42. and that making excuses when he calls them and they might come they shall not afterward taste of his Supper to which he call'd them Luc. 14.18 19 24. Every act of willful sinning hardens the heart and grieves Gods spirit and provokes him to depart and cease striving with or drawing a man and if God cease drawing no man can come to Christ without his drawing Therefore take heed of provoking him thereto by such thy murmurings Joh. 6.43 44. Yet a little while the light is with thee walk while thou hast the light least darkness come upon thee and then thou walk thou knowest not whither Joh. 12.35 no man hath power over the spirit either his own to live as long as he list or Gods that it shall work with him as long as he please close with him therefore while it s yet a day of salvation Eccles 8.8 2 Cor. 6.1 2. One thing more I have to warn thee of and I shall conclude namely that thou abuse not any passage in this following Treatise about Gods goodness to great sinners or suddain receiving or comforting any such upon their repentance either to
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
and to that purpose of haunting walking or being yoaked up with them for they will prove snares to our souls and draw us away from God by their conversations Psal 1.1 Prov. 1.10 11. and 9.6 7. and 13.20 and 22.24 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. 5. Of slothfulness in the way of God for that will cast into a deep sleep and lead to weariness and fainting Prov. 19.15 Be not slothful but follow their steps who through faith and patience have inherited the promises Heb. 6.12 6. Of giving way to our affections and passions Be sober be vigilant for our adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour c. 1 Pet. 5.8 Mortifie we our Members that are upon the earth fornication uncleanness evil concupiscence inordinate affections and covetousness which is Idolatry put off also these things anger wrath malice blasphemy lying c. Col. 3.5 8. I might adde more as not to dally with temptations nor conceal but disclose them seasonably to some faithful friends c. But I forbear in reading and minding the Scriptures and calling upon God we may get such understanding as to discern and hate every false way Psal 119.104 Use 3. Think upon our wayes and bring them to the light of Gods truth and where we finde we have gone awry Turn we our feet to Gods testimonies searching and trying our wayes and turning to the Lord Psal 119.59 Lam. 3.40 Yea where we have turned out from God make haste to return and keep his Commandements again Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn to the Lord for he is gracious and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 not continuing in sin to back-slide to a perpetual back-sliding refusing to return and holding fast deceit till there be no remedy but destruction not despairing of finding mercy and forgiveness with him upon returning to him for with him there is mercy and with him plenteousness of redemption in seeking to him that wounds for sin he will heal us yea he will revive and quicken us and the third day we shall live in his sight Hos 6.1 but that leads us to and springs from the third Branch viz. CHAP. IX The third state of Penitent Sinners in two Branches of it opened THE joyful and good estate of sinners that return to God after they have wandered from him and that 's signified in these expressions It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy Brother was dead and is alive again was lost but is found in which are three expressions considerable as implying the goodness and joyfulness of such a state viz. 1. In that it is said He is alive again 2. In that it s said He is found 3. In that it s said It was meet that we should make merry and be glad Branch 1. First The converted repenting and returned sinner is alive again he is come to himself again ver 17. How comes that about 1. Not from himself he had no power while alive to keep himself of and by himself being with-drawn from his Father from dying None can keep alive his own Soul Psal 22.29 How much less when dead can any quicken himself again But 2. It was from and by the good Shepheard seeking him and restoring his soul Psal 23.3 Though sinners by departing from Christ in his Word and Spirit and so from God lose their life and dye Yet Christ from whom they depart loses not the life that 's in him for them in him yet is life as the root of mankinde or for mankinde to be enlivened by or as the fountain and spring of life and though the branch be dead yet this root can infuse life to it again and though the pipe being cut be dry yet the Fountain being a living Fountain can fetch in the pipe again and infuse living waters again into it Christ lives though the sinner dye and while he is not as a tree twice dead pluck't up by the roots and withered yea as a branch cut off from the stock withered gathered and cast into the fire and burnt such is the nature and excellency of this stock above all other stocks and of this root above all other roots that it can gather it into unity with himself again and infuse new life into it God is able to ingraft the cut off Branches in again Rom. 11.23 Yea some compared to trees twice dead may be pull'd out of the fire Jude 12,23 with Zech. 3.2 That is while a man is not wholly given up of God and rejected while the day of Grace is not wholly past and expired Christ hath life in himself for men and so as he can extend it to men to quicken them again and bring them back to himself and to the life in him for the Spirit is still upon him and is the Spirit of Life and the word is still in his mouth a living word and he can yet call to the dead and make them hear and hearing to live John 5.25 Adam when he was fallen and we in him he could not recover us again for he was but a living soul at first and being dead our root in him was dead and so we also irrecoverably lost and gone in him But this second Adam is not so he being dead for us raised himself again and he lives yet and hath the power or keyes of Hell and Death and can therefore revive us though dead therefore writing to the Angel of the Church of Sardis of whom he sayes That he had a name to live but yet was dead he saith Thus saith he that hath the seven Spirits and the seven Stars Having the seven Spirits of God though he that he speaks to be dead yet his speaking to him can put life into him and therefore he rationally enough bids him be watchful and strengthen the thing that be ready to dye and remember how thou hast heard and received and hold fast c Rev. 3.1 2 3. If he say Lazarus come forth though he was dead he lives because he is the Resurrection and the life and his giving forth this life by his Spirit in his word again brings in the nature and operations of life into the dead sinner though as rubbing and chafing men in a swoon often helps to revive them so here we may conceive Gods ordering the Prodigal to be so pinched with poverty might conduce to the receiving him See the like intimated Hos 5.15 with 6.1 but in the life infused was 1. An inward spiritual sense minde and remembrance of things that in the state of death were forgotten and not thought of or apprehended as we finde this dead Prodigal reviving calls to remembrance what he thought not on before at least with any livingness as that he had a Father and a Fathers House in which were many hired Servants and bread enough for them all and to spare and that he perisht there
for hunger Now he is awakened both to a sense of his state and to an understanding where he may finde relief or rather this was as Aqua vitae infused into him 2. An inward desire and breathing after that relief and help that he is made apprehensive of and whereof he had had before the taste and experiment for that 's implyed in his resolving to go to his Father for it that he desired and breathâ—d after it So the sinner brought into minde and remembrance of God and his goodness in Christ in his reviving again hath effected in him a desire to finde that goodness again which he had proved before and that he hath again heard of and remembers And this is a gasping for life and breath again upon the Aqua vitae or Water of Life infused 3. An inward hope that he may be made partaker thereof again in giving diligence to return to God in Christ for it and to seek it in him and in his favour and love towards him and indeed therein life is more compleatly entred or breath recovered and the soul more properly lives in the receiving this hope and having it begotten in the heart and though it be but of a possibility and some likelihood of being made a partaker of satisfaction again in God and Christ Whence proceeds and springs as a further action of life 4. An inward purpose and resolution of quitting his present posture in which this thought of God and his goodness coming upon it found it This state of sinning keeping Swine maintaining and nourishing bruitish lusts affections and appetites in the objects whereof the Soul and spirit findes no satisfaction together with a purpose to rise up from under those discouraging complaints and despairs under which it before lay pining and to betake it self by faith and repentance unto God its Father from whom and whose house it had departed and to confess its sin and vileness and submit it self to his disposing I said I will confess my sin Psal 32.4 5. I will arise and go to my Father and I will say to my Father Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants This like the moving and stretching himself when a person is come to himself and revives 5. A putting that resolution into practice strengthning those things that they might not dye again by still remembring his Father and still retaining in minde the fulness of his Fathers house and his great goodness to all therein of whatsoever condition and so he rose up both from his sinful way practise state and condition and from his pining away in himself and in the poring upon his own want and wretchedness and betook himself towards his Father by faith and repentance like the revived man's turning himself that he may get up 6. Being thus made alive by the Grace of God understood and yielded to as common in its gracious workings in the soul as infusing principles of life while he is yet but begun to act and exercise that life in putting sin resolutions into performances his Father sees him and pitties him and runs meets imbraces and kisses him that is while the soul is thus turning to God and going back towards him in the exercise of faith and repentance though but in their beginnings God in the greatness of his compassion and goodness closes with it returns to it accepts it incourages and helps it and speaks comfortably to it kisses it with the kisses of his mouth and therein further puts life and strength into it making it more to hope for his pardon and mercy toward it And this is like the giving the hand to a reviving man endeavouring to turn himself and to arise to help him up therein and then 7. He more confidently though yet humbly and penitently confesses his sins and wretchedness to his Father and humbles himself to him and so exercises repentance in these acts of it Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be called thy Son wherein he is like to Daniel on his knees and hands or as one that begins to speak 8. And then he receives a full and free pardon of all his former sins and offences and is made alive with the life of justification implyed in his calling for and putting upon him the best robe even the righteousness of his Son which he will have his Servants and Ministers also to declare to him or put upon him being in his Fathers gracious acceptation imbracing and kissing him as it were inwardly and in the Court of Heaven forgiven before and now he is indeed alive from the dead and as a man upon his legs again while he is not only inwardly quickned but also outwardly by his Fathers sentence proclaimed as an acquit and justified person whom he will not call to an account for his former mispending his living nor execute judgment upon him to death according to the law in that behalf provided against rebellious and stubborn Children that are gluttonous and drunkards Deut. 21.20 but being a new man is owned in Christ in whom he presents him to himself just and righteous and now he hath received him safe and sound ver 27. 9. And so is further acknowledged as his loving Son while the ring is put upon his finger for ornament or espousing the soul to himself again in righteousness and faithfulness and his feet shod to prepare him to walk up and down as his Son before him and herein he is fully restored to his former state of favour with his Father and Fathers House and to his pristine Dignity And in these things Branch 2. He is found The repenting converted sinner that returns to God is found again found passively not that he found himself or recovered himself but the good Shepheard that came to seek and save that that was lost Findes him and he is found when he comes back again Though the wayes by which that good Shepheard seeking findes may be different and here seems to be implyed to be 1. By neglecting him as to appearance or suffering him to wander after his own hearts lust till he be quite lost and perishing Till he eat the fruit of his own way and be filled with his own inventions till he fall down hungry and thirsty and his soul faints in him Psal 107.4 5. as is said in Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place as it were leaving them and letting them take their own course till misery and affliction come upon them till they acknowledge their offences for then in their affliction they will seek me early To further which also God 2. In the mean while by a secret ordering Providence suffers not the sinner to finde the life of his own hands or not to continue so to do but to be reduced to more misery and want daily and to be crost in and disappointed of his
Praises of God Yea this is a thing meet to be joyed in and for 1. By God his Father himself for so he puts in himself here not only its meet that thou shouldst make merry but we I and thou too A wise Son makes a glad Father Prov. 10.1 My son be wise and make my heart glad that I may answer him that reproacheth me Prov. 27.11 Though this Son had done foolishly in departing and running away from his Father and when he began to be an hungry in joyning himself to a Citizen of that Countrey yet he did wisely when coming to himself he repented and returned and the Father here rejoyces and hath wherewith to answer his other Son reproaching him So also in Prov. 23.15 16. My Son if thy heart be wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine yea my reins shall rejoyce when thy lips speak right things It s meet a Father be glad of his Sons welfare 2. By his Brother or Brethren it is meet we should make merry and be glad not only I but thou also with me for should not brethren love one another and be glad they may enjoy one anothers company in health and safety and therefore be glad when any of them escapes any danger and the more the greater the danger was that is escaped and then 3. By the Servants also that attend on them There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth ver 10. and I have no greater joy saith one of Gods Servants in the Gospel then to hear or see that my Children walk in the truth yea and to repent and turn from swervings too so the Apostle Paul the Servant of Christ Now I rejoyce saith he not that ye were made sorry but that ye were made sorry to repentance 2 Cor. 7.9 4. But most of all by the sinner himself made alive again and found of his Father and in his Fathers house amongst his Brethren whether in the lower rooms while here or in the upper chambers as the Thief or Malefactor that day he dyed was in Paradise O give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy c. Psal 107.1 2. Quest But why is it meet to make merry and be glad for such a one upon such an occasion surely there is great and good reason for it Answ 1. Because of the goodness of the condition it self in which a repentant sinner is found or brought into Good things are matters of joy when had and enjoyed here 's nothing but good in this state good it is in it self and good to all others therefore worthy joy and mirth and gladness 1. Good in it self for 1. It is a state of life and life is good in it self and therefore matter of promise which it would not be if not good for we do not use to promise what we judge bad and if God judged life bad or it were so in it self God would not promise it He is just he shall surely live Ezek. 18.9 It s matter of prayer Oh that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 Let Reuben live and not dye Deut. 33.6 And its matter of praises Psal 1â—9 175 Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgements help me Yea it s a matter of Christs purchase that he came into the world to procure and give yea the principal matter I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly John 10 10. and therefore surely life is good a great good Yea skin for skin said the adversary and all that a man hath will he give for his life 'T is usually so but especially spiritual life the life of the soul in Christ and so in the favour of God is good The life which is in the path of righteousness wherein is no death Prov. 12.28 And this is the state the sinner is taken into upon repentance and coming back to God in Christ as in Ezek. 18.17 If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that that is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye and ver 22. He shall live So in Chap. 33.11 Turn and live Being brought back to God in and by Christ the only way by which any can come or be brought to God John 14.6.7 he lives in and by Christ who is the Resurrection and the life so as that whoever believes in him whatever he be or hath been though never so dead yet he shall live and living and believing in him he shall live for ever John 11.25 26. And so it s said here He is alive again Object Oh! but the repenting Malefactor upon the Cross dyed for all his repentance Answ As to his body he did and all must and that as so inflicted on him was the fruit of his sin not of his return yea as to its sentence a means of his return from his sin but that which was the fruit of his repentance was that he lived to God Being judged according to 〈◊〉 in the flesh but living according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 and so his soul lived and went that day to Paradise and lived for ever His death as it was the fruit of his sinning was matter of sadness but as it was a means to his repentance so it was to be joyed in but much more the life of his soul and eternal life promised to and to be enjoyed by both soul and body in the Resurrection the fruits or consequents of repentance are matters of unspeakable joy and gladness if a Childe fall into the fire will not the mother rejoyce to see him snatched out of it and live safely and in health again though with causing the scorched skin to peel off surely yes 2. It is a state of being found a found state a state wherein a sinner is not lost from God and his goodness to his Brethren and fellow Servants but is found in and with them known owned and approved with God and with men Angels of one minde â— God and so is with them under the gracious approving knowledge of God and under his gracious care counsel defence c. and in unity with all that are well and happy found in a large and spacious house in and under the enjoyment of or title to large Provisions richest Furniture sweetest Relations and Friends abiding and eternal safety and satisfactions Come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to be of them as Ephes 2.19 20. and to an innumerable company of Angels to have fellowship with them and protection by them to the General Assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven as owned of God and inrolled as heirs of heaven and its infinite glory and happiness to be with