We live in a world of change and there are varieties of conditions in which we are thrown up and down and shall never carry it right in them without Humility And here 1. Carry it humbly in respect of affliction there are many changes passing over our heads God brings many cloudy and mournful dayes upon his people he sees meet ever and anon to chasten them and it is fit that a vale of sin be a vale of tears All calls us to be humble The Child should stoop when his father is correcting him Humble sense of our vileness is a fit posture to meet afflicting times in For help 1. Justifie God in all the tryals that he brings upon us Hence labour feelingly to acknowledge our desert Dan. 9. 8. Accept of the punishment of your iniquity say the Lord is righteous You are Believers what then Christ hath satisfied God as a condemning Judge yet he will lay his fatherly chastisements upon his faulty Children and they have no reason to complain of being beaten 2. Bear affliction with meekness patience and self-abhorrence Mic. 7. 9. With patience be in subjection to your father when he doth nothing but right we should be silent Job 40 4 5. He that is vile hath nothing to say and with self-loathing the more we loath our selves the more we shall love an afflicting God It is the Lord c. Look on thy self as a poor inconsiderable thing and that will teach thee meekness What wonder if a worm be trod on Quest. But why doth God deal worse with me than with other sinful men Answ 1. Possibly some are in a worse condition than thou 2. Dost thou know any one by nature worse than thou art 3. Canst thou say thou art afflicted more than thy deserving or indeed up to it 4. Is not he the Potter and thou the clay let him alone if he be Soveraign thou must be silent 3. Let every affliction help to embitter sin to thee that is one great end of it to wean us from sin and make us know it evil and bitter and we shall bear our afflictions the better when we know and confess that our iniquities have procured them trouble for sin will swallow up other sorrows 4. Think not worse of God or his wayes because of the afflictions you meet withal but be willing to wait on him through all Break not with God nor leave him nor abate of your love to him believe that he can take away the affliction and believe that he will sanctifie it to you and resolve with Job that though he slay you you will trust in him 2. Carry it humbly towards God in regard of his mercies There are many mercies which God bestowes upon us and if we would carry worthily under them we must carry humbly Therefore 1. Acknowledge your unworthiness of the least outward mercy joyn with Jacob in his Confession Gen. 32. 10. A sinner is not worthy of a piece of bread or a drop of water all our daily refreshments are meer mercy yea our very life Lam. 3. 22. You never earned your meat or drink all the work you do is not worth a farthing 2. Wonder that God should do any thing for you David makes a great wonderment at it Psal 8. 4. Art thou a Believer that is Grace in thy self a wretched man There is not the best man upon earth but hath cause to stand admiring that God should condescend to look so low as to take any notice of him or to do him the least kindness 3. Be exceedingly thankful for all God's mercies Humility only is thankful That God should give to us such as we are such mercies this makes it exceeding great mercies to see a sinner one that deserves nothing eating and drinking and compassed with mercies this changeth gratitude 4. Let these mercies break thy heart and quicken thee to obedience If we did but know our selves the least mercy would do this That is a proud heart that is not softened by mercies and quickened to duty too The humble souls language is What shall I render to the Lord Psal 116. 12. How should I live What manner of one should I be who enjoy such favours who might have been a back-log in hell or ground between the milstones of Divine revenge See therefore that you are unspeakably in debt to God for every favour be it never so little yet if the soul be humble as it ought to be it will point us to God and put us upon obedience 5. Be content with the portion of mercy that you enjoy It it pride that acknowledgeth not God in what we have because we want our wills in something that God denies us An humble soul is content with any thing though he be poor despised afflicted yet that he lives hath any health strength c. sets him down quiet Learn to be humble and that will teach you to close with all God's dispensations 2. Carry humbly towards men A true apprehension of our own vileness will make us little in our own eyes Hence 1. Beware of despising any we mistake if we think it an effect of true grace to carry it contemptuously to any Are they unworthy so are you Are they Prodigals so you have been 2. Think better of others than your selves Phil. 2. 3. He that sees himself vile will think these cannot be worse than I it may be they are better it may be they have better moral excellencies or have never finned so fearfully so scandelously and against such means as I. 3. Think it not hard to be in low esteem with others We are ready to be dejected when men look with low and little respect upon us But he that reckons himself a worm will not think it strange if every one treads on him but wonder he is no more contemned 4. What ever esteem God gives thee among men assume it not to thy self let God have the whole honour of it Boast not of thy excellencies or graces but chuse rather to be speaking of thy infirmities and if thou hast the praise or acclamations of others take it not to thy self but say It is by the Grace of God that I am what I am who of my self am nothing Thus are we in all respects to carry over selves humbly and this is the way to obtain grace and favour with God the way to grow in Grace yea by this we shall give God his glory and shall enjoy his presence here and when he hath dwelt â— while with us to comfort and establish us he will translate us to dwel with him in his Kingdom of Glory for ever SERMON XIX Vers 20. begin And he arose and came to his Father VVE have considered the Prodigal's deliberation In these words we see him putting it in execution where it is to be observed that his practice corresponds to his purpose He resolved to leave his far Country and return to his Fathers house and so he did Such also is the
there upon awakened to go to God and submit to him entreating him to take us under his watch care and rule then only are we safe when he undertakes to manage us by his fatherly counsel SERMON III. 4. VVE are in the next place to consider of the Fathers conceding act or yeelding unto the unreasonble demand of his Son in these words And he divided unto them his living To argue from hence that there is a Portion due from God to any men is a straining the Parable beyond our Saviours meaning This action of the Father is brought in here only to express and signifie to us Gods bounty that by comparing of it we may thereby be better advantaged to discover the greatness of mans impiety and withal to give us to see and consider how far the Providence of God can without deserving any just imputation indulge wicked men and forward them in their sinful wayes Hence DOCT. God sometime grants wicked men large Portions of common favours and leavs them to use them at their own pleasure without controle He gives them their Portion and lets them go and do what they will with it gratifies their sinful desires by giving them what they would have and leaving them to take such courses in the improveing thereof as their own cursed inclination leads them to In the Explication of this truth we may consider 1. The evidence that it is so 2. Answer some doubts about it 3. Give the reasons of the Doctrine 1. For the evidencing of the truth we may Consider 1. That all the affairs of the world are ordered disposed of by Divine Providence Whatsoever any of the Children of men have or enjoy it is of God The universal extent of the Providence of God to all affairs and things in the world is a principle whereof there is no liberty for any man to make a question the denial whereof even in the sound judgment of Meer Ethnicks was branded with the deserved note of Atheism and the confirmation of this truth is fully establisted in Scripture assigning to all Creatures an absolute dependence upon the disposal hereof See Psal 145. 15 16. The eyes all wait upon thee c. and in many other places 2. That in the course of this Providence many wicked men enjoy all favours in abundance This is so notorious a truth that the so frequent and almost constant observation of it hath sometimes dazled the weak eyes of the People of God and put them to a demurre in their thoughts In Job's time it was not a thing so obscure as his friends would have made of it hence Job in his own vindication amply describes it Job 21. begin David or Asaph gives no less a pathetical description of it and his own imbecillity in those offenses which he had taken at the observation of it Psal 73. begin Jeremiah also seems to be in some suspense about it Chap. 12. 1. What power honour and and dominion had Nebuchadnezzer conferred upon him What an oracle of Wit and Policy for his time was Achitophel What eloquent curious language had Herod and Tertullus yea and we may still observe men to be fullest fraught with these common favours who neither glorifie God nor have any desire to glorifie him therewithal 3. That these men are left of God to use these or rather abuse them at their sinful pleasure is evident in those divers wayes wherein he so leaves them For though it is true that God doth restrain wicked men unto such limits as he sees meet even such as shall make all serviceable to his Glory at last yet they are in very high measures given up by God For 1. That they do abuse them is manifest by the evil improvment which they make of them Observe but what course men of greatest advantages do usually steer in this world doth not all drive at the advancing of the interest of Satans Kingdom and not of Christs And how few great men improve their power for his Glory the most do it for his dishonour hear the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 16. Not many wisemen after the flesh not many mighty c. These carnal things for the most part serve but to strengthen the enmity of the heart against God poor weak and base things are they which for the most part follow Christ 2. Gods leaving them thus to do discovers it self in three things 1. His withholding his spirit and not affording to them his renewing or assisting Grace without which no man can improve any thing to the Glory of God When God doth not give a man an heart to be for him he thereby leaves him to himself and it is a Judgment Moses bewails it Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive c. And there needs no more but this suspension the consequent upon which is for men to go in the wayes of their own heart and sight of their eyes When God intends that a People shall go in his wayes he promiseth them his Spirit Ezek. 36. 27 I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walk in my statutes The spirit of God is the inward guide of the Children of God they that are deserted by him are consequently given up to their own guidance 2. His laying no outward check or restrain upon them to hinder them or stop their course When God would no longer leave Israel to himself he hedgeth up his way with thornes that he shall not find the way to come at his lusts and lovers Hos 2 6 7 But where he lets men have a large range liberty and opportunity when he afflicts them not but they prosper and have all at will and there is no outward controle this is a leaving men thus God did to Ephraim Hos 4. 7. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone 3. His turning of these favours into snare and provocations of their lusts to allure and draw them after them There are many lusts in the heart of man and these outward mercies are sutable matter for them to worâ— upon and when God lets it be so yea judicially orders it to be so when he gives them their table to be a snare their wealth a snare their health and strength a snare their wiâ—â— and knowledge a snare when pride prophaneness and sensuality are promoved and nourished by these things then God gives men up to their own hearts lust and lets them walk on in their own wayes Psal 81. 12. He puts their Portion into their own hand and lets them go whither they will and do what they please with it 2. To answer some doubts which may here arise 1. Whether this doth not cast imputation upon Gods Holiness in giving men his favours and leaving them to themselves when he knows they will both abuse them and dishonour him by their so doing whereas his Holiness engageth him to seek his own Glory in all his works of Providence Ans That God will be no loser of
look upon him but he knew him to be kind and that put him foreward so it should do thee hence God hath written his Name in letters of goodness Exod. 34. 6 7. And to help here 1. Consider how much God doth for such as never return to him nor ask mercy of him God's general goodness should lead sinners to repentance Rom. 2. 4. When you see how God spares prophane and wretched sinners and suffers them to live yea provides liberally for them fills them with hid treasures gives them more than heart can wish and the waters of an overflowing cup are wrung out unto them so that their hearts are filled with food and gladness they crown their heads with Rose-buds and spend their dayes in wealth and leave the residue to their babes Argue from hence what goodness hath he then in store for them that humble themselves forsake their sins repent and return to him with their whole hearts 2. Consider how many repenting Prodigals have upon their return been entertained and made welcome by him who once did as thou hast done run themselves out spent all and were ready to famish but betaking themselves to him they were fed and saved alive and this may give you hopes to find the like favour at his hand Consider therefore 1. They were such who as little deserved this favour as thou they had nothing of merit for which they should be bid welcome and relieved in their distress for all mankind stand guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. 2. They had gone away from him and wasted all in riot as thou hast done What a Prodigal was Manasseh how miserably had he run himself out yet he obtained favour What a great sinner had Paul been yet he was accepted 3. They were such as had as little to plead for themselves as thou hast They had nothing to plead but mercy condescending mercy undeserved mercy they had no more to say for themselves than the poor publican had Lord have mercy on me a sinner For themselves or of themselves all they could say was only to make this poor Prodigal 's acknowledgment vers 19. and yet were not rejected but found mercy 3. Consider what relentings there are in the hearts of men especiall of Parents towards their Children for that is the scope of the Parable to argue from the less to the greater q. d. If a father can have so much mercy a poor man that hath but a little kindness a little pitty with him what may we hope then that God will do Can a Prodigal so argue from his fathers bounty and encourage himself by it how much more a poor guilty sinner from the bounty of God with whom are everlasting mercies 4. Consider how richly God hath entertained returning sinners The poorest meanest Believer hath enough and to spare no Believer in Christs family wants for any thing that promise is fulfilled Ps 34. 10. God hath done for them more than they can express and though they sometimes seem to complain yet it is their infirmity and infidelity What can a Believer want which he hath not Pardon of sin title of inheritance to all good things favour with God grace to serve him a fatherly care for him yea and to spare he hath joyes consolations ravishing of soul he may not only feed but feast it by faith on Jesus Christ If you say what is all this to me who have no lot or share in this matter I answer it is this to thee it should encourage thee to hope and not utterly to despare of finding mercy and from hence to animate thy soul to go to God and wait upon him for it to seek him diligently in the use of means and to resolve not to sit still dy of the famine silently but to make thy moan to God and pour out thy complaint before him to arise and leave this far country where there is nothing but famine and death and with the Prodigal take up a resolution to return to God and ask gracious entertainment with him for a poor dying perishing sinner who is he alone with whom the fatherless findeth mercy SERMON XIV Vers 18. I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Vers 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hyred servants IN the former verse we had the Prodigal quickning and encouraging himself to return to his father which is the first part of his deliberation 2. In these words is set down his deliberate conclusion or consultation and determination what improvment to make of these arguments which is in summe to make proof of his fathers love in the most penitent and humble manner More particularly he resolves upon two things 1. That he will return to his father I will arise and go to my father 2. How he will demean himself when he comes to him viz. in the most submissive and self abasing manner that is possible and this appears both in his confession and petition 1. In his confession in which he acknowledgeth 1. His sin aggravated in two things 1. The object against whom against heaven 2. The presence in which before thee 2. The merit or desert of his sin I am no more worthy to be called thy son 2. His petition submitting to his fathers disposal Make me as one of thy hyred servants Before I enter upon particulars it will be needful to enquire to what head in Divinity this is to be referred whither to a preparatory or to a saving work and I suppose it may be made evident that it refers to a saving work and that true conversion is here deciphered and set forth in these and the following words verse 20. begin It is true we have in these words only his deliberate purpose expressed but we must remember that the will is the first subject of Religion and when that is truly turned to God there is a saving work wrought and the whole man will follow and so it did in this vers 20 he hath now renounced his far Country and made choice of God The work here described is Repentance but not a separate from but joyned with flowing from saving faith for it was the spirit of Grace working faith in him and acting of it who made him to draw this conclusion from the premises that enabled him to adventure his soul upon God and withal taught him how to do it in a penitent manner Hence those that place true Repentance in order before Faith mistake Though Faith usually first discovers it self to us in act of Repentance and the comforts of it are sensibly felt after Repentance yea the greatest and noblest actings of faith are those that are exerted in Repentance leading the soul in deepest sense of sin and unworthiness to adventure it self upon the mercy and power of a justly offended God in returning to him Furthermore we are not to think that because
Nullâ vi coactus judicio meo voluntate meâ ad ea arma profectus sum quae sumpta sunt contra te Pro Ligar Thus must you do and thus shall you bring glory to pardoning mercy See and say it was your own choice your heart was in it you were not compelled but acted freely resolutely and therefore have justly deserved to be rejected when you have nothing to plead for your selves then you are fit to plead mercy Remember therefore that God made man upright it is he that hath sought out many inventions God hath given to no tempters either Men or Devils power over your wills to compel them 2. See how vile your Sin must be in that it hath been against God you never look aright upon it until you bring it up hither It is true Sin cannot rob God of his essential glory which is out of the reach of the creatures malignity but his declarative glory is thereby abused you have not only wronged man that is a worm but you have injured the God of Glory It is his holy Law that you have broken else it is not Sin you have preferred a base lust a lying vanity before him you have rejected the rule of infinit wisdom which only can direct man to his end you have despised and trampled upon the great reward of happiness which was propounded to you you have cast off the yoke of supream soveraignty under which you ought to have put your selves You have placed Sin in God's Throne and given it the precedency you have slighted the gracious and precious invitations of the Gospel which have been set before you you that are worms of the dust have risen up against an infinite Majesty And is not this a sore and grievous thing Can you be too much affected for that Sin which is of so deep a dye this is the true and kindly sence which every penitent Soul enlightned by the Spirit of Grace hath of his Sins 3. How bold must that Sin needs be which hath been committed before the face and presence of God Would you not have been afraid and ashamed if sinful men like your selves had stood by and looked on when you committed these and those Sins how then were you not afraid to do them when God looked on if you did not consider it was not that an Atheistical Spirit or if you cared not for nor regarded it was it not a brazen face you were not afraid of his terrors nor awed with his judgments you either forgat God which is desperate security or you despised him which is high Prophaneness Thus confess your Sins to God if you hope to find mercy hide not cover them not under your tongues be not afraid to make the worst of them you cannot confess worse than God knows judge your selves if you would not be judged of the Lord if you now hide your Sins God will unmask them before Angels and Men but if you thus confess God is just to forgive Be not afraid to confess your selves the chief of Sinners this cannot set you beyond the hope of mercy since Christ is more able to save than we are to destroy our selves since it is before a God who can abundantly pardon since Christs business is to save Sinners labour to know and confess your selves to be really and truly so and the more you know and feel your selves to be such the more encouragement you have to go to Christ Remember Sin hath taken away all other Pleas from fallen man and left no room for him to say any thing more or other for or of himself but that he hath sinned and thereby exposed himself to wrath and hath no other thing to fly to but the Grace of God in Christ Jesus on which account it is that he hath this one plea left him humbly to present For thy Name sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is very great SERMON XVI 2. THus of the Prodigal's Confession of his Sin it follows to consider his Confession of the merit of it expressed in these words I am no more worthy to be called thy Son The Words are a Meiosis or a diminutive expression in which less is said than intended The thing here aimed at is Gospel Humiliation an ingredient into Repentance and concomitant of saving Faith and is consequent upon the right apprehension of Sin and the aggravation of it and he that hath known what Sin is indeed cannot but acknowledge himself unworthy of mercy and worthy of misery and so this negative comprizeth the contrary affirmative Hence DOCT. Where God gives true Repentance he makes the Sinner to see and confess himself to be utterly unworthy of any mercy and worthy of all misery The Grace we are here considering of is true Humility a fruit and discovery of Faith and concomitant of sound Repentance You shall see that our Saviour finds and acknowledgeth true and great Faith in it Mat. 8. 8. with 10. It is a Grace which God requires and earnestly calls for in Scripture and is made the end of many solemn dispensations of God to his People Deut. 8. 14 15 16. now this Humility hath two things in it viz. 1. A low and vile esteem of one self 2. Which follows a yielding one self up to Gods dispose the former we have now to consider the latter follows in the next words This first is an utter renouncing of self-excellence Man by nature is very proud he thinks himself to be of some desert and worth hence he counts all the evil that befals him an injury and all good a debt the Soul is not fit for Christ but God when he draws him home to himself makes him know that he is the most worthless creature in the World to receive any good and worthy of all evil And that we may make some particular discovery of this Grace we may consider it in two things viz. 1. The root of it 2. The fruit proceeding from it 1. The root of this Humility and that which influenceth each part of it is a deep sense and apprehension of his own vileness The Spirit of God gives him to see find and feel himself to be a vile creature this is Job's Confession Job 40. 4. I am vile the word signifies contemptible or worthy of no esteem he finds and confesseth himself every way vile 1. Vile as he is a Man a piece of Clay a little dust of the Ballance God made man so as that he might ever see cause to have low and little thoughts of himself Gen. 2. 7. his body a lump of dirt his breath a blast himself a Brother of worms God must stoop to take notice of man in his greatest excellency hence the Psalmist thinks of it with admiration Psal 8. 4 What is man that thou art mindful of him 2. Much more because he is a sinful creature the sence and apprehension of his own Sin renders him unspeakably abominable in his own eyes he sees Sin to be a vile
his Glory by any of his Creatures in any of his works which he doth to or for them is a truth not to be questioned but the wayes in which he will be a saver and no loser are to be commended to the management of his own infinite wisdom which doubtless will not fail in the execution and though he may for a while seem to be on the losing hand whiles men are running on the score with him and meditating nothing of payment yet if we can let God alone till his day and time of reckoning with men he will then make it to appear that he will be glorified in all the Pharaoh's and wicked men of this world whom he hath raised up and suffered at present to abuse his manifold mercies to their own ruine and were it not that God knows how to get his penny worths out of them he would never credit them so far as he doth God will be glorified in Zidon as well as in Zion 2. But God seems by this to be an encourager of wickedness and promoter of mans vile designs Is not this to put a Sword in a mad-mans hand that he may destroy himself therewithal And if God hateth sin why would he thus give men advantage to sin against him Ans The wisdom of God in ordering of althings according to his own counsels is not for us mortals to call in question God hath other Attributes besides his Justice to make known and they are his bounty patience goodness long sufferance and this he can do upon the vessels of wrath and thereby makes way for the glorious manifestation of his Justice upon them that are not led to repentance by it but abuse his goodness Rom. 2. 4 5. Neither doth God by this encourage sin since by his holy Law which is man's rule and a discovery of his righteous Judgment he strictly forbids and severely denounceth threatnings against all sin Neither is God's bounty the moral cause of promoting of sin but hath argument in it to prompt men to holiness and obedience but it is man's corrupt heart abusing it to such ends whereas an holy heart is encouraged by all God's benefits to study his Glory and praise Psal 116. 12. And yet God may righteously leave man to follow his own wicked heart and so to misimprove all his beneficence to his own just condemnation yea he may raise up Pharaoh to that very end Exod. 9. 16. But I come to the Reasons of the Doctrine which will serve further to clear the truth from imputation and they are taken from the ends which God design in thus doing which though they are at present secret in regard of the individual persons who are thus left till God of his Providence shall be pleased to make more full and clear discovery of them yet in themselves they are alwayes one of these two for all Gods dealings with mankind do ultimately center in the one or the other viz. either 1. That thus way may be made for the more illustrious manifestation of revenging Justice in the destruction of sinners They are thus made vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9. 22. Where much is given there is much expected The more that men have abused the more wrath awaits them Doubtless a man of great parts and understanding hath more to account with God for than a fool the rich and wealthy man then the poor a Magistrate or a Minister then a private Man The more advantage Men have put into their hands to serve God withal the more they have to answer for you may see what endictments God draws up against Babylon Isa 14. Tyrus Ezek 27. which had the advantage of other Nations of worldly pomp and wisdom For such God hath wonderful plagues This patience and goodness as they are largely displayed before such at the present so they by mens abusing of them open a way for the more notable executions of Justice 2. That he may prepare a way to make his Grace notably appear to be Grace the truth is Gods wayes are very mysterious and past mans finding out and oftentimes when we may have reason justly to fear that such a sinner is mounted on Horse-back to run the swifter to his own utter ruine yet even then God hath gracious designs in all this God sometimes allows a sinner a long Tedder and lets him run to the end of it and then pulls him back God suffers him to lay a scene for his own ruine and then displayes his riches of his grace in saving him from it when he hath used all possible means utterly to have undone himself Manasseth in the old and Paul in the New-Testament stand for eminent examples of this and the latter of these speaks thus of it 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Who was before a blasphemer c. But I obtained mercy c. and the grace of our Lord Jesus was exceeding abundant c. USE 1. To teach us not too much to bless our selves in our enjoyment of outward favours God's love is not from hence to be positively concluded It is the wise mans observation Eccl. 9. begin No man knows love or hatred by all that is before him And yet there is nothing more common than for men to be be proud and self conceited in these things whereas they are indeed nothing else but some of the offals of God's favours which he can spare to the swine of the world and often throws out to them in a plentiful measure Things common to the Elect and Reprobate are not just matter of boasting if you have all these blessings and are wicked in the enjoyment of them you are not happy but miserable in that enjoyment USE 2. It may also teach us not to grudge at or envy wicked men for their great parts and large estates or whatever other worldly blessings they enjoy in a more liberal measure than other men and the more we ought to beware of this inasmuch as good men have sometimes been prone to be envious at these things Psal 73. begin Yea the Prophet had a mind to have impleaded God about it Jer. 12. 1. If God leave them to themselves they will but abuse and foolishly squander them away and then you know the more Talents any have received the more are to be reckoned for and if he fared so ill that did but hide his one in a napkin what account shall he be called to that squanders many away upon his lust and dishonours God with them It would have been better for such men if they had been the veryest fools and the most obscure persons in the world And as you have less of these things so you have the less to reckon for besides this will not hinder your happiness in the end but if you have the grace to be faithfull in a little you shall surely enter into your Lords joy USE 3. It may afford encouragement not to despare of unregenerate men although they may at present be left to
dwels in mens hearts by putting his fear into them when he causeth them to delight in his wayes to love his commands and to be afraid of his Judgements but when instead of this they thrust away his law refuse to hearken to his counsel and are not awed by his Judgments their will cannot submit to his when conscience is stifled or lulled asleep and men sin securely and without any dread now they are gone far from God 2. For the evidence of the Doctrine that it is so the Scripture is plain it is the very character of wicked men as we heard Psal 73. 27 They that are far from thee shall perish And that their prosperity emboldens them to it the Psalmist also ascertains us Psal 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God And he that observes the boldness security confidence fearlesness irreclaimableness of wicked men especially if the providence of God smiles upon them will easily conclude these men are far from God Reas 1. From the natural rebellion and enmity of the heart of man against God Men hate God they abhorre his holiness his Laws disrelish their carnal aims and ends cross and contradict their natural desires and concupiscences his promises savour not with them his threatnings irritate and provoke them the summe is proud and sinful man would be at the greatest possible freedom to take his own course without any controle and knowing how contrary Gods Government is to his wicked will how opposite Gods grace is to his impiety hence he desires to be from under it Men cannot so quietly and securely sin whiles God is near them The Prodigal knew that if he dwelt near his Father he must expect to be disturbed by wholsom counsels and admonitions and that would mar a great deal of his mirth he should not with so much liberty and content follow his mad courses Reas 2. From the natural tendency there is for the sinful heart of man to be strengthned in this rebellion by outward prosperity When men have their Portion large and great they hope they can now vye it with God the Prodigal had no more use or need of his father now he had his Portion and therefore as long as that lasted he regarded not to come at him If God speak to back-slidden Judah in her prosperity She will not hear prosperity makes men proud Psal 73. 5 6. They are not in trouble as other men therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain Men can now do well enough without God yea best when he is furthest off from them and they must be reduced to aâ— afflicted and distressed condition before they will think of a return Hos 5. 15. We hear nothing of the Prodigals returning to his Father till his folly had laded him with insupportable misery USE 1. This serves to discover the great wickedness and horrid ingratitude of the Children of men that strengthen themselves in rebellion by that which should soften and break their hearts That those cords of kindness by which God would bind engage their souls to love him must be turned into cords of vanity to bind their hearts more strong in rebellion against him It is a very sore charge which God draws up against Judah to the observation oâ— which as a thing most unreasonable and horrible he calls heaven and earth as witnesseâ— Isa 1. 2. I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me How rightâ— our is the condemnation of sinners that God kindness should set their hearts more against him that goodness should engender hatred This is a strange Antiperistasis Let it theâ— convince us what wicked hearts we have naturally and humble us before God that iâ— should be so USE 2. It plainly discovers to us that the conversion of a sinner is not of himself noâ— from any leading motion or inclination of his own heart for the very Bias of a mans heart doth naturally draw him to turn away from God yea to run as far from him as possibly he can and he would never return any more if God did not draw him by his Almighty power There must be the irresistable attraction of the Spirit of God to encline the soul to seek him before it will look after him If all Gods outward favours make him worse there is no hope till there be something inward to change his heart that he will ever be better Wonder not then if we see men growing worse under the best of means and outward mercies for the sinful nature of man takes advantage by these things to be so but let us pray earnestly to God for the pouring out of his spirit and workby his power USE 3. To teach us that it is sometimes a great favour of God to withhold from men the enjoyment of a great Portion of outward blessings or take them away from them Augustin's Periissem nisi Periissem is observable whither would some men have gone how far had they run away from God had he not laid chains of affliction upon them and bound them in fetters David was going astray before he was afflicted and how far might he have gone if God had let him alone think not your selves then to be hardly dealt withal because you are held under the restraints of Providence the day may come when you may bless God for it USE 4. For tryal It may put us upon it to examine our selves and see what improvement we make of those blessings and favour which God indulgeth us with Much of ouâ— true spiritual condition is to be known by this Have you Gods blessing have you parts oâ— worldly comforts and do they make you weary of Gods wayes more careless of his fearâ— and more secure in sinning these are thâ—â— notes and characters of a Prodigal only a rebellious Child will do so But if Gods favours are thankfully received and his cords of love engage your hearts to love him and to study his fear if they make you more to delight in his wayes and diligent in his service if they oblige you to improve them to his glory this is indeed a fruit of his spirit grace in the soul and to be acknowledged as an evidence that his spirit dwels in you They only are godly men who do carefully honour God with all his gifts and if you so do you shall be acknowledged by God and he will never repent of what he hath done for and bestowed upon you SERMON V. VVE have thus heard of the place whither the young son carried his estate telling us that wicked men love to have the greatest advantage to sin without any restraint We might also have taken notice of the comparison which is used in the text to illustrate his Apostasie viz. a journey he took his journey or went a Pilgrimage whence we may take notice of this DOCT. That wicked men grow to the height of prophaness by degrees Men conversing in the region of sin are upon
1. The soul of man absolutely needs some object to rely upon man 's dependance for soul as well as body is out of himself that must have something to live upon or else it cannot do Man was made for an end and the attainment of his end is the fruition of his object hence the Church calls God the portion of her soul Lam. 3. 24. 2. Hence the soul can hold up no longer than it hath some object to depend upon either really or imaginarily able to support it The soul therefore sinks when it hath nothing to trust to and that is the proper nature of despair viz. the sinking of a soul for want of a stay and the reason why every sinner is not a desponder is only because he stayes upon the things of the world and hopes they will support him hence they are said to trust in them Psal 49. 6. 3. God and the creature cannot both be a man's stay These are set in opposition in the Scripture and will alone be our confidence or not at all Deut. 32. 12. Therefore the Apostle opposeth these two trusts to each other 1 Tim. 6. 17. 4. Hence in order to conversion the soul is broken off from his hope trust or reliancy upon any created being he is made to find himself with the Prodigal a bankrupt creature living in a famishing world which hath nothing in it but husks and he cannot feed upon them he sees Ashur cannot save he is in a pit wherein no water is and now he is ready to dy perish can find no comfort here 5. In this state there is nothing but hope can sustain the soul from utterly despairing and without this the heart would certainly break For that man who knows that he must certainly perish without help and all help which he relyed on utterly fails him hath only this to relieve him to hope that help may come some other way else his heart must sink and dy within him Now this hope must be preparatary for 1. It flows not from an interest in Christ for it is the encouragment of a soul that hath been estranged from him to go to him for God allures the soul to Christ by setting this hope before him and effectually perswading him to embrace it and it is the usual method of the spirit to come in with it into the soul so Ephraim Jer. 31. 18. 2. It ariseth only from a possibility or at furthest a probability that he may here find acceptance and obtain a full supply of all the good he needs and not from a certainty or promise or covenant in which he may claim it you have it expressed in Jonah 3. 9. Who knows but the Lord may be gracious The sinking soul hears news that there may be a redress had for him that there is one who not only can do but hath done as much for such as he which makes him to bear up and puts him upon waiting in the use of means 2. What of encouragment ariseth from these considerations Answ Here is the only Rational encouragment of an humbled sinner He can find none with looking elsewhere if he look upon the world he sees nothing but famine if upon himself he hath spent all and is utterly undone it is only in God that he can expect to find any relief Now the Soul is not first made to believe and then see the reason of it but the spirit of God draws the soul to believe by making it see the excellency of the object and so perswading it he is first made to see the ground of hope and then to follow as the Prodigal here Now both of these Attributes are full of encouragement 1. The sufficiency of God it cannot but animate the Prodigal to think that there is bread enough and to spare in his fathers house Starving beggars are not wont to ask relief of beggars like themselves but they go to the rich Men account it vain to ask an alms where they know there is nothing to be had but where they understand there is enough they will be very importunate because they know such an one can if he hath an heart to it do them a kindness So here the soul discovers a possibility that he may have succour because God is able there is all fulness in him he can save him from hell and wrath and misery and bestow life and salvation upon him if he sees meet When Jacob heard there was bread in Egypt he said to his Sons Why do you sit still and look one on another and dy So when a soul hears there is all Grace with God it prompts him to say why do I tarry here then and perish God therefore thus propounds himself to destroyed Israel Hos 13. 9. In me is thy help And Christ propounds it as a question to them in order to their cure Matt. 9. 28. Believe ye that I am able to do this Now possibility apprehended gives ease to extream necessity and when a soul hears of it it will not cast off all hope till it hath made utmost proof and hence the soul is helpt to come to Christ believing hence the poor Leper makes this his argument and comes with it Mat. 8. 2. If thou wilt thou canst make me clean 2. The bounty of God added to his sufficiency gives further strength to hope in that it discovereth more than a possibility viz. some probability The Fathers bounty to hired servants made the son think he not only hath enough but is very free of it why then may not I who am a son though a Prodigal make proof of it Beggars go more chearfully to and knock more liberally at a bountiful man's door because they are ready to promise themselves relief not that they deserve more of him than of another but because he is more ready to communicate his favour than a churle is When a poor sinner considers how kind God is how full of mercy how liberally he distributes his favours how he deals his kindnesses undeserved and scatters them not with a sparing but bountiful hand now thinks he why may I not speed why may not I come as well as another and hope to find him kind to me as well as others have done Hence God puts this argument into their mouths Hos 14. 3. With thee the fatherless findeth mercy You find David makes a plea of this Psal 86. 5. Thou O Lord art good and ready to forgive Now though the soul have never a promise to rely on for that is received in believing yet he hath a support against despair and argument to drive him to go to God for his mercy 3. That this encouragment is of use only to perishing sinners The Prodigal comes not to this thought till he is at an utter loss and he joynes it to that consideration I perish with hunger And there is great reason for this for 1. As long as a sinner hath any thing at home he minds not nor regards God
all this and still wait If mercy seem like that unjust Judge to stop its ears anger to sit in the countenance of the the most high he will submit and yet throw self upon the mercy of an angry and offended God Mic. 7. 9. 4. He is resolved that if God will accept him witness his love to him and acknowledge him in Christ his free mercy shall have the full and whole Glory of it and he will engage his heart to magnifie mercy by degrading himself and keeping in mind his own unworthiness God shall have the praise of all his heart shall eccho grace grace through all his life and heaven shall ring with these glorious acclamations to all eternity This is the true Gospel humility which the spirit of God worketh in every soul whom he draws home to himself This is a true qualification of Repentance of Faith and the modification of it in respect of the term to which the sinner returnes viz. God and those that so come shall find mercy For the Reasons why God brings the soul thus to his foot they are such as these Reas 1. To take away all boasting from the creature that the soul may have nothing at all before it to confide in man is emptied of himself as long as there is any self-soveraignty remaining in him he doth not cannot acknowledge all to come from God till he utterly relinquish the disposal of himself He cannot see that his Salvation is wholly out of himself as long as he thinkshe may capitulate with God about it Now God will hide pride from man 2. That his glorious Soveraignty may be fully subscribed to Hence God will save none till they do yield that he might damn them and hath no obligation from them to do otherwise God will be seen in his royalty to dispense grace from a throne or not at all hence we are to go to a throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. God's Soveraignty is a most precious pearl in his Royal Diadem and he will not suffer it to be pluckt out Job shall be convinced of this before he returnes his captivity 3. That the grace of God may not lift them up but keep them low and humble That they may not despise others nor think of themselves beyond what is meet that they may not be high minded but fear that they may always remember who hath made them to differ from others and may dwel upon that that it is by Grace they are saved and not of themselves USE Give me leave here to improve the former and present Doctrine in a serious word of Exhortation as you would prove your selves true penitents to get and keep humble before God Ply this work of humiliation and exercise the grace of humility get humble walk humbly before the Lord Renounce self-sufficiency and cast off self-soveraignty For Motive 1. Consider how acceptable an humble soul is to God and how displeasing pride is to him God takes great delight in those that are humble he dwels with them Isa 57. 15. If any are like to have more of Gods refreshing and comforting presence than others it is those that are humble where this grace is in exercise God will give more grace Their services are highly esteemed by God Psal 51. 17. he hath a peculiar respect to them Isa 66. 2. 2. Consider how much reason and how many causes you have to be humble to see and count your selves vile creatures and to ly low before God 1. Your sins should make and keep you humble The sin of your heart the leprosie of your nature the body of death that heart-ful of filthiness and corruption your daily sins of act in omission of duty in transgressing the command especially your particular enormities Psal 51. 1. This evil It will be a truth for ever that you have committed things worthy of death and are not worthy to be called sons and daughters of God an hyred servants place is too good for you 2. Your duties should humble you Hast thou done any thing for God it was not thou didst it of thy self but the spirit in thee And in all your duties you may see humbling confiderations how cold your affections how little impression had they on your hearts of how little continuance even as the morning dew How little sincerity how much hypocrisie How little grace how much corruption 3. All your afflictions should humble you God hath hung many weights on thy heart to crush thee and thou shouldest be ashamed that they have brought thee no lower All personal all publick rebukes of God's Providence all Wilderness Tryals are to humble the people of God Deut. 8. 15 16. 4. All God's mercies should humble you you have not deserved them but the contrary The mercies of your being preservation special deliverances above all those saving mercies the grace of God in Christ and the promise of eternal life In a word whoever thou art whether Believer or unbeliever thou hast abundant cause to be alwayes affecting thy heart unto a low frame and to bring thee down to the foot of the great God and ly there as a poor despicable nothing resigning thy self up to and placing all thy hope upon his meer love mercy in Christ and endeavouring that that may have the praise and glory of all SERMON XVIII THe Directions may be 1. To the awakened sinner to come humbly to and wait humbly upon God for his grace 2. To the believer to carry humbly all his dayes 1. Art thou one who finding thine own misery and hearing of God's plenty art thinking to make proof of it Wouldest thou speed â— then in a deep sense of thy own unworthiness Throw thy self down at his feet would you find God merciful be you sure to be humble And for help 1. Remember how much you have done to provoke God to reject you and hide his face from you Think what manner of lives you have led and in special how you have slighted the Gospel despised the Calls counsels reproofs encouragements that have been given you how often you have refused to accept of tendered Grace and Salvation and therefore well may God refuse to hear you when you cry unto him and bid you go to the Gods that you have served Jer. 2. 28. 2. Think how useless and unprofitable creacures you are in your selves no wayes fit to be active in glorifying of him The whole world is become unprofitable Rom. 3. 12. Have neither will nor power of their own to glorifie God till he restore it Philip. 2. 13. What can you do for him till your enmity be taken away your rebellion subdued Nothing but his grace can fit you to do him any the least service 3. See that you have nothing by which you can challenge the least favour from him It is true the Gospel saith If you believe you shall be saved but it also tells you this believing is not of your selves Eph. 2. 9. Till you believe you are under
and be animated to break through all I can do nothing but if I could it would but obscure his compassion Be encouraged Satan presents God in arms against us tells us we must appease him with sacrifices of obedience but God accepts of no sacrifice but that of Christ he looks that his mercy alone should be sought unto learn then to make heaven ring with thy cries ask mercy put God in mind of these Attributes which he hath commended himself in to the Children of men Exod. 34. 6 7. put that into every prayer to encourage thy hope Psal 86. 5. Thou art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee And Dan. 9. 9. To thee Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness USE 4. For Exhortation to Believers This truth tells you what is the work you have to do all your lives viz. To adore admire and magnifie God's compassion those wonderful bowels of mercy that have appeared in your delivery out of all that misery into which Sin had cast you This is the great subject which should take up the thoughts and words of the Saints Grace Grace it should be the voice with which the Temple should resound Think therefore often with yourselves where you once were what was your former condition who it was that transformed you when it was that he looked upon and had regard to you what miserable sinners you were and how near to the pit of eternal destruction Follow this compassion up to the beginnings of its actings towards you think not that it only met you as you were returning but call to mind that it came to your dungeon and lifted you out thence that it followed you into your far Country and fetcht you from among the swine or else you had still been there and perished for ever SERMON XXII THus far we have considered the cause of of the Father's kind carriage to his son the Effect follows in the carriage it self his is expressed in three words He ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him All these acts refer to the work of Conversion and serve to express what love God applyes to the soul in this work they shew us how much of Divine affection breaths forth in the first act of special grace passing from God to a sinner They carry in them the most Pathetical intimations of the greatest love it being a custom among the ancients especially in those countries to discover the superaboundance of their overflowing affections in these kinds of gestures one notes upon this ver that although all Christs Parables are very moving to the affections that none carry so much in them as this doth He ran Love is active it cannot stand still nor yet go softly where it seeth its object to stand in need of speedy succour it shakes off all sloth and rather seems to fly on wings than go He fell on his neck God takes the sinner in his arms falls upon him i. e. with his distinguishing Grace And kissed him Kissing was used among other things to express 1. Intimacy and peculiar affection and then especially when dear friends meet after long absence thus Moses and Aaron Exod. 4. 27. 2. Reconciliation after some distance by reason of injuries and provocations thus David kisseth Absolom 2 Sam. 14. ult DOCT. God manifests his choice and incomparable love to a sinner then when he converts him to himself Here it is that God's special grace is made to appear and such love as all comparisons are but dark shadows and resemblances of God indeed shews a great deed of common favour to the world the goodnesss they â—â—st of is called his hid treasures But all this fall incomparably short of that which he confers upon an elect person in his conversion This love of God was from eternity sealed up in his own breast It began generally to be published and made known in the world as soon as man had by his fall brought ruine and misery upon himself and his progeny as was whispered in that first Gospel promise Gen. 3. 15. He shall break thy head And more abundantly shone forth when the Lord Jesus Christ had laid down his life at the foot of Justice but these were more general demonstrations of it It more especially and particularly first begins to appear to the sinner himself then when he is regenerated and eternal life begun in him The manner and nature of this work was then opened when we considered the Prodigal's return that which is here to be observed is the greatness of this love and how or wherein it expresseth its self according to the spiritual meaning of these phrases I might here expatiate but I shall confine this discourse to the words in our text by a reduction of them to a spiritual sense 1. The first expression of this love is in that he raâ— to him herein is intimated a twofold declaration of divine love one positive the other comparative 1. Positive It points out God's coming to the sinner where he is to bestow his grace upon him The sinner could never have gone to God he therefore cometh to him He was a great way off and could come no nearer The rock of his salvation is higher than he is Though as to rational and common actions man is capable of using means yet as to spiritual life-actions he is void of a principle of them like Lazarus he is both dead and bound in his grave cloths God therefore by his spirit comes to his graves side to his pits mouth where he is perishing and thence he fetcheth him and is not this wonderful love Had not God come hither the sinner neither could nor would ever have come to him that is Emphaticall Zech. 9. 11. I have sent forth my Prisoners out of the pit where there is no water 2. Comparative he not only comes but he comes in hast to the help of the poor dying creature Bis dat qui citò dat Running is a note of speed and signifies a great commotion of the affections God makes great hast to bring relief to a perishing sinner The Heathen painted love with wings noting the swiftness of this affection in its actions Here therefore God's wonderful love to a sinner manifests it-self in that he comes to him unsent for and brings his grace when it was unsought Isa 63. 1. 2. The next expression of his love is He fell upon his neck When men embraced each other in one anothers arms they were said to fall upon one anothers necks It notes embracing And this serves to express the favour which God takes a sinner into It holds out that union which in conversion is made between Christ and the soul They which were at a great distance are now made near God doth not only come and do something for his relief but he takes him into his arms and now those that were enemies are in mutual embraces Such were the greeting between Jacob and
this effect upon your own hearts it will put the meanest and most abasing thoughts of your selves into you it will draw out humble confessions self-accusations and acknowledgments of your own unworthiness This must needs put you in mind of your low estate sinful and miserable condition and the unspeakably free grace of God thereon appearing USE 2. For Exhortation This may serve to excite all true Believers to live in the constant exercise of Humility and Repentance You here see it is the proper work of a Convert Faith and Repentance are graces for exercise and should take up our whole lives And to help to this duty often ponder 1. Who it was that converted thee not thy self but God he came to thee and saved thee 2. What an one thou wert before conversion a poor Prodigal that had wasted all away and flagitiously provoked and dishonoured the Name of God 3. What it cost to make way for thy Conversion the cursed death of the Son of God 4. How obstinately thou didst oppose thine own Conversion Thou wert horribly averse to it and didst long withstand the strivings of the holy spirit 5. What love God hath expressed to thee in thy Conversion Words fall short and similitudes are too strait to demonstrate or give colour to it Set the love of God before thee as a glass in which to see and hate thy Sin and love thy God Let this make thee worthless in thine own eyes and account What expressions doth this love draw out from Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Act therefore these thoughts upon thy heart and get thy soul warmed with this sense And more especially 1. Art thou a young Convert newly of a Prodigal made and entertained as a Son This great change now requires an humble heart now thou art in the arms of mercy pour out thy confessions and bemoan thy self 2. Hast thou at any time more than ordinary discoveries of God's love to thee Now be improving this as an argument to abase thee Ask thy heart who hath done this and then who am I that he should do thus for me 3. Especially if these applications are after some fall or relapse into such Sins as have wounded thy peace and hidden his face for a season from thee Doth he after this notwithstanding come again Wonder and be ashamed of thy self when thou feelest his kisses and embraces again empty thy soul in confessions and self-judging acknowledgments into his bosom so shalt thou be led on to more and more experiences of his wonderful loveing kindness SERMON XXIV Vers 22. But the Father said to his Servants bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his hand and Shoes on his feet Vers 23. And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry Vers 24. For this my Son was dead and iâ— alive again he was lost and is found And they began to be merry THe next thing to be considered is the Provision which the Father made for and the entertainment which he gave to his returned Son described in these Verses I shall briefly insist on these things Here we may observe an Allegorical description of the great benefits which God bestows upon a sinner on believing or the wonderful change of his condition on Conversion Whiles the Son is complaining of his unworthiness and accusing his own prodigality his father not so much by words but by real acts gives him to find what favour he is received into In the words observe 1. The things that were done for him vers 22 23. in which are 1. The instruments used in doing them his servants 2. What they were to do bring forth c. What these things allude to will be considered of in their place 3. To what end let us eat and be merry 2. The reason given to it vers 24. for this my son c. 3. The fruit consequent upon it vers 24. and they began to be merry Christ under the welcome given by a tender father to his returning son would shadow to us the welcome that a penitent finds with God expressed with the greatest signs and tokens of a perfect reconciliation and deepeâ—t affection not only of love but of joy too at his return hence the servants are set to work the best robe is brought forth tocover his nakedness the fatted Calf killed not only to feed but feast him a Ring is put on his hand Shoes on his feet and the whole house is filled with songs and mirth and the very fields made to ring with acclamations of joy In general observe this DOCT. The day of a sinners Conversion to God is a day of great rejoycing When God comes to receive a penitent Prodigal into favour again it is a time of singing and mirth It is a day of joy 1. To God himself the father testified his joy for his Son's recovery by his entertainment so doth God by his of a sinner though God properly have no affections which are passions and tokens of imperfection yet he assumes such things to himself for our instruction and not only so but providentially in the application of himself to the soul he doth such things as are witnesses of such affections in men Where men love much they will do much Feasts are tokens of joy great feasts of great joy Reas 1. From his relation he is a son though he hath been a Prodigal he was chosen from Eternity and this relation blots out all Alexander told Antipater accusing his mother of vile actions one tear of a mother will obliterate all anger God useth this argument for Paul when Ananias speak hard of him Act. 9. 15. He is a chosen vessel Reas 2. From the great change wrought His son was dead and is alive was lost and is found With what joy did those women whose sons Elisha and Christ raised entertain them How glad is a tender Parent to find a Child that hath been lost here is matter of much joy Thus it is with a sinner he is raised from a grave of sin and found in the wilderness of his wandring Reas 3. Because now God's great design of glorifying his grace in this sinners recovery is brought about the foundation of that work is laid in his heart now all men are glad when their main designs are accomplished 2. To the blessed Angels These may in part be looked upon as the servants here employed who attended cheerfully in this fervice for they are ministring spirits for the heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. And that Angels are glad at a sinners Conversion is asserted context vers 10. Reas 1. From their relation to Believers they are their brethren fellow Servants fellow Citizens and such for whose salvation they do minister Reas 2. From the great delight they take in the glory of God for which as they were made so they lay out their utmost labour and endeavour 3. If the spirits of just men made perfect could have