Mercy Magnified, Sermon 14
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 this reſolution is aſcribed to the Prodigal as his act, therefore our Repentance prevents the Grace of God: Our Saviours deſign being not to deſcribe converſion by its Author, but by its ſubject, and by the effects on the ſubject. If it be enquired whence Repentance comes, there are other Scriptures which point us to the Author; but if we ask how Repentance works, here we have it.
But I come to look more particularly into the words, and here; if we conſider when and how the Prodigal came to draw up this concluſion, by referring it to the verſ. foregoing, we ſhall find that it ariſeth from the diſcoveries made of his fathers fulneſs of benignity: whence we might obſerve this,
DOCT. I. The goodneſs of God, is the great motive to true Repentance, Rom. 2. 4.
God wins the ſoul to himſelf nextly, not by terrours, but his benignity. It is true, God prepares them to entertain his kindneſs, by terrible diſcoveries, that ſo he may make it the more welcome; but ſtill, theſe do but terrifie, amaze, make afraid; but this is that which wins the ſoul, breaks the heart, encourageth hope, and by this way the ſpirit worketh the ſoul to Repentance. Hence that, Job 13. 20, 21.
USE, Thus may teach us that for Miniſters to preach nothing but terrours, or for poor awakened ſouls to look upon nothing but terrours, is not the way to promote the work of the Goſpel, or converſion of Souls: This drives only to deſpair: All our Doctrines, and all our hopes, muſt center in the free Grace of God. But I come to the words themſelves.
1. The firſt part of his reſolution is general: viz. that he will return to his father; I will ariſe, and go to my father. In this the work of Repentance is generally, and comprehenſively intimated, in which there is;
1. The terminus â quo: the place from whence he came, viz. his farr Country: where he was, though not locally, yet ſpiritually diſtant from God, far from him in heart and life; this is it he will leave:
2. The terminus ad quem: or whether he will go, to his father: How God may be ſaid to be his father, who is an unregenerate profligate ſinner: I here intend not to make particular enquiry; though it may poſſibly be intimated to us by this words, being ſo often uſed in the parable, that by vertue of the Everlaſting Covenant of Redemption, every Elect Perſon, in his greateſt degeneracy and Prodigality, is looked upon as a Child, choſen in Chriſt to the Adoption of Children: But it here mainly intends his going to God as a Father of Mercies.
3. The form of Repentance it ſelf; I will ariſe, and go: Where is the beginning of that motion, I will ariſe, and the progreſs, and go? or the reſpect that it bears to both the termes; to the far country, I will ariſe, i. e. I will ſit or tarry no longer here, I will leave it: to his father, I will go to him: In the Greek it is, riſing, I will go: And the word [riſe] properly ſignifies, riſing again: q. d. after ſome fall: and hence the nown is uſed for a reſurrection, either from ſin, or from the grave: and becauſe this Anaſtaſie, preſumes a former Apoſtaſie, hence,
DOCT. I. If ever the periſhing ſinner hopes to be ſaved, he muſt riſe again, and go to God.
As he formerly went away from him, ſo now he muſt return to him: Hence God in the proclamation of his Grace thus invites, Jer. 3. 12, 13. & 4. 1. Hoſ. 14. 1. In the Explication we may conſider. 1. The import of this riſing and going to his father. 2. Thereaſons of the Doctrine.
1. The import of this riſing and going: we heard in general, that it denotes the act of Repentance, not as ſeparated from, but as the firſt fruit of ſaving Faith, and therefore both implying and including of it: Faith and Repentance are propounded in the Goſpel as conjunct, Mark 1. 15. Repent, and believe the Goſpel. Becauſe they are practically inſeparable: Now this Repentance of Faith is ſutably expreſſed by theſe two phraſes, and if they be well pondered, they will give light to the nature of it: Repentance is of two ſorts, Legal, and Evangelical; it is the latter of theſe we are now ſpeaking of, which is a ſaving turning from ſin to God. Of the motives and means of it: I ſhall not here ſpeak, only of the act reſembled by theſe alluſions of riſing an going.
1. Riſing implyes theſe things.
1. Riſing being an Anaſtaſie, implyes the ſinner before converſion to be in a ſtate of Apoſtaſie, or a fallen ſtate: it ſpeakes that man was once in a good ſtate, but now hath Ioſt it: God therefore uſeth this as an argument to quicken them to Repentance, Hoſ. 14. 1. Thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity. A man that never was up may riſe; but he was once ſtanding that riſeth again: God made man upright, in our firſt Parents we once had a ſtanding in God's favour, but have loſt it by Sin, and now the whole race of mankind, till Grace raiſeth them, ly groveling in iniquity; nay, they are dead in Sin, for this riſing is a reſurrection, Eph. 2. 1. And this ſhews that it is not a man's own ſtrength, but the Almighty power of God that giveth Repentance.
2. It implyes that in order to true Repentance, the ſoul muſt be furniſhed with a new principle of ſpiritual life: Self-motion, ſuch as riſing is, is a life act, and ſuppoſeth a life habit: It is the property of dead things to ly ſtill and move no further then they are forcibly moved; they are only living things that move by a power implanted in them: It therefore preſumes that the Spirit of God hath been at work, moving upon the dead ſoul, and breathing into it the breath of life: our Saviour ſaith, it is the ſpirit that quickeneth: He gives life to dry bones, and then they riſe and walk, elſe they had never forgone their Graves: A dead carcaſs cannot ſo much as will to ariſe.
3. It implyes that in true Repentance there muſt be a forſaking of all Sin: we muſt not ly in Sin, if we will return to God: thoſe are directly oppoſite terms, Sin and God are contraties; the farr Country in which the Prodigal was, is the Kingdom of Sin, which he muſt leave, elſe he can never come to his father; nor can a ſinner ever come to God, till he hath rejected and abandoned his ſinful life and way: Hence that counſel, Iſa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forſake his way. There is no ſalvation to be had by ſitting ſtill.
2. Going to his father implyes theſe things.
1. That every natural man, in his unconverted ſtate, is at a great diſtance from God: Sin is therefore ſaid to make a ſeparation, Iſa. 59. 2. This means not a local diſtance, for Gods Omnipreſence fills all places, and is with the ſinner to eye and obſerve diligently all his wayes: but it intends a diſtance in heart and affection, an alienation; that God and the ſinner are enemies; he hates God's law and wayes, as God hates his way and courſe; God is therefore ſaid to ſee the proud afar off, Pſal. 178. 6. And the ſinner is ſaid to be far from God, Pſal. 73. 27.
2. That in Repentance it is not enough to leave off ſinful wayes and courſes, but we muſt alſo put holineſs in practice: riſing out of ſin is neither true nor ſufficient, except there be returning unto God, hence they are both put together, Iſa. 35. 7. This is but like the Phariſee's negatives which could not declare him juſtified: we muſt not only ceaſe to do evil, but we muſt alſo learn to do well.
3. That God alone is the object of true Repentance: He goes to his father. It is vain for an awakened ſinner to go any where elſe,; it is but to wander from mountain to hill, from one vanity to another; hence that reſtriction, Jer. 4. 1. If thou wilt return, return to me. The diſtreſſed ſoul is full of projects, and would try many concluſions, but the repenting Believer is reſolved in this, that he will go to God, and no whither elſe, Jer. 3. 23. Joh. 6. 68.
4. That in the work of converſion, there is not only a paſſive reception of grace, but alſo an actual improvment of it unto active Repentance. If God gives us life we muſt ſtir; if he gives us legs we muſt go, Cant. 1. 4. God ſo calls a ſinner in converſion, as that he makes him anſwer his call, riſe and come away.
Reaſ. 1. From the nature of ſaving faith, which is a truſting in God for life: Now ſuch truſt of theſoul neceſſarily requires repentance in both parts of it: for, if God be truſted in, all other truſt muſt needs be forſaken and rejected: to dwel by Ciſterns argues the fountain is relinquiſhed: He that will find mercy, muſt ſay Aſhur ſhall not ſave; and if God be truſted in for life, then the ſoul muſt needs go to him for it, Iſa. 55. 1. Faith without exerciſe is dead, and the working of faith and love is the exerciſe of Repentance, as without faith there is no ſalvation, ſo faith cannot be, but it will bring forth fruit in Repentance.
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe, as happineſs and miſery are contraries, ſo the way to the one and the other muſt be contrary: Now the way in which man brought himſelf into miſery was by departing from God and falling into Sin. The Prophet deſcribes it, Jer. 2. 13. and aslong as the cauſe of miſery remains, the continuance of it muſt be: As long as a ſinner lyeth in Sin, he muſt needs be miſerable: the foundation of happineſs is laid in ſaving us from Sin, Mat. 1. 12. He ſhall ſave his People from their ſins. And therefore the way to Salvation muſt be retrograde: i. e. by riſing from Sin, and coming back to God. Man's felicity conſiſts in his enjoyment of God; he cannot enjoy him till he comes to him; every diſtance from God is a miſery: Sin is contrary to God, he therefore cannot in that ſenſe come to us, his holineſs forbids. Chriſt doth not ſave us in our ſins, but from our ſins, and that is by working us to a true and and through Repentance: a ſinner muſt become holy, elſe he cannot ſee God, Heb. 12. 14.
USE, 1. To teach us that it exceeds the power of a natural man to effect his own converſion, or bring about his own ſalvation. Man by nature is dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; and is it poſſible that a dead man ſhould riſe and go by his own ſtrength, till a vital principle be put into him? as well might Lazarus, dead and ready to ſtink, have by his own vertue ſhaken off his grave cloths, and come forth without a Divine word, as the ſinner, fallen and dead in ſin, riſe and return to God: this is an act of ſpiritual life and requires a principle of it, and that can proceed from no leſs power than Omnipotency: Paul therefore compares it with the work of Creation, 2 Cor. 4. 6. and with the power of Reſurrection, Eph. 1. 19. 20. It is true, it is the man that riſeth, and goeth; the act of Repentance proceeds formally from the Believer; but it is God by his Spirit that enforms him with this power and grace, whereby he is enabled to do it. Hence alſo we ſee how ineffectual means of themſelves muſt needs be, unleſs they be influenced by the ſpirit of grace: how vainly do they dream who attribute to man a power of converting himſelf, and put a Divine honour upon Moral ſwaſion, as if it could of it ſelf attract and draw the heart after it? No, though God require means and ordinances, yet they are but the ſtaff of Eliſha, and except the Lord God be there, the touch awakens not the dead man. Ezekiel muſt propheſie over the dry bones, but it is the ſpirit that moves to bring them together, and puts life into them. Let no man then aſcribe this to himſelf; it may be thou knoweſt not how this wind blew, or how this babe of grace was formed; no more doth the Child how it was begotten and formed in the womb: but if you find the effect, that you are enabled to ariſe and go to your heavenly father, you muſt ſay the ſinger of God was here, and aſcribe all the glory of it to him.
USE, 2. This diſcovereth their vain and preſumptuous hopes, who live and ly in ſin, and yet expect to be ſaved: and yet there are a great many of theſe; they boaſt of their hopes, and yet tarry in their far country, live among the ſwine, and feed upon husks, they are far from God, and will not return to him by Repentance; they hold their vain courſes, and approve not of the wayes of holineſs; theſe certainly forſake their own mercies, and will be found among the dead and not among the living: had not the Prodigal reſolved to riſe and return, he had periſhed, and ſo muſt all theſe, Pſal. 73. 27. They that are far from thee, ſhall periſh.
USE, 3. For Examination; it may put us upon it by this Rule to try our hopes of Salvation, whither they be rightly grounded, and hopes that ſhall not periſh: Thou art by nature a Child of wrath; thou haſt been a poor Prodigal, haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, and in this ſtate there is nothing but miſery to be expected, Rom. 3. 16. Destruction and miſery are in all their wayes. In God only is help, and that is only to be had in going to him, and thou canſt not go to him, except thou riſeſt and forſakeſt thy vain and carnal truſt in lying vanities: Where art thou? what haſt thou done? art thou purſuing lies? art thou ſitting ſtill and deſpairing? or art thou going upon thy return to God? art thou yet deliberating, or art thou reſolved? art thou conſulting with fleſh and blood? or haſt thou ſaid reſolutely I will ariſe and go to my father? If thou art in the full purpoſe of thy heart ſet againſt ſin, and for the glory of God, reſolving by his grace ſo to do, it is well; this is accepted of God, and he that gives to will, will alſo give to do: But if it be not ſo, what is thy hope built upon? what are thy comforts but deluſions? what are thy aſſurances but undoing deceit?
USE, 4. For Exhortation; and let me direct it particularly to ſuch as, being under the ſenſe of periſhing in themſelves, have made diſcovery of the great power and goodneſs of God, and received ſome preparatory hope by it; he hence encouraged and counſelled to ariſe and go to God: Do you feel your ſelves under a condition ſo miſerable, and have you diſcovered an object ſo glorious and ſutable? take heart, and reſolve to adventure into his preſence, and throw your ſelves upon him. Conſider, God therefore reveals himſelf to be ſuch an one to ſuch as you are, to this very end that you may be wooed and won to him; and if now you put him away by unbelief, you will ſlight Mercy. Remember withal, though there be ſo much ſupply with God, as is enough to make you compleatly happy, and to ſpare, yet it is only for comers: If you will taſte of this Feaſt you muſt accept of the invitation, and come and be ghueſts; you muſt come out of thoſe hedge-rows, and high-wayes in which you ly ſtarving, you muſt go to the waters, if you will have wine and milk, Iſa. 55. 1. Halt no longer between two opinions; if it be good periſhing, ſit ſtill, but if it be good to be ſaved ariſe and come away; come to a reſolution, draw up your concluſion. If you object and ſay, I can reſolve nothing of my ſelf, except God put his Grace and reſolution in me; I anſwer, It is true, but remember alſo, that as God is a free Agent, ſo we are obliged by duty, and the ty of it is ſuch, that we muſt, except we will bring guilt upon our ſelves, ſet about it; and this is our duty, to believe, and reſolve, not in your ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of God; nay, it is one of Satans cheats, to tell us we muſt wait before we …, till we diſcover Grace coming in, whereas the habits of Grace come in undiſcerned, and the firſt fruit of Grace is to be found in the reſolution it ſelf: If God helps us to this reſolution, we muſt by that know that his Spirit is come into us; and it is our duty, in the uſe of means to ſtirr up our ſelves to believe. Reſolve then in the ſtrength of God; here thou art periſhing, there is mercy with him that he may be feared: he ſaith, if thou comeſt he will not upbraid thee: he ſaith, The hungry he will ſatisfie with bread, and give the longing ſoul the deſires of his heart: he ſaith, he will give the weary reſt; in a word, if ever you obtain Salvation it muſt be with him; hills, mountains, all created beings will not afford it: Thou haſt tyred thy ſelf to no purpoſe in ſeeking it there already, and why ſhouldeſt thou again make a vain eſſay? if God will he can; and he is a merciful God; the fatherleſs have found him ſo: Do thou but reſolve to leave all for him, and make choice of him for thy truſt, and he will do it for thee, what ever it be that thou wanteſt, grace, glory, and every good thing will he beſtow upon thee.