Mercy Magnified, Sermon 24
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 i… 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 deepe…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 any acquaintance with the affairs of this lower World, they would certainly ſhout and ſing for joy; ſuch is their love to their brethren now it is perfected, but,
4. It is certainly a joy to the Saints on earth, to them that love God, to ſuch as are true Believers: and thus our goodneſs in one reſpect extends to them, Pſal. 16. 2. It cannot but affect their hearts with great joy when they ſee or hear of any that are brought home to God, the family of Saints are much refreſhed with it.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe God is glorified by it, and Satan defeated: God hath one more ſubject, and Satan loſeth a vaſſal by it: It adds to the enlargement of the Kingdom of Chriſt, and his Name is ſo much the leſs diſhonoured in the world.
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe they have now one more fellow citizen of the new Jeruſalem: the Church militant is augmented, and the Church triumphant ſhall be encreaſed by it: Believers are called Citizens, Eph. 2. 19.
Reaſ. 3. Becauſe it is that they have prayed for, and in their places endeavoured: All Chriſtians pray for it when they ſay, Thy Kingdom come: and ſome have prayed for it in particular: Their Godly Miniſters have laboured earneſtly about it, with God, and with them: And theſe are the Servants that miniſterially apply theſe things to them, even all conſolation, and it is a joy to them to do it. Their Godly Parents and Neighbours have long waited for this day, and therefore it brings to them the glad tydings of great joy.
5. And that I chiefly aim at, It is a day of great joy to the Convert himſelf. I do not ſay that he is alwayes immediatly under the clear apprehenſion of it, though often great meaſures of comfort are for the preſent given him; but now the foundation of all his joy is laid: God now applys his great love to him; for,
1. The beſt robe is put upon him. [Gr. the firſt robe.] There is no other like it, and that is the robe of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, whereby his rages are removed, and the ſhame of his nakedneſs covered: The poor Prodigal had worn himſelf out, was all in tatters; he is not only clothed, but royally apparelled, Pſal. 45. 13, 14. The word [foreign] ſignifies a long garment that comes to the ankles covering the whole body: This hides all his ſpiritual deformity, covers all his imperfections.
2. A ring is put on his hand: Some underſtand it of Adoption: A ring with his fathers ſeal, acknowledging him to be of his family: others, to the ſame purpoſe, take it to be a token of his enfranchiſment. Among the Romans, none but free Citizens were to wear rings: others, for his ennoblement, among the Oriental nations, none but the Nobility had this priviledge: others for the ſeal of the ſpirit: The Wedding Ring was given as a ratification of Marriage; ſo now the union between Chriſt and the ſoul is ſealed and confirmed.
3. Shoes are put upon his feet: The feet are the affections, ſhoes are both for Ornament, and for ſaving the feet from harm: Theſe ſhoes are the preparation of the Goſpel of peace, Eph. 6. 15. The ſoul is adorned with ſanctifying grace, and the affections preſerved from being gravelled, and galled with the pebbles of carnal deſires.
4. The fatted Calf is killed [Gr. the fatted Calf, ſacrifice it] This intends Chriſt, and may bear ſome reſpect to the Sacrament of the Supper: the ſoul is now ſpiritually fit for it, and to be invited to it. In ſumme, the beſt preparation is made, the ſoul is feaſted: i. e. Divine love is ſhed abroad, Rom. 5. 5. God gives him all his favours in titles and communicates of them to him, according to that meaſure which is beſt for him; and ſo much (at leaſt) of Divine light is irradiated upon him, as enables him to rely upon Chriſt alone for life, and hope in his Grace. This muſt needs be a joyful day; for,
1. It is the day of Jubile, which was alwayes joyful: Now the ſervant of ſin goes out free; he that had before bound himſelf to a ſtranger, to Satan and his luſts, is ſet at liberty.
2. It is his Wedding day: which is alwayes celebrated with ſymptomes of joy; more eſpecially, when a Beggar is married to a Prince; when a condemned priſoner of Juſtice is honourably eſpouſed, to the eternal Son of God.
3. It is his Birth day; the day wherein he was new born: his Reſurrection day in which he riſeth out of his grave, verſ. 24. He was dead and is now alive. And that is a bleſſed day, Rev. 20. 6. Bleſſed is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection.
4. It is the day of his Adoption; the day wherein the King of Glory entitles him his ſon, gives him a new Name, and ſeals up to him an irreverſible deed of conveyance, wherein he confirms him in title to an inheritance worth many Worlds.
USE, 1: For Information.
1. Here we ſee how ſincerely God ſpeaketh, when he ſaith, As I live I delight not in the death of a ſinner, but had rather he ſhould repent and live. The ſatisfaction which he expreſſeth himſelf to take in a ſinners converſion, is an abundant confirmation of it. If after God hath ſaid and ſworn it in his Word, there ſhould any make a doubt of it, let him go to the converted ſinner, and he ſhall tell him ſuch a ſtory of God's abundant love, and that precious entertainment that he gave him, as ſhall make it evidently appear. If God did not take great delight in our Converſion, can we think that he would make ſuch a royal feaſt to entertain us, & confer ſo many & ſuch unſpeakable benefits and bleſſings upon us? Do men uſe to kill and ſlay, to make noble feaſts for the entertainment of thoſe whom they have no delight to ſee?
2. Here we ſee a reaſon why the affections of the ſoul do often appear more ardent and overflowing towards God, about, or quickly after Converſion, than afterwards, and diſcover themſelves, both,
1. In an extraordinary delight in ſpiritual duties: The ſoul now can ſcarce find opportunity to do any thing elſe, but read, hear pray, meditate, confer with Chriſtians, &c. Why is it their Wedding day, it is a feaſt day with them, and they cannot but be raviſhed with it: It is a new world with a Prodigal, when come from a famine to ſuch plenty and delicacy.
2. In a cotempt of the world and things of it in compariſon of theſe things; ſlighting and ſcarce regarding of any thing here below; only taken with heavenly things, and deſirous, to depart and be with Chriſt; willing to have no more to do here if might be: How can it almoſt be otherwiſe? Who can but think it good ſeeing, taſting, enjoying the love of God? and reliſhing the ſweetneſs of the ſtreams, to long to be at the Well head of all this? but when theſe treats are ſomething over, and he goe from his feaſt to his work, and there meets with difficulties, and many temptations; now he is ſometimes at a ſtand, his affections cooled with carnal things, and his heart diſtracted with worldly cares: Hence it is that we ſometimes hear God calling his people back to their firſt love, Rev. 2. 5.
3. Here alſo ſee a Reaſon why Believers have uſually more raviſhments and extaſies, and abounding comforts at firſt Converſion, than afterwards: It is becauſe the robe is now brought out to them and put on, &c. It is the moſt glorious entertainment they were ever at, and they themſelves the occaſion of it; as long as this feaſt laſts it muſt needs be ſo: therefore,
1. Be ſure if it be thus at this time, lay in againſt a time of want: that may come before you think of it. Store your ſelves now with the experiences of the love expreſſions which God reveals himſelf to you in: It is not impoſſible but it may be ſuch a time with you, as you ſhall never have the like opportunity while you live again.
2. And if at any time afterwards in your Chriſtian race, you meet with doubts and darkneſs, and are put to a ſtand in regard of your ſpiritual ſtate, be ſure to have recourſe to the day of eſpouſals: Call to mind the Garment, the Ring, the fatted Calf, &c. Pſal. 77. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the moſt High.
USE, 2. For Exhortation and encouragement unto awakened Sinners in ſpecial, to repent, and return to God; to fall down at his feet and beg his grace and favour, to confeſs your unworthineſs: Oh, long for the day of Converſion, it will be a joyful day. God himſelf will rejoyce in thee; it is well pleaſing to God, it is his delight, he takes pleaſure in the Sinners return; thou canſt not give him greater content by any thing. Thou wilt afford matter of joy to the bleſſed Angels, who are exceedingly ſatisfied in the glory of God, and Salvation of Sinners. Thou wilt glad the ſouls of glorified Saints, if not now becauſe they know it not, yet when thou ſhalt go to them, and thy preſence in that General Aſſembly of the firſt born ſhall be a witneſs to it, then will they magnifie God for it, and take pleaſure in thee. Thou ſhalt wondrouſly refreſh the ſouls of militant ſaints; thy Godly Parents, faithful Miniſters, pious neighbours, theſe ſhall have ſmiles inſtead of tears; and ſhall take delight in reaping the fruit of their many prayers, and counſels. Thou wilt grieve none but Devils and deviliſh men. Nay, it is thy own concern; thou art now mourning, thou ſhalt then rejoyce and be filled with unſpeakable gladneſs of heart: Nay, God himſelf will make a feaſt for thee, a Wedding day ſhall be kept with greateſt ſolemnity, and thou thy ſelf ſhall be the ſubject of all thoſe triumphs and ſongs of joy: Oh then all! forſake ſatan's camp, come over unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; then ſhall thoſe that have been grieved for your ſin and obſtinancy, have their hearts refreſhed by you; and all rejoyce together with you in your Converſion.