A gracious reproof to pharisaical saints causlessly murmuring at Gods mercies toward penitent sinners in explication of Luc. 15. 30, 31 / written by John Horne, sometimes minister of Lin Allhallows.

A Gracious REPROOF TO PHARASAICAL SAINTS , Murmuring at God's Mercies TO PENITENT SINNERS . Luke 15.31 , 32.

But he said unto him , Son thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine . It was meet that we should make merry , and be glad . For this thy Brother was dead , and is a live again ; was lost , and is found .

CHAP. I. The Preface paraphrasing the Parables of the lost Sheep , and lost Groat , with the occasion of them .

IT is a hard thing for men to know or think themselves righteous , yea , though but comparatively better than some of their Neighbours , and not be proud of it ; and when men are proud of themselves , they are very prone to disdain others , whom they think not so good as themselves . Yea , and when they see God , or his Servants , preferring such upon any account , or in any way of testimony thereof before ; nay , if but equalising them with themselves , they are apt to envy and fret against those persons therefore : yea , and to fault such Servants of God that so do , and sometimes to contend against God himself . For such is the nature of Pride , that it lifts up it self above all , and apts to be angry at , and offended with , what or whosoever opposeth it . All which observations we may make from , and find verified in the Pharisees ; who thinking themselves ( though falsly ) righteous , disdained at sinners , and murmured at Christ ( himself the prime servant of God , yea , God himself ) because of his gentleness and goodness towards sinners . So when Matthew , otherwise called Levi , a Publican , being himself converted , made a feast for Christ and his Disciples , and invited many Publicans and sinners to come and eat with him : Christ not refusing their company thereat , but laying hold of that occasion , to become their good Physitian , for curing those spiritual diseases , which threatned their destruction , the Pharasees were offended at him , Mat. 9.10 , 11. Mar. 2.14.15 , 16. Luk. 5.27 , 28 , 29 , 30. And so was Simon the Pharasee , because he suffered a sinful woman to come so near him , as to wash , and wipe , and kiss his feet , as he sat at Dinner with him , Luk. 7.37 , 38 , 39. And the like temper we find to have been in them here , in what is said of them in the two first verses of this Luk. 15. for after Christ had informed his Disciples of what they must look to part with and forgo , that will be indeed his Disciples , and how dangerous it is for those that have begun to follow him , and therein to partake of his vertues , to prove Apostates and Backsliders , Chap. 14 , 25 , 34. yet it follows ver. 1. of this Chapter . Then resorted to him all the Publicans and Sinners to hear him . As if notwithstanding all he had told them ( as that they who will be his Disciples must , in a sense , hate their dearest relations and enjoyments , yea their very lives , forsaking all for his sake , if he call them to it ; and that such as forsake him after they have partook of any thing of his vertues are as salt that hath lost its favour , good for nothing , the vilest of men . ) Yet then , for all this , ver. 2. All the Publicans and Sinners drew nigh to hear him , and the Pharisees and Scribes murmured , saying , This man receiveth sinners , and eateth with them . By sinners meaning such as were notoriously such , such , as if called Brethren , as making profession of religion with us , we may not afterward eat with , 1 Cor. 5.11 . till they repent them . It seems with such Christ eat , being not professedly his Disciples as yet ; and while they were such sinners ; and therein testified more civility , or familiarity towards them , then the Pharisees in their stricter way of Religion could well like of : and therefore they murmured against him . But he for vindicating his own charitable demeanor towards those Sinners , spake a Parable to them ; yea , three Parables , which take up all the rest of the Chapter . The first is , of a man having an hundred Sheep , and losing one of them ; which the more effectually to silence their murmuring , he would have any one of them to make it his own case , ver. 3.4 , 5 , 6. And he spake unto them this Parable , saying , What man of you having an hundred sheep , if he lose one of them , doth not leave the ninty , and nine in the Wilderness , and go after that which is lost , until he findes it ; and when he hath found it he layeth it upon his shoulders , rejoycing : and when he is come home , he calls together his friends , and neighbours , sayings , Rejoyce with me , for I have found my Sheep that was lost . His defence is very just and pregnant , for what 's a Sheep to a Soul ? yea , what 's one Sheep of an hundred to many sinful men and women , perhaps almost an hundred for one ? and if they could not content themselves with their ninety and nine Sheep safe , when but one was missing , but that leaving the ninety and nine in the Wilderness where they also might meet with danger , they would undertake the care and labour of seeking one filly Sheep , and seek while they finde it , and not be weary with seeking it : yea , and would bear the burthen of its weight in bringing it home when found , that they so might bring it the safelier home , and would make such mirth with cost for it when it s brought home , as to invite their Friends and Neighbours to make merry with them for it : What reason had they to be angry at his Charity to the precious Souls of a multitude , every one of which is of a greater value then all their flock of Sheep , an hundred times multiplied ? when as also his fetching them up exposes not others to any hazzard of their being wronged or lost in the interim , whatever pains , labour , or cost it might put upon him to seek them up , or what ever burthen to sustain and bring them home , when found by him ? when as too , though they were causlesly offended , yet those who were far their betters , and before them in hatred of sin , and love of holiness , were highly pleased . For applying the Parable , he addes , Verse 7. I say unto you , that even so there will be joy in heaven over one Sinner that repenteth , more then over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance . Not that heaven is not glad for just persons keeping their way , and not offending , so as to lose themselves ; but as their Charity in a sort leads them to be sorry for the evil and danger a sinner brings himself into : so answerable to that sorrow for that , is their joy the greater when that danger is over , and the object of their Charity hath escaped or recovered it : Even as a loving Father , or indulgent Mother having many Children , is more exercised for one of them wen sick , and in danger to dye , or to be lost : and answerably is more glad when that danger is escaped then for all the rest about whom they were not so exercised . And if there be such joy in heaven for one sinner that repenteth , sure then it is a good work to seek and endeavour their repentance . And what is it leads any here on earth then to hinder , yea , or grudge at any good endeavour to that purpose ; or the chearful entertainment of such in their converting into fellowship with them ? it cannot be their holiness , or hatred of sin ; for that is found more abundantly in heaven then in any here : therefore it must be their Ignorance , Pride , or Uncharitableness , &c.

2. The second Parable is of a Woman having ten pieces of Silver , and losing one , ver. 8. Or what Woman having ten pieces of silver , if she lose one of them , lighteth not a candle , and sweeps the house , and seeks diligently till she findes it : ver. 9. And finding it , she calls together her friends and neighbours , saying , Rejoyce with me , for I have found the piece , that I had lost . But why doth our Saviour bring this similitude or parable from the custom of their women ? I suppose his opposers , and such as murmured at his gracious carriage towards sinners were of both Sexes : for so we finde the Apostles afterward met with opposers , and persecutors from amongst both upon the like account . In Acts 13.50 . we finde that when the Apostles , Paul and Barnabas had preached to the Gentiles the Grace of God ( and the Gentiles were as loathsome to the Jews as the Publicans and Harlots to the Pharisees ) The Jews stirred up devout and honourable women ( or as Dr. Hammond reads it , worshipping women of good quality ) and the chief men of the City , and raised persecution against them , and expelled them out of their Coasts . Devout or worshipping women , such as were zealous of the Law , and of the Traditions of the Elders , and old Customes of their Fore-fathers : These seeing Paul and Barnabas like Mechanicks ( labouring often with their own hands ) and not of their licensed Preachers , Rabbies , and Doctors , and preaching Doctrine also differing from what such taught , and derogating from their Jewish Superstitions and Customs , and extending the mercy of God to the Gentiles , they were easily stirred up in the first place , and likely were Instruments of stirring up the chief men of the City to raise persecution against them . Women are usually full of affection , and passion , and if acted , and ordered by Principles of Truth , and by right Judgment , are very useful helpers forward of Christs Cause , and Doctrine : As we read of divers that were helpers with the Apostles ; but if byassed by corrupt Judgment and Affection , if superstitiously and ignorantly zealous , they are as fit as any to raise up mischief . And its likely our Lord had some murmurings at him from that Sex also ; and therefore in this Parable he meets with them , appealing to them , that if they or any of them having but ten Groats , or pieces of Silver ( in the Greek , Drachma , or a Dram , after one account in value * * Attick . about 7d . ob . after † † Aegurean . 1s . ob . another about a shilling , or something better , in our Coin ) lose one of them , whether they ( if they be good Housewifes especially , and mindeful of worldly livelihood ) would not light a Candle and sweep the House , and look into every corner of it diligently , to finde it again , not contenting themselves that they have nine of those pieces still beside in their purse , not giving over seeking it while they have hope to finde it ; and if they finde it , though it should be in the sink , or in the dirt , they will scarce cry faugh , it stinks , and throw it quite away , but rather wiping , or washing it clean , put it again in their purse ; and calling their Friends and Neighbors about them , wish them to be glad with them , for they have found what was lost . And yet they would not have our Lord and his Servants value a soul so much as they do a six pence or a shilling ; so as to use all means ( as by bringing the light of the word , and thereby discovering and removing their evil doings ) to seek it up and save it , and chear and comfort it , or rejoyce over it when found , and recovered . Oh what pitteous Creatures are we , both men and women , that value such small things better then the souls of sinners ! And sure if a woman would do thus for a sixpence , what would she not do for sixpound , or any greater summe ? And is not a poor sinful soul ( much more many ) far more to be prized ? surely yes , and had they wisdom to their affection , they would do so too , for their Superiours and betters do so : Our Saviour adding , Verse 10. So , I say unto you , there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth .

3. The third and last parable is this , of a part whereof I have chosen to treat , Verse 11. A certain man had two sons . Men will not willingly lose one sheep of an hundred if they can by seeking for it finde it , nor a woman one piece of Silver out of ten . What would any man or woman ( for the Greek word 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 here , is of both Genders , or Sexes , and extends to either man or woman , though carried on after in the Masculine , with reference to , and for the fitter resemblance of God ) but what I say would any man or woman do think you , if having but two Sons they should lose one of them ? would they not more industriously seek him , and finding him again , would they not be much more glad for him , though they have another beside , then for a Sheep ; and , then a woman , though never so great a Housewife for a six pence ? Such the scope of this third Parable , in which our Lord shews his and his Fathers fatherly affection to mankinde as made by him and as his Off-spring ( as the Poet saith ) descended of him ; and much more to such as are his by Adoption and special grace of Regeneration , by and through Jesus Christ , The fruit of the travel of his Soul , and the issue of his Word and Spirit vouchsafed to , and working in and upon them . And so he saith ( and I shall a little paraphrase on it . )

CHAP. II. The Parable of the Prodigal Paraphrased to the Text.

A Certain man had two Sons , that 's but a few , the smallest number that can be ; but by how much the fewer , the loather would the Father be to lose one of them . Ver. 2. And the younger of them said to his Father , give me the portion of Goods that falleth to me ; shewing that the beginning of mans departure from God , is his not liking to live upon God and Christ by Faith in him , but desiring to have his portion in himself , in his own hand , dispose , and keeping , that he might be a Lord in himself ( Jer. 2.31 . ) and live apart from God in his own sufficiency of Wisdom , Power , Understanding , &c. And he divided unto them his living ; signifying the readiness of God to distribute to men his gifts and benefits , as pleases him . Verse 13. And not many dayes after the younger Son gathered all together ( either as arrogating to himself what he had received of God , or taking a view of , and contemplating his riches received from God , so as to estimate himself accordingly ( the Spring of Spiritual pride ) and subjecting them to his own will ) And he took his journey into a far Countrey ( went away and departed in heart and life from his dependance on , and obedience to the Lord , and from close cleaving to him for counsel , protection , direction , and blessing ) and he there ( in the world or state of Apostacy from God ) wasted ( spent or scattered ) his substance ( whatever substantial gift or grace he had received of God ) with riotous living , living carelesly , and spending Gods Gifts on his own lusts and pleasures . Verse 14. And when he had spent all ( as a man may soon spend and lose all in being departed from God , who should and would continually supply him in depending on him , and being guided by him ) there arose ( or was ) a mighty famine in that Land , a great want and spiritual emptiness to the soul from the world , in that its departed and separated state from God ; there being nothing in the Idols to which the soul is gone out , but emptiness and misery . ) And he began to be in want ( to be sensible of the loss of satisfaction he was wont to receive from God , and had in his gifts ; and of the emptiness of his soul in their absence or loss . Verse 15. And he went ( yet further from God instead of repenting and turning back to him ) and ( fastned ) joyned himself to a Citizen of that Country . ( Such the folly of the heart of man departed from God , that under the sense of its loss and want it rather goes further from him , and layes about more earnestly for , and sticks more closely to some creature comfort , Idol , yea , or to the Devil and his counsel , thinking to finde help there , then looks back to God . So long as it can hope to finde help or life out of him any where else , it comes not to him . ) And he sent him into the fields to feed swine . ( Such is the base drudgery work of sin and the Devil , that he employes the soul in ; an employment far below a Princes Son : and yet so foolish be the disobedient departed sons of God , that they rather submit to any base servile drudgery , where they hope to finde , though never so poor a subsistence , rather then repent and go back to God . See this in other phrases , Isa. 30.1 , 2 , 15 , 16. Hosea 5.13 , 14. Jeremiah 2.13 . and many other places . Verse 16. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the Swine did eat of , but no man gave unto him . Such the baseness of the revolted lost Soul , that it could be content to subsist or finde its life and pleasure in the vilest things rather then to return to God , and to the things above , that he hath prepared in Christ for us . Such the emptiness and vileness of all worldly enjoyments , that they be fitly resembled to husks , Swines meat , rather then Mans : And such the merciful providence of God toward his strayed children , as oft-times not to suffer them to finde satisfaction or supplies from any thing they sinfully seek it in ; for this was the way to cure him , as mad men , and men distracted sometimes are by being kept fasting , and hunger bit . And such was he now as follows , when it s said , Verse 17. And when he came to himself , [ Men are drunk with Sathans delusions , sins deceits , or the worlds lushious fulness , while they can finde therein what to feed themselves on , or are made men , while without sense of their sin and misery , and without mindefulness of God : But God often by afflictions and crosses recalls them , and brings them again to their Sences , to see what they have done , and whitherto they be brought , and what course they should now take ; as it s added . ] He said , How many hired Servants of my Fathers have bread enough , and to spare , and I perish with hunger ? The beginning of Conversion is when the Sinner is made sensible of his misery , and sees and beholds also Gods goodness and sufficiency to relieve and help him ; remembers whence he is fallen , and what relation God stands in toward him in his Son : there is the beginning of his quickning and reviving again . God is good to hired Servants ; those that walk in his wayes , and do his work only with eye to themselves and their own advantages thereby , and have not been begotten to him through the immortal seed of the word , the grace in his Son discovered to , and received by them . But how much more to such as being begotten to him by his love , do in love to him depend on , and serve him . Thence he resolves , Verse 19. I will arise . [ Sin overthrows the sinner , and makes him by groveling and groaning under its burthen and pressure when discerned : but grace perceived and called to remembrance , quickens , and gives motion , strength , and resolution to arise from the practice of it and from pining away in the sense of it ] and I will go to my Father [ Go no more after Idols , Hosea 14.8 . that afford no comfort or profit , but to him whose love at first begat hope , as well as at first his hands did make me ] And I will say to him , Father I have sinned against heaven , and before thee . [ A resolution to confess his sins against God and man , against Christ the heavenly one , against the Holy Spirit that is from Heaven , and against the Word that is from Heaven too , and against the Angels in Heaven , whose Service and Ministry is abused in our sin . ] And before thee , that is , in the sight of , and so against God himself in all this , and in all other his mercies abused : All which confession springs from hope in God , whence he challenges him for his Father , though offended by him ; but yet addes , as humbling himself before him , and submitting himself to him and his Dispose . Verse 19. I am no more worthy to be called thy Son ; [ as if he should say , though I am by Creation , and by thy former gracious Call , Adoption , and Regeneration , thy Son ; yet I have forfeited that relation , as to thy owning me so any longer , and giving me the title and priviledges of a Son , I have so defaced thy Image , and likenesse in me by my sin , and so disobliged thee by my disobedience ] Make me as one of thy hired Servants . [ Give me but a room in thy house , and let me have but their portion , who serving thee for themselves only , and thy reward are under thy maintenance and protection ; a speech in which he judges himself , and submits himself to any mean condition : So his Father would but take him into his house again , though to be under the servitude of the Law , rather then to be left still to be a drudge to Sin and Satan . Thus Sinners come home by weeping cross , forfeiting their priviledges , honour , favour , and dignities , by their transgressions : but all this while here is only repentance resolved on , the practice of it must follow the resolution : And so it was . Verse 20. And he arose and came to his Father ; there 's the practice of repentance : the arising from sin , and from the discouragements under the consideration of sin , to return and come by Faith , Hope , and the desire of heart to God to seek after him , and submit to him , as he discovers himself to us in and by Christ . And now see the mercy of God to penitent Sinners painted out in the compassions of a tender hearted Father to his Prodigal , but repenting and returning Son ; for it follows , But when he was yet a great way off , his Father saw him , and had compassion , and ran and fell on his neck , and kissed him . Oh how quick sighted is Love and Charity of what is good , fatherly love , to a returning lost Childe ; the love of God to truly penitent Sinners ? While the Sinner is yet short in his Repentance , and a great way off from coming up to God in conformity to what his word requires ; yet he being really in the way thereto , seriously desirous of , and endeavouring after it . God sees , he takes notice , pittieth his misery , and is ready to encourage and animate him in his Repentance . The Son goes towards his Father , as being between hope and fear of acceptance with him ; but the Father runs towards his Son , as it were to hasten his endeavours , or prevent them with encouragement to more assured confidence of welcome therein : yea , and before the Son can fall at his Fathers feet with tears of Repentance , the Father falls on his neck , and kisses him with kisses of his welcome ; the kisses of his mouth , the sweet encouragements of his Word and Spirit , which hinder not , but quicken the Sons repentant Confession , and humbling of himself to him . Verse 21. And the Son said to him , Father [ now he may call him so with more boldness , as having found before-hand such renewed testimonies of his former kindeness and tender mercies ] I have sinned against heaven , and in thy sight , and am no more worthy to be called thy Son . [ The sense of Gods love and mercy quickens confession of sin , and self-abasement in the sight of our vileness , Ezek. 16.60 , 61 , Nothing humbles and melts so much as Gods love , preventing and following us , being notwithstanding our unworthiness , streamed forth to us , and perceived by us : But before the Son can say as he pre-resolved , Make me as one of thy hired Servants , his Father prevents him as follows . Verse 22. But ( notwithstanding the Son had so sinned , and judged himself unworthy to be any more called his Son ) the Father ( forgiving all past , and glad of his lost Sons return ) said unto his Servants , Bring forth the best robe , and put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand , and shooes on his feet . ) [ He finds his Son in a poor tattered case , in a ragged condition , cloathed with vile Apparel , or in a manner wholly naked , like a Swineheard , far unlike what became his Son ; so sin makes us : and he dislikes it , and pitties it . And now the Servants must apply themselves too to recruit and comfort him : and such the gladness of a loving Father to have his lost Son again ; that forgetting all his offences , and not so much as once upbraiding him , instead of shutting his doors against him , or calling for Rods and Staves to beat and correct him , he calls for the best Robe , with Ring and Shooes to adorn him ; which the Servants must apply to him , and put upon him too , as thinking nothing too good for him to be afforded him . He will have him clad , and waited on as his Son again , to signifie , as what sin continued in , deprives us of , so also how acceptable it is to God , that his Servants , and Gospel Ministers make it their business to incourage , comfort , and restore penitent Sinners : Yea , he addes further , Verse 23. And bring hither the fatted calf , and kill it , and let us eat and be merry . The poor sinning Childe was hungry as well as ragged , ready to Famish ; and his Father knows his needs , and will supply them with what may best shew his love and gladness for his return . When he was keeping Swine , Bread and Cheese would have been welcome , might he have had them ; yea , now being returned , he would have been glad and accepted it , might he have had ordinary fare , and Servants entertainment : in his hunger he mentioned only bread enough in his Fathers house ; but that suffices not his Fathers love to him , to testifie how gladly he receives him : no , if there be one Robe better then another , he shall have it to clad him ; and if one dish better then another , he shall have it to feed him , the fatted Calf . The Righteousness of Christ is the penitent Sinners cloathing , and garment the Father gives him . The Vertues of Christ and his Spirit incircle his Works , as a Ring his Finger . The preparations of the Gospel of Peace shod his Feet , and the choicest demonstrations of Love and Grace shewed forth and exhibited in Christ Crucified , and the precious promises therethrough made , & by his blood ratified are his feeding and nourishment . And now behold at this feast of fat things , God , and his Angels , and Servants will rejoyce with the restored convert , who shall sit down and feast , and rejoyce with them in Christ Jesus . Yea , God himself by his Spirit calls upon both his restored Son , and his ministring Setvants to rejoyce together , saying , Let us eat and be merry . And why ? not because the sinner hath so greatly sinned , but because he who by his sin was so near destruction , is by grace reduced and brought back to salvation : for so it follows , Ver. 24. For this my Son was dead , and is alive again ; was lost , and is found : and they began to be merry . Oh the wonderful grace and love of a merciful Father . Here are now no bad tearms given ; 't is not this Rogue , or Vagabond , this Adulterer , or Murtherer ; but this my son was dead , and is alive ; was lost , and is found . And they began to be merry , for they had Musick and Dancing , saith the next verse ; not such as he used to have in his riotous living , that is sit for Rogues , and Whores , Bawds , and Ruffians ; but such as may become the Palaces of Religious Princes , or the Saints of Heaven ; such as Davids , when he danced before the Ark , and as the Virgins and women of Israel used ; and sometimes the Holy men upon occasions of rejoycing , and thanksgiving to God . But the Devil will marr this musick , and disturb this mirth if he can : and to this purpose , though he could not prevail with the elder Son to leave his Father , and turn Prodigal too , but he was hitherto dutiful and obedient , yet he will now infuse a bad and envious thought into him against his Brother , and put him into a froward and pettish humour against his Father , and the Servants , and all that forward , the such entertainment giving to one so far unlike him in his former demeanour : For so it follows , Verse 25. Now his elder son was in the field . ( Not with his Father in the house , but it may be wandring in his minde , or his own wisdom , or perhaps about his Fathers business , and looking after his affairs in the services of his Law ) and as he came and drew near to the house ( to take notice how things were in Gods Church ) He heard Musick and Dancing ; he perceived some more than usual mirth and rejoycing , and ( wondering at it ) Verse 26. He called one of the Servants , and asked what these things meant . Verse 27. And he ( the Servant ) said unto him , Thy brother is come ( thinking , that whom their Lord owned for his Son , the Servants might well call his Brother ) And thy Father hath killed the fatted Calf ( hath made a costly Feast ) because he hath received him safe and sound . A fair answer , and well given . Thy Father hath killed the fatted Calf ; as knowing his authority should be great with him : and the very saying it was his Fathers act should satisfie and content him . Whereas if they had done it , and made merry of their own heads without him , they might worthily have been charged with rashness by him . But yet here is not only the Fathers authority alledged to satisfie him , but the ground and reason too upon which the Father did it , Viz. Because he hath received thy Brother safe and sound . That love to his Brother , as well as duty to his Father might work upon him . Verse 28. But he was angry and would not go in . Was discontented at his Fathers kindeness , and love to his Brother , and would not joyn with him , his Brother , and Servants , in their merry meeting , and rejoycing : and in this our Lord brings up this parable to the occasion of it , to shew the evil unreasonableness of the Pharisees murmuring , and taking offence at Christ for his receiving Publicans and Sinners , to hear him , and eating with them ; that it was but like the folly , pride , and frowardness of such an Elder Son that should be angry at such a Father , and his Servants , for making merry for , and giving good entertainment to a prodigal repentant Son : But yet to instruct us in Gods lenity and goodness to all his Children , even his pettish Sons too : He addes , Therefore came his Father out and entreated him . A perfect pattern of a loving Father , and a right Emblem of God our heavenly Father ; who , when by his authority , he might check and reprove the forwardness of a peevish Son , and command his coming in , waves the exercise of his authority , and gives way to his bowelly affection to steer , and lead him ; and therefore he goes out and intreats him . It had been the Sons part to judge his Father wiser then himself , and to have acquiesced in his wisdom and authority ; and hearing that the mirth was by his order , and at his appointment , to have complyed with him : But where the Son fails of his duty , the Father exercises the more love ; and laying aside his authority , seeks to gain him to a better Decorum , by his greater condescension and goodness towards him . And well may the Servants intreat froward Children , and not be froward and fretful against them , when their Lord sets them such a pattern . But see how tenacious the passionate creature is of his peevishness ; instead of the Sons being ashamed that his Father that might command him in , should abase himself so as to come out to him , and intreat him ; as if he had shifted place and relation with his Father , very sturdily and proudly replies upon him . And Verse 29. He ( whose mouth should have been stopt by the very authority and presence of his Father , much more by his intreating him , expostulates the matter with him , and ) answering , said to his Father , Lo these many years have I served thee , neither at any time have I transgressed thy commandment , and yet thou never gavest me a Kid , that I might make merry with my friends . Here is a very undutiful demeanour , an unchildlike answer ; no sign of any reverence , neither Sir , nor Father to usher in his saying , but only a charge of unlovingness towards him ; as if ; according to the old complaint of froward people , he had served God , his Father , for nought ; and there was no profit in so doing : He draws up an account of his many years Service , his great dutifulness , and obedience , forgetting , and quite blotting out of his minde , all the great engagements that were upon him toward his Father , which might challenge more from him then he did or could have done ; and he layes a charge against him of neglect , or sparingness toward him : He had never given him a Kid ( a lesser matter then the fatted Calf ) to make merry with his friends . Here we meet with a proof of the position we began with , that , as men are apt to minde and keep strict account of their own righteousness , and services , so its hard for them that do so , not to be proud ; and from that principle wrangle with God , if he in all things please them not , in their humours , and act not to their mindes : and indeed to under-estimate Gods mercy and goodness as much as they over-value their own righteousness : for so did this elder son , in this froward fit , being ready to shift places with his Brother : and because he is received in , will keep himself out , and stand against his Fathers intreaties , to justifie himself in his so doing ; for it was his Brothers reception that was the great thing stirred him , as the next words manifest , viz. Ver. 30. But as soon as this thy Son was come , which hath devoured thy living with Harlots , thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf . Every word hath weight in it , and bespeaks him passionately froward . But ( in a clean contrary carriage towards him to what thou hast had to me ) assoon ( without staying to see him sufficiently humbled and penitent ; as if his Father was too hasty so to receive and respect him , and as implying it had been meeter however to have frowned a while , yea , some long while , upon him , and made him lie and bewail himself ( at least for sometime ) first at his threshold , before he had received him , and welcomed him ; but assoon ) as this thy Son ( this , by way of disdain , and thy Son , not my Brother , as if he scorned to own such a one as he for his Relation , much less his Brother ; but thy Son , as if he had had a minde to disown himself a Son , or him his Father , because he so , and so suddenly owned him ; and as if he only was made a Son by his Father , because he so welcomed him : As soon as this thy Son was come , before any longer probation or tryal was made of the reallity of his repentance , though he is he that hath devoured thy living with Harlots . See how he as much debases and aggravates his brothers Sin , as before he had amplified his own service and righteousness ; as if there was a direct Diametrical opposition between his own obedience : and this follows lewdness . He hath devoured thy living , as if he had ravenously consumed all , and left his Father nothing to live on ; when as it was but only that portion of it that fell to his lot or division : But envy and frowardness is passionately Rhetorical to aggravate what offends , with the largest note upon every circumstance , transports beyond all bounds of soberness , and leads to represent every thing in the worst colours : and therefore he also addes that he had devoured his Fathers living with Harlots . Though that 's beyond the first relation of his evil courses , and more its likely then he had any positive evidence for , but what his passion suggested . His Father mention'd none of those things to him for gladness of his return , but blots them all out with an act of oblivion . Ah , but the froward Brother will rip them all up , and not suffer his Father , if it may be in his power , so to forget them ; that if possible he may move him to undo his acts of Grace again , and seeing the error of his love , expel him his house , and make him once more seek his fortune ; and no doubt but the Pharisaical wisdom of the offended Son , would readily suggest , that it was a far evener and more just carriage towards him , for his Father to have shut his doors upon him , then so soon to have received him ; yea , and because he had voluntarily and of his own vain head run from his Father , and despised him , his House , his Brother , and whatever else was therein ; he should now against his will have been made to keep from them , and go get his living with those riotous companions he had preferred before them , and in those places that he had haunted rather then his Fathers Habitation ; or at least to have made him bite by it a little after his return , and put him into the worst apparel , and fed him with the worst fare , and not the best his house afforded : So much wiser are we apt to be in our pride of our selves , and uncharitableness to our sinning Brethren , more then the most Holy , and only wise God , who as he is perfect in Judgment , so he hath more love and charity towards them ; for this seems an intollerable respect to so vile a varlet ( one whom others of his temper would be ready to call an whoremasterly Villain ) to make for him such dainty provision , as is implied when he addes , Thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf : Had it been killed for himself before , he would have thought it enough to let him taste of it ; worser fare he thought might have been too good for him ; but to kill any thing for such a lewd fellow , that mattered not to kill his Father , by spending his substance , to his grief ; yea , to kill the fatted Calf , the most reserved dainty that his Father had , when as he never at any time gave him a Kid : Oh , how could he look upon such a partiality without indignation ? and yet as intimately taxing his Father with such rashness , as to act all things without good advisement , or fore-consideration , or with such blindeness , through his too partial affection toward his disobedient Son , that he could see nothing either of his deserts from him on the one hand , or of his ungracious Sons demerits on the other , or of his own too much indulgence to sin ( as if he hated it more , and were better then his Father ) her prefixes an Ecce before all this heavy charge , thus drawn out in length . Lo , these many years I serve thee , neither at any time transgressed I thy Commandement , and yet thou never gavest me a Kid to make merry with my Friends ; but as soon as this thy on was come who hath devoured ( or swallowed up ) thy living ( and there 's an emphasis in that word devoured ; as if he greedily , like a glutton , or drunkard , without any regard of thee , or what should become of thee , or thy glory , hath eaten , or swallowed up all thy living , and that ) with Harlots ; yet , thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf . Oh how blinde is Love and Charity ? how quick sighted , how Eagle eyed jealousie and passion ? how eloquently can anger argue ? here 's nothing omitted that may exaggerate the Fathers over-sight in his indulgent carriage towards his returned Son ; as if his Father , like some old blinde man had seen nothing , but he sees all both for himself , and against his Brother : and as if his Father had been as injurious to him , as fondly indulgent to his Brother , if his stomack could bear it so to repute and call him ; but he will make his Father see how unequally he carried himself between them : he therefore sets before him the years , yea , the many years service he had performed to him , whereas so many years his other Son was run from him , and had left him to look after his concernments himself for all him ; yea , and the exactness of his obedience to him in all that time , never at any time transgressing his Commandment ; whereas his brother on the contrary not only had not obeyed him , but also greedily with Harlots consumed his living : and yet see how unequal the Father between them , he in all those years never gave him a Kid , which was far less then the fatted Calf , though to eat in an honest way , and to make merry , not with Whores and Drabs , but with his friends ; who , he being so dutiful a Son , could be no such lewd Varlots , but persons of good fashion , and honest reputation ; whereas on the other side his love was such to his other Son , that notwithstanding all his badness , & disobediences , and mis-spendings of his substance , he could no sooner see him coming towards him , but he runs to meet him , and quicken him in his pace ; and instead of chiding him , pitties , and kisses him , and kills the fatted Calf too , so soon as he gets him home to feast him . And had not this elder Son great reason 〈…〉 his Father , and refuse to joyn 〈…〉 with him , and his other Son and Servants in such a merry frollick , so inconsiderately made , as he hath represented it to him ? have we not many that are ready to be of his minde ? what , when they have said their Prayers a thousand times over , been good Church-men , honest livers , sober persons , no Thieves , Drunkards , Whoremongers , Harlots , or wicked livers , but have as they think , served God justly , accordingly to the laudible customs of the Church , and perhaps also in private Prayers and Devotions , hearing Sermons , praying in their Families , fasting as often , and making as many and as long Prayers as the Pharisees , strict and zealous in their conversations , abstaining from all gross and known sins ; yet they could never be assured of Gods owning them , nor meet with such ravishments of heart , as to cause them to rejoyce much in God , and to be willing to dye and depart this life : and lo , here or there a grat Sinner a Whore , a Thief , a Murtherer , a wanton Person , being convicted of their Sins , and confessing their faults , and crying to God for his Mercy , listning to , and imbracing his Gospel so inwardly filled with , and outwardly testifying their sense of Gods love , and exceeding comfort and consolation therein , that they can glory in God , as forgiving them their Sins , have hope in their Death , and talk of their assurance of Gods favour , as if they had been all their lives Saints : must not these either be deluded persons , or what what shall we say or think of God , but as those in Ezek. 18.25 . That his wayes are unequal ? or , as in Mal. 2.17 . That every one that is evil is good in the sight of the Lord , or else where is the God of judgement , or judgement of God ? where the equity of his doings and proceedings with men . But thou art holy , O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel , and wilt be justified in thy sayings , and overcome when thou art judged Psal. 22.3 . and 51.4 . stay then and let us see what the Father hath to say to his offended and discontented Son , before we justifie his plea , and pronounce on his side : and that is held forth in the words that I have chosen herein to treat on , as followeth .

CHAP. III. The Text Pharaphrased .

Verse 31.32 . And he said unto him , Son , thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine : It was meet that we should make merry and be glad , for this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , was lost and is found .

IT is a true saying of Solomon , He that is first in his own cause seemeth just , but his neighbour comes and searches him out , Prov. 18.17 . For here we have an answer confutes all the Son hath said in his passion , and clearly evinces the equity of the Fathers carriage between them , and of his thus entertaining his Son in his return . And first , here we may admire the Fathers meekness and gentleness towards a froward passionate Son , in that he gives him no bad nor angry language . He sayes not , thou proud and insolent fellow , that offerest to make thy self wiser then thy Father , and liftest up thy self above him , to call him him to an account , and draw a charge against him for his actings , as if thou wert wiser , and of more authority then he ; whereas it s thy part and place to submit thy self to him , and give him honour in judging him wise , and righteous in his doings . No such angry speech proceeds from him , but only he gently calls him Son , and gives him a fair answer to his charge , and an account of his doings , shewing the great condescension and goodness of God to his pettish people in their spiritual Distempers . He sees his Son was in a passion , and he would not take the course further to heat and inflame him , but seeks to calm him ; like a loving Father , who seeing his Childes Body over-heated , and in danger to fall into a Feavour , endeavours some wayes its prevention : being wiser then his Son , he sets not himself to answer him according to his childish folly , but exercises love with judgement and discretion towards him : and though his Son in his anger would neither vouchsafe to call him Father , nor his Brother , Brother ; yet he in whom fury is not , but Love , Meekness , and Charity , will not therefore disown or provoke him , but pacifie and rectifie him ; and therefore calls him Son . Oh the graciousness of God , as a loving Father to froward and male contented Children , especially while he sees their frowardness proceeds from ignorance , weakness , or the strength of temptation : a pattern worthy imitation . Be we followers of of God as dear children , and walk we in love as Christ hath loved us , &c. Shall we weak , purblinde , and sinful men , be froward with , and harsh to our froward brethren , when through temptation and weakness , envyings , swellings and discontents befal them , when as our great God and Father is so graciously tender , milde , and gentle to such , yea , to our selves , when so distempered and discomposed towards him .

But see again how blinde passion is , though it seems to see very much , yea , and to see more then others that have not their hearts thereby heated and quickned to make diligent observation of things before them : It is indeed quick-sighted of what makes for its nourishment and strengthning in its cause : but while it looks upon all such things as it were through Multiplying and Magnifying Glasses , and sees them more and greater then they be , and so represents them , it is so filled with the sight of them , that it over-looks and sees not other things before it , that judgement , charity , and right reason takes notice of , and the sight whereof reduces the other things seen to their due scantling and proportion . For the calm judgment and charity of the wise and patient Father ( the representative of the most wise and merciful God ) sees and observes here what the Son over-lookt , and what might stop the mouth of his most clamorous passion . He was Eagle-eyed to see , yea , more than was to be seen of his own service and obedience ( which yet in this his passion he shewed but little of ) but see not , or tookno notice of his better condition , and greater obligements through his Fathers love and freeness towards him ; which therefore the loving , meek , and wise Father for curing of his distemper , mindes him of saying , Son thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine ( and what 's a Kid or a fatted Calf to an Inheritance ) that in his distemper was forgotten by him .

Peevish frowardness , and passionate envious distempers are no good guides or counsellors for us to listen to , or to be led by in our judgements or goings ; they see where they should be blinde , and are blinde where they should see : It is not for us to take notice of our services and obedience , but God who is the wiser and best estimator of them , and will not undervalue or underweigh them one grain , nor come short in the least reward of any thing truly acceptable in them , but is ready to reward them like a bounteous King , so as to shew his riches of liberality far above any inward excellency they have in them . It is for us , and more behooful and profitable , to minde and take notice of his love and goodness to us , to quicken us up to , and in our duties and obedience , and to preserve us from proud and haughty miscarriages , and froward repinings and murmurings at his dealings with us or others . The minding Gods goodness to us will beget and nourish love and obedience in us to him , and then we shall not need to minde how dutiful and obedient we are to him , but rather shall see cause to confess our selves in all we do , unprofitable servants to him , that have done nothing but what his goodness already extended , challenges , and makes due from us ; and so that we cannot challenge any thing of due debt or merit further from him : yet he will also , such his goodness , minde to reward us with rewards undeserved by us , and exceeding glorious . But as this proud and froward distemper made him overlook the goodness of his condition with his Father and his obligations to him ; so it blinded him also from seeing what was meet to be done for , and toward his returned Brother , and the equitableness of his Fathers carriage towards him ; which therefore his Father to cure him and argue him by reason and judgement out of his distemper , mindes him of also . It was meet that we should make merry and be glad . That by his fatherly authority and wisdom he layes down as a certain truth to be received and believed by his Son , as an Oracle , proceeding from his more perfect understanding , and unerring wisdom , teaching his Son , who in duty ought to hear his Fathers Instruction about what was meet , and not to take upon him to correct his Father , and be an instructor and teacher to him . The over-eying , and over-weaning of our graces , services , doings , duties , &c. are very apt to , yea , very certainly and necessarily do puff us up with spiritual pride , and that lifts us out of our places and makes us ready to disanul Gods Judgment , and condemn the Almighty to justifie our selves , and make our selves righteous . As God sayes of Job sinning in that way of sin through that root of spiritual pride , Job 40.8 . and instead of learning of God and Christ , to lift up our selves against them , quarrel with them , and set our selves to inform and teach them ; doing as St. Peter d●… who after he had heard , Thou art 〈◊〉 and I will give to thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven , by and by lifted up himself , as high as the Pope would be upon that Scripture lifted up by men , to after and correct his Masters sayings and doings , going therein before him , and not coming after him him as Disciples and learners use to do to their Masters : Mat. 16.18 , 19 , 22 , 23. yea , taking him aside and rebuking and advising him as if his Keyes of the Kingdom gave him authority over him , and his Doctrine too , as the Pope practices upon that pretence with Christ and his Institutions , thereby proving himself to be , and to deserve the name of a Satan , as Christ gave to St. Peter , upon that account : and we may very safely , by the by , observe this truth , that while the Pope or any else , under pretence of having the Keyes of the Kingdom given them , do take upon them to alter and correct Christs sayings or doings , his Ordinances and Institutions ( as they do in the order and manner of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper amongst other things , coming in with their non abstante , though Christ ordered thus , yet that notwithstanding we order it otherwise , though Christ ordered , and the Apostles practised the receit of the Supper in both kindes , yet we for all that , order it to be received in one kinde only , though God hath forbidden the worship of Images , and Christ came not to dissolve his Fathers Laws , yet we command them to be made and worshipped , &c. While I say the Pope and his Councils or any else do thus ) they are so far from being the Rock , Foundation , or the Head of the Church , that they are Satans , enemies , and adversaries to Christ and his Church , and so plainly Antichrists . Yet this the pride of gifts , places , offices , and services puffs up men too usually to . But the Father would have his froward Son here reduced into better order , and as Christ said to Peter , come behinde him , and hear , and learn of him , not argue against him , and rebuke him ; as here he did , opposing his Fathers practice and order of making merry for his lost Son found again . It was meet that we should make merry and be glad . Prepare a feast for mirth , and make mirth outwardly at it , and be glad too inwardly , and in heart .

But he doth not only instruct him , and teach him , or by his Fatherly wisdom and authority dictate so much to him ; but also demonstrates the truth of his doctrine by solid and sound reason , that he might as well inform his judgement , and make him see the truth of his saying with his own eyes or understanding , as it were , as well as assure him of it upon his own authority , and the authority of his saying , which ought for it self to be received , because he is the Lord , though he gave us no other account of it : and indeed this is one great difference between the Law and the Gospel . The Law delivers precepts from God barely upon the account of his authority , Thou shalt do , or not do thus , for I am the Lord : But the Gospel insinuates things to us , and perswades us to them by reason as laying down the grounds and reasons why , that we might offer to God , A reasonable service , Rom. 12.1 . whence also as Christ is called ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) by a name signifying not only word , but reason , John 1 , 1. So they that believe not the Gospel , are called ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) Absurd or unreasonable men , 2 Thess. 3.2 . and so I say here , the better to convince him , that he doth not impose upon him meerly by his fatherly authority ( though that might have been sufficient to have silenced him ) he also condescends to shew ( as all the way of the Gospel is a way of condescension ) that there is reason and equity in what he sayes , and that he might see and be silenced , and brought to submission , he addes , For this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , was lost , and is found . Passion had blinded his reason , and extinguished his affection to his poor Brother , so as he took no notice of any relation between them ; and pride so transported him , that he even scorned to see or own his relation . This thy Son saith he to his Father , as if he could be his Fathers Son , and yet not his Brother ; or as if a brotherly relation was nothing to challenge and excite compassion , love , and affection to him . Oh forsooth , he was so holy , just , and righteous ( above his Father it seems ) that he disdained to own him for , or call him his Brother , though his Father had owned and called him Son : as if he would have intimately said , What should I own such a vagabondly Rogue , or riotous Rascal , or Whoremasterly Spend-thrift as this for my Brother ? As some such riotous livers amongst us in their own eyes would be ready to say of such , though they have confessed their sins , and been afflicted for them . Should I believe that God will give pardon , and peace , and assurance so easily to such miscreants ? But the calm unpassioned , and loving Father calls him to a calm remembrance , that for all that , whatever he had been , or done , he is yet thy Brother . Hath not one God made us ? yea , and of one mold , and of the same blood , whether Jews , or Gentiles , bond or free , zealous or prophane ? yea , did not one Christ dye for us ? and being called and brought to him , to believe in him , and submit to his grace ; are we not all in him that do so , justified , and made righteous , and the children of God by the faith of Jesus ? whose blood washes away both the greater sins of the prodigal Spend-thrifts , and the lesser murmurings and spiritual distempers of the self-over-weaning Saint , or more righteous liver . The same good Creditor forgave Simons fifty pence , and the sinful womans five hundred , Luke 7.41 , 42. and had it not been that he had forgiven both , both might have gone to , and lien in the prison , neither having to satisfie what was owing : Nay , a Debtor that owes ten thousand Talents , humbling himself to his Creditor , and craving forgiveness , and being forgiven , may walk abroad boldly , and look upon his Creditors face securely , and confidently , when he that owes but fifty pence , taking his Brother that owes him less , by the throat , and being uncharitable to him , and being not pardoned or forgiven his less debt by the Creditor , may not dare to walk abroad , or shew his head for fear of an arrest , or be in so good a condition as the far greater Debtor that hath received a discharge for what was owing . This thy Brother , ( This was a particle of contempt in the So● toward his Brother , when he said , This thy Son . But a particle of Commiseration and moving to compassion in the Father , when he saith , This thy Brother , as if he would say , canst thou behold him , and see him here present , even this thy Brother so marvellously preserved and recovered , and not commiserate him , nor rejoyce for him ? Canst thou so far lay aside all natural affection , and banish all remorse or joy from thine heart concerning him ? This thy Brother was dead , was lost ; as if he would have said , Thy evil eye is upon thy brothers doings , but my good and merciful eye is upon his sufferings : thou takest notice in thy pride , envy , and passion of what he acted , and how he hath lived and aggravatest that to the heighth , he ran away , spent , yea , devoured my living , and that with Harlots , was a Rogue , a Whoremaster , or the like ; but my fatherly heart bleeds to think what a case he was in , what miseries he met with , what sorrows he sustained in his absence ; went not my heart after him where he went ? and did not mine eyes behold him under the fig-tree ? when he began to want , and joyned himself as a Servant , or an Apprentice to a Citizen of a strange Countrey , ; he that was free born being brought into bondage , and he that might have lived as well as thou being reduced to beggery . I think upon his servile state , and what drudgery work he hath been put to , while thou hast lived like a Prince , or Gentleman , and seest not poverty or want . I think on his base employment , his hungry belly , his ragged and naked back , his pining griefs , and pinching sorrows , even unto phrensie ; distracting him so grievously , that he knew not what he did , nor whether he went : my tender bowels rowl within me to think of these his sad sufferings ; yea , and then was he most dead , when he least see his danger , and maddest when he was the merriest . He hath eaten the fruit of his own wayes , and been filled with his own inventions . Thou hast lived pleasurably to him , and knowest not what were the sad effects of his sinnings ; hadst thou , thou wouldst have had more pitty on him , and compassion towards him . He is my Son , but he was dead ; thy Brother , and he was dead : so great his sufferings , sorrows , and miseries , as bereft him of all life and senses ; he was lost , no where to be found in House , or Fields , till his own miseries that he pull'd upon himself fell so hard upon him , as to make him remember himself , and return to me . I and thou might call him , but he was out of the hearing of our voice . My servants might call and seek him , but he was gone and not to be heard of . Thou lost nothing by serving me , but he lost all he had , yea , himself was lost by deserting me , and going from me : didst thou lose but a Sheep or Kid , thou wouldst resent it , and be troubled for it ; yea , thou takest it to heart that I have killed the fatted Calf ; and was one such creature more to thee then thine own Brother that was dead , and lost ? Oh the mercies of God above our mercies to one another ! we see and note this and that evil such a one hath done , but God knows the dangers they were in , the sorrows of their hearts , their secret sighs and groans , the throbs and sobs that they have met with , as the fruits of their sins , when Gods Spirit hath been removed and withdrawn , or driven from them by their iniquities and rebellions against him ; the bangs of Conscience , and bleedings of heart , the fears , the despairs , the inward horrors , and outward feelings of correction sometimes upon them , in losses , poverty , or the like ; the spiritual death and lostness of their souls from the feeling of Gods presence , and the comforts thereof , or any aptness or desire to any spiritual action , and so the danger of being lost for ever . These God hath his eye upon that we see not usually , nor are apt to think on ; no , no , we would have them yet kept from God , and his Comforts , and Consolations , and are ready to say , let them bite by it yet , let them rowl themselves in ashes , feel the displeasure of God and men against them without pitty or comfort intermixed ; at least for some long , long time , till they have made amends for their wicked doings , and testified so much sorrow and amendment as may give us satisfaction . We would not deal so with our Sheep ; if they through their wandring fall into a Ditch , and be almost drowned , we would not let them lie there because they sillily fell in , nor when they are pull'd out , thrust them in again , or put them into the pin-fold ; much less with our Children , if they , though contrary to our counsels will straggle and play about till they fall into a Ditch , or Pit , or Oyl-Fat , and be therein drowned , we will not let them lie because they fell in of their own wantonness and carelessness ; or having pull'd them out , if they revive , turn them out of doors , and starve them , but tender them , get them to warm Bed , and give them cordials and comfortable things that we judge needful to restore their strength again ; and should we not do so to our poor Brethren after they have been tost and turmoiled , shipwrack't , and dead , and lost , and are revived again ?

This thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , was lost and is sound . The same consideration that led him to receive him and make the feast for his entertainment ( verse 23 , 24. For this my son was dead and is alive again , was lost , and is found . ) He proposes to his Son to quiet him , and to induce him to be content to joyn with them . This thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , was lost and is found . Had he been still dead and lost , no ground for rejoycing or merriment , but for mourning . We have no cause of rejoycing , but only and altogether for mourning and lamenting for sinners , those that erre and live evilly , so long as they go on in such their wayes , and are held fast in the snares and cords of their errors and iniquities ; but when they are recovered out of them , and returned back to God , then we may rejoyce for them , and be glad , because of Gods goodness therein towards them ; and especially when we may perceive God also to forgive and comfort them , and to fill them with his consolations . Such was the case of this repenting and recovered Prodigal . He was dead ( even he that was my Son , and thy Brother , as if he had said ) but he is alive again . He is returned to God , and God and his quickning Spirit are returned to him again ; and he is indued with the principles of life and grace again ; He is begot and brought to hope in , love , and cleave to God , who was hopeless , helpless , and quite gone from God ; and he who was lost whose presence we had not with us , and who walked not in our family and wayes , is reduced , is found again . It is meet therefore now that we be merry and glad .

Obj. Ah , but perhaps the return of this Son may intrench upon the happiness and riches of the other , he must have another portion , and that will diminish the Portion of the elder Brother ?

Answ. No , the Father hath secured him against that too , when he said , All that I have is thine , not only hath been , but is still , though he take part with thee it s thine nevertheless still , & enough to maintain both him and thee ; there 's nothing required or desired but that he live , and take part with thee , of what is mine and thine , and enough for both of you , and all my Family : his well and comfortable living shall be no impairing of , or impeachment to thy felicity . God is a Sun and Fountain ; he so imparts himself and his Grace and Blessing to one , that he hath thereby never the less for any others : he is not emptied by the multitude of those that receive of his fulness . As the Philosophers say of the soul , Tota in t●to , & tota in qualibet parte . that it is all in the whole body and all in every part of it , and no other part hath the less of it by any part having it all , even so is it of a certainty with God , he is wholly the portion of the abiding and standing Saints , and so he is too for those that having fallen , are raised up again . Nor hath any the less by every , or any ones having all : so that no cause for any to envy at anothers happiness , or murmur , or repine at Gods freeness to any other ; seeing their having never so much leaves never the less in him for them also .

And thus I have gone over this Parable , briefly by way of Paraphrase , especially these last verses . Now let us further consider what we may observe from them .

CHAP. IV. An enquiry into the meaning of the two Sons .

BUT first it will be needful for us that we may the better understand and profit by what is set before us herein , to enquire who are meant by these two Sons ( chiefly the elder ) to whom these two Verses address their contents .

1. May we take them for Men and Angels , Angels the Elder , and Men the younger Son ; indeed both are called , and may be understood to be in the Scriptures meant by those titles , the Sons of God . Some understand , Job 1.6 . and 2.1 , to speak of Angels , when it s said , The Sons of God presented themselves before God , and Satan came amongst them : It may be so , and it may be otherwise taken . Many of the Ancients thought the Sons of God , said in Gen. 6.2 . to Have gone in to the daughters of men , to have been Angels : and so they might be if we by Angels understand such as they of the seven Churches , Rev. 2. and 3. but surely that in Job 38.7 . that all the Sons of God shouted for joy when He laid the foundations of the earth , seems necessarily to be understood of them : And for men it s said , Adam was the Son of God , as we may construe , Luke 3.38 . And the Angels were made before men , and some of them fell before men too ; but of the fallen Angels nothing here can be understood . Those that stand indeed serve God , and keep his Commandments , being ready to do his will , hearkening to the voice of his words , Psal. 103.19 . And man went astray from God like a poor lost . Sheep , and was recovered again in and by Christ , who was slain for him , and is become , and is proposed of God to be mans food : yet I cannot understand those good Angels to be here meant by the elder Son , because I no where finde they are , or ever were , angry at the goodness of God to man in seeking his recovery , or entertaining him being recovered , with joy and mirth . No , they are more wise , intelligent , and loving Spirits , and fuller of Charity to us then to be offended at Gods goodness towards us : they desirously pry , or peep into the mystery and efficacy of the Gospel , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , desire with longing to peep down into it , 1 Pet. 1.12 . and here , verse 10. it is said , that there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth , Beza which some render apud Angelos , with the Angels : they may rather therefore be included among the houshold Servants that attend the Sons .

2. We may apply it to the Jews and Gentiles ; The Jews as the elder , the Gentiles as the younger Brother ? they both were made of one blood indeed , Acts 17.26 . and so are brethren , as one God made them , Mal. 2.10 . and though we read of the Gentiles before any mention of the Jews , Gen. 10.5 . yet the Jews being first called to , and indued ( even in and from their fore-fathers ) with the knowledge of God and his Mysteries after such a distinction of of two peoples found in the world ; and God calling them his first born ( Israel is my first-born , Exod. 4.21 , 22. ) they may be understood by the eldest Son to whom also God gave himself , and with himself all things , to be their Inheritance ; and they were comparatively to the Gentiles keepers of the Law : and we finde that many of them did over-wean their services to God according to the Law , and were often ready to expostulate with God like the eldest Son here upon that account , that they fasted , and he regarded it not , sought him , but he took no notice of them , that they served him in vain , and walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts , and kept his ordinance ; yet he loved and esteemed them not . Isa. 58.2 , 3. Mal. 1.2 . and 3.13 , 14 , 15. they took also great offence , and stumbled at the Gentiles Conversion and reception into the Church of God by the Ministry of the Apostles , and upon that account partly stand out still : Whence it s said , They are enemies to the Gospel for the Gentiles sake , Rom. 11.28 . all this may be said for this interpretation , and may render it probable that there was some eye upon them in this parable : But yet seeing there was no colour for their saying , that they had served God many years , and never at any time transgressed against his Commandments , and that he never gave them a Kid , &c , it being manifest that they were very rebellious against him , as to the body of them , and often transgressed by Idolatry and otherwise , and were many of them as prophane and bad as the Gentiles ; and Christ was Crucified for that Nation , though not for that Nation only , John 11.51 , 52. yea , the feast of fat things first made for , and tendered to them , they the first bidden and invited Guests : yea , and they first rejected that Feast before the Gentiles were preached to , and invited in ; and their first standing out was not upon that account ; nay rather , because they first stood out the Gospel was sent to the Gentiles . Whence it s said , That the fall of them was the riches of the world , and that through their fall , salvation is come to the Gentiles , and the casting them away is the reconciling of the world , Rom. 11.11 , 13 , 15. All which sayings imply that they first stumbled at Christ , and the preaching of Christ before the Gentiles were called in . As to that purpose also those passages in Mat. 22.7 , 8 , 9. Luke 14.20 , 21. Acts 13.46 , 47 , 48. and 28 , 27 , 28. speak ; therefore it doth not so properly seem , and so fully to agree to them generally considered , though in some sense as stumbling at the call of the Gentiles also , and being offended at the Gospel preaching to them it may be applied to them .

3. Or may we apply it to the Pharisees and Publicans ? indeed that it took its rise and occasion of being propounded from , because the Pharisees who thought themselves righteous and in a sense were so comparatively to the Publicans ( that is in respect of their observing and strictly cleaving to the Laws of Moses , and abstaining from all grosser sins that were notorious , and taken notice of by men as such ) were offended at Christ for his Grace to the Publicans and Harlots , who were evidently breakers of Gods Laws , and walked contrary thereto , and all of them were of that people that had the adoption , and the name of Gods Sons upon them ; so as the Gentiles in distinction from the Jews had not , and the Publicans and Harlots entred into the Kingdom of God before them , as our Saviour sayes , Mat. 21 , 32. and they and the Pharisees are represented by our Saviour in ver. 38. by two Sons of one man : but then the Pharisees there are compared to the elder Son that said to his Father , that he would go into his Vineyard and went not , whereas the other said the contrary , yet repented and went ; they repenting at the preaching of John , and betaking themselves also to Christ , as the Pharisees did not , Luke 7.29 , 30. I think though it may be applied to them , and our Saviour speaks it to them , and in their hearing , for their Instruction , yet there can hardly be a full accommodation of that in ver. 31. to them , that they were Gods Sons , and were ever with him , and all he had were theirs . Christ ( at least afterward ) used to speak at a rougher rate to them , yea , and John the Baptist before calling them Serpents , a Generation of Vipers , Hypocrites , yea , Children of Hell , and the Devil : But there might be difference of them ; some that were not such opposers of Christ and his Doctrine ; such as Nicodemus that came to him by night , and Simon , whose debts he seems to imply were forgiven him , though not so great and many as the womans that he called and looked upon as a sinner , an infamous woman , and inwardly murmured at Christs graciousness towards , Luke 7.36 , 37 , 42 , 43 , &c. Others were proud , scornful opposers , and persecutors of Christ and his truth , trusting in themselves that they were righteous , and in the right way , and condemning him of error and deceit ; and those he calls Serpents , and generation of Vipers , Children of Hell , and of the Devil : and if we so look upon it , and apply it to the first sort of them ( of which also Paul confesses himself to be one , even after he was a Christian and an Apostle . I am a Pharisee , the Son of a Pharisee , Acts 23.6 , that word signifying but one separated to the study and observation of the Law of God , the strictest Sect of Religion amongst the Jews ; much what like what used to be called amongst us , Puritans , and now Presbyterians , &c. some of whom doubtless may be , and were honest and good Christians ) then it will agree to another sense , that I am most satisfied in , and think to be the rightest and fullest , viz.

4. By the two Sons I understand two kindes of people both begotten to , and born of God , adopted by him for his Children , through Jesus Christ , either as implicitly held forth , as before his coming , or explicitly as since ; one of these compared to the younger Son are they that after some time taking , and attributing the Gifts and Graces of God to themselves , and considering and growing full in themselves through them , depart from God , and run into by-paths , and sinful courses , tending to the destruction of their souls , wasting and consuming Gods gift , and talents upon their own and other mens lusts . The other sort compared to the elder Son , such as after grace received , and their call and birth as it were into , or in Gods house , abide therein , and cleave to God , and his word , and the commands and councels thereof walking justly and holily with God in the main , and not departing from him , as open sinners do ; for unto such it may be said , as is here said by the Father more fully and proproperly . Son thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine , as David saith of such , Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord . Blessed are they that keep his testimonies , and seek him with the whole heart ; they also do no iniquity that walk in thy wayes , Psal. 119.1 , 2 , 3. Men that are truly righteous and accepted of God , and turn not aside to crooked paths as others do .

Only here it might be questioned , whether such persons may be guilty of such pride and frowardness as is here set forth in the elder Son and his carriage ; such disdain at erring and repenting Sinners , such quarrelling at God and his dealings . And it seems to me they may , and sometimes have been found , and yet are guilty of such like distempers through their over-weaning their own righteousness , and walkings , and dislike , as they apprehend of others wickedness . Yea , we have divers instances of such like frowardness befalling and exerting it self in such more close-walking Believers and righteous persons upon divers accounts : as to say .

1. Sometimes because they see and perceive , and with a carnal eye ( which yet may be in true and right Disciples ; else Christ would not have said to such , If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee ) do behold and look upon the outward prosperity , riches , honours , and welfare of loose ungodly persons that are and continue to be so ; and on the other hand reflect upon their own sufferings and troubles : Thus we finde that good man Asaph confessing to us that such a view of things had like to have turn'd him aside , and made him slip : yea , it brought him to such a pass as that he was actually envious at the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked , and came to this conclusion , Verily in vain have I cleansed my heart , and washed my hands in innocency , for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every morning , Psal. 73.13 , 14. Whence also so frequent warnings and councels given to such by the Holy Ghost , Not to envy sinners , nor fret themselves because of such as prosper in wickedness , and that bring evil devices to pass ; as is to be seen in Psal. 37. Prov. 3.29 , 31. and 23.17 , 18. and 24.1.19 , 20. and the same carnal eye that leads to envy and be discontented at God for the outward prosperity of the openly wicked , may lead them to stumble and be displeased at God for giving such upon their repentance more gracious testimonies of his love , and ravishing satisfactions and assurance of Salvation then they have proved or felt in their more sober and zealous walking .

2. Sometimes because God doth heavily try and exercise them with inward and outward troubles and afflictions ; therefore over-weaning their own integrity , righteousness , and good doings , they are ready to expostulate with God , and condemn and fault him as much as this elder Brother his righteous Father : and this was Jobs case , and weakness : sure it is that he was no Pharisee ( as that word is used to signifie a seemingly righteous man only , and a real Hypocrite ) for he hath testimony from God that he was a perfect man , and upright above any in the Land , one fearing God , and eschewing evil ; and he could in truth ( and did ) say a great deal of his uprightness and integrity , his holy , blameless , and good demeanor , in chap. 29. and 31. more then any man scarce can say I believe , and so much as put to silence the jealous and false surmises , and groundless charges of his deceitful friends that would have fastned upon him the blame of hypocrisie and wickedness ; and yet he over-valuing his righteousness , and looking , and standing too much upon it , fell into this distemper , to murmur against , and fault the Almighty , condemning him , and disannulling his judgement , that he might be righteous : as this froward Son did , faulting God , in vindication of his own integrity ; as if God punished him without cause , and did more to him then he could answer ; and if a perfect upright man through temptation may fall into such a proud and froward distemper in one case , it may be possible also in another .

3. But we have instances too of righteous and good men , charging God foolishly , and murmuring against men for his and their respect to penitent sinners , and for his equalizing or seeming to prefer them in his kindness , who were below them in their works of righteousness , and over estimated goodness : A three-fold instance at the least we have of this .

1. The believing Jews when they heard that Peter had gone in to Cornelius ( Acts 11.1 . ) and eaten and drunk with them that were professed Gentiles , that is , uncircumcised persons , murmured at him for it , and took him to task , till by repeating the whole matter , with its grounds and reasons to them , he gave them satisfaction ; and then they indeed acquiesced , and glorified God for giving unto them also repentance unto life ; but before they contended with , and accused him , and that 's all that we finde this Son did to his Father ; and as they , after St. Peter had opened the matter to them acquiesced , so might this Son after this defence made by his Father ; for-we finde no reply thereto made by him , nor further mention of him , as we do of the zealous Jews afterward that were Christians , Acts 21. ●0 .

2. The labourers first hired into the Vineyard , Matth. 20.1 , 11. when they came to receive their pay , because they that were hired at the eleventh hour of the day , receiving their pay first , received as much as they , who had been hired early in the morning , murmured against the Master of the house , as if he had done them wrong , in making them who had laboured but a little while equal in their pay with them who had born the burden and heat of the day , saying , These have wrought but one hour , and thou hast made them equal with us ver. 12. and yet these appear to have been righteous persons ; for in his answer he excepts not against their saying , they had born the burthen and heat of the day , as accusing them of falshood in their plea , and as if they had been unrighteous loyterers , and not labourers , and they were rewarded for their work according to agreement , and promise , and had the same reward as those last that seemed to be more favoured : Their exception against him was not that they had less then he had promised them , or then they had been content at first to labour all the day for , but only that he made the last that had wrought so little a time equal with them , to whom therefore all his answer is , Friend I do thee no wrong , didst thou not agree with me for a peny ? is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ? is thine eye evil because mine is good ? take that thine is , and go thy way , I will give to this last as unto thee , ver. 13 , 14 , 15. Indeed this is not altogether the same case : but if righteous rewardable persons ( such as the Apostles , for so the occasion of the parable which was St. Peters taking notice of what they had done , for Christ seems to carry it ) may in consideration of their labours , and Gods bounty to others that have laboured less , fall into such distempers for his goodness to them , because equalized with them in the reward ; may it not be easier in case God seems to them to prefer such before them therein , or rather such as have done him great disservice upon their acknowledging only , and repenting of their sin ? as it happened to St. Paul .

3. The Prophet Jonah undoubtedly was a good and gracious man , being a Prophet of the Lord , and a Type of Christ , and yet he fell into a peevish distemper , like to this of this elder Son , because God had not more respect to him , and his honour , and credit , as a Prophet ( as he thought its likely it would tend to his disparagement ) then to repenting Nineveh which was threatned by him before their repentance to be destroyed after forty dayes time . The repenting Ninivites were like this repenting Prodigal , They believed Gods threatning , and repented , and put away their evil works ; and God also repented of the evil which he had threatned to bring upon them , and destroyed them not . And as the Fathers entertainment of his Son displeased the elder Brother here : so did Gods mercy and indulgence to Nineveh displease Jonah there : for it is said , The thing displeased Jonah exceedingly ( as if it had been some great evil that had befallen him ) and he was angry with him , and he prayed unto the Lord and said , Jonah 4. I pray thee , O Lord , was not this the saying that I said while I was yet in mine own Land ; therefore fled I before unto Tarshish ? for I knew that thou art gracious , and merciful , long-suffering , and of great kindeness , and repentest thee of the evil : and now , O Lord , take I beseech thee my life from me , for it is better for me to die then to live . What a peevish froward temper was this good man in , that could have been content to have died for grief that Nineveh was spared ? whence the Lord said to him , Doest thou well to be angry ? and shewed him his folly , in that , when Jonah went out of the City , and sate and abode on the East-side of it , and had made a Booth , and sate under it till he might see what would become of the City ; and God had prepared a Gourd , which grew up above Jonah , and was a shade to him , defending him from the heat of the Sun , so that he was exceeding glad of it : He also prepared a worme , that on the morrow smote the Gourd that it withered ; and in the morning he prepared an East-winde that was drying , and the Sun beat upon Jonah's head , so as he fainted , so as he then desired to dye rather then to live : whereupon the Lord said to him , Doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd , and he in his great frowardness replyed , I do well to be angry to the death , justifying himself in his frowardness as this Elder Son did ; as if God had done him a double injury , one , in being so merciful to that cruel , bloody , heathenish City , and another in being so harsh to him , as to take away the comfort and shelter of the Gourd from him , thereby exposing him to so much trouble ; much what as this Elder Son quarrelled with his Father for his supposed straitness to him , and for his goodness to his Brother , till God answered him there as the Father did his Son here , to allay his heat and passion , saying , Thou hast pitty on that Gourd that thou never labouredst for , neither didst thou make it to grow , but it sprung up in a night , and perished in a night , and should not I have mercy on Nineveh , a great City , in which are more then six score thousand persons which know not their right hand from their left , besides much Cattle ? Shewing ( as our Lord in these Parables ) how apt men are to be pittiful towards , and tender over trifles , and yet they are ready to take it ill , that God so tenders , and shews his compassion to the immortal souls of his choice creatures .

Indeed there was a difference between Jonah and this Elder Son , if we take for true his passionate proclaiming his own dutifulness and obedience . Jonah could not say as he , that he never at any time transgressed any of Gods Commandments ; for he had but a little be-before gone quite contrary to his Commandement , flying to Tarshish , when God sent him at the first to preach to Nineveh , for which God made him smart , by causing him to be cast into the Sea , where he had perished had he not upon his repentance and crying to God found wonderous mercy from him , in prepaparing a Whale , and causing it after three dayes and three nights to vomit him out upon the shore , safe and sound . But this was such a circumstance as renders the case far more for our advantage ; for one would have thought that such a notable transgression deserving such , and a greater punishment , and putting him upon such a need of crying for mercy himself , and such a signal unparallel'd mercy obtained of God , should have made him more to compassionate others that sinned , and more well-pleased , that they should in their repentance obtain mercy too . Experiences of miseries use to make men more compassionate to others , and mercies shewed to our selves should make us more desirous of mercy to others , whom like or worse miseries have either layen upon , or are at present impending over : but it was otherwise with Jonah , he that had needed and cryed for , and obtained mercy for himself but a little before , without which he had been no more heard of , even he hardens his heart against such as needed like mercy now , and could be angry unto death , that God should take such care to call them to repentance , and upon their repenting spare them . Now if truly righteous persons after great lapses themselves , and mercies received , may murmur at Gods mercies to others , because they obtain mercy upon repentance , who had before deserved to have been destroyed : how much more may it befall such persons , having in their apprehensions never so offended , or been in such a plunge , but alwayes in a posture of duty and obedience , being puft up thereby to fall into passions and offences , to see gross sinners upon an appearingly slighty repentance , received to such favours as they have never had experience of the like ?

These things seem to render valid the interpretation of the words that I have given ; besides the words themselves answered here by the Father to his froward Son ; Son thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine , which agree unto none so properly as unto truly righteous , and obedient Children . And the words so looked upon , though they do not suit just with the generality of the Jews or Pharisees , who were Hypocrites , nor may be so construed as to render them truly righteous ; yet by an argument from the greater to the less , do more strongly reprove them after this sort . If persons truly righteous , and in the main dutiful and obedient , have no cause to murmur at Gods great mercies towards grievous sinners , if upon their repentance they be not only pardoned , but also meet with such joyes and expressions of gladness in God and his Servants , as themselves never had proof and experience of ; much less have formal Professors , carnal Christians , or Hypocrites , that have nothing but a form of Worship , and an appearance of Godliness and Devotion , and that mixed too , with great blindeness , opposition to Christ , his wayes and truth , and with many other great latent evils ( and some open enough too sometimes ) much less I say have such cause to murmur at Gods mercies to penitent sinners , and think themselves slighted in that their formal , out-side , and Pharisaical Professions are less regarded : forasmuch as their formal Devotion and Religion is far short of the grosser Sinners hearty repentance and turning unto God . Such sinners might say to them , as the Thief upon the Cross to his fellow that mocked at Christ , Fearest thou not God , seeing thou art in the same condemnaton , in as bad a condition by thy resting in an ignorant , formal , out-side profession , without inward life and power , and therein indulging thy self in some seemingly less , but as well forbidden corruptions ( such as their swearing by the Temple , and by the Altar , and thinking themselves guiltless therein , when God had forbidden to swear , save by his Name , and by his Name too , customarily , rashly , or falsly ; somewhat like mens swearing by their Faith and Troth , or by the Mass , or by the Name of God customarily , and such other Oaths in which they hold themselves innocent , Mat 23.16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ) Yea and adding to thy other sins that that makes thee equal with the chief sinners , viz. opposition to Gods Wayes , Truths and people , even to the Name of his only Son , called upon by them ( as Paul tells us when he had reckoned up many great sinners , as ungodly , unholy , prophane , murtherers of Fathers , murtherers of Mothers , Whoremongers , defilers of themselves with mankinde , Man-stealers , &c. for whom he sayes Christ Jesus came into the world to save them ; yet speaking of himself that had been of the straitest Sect of Religion among the Jews , and abhorred and hated those grosser wayes of ungodliness ; yet because he had in his ignorant zeal for God and his Church , and the Traditions of the Elders , blasphemed Christ , and his Truth , and People , and been a persecutor of , and injurious ro them : he stiles himself therefore the chief of sinners , ( as if a greater sinner then those Thieves , Whoremongers , and Murtherers before spoken of by him ) thou I say art in as bad a condition as I poor prodigal was in before I repented , and how much worse then now I am , in having repented ; such as are so far guilty themselves ( as the Pharisees more generally had a spice of that persecuting spirit against Christ and his Doctrine ) have I say no cause to murmur against Gods goodness to repentant sinners , but had need rather to repent them with them that they might obtain like mercy also : as our Saviour implies that the Publicans and Harlots repentance , and being thereupon admitted into Gods Kingdom , and so into a state of righteousness , peace , and joy in the Holy Ghost ( Rom. 14.17 . ) should have moved the Pharisees to repentance with them of their formal and pharisaical righteousness , and other sinful evils found with them . To that purpose is what is written in Matth. 21.31 , 32. Verily I say unto you , that the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you ( before you Pharisees , formal Professors , superstitiously righteous ) for John came unto you in the way of righteousness , and ye believed him not ; but the Publicans and the Harlots believed him : and ye when ye had seen it , repented not that ye might believe . I do not say then that all that murmur at Gods goodness to repenting Sinners , are really righteous , and the Sons of God . No , the generality of the Scribes and Pharisees were not so , nor were the false Teachers and the Preachers up of Circumcision in the Primitive Churches such , who were greatly offended at the Gentiles finding such mercy as to be received in , in their uncircumcision in the flesh , into the number of Gods Saints , and holy ones . The Apostle gives them other Characters , when he sayes , Beware of dogs , beware of evil workers , beware of the concision , Phil. 3.2 . and sayes of such , That their end was destruction , ver. 19. and that they were false Apostles , deceitful workers , messengers , and Ministers of Sathan , and the like , 2 Cor. 11.13 , 14 , 15. But I say such as cleave to God their Father , and depart not from him in faith or life , that are ever with him , and have interest in all he hath , these are truly righteous persons through Christ in the main , though they also may possibly be sometimes leavened with the leaven of the Pharisees , their corrupt principles or wayes , if they take not heed thereof , as is implyed , Matth. 16.6 . they may have froward , sullen , peevish , and envious fits befal them : yea , and besides , our Saviour for better winning in the Pharisees , and taking off their prejudices , might ( and I think did sometime ) speak to them upon supposal of their being ( what they judged themselves to be ) truly righteous : as in Matth. 9.13 . I came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance .

CHAP. V. A three-fold state of men considered in the Text , The first , The state of righteous Walkers , in three Branches ; the first Branch opened and applyed .

THE words then being thus explicated and cleared , as to the two Sons therein mentioned , let us go forward ; and I observe in them a threefold state or way of men here spoken to , which I shall desire a little briefly to consider as God shall assist therein .

1. The good state of truly righteous and obedient persons walking in the fear and obedience of the Lord ; and that is set forth in the first Branch of the reply of the Father to his elder Son , ver. 31. Son thou art ever with me , and all that I have is thine .

2. The sad and deplorable state of persons departing and wandring from God in the wayes of sin , and that is impliedly contained in the latter expressions of the latter part of his reply , viz. in these words , Thy Brother was dead , was lost ,

3. The comfortable estate of such wanderers returned to God by repentance , and that is signified in the whole latter part of the said reply , verse 32. It was meet that we should make merry , and be glad , for this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , he was lost and is found . Of these in order .

The first state .

And first for the good estate of the obeyers and walkers with God , it is signified in a three-fold expression , viz.

1. In the compellation , Son . They are the Sons of God .

2. In the first Branch of the assertion to him , Thou art ever with me . They are ever with God . And

3. In the latter Branch of it , and all that I have is thine . They have interest in all that is Gods . A happy portion , and such , as one would think , if minded , might content any one , and preserve them from envying at either the portion of the world , or the portion of , or Gods dealing with , any of their Brethren . View we it in each of these Branches in order .

1 Branch .

First , They that abide with God , and depart not from him , but walk righteously before him , they are the Sons of God .

1. Men might be called the Sons of God by virtue of their Creation , in which they received their being of , and from God , much more then a childe his being from his Parents ; and so ( as we noted before ) it s said , The Son of Adam , which was the Son of God , Luke 3.38 . and by the Poet recited and approved by the Apostle Paul , Acts 17.28 , 29. For we are also his off-spring : from which the Apostle infers , forasmuch then as we are the off-spring of God , we ought not to think that the God-head is like to Gold , &c. For indeed God made man in his own Image and Likeness , and therefore also man resembling God in some respects , as the Son the Father , might there-from be called and accounted his Son . But that image and likeness ( especially as to any holiness , purity , innocency , right knowledge , yea , or any right of dominion over the creatures , liberty of will , or the like ) was wholly lost in our departing from him , and sinning against him , we being there-through filled with the poison of sin , the spawn and likeness of the Devil , the old Serpent , and inslaved by , and to him , children of wrath , and heirs of destruction , though the relation of creatures abode still , yet the likeness of children was wholly lost , But ,

2. God so loved the world , that he sent his only begotten Son thereinto to be the Saviour of the world , and to that purpose made him of a woman , and under the Law , that he might bear our sins in his own body on the Tree , and by giving himself a ransome and sacrifice to Justice for all men , as the Lamb of God , take away the sin of the world , by bearing and satisfying for it in himself , and destroying by his death , him that had the power over death , even the Devil and his works ( Heb. 2.14 . 1 John 3.8 . ) might free us , or buy us from under his acquired jurisdiction and tyranny over us , and from the wrath and destruction due to us , into his own Dispose , Lordship , and Jurisdiction , to be ruled over , and disposed of by him , John ● . 16 , 17. 1 John 4.14 . Gal. 4.4 , 5. 1 Pet. 2.24 . 1 Tim. 2.6 . John 1.29 . Rom. 14.9 . For to this end he both died , rose , and revived , that he might be Lord of both quick and dead . Now in this that he became man , he took the man-hood into unity of person with himself , so as in him Man is become the Son of God , the only begotten Son of God , even the man Christ Jesus , as he was also mightily declared to be by the Spirit of Holiness in the Resurrection of the dead , as it is said , Thou art my Son , this day have I begotten thee , Rom. 1.3 , 4. Acts 13.33 . and in that he in that nature hath suffered for us ( the just for the unjust ) and is become the propitiation for our sins , even for the sins of the whole world , and hath received into himself the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Spirit ( so as he may communicate to us thereof , and Baptize us therewith ) he hath opened a way for us lost men to recover our nighness and likeness to God again , that we receiving remission of sins through his Blood , might be also adopted , and taken into the account of his Sons , being begotten by him , through the revelation of his Son to us , and of the grace in and by him , to believe on his Son , and approach to , hope in , and worship him in and by his Son . Yea , and

3. Because that man-hood which he purposed to cloath his Son with , that body he prepared for him , he chose and took it of the seed of Abraham , Isaack , and Jacob ; therefore to their seed also he of his Grace and Favour gave the adoption of Sons , as it is said of the Jews , They are Israelites , to whom pertaineth the adoption , the glory , &c. Rom. 9.4 . when he is speaking of Israel after the flesh , and such as for whom he could have wished himself accursed , and had great heaviness , and continual sorrow in his heart , through the consideration of that state of unbelief they then lay in : wherefore also of Israel it is said , Israel is my Son , my first-born ; and I say unto thee , let my Son , my first-born go , Exod. 4.22 . His Son , both because Christ his Son ( in respect of the flesh he was to take ) was in them , or some of them , and in respect of the knowledge of Christ they , the rest also , were called to ; or also the Covenant ( the substance of which was Christ ; as it is said , I have given him for a Covenant of the people , Isa. 42.6 . and 49.6 and 55.3 . I will make an everlasting Covenant with you , the sure mercies of David Which the Apostle interprets to be Christ risen again , Acts. 13.34 ) into which after a sort they were initiated and grafted by Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith that Abraham had ; being yet uncircumcised , as the Apostle saith , Rom. 4.11 . even the righteousness by the faith of Christ , through whom , and with respect to whom they were taken into Gods house , and accounted , and called his Sons , and Children , yea , and there abiding in subjection to his instructions they continued so ; but many of them not understanding and walking in the Faith of Abraham , of the righteousness whereof Circumcision was the Seal , but resting short , or wandring out of it , yea , and opposing of it , they became so far from being the Sons of God , that they were by our Saviour , and John the Baptist , ( John 8.44 . ) rightly stiled , Serpents , a generation of Vipers , yea , the seed or children of the Devil , Mat. 3.8 . and 23.33 .

4. Yea , whereas God gave to that people , a holy and righteous Law , to convince them of sin , and shew them their need of Christ , and the forgiveness of their sins through him , and to signifie and shadow him out with the grace in and by him , that as by a School-master they might be directed to him to seek him and righteousness , and life in him : Whence it is said , Moses wrote of him , and the Law witnessed to the righteousness of God , that is , by the faith of him , Gal. 3.23 , 24 , 25. John 5.46 . Rom. 3.21 . Many of them not understanding the Law , nor seeing to the end thereof ( which was Christ for righteousness to every one that believeth , Rom. 10.4 . being blinded by their unbelief , and listning to Satan , and closing their eyes and stopping their ears against Gods Doctrine , ( who so speaks of Christ in all his teachings , that whosoever hears and learns of him , comes to him , John 6.45 . ) rested only in the Type , Shadow , and work of the Law , seeking righteousness as it were thereby , and not coming to Christ for life nor submitting to him as the righteousness of God , but stumbling at him ( John 5.40 . Rom. 10.3 . ) yet these not seeing their sinfulness , and the curse they were under by the Law in all their works , but conceiting themselves alive in the observations of it , took themselves to be the Children of God , and are called in a sense as the Children of God : either they or the Judaizing Christians ( which I think the likelier ) being compared to one of the Sons of Abraham , who bare a kinde of Type or representation of God in his two sons . But these indeed are servants or such sons as Ishmael ( the Law gendring to bondage ) and so bond-men , and not such Sons as are ever with God , as a Son with his Father , but were to be cast out , and are cast out with their Mother that bare them from inheriting with those that are indeed his Sons , as Isaac was ; and of this stamp too , are they that being ignorant and neglective of the Grace of God in Christ do live upon their duties and observances of outward ordinances under the Gospel , 2 Cor. 3.13 , 14 , 15. and 4.4 . Matth. 13.15 . Rom. 9.30 , 31 , 32. and 10.3 . John 8.41 . Gal. 4.22 , 30. Luke 18.9 , 11. and such Sons the Pharisees might be . But ,

5. They , and they only , that being Baptized into Christ , or initiated into him do put on Christ , or being called of God to him , do receive him , own , entertain , and believe in him ; do by vertue of him , and in union with him , become the Sons of God ( in the choice sense of of it ) and attain that dignity and priviledge so to be made and called , being in the gracious call of God to him overcoming them to receive and believe in him , born also of God , begotten of that immortal seed of his word , that lives and abides for ever ; and in believing on Christ receive ( by and through him ) the spirit of Son-ship , even the Spirit of the Son , framing them to a child-like love to , and confidence in God , as their Father , and infusing into them his Divine Nature ; and so renewing them in ( or in them ) the Image of Christ Jesus his only begotten Son , and making them like to him by degrees , Who is the first-born amongst many brethren , Rom. 8.29 . And now sure they that being thus made Sons of God do also follow after , and are led by , and so retain the Spirit of the Son , are and must needs be the Sons of God , as it is said , To them that received Christ , to them he gave this priviledge to become the Sons of God , even to those that believe in his name , who are born not of blood , nor of the will of the flesh , nor of the will of man , but of God , John 1.12 , 13. and Ye are all the Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ , Gal. 4.26 . and If ye know that he is righteous , ye know that every one that doth righteousness ( namely in believing on him , and so being led by his Spirit ) is born of him . Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us , that we should be called the Sons of God , 1 John 2.29 . and 3.1 . and So many as are led by the Spirit of God , they are the Sons of God , Rom. 4.14 , 15. being thereby led into , and kept in union with , and dependence on the Son of God , and made like to him in conformity , in righteousness , holiness , &c. And indeed men being made the Sons of God by this divine regeneration into , and in the Son of God and brought to God , what can unson them again , if they abide and tarry with God , not departing from him ? God who at so dear a rate , and in so great love hath made them his Sons , will not out of mutability of minde , unson them again . No , his gifts and calling are without repenting of them , Rom. 11.29 . Sins and failings they may have , froward passions , and peevish distempers as other ( mens ) Sons and Children have and may have ; and therefore as in their infancy and minority under the Law , they were under Tutors and Governors , to nurture and order them till the time appointed of the Father , Gal. 4.1 , 2 , 3. So also still they may need to feel the rod of their Father , ( though no longer under the tutorage of Moses Law as formerly ) as it is said , Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth , Heb. 12.6 . and such will be their state while here , till they come to perfect age , To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ , till they see him as he is ; for then they shall be compleatly like him , and have nothing more of ignorance , error , frowardness , or disobedience in them , Eph. 4.14 . 1 John 3.1 , 2. but those frailties and failings , peevishnesses , and passions , do not unson them , unless they wholly turn them out from Christ the Son , in whom they have their Son-ship , and are Sons . Indeed if any depart from him , so as to be abolished from him , then they fall from that Grace and Favour in which the Believer and abider stands even from the Grace of Son-ship . Christ shall profit them nothing , Gal. 5.2 , 3. or as the Parable hath it , become Sons dead and lost , that are as if they were not , and without a reviving perish from Gods presence ; and if they may be called Sons , as Abraham calls the rich man in Hell his Son , they can have but only the title and the quondam relation ; the nighness and priviledges of Sons with their Father , and in his house they can never obtain , when the gulf is fixt upon them for ever and ever ; as the Parable hath it in Luke 16.25 , 26. But the walkers with God , the continuers in his Faith , Fear , and Service , must needs be his Sons , inasmuch as they abide in Christ his Son . Such the first Branch of this hapy state , they are Sons of God .

Vse . 1.

And is this nothing , or is it but a small matter to be a Son of God ? is it not a very spring , in and through Christ , of infinite and unspeakable hope and consolation ? a Son of God , who is great in power , rich in glory , in mercy , in wisdom , in love and goodness , able to do all things , good to all , and his tender mercies , over all his works , bountiful to Servants that are but hirelings , and serve him only for their own interests and rewards , and may not abide in the house for ever , being not made Sons . How many hired Servants ( saith the Prodigal ) are in my Fathers house , that have bread enough and to spare , Luke 15.17 . Yea good to his enemies , loving them , and doing good to all ; making his Sun to shine , and rain to fall on the good , and on the bad , the unthankful and evil , giving whole Lordships , yea , and Kingdoms of this world in his great bounty to them also , that regard him not b●t hate him ; careful of the very inferiour creatures , feeding the Ravens , caring for the Fowls of Heaven , even the little Sparrows , five of which are sold for two farthings , and not one of them is forgot before him . Yea , he giveth food to all flesh , for his mercy endureth for ever . If David counted it so great an honor and priviledge to be Son in Law to Saul , an earthly and mortal King , whose breath was in his nostrils , and his power of narrow compass in comparison of Gods ( as well as his goodness ) Oh what may not a soul promise it self of felicity and happiness in being the Son , the adopted and genuine Son of a King so great , so full , so good , so free , so liberal to , and careful of all , even of the worst men and creatures , as God is ? what cannot , what will not such a Father do for his Children ? especially such Children too , as obey and abide with him ? Yea , what may they not upon that consideration incourage themselves to look for , and expect from him , having also such an elder Brother with him as is infinitely perfect and dear to him to plead for them , and take away the defects and sailings of their obedience towards him ? shall he be good to strangers , provide for inferiour creatures , give large crumbs and offals to dogs , and birds , and beasts ; and will he not give what is convenient to his children ? surely yes : Shall he give good things to his enemies , and neglect his children ? surely no. Surely he hath far better things for them , then for any others not so near to him , nor in such relation with him . It is our Saviours argument , Consider the fowls of the air , for they sowe not , neither do they reap , nor gather into barns ; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them . Mark the Emphasis . Your Father , and therefore loves you : Your heavenly Father , who in that he is heavenly , is above all , and hath all power , and all creatures subject to him ; and in that he is heavenly , is holy and pure from earthly affections , as covetousness and other passions , which our earthly Fathers are bemudded with . He is your Father , your heavenly Father ; yet he feeds them that are of no compare with him to you , and to whom he owns no such relation : shall he feed them and neglect you ? what earthly Father will do so , to feed his chickens , and forget or famish his children ? much less can or will your heavenly Father , Matth. 6.26 . and the like in Matth. 10.29 . Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing , and not one of them shall ●all to the ground without your Father : as ●f he would say , doth he that is so ▪ early related , and dearly affected to you , who stiles himself your Father , and owns you as his Children , take such care of so inconsiderable a creature as a sparrow , two whereof are sold for a farthing , and who are so infinitely below him , that he stiles not himself in such a relation to them ; and can he neglect you who are his Children , whom he hath so valued as to give a price greater then heaven and earth , even his own Son for you ? Fear ye not therefore , ye are of more value ( namely with him ) then many sparrows . This then is a relation estating in such a condition as affords exceeding ground of highest confidence , and greatest expectation in and through Christ ( in whom he makes and takes us for his Children ) of greatest advantages , and fullest happiness , and in the mean while of all that he that is so great and good can do for us , and sees good and meet to be done . Behold then what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us ( who are in Christ Jesus ) that we should be called the Sons of God . Surely it s well worthy of our beholding , for there is in it to be seen heighth and strength of love and affection , and matter of marvellous consolation : and in beholding this we may

2. Behold also how infinitely we are ingaged to God , and to our Lord Jesus Christ to love and live to them , to honour and glorifie them ; for what love was that , that led the Father to give his only begotten Son to be the Son of Man , and thereby exposed to all the miseries of man , yea , all that man by his sin had deserved as its just reward to be sustained and born by him , that he might open the way from destruction , to such an high priviledge as Son-ship to God by him , and make him the root of it for and to us , through what he hath done to him in the body he prepared and gave him ? could it be less then infinite love in him that moved him to design such exaltation of so base and vile creatures as we , by the so great abasement of one so high and glorious as he ? and oh what love was that in Christ Jesus , what grace , what pitty , what mercy and kindeness not to shrink back from the state of service to make us sons ; yea from the state of sin and death , For he that knew no sin , was made sin for us , that we might be made the righteousness of God in him , and died for all , that through him we might attain such dignity and glory as cannot be valued by us ? how should it engage our hearts and affections to him , and make us ready with all diligence to obey and live to him , that to such , and so glorious an end died for us , and rose again ? For he was made under the Law for such as were under the Law ( as in a sense all were , Rom. 3.19 . ) that we being redeemed from the Law , might receive the adoption of Sons , Gal. 4.4 , 5.

2. Herein also we may see and be instructed into the way whereby sinners may be made the Sons of God , even they that are not so , but are the children of wrath : For as Christ hath by his sufferings opened and made the way for it , so he thereby as raised from the dead , and taken up to glory in the nature of man , and owned as the Son of God , and glorified , is become the root of Son-ship unto us , as is said ; and therefore the way for us to be made the Sons of God , is to receive and close with him the Son of God : as God is commending him and setting him forth to us by his Word and Spirit , so to be diligent to hear and learn of him , that being therein drawn , we may come to , and believe on him , who cannot of our selves come to him , nor have any way to be the Sons of God in truth , but in and by him received and believed on , as the Apostle James also instructs us ; when having said , Of his own good will begot he us by the word of truth , that we might be a kinde of first-fruits of his creatures to him , James 1.18 , 19. Then he addes , Let every one be swift to hear , slow to speak , and slow to wrath ; namely , that so he also may be begotten of him to like priviledges . In Gods drawing us then with the cords of love , and bands of a man , take heed of breaking his bands , and casting his cords from us ; of closing the eye , and stopping the ear , and hardening the heart , lest we should see with the eye , and hear with the ear , and be converted , and Christ should heal us , and advance us to so high favour and dignity , and so we deprive our selves thereof : but hear we his voice while its called to day , and yield we to his drawings of us , to believe in him ; obey we and follow we after the Holy Spirit , sent forth in his Name , with his Word , and Doctrine to us , to convince us of sin , and glorifie him to us , that in obeying his voice , we may be led to him , and knowing his name through his light and teaching , we may by his renewing , quickning vertue be framed and strengthned to believe in him , John 6 45. and so being born of Water , and of the Spirit , may be made the Sons of God in him , Phil. 9.10 . John 3.3 .

3. Yea , what ground of content with our conditions may we here see , being brought into Christ , and made thee Sons of God by faith in him ? what cause or ground is there for such to envy or murmur at others for being high born , rich , honourable , or mighty in this world ? what 's all the dignity and happiness of the greatest Princes Children , or of the wealthiest and most potent Monarchs , in comparison of the happiness of those that have God for their Father , and can truly say they are born of him ? How poor and sorry shadows are all titles , excellencies , and enjoyments to what this dignity admits to , and to the substance that is therein ? should a Princes Son envy another , because he is Son to the Mayor of some decayed Corporation ? or because he wears a few glittering brazen Buttons , or silken Ribbands , when he happily hath none such , but hath that that is ten thousand times more precious on him ? Nay not only no ground to envy sinners , but none to envy any other Sons of God , or any of our Brethren ; for what have they right to , but we have also the same , having one Father , and one infinite Inheritance in and with him , all in common ; though we have not the same stature , the same employments , the same garb , yet we have the same rich , powerful , and loving Father , that is an impartial lover of his Children , and designs to make them all his children in sharing his Inheritance amongst them , or rather making each of them heirs of the whole ground here is of love rightly considered , but of envy and fretting for the Fathers now smiling upon one rather then upon another , none .

4. Yea , what folly and madness must they needs be guilty of , that having in and through Christ way made , and advantage afforded for attaining this dignity , either take up so much content in being the children of some mortal rich or great ones , or in having such earthy estates , pleasures , or fading enjoyments ; or else are so taken up with care to get , and keep some earthy worldly things that will not either satisfie or save them , that they utterly neglect and trample under feet like Swine , or very luke-warmly and coldly seek after , and so miss for want of more hearty seeking , such a pearl of so infinite value as this is ? as if there were more in being the Sons or Daughters of Gentlemen , Knights , or Princes , or more in a few perishing riches , deceitful pleasures , or empty titles , or honours , then in being the Sons of the highest , and having his favour and affection placed for ever on us ? Sure this is great folly and madness , and yet through the deceits of Sin and Satan it is most common .

5. And how might it provoke such as are the Sons of God to cleave to , and tarry at home , as it were with him ; and to that purpose to beware of accompanying themselves with the world , or being unequally yoaked , and bound up with them , lest they draw them into disobedience and rebellion , and so to deprive themselves of the love and friendship of so high a Father , and provoke his anger and displeasure against them , but rather take the Apostles counsel and keep to it , to Come out from amongst the world , and be separate to God in Christ , and not touch the unclean things , the unclean principles or practices of the world , that so God may receive them , more and more , as his , and be their Father , and they may be to him as Sons and Daughters : Yea , as obedient children not to fashion themselves to the lusts of their former ignorance , but as he that hath called us is holy to be holy in all manner of conversation , 2 Corinth. 6.14 , 17 , 18. 1 Pet. 1.14 , 15 , 16 , 17.

6. And it may provoke them to behave themselves as the Sons of God , and so ,

1. To be followers of God as dear children , imitating him in love , mercy , and goodness , as Ephes. 4.32 and 5.1 .

2. Seeking to honour God as their Father , in word and conversation , Malachy 1.6 .

3. And to that end , to live chearfully in God , not giving way to , or sinking under cares and fears , &c. Phil. 4 , 4 , 5 , 6. 1 Pet. 5.7 . Luke 12.32 .

4. Loving their Brethren as Sons of God also with them , Ephes. 5.1 , 2.

5. Putting on , and wearing such apparel as becomes such high born persons , Putting on as the elect of God , holy , and beloved , bowels of mercy , meekness , humbleness of minde , &c. Col. 3.9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13.

6. Living above the world , and the things of it , yea , contemning such worldly lusts , and delights , as far below them , 1 Pet. 2 11. Tit. 2.11 , 12. And great is the advantage of being obedient children to God , and not running from him , but living as his children with him , as follows .

CHAP. VI. The second Branch opened and applied .

THOV art ever with me . They that are obedient to God and Christ , and depart not away through pride and folly from him , have the advantage of being ever with him : For God doth not ( as other Fathers sometimes do ) send away his Children to live from him ; they that forsake not him shall not be forsaken or thrust away by him . They that come unto Christ , and so unto God in Christ , he will in no wise cast them away , or lose them , John 6.33 . and 18.9 . Other Fathers that have divers Children must send some of them away , because they either want love for them all , or if not , yet have not alwayes room for them all in their Houses and Farms , or the like ; but it s not so with God , he hath room enough in his heart for them all , and room , and bread , and provision enough in his house for them all too , and for more then all . The same love that led him to beget them through the painful sufferings of his Son , and the troublesome travels of his Soul , and by the powerful influences of his Spirit , leads him also to keep and look to them .

And thus they are in and by vertue of Christ , who is their Head , and in whom they are as Branches in the Stock or Root , John 15.4 . as members in the Head , or in union with it by Faith and Spirit , being in Christ they are in him ever with God ; for he is ever with him in his presence , in his bosom , at his right hand , in his power and authority , ruling and ordering all things , for , and over , and about them ; and as the great High-Priest making intercession for them .

We were with God , even all men in our first Parents in the Garden of Eden , injoying intercourse with him , till we in them offended , and sinned , and then he justly cast us out thence as unclean and nasty creatures , and banished us from his presence , setting a Cherubim , with a flaming Sword in his hand to keep us thence : yet not content to leave us so , in his pitty and mercy he devised a way , a new and living way , by which he might without violation to his truth and justice ( which stood against us as in our selves become sinners ) admit us again into his presence , and have intercourse with us . To that purpose he sent his Son into the world for us , and he became as a banished person from his presence for a time , crying out as forsaken of his Father ; that so taking away the sentence of banishment by satisfying the demands of Law and Justice in his own body for all men ( as fallen in Adam , and therefore expelled from him ) he might become himself the way of access ( the fiery flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubim that was every way wielded against us , being removed by his being made under , and bearing the sentence of the fiery Law for us ) and by him now we may return to God again . He hath suffered for us , the just for the unjust , that he might bring us to God , 1 Pet. 3.18 . To which purpose being raised again , and become the mediator of God and us , he calls us by him to himself ; and though we are so unclean in our selves , that he can admit us to no immediate fellowship with himself , yet in and by him , Who is the way , the truth , the life , the new and living way , that makes alive and clean , righteous and holy , all that enter into , and walk in him , and so come unto God by him ( he being made to us of God , Wisdom , Righteousness , Holiness , and Redemption ) there he can speak to , and commune with us , from off that mercy-seat , and admit us to behold him , present our selves to and before him , and have most intimate and intire fellowship with him , and no way , or where else . By him , as the door and gate of life opened for all ( though strait to the flesh , because of its crossness to its corrupt wisdom , will , and affections , and because of the many reproaches , persecutions , and afflictions attending it , so as few finde and enter it ) he invites all to return to God again , Commanding all men by the Gospel every where to repent , Acts 17.30 : and sending forth his Spirit with his calls , in which he stretcheth forth his hand and power , that thereby men might be inlivened , quickned , and strengthned to approach to God by him . And through him by that one Spirit , all , whether Jews or Gentiles that listen to , and close with him , have access , and come to the Father , so as they are no longer strangers , or forreignors , but fellow Citizens , with the Saints , and of the houshold of God , Eph. 2.17 , 18 , 19. Prov. 1.23 , 24 , 32. and so being made the Sons of God in Christ , are also ever with him .

1. With him , on his side to take part with him , as in that sense Hezekiah saith , 2 Chron. 32.7 , 8. There be more with us then there are with him , with us is the Lord our God . And our Saviour saith , He that is not against me is with me , and He that is not against us is with us ; but that is not so properly the sense here . As ,

2. With him , nigh to him , A people near unto the Lord , Psal. 148. ult. made nigh by the blood of Jesus , shed for , and sprinkled on them , Eph. 2.13 . so nigh that he is within their call : when they cry and call to him he hears them . The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him , to all that call upon him in truth , he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him ; he also will hear their cry , and he will save them , Psal. 145.18 , 19. within his view and favourable sight . The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous , and his ears open to their cries , Psal. 34.14 . within his favourable reach or touch ; so that he can as he pleases , and doth as need is , uphold them when they are like to fall , and gives them with the right hand of his righteousness , what he pleases : so nigh him as they may also hear his voice , see his face , behold his fair beauty , take hold of his arm , or his strength , hold them by him , and lean upon him , Psal. 94.17 , 18 , 19. and 34.24 . and 63.8 . 2 Chron. 13.18 . and 16.8 . Isa. 27.4 .

3. With him , in fellowship with him , 1 John 2.3 . Our fellowship is with the Father , and with his Son Jesus Christ , and if we walk in the light , as he is in the light , then have we fellowship one with another , verse 7. that is God with us , to take part with us in our sorrows , sufferings , services , &c. In all their afflictions he was afflicted , and the Angel of his presence saved them , in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them , he bare them , and carried them all the dayes of old , Isa. 63.9 . and we with God to take part with him in his grace , strength , fulness , taking hold of his strength , Isa. 27.4 . and Being filled with his fulness . Ephes. 3.19 . yea , they dwell together in one house , Christ Jesus , in whom all the fulness of the God-head dwelleth bodily , and in whom whoso believeth , and in exercise of faith eateth or feeds upon him dwells also , Col. 2.9 . John 6.56 . eating , and drinking , and feasting together ; for Christ is the bread of God , the meat or sacrifice offered to God , and accepted of him , with and through the vertues of whose sacrifice and sufferings , he is cheared and strengthned to forgive sins , to give grace and blessing , and to work all his works in and for us ; as he also is the Vine , whose juyce chears the heart of God , as poured out in drink-offerings to him , and the heart of man as believed in by us ; for God also sets him forth for us to feed upon , His flesh as meat indeed , and his blood as drink indeed for us ; John 6.33.55 . Judges 9.13 . even as of old God had communion with his people in their Sacrifices , taking part by the Altar and Priests for himself , and giving part to the Sacrificers ; so both God and his people feed together in Christ Jesus : Yea God ( the Father here ) would have had his elder Son have come in and eat with him , and his other Son and Servants of the feast prepared , the fatted Calf ; only the elder Sons own frowardness kept him out : and so he is in bed with his children too , sometimes , as it is parabolically expressed , Luke 11.7 . while and they spiritually rest , and repose together in Christ : Such in a sort their fellowship with him , that obey and walk with him .

3. With him , so as in a sense in him . The Church of the Thessalonians , that is in God the Father , and in the Lord Jesus Christ , 1 Thess. 1.1 . and 2 Thess. 1.1 . and we are in him that is true , 1 John 5.20 . in him , because in Christ as to their hopes , heart , love , faith , life . Our life is hid with Christ in God , Col. 3.3 . in him , in his eye or view , For the eye of the Lord is over the righteous , and they are ever in his sight , walking with , and before him , as Noah , Enoch , Abraham , Gen. 17.1 . They being his spiritual House and Temple in Christ , what was said by him of his Temple typically , is true spiritually , and more really as to them , Mine eyes and my heart , saith God , shall be there perpetually , 2 Chron. 7.16 . 1 Pet. 3.1 . in his hand , power , and dispose , to order , hold , or uphold them , yea , to lead , guide , or carry them in his love , All his Saints are in thine hand , Deut. 33.3 . Psal. 139.9 in his minde and remembrance , The Lord thinketh upon me , saith Psal. 40.10 he forgetteth not the cry of the humble , Psal. 9 12 , yea , to that purpose they are ingraven as on the palms of his hand , so as they are ever before him in all his works , Isa. 49.15 . and set as a signet upon his arm ; yea , they are in his heart , his love , and choicest affection , as a seal upon his heart , Cant. 8.6 . his heart is ever upon them . The Lord loveth the righteous , Psal. 146.8 . His countenance doth behold the just , his heart and eye is upon them for good , because of Christ the well beloved of his soul ; as found in him , He loveth them with the love wherewith he loves him , even with a love of delight and pleasure taking , John 17.23 , 26. with 16.28 . Psal. 32.18 . and 147.11 . and 149.4 .

4. With him they are as children with a loving , kinde , and careful Father , who hath all power and sufficiency to help and succour them ; and therefore thence great advantages accrue to them , because being with him , he is also with and for them : as is said , 2 Chron. 15.2 . The Lord is with you while ye are with him , on his side , and in his presence , keeping at home with him ; and this is through Christ , who is Immanuel , God with us . God and man in one person , and the Mediator and band of union between God and man , through him the Lord is with , that is , both on their side , and present with them , by his power , favour , and grace for their helpfulness , whence they have cause of greatest security in him , greatest quietness and confidence ; as appears from that song of the Virgin Souls , Psal. 46. The Lord of Hosts is with us , the God of Jacob is our refuge ; as the burthen of the Song : and that was the spring of their rejoycing , gladness , and fear-exceeding-confidence , expressed by them , verse 2 , 3 , 4. Therefore will we not fear , though the earth be moved , and though the mountains be cast into the depths of the Sea , &c. For from hence they may be sure of .

1. His defence . He being infinite both in power , goodness , and faithfulness ; and being immutable and eternal in what he is : and he having said and promised that he will take the care of , and defend them that are with and obey him : For on all the glory shall be a defence , Isa. 4.5 . The Lord God is a Sun , and a Shield , and he will give grace and glory , and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly , Psal. 84.11 . Thence let all that trust in thee rejoyce . for thou wilt defend them ; with favour wilt thou compass them , as with a shield , Psal. 5.11 , 12. And thence that glorying , The Lord is our defence , the holy one of Israel is our King , Psal. 89.18 . and who can harm them that are with God , as their Father , and have him with , and nigh to them to defend them , as in 1 Pet. 3.13 . yea , they have his defence both .

1. By his Word and his Spirit therein , yea , his only Son , pleading for , and justifying them . He is near that justifieth me , who will contend with me ; let us stand together , Isa. 50.7 , 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect ( those that are in Christ Jesus , walking not after the Flesh , but after the Spirit ; to whom there is no condemnation from God ) It is God that justifieth , who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died , yea , rather is risen again , &c. Romans 8.1 , 33 , 34.

2. By his truth and faithfulness , love and favour , covering them over as wings and feathers , as an Hen her Chickens : I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge , my fortress , my God in whom I will trust , sayes Psal. 91.2 . as one resolving to dwell in Gods secret place , his Christ , his Covenant ; and then saith his Holy Spirit to such , He that so doth , shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty ; and surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler , and from the noysome Pestilence : He shall cover thee with his feathers , and under his wings shalt thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and buckler , ver. 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and With favour will he compass them as with a shield , Psal. 5.12 .

3. By his right hand , which doth valiantly , and brings great things to pass , by that he saveth them that trust in him , Psal. 17.7 . even by his glorious power and providence graciously exercised over them , for and about them , and holding them from falling ; and all these together in one , in Christ Jesus our Lord , Ephes. 1 19 , 20.

2. His counsel , they may certainly expect that also ; for he is nigh to them , to teach and instruct them in the way wherein they should go , and being their Father , will not withhold it from them , they asking it of him , and waiting upon him for it : as it is said , Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel , and that as a consequent of Gods being with him , and he with him ; for so it is said , Psal. 73.22 , 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee ; thou holdest me by my right hand . Thou shalt ( or wilt ) guide me by thy counsel , &c. So also in Psal. 25.12 . Who is the man that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach the way that he shall chuse : and again , I will instruct thee , and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go , I will guide thee with my eye , &c. Psal. 32.8 . and again , In all thy wayes acknowledge the Lord , and he shall direct thy paths , Prov. 3.6 . and this also is an exceeding benefit and advantage , we being childish , foolish , and apt to mistake in our wayes , designs , and undertakings ; and of our selves to chuse what would hurt us .

3. His help and assistance in all services and difficulties , Let your conversation be without covetousness , for he hath said , I will never leave thee nor forsake thee : so that we may boldly say ( infers the Apostle from thence ) the Lord is my helper , &c. Heb. 13.5 , 6. A mighty powerful helper , being God Almighty , and of his help his obedient Children may be secure , through Jesus Christ , covering the imperfections of their obedience , and pleading for them , for help for them , because he is their loving merciful Father : and he helps ,

1. By his Word and Spirit , therein incouraging them to , and in their services , and sufferings , to do and bear what he calls , and leads them to , and that 's a good help in any work or combat to have a loving Father , and one of authority and power , standing by us , and heartning of us as it were , countenancing us by his presence , and speaking comfortably to us : and so doth God to his obedient Children , as we finde him to Israel , Deut. 31.3 , 4 , 6. The Lord will go over before thee , and destroy these Nations from before thee . Be strong , and of a good courage , fear not , nor be afraid of them ; for the Lord thy God he it is that doth go with thee , he will not leave thee nor forsake thee . So also to Joshuah he himself saith the like , Josh. 1.6.7 . Be strong , and of a good courage , for unto this people shalt thou divide the land for an inheritance , &c. Have not I commanded thee . Be strong , and of a good courage ; be not afraid , neither be thou dismayed , for the Lord thy God is with thee , whither soever thou goest , ver. 9. And we may see the like to Gideon , in Judg. 6.14.16 . and to Jeremy , Jer. 1.7 , 8. and to Ezekiel , chap. 2.6 , 7. and 3.8 , 9. and in a word to all that wait on , and hope in him , as Psal. 27.14 . Wait on the Lord , be of good courage , and he will strengthen thine heart ; wait I say on the Lord , and Psal. 31.24 . Wait on the Lord , and he shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in the Lord : so also in Isa. 41.10 , 14. Fear not , for I am with thee ; be not dismayed for I am thy God : I will strengthen thee , yea , I will help thee , yea , I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness : fear not thou worm Jacob. Yea , he will have his Servants also to incourage them , as in Isa. ●5 . 4 . Say to them that are of a fearful heart , Be strong , &c. and so he comforts them in their griefs , John 14.16 17.

2. By his Word and Spirit , putting in strength into them both for doing and suffering his will and pleasure , as Psal. 138.3 . In the day that I cried thou answeredst me , and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul . So God dealt with Daniel , chap. 10.18 , 19. One like the appearance of the Son of man ( Christ ) touched him and strengthned him , and said , O man greatly beloved ( or man of desires ) fear not , peace be to thee , be strong , yea , be strong ; and when he had spoken unto me ( saith Daniel ) I was strengthned , and said , Let my Lord speak , for thou hast strengthned me : and so the Apostle Paul saith , I can do all things , through Christ that strengthneth me , Phil. 4.13 .

3. By his hand and power , the force of his Grace and Spirit , or also the operations of his providence working with them , and doing their work for them , and therein helping them , both

1. In carrying on their work and business , as 1 Cor. 15.10 . I laboured more abundantly then they all , yet not I but the grace of God , that was with me : and so he answered Paul in his temptations , and under the feelings of the buffetings of the messenger of Satan , desiring to be freed of them , My grace is sufficient for thee , for my strength is made manifest in weakness , 2 Cor. 12.9 . His right hand also and glorious power fought for Israel , against their enemies , brought them in , and planted them in the land of promise , For they got not the Land in possession by their own sword , neither did their own arm save them , but Gods right hand and his arm , &c. Psal. 44.3 . Acts 23.11 , 12 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , &c. and he helped Paul not only by incouraging him , and strengthning his soul , but also in ordering by his providence , that his Sisters Son should hear of , and discover the plot of those that conspired against him , and moved the chief Captains heart to secure him from them .

2. In keeping off , and obstructing what might obstruct their work , or oppress or overwhelm them in their suffering : as in the now mentioned instance is also to be seen ; and so also it is said , The wicked watcheth and seeketh to slay him , but the Lord will not leave him in his hand , nor condemn him when he is judged , Psal. 37.32 , 33. and , Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee , and the remainder thereof thou wilt restrain . He will cut off the spirit ( or anger ) of Princes , he is terrible to the Kings of the earth , Psal. 76.10 , 12. So he suffered no man to harm the Patriarchs , he rebuked Kings for their sakes , dried up the Sea , and cut off the waters of Jordan before his people , and many the like .

4. His care and providence , for the Children lay not up for the Fathers , but the Fathers for their Children : and he being both a great and good Father , and they being with him , on his side , and at home with him , he will take care of them , as a Father of his obedient Children : Whence it is said , Let your moderation be known to all men , the Lord is at hand : In nothing be careful , but in all things , make known your requests to him by prayers and supplications , with thanksgivings , and the peace of God that passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts through Christ Jesus , Phil. 4.6 , 7. And again , cast thy burthen upon the Lord , he will sustain thee . Psal. 55.22 . And Cast all your care on the Lord , for he careth for you , 1 Pet. 5.7 . And the Lord is my shepheard , I shall want nothing ; he makes me lie down in green pastures , and leads me by the still waters , &c. Psal. 23.1 , 2. Yea , He is a sun , and shield , and will give grace and glory , and with-holds no good thing from them that are upright with him .

5. His infinite sweetness , satisfactions , joy , and pleasures ; for in his presence is fulness of joy , and at his right hand pleasures for evermore : therefore it is also said , O how excellent is thy loving kindeness , O Lord , therefore the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings , they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house , and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures , for with thee is the fountain of life , Psal. 16.11 . and 36.8 , 9. See also , Psal. 65.4 , 5. though the dimness of our sight , and the vail that is over our eyes , hinders our full sight and knowledge of him , and so deprives us while here , of that fulness of satisfaction that is in him .

Object . But some may say , Oh , but we see Gods people fall into troubles and wants oftentimes ; what meant Asaph else to complain that he was plagued all the day long , and chastned every morning ; and yet he was one that cleansed his heart , and washed his hands in innocency : as Psal. 73.13 , 14. tells us . And did not Lazarus beg at the rich mans door , though afterward carried into Abrahams bosom , Luke 16. and are they not often poor in this world , that are rich in faith ? James 2.5 .

Answ. True , but yet in all this God defends and helps them , and they want no good thing , nor sustain any evil , that walk uprightly with him : for as ,

1. Oftentimes his children that sustain such things bring it upon them by departing from him , running themselves into mischief , and misery , as the prodigal , and then they may fault themselves ; and the case is not the same we speak of . So ,

2. When such things befal upright and obedient ones , it is but for tryal of them , their faith , patience , submission , love , and other vertues ; and for the exercise of them , that they might be intire and want nothing , James 1.2 , 3 , 4. 1 Pet. 1.6 , 7 , 8. and then in these things also they prove and try the faithfulness of God , and finde him nigh to them , to defend , counsel , incourage , help ; supply , and satisfie them with himself . Yea ,

3. These are of those things that he sees good , and not hurtful for them ; and therefore also in love and faithfulness to them , orders to befal them , as means of brighting , purifying , and profiting them many wayes , as Psal. 119.74 , 75. Prov. 3.11 , 12. Heb. 12.6.7 . As it is said , By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged ; and this is all the fruit to take away their sin . Isa. 27.8 , 9. And the Apostle saith in these chastisements ▪ He doth all things for our profit , that we might be made partakers of his holiness , Hebrews 12.10 . So that as washing is sometimes needful for the best Linnens , and the Plough and Harrow for the best Earth , and the fining Pot for the best Silver , and the Furnace for the choice Gold , and the Flail and Fan for the best Corn , and the Rod for the best Children ; so are these tryals for Gods best Children here : yea , the Lord himself in whom was no sin , went not unto his Glory , but through sufferings ; in which he never fails his obedient ones , nor suffers them to miscarry .

Object . 2. But do not such holy ones also sometimes complain that God is far from them , though they walk with him , as Psal. 10.1 . and 22.12 .

Answ. Even from such he may seem to their senses to be far off sometimes , when as yet in truth he is nigh to them ; as when Christ complained that he was forsaken of his Father , yet even then he upheld him . Compare Psal. 22.1 . with Isa. 42.1 . As sometimes the indulgent Mother , to try the Childes behaviour ; and how it will look for , and prize her presence , will hide her self behinde the Wall , or Curtain ; and while the Childe calls , and cryes , and seeks her , and yet neither can see nor hear her , he concludes she is gone away , and is at a great distance ; when yet all the time perhaps she is both within the sight , and hearing , and reach of her Childe ; and though she try it , will suffer it to take no harm : even so God is a God that sometimes hides himself , and yet even then is the God of Israel and his Saviour nigh at hand to all that call upon him , that call upon him in truth , and in his due time discovers his nighness also , Isa. 45.15 , 17. Psal. 34.17.18 . and 145.18 , 19.

Use . 1.

This truth thus cleared , then represents it an excellent thing to be a dutiful and obedient childe of God , and not depart from , or rebel against him ; seeing all that are dutiful are so with him , nigh to him , have fellowship with him , are in him even in his arms and bosom , in his choice love and affections ; and he nigh to them in all they stand in need of , and call upon him for , to protect , counsel , incourage , help , care for , and satisfie them , who can express how rich a vein this is of strong comfort and consolation , if minded by them , and they judge not after sense and flesh , but faith and spirit therein ? Oh what a ground of peace , security , and tranquility of spirit is this where enjoyed and minded ; how indeed may they worthily let their moderation in their desires , cares , fears , griefs , appear to all men , seeing they have God so nigh them ? and how well may they be without carefulness , and be filled with peace and confidence , being with such a Father , and ever too with him ? Phil. 4.5 , 6 , 7. What cause have they of discontent or frowardness , and fretting at the worlds portion , that are strangers from God , and in their fulness , otherwise have not him with them , nor are they with him , but against , and far from him . Alas , their portion is sad , For all they that be far from him shall perish , and he will destroy all that go a whoring from him , Psal. 73.27 . either in mercy as to their peace , comforts , designs , delights here , that they might not rest content in them , but seek him and his name , that they might have him for their portion to delight in ; or else if that will not do it , but they yet persist in their whoredoms from him , destroy them in fury , in and with their sins for ever : and then as the Psalmist notes , how sad is their portion , They are set in slippery places , and God casts them them down from all their riches , pomp , dignity into destruction : and then how are they brought into desolation , as in a moment : they are utterly consumed with terrors ; but great peace have they that love Gods law , and nothing shall offend them : minding the happiness of their condition they need envy none , no nor any of their brethren , because of any parts , or gifts , or places , in which they may have more then they ; for they have their Father alwayes nigh them , and their nighness to him is alwayes for good , for the chiefest good to them , through Jesus Christ , whose blood cleanseth them from all sin . Indeed there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not . The best have their passions and their affections apt to be disordered ; their mixtures , their mistakes , their failings ; so that should God enter into judgement with them , they could not stand before him , their being nigh or with him , would be as the nighness of straw to a consuming fire : but therefore God hath interposed his blessed Son in his blessed Body , and the vertues of his perfect obedience and righteousness between him and them : and his blood alwayes cleansing their spots 〈◊〉 off , preserveth them , that they enjoy fellowship with him , and may ( as the Children of Israel , Exod. 24 , 10 , 11. ) See the God of Israel , behold his glory with open face , as in a glass , though it he in their sight as devouring fire in the top of the Mount , ver. 17. Yet they may eat and drink in his presence , and he not lay his hand upon any of those noble , free , and ingenuous children in the least to harm them , but only as he did upon Moses while he passed by him , Exod. 33.21 , 22 , 23. To cover and hide them from any harm that might be sustained from him .

Use 2.

And seeing this is so excellent a concondition how should it press ,

1. All to seek the Lord , and not to rest in any enjoyments of the world , nor in any gifts or attainments from the Lord without , and apart from the Lord himself ; but seek that they may be born to him of the knowledge of him in Jesus Christ , and be brought back in their spirit to him , and be with him , and not love to live far from him in a poor , worldly , sensual , perishing condition : but alas , none understand , nor will believe the graciousness of the Lord , and the goodness of being with him , of dwelling in his House and Courts , in the knowledge and faith of his Son , and in unity with those that fear him : but generally through the lyes and deceits of Sin and Satan , harbour strange , uncouth , and hard thoughts of him , as if he was such a devouring fire , and so barren of any comfort , content , or satisfactions ; because not allowing , but reproving those dirty pleasures of this world and sin , that they desire not the knowledge of him , nor care how little they come near him , or he to them : so strangely are mens fancies , mindes , and hearts possessed of evil prejudices against him , and thoughts of him , as if he and his company , presence , and wayes , were the worst in the world , no delight , no goodness in them , because too holy and strict ( we think ) for us sinful men : So that while men are seeking after worldly good things , riches , honours , friends , pleasures , any thing , they neglect God as the only evil thing , Job 35.9 , 10. Say not , where is God our maker that gave us songs in the night . Yea , while they cry out of oppressions and injuries , they will every one seek the rulers face , and run hither and thither , any whither for shelter , but to God , or Christ they will not come ; for there is none that understandeth ; and that 's the reason that as follows , there is none seeketh after God , Rom. 3.12 . Men carry towards him and his presence , as the Jews did towards Christ , who was God manifested in the flesh , They see no form nor beauty , wherefore they should desire him , Isa. 53.2 . Therefore they thrust him as a poor despicable infant , into the stable , afforded him no room in the Inne : nay , because they suspected He would lay claim to their Power , Kingdom , and enjoyments , and deprive them of the pleasures , honours , and sweetnesses of them , they sought betimes to kill him ; and as he grew up , and was made more manifest amongst them , the more they hated him , and the worse they used him , thrust him out of their Synagogues ; all to reviled and asperst him , hated and rejected him as the worst of enemies to them , and desired not to come to him to have life by him ; they would rather perish then have it there : even so do men do to God , and the knowledge and Spirit of him ; they take no pleasure therein , but hate and thrust it from them , as most destructive to their welfare and happiness : as if the knowing and serving him , and being alwayes as before him in his fear and presence , could not consist with rest , peace , mirth , gladness , pleasure , and satisfaction , but would rob us of them all . Oh filthy creature man , that drinks in iniquity like water : like some foolish naughty Childe that loves to rake in the dunghils , and wallow with dogs in the dust , and with swine in the mire ; and so loves them , as that because the being with his Father in the house , though in his best dining rooms , would draw him off from those dirty sports and enjoyments , therefore hates to come home , or abide in the house with him ; nay , kicks , and flings , and cryes , and scratches , and bites , and fights with any body that would pull him out of a mudge pit which would soon choke him , to bring him to be in the house with his Father that loves him , and would give him of the best Wine and sweetest Cates in his house : Such the carriage of the world toward Christ and God . But as the Disciples of Christ being taught of God , came to him , and converst with him , Saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father , full of grace and truth , and counted all things loss and dung for him , and the excellency of the knowledge of him , and would rather part with all things then with him , they found such preciousness in him : even so they that know God in and through him , and are acquainted in their hearts and spirits with him , they finde him in a measure , the immeasurable fountain of light and delight , and sweetest content and satisfaction . A fountain of living waters , in comparison of whom all other enjoyments are but muddy pits , and broken Cisterns : and they call to all . Oh taste and see that the Lord is gracious , blessed is the man that trusteth in him , He that hath an ear let him listen to this call .

2. All that do believe in Christ , and do follow after righteousness , and seek or know the Lord , to abide with him , and not run from him , to follow after any other sight , object , or allurement , that sin or Satan may make use of to allure them from him , seeing its so blessed a thing to be with him . Oh love the Lord , all ye his Saints , for he preserveth the faithful , and plentifully rewards the proud doer . Even rewards them with anger , the bitter fruits of their folly , who proudly slight or depart from him , or hate and persecute him , and them that love and cleave to him . Blessed are they that dwell in his house , and enjoy nighness to him , and are with him , for they are , and will be still continually praising him , and blessed are they that minde the way thereto , for they shall go from strength to strength , till every of them appear before God in Sion . O how beautiful and amiable his Tabernacles . What sight of his fair beauty is to be seen therein ? what sweetness to be tasted ? what safety and peace to be enjoyed ? Sure its better to be One day in the courts of the Lord , then a thousand dayes elsewhere . Even in fellowship and communion with the Lord under the shinings , and in the light of his countenance , For the Lord God is a sun and a shield . But oh then , who would run from him but one day to want the beauty and pleasures , safety and satisfactions of his presence , and nighness with him ? who then would venture from him weeks and months to trade in sin and defilement ? nay , nor for an hour , seeing He that wandereth from ( him , and so from ) his place is like a bird that wandreth from her nest . He knows not what may befal before he returns again , whether he may not be choaked with some bait , intangled in some net , shot with some bullet , so as never to return , Prov. 27.9 . Good therefore to draw nigh to God , and to cleave to him with purpose and resolution of heart , never to go from him , no not for a moment , so as to leave or sin against him .

We might distinguish between the being ever with God now , and the being ever with him hereafter ; though both are the portion of his obedient children . Men may be ever , that is , perpetually with him , now as a Son that serves his Father , and dwells with him , who is said to be ever with him , because alwayes retaining to his house , as his abiding resident place , though not alwayes in the house ( as the Son was not now , but without in the Fields , in the employments and services of his Father abroad , or taking therein his recreation ) and so not alwayes beholding his face , seeing his presence , and conversing actually with him . But the being with him hereafter shall be such a being with him , as never to be looking off him , or out of the view of his glorious presence , and that with eyes more unvailed , and apprehensive then now we can have while in earthy tabernacles . But I shall pass it , ( the reader may see the difference in 1 Cor. 13.9 , 10 , 12. ) and so I come to the last clause , in which the graciousness of the Lord to his obeying children , and the happiness of their obedience and abiding with him is expressed , viz.

CHAP. VII . The third Branch opened and applyed .

AND all that I have is thine . Oh wonderful word ! Oh free hearted bountiful Father ! who can comprehend this expression ? all that I have is thine ? if we consider whose saying it is , and to whom , we may admire it ; but we cannot fathom it ? It s the saying of a rich Father to a dutiful son , but at present discontented and undutiful . That the Father was rich , the Robes in his Wardrobe , and the furniture he afforded his returning Prodigal , and the feast he made for him with a fatted Calf , imply , a Lord he was at least , and all that he had was a great deal . He had , no question , Towns , and Cities , Castles , and Palaces , Farms , and Fields , Mannors , and Mansions , stately Buildings , and costly Furnitures , Silver and Gold , Corn and Cattle , great Wealth and Substance , though the Elder Son in his froward fit , saith , his other Son had devoured his living , it was but peevishly spoken . He had livelihood enough yet left for them , and never the less for what he had spent him : and yet behold how he loves his Son , and with what argument ( able one would think to have prevented his frowardness , or upon mention of it , to buy him out of it , but that sin is unreasonably sinful ) he perswades him , All that I have is thine . What 's one fatted Calf ( and that not fatted for him , but only killed for him , it seems it was fatted before ) to all the Estate , a vast Inheritance ? I am sure he whom it represents here is no mean person ; for the Father here , as we have noted , signifies God : And who can comprehend his riches , and yet , saith he to his abiding Son , All that I have is thine . All that God hath , who can express it ? God hath himself , he perfectly enjoyes himself , and in himself hath infinite Wisdom , infinite Power , infinite Holiness , infinite Truth , infinite Glory , infinite fulness and satisfaction . He hath Christ his only begotten Son One with him , and in him is infinite Worth and Preciousness , infinite Power , Wisdom , Fulness , Goodness , &c. An infinitely precious Sacrifice , and oblation which prevails with God , to whatever it turns it self , and able to prevail with men that receive it , and understand the worth and preciousness of it : He hath him with him , and in him , his King , his Priest , his Prophet , his Holy One , &c. And he hath an infinitely Wise , Holy , Powerful , Eternal , Gracious Spirit ; an innumerable company of Blessed Angels , as ministring Spirits , to attend upon him , and obey his commands . Yea , the whole world , and all the creatures in it , both in Heaven and Earth are his : yea , Hell and the Devils are his also ; his Prison for Offenders , and Executioners of his Vengeance : the Heaven and all its Hosts , the Earth and all its Fulness , the Sea and all that passeth through the Waves of it . Who can reckon up , and much less value his immeasurable riches ? yet , All that I have is thine , all theirs , that being begotten of him , obey and serve him ; and this proposed to a froward Son to allay and take away his envious passion : And this Son a man , not an Angel , not the only begotten Son , but poor earthy man , whose original is dust , and who after a little while shall return to dust again . Well may we cry out with David in admiration hereof , Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him , and the Son of man that thou makest account of him ? man is like to vanity , his dayes are like a shadow . It can proceed from no intrinsick goodness of his , nor desert by him , but from an infinite inexpressible love in God towards him . And David spake that there upon a like consideration with this ; for he had said before , Blessed be the Lord my strength , which teacheth my hands to war , and my fingers to fight ; my goodness and my fortress , my high tower , and my deliverer , my shield , and he in whom I trust , who subdueth my people under me . God was all this to him , and did all this for him , that made him so cry out , Lord what is man ? Psal. 144.1 , 2 , 3 , 4.

Man hath nothing of his own , no not so much as his naked being of himself , For he hath made us , and not we our selves ( or his we are ) we are the people of his pasture ● and the sheep of his hands . When he came first into the world by Gods creating him he came naked into it , and had nothing that by any right and title as from himself he could call his . But such Gods bounty that he had prepared a stately and well furnished world for him before he made him , and when he had made him , gave it all to him , that he subordinately to his word , should be the Lord thereof , and have rule and dominion over all therein : yea , and endowed him with rich and precious indowments of his soul : for he instampt his image upon him , and so by his favour and goodness he was a rich creature , and in honour with him .

But man being in honour did not consider , so as to resist the temptation of the wicked one , but being drawn by him into rebellion against his Maker , because he forbad him the tasting of one Tree planted in the pleasurable Garden , into which he put him , he forfeited all that God bestowed upon him ; yea , both mental and bodily endowments of excellency ; nay , his very life and being , and all the whole Creation given him , and deserved to have been thrust back into his own nothing again ; or rather with the Serpent into Hell and destruction far worse then nothing . Poor man !

But oh the riches of the mercy of the Lord that was not well pleased to see his creature , man , so poor , but devised a way how to set him up and inrich him again , and to that purpose sent forth his rich Son , the Lord in heaven , the maker and heir of all things , and by making him one with the nature of man , made him in the poverty of man , that by laying down his infinite riches for man as a price of his redemption ; yea , his rich and precious life , as man , he might redeem man , and inrich him again , and so it is said , Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ( one with his Father , complying with and yielding to him in that design ) that he being rich , became poor for your sakes , that ye through his poverty might be made rich , 2 Cor. 8 9. But how ,

1. He that made himself , or became poor in man , made man , even the manhood in himself , the man Christ Jesus , infinitely rich in God , by so great a price as so impoverished him , having satisfied Justice , fulfilled Truth , paid the Debt of Man , overcame and got the better of what impoverished him ; having wrought himself out of it as it were , and being raised again he was taken up to the Throne of God , and accounted of God his Father , as he is also judged to be by Men and Angels , worthy to receive and be filled with the unsearchable riches of God : So in Rev. 5.11 , 12. The Angels about the Throne with the Beasts and Elders , pronounce , Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power , and riches , and wisdom , and strength , and honour , and glory , and blessing : Yea , God and all his fulness is given wholly to him , All the fulness of the God-head dwells bodily in him . The Father is in him , and he in the Father , his God , his Father , the Spirit is upon him , his Spirit , the Spirit of Christ , The Angels of God minister to him , and attend upon him , his Angels , and the Angels of his might , Heaven is his Throne , yea , the heaven and heaven of heavens is the Lords , and the earth is his too , and all the fulness thereof , the world , and all that dwell therein , yea , all power in heaven and upon the earth is given to him , Mat. 28.19 . The Father hath loved the Son , and given him all things , John 3.35 . So that here we may say in the first place now . Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him , and the Son of man that thou makest such account of him : and so the Apostle applies it , Heb. 2.6 , 7 , 8. And so here in the first place , as in the root and foundation , all that God hath is mans , and man is ever with him , the Son of God .

2. Through him God makes known himself to other men , for he is the light of the world , the true light , enlightening every one coming thereinto : and as God hath done all that he hath done to him , in abasing and glorifying him for mans sake , and ovt of love and pitty to man , and desire of his good ( Oh the riches of his love and mercy to fallen man ! God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son , and herein is love , not that we loved God , but that he loved us , and sent his only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins , John 3.16 . 1 John 4.10 . ) So he hath in him thus inriched and glorified ( having by his death and sufferings ransomed man from death and destruction into his dispose ) wonderfully provided for man , even prepared all this infinite fulness in his Son as God-man ; as an infinite treasury for the inriching of man , for the Grace , the remission of Sins , the redemption from Thrall , the fulness of Spirit , and all spiritual blessings in him , and possession given him , it is for us men , and for our Salvation and inriching , but so to be enjoyed as only in and with him , to whom therefore God calls and draws men ( both by the riches of his goodness , and forbearance , and long-suffering , leading men to repentance , Rom. 2.4 5. and by the unsearchable riches of Christ , as preached in the Gospel to men ) inviting and alluring them to him that they might be saved by him , and inriched with him , Ephes. 3.8 . with Rom. 1 16. 1 Cor. 1.23 . 2 Cor. 8 , 9. and they that hereby are begotten to receive him , and knowing his name , trust in him , as they in and through him receive the priviledge of Sons ; so being made in him , the sons of God , they also by vertue of him , and in him become the heirs of God ( both as their Father , and as their Inheritance ) joynt heirs with Christ , sayes , Rom. 8.16 , 17. for as the Father hath loved the Son , so he again loves his Disciples that believe in and follow him , and makes and owns them as his Friends and Brethren . And as God gave him all things that were and are his , so he again gives all his things ( and they are all things ) to his brethren . All things are yours , 1 Cor. 3.21 , 22. and so the beggars are lifted out of the dust again , and the needy from the dunghil , and set upon the throne with Princes , not the Princes of this world , who perish , but which is far more excellent with the Princes of his people , whose Kingdom shall endure for ever , James 2.5 Psal. 113.7 , 8. praised be the Lord ; though oftentimes they be in appearance as Princes disguised in Beggars habit and state as having nothing , and yet possessing all things , 2. Cor. 6.10 . going on foot while servants ( even to Sin and Satan ) ride on horseback , Eccles. 10.7 . This indeed is a mystery that the world sees not , because they have not faith , and therefore not understanding of it they slight it ; but the holy Spirit of Truth asserts it , All things are yours , whether Paul , or Apollo , or Cephas , or world , or life , or death , or things present , or things to come : all are yours . But how theirs ?

1. Not as to actual possession , fruition , and enjoyment of all in their own persons and comprehensions ; for the Kingdom is not yet received by them , only prepared for , and promised to them that love him : but in that respect He that overcometh shall inherit all things , and I will be his God and he shall be my Son , sayes Revel. 21.6 , 7. See 1 Corinthians 2.9 .

But 2. In Christ their Head they possess all things . He possesses all things for them , and they in him , as they are his , and he Gods , In him we are compleat , Col. 2.9 , 10. And ,

3. In and through Christ in our persons , in title , and interest , by promise , as Abraham , Isaack , and Jacob did the Land of Canaan , while yet they had it not in possession ; for Israel did not take away wrongfully the Land of Canaan from the Inhabitants , they claimed but their own by the gift of him who is the Lord of all the earth , and had sworn to give it them : and so the Fathers that are said to dye in faith , not having received the promises , Heb. 11.13 . are yet said to have received them , Heb. 6.14 . that is as to promise or covenant , and the title that gave them thereto . Thence too the believers are said to be heirs according to promise , Gal. 3.29 .

4. In hope and expectation , that being justified by faith , ye might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life , which God that cannot lye hath promised before the world began , Tit. 3.7 . and 1.2 .

5. In usefulness and benefit ; all things working together for good to them that love him , that are the called of God , according to purpose , Rom. 8.28 . And so they that overcome and keep Christs words , and keep with God , are heirs of all things . All that I have is thine . Let us take a brief view or survey of their riches .

1. God is theirs , and all that he is ; not that he can be comprehended of and by them , seeing he comprehends them , and all things , and is himself incomprehensible but by himself ; but he is their God , their Father , their Portion , and Inheritance , as to be worshipped and acknowledged by them ; so to inrich , save , and satisfie them . The portion of Jacob is not like unto them , he is the former of all things , the Lord of Hosts is his name , Jer. 10.16 . and the Lord is my portion , saith my soul , therefore will I hope in him , Lam. 3.24 . I go to my God , and your God , my Father , and your Father , saith Christ , John 20.17 . an infinite portion ; for in having him we have infinite Wisdom to order and dispose of all things for us , and our benefit , and of us also for our own greatest happiness ; and to advise , counsel , and direct us in all our difficulties ; infinite power to effect and bring about what in the counsel of his will or wisdom , he sees good to be effected , and to prevent and hinder , remove or destroy what he sees destructive to us ; infinite strength to bear up all things for us , and us in all cases , and to strengthen us in all services , and sufferings ; infinite duration to continue and lengthen out our happiness for ever , that we may never be deprived of it , but enjoy it to eternity ; infinite goodness to lead him to exercise all his other attributes for our infinite and everlasting advantage , infinite truth and holiness to perform all his words and promises to us , &c. and all this for us in and through Christ Jesus .

2. Christ is Gods , 1 Cor. 3.23 . and he is theirs , and all his infinite fulness , I am my beloveds , and my beloved is mine , saith the Spouse , Cant. 2.18 . and 6.3 . He that hath the Son hath life , and he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ ( that is , that continueth in the belief and obedience of it ) He hath both the Father and the Son , 1 John 5.11.2 . 2 John 9. and it s in having Christ that any man hath God , his God and portion , and hath all his fulness for him ; for he that transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God , and it s in him he hath all things , who hath and abideth in him , even unsearchable riches , in him infinite wisdom to order and manage all things with God for us , and from God to , over and about us , and to direct and guide us in all conditions , In him righteousness , infinite and everlasting , for presenting us just and acceptable in the sight of God , and in him all the promises of God are , yea and Amen , affirmed and confirmed , true and certain , 2 Cor. 1.19 , 20. Isa. 45.23 , 24. In him holiness infinitely for us , and therein dedication to God , and renewing into his image and likeness ; grace to make us holy and renew us , and so to make us also Gods Inheritance , his chosen generation , Royal Priesthood , Holy Nation , peculiar people . In him Redemption even forgiveness of sins through or in his blood , Eph. 1.7 . Col. 1.14 . even infinite plenteousness of Redemption for redeeming us from all iniquities , Psal. 130.7 , 8. and so from all troubles , miseries , bondages , death , the fruits of sin lying upon us , Psal. 25.22 . Yea even from bodily death and Grave , yea , from hell and destruction , Rom. 8.23 . Hosea 13.14 . John 11.25 , 26. in him son-ship , heir-ship , title to the Inheritance , John 1.12 . Gal. 3.26 , 27. Yea in a word , This is the record God hath given of his Son , that God hath given us eternal life , and this life is in his Son ; he that hath the Son hath life , and he that hath not the Son , hath not life , 1 John 5.11 , 12.

3. God hath an infinitely Holy Spirit which he hath put upon Christ to bring forth Judgement to the Gentiles , and this he also gives in and through Christ to them that obey him , Acts 5.32 . to help their infirmities , teach and lead them into the knowledge of Christ , glorifying him to them , and so into all truth , to bring his words to remembrance , justifie them in their Consciences , sanctifie and wash them in the Blood and Name of Jesus ; comfort them in their exercises , tribulations , and temptations , be a Spirit of Holiness to and in them , leading them in the way of , and framing and quickning them to holiness , teaching them to pray , and groan after God , and his Grace , and Mercy in Christ for their helpfulness . In a word , to inhabit and dwell in them , through the Word , or Faith of Christ , and be in them as a spring of living Waters , springing up unto everlasting life , and gifting them for usefulness to others , and so to be as rivers of living waters flowing out of their bellies , or inward man , to seal them up also to the day of redemption , and be to them the anointing and furnisher for Gods Service , the earnest of , conductor to , and raiser up of their dead bodies , to the enjoyment of the Inheritance , Rom. 8.14.26 , 27. John 16.14 , 15. and 14.16 , 17 , 26. 1 Cor. 6.11 . Isa. 11.2 . Gal. 5.16 . Psal. 143.10 . and 119.37 . and 51.10 , 11. Zech. 12.10 . Eph. 2.22 . and 5.18 , 19. with Col. 3.16 . 1 Cor. 12.7 . John 4.14 . and 7.37 , 38 , 39. 2 Cor. 1.21 , 22. Ephes. 1 14. and 4.30 .

4. God hath an innumerable company of Angels to minister to him , Dan. 7.10 , 11. and these are in and with Christ the Believers and Obeyers of him , Pitching their tents about those that fear him , to deliver and save them , Psal. 34.7 . Bearing them up in their hands , and keeping them in all their wayes , Psal. 91.11 , 12. Sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation , Heb. 1.14 . In●i●●●ing the Throne of God , the Camp , or Congregation of the Saints , as attendants about them , Rev. 5.11 . and 7.11 . bearing the souls of the just when taken hence , into rest and peace , as in Luke 16.22 , &c.

5. God hath many servants on the earth furnished with spiritual gifts for profiting the body of Christ , as Apostles , Prophets , Evangelists , Pastors , and Teachers : these are all theirs that obey and abide with him , Let no man glory in man , for all things are yours , whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas ; not you theirs , but they yours , 1 Cor. 3.21 . Son of man , saith God to Ezekiel ( as both the Hebrew , Greek , and Latine read it ) I have given thee to the house of Israel for a watchman , &c. not them to thee , to use as thou pleasest , and to exercise Lordship over them , but thee to them , Ezek. 3.17 . and and so the Apostle , We preach not our selves , but Jesus Christ the Lord , and our selves your servants for Jesus sake , 2 Cor. 4.5 . and he ascended up on high , and gave gifts to men , and he gave some Apostles , some Prophets , &c. for the perfecting of the Saints , for the work of the ministry , for the edifying of the body Christ , &c. Eph. 4.8.11 , 12.

6. God hath the world as his , the frame and fabrick of it , and the Government orders , dignities , and fulness of it . This is theirs also , All things are yours , the world , 1 Cor. 3.21 , 22. The heavens and heavenly influences and Inhabitants , He rides on the heavens for Israels help , Deut. 33.26 , 27. their motions and influences , the light , warmth , and influences of the Sun , Moon , and other Stars , the Clouds and their shadow from the Heat , the Rain , &c. and whatever passeth through the air , animate or inanimate , as also the Air it self , they are all for the benefit of Gods obedient Children , amongst ( and with more special eye to them then to ) other men , for their nourishment , maintenance , refreshing , chearing , and sometimes for the exercise of their faith , patience , the Spirit of Prayer , &c. Psal. 74.12 , 16 , 17. and 89.12 , 13 , 14 , 15. Deut. 33.27 , 28. Judges 5.20 . Josh. 10.11 , 14. Zech. 19.1 , 2. the earth and its fulness , the Sea , and all therein , affords them supplies , and God out of them and by them , Gives meat to them that fear him , and will ever be mindeful of his Covenant , Psal. 111.4 , 5. besides the manifold occasions that they afford them to admire and bless the Lord , as manifestations of his Glory , Power , Wisdom , Providence , Mercy , Justice , Truth , &c. in his providential ordering of them and their several Hosts , Psal. 19.1 , 2 , 6. and 65.6 , 7 , 8. and 104. and 148. and manifold lessons and instructions that they teach and suggest occasionally to us , Job 5.8 , 9 , and 12.7 , 8. Matth. 6.26 , 27 , 29 , 30. Prov. 6.7 , 8. and 30.24 , 25 , &c. And then the orders of the world , the Magistrates , Kings , and Governors , and Authorities , &c. They are the Ministers of God ( saith the Apostle ) to thee for good , not for mischief and harm , Rom. 13.3 , 4. if thou doest well , to protect thee , that thou mayest live a peaceable and quiet life in godliness and honesty , 1 Tim. 2.2 . and if they do otherwise ; yet it s for good to thee to exercise thy faith and patience , and quicken thee up to more mindefulness of the way to the heavenly inheritance , and make thee cry more earnestly , Arise O God , judge thou the earth , for thou shalt inherit all Nations , Rev. 13.5 , 6.10 . Psal. 82.8 . and whether they preserve thee from being broken , or scower , and make thee look brighter , thou hast no dammage but benefit by them ; and so for all other things of the world , Believers are the seed of Abraham , and heirs , and blessed with him , and he was heir of the world , Rom. 4.13 .

7. Life is Gods , to give and dispose of ; this is the Believers too ; he is an heir of life , and of the grace of life , 1 Pet. 3 8. Spiritual life is his to enjoy and serve God and Christ in and with , yea , and eternal life is his inheritance : nay , but this life is his too , and not he its , as a servant to this life , but it is a servant to him , to afford him time and opportunity to do his Fathers work in , that he may receive the fuller reward , and to give him leasure to renew the spiritual things that by any means decay in him , that he may come to his Grave as a shock of Corn fully ripe , Job 5.26 . Psal. 39.13 . Psal. 6.4 , 5. and 30 9. and 115.17 , 18. Isa. 38.19 . John ● . 4 . Eccles. 9.10 . and 12.1 .

8. Yea , Death is Gods too , in his hand to dispose , and it s his Saints too , not they its , not its Vassals and Captives , but it s theirs , and for their good , sometimes to cut off and destroy their enemies that molest them , 1 Sam. 26.10 . Isa. 51.7.8 , 15. Sometimes to take themselves from evil men , and things , and give them rest and peace from their troubles , Isa. 57.1.2 . Rev. 14.13 . and the more to exercise their faith in God for the performance of his promises , when they see death seems to cut them off , and put them out of all possibility of attainment , Ezek. 37.11 , 12. John 11.25 , 16 , 40. Rev. 13.9 , 10. and to give them more experience of Gods power and glory in the Resurrection , Ezek. 37.11 , 13. John 11.4 , 40.

9. Things present are theirs : Whatever God doth and orders now in this present world or time , his mercies theirs to incourage them to hope in him , his judgements theirs to make them fear and stand in awe of him , prosperity theirs to give them advantage to serve God with more chearfulness ; and adversity theirs to exercise their faith and patience , and give them the more experience of Gods care of , and faithfulness to them , and the sufficiency of his Grace for them : yea , the very falls of others are theirs to awaken and admonish them to more watchfulness over themselves and others , and to exercise charity in pittying them , and seeking their recovery . Yea all his wayes are mercy and truth to them that love God and keep his testimonies , Psal. 25.10 .

10. Things to come ( as they are Gods in his hand to produce and distribute according to his pleasure , so ) they are theirs , in and through Christ for their good , both as now proposed in the word of God , the everlasting rewards of righteousness , to allure , incourage , and confirm them in the wayes of the Lord to seek and press after him , and keep his wayes in the love and obedience of him , Heb. 10.35 , 36 , 37 , and 12.1 , 2 , 3. and the unspeakable terrors of the Lord and destruction of the wicked to stir them up to more watchfulness , and care , lest they should sin against him , and depart from him ; they are but as armor of righteousness on the right hand , and on the left , 2 Cor. 6.7 . and 5.1 , 10 , 11. and the revelations and accomplishments of them in the time to come . The joy , glory , and happiness to come is theirs , to reward and satisfie them , the woe and vengeance and everlasting fire is theirs ( not they its ) to avenge them of their enemies , the Devil and his instruments , and all the evils that here did molest them , and to give them infinitely more occasion and provocation for ever to admire his mercy towards them , and bless him , Psal. 145.20 , 21. Luke 12.32 . Mat. 25.35 , 36 , 41 , 46. Isa. 66 . 2● , ●4 .

A marvellous , full , and glorious portion , and such as passes understanding ; only there is this difference between the believers enjoyment of it now and hereafter : now they have the title to it , and the encouragement of the faith and hope of it , and so much of it as they need , and God sees good for them . But hereafter they shall have all that shall be then to be had in the most full , absolute , and glorious sight and fruition of it .

Use 1.

And the consideration of this with all before may serve ,

1. To move such to contentation with their condition ; for what can they want who have such a portion as God , and all that are his to satisfie and save them , The just shall live by faith ; and this is a truth to faith , not to sense ; and in living by faith may abundantly , and will administer content in every condition , and Godliness with contentment is great gain . The Lord is my shepheard , saith David , and thence infers I shall not want : yea , thence he had abundant experience of Gods provision for him , and supplies of him , and faithfulness to him in all cases , and therefore concludes , Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the dayes of my life , Psal. 23.1 , 6. as thence also , or from the like consideration of Gods goodness , and the blessedness of all that trust in him , he exhorts and incourages others , Fear ye the Lord ye holy ones , for there is no want to them that fear him ; the Lions shall lack , and be bit with hunger , but they that seek the Lord shall want no good thing . Psal. 34.8 , 9 , 10. It s true , the dispose of all is in the Fathers hand ; but he being wise , and loving , gracious , and full of compassion , and abundant in goodness and truth , cannot , nor will suffer his children at home with him to want any thing that may be good for them . And it s but a childish humour ( from which its good that we be weaned ) to pet , and cry , and be froward for that that is not good , but hurtful for us , having all things that are our Fathers , and he being free to afford out of it all good for us , Be careful in nothing , be peevish and discontent in nothing , be not covetous of more then we have , or of more then he thinks meet to give us into our possession and fruition , but be we content with what we have , for he hath said , I will never leave thee , no I will never forsake thee : so that we may boldly say , the Lord is our helper , we will not fear what man can , shall do unto us , Heb. 13.5 , 6. Minding what we have in Christ , and what ground of confidence that God will give us all things with Christ , because he hath not spared Christ , but delivered him up for us all : let us through him be content with what he gives us , either of outward supplies , for this life , or of spiritual gifts , discoveries , experiences , comforts , or the like , waiting upon him , to give us especially spiritual blessings , and taking what he gives without envying at others , or murmuring at him for what he gives them : But ,

2. Oh the evil nature of envy , frowardness , pride , and discontent ; though a man hath all things in Christ , and God is faithful to give us all things with him , as he sees we need , and is good for us ; and though he gives abundantly like a Father to us , yet the froward soul findes no good , Prov. 17.20 . Frowardness and discontent eats out the good of what we have , and deprives us of the comfort of it , rendring it as nothing to us , and hinders us of what we might further have , as being freely exposed to us ; as may be seen in Haman partly , and in this elder Son . Haman though he had Honour , and Riches , and Wife , and Children , the Favour of the King , and as he thought , of the Queen too , yet the only want of a bow , or prostration from Mordecai , a slight from him , marrs all the mirth from all other things , What 's all this to me ( saith he , when he had been telling his Wife and Friends of all his glory and happiness , and enumerating all its several particulars ) so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate ? such a viper is envy and discontent to eat out the bowels of them that breed and nourish it : And what less or better here was the case of this Elder Son , this righteous person , leavened with the Pharisees leaven ; though all his Father had was his , yet all that contents not , because his Father had killed for his Brother the fatted Calf , and therein testified his love to him , and joy for him ; as if all was lost that fell besides himself . But what , was he like to lose his share in any thing , because of because of his Brothers having part therein ? surely no. The fatted Calf was not taken from him by being killed for his Brothers welcome ; there was meat enough in it for him and his Brother too , yea , for the Father , and Sons , and Servants , and all to feast on : and if that could have been too little , yet the Son needed not fear want , the Father hath enough beside to maintain and satisfie him : nor was his love the less to him , by being testified thus to his Brother . The same feast , though made by occasion of his Brother , and for his entertainment , is free for him also ; and his Father had intreated him to come in and take part of it : there was neither want in his Fathers love , nor in the sufficiency of the chear to have made him as merry as his Brother , and the rest that were making merry within . It was only his own pettish humour and discontent causelesly at his Fathers dealing , that was the let that he was not as merry and as well refreshed as any of them : his Father would have had him come in and welcome , and to be sure his Brother would have been glad to have seen ● much love and freeness in him towards him , and all the servants would have liked to have had his company with them ; and as for the fatted Calf it was an everlasting dish that would have given him with all the rest full satisfaction : it was spiritual and living meat , like to , or better then that the Jews call living water , that is Spring-water , that while its drawn out or received in its streams , is not lessened by mens taking of it , but runs still perpetually , and increases in its running , and meets the person that likes to use it , and offers it self of its own accord unto him . Such is living bread and meat , like the meat in the miracle , the loaves and fishes that multiplied in the eating of them , increased in the dishes , and upon the trenchers ( if they had any ) and in their hands and mouths as they eat it ; and could they have needed to have eaten of it till this day , might have grown upon them yet : such this fatted Calf in the spirit and mystery of it , unless we take it for some particular visit , refreshing and chearing of the repentant sinners heart , like to a Posset or a Caudle made by a tender Mother for her almost drowned Childe , when being pulled out of the Pit , and brought home , she puts it to bed : and should the other Children that kept themselves in the house , and safe from the pit , murmur at such a thing as that , when they may at all times sit at meat with their Father , and eat of his meat , yea , and if they please , take part of that Posset too made for that escaped Childe ? take it in either sense the murmuring was unreasonable , as the acts of envy and discontent all be . It was a good saying of an ancient Doctor , Tolle invidiam & quod meum est tuum est : & si ego tollo invidiam quod tuum est meum est . Take away envy and frowardness , and what 's mine is thine too ; and if I put away envy from me , that that is thine is mine with thee . This is ( on the contrary to envy ) the excellency of Divine Love and Grace , it makes all common that may be so lawfully , or with expediency : and as God gives us an interest in all that he hath , leads us to say to our brethren too , all that we have is yours for your usefulness : as the Saints in the Primitive Church , that said nothing that they had was their own ; they were so free to communicate● it to all others also . Had this Brother said to his younger Brother , as the Father to him , welcome home Brother , let us live lovingly together ; and as my Father gives me interest in , and the use of all he hath , so I freely give thee leave to take part with me in all I have with him , and by his gift : It had been an entertainment of him worthy such a condition of a Son of such a Father ; and that that may be proposable to us for imitation .

3. This also shews the goodness of living at home with God , or walking with him dutifully in his wayes , seeing he that is so infinitely full , is so infinitely free too to them that love him , and keep his Commandments : not only a Sun and a Shield , but also gives grace and glory , and withholds no good thing from them that walk uprightly with him : therefore , O Lord God of Hosts , blessed is the man that trusteth in thee , and so abides in thy courts alwayes , Psal. 84 , 10 , 11 , 12. Whither can we go from God to better our selves , as Peter said , Whither shall we go , thou hast the words of eternal life , John 6.68 . All is ours if we be with and keep to God ; and we cannot have more then all by going from God , or sinning against God : Nay , that 's the way to go from all , for all is in and with God , and without him nothing but sin , emptiness , vanity , and vexation of spirit .

4. Therefore also it may provoke us not to leave him , but to keep close to him , as David , or Asaph saith , Ps. 73.28 . It is good for me to draw nigh to , ( or as the vulgar reads it to hold me fast by ) God : seeing then we have all ; whether would this Elder Son go , or what would he do , that he will not come to his Fathers house , and so to his Father , Brother , & the rest therein ? what , will he exclude himself from his Fathers house , and so deprive himself of all ? and because his Father receives him in , will he that is so angry at his Brothers naughtiness , out of anger throw himself into his Brothers condition ? and divest himself of all , because his Brother is admitted to a share with him ? surely he took the course thereto by so doing : or would he turn his Father and Brother out of doors , or at least his Brother , to make room for himself , as if the house was too little to hold them both ? and a Kings Estate too little to maintain them both ? sure it s better to submit to God , and to resist the Devil , from whom proceeds such a temptation , and by living at home to keep possession of all , rather then by standing out , or departing to divest our selves of all : But if we would keep at home with God , we must take these helps and directions against discontent .

1. Minde the goodness of God to us in Christ , rather then our goodness , or good doings for or towards him ; that was slipt out of this Sons eye , when he stands thus at a distance , and comes not in : the minding his Fathers goodness would have given him such satisfaction , as to have contented him in all his service with his Fathers dealings with him , and made him thought himself happy that he might so live with , and serve him still . The application of the medicine informs us of the disease ; the Fathers minding him , what he afforded him , and what priviledges he enjoyed with him , shews us that the Son had forgot them when he fell into this froward discontented passion .

2. Consider the abundant fulness in God , the abundant sufficiency in him , together with his freeness to satisfie and content us and all others . There is room enough ( saith Abraham to Lot ) in the land for us both , therefore let us not fall out between our selves , being brethren , Gen. 13.8 , 9. Had this Brother minded how large his Fathers house was , and how large his estate , and how free he to communicate it , it might have kept him from this murmuring .

3. Be not hasty in our spirits , but wait for Gods counsels , inquire at his mouth , and be swift to hear what he hath to say to us , and slow to speak , slow to wrath , James 1.19 . This Son was too hasty , he should first have heard what his Father could say for his doings , before he had given way to his anger .

4. When the right eye offends pluck it out , and cast it from thee ; and so , when the right hand and foot offends cut them off and cast them from us . Cast away the weight that presseth down , and the sin that easily besets , Keeping our eye single to what is set before us in the testimony of God . It was this Brothers looking with an evil eye at his Fathers kindeness to his Brother , made him sullen ; and the minding what his hand and foot had done for his Father , how he had wrought and walked for him , that puft him up with pride , and caused him to think his Brother got too much love that had done worse and less then he : Good and needful it is to cast away such considerations as draw to discontent , and with draw us from him . As it was also the Prodigals eying an excellency in his conceit , in having a portion in his own hands , and a sufficiency in himself to manage it distinct and apart from his Father that led him into that separation , and with-drawing from his Father , which brought upon him all this misery that befel him : which now after so large a view taken of the elder Brothers state , comes in the next place as the second Branch of this Text to be considered by us , viz.

CHAP. VIII . The second state of wanderers from God , in two Branches , opened and applyed .

THE misery of departing and wandring from God , implyed in these words , This thy Brother was dead , was lost ; a two-fold metaphorical expression to represent it by . Let us briefly , and but briefly consider them .

Branch 1.

Was dead . A sinner by leaving God , and running after sin and Satan , brings death upon himself , becomes as a dead man : So Solomon tells us too , Prov. 21.16 . He that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the dead : For as the Apostle saith also to the Believers , Rom. 8.13 . If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye , and it must needs be so : for ,

1. With God is the fountain of life , Psal. 36.9 . In his favour is li●e ▪ Psalm 30.5 . and his eternal Word , or Son , is that eternal life , that was with the Father in the beginning , in whom was life ; and that was manifested in these last dayes more fully to us , 1 John 1.2 . with John 1 4. The Spirit of God is life , and the spirit of life , Rom 8.2.10 . by whom God through Christ breaths in life ; and so this God , this one Father , Son , and Spirit , having life in himself , gives life also to others as he pleases , and hath given to all life , and breath , and all things : and so in the beginning when he made man , made him of the dust of the earth , and breathed in him the breath of life , and man became a living soul , Gen. 2.7 both as his body and person was made alive in the world , indued with breath , sense , motion , and understanding ; and also as his soul or inward man being upright , and having its dependance on God ( being in subjection to his Word and Spirit , in his image and likeness , and so in his favour while upright ) he was owned of him , and in union with him , and had peace and joy and spiritual life in himself , as so deriving it from him ; but in departing from him his word , and command ( which is life , and tends to life also ) is death ; and man so doing he dyed . Spiritually . First , as to the loss of the favour of God , in which was his life , and of his subjection to God , and fellowship with his Word and Spirit , the fountain and conveyor of life ; and he fell under his displeasure in and from which is death , even the death of the spirit of man ; inasmuch as the favour and fellowship of God , his Word , and Spirit , being withdrawn , his life was withdrawn with them , and inasmuch as it lay open to his anger to inflict misery upon it : and so the inward state of the soul and spirit , became unquiet , dead , without sense of the life of God ( the favour , spirit , and operations of his grace in it ) and was filled with fear , shame , guilt , as the effects of the life withdrawn , and misery deserved and exposed to : and then , bodily death as to its principles entred , and so the sentence for dying at Gods pleasure bodily and for ever ( had not mercy looked upon man , and prevented ) followed also , Gen. 2.17 . and 3.18 , 19 , Rom. 5.12.18 .

2. But God rich in mercy looking back upon his prodigal Son , man , here , devised his recovery , and to that end sent his Son or Word , that eternal life that was with him , and made him flesh , and in that flesh mortal and under the sentence of death that was upon man ; and accordingly delivered him up to death for our Sins , who , by his death destroyed him that had the power of death , that is the Devil , and swallowed up death from off the nature of man , as it is in him , and filled it with immortallity and eternal life : so as he having dyed , dyeth no more ; death hath no more dominion over him , but the fulness of the God-head dwells in him bodily ; and all the fulness of his favour , grace , and blessing in which is life , yea , and the Spirit of Life is in and upon him : so as he also in dying , and by his death ( inasmuch as it was sustained by him for us , even for all men ) hath obtained a release of all men from under that first Death and Judgement in which all universally and alike were condemned to dye ( as it did and must have stood upon us without his interposing ) and hath the ordering of Death , and Grave , and Hell in his hand ; and dispose with power and authority to bring us thereout , and enliven and quicken soul and body , yea , and invest them with immortality and eternal life , as pleases him , he being in himself and for mankinde the resurrection and the life , the deliverer and the raiser , and the only ground or foundation , cause and effector of the Resurrection in others , either as to soul or body , and the life quickning them , and in which they being quickned , live , John 11.25 . Yea in him is , and God hath given to us ( even to the same us whom he commands to believe , which is all men , or men indefinitely ) eternal life , so as that in partaking of him we partake of the Resurrection , and are raised up in and by him in our spirits , and partake of life , spiritual life ; and so , whosoever believeth in him , though dead in himself , is enlivened by him , and shall live , and being made alive in believing and going on yet to believe , shall not dye , shall not lose this life that he hath in and by him , for ever , but is alwayes in the raised state as to his state spiritually , and shall be so at the last day bodily too ; and so alwayes in the favour of God , in which is life , in a justified state from sin and wrath , curse and death , and in a state of acceptation with God , and heir-ship to the life promised further of God in and by him , and hath his interest in , and fellowship with God the fountain of life , and the Spirit of God , and its influences , who is the Spirit of life , and gives and upholds life , as it is said , He that hath the Son hath life , and he that hath not the Son hath not life ; and so as all mankinde are in a released state from the destructiveness of the first death as in , and of it self , and in a possibility of life , because in the hand of Christ , where is life , even spiritual and eternal life , yea , both for soul and body , as in a root and fountain for them , and communicable to them : so all such of men , as in hearing and receiving the Word and Doctrine of Christ ( which is called the word of life , and life , Acts 5.20 . John 6.63 . Prov. 4.13 . because Christ objectively is in it , as the matter of it set forth in and by it , and his Spirit , which is life , and the Spirit of Life accompanies it , and breaths in it ) are therein by the Spirit quickned and raised to spiritual life , endued with spiritual sense , and perception of spiritual things , and so of God and Christ , and to spiritual breath , and desires after them , and motion towards them , and in them , and so spiritual understanding , peace , joy , satisfaction , according to the measure of Christ partook of by them ; but yet so as the room enlightned by the Sun retains its light by admitting that light from without into it : so as if that be withdrawn and shut out the light within is gone , or as the branch lives in the stock and root ; so as if it be separated therefrom , it dies and withers : so is it here . The soul in thinking ro live on it self , or what it hath in it self ; yea , what life it hath received in it self from Christ , and so with-drawing from Christ , and from his Word and Spirit , loses its life , and dies , as it lets slip , departs from , and rejects Christ , or the Knowledge , Faith , and Spirit of God and Christ ; so it departs from , and le ts slip its life . Whence that of Moses , Deut. 32.46 , 47. Set your hearts to all the words that I testifie amongst you this day ; for it is not a vain thing for you ( or an empty word for you ) for it s thy life , and in this word ( as the Hebrew words are , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) you shall prolong your dayes : and so , Prov. 4.13 . Lay fast hold of instruction , let her not go , keep her for she is thy life ; and ver. 23. Keep thy heart above all keeping , or with all diligence , for out of it are the issues of life : and the Apostle John , 2 John 9. tells us that , He that transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God : that is ( as by the opposition in the next branch of the verse appears ) the Father and the Son , and so by consequent the Spirit of both , they are strangers from the life of God , and so without God and Christ in the world , Ephes. 4.18 . and 2.12 . and so they are dead .

1. Spiritually , as being deprived of spiritual life , and destitute of it , being in departing from the Word of God , and obedience of the Spirit of Christ therein .

1. Gone from Christ and his Spirit , and the Spirit of Christ departed and gone from them , as to any enlivening or living efficacies in them , as a principle of spiritual life in them ; though in this there may be as a gradual departing from the word of God , and from God and Christ , and the Spirit therein : so a gradual with-drawing and dying of the spiritual life in them , as it is in the natural life , when a man forsakes his meat , that should preserve life in him : yea , and then ,

2. There is a spending , consuming , or dying of the spiritual gifts or efficacies of the Spirit of Life formerly infused and found in them ; though there may be for a time somewhat of these abiding , as it is in a branch , that though the life of it be gone , yet something of the sap and greenness , the effects of that life , abide for a time , and go away by degrees , John 15.5 , 6. and as the heat in a dead body , after the life and soul is gone , yet something of the heat and warmth often abide that was the effect of the soul and life while there , but that 's decreasing too , and goes away at last ; and this may be signified in the Parable by the Prodigals spending his portion or substance in riotous living : it was not all gone so soon as gone from his Father , but it soon after went away , and was spent ; though yet the rational sense as a man , a natural man may abide , and so he began to be in want ▪ he was sensible there was not that of gifts , parts , and graces , fore-received from the Spirit of God as used to be ; but that there was a loss of those things , and so of his comfort and hope springing from them , they were gone : but then ,

3. There is a senselessness of spiritual and divine things properly such , and of his state in that respect , no sight and view of the Glory of God that is in the face of Jesus , nor of his excellencies and preciousness , the Vertues of his Blood and Sacrifice , no hearing of his Calls , Counsels , Instructions , no spiritual hearing of his Voice , when wholly gone from God and Christ : he is deaf to all these things , nor knows , nor regards the meaning of them ; no taste and rellish of the Grace and Favour of God , to and in his Spirit ; no sense and feeling of the joyes of Gods Salvation , and the workings and breathings of his Grace in him , Prov. 23.35 . nor of his judgements upon him , no savour or taste of his graciousness , nor smell of his ointments : could he but finde gifts or parts , or some such things , or have but the love , respect , or favour of such as admired him before , it s all he desires , is sensible of the want of , or troubled about .

4. There is no breath , no spirit in any of his profession , if the carkass of that remain ; an outward form of godliness , there may be , and of religious acts , but no breath in them ; no divine force , power , or vertue from Christ , as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without the works of it or that works nothing in the soul , or upon others ) is dead , James 2.26 . Nor is there any inward spiritual breathing after God , or towards him ; as is seen in the Parable : where when the Prodigal began to be in want , he hath no sense or remembrance of his Father , or Fathers house , nor desire after it : but all spiritual things being gone ; he goes further from his Father , and joyns up himself to a Citizen of that Countrey , puts himself servant , or an Apprentice to his lust , or to Satan , wholly to be given up , and be at the beck thereof , and to seek satisfaction in and from it , as the Apostle saith , His servants ye are to whom ye obey , whether of sin unto death , or of obedience unto righteousness , Rom. 6.16 . and so he only savors the things of the flesh now , and desires the husks that the Swine feed on , which this Citizen set him to keep , even such things as bruitish men delight and rejoyce in , and have their comforts from : Nor ,

5. Is there any motion God-ward in him , no creeping , stirring , much less going towards him in his heart or spirit ; but as a Swine-heard , a moving only as a rational or bruitish man , after the Swine and their husks ; after and with evil , sensual , and wicked persons : but as no thought or desire after , so no seeking to go to his Father till he came to himself from out of that spiritual swoon or death , as we often finde the Scripture tells us the way of sinners is that being gone from God , when they fall into misery or want , yet they return not to God that smites them , nor seek healing and help in Christ , but run after dead works , or empty lying vanities , asking counsel , but not of God , and covering with a cover , but not of his spirit , that they may adde sin to sin , Isa. 30.1 , 2 , 15. When God calls to return to him , they have no breath , desire , sense of , motion after the things in him , But we will ride upon horses , say they , and flee upon the swift : and as in Hos. 5.13 . When Ephraim saw his sickness , and Judah his wound ; then went Ephraim down to Assyria , and sends to King Jareb , &c. No motion towards God , but from him : and therein .

6. As from a dead body there issues forth filth and stinch , blood , and matter sometimes that is loathsome and abominable , and makes it unfit to be amongst the living : so is it with dead souls , devoid of the life of God , as Psal. 14.1 , 2 , 3. The fool ( or fallen man , fallen from God and Christ ) saith in his heart , there is no God ( there 's his voidness of spiritual , life , sense , or motion , or faith towards him ; as also in that , Rom. 3. ●2 . There is none that understandeth , none that seeketh after God ; but then beside it follows ) Corrupt are they , and have done abominable works ; there is none that doth good , no not one : they are all become filthy ( or as in the Margin , stinking ) loathsome . And as in Rom. 3.13 . Their threat is an open Sepulchre , nothing breaths out thence but putrifaction , and filth , and stench ; things abom●nable to God , and unacceptable to God and good men . When the Doctrine of God , and the Spirit of God and Christ are gone once , and the savour of his Grace lost , though there may be yet too a form of Prayers , Fasting , and outward formalities and observances ; yet then they are all dead works , Heb. 9.14 . as a menstruous cloth , a filthy thing , The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord , Prov. 15.8 . and 21.27 . Isa. 1.11 , 13 , 14. and unpleasing to men , unsavory to those that are spiritually men indued with sense , reason , and understanding : nay often gross prophaneness and debauchery issues from them .

7. And then as dead bodies they are separated from the living ; from the living God , and his living Houshold and Family . God cannot endure to look towards them with any delight or likement of them , or have them in his sight or presence : they are condemned of him , loathed and detested , as to their dead estate by him , cut off from him , and and his justifying , and approving Grace , and then objects of his anger or displeasure , as any evil or vain Spirit may bring them before him , or make them come as dead carkasses possessed with evil spirits into his sight .

2. And so ( if they be not through some miraculous mercy revived ) they be dead as to body ; not only in that they must as all others come to a natural death in the appointed time , but often are also exposed to , in danger of , and sometimes taken away by judicial deaths , as either in some judgement or testimony of wrath from God , as Pharaoh , when drowned in the Red Sea , Saul conquered by the Philistines , and slaying himself , and many of the Rebellious Israelites destroyed in the Wilderness ; or else as sometimes by some judicial deaths from men , as Zedekiah and Ahab whom the King of Babylon , rosted in the fire , Jer. 29.22 . The two Malefactors that were put to death with Christ ; God sometimes permitting , and in anger against his people for their voluntary goings from him , giving them up so far to their own hearts lusts , ( as Psal. 81.11 , 12. ) as to suffer them to fall into notorious sins , such as bring not only shame , but exemplary punishments by death also ; or however ( persisting ) they dye in their sins as to their bodies also ; yea , and if by these things mercy be not extended , so as to turn them to God , and pull them out of spiritual death , there follows at length ,

3. Eternal death of body and soul wholly cast out and separated from God , and from his presence into everlasting misery and torments , both in souls and bodies for ever , in which is both a perfect loss and deprival of all good things both bodily and spiritual ; and also a perfect and eternal subjection to all misery and mischief , pain , sorrow , and unspeakable torment upon soul and body for ever : a sad and doleful portion of the workers of iniquity , and of those that having been quickned up to a spiritual life let it slip again , and depart from it by going away from the Doctrine of Christ , and so from Christ and the Holy Spirit , and so finally persist ; but this last was through mercy here prevented . This is one expression of the sad estate of the sad estate of such persons . The wages of sin is death , Rom. 6.23 . The other is ,

Branch 2.

He was lost . The word , say some Criticks here translated , Lost , is at the best of a harsh signification , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , at the best to dye , yea , to dye by some miserable way to perish ; as in this parable , I perish with hunger , ver. 17. and so the expression of coming to himself implyes that he was extinct for a time , fainted and dyed away through hunger ; but that the mercy of God revived him , he had quite perished , which is worse then simply dead perisht , as we properly say of those that dye of hunger and cold , and are lost for want of help , or looking to ; he being gone away from them that used to look to him : or with reference to the other Parables where ( whatever the Criticks say ) the same word is used of the sheep and groat , lost , ●o as not forthcom●ng , or found ; and so being a loose Son , he was not only a loser , but quite lost himself too : Such the fruit of mens sinning and wandring from God . Let us view it in some particulars .

1. He was a loser , though that 's not all , , he lost his Father , and his Fathers house , his portion , and patrimony , his enjoyments he was wont to have , and his brother yet had ; all that entertainment , food , rayment , harbour , shelter , lodging , attendance , respect , and honour , which he had in his Fathers house formerly ; these and all things of that nature were wholly lost and gone from him , and from his enjoyment and interest : and is this nothing for sinners to lose ? both livelihood and life , yea such a livelihood , and such a life as God in Christ is , and gives : such safety , satisfaction , content , rest , and refreshing , hope and rejoycing , as his Word , and Spirit , and Christ in and by both , and God in and by all , give to the abiding soul , to lose a most sweet , secure , satisfying , and abiding livelihood and life , it cannot be expressed : to lose a Kingdom with all its contents .

But 2. He was lost himself , he was gone quite out of all these things , and out of the way to them again , as a sheep lost out of its pastures . He was not to be found either in his Fathers house , or Fields , under none of his promises , under no engagement of his shelter , or protection , in no way of his , or of his servants and peoples walkings . He was gone ( and so are sinners ) out of all Gods paths , and so from all Gods promises of protection , mercy , or blessing , and so lay open to any danger that might befal him , only meer undeserved , yea , uningaged mercy in God and Christ prevented his being actually torn in pieces , and devoured for ever : but as he was sound in none of Gods paths , so he had no engagement from God , that he could challenge to keep him from destruction , even from dropping into Hell , and everlasting damnation . The servants of God might seek for him in the house of God amongst his Saints , and Holy Ones , but not finde him , they might seek him in any of the wayes of the righteous , and not finde him ; nay , nor God , nor his abiding Brethren could finde him there , though they never so diligently seek for him .

3. He was lost : no endeavour or dispensation of God met with him for a time to work upon his heart and conscience , and so in that sense to finde him out . He was dead , and deaf to all means used for a great while ( these many years , saith the elder Son ) toward him ; neither those gifts and enjoyments which he had received from his Father , and which were riotously mis-spent by him , found him so as to work upon his heart , and make him remember his Father from whom he had them . Jesurun waxed fat , and kicked ; thou art waxed fat , thou art grown thick , then he forsook God , &c. Of the Rock that begot thee , thou art unmindeful , and hast forgotten God that formed thee , Deut. 32.15 , 18. And she remembred not that I gave her her Corn , and Wine , and Oyl , and multiplyed her Silver and Gold , which she prepared for Baal , saith God to back-slidden Israel , Hos. 2.8 . Nor did the Famine brought upon the Land , and the emptiness proved in all enjoyments , and the defect of them , the want he was reduced to , ( the pains and afflictions he met with ) work upon him to remember his Father ; but he thinks of other wayes to get a livelihood , rather then of returning to him again . This people returns not to him him that smites them , neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts , Isa. 9.13 . And God did this , and that evil to Israel , yet they returned not to him , saith , Amos 4.6 ; 7 , 8. they have stricken me , but I was not sick , they have beaten me , but I felt it not , sayes the besotted Sinner , Prov. 23. ●5 .

4. He was lost , so as he knew not which way to get back again ; nay , he had not a thought to return , he wandered after satisfaction indeed , but knew not the way to it , nor could attain it ; but was like those in Psal. 107.4 , 5. That wandered in the Wilderness , and found no way , hungry and thirsty their souls fainted in them , they had not a City of habitation . Such his estate till mercy saved him .

5. He was lost , he was miserably perisht , through many foul sins , and filthy transgressions , and lewd courses , and by many sad convincements , convictions , checks , and bangs of conscience , and as it were Devils and evil Spirits , renting and tearing out his bowels , wringing him with inward pains , and sense of hellish miseries , perplexities , fears , horrors , despairs , quite brought down as it were into the pit of destruction . Manifold sorrows ( or great plagues , as the vulgar reads it ) shall be to the wicked , Psal. 32.11 . Yea , they shall multiply sorrows to themselves that hasten from God after another : their drink offerings of blood will not Christ offer , nor take up their names into his lips . Will not mediate nor intercede for any acceptance of any of their services in which thus bent they seek deliverance from their horrors , and terrible perplexities , no not any of the works of righteousness of their own , with which perhaps they would establish their hearts before God , they being but as things thrown to Dogs , ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) or Swine , as these husks in the spirits account , Phil. 3.8 , 9. Oh the misery of departing from God , All they that forsake thee shall perish , Psal. 73.27 . and thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee .

7. He was lost , perisht without God , without hope in God and Christ , had no hope to uphold him , nothing of his former gifts , part , portion , would now relieve him , it was all spent and gone ; he had consumed that with riotous living , and nothing this Citizen , to whom he had bound or joyned himself , affords him , could give him any comfort ; but despair and destruction seize upon him , and swallowed him up , as it were : so that he might say , as in Ezek. 37.11 , As for us , our hope is lost , we are cut off for our parts . Or as those , Lam. 4.17 . As for us , our eyes as yet failed for our vain help , &c or as David , The sorrows of death compassed me about , the pangs of hell caught hold upon me , I found woe and sorrow , Psal. 116.3 , 4.

7. He might be ( and sinners oft are ) lost and perisht as to this life , by falling into some notorious evils , fall under the law , or into some loathsome and foul disease , bringing him into death here , in a perishing way for this world , and all the mercy he might have had and enjoyed therein , had he kept Gods wayes , and not departed from them ; for so sometimes the word perishing or lost is meant of perishing or being lost men here , cast and condemned at law , sentenced to dye ; or utterly cut off from the land of the living and this is the way sometimes between the Bridge and the Water to finde mercy . So the Disciples cried out to Christ , Matth. 8.25 . Master save us , we perish , that is , we are lost as to our lives here .

8. And unless he had perished thus ( perhaps ) he had perished worse , even eternally from the presence of God , and from the glory of his power , so as to be lost and perisht for ever , with the Devil and damned spirits in unutterable , unbearable , endless , remediless , miseries and destruction : for sinners turned aside from God are in the way to this , and this unless mercy prevent will be their issue , Such is the portion of all that forget God , and the Hypocrites hope shall perish . See Heb. 2.3 . and 10.29 , 30 , &c.

Use .

And is not this a sad portion ? and who would turn from such a portion as the former to such a portion as this latter ? who but mad men would run from God to the Devil ? from all to nothing , or from all that 's good to nothing but what is unspeakably bad and sad , from Heaven and Happiness , to Hell and Destruction ? what is there in the pleasure of sin , or in the profit of it that can countervail either the pleasure or Profit of the former portion lost , or the pain and misery of this portion incurred ? Oh what 's an inch of pleasure to an immeasurable pain ! a minute of sweetness to an endless bitterness : yea , if it were but a months , or years ; but how much more to many years gall and wormwood ? a superficial appearance of delight to a real deep heart-sinking torment and distress ? how vain is the pretence of sin , that we shall step but a little aside , and it will let us return again ? where as when it hath once got us out of the way it leads us into a Wilderness● where we lose our selves , and can finde no way out ? how desperate a thing is it to believe the deceits of sin , or of a deceitful heart , then which there is nothing so deceitful or more desperately wicked in the world ? It will bid us put but a little from the shoar , and when it hath got us off , makes us launch out into the deep : It carries the heart as with a storm into the Ocean , whence it returns not again but by the belly of Hell , like Jonas , if ever it return : how many sinners flatter themselves in their own eyes , till they fall into the deep sleeps of sin , and awake not out of them but in death , either temporal or eternal ? O what Wine , or Woman , what sport or Pastime , what Honour or Advancement , nay , what Crown or Kingdom is that that can be worthy of the loss of so great a happiness as is that of the obedient Children in Christ , or of the incurring of such a portion as endless ; yea , or but as the danger of endless destruction . What folly and madness is it to exchange an infinite Birth-right for a mess of Pottage ? and beside that loss , to incur the punishment of a perpetual dungeon , with all the exquisitest torments can can be thought on ?

Use 2.

Therefore also it speaks admonition to us all to take heed of departing from the Lord : yea , it is to all a warning to take heed and stand in awe , and not to sin , though more especially to such as have tasted the graciousness of the Lord , and been in any measure brought to him not to revolt and depart from him again . All that are far from God shall perish , and needs they must , because they are far from him that is the fountain of all good , life , and safety ; but God destroyes all them that go a whoring from him , Psal. 73.27 . They shall not only perish as out of necessity , as being without that that should keep them alive , but God himself also will set himself against them to heap upon them what makes for their destruction . I will heap mischiefs upon them , I will spend mine arrows upon them , saith he , Deut. 32.23 . Oh therefore take we heed of an evil heart of unbelief of departing from the living God : for not only there is nothing like him , we can go after from him ( if we turn aside from him , we must needs go after vain things , and things that cannot profit , because they are vain 1 Sam. 12.21 . ) but also if any man draw back , Gods Soul shall have no pleasure in him ; which is but a figurative expression of more meant then said : as namely , that he will with-draw from him and be angry with him . It is good for us to hold us fast by God ; and that we may do so its good and needful .

1. To take diligent heed to his word and testimony , minding , meditating , and yielding up our selves to the obedience of the truth and grace discovered therein ; and the wholesome counsels and commands therein , and there-from given : for by what means shall a young man cleanse his way , but by taking heed thereto , according to Gods word : and what way is there to be kept from sinning against , or departing from God like the hiding his word in our hearts , as David sayes he did , Psal. 119.9 , 11. Blessed is the man that makes the word of the Lord his delight , and therein meditates day and night ; for he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers side : not to be blown away with any winde of Doctrine , or temptation , as the chaffe in the floor , as ungodly men , Psal. 1.3 , 4. We Ought therefore to give earnest heed to the things which have been spoken to us in the Gospel , lest at any time we let them slip . Keep wisdom and her instructions , and she and they will keep us , Hebrews 2.1 . Prov. 4.6 .

2. To walk in company with , and in the love of our brethren , those that are wise , for that 's the way to be wise , Prov. 13.20 . Two are better than one , in many respects either to hold one the other up from falling , or help one the other up when fallen , Eccles 4.9 10. And a three-fold cord is not easily broken . There 's warmth in such fellowship , Did not our hearts burn within us while walking together , Christ joyn●d himself and communed with us , Luke 24. ●2 . There God commands the blessing and life for evermore , where brethren dwell together in unity , Psal. 133. So we may exhort one another to love and good works ; yea , daily while it s called to day , to the preventing our hearts , being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin , Heb. 3.12 , 13. and 10.24 .

3. To watch and pray that we enter not into temptation . Watching and taking heed to the word of God , and in the light thereof against Satan ; and what would draw us from God , and praying and crying mightily to God for our selves and one another ; that he would shew us his way , lead us in his path , and guide us , and uphold us , that we fall not ; yea , to hold us up in our goings , that we may be safe , as knowing that we need his guidance and support at all times , and that of our selves we are good for nothing , Matth. 26.41 . Psal. 25.4 , 5. and 27.13 , 14. and 119.116 , 117.

4. To beware of all such things as might undo us , and with-draw us from God , as to say as of all sin in general , so particularly .

1. Of sinful porings upon our own weaknesses , unworthiness , inabilities to do or suffer , with a neglect of the Grace given us in Jesus Christ for our helpfulness every way . Take heed of an evil heart of unbelief , but casting away the weights that press us down , and the sin that easily besets us , let us run with patience the race set before us , looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of the faith , Heb. 3 , 12. and 12.1.12 .

2. Of knowing our selves in any of our receipts , gifts , attainments , and so of being puffed up with pride , to be high minded , and to think to live of our selves , and not upon and by the Faith of Jesus Christ , Pride goes before destruction , and a haughty minde before a fall , Prov. 16.17 , 18. Be not high minded , but fear , Rom. 11.20 , 21. The desire of a portion in himself , and his conceit of living upon that portion received was the fall of the Prodigal that brought this death and loss upon him , Luke 15.11 , 12.

3. Of false Prophets who would draw us from Christ into our selves , or after the world and flesh , from walking in the narrow way of truth , to wander in the broad way of sin and errour , Matth. 7.13 , 15. Cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge , and go from the presence of a foolish man , when thou perceivest not in him the lip of knowledge , Prov. 14.7 . and ●9 . 27 .

4. Of the inticements of sinners , and of worldly carnal persons ; and to that purpose of haunting , walking , or being yoaked up with them ; for they will prove snares to our souls , and draw us away from God by their conversations , Psal. 1.1 . Prov. 1.10 , 11. and 9.6 , 7. and 13.20 . and 22.24 . 2 Cor. 6.14 , 15 , 16 , 17.

5. Of slothfulness in the way of God , for that will cast into a deep sleep , and lead to weariness and fainting , Prov. 19.15 . Be not slothful , but follow their steps , who through faith and patience have inherited the promises , Heb. 6.12 .

6. Of giving way to our affections and passions , Be sober , be vigilant , for our adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion , seeking whom he may devour , &c. 1 Pet. 5.8 . Mortifie we our Members that are upon the earth , fornication , uncleanness , evil concupiscence , inordinate affections , and covetousness , which is Idolatry : put off also these things , anger , wrath , malice , blasphemy , lying , &c. Col. 3.5 , 8. I might adde more , as not to dally with temptations , nor conceal , but disclose them seasonably to some faithful friends , &c. But I forbear ; in reading , and minding the Scriptures , and calling upon God , we may get such understanding , as to discern and hate every false way , Psal. 119.104 .

Use 3.

Think upon our wayes , and bring them to the light of Gods truth , and where we finde we have gone awry , Turn we our feet to Gods testimonies , searching and trying our wayes , and turning to the Lord , Psal. 119.59 , Lam. 3.40 . Yea , where we have turned out from God , make haste to return and keep his Commandements again . Let the wicked forsake his wayes , and the unrighteous man his thoughts , and turn to the Lord , for he is gracious , and to our God , for he will abundantly pardon , Isa. 55.7 . not continuing in sin , to back-slide to a perpetual back-sliding , refusing to return , and holding fast deceit , till there be no remedy but destruction , not despairing of finding mercy and forgiveness with him upon returning to him ; for with him there is mercy , and with him plenteousness of redemption , in seeking to him that wounds for sin he will heal us ; yea , he will revive and quicken us , and the third day we shall live in his sight , Hos. 6.1 . but that leads us to , and springs from the third Branch , viz.

CHAP. IX . The third state of Penitent Sinners , in two Branches of it opened .

THE joyful and good estate of sinners that return to God after they have wandered from him , and that 's signified in these expressions , It was meet that we should make merry and be glad , for this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again , was lost , but is found ; in which are three expressions considerable , as implying the goodness and joyfulness of such a state , viz.

1. In that it is said , He is alive again . 2. In that it s said , He is found , 3. In that it s said , It was meet that we should make merry and be glad .

Branch 1.

First , The converted , repenting , and returned sinner is alive again , he is come to himself again , ver. 17. How comes that about ?

1. Not from himself , he had no power while alive to keep himself of , and by himself , being with-drawn from his Father , from dying , None can keep alive his own Soul , Psal. 22.29 ▪ How much less when dead can any quicken himself again ? But ,

2. It was from and by the good Shepheard seeking him and restoring his soul , Psal. 23.3 . Though sinners by departing from Christ in his Word and Spirit , and so from God lose their life and dye : Yet Christ from whom they depart loses not the life that 's in him for them ; in him , yet is life as the root of mankinde , or for mankinde to be enlivened by , or as the fountain and spring of life : and though the branch be dead , yet this root can infuse life to it again ; and though the pipe being cut be dry , yet the Fountain being a living Fountain can fetch in the pipe again , and infuse living waters again into it . Christ lives , though the sinner dye , and while he is not as a tree twice dead , pluck't up by the roots and withered ; yea , as a branch cut off from the stock , withered , gathered , and cast into the fire and burnt : such is the nature and excellency of this stock above all other stocks , and of this root above all other roots , that it can gather it into unity with himself again , and infuse new life into it . God is able to ingraft the cut off Branches in again , Rom. 11.23 . Yea , some compared to trees twice dead , may be pull'd out of the fire , Jude 12,23 . with Zech. 3.2 . That is while a man is not wholly given up of God , and rejected ; while the day of Grace is not wholly past and expired Christ hath life in himself for men , and so as he can extend it to men to quicken them again , and bring them back to himself , and to the life in him ; for the Spirit is still upon him , and is the Spirit of Life , and the word is still in his mouth , a living word ; and he can yet call to the dead , and make them hear , and hearing to live , John 5.25 . Adam when he was fallen , and we in him , he could not recover us again , for he was but a living soul at first , and being dead , our root in him was dead , and so we also irrecoverably lost and gone in him : But this second Adam is not so , he being dead for us , raised himself again , and he lives yet , and hath the power or keyes of Hell and Death , and can therefore revive us , though dead : therefore writing to the Angel of the Church of Sardis , of whom he sayes , That he had a name to live , but yet was dead , he saith , Thus saith he that hath the seven Spirits , and the seven Stars . Having the seven Spirits of God , though he that he speaks to be dead , yet his speaking to him can put life into him , and therefore he rationally enough bids him be watchful , and strengthen the thing that be ready to dye , and remember how thou hast heard and received and hold fast &c Rev. 3.1 , 2 , 3. If he say Lazarus come forth , though he was dead he lives , because he is the Resurrection and the life , and his giving forth this life by his Spirit in his word again , brings in the nature and operations of life into the dead sinner , though as rubbing and chafing men in a swoon , often helps to revive them : so here we may conceive Gods ordering the Prodigal to be so pinched with poverty might conduce to the receiving him . See the like intimated , Hos. 5.15 . with 6.1 . but in the life infused was ,

1. An inward spiritual sense , minde , and remembrance of things that in the state of death were forgotten , and not thought of or apprehended as we finde this dead Prodigal reviving calls to remembrance what he thought not on before , at least with any livingness ; as that he had a Father , and a Fathers House , in which were many hired Servants , and bread enough for them all , and to spare , and that he perisht there for hunger . Now he is awakened both to a sense of his state , and to an understanding , where he may finde relief ; or rather this was as Aqua vitae infused into him .

2. An inward desire and breathing after that relief and help that he is made apprehensive of , and whereof he had had before the taste and experiment ; for that 's implyed in his resolving to go to his Father for it , that he desired and breath●d after it . So the sinner brought into minde and remembrance of God and his goodness in Christ , in his reviving again hath effected in him a desire to finde that goodness again , which he had proved before , and that he hath again heard of , and remembers . And this is a gasping for life and breath again upon the Aqua vitae , or Water of Life infused .

3. An inward hope that he may be made partaker thereof again in giving diligence to return to God in Christ for it , and to seek it in him , and in his favour and love towards him ; and indeed therein life is more compleatly entred , or breath recovered ; and the soul more properly lives in the receiving this hope , and having it begotten in the heart , and though it be but of a possibility , and some likelihood of being made a partaker of satisfaction again in God and Christ . Whence proceeds and springs as a further action of life .

4. An inward purpose and resolution of quitting his present posture , in which this thought of God and his goodness coming upon it , found it . This state of sinning , keeping Swine , maintaining and nourishing bruitish lusts , affections , and appetites ; in the objects whereof the Soul and spirit findes no satisfaction , together with a purpose to rise up from under those discouraging complaints and despairs , under which it before lay pining , and to betake it self by faith and repentance unto God its Father , from whom and whose house it had departed , and to confess its sin , and vileness , and submit it self to his disposing . I said I will confess my sin , Psal. 32.4 , 5. I will arise and go to my Father , and I will say to my Father , Father I have sinned against heaven , and before thee , and am not worthy to be called thy Son , make me as one of thy hired Servants , This like the moving and stretching himself when a person is come to himself , and revives .

5. A putting that resolution into practice , strengthning those things that they might not dye again , by still remembring his Father , and still retaining in minde , the fulness of his Fathers house , and his great goodness to all therein , of whatsoever condition ; and so he rose up both from his sinful way , practise , state , and condition , and from his pining away in himself , and in the poring upon his own want , and wretchedness , and betook himself towards his Father by faith and repentance ; like the revived man's turning himself that he may get up .

6. Being thus made alive by the Grace of God understood and yielded to as common , in its gracious workings in the soul , as infusing principles of life , while he is yet but begun to act and exercise that life , in putting sin resolutions into performances , his Father sees him , and pitties him , and runs , meets , imbraces , and kisses him : that is , while the soul is thus turning to God , and going back towards him in the exercise of faith and repentance , though but in their beginnings . God in the greatness of his compassion and goodness closes with it , returns to it , accepts it , incourages and helps it , and speaks comfortably to it , kisses it with the kisses of his mouth , and therein further puts life and strength into it , making it more to hope for his pardon and mercy toward it : And this is like the giving the hand to a reviving man , endeavouring to turn himself , and to arise , to help him up therein , and then ,

7. He more confidently ( though yet humbly and penitently ) confesses his sins and wretchedness to his Father , and humbles himself to him , and so exercises repentance in these acts of it . Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee , and am not worthy to be called thy Son ; wherein he is like to Daniel on his knees and hands , or as one that begins to speak .

8. And then he receives a full and free pardon of all his former sins and offences , and is made alive with the life of justification implyed in his calling for , and putting upon him the best robe , even the righteousness of his Son , which he will have his Servants and Ministers also to declare to him , or put upon him , being in his Fathers gracious acceptation , imbracing and kissing him , as it were inwardly , and in the Court of Heaven forgiven before : and now he is indeed alive from the dead , and as a man upon his legs again , while he is not only inwardly quickned , but also outwardly by his Fathers sentence proclaimed as an acquit and justified person , whom he will not call to an account for his former mispending his living , nor execute judgment upon him to death , according to the law in that behalf provided against rebellious and stubborn Children that are gluttonous and drunkards , Deut. 21.20 . but being a new man is owned in Christ , in whom he presents him to himself just and righteous , and now he hath received him safe and sound , ver. 27.

9. And so is further acknowledged as his loving Son , while the ring is put upon his finger for ornament , or espousing the soul to himself again in righteousness and faithfulness , and his feet shod to prepare him to walk up and down as his Son before him ; and herein he is fully restored to his former state of favour with his Father , and Fathers House , and to his pristine Dignity . And in these things .

Branch 2.

He is found . The repenting converted sinner that returns to God is found again : found , passively ; not that he found himself , or recovered himself , but the good Shepheard that came to seek and save that that was lost . Findes him , and he is found when he comes back again . Though the wayes by which that good Shepheard seeking , findes , may be different ; and here seems to be implyed to be ,

1. By neglecting him as to appearance , or suffering him to wander after his own hearts lust , till he be quite lost and perishing , Till he eat the fruit of his own way , and be filled with his own inventions , till he fall down hungry and thirsty , and his soul faints in him , Psal , 107.4 , 5. as is said in Hos. 5.15 . I will go and return to my place ( as it were leaving them , and letting them take their own course , till misery and affliction come upon them ) till they acknowledge their offences , for ( then ) in their affliction they will seek me early . To further which also God

2. In the mean while by a secret ordering Providence suffers not the sinner to finde the life of his own hands , or not to continue so to do , but to be reduced to more misery and want daily , and to be crost in , and disappointed of his expectations in all his wayes , which is that he sayes in Hos. 2.6 . That he would hedge up the sinners way with thorns , and make a wall that she shall not finde her paths , and she shall follow after her lovers , but shall not overtake them , and shall seek them , but shall not finde them ; then shall ( or will ) she say I will go and return to my first Husband , &c. Just as this Prodigal meeting with a Famine in one place , and pined with hunger , none giving him husks in the other place was that way found , or brought to himself to say , How many servants in my Fathers house have bread enough , &c. And I will arise and go to my Father , &c. And the way in which God usually doth this , is exprest in the same place of Hosea , namely by taking away his gifts , ( or , which is the same , suffering them to be spent till they come to nothing ) and then discovering her lewdness in the sight of her lovers , and pressing her so with his judgments that none deliver her out of his hand ( as the Prodigal was made so poor and vile that no man regarded him to give him husks with the Swine ) and so destroying all her former gifts and rewards from her lovers , take away all her mirth , and all that might support her , &c.

3. By presenting and bringing to the sinners minde in this sad lost condition , himself in his goodness and grace in Christ , drawing the soul out from its holes and caves , its fields , and bruitish swinish company into the wilderness , a solitary , mournful , repenting state ; and there he is said properly to finde her , as it is said , Hos. 13.5 . I did know thee in the wilderness , in the land of great drought , which is in Deut. 32.10 . He found him in a desert , forsaken land , in the waste howling Wilderness , &c. And in Jer. 2.24 . The wilde Asse in the wilderness that snuffs up the winde at her pleasure , and none can turn her away in her occasion , with whom all that seek her will not weary themselves any longer ; yet in her moneth ( sayes he ) they shall finde her : that is , in the time of trouble , when her pains come upon her , and God is brought to her minde , then she will say , Arise and save us , as ver. 27. And indeed when this is hearty and earnest , as here , then he may be said to be found , and in the next step to it , for he is properly found .

4. In Gods seeing or taking notice of him , in his thinking on , and returning to him ; for that 's it in which a thing is properly found , when that that could not be espyed or seen any where before falls suddenly into the sight , and is seen and discerned . Now his eye is more properly set upon the creature when he mindes , regards , and notes it , so as to observe it by way of gracious respect to it : as in Isa. 57.18 . I have seen his wayes , and I will heal him : and so he is said to hear them then too , Jer. 31.18 , 19 , 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself , thou hast chastised me , and I was chastised , as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke ; turn thou me , and I shall be turned , for thou art the Lord my God : Surely after I was returned , I repented , &c. Then God sees and hears the sinner when he begins to bemoan himself , and repent , and look towards God , and then , Is Ephraim my dear Son ? is he a pleasant childe ; for since I spake against him , I earnestly remember him still ; therefore my bowels are troubled for him : I will sure have mercy upon him saith the Lord . And then a repenting sinner being thus found is and may be said to be a person found .

1. In the way to God , thinking of him in Christ , desiring after him , hoping that he may finde help and mercy with him , resolving to return to him , and putting such resolutions of repentance into practice , humbling himself in the belief of his goodness , and hope of mercy , as is seen : And herein .

2. In the eye , respect and gracious observance of the Lord , having respect to him : as Isa. 66.2 . To that man will I look that is poor , and trembleth at my word . He respecteth the lowly , but the prond he knows afar off , Psal. 138.6 . such as think they can live without him .

3. In the heart or compassions of the Lord , there he is found . He saw him and had compassion upon him , to pitty his misery , hear his bemoanings : help his infirmities . I will sure have mercy upon him , as before , in Jer. 31.20 .

4. In the arms of the Lord , who meets him speedily , falls upon his neck , and kisses or embraces him . Now he is found indeed when he hath him in his arms , in the inclosures of his grace , gracious power , and protection , and promises .

5. In his dear Son . In whom he saw and thought upon his Fathers goodness , and through whom he received life and motion towards him , resolutions , and actual performances of faith and repentance towards him , and came to him , but now is instated into him , and declaredly accepted in him the beloved , Made in Christ Jesus , 1 Cor. 1.30 . Ephes. 1.6 . found in him , Phil. 3.8 , 9. and then he is more fully and formally found when in and through him accepted : So was Cornelius before an actual , positive , and explicite knowledge of him , and enwrapping him about as it were with an explicite discovery of him , and giving in the justification , forgiveness of sins , life , and peace in him as explicitly believed on by him , his prayers , and tears , were accepted before through him , and upon his account ; but then he was more properly found in him , when he was so invested with the knowledge of him and righteousness in and by him , in the actual receit of remission of sins , and the Holy Ghost in his Name believed on ; and so the Prodigal here in the best robe put upon him : and then ,

6. In his Fathers house , received in by his Father , set amongst his Children ; and having there liberty and room again to go in and out amongst them : Now he is found indeed of God , and his people too . And thus a repenting returned sinner , of a lost , perisht man , is found again , yea , found now safe , because in his Fathers love , acceptance , approbation in Christ , and in his Fathers house and tuition , and sound ; because now healed of all hurts before-got , by his Fathers compassion and goodness extended to him . Whereupon follows .

CHAP. X. The third Branch opened , and the whole applyed .

THAT his condition now is such , as its meet to be rejoyced for and in . It was meet that we should make merry and be glad , for this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again ; was lost , and is found . To be rejoyced for , by making merry each other as it were , and by being glad in inward heart , and outward demonstration , in entertaining him with a Feast , and with Musick , the voice of Thanksgiving and Melody ; and with Dancing , Exulting , leaping , or orderly moving our selves in shewing our gladness , and setting forth the Praises of God : Yea , this is a thing meet to be joyed in , and for .

1. By God his Father himself , for so he puts in himself here , not only its meet that thou shouldst make merry , but we , I and thou too . A wise Son makes a glad Father , Prov. 10.1 . My son be wise , and make my heart glad that I may answer him that reproacheth me , Prov. 27.11 . Though this Son had done foolishly in departing and running away from his Father , and when he began to be an hungry , in joyning himself to a Citizen of that Countrey ? yet he did wisely , when coming to himself he repented and returned ; and the Father here rejoyces , and hath wherewith to answer his other Son reproaching him : So also in Prov. 23.15 , 16. My Son , if thy heart be wise , my heart shall rejoyce , even mine : yea , my reins shall rejoyce when thy lips speak right things . It s meet a Father be glad of his Sons welfare .

2. By his Brother or Brethren , it is meet we should make merry and be glad ; not only I , but thou also with me , for should not brethren love one another , and be glad they may enjoy one anothers company in health and safety ? and therefore be glad when any of them escapes any danger , and the more , the greater the danger was that is escaped ? and then .

3. By the Servants also that attend on them . There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth , ver. 10. and I have no greater joy ( saith one of Gods Servants in the Gospel ) then to hear or see that my Children walk in the truth ; yea , and to repent and turn from swervings too : so the Apostle Paul , the Servant of Christ . Now I rejoyce , saith he , not that ye were made sorry , but that ye were made sorry to repentance , 2 Cor. 7.9 .

4. But most of all by the sinner himself , made alive again , and found of his Father , and in his Fathers house amongst his Brethren , whether in the lower rooms while here , or in the upper chambers , as the Thief , ( or Malefactor ) that day he dyed , was in Paradise . O give thanks to the Lord , for he is good , for his mercy endureth for ever . Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy , &c. Psal. 107.1 , 2.

Quest. But why is it meet to make merry and be glad for such a one , upon such an occasion ? surely there is great and good reason for it :

Answ. 1. Because of the goodness of the condition it self in which a repentant sinner is found , or brought into . Good things are matters of joy when had and enjoyed ; here 's nothing but good in this state , good it is in it self , and good to all others ; therefore worthy joy , and mirth , and gladness .

1. Good in it self : for ,

1. It is a state of life , and life is good in it self , and therefore matter of promise , which it would not be if not good : for we do not use to promise what we judge bad : and if God judged life bad , or it were so in it self , God would not promise it . He is just , he shall surely live , Ezek. 18.9 . It s matter of prayer , Oh that Ishmael might live before thee , Gen. 17.18 . Let Reuben live , and not dye , Deut. 33.6 . And its matter of praises , Psal. 1●9 . 175 Let my soul live , and it shall praise thee , and let thy judgements help me . Yea , it s a matter of Christs purchase that he came into the world to procure and give ; yea , the principal matter , I am come that they might have life , and that they might have it more abundantly , John 10 , 10. and therefore surely life is good , a great good : Yea , skin for skin ( said the adversary ) and all that a man hath will he give for his life : 'T is usually so , but especially spiritual life , the life of the soul in Christ , and so in the favour of God is good . The life which is in the path of righteousness , wherein is no death , Prov. 12.28 . And this is the state the sinner is taken into upon repentance , and coming back to God in Christ , as in Ezek. 18.17 . If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed , and keep all my statutes , and do that that is lawful and right , he shall surely live he shall not dye : and ver. 22. He shall live . So in Chap. 33.11 . Turn and live . Being brought back to God in and by Christ ( the only way by which any can come , or be brought to God , John 14.6.7 . ) he lives in and by Christ , who is the Resurrection and the life , so as that whoever believes in him , whatever he be , or hath been , though never so dead , yet he shall live , and living and believing in him , he shall live for ever , John 11.25 , 26. And so it s said here , He is alive again .

Object . Oh! but the repenting Malefactor upon the Cross dyed for all his repentance .

Answ. As to his body he did , and all must ; and that as so inflicted on him was the fruit of his sin , not of his return : yea , as to its sentence a means of his return from his sin ; but that which was the fruit of his repentance , was , that he lived to God . Being judged according to 〈◊〉 in the flesh , but living according to God in the Spirit , 1 Pet. 4.6 . and so his soul lived and went that day to Paradise , and lived for ever . His death as it was the fruit of his sinning was matter of sadness ; but as it was a means to his repentance , so it was to be joyed in ; but much more the life of his soul , and eternal life ( promised to , and to be enjoyed by both soul and body , in the Resurrection ) the fruits or consequents of repentance are matters of unspeakable joy and gladness : if a Childe fall into the fire , will not the mother rejoyce to see him snatched out of it , and live safely , and in health again , though with causing the scorched skin to peel off ? surely yes .

2. It is a state of being found , a found state , a state wherein a sinner is not lost from God , and his goodness to his Brethren and fellow Servants , but is found in and with them , known , owned , and approved with God , and with men & Angels of one minde ● God , and so is with them , under the gracious approving knowledge of God , and under his gracious care , counsel , defence , &c. and in unity with all that are well and happy , found in a large and spacious house in and under the enjoyment of , or title to large Provisions , richest Furniture , sweetest Relations and Friends , abiding and eternal safety , and satisfactions . Come to Mount Sion , the City of the living God , the heavenly Jerusalem , to be of them ; as Ephes. 2.19 , 20. and to an innumerable company of Angels , to have fellowship with them , and protection by them , to the General Assembly , and Church of the first-born , whose names are written in heaven , as owned of God , and inrolled as heirs of heaven , and its infinite glory and happiness , to be with , and of them , to the spirits of just men made perfect , to be their brethren followers of their faith , and to be in the hope of , and to have the title and way to their enjoyments , and to God the judge of all , to protect , bless , reward , and satisfie them , And to Jesus the mediator of the New Testament , and to the blood of sprinkling , that speaks better things then the blood of Abel , to be prepared for , kept , and brought to the enjoyment of the Glory of God by him , and in the vertues of that his precious blood . Yea , coming to Christ the living stone they are made living stones too , and are built up a spiritual house , and an holy Priesthood , &c. A chosen generation , a royal Priesthood , an holy Nation , and a peculiar people to shew forth the praises of God , who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light , Heb. 12.23 , 24. 1 Pet. 2.5 , 9. Can there be a better state and condition ? in a word , it s the same condition that the person is in , that keeps to God , and never departs from him ; a state of Son-ship to God , of being ever with God , and having interest in , and benefit by all that is his : for as Blessed is the man that is undefiled in the way , and walks in the Law of the Lord : so also , Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven , and whose sins are covered , Psal. 119.1 . and 32.1 , 2. Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute sin , &c. Both of them are in a blessed state ; and what can be better then blessed ? wherin is a removing of all evil , and an estating in all that is good , either as to the way to it , or end attained . Such is this condition . Good in it self , and then it s

2. It s good to others also : as

1. To God , in such a sense as any thing besides himself can be good to him , not as if it added to him , who is infinitely perfect in himself , and not to be added to by any thing , but good to him as its pleasing to him , as a satisfaction to his love , an attainment of his desired end in all his goodness expressed and testified towards the sinner , at least so far as he hath attained . He would have all men saved , he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked , but rather that he turn and live . He hath pleasure then that a wicked man turn and live , Ezek 33.11 : 1 Tim. 2.4 . That 's good then to God that 's pleasing , or a pleasure and delight to him . That that he is glorified in and by , even his mercy and truth in Christ are herein glorified , Psal. 1 ●5 . 1. Such a person will praise him . The living , the living , they shall celebrate or shew forth thy praises , Psal. 115.17 , 18. Isa. 38.19 . Yea , and others will glorifie God in and for such a person as they did in Saint Paul , Gal. 2.23 . and his house and kingdom is hereby increased , and the Kings honour is in the multitude of his Subjects , Prov. 14.28 .

2. To Christ also upon all the same accounts . It s matter of joy to him when what he labours for , and in , succeeds . That his Plantation thrives , and that any tree of his setting revives , and prospers , John 15.12 .

3. To the Holy Spirit ; for as God is love , and Christ the Son of the Father in love and truth : so the Spirit is the Spirit of Love , and its a rejoycing to love , when it hath what it may love , and when what it loves succeeds , and is well : as he is grieved and vexed in his peoples ill-doing and rebelling : so he is delighted in their well-doing and repenting , Isa. 63.10 , 11. Ephes. 4.30 .

4. To the holy Angels , who loving men and their good , desire it , and in such persons have their desire answered , and the number of their blessed company in a sort increased , Luke 15.10 . Heb. 12.23 .

5. To their Brerhren , whose number is added to , or preserved from being in such diminished , and whose spiritual desires , breathings , prayers , and endeavours are herein answered ; and they may have benefit by them in mutual fellowship with them if here surviving : or if not yet edification however in the beholding or here-say of the Vertues of Christ , and his Sacrifice , and the power of the Grace of God appearing in them in their dying .

6. Yea , to all other men its good , either as making them fit to pitty , pray for , and seek the good of them , and be useful to them , or as , affording inducement to them , to repent also and seek God , and hope in him ; and it cannot but be

7. Good to a mans self such , and so happy a condition as in which is the confluence of all good to a man .

Now that that is good , and so good , surely it is meet that all that are good , and love what 's good , or may have good by it should rejoyce , and be glad for it . And so God makes this mirth here , and a feast hereat for all that can and will be glad of it ; and we should make merry by exhorting and exciting all to gladness by all means we can upon such occasions .

2. It is meet we should make merry and be glad on such an occasion , because of the relation the sinner stood and stands in to us , to God and his people especially . This thy Brother , and ver. 24. This my Son . Love will lead us to be glad for strangers or enemies if they come to good , to what 's truly good , to what 's spiritually and eternally good : but how much more for a mans own near relation . The Lord rejoyces in his works , the works of his hands , as being all , as his works good , and holy , and just ; but how much more in man his choice work , for whose sake he made , and to whose good he ordered all the rest ! made in his own likeness and image , and so his Son : but yet how much more for and in those that were and are again Sons in his Son , in his only begotten and beloved Son● : Those whom he begot with such desire and love as through the gift of his Son , and his Son bare and brought forth with the travail of his soul poured out to Death , and brought to be his Sons by the Word thereof , and by his Spirit breathing therein ; and whom he nourisht up with the flesh and blood of his Son , and vertues thereof ? Should not the Father rejoyce and make merry to see his Son , and so dear a Son in a good condition ? And should not Brethren make merry and be glad at the preferment , good , or recovery of their Brethren ! Would it not be unnatural for Brethren , not to rejoyce in love for one another when they do well , very well , and one as well as another , and all well ! Shall the Angels , not so related to us Men , be glad of our good ; and shall not we Men for one another , and especially for such as have been our whole Brethren , and so are ! Yea , and should not all the Servants be glad of the happiness of their Masters Sons , with whom they injoy their happiness and livelihood and about whom , and whose good , the Master appoints them their choise imployment ! It was meet we should make merry and be glad , for it is my Son and thy Brother ; what though he hath been a bad husband ? he is not so now : What though a spend thrift , an evil liver ? then indeed we had cause of sadness ; but now he that was so is reclaimed , and he is still my Son , thy Brother : That a Second .

3. It is meet , &c. Because of the sad estate he hath been in , and from which he is raised again , and brought to this condition . He was a Son , a Brother of whom there was great fears , and for whom we had great grief and exercise ; he hath been long away and far from us , there was little hope that we should ever see him again ; he hath been in great poverty , necessity , and straits ; he hath been pinched with hunger , dryed up with thirst , naked and destitute of clothing and harbour , ready to famish and perish with want ; and this in a strange Country , where all were set to ruin him , none to help him : It s a thousand to one but he had perisht and been lost for ever , and yet from this strange and sad case he is at length returned safe again , and should we not make merry for the good of such a relation , that hath been in such perils of death and drowning , or of perishing by the most cruel and lingring death , that of Famine . It 's true , he is not come into a better condition in it self than those that abide and walk with God , but he is come to it out of a worse than ever they were in ; and therefore hath reason hereafter to be more wary to keep home , and may walk more thankfully and dutifully , because under the sense and mindfulness of the greater mercy to him . And as we had more abundant cause of grief and fear for him , so we have now answerably more abundant cause to make merry , and be glad for him , as we are most glad of the safety of ours , after the greatest danger of utter loosing them : That 's a Third .

4. It was meet that we should make merry , &c. If we consider whence this hath happened to him that he is come safe home again . It 's the Lords own work , and a work of more abundant grace , marvellous and miraculous power and mercy to convert a sinner , after he hath been with God and departs from him again . And as God rejoyces in his works generally , Psal. 104.31 . so especially in those that are works of his mercy , because mercy pleaseth and delights him , Mich. 7.18 . and yet more in those in which his mercy is most glorified by him . And surely , as all the works of God are wonderful and glorious , and its meet we should have pleasure in them , so especially those in which he is most brightly discovered , and his glory ( that is all matter of gladness ) is most of all displayed . And such is his mercy in converting and calling back from death , and giving pardon and life to a rebellious offender ; and therefore it 's meet , that all flesh should bless his holy name in this and such works as these especially , and that all his people who have thereby more abundant occasion of beholding and cause of admiring his goodness , and whose hearts may thence receive most incouragement to obey and serve him , have cause to rejoyce in him , and in his doings herein . It was meet that we should make merry , and be glad .

5. It was meet in respect of its tendency and fruit , which is the glorifying of God , and drawing in other sinners to repentance , that they also may be saved ; the most acceptable thing to God , 1 Tim. 2.3 . David being pardoned for and healed of his great sins of Adultery and Murther , delivered from blood-guiltiness , Would teach trangressors the way , so as sinners should be converted to him , his tongue should sing aloud of ( and greatly commend ) Gods righteousness , though he could thenceforth less speak of his own : His lips being again opened should shew forth Gods praises , Psal. 51.13 , 14 , 15. As the turning away of good men from God by sin doth mightily dishonour God , and stumble and hurt others ; so the returning of backsliders to God , tends much to the glorifying him , and doing good to others , by their examples before them , and confessions , and praises of God to them ; strengthening those that are in God's way , and recalling others that stray from it , yea , and incouraging them to Repentance : That 's a fifth Reason .

Use .

And this consideration also in its several Branches may be of divers usefulness to us : as ,

1. It magnifies and tends to provoke us to magnifie the greatness of the grace and mercy of God to Mankind , that hath prepared , and made a way in , and by his Son Jesus Christ ▪ that rebellious sinners and back-sliders from him , might be brought back again to him , and be received of him . There is with the Lord plenteousness of redemption ; so as he can , and will redeem Israel from all his iniquities . He can forgive and revive such as none else can , or will . Such as being put away for Whoredome , have joyned themselves to others that might not be received again by the Law , yet he can receive and forgive such ; and declares himself ready to it also , through Jesus Christ , Jer. 3.1 , 2.8.12 , 13. All things that could not be atoned , or from which men might not be justified by the Law of Moses , all that believe in Jesus Christ are justified from by him , Act. 13.38 , 39. And he can call , and revive , and quicken the most dead souls through ▪ the seven Spirits of God that are in him , Revel. 3.1 . And so it leads us ,

2. To magnifie , and commend the exceeding preciousness of the blood of Christ , and the fountain opened therein , For the house of David , and inhabitants of Jerusalem , to wash in , for sin , and for uncleanness , Zech. 13.1 . The house of David we know was guilty of blood , and the City Jerusalem a bloody , idolatrous City , compared to a woman to be judged for breaking Wedlock , and for shedding Innocent Blood , Adultery , and Murther , Ezek. 16.38 . and yet this fountain in Christ's most pretious blood will extend to , and is vertuous for the washing them . God hates the bloody and deceitful man . David was guilty of both , and yet in the multitude of God's mercies he durst go into God's house , and appear before him , Psal. 5.6 , 7. And praying to God to wash him from those sins , saith , That if he would purge him with Isop , and wash him , he should be whiter than the snow , Psal. 51.7 , 8. And the like is promised upon their repentance to the Princes and People of Jerusalem and Judah , though compared to the Princes of Sodome and people of Gomorrah for badness , Isa. 1.10 , 16 , 17. Such is the vertue of the blood of Christ , that in coming to it , and bathing in it , in turning to God , and believing in his Son , it can make a City that is an harlot , and full of murthers white as wool or snow , ver. 21. He can wash away the filth of the daughters of Sion , and purge the blood of Jerusalem in the midst thereof , by the spirit of judgment , and the spirit of burning , Isa. 4.4 . judging them and helping them to judge themselves , and burning up what is reproved by him . Oh! how precious is Christ then , and how much to be prized by us ? who when the richest man in the world , though the greatest King or Potentate , cannot give a price to God sufficient for one mans soul to ransome it , though guilty of the least sins , yet he was judged of God ( whose judgment is according to truth ) a sufficient ransome for all men , 1 Tim. 2.6 . And there is vertue enough in his blood to obtain sparing for the greatest sinners , and mercy to be extended to convert , and grace to pardon them being converted to him . Being made a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel , ( a people guilty of greatest sins against the greatest mercies ) and forgiveness of sins , Act. 5 . 3● : Oh! let us magnifie and run into this fountain , to which also God in his mercy by Christ calls the greatest sinners .

3. It leads to hope in God for backsliding and sinful brethren ( and much more for them that never so tasted God's goodness , and sinn'd against such tasts ) and in that hope to seek and endeavour their conversion ; and upon repentance to receive them as God for the sake of Christ received and receiveth us , Rom. 15.6 , 7. not to cast off the care of them , and say with Cain , Am I my Brother's keeper , or up-seeker ? But rather as the Apostle says , With meekness to instruct those that oppose themselves , if peradventure God may give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth . And that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil , who are taken captives by him at his will , 2 Tim. 2.25 , 26. Yet herein praying for and asking discretion ; some rebuking sharply , and wi●h some dealing gently , as Jude saith ver 22 , 23. Of some have compassion making a difference , and others saving with fear ( or terrour ) pulling them out of the fire , hating even the garment spotted by the flesh . As some the Apostles gave up to Satan for the destruction of the flesh , that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus .

4. It may provoke such as have sinned , and done shamefully , and wickedly , even after grace received , as Peter and David did ; not to despare , but to look back back again to God , and hope in his mercy , and waite for it in his ways through Jesus Christ . Confessing and forsaking their sins that they may finde mercy , Prov. 28.13 . For God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked , but rather that he turn and live . And therefore let the wicked forsake his way , and the unrighteous man his thoughts , and turn to the Lord for he is gracious , and to our God for he will abundantly pardon , Ezek. 33.11 . Isa. 55.7 . However , much or great evil , or sin men have done , it s not the way to be helped to despair of help , or to seek for it elsewhere , then in turning to God . by Jesus Christ ; for whithersoever else a man turn , he goes after vain things , and things that cannot profit , but in God and Christ as is said , there is mercy and help . Let Israel therefore ( though great sinners against greatest mercies ) hope in the Lord , for with him there is mercy , and with him is plenteousness of redemption , Psal. 1●0 . 6 , 7. 1 Sam. 12 , 19 , 20. but delay not to turn to him , least he cut us off in his wrath . To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts , least ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin . Delays in this case are dangerous , for what 's our life ! and in whose hands , but his that is offended by us ?

5. Yet let none presume upon this therefore , To sin that grace may abound ; for though grace is more abundantly declared in saving and pardoning great sinners ; yet they that therefore do evil that good may come thereof , if God leave them to sink and perish in their sinful presumption , their damnation is just , Rom. 3.8 . because there is forgiveness with God , so as in his hands to dispense or withhold it , therefore he is to be feared and not presumptiously sinn'd against , Psal. 130.4 . In this respect of calling back and shewing mercy to such offenders : He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy , & whom he will he hardens . The Chirurgeons greatest skill is shewed , in healing the most shattered bones or most desperate wounds . Yet , who but a mad-man would therefore to prove his skill go break his bones in pieces , or run upon sword points on purpose , when as if he be healed he will be but in the same sound state happily as before , and might have been without these pains and smarts they will put him to . Yea , and he runs a desperate hazzard of being never healed , it depending meerly upon the Chirurgeon's good pleasure .

6. If it be meet for us to rejoyce and make merry for the restoring of sinners , and God also call upon us thereto : then also ,

1. It faults those that neither indeavor it when they be fallen , nor are glad for it when restored , but rather murmur at it , and are offended like the Pharasees here in this Chapter , were either for seeking such that they might be restored , or receiving them when restored , so far are they from rejoycing at it . If thou thy self that dost so hast an interest in Christ , why shouldest thou be offended at thy brothers restauration and reception , and not rather desire it , yea , endeavour and rejoyce in it ; there 's never the less room for thee in God's house , nor never the less chear for thee for the multitude of them that dwell and feed therein . Here the more the merrier , and never a whit the lesser chear : for as we have shewed the bread of Christ's giving is living , growing , and enduring bread ; that is no more consumed by being eaten and fed on and digested , then the Sun is ( perhaps far less ) by being daily looked upon , or the light of it walked in : And if God please to shew mercy to any great sinners , why shouldest thou snuff at it , and envy it ; Is thine eye evil , because Gods is good ? Oughtest thou not rather to rejoyce to see a soul saved from destruction , and that God is so gracious to us , who are all of us sinful enough to deserve a thousand destructions at his hands , than to be offended at it ? Is it a light matter for a soul to go to hell ? what pleasure is that for thee , or what profit in it ? surely they are more cruel than Tigers and the most savage beasts , that would wish their worst enemies , or the worst of sinners such a mischief , and not rather desire and endeavour to prevent it , and rejoyce to see any good ground to think that God hath prevented it upon any ; and yet how often is it found , that not only profane and wicked men take delight in making others sin , and then make a sport and jest of it , being savage Heathens under the denomination of Christians : But even believers in Christ , and seekers of him , are too careless of their brethrens souls , while they matter not if for their meat , or drink , or some foolish custome , or will , or pleasure their brother , for whom Christ dyed do perish , 1 Cor. 8.11 . Rom. 14.25 . How far is any unlike therein to Christ ! who thought it not too much to lay down his precious life to save us , and we will scarce lay down a toy or trifle , our will or pleasure , a fashion or fancy to save our brethren , and bring them from misery to endless happiness ? but it is meet when God reclaims by any means , or shews mercy to any sinners , especially to Prodigals and notorious offenders ; yea , though he give them some more signal testimony of his favour to them upon their returning , then he hath perhaps to our selves at any time ( which was the thing stomacked in the Parable ) to make merry and be glad for it ; and if so , then

2. Let us be exhorted to such a demeanour and carriage in such cases . God is sometimes affording such instances of his great mercy and goodness , that we might take notice of him , and give him the glory of it , and set forth his praises . He sometimes suffers such as profess his truth , and have some right understanding also of it , and affection to it to fall into temptations , and thereby into great sins and sufferings , and yet shews his mercy on them to their salvation , by bringing them into sufferings for their sins he sometimes awakens them ( as the Prodigal here ) so effectually to repentance , that they remember , and turn to him , and finde mercy with him ; though indeed there be too few such penitents to be found , more there are that imitate this Prodigal in wandring from God , and spending his gifts , and their receits in riotous courses and sinful conversations , then imitate him in converting & returning unto God again ; which is a matter worthy lamentation , & surely the severity of God may be seen in part therein that he gives up so many that wander from him to their hardness , and impenitency so as to persist to Death and perish therein . Though God also hath a good and gracious end therein to others , for therein he is admonishing us to beware of presumption and presumptuous sinning ; that seeing he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy , in giving them repentance in such cases , and whom he will he hardens for their presumptions , we may stand in awe , and take heed of abusing his goodness to any in such a way , as to say , Let us do evil that good may come thereof , sin that grace may more abound . God hath given repentance to some that have fallen fowly , and shewed them mercy in receiving them again , therefore I will be hold also to give way to my corruptions , and take the pleasures of sin for a while , I hope God will be merciful also to me and recover , and receive me again , and I shall not perish therein . Surely the seeing many so turn away , as not to return , but back slide by a perpetual backsliding , holding fast deceit and refusing to return , as Jer. 8.45 . might keep us from adventuring on so desperate a resolution . Thus the Apostle teacheth us to improve a like consideration in Rom. 11.22 , 23. Be not high minded , but fear , for if God spared not the natural Branches , ( that were hardned , blinded , and broken off for their unbelief , ve. 7.20 . ) take heed least he also spare not thee . Behold then the goodness and the severity of God on them that fell severity , but on thee goodness , if thou continue in his goodness ; otherwise thou also shalt be broken off . See the like use also made of the like severity towards the Fathers that finned in the wilderness , and perished there through God's displeasure , 1 Cor. 10.1 , 2.10.11 . they were our admonitions to provoke such as think they stand to take heed least they fall ; not presuming that , though they throw themselves voluntarily into sin , yet they shall rise , or be raised up again , because they are God's people , and he hath loved , and loves them , and being once loved they must needs be always loved ( as some misread and abuse that saying in Joh. 13.1 . contrary to Isa. 63 , 9 , 10 , 11. Hos. 9.15 . ) and so that however they fin they cannot perish . A perilous temptation , that hath caused many to stumble●● and fall to their destruction . Surely our Lord Jesus , who was the Son of God in the most proper sense , and the most sure of his love and favour , even in the manhood ; yet would not listen to such a voice of the Tempter , to cast himself from the pinacle of the Temple , presuming it was impossible for him to be hurt , because the promises belonged to him , of which this was one , that God would give his Angels charge over him to bear him up in their hands , that he should not at any time dash his foot against a stone . But knowing that God's promises are annexed to his ways , and that his keeping them was it that should be attended with his being kept in them , he repelled the temptation with having diligent respect to God's Commandement bidding man , Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God , Mat. 6 6 , 7. in which he hath set us a good example that we might follow his steps , and sure he is a presumptuous fool that durst venture to go where his Leader , being wiser , and stronger than he would not venture before him .

But yet when the goodness of God is so exercised and put forth in his mercy to any as to give repentance , and restore them again from their falls and bruises ( as God is able to graffe in again what is broken off , and raise up what is fallen , even of those that are distinguished from , and opposed to the Election that hath obtained , Rom. 11.7 , 14 , 23. ) let us be glad and rejoyce therein , both for their good in charity to them , and that God is affording such a motive and incouragement to others that have sinned and are bruised thereby , and lye pining away in their sins to rise again in repenting . In such cases its meet that we should make merry , and be glad as is here said , and not with the Pharasees or Pharasaical Saints , murmur at God's mercy and goodness towards them ; whither it be that he give them repentance , and restore them to us here to ●ive with us , and testifie their repentance by a better and more heavenly conversation afterwards , as David , Peter , Manasses , Mary Magdalene , and others did : or that he awaken them to repentance by bringing upon them some signal shame and punishment to death , as befell the Malefactor upon the Crosse crucified with Christ : And as God is sometime pleased to shew his goodness to others brought to like shame and death , for the like , or as bad , or worse offences .

I know some foolish or Pharasaical ones are apt to strange at God's dealings sometimes in such cases ; as if God could not be so gracious to such offenders , as if it stood not with his holiness , and especially if they be soon comforted , and pretend to great peace and joy in their death having done and committed some hainous offences ; as Adultery , Murther , Felony , &c. They are apt to suspect they are but deluded persons , and Satan that inticed and deceived them to commit such sins , hath again deceived them to make them think God is merciful to them , and forgives and accepts them . To whom I would say , It 's possible for Satan to delude souls after that manner , as to make them presume of mercy without serious and hearty repentance of their sins , as Agag , who said , Surely the bitterness of Death was past with him , when he was g●●ing to his execution , 1 Sam. 15.32 . and I wish many do not so delude themselves : I am afraid it is so . But yet it 's not good to either abridge the mercies of God towards , nor the merits of Christ for the souls of greatest sinners , so as to despair that such may be converted heartily , and received again certainly , and sometimes suddainly , or to judge their repentance and consolations when there is no manifest appearing ground for so doing ; much less when there are appearing evidences of the contrary .

That God may both convert and forgive upon conversion greatest offenders many things may evince , as the Parable also implies : as ,

1. It is but suitable to God's oath , who hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked , but rather that he turn and live , Ezek. 33 11. as we noted before , and to his calling the worst of sinners , the simple scorners and fools that hate knowledge , Prov. 1.22 , 23. And those that are compared to the Princes of Sodom and the people of Gomorrha , Isa. 1.10 , 15 , 16. &c. promsing forgiveness to such upon their repentance ; yea , and back sliders that have come toward him , and gone back again , promising to heal their back slidings , Jer. 3.12 , 14 , 22. Hos. 14.4 .

2. It is suitable to the end of Christ's coming , who came into the world to save sinners , even chief of sinners , even such as are Murtherers of Fathers , Murtherers of Mothers , Menkillers , Whoremongers , Defilers of themselves with Mankind , Man stealers , Lyers , Perjured persons ; yea , and those that by the Apostle are counted nothing inferior to , but rather greater than these , zealous Pharasees , that set up their own righteousness against God's in Christ , and out of false zeal persecute Christ in his truth and members , for upon that account he afterward , after mention of such notorious offenders , stiles himself the chief of sinners , though a Pharasee and one of the strictest sect for Religion among the Jews , and far from those gross fleshly abominations , 1 Tim. 1.9 , 10 , 13 , 14 15 , 16. indeed nothing but the blood of Christ , and the grace of God in him will make such sinners or any sinners else to be Saints , or cleanse them from their fins , that will as appears in 1 Cor. 6 9 , 10 , 11. where such horrid offenders that had been such are said to be washed , to be justified , to be sanctified ( which what is it but to be made Saints ) in the name of the Lord Jesus , and by the spirit of God , no sorrows , tears , or humiliations of ours can do it without purging with hysop ( Psal. 51.7 . ) that is , with the blood and by the spirit of Christ , and that will .

3. Otherwise we must exclude from heaven those that the Scripture enrols among the Saints , if we think God cannot convert and forgive great sinners , or never doth . What was David but a great sinner , being guilty of acting adultery and murther , and yet I hope he was a Saint . Indeed he found many ready to say of him , there was no help for him in God , when God began to call him to account for his sin , as appears Psal. 3.1 , 2. the title whereof is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absolon his Son , but yet he found it otherwise , so as to rejoyce and glory in God , vers. 3. Thou art my shield , my glory , and the lifter up of my head . Though Absolon's rising up against him was a punishment for his sin , and a remembrance of it , yet God was so therein with him having repented ( to shew the reality of his repentance , and truth of God's acceptance of him ) that he was helped to carry that punishment of his sin with much magnanimity . God lifted up his head when many thought ( as some Pharasaical Saints are apt yet to think of great sinners , especially if brought to shameful sufferings for their sins , as he then was ) surely he must be lamentably distressed and dejected in his spirit , and hang down his head . He lay him down and slept in the midst of his troubles , for God sustained him ; and he would not be afraid of ten thousand of people that had set themselves against him round about , ver. 5.6 . See what a saint-like spirit ( yea , even under their sufferings for their sins ) God sometimes endues great sinners with upon their repentance , and surely we may not say they were deluded , and therefore neither may we conclude that others are so , if having been great and notorious offenders they upon turning to God find him comforting them , yea , and filling them with expressions of confidence of his favour towards them , and of their salvation . For indeed ,

4. Christ therefore suffered like a sinner and malefactour , that sinners ( yea such sinners as deserve and have shame and punishment here , even the Crosse or Gallows for their just reward ) might through him be called and brought to repentance , and dye like Saints , and be Saints in their dying , that is , have hope and joy in him , and in his salvation ; and this was evidenced in the Crosse , and at the death of Christ . For Christ himself , though the Son of God , and the most just person that ever was in the world , yet he dyed like a Sinner , Malefactour , Thief , or Murtherer , not onely in that he suffered such a death as such offenders used to be put to by men ( the death of the Crosse ) but also in his dying , as to the manner of it , in respect of grief , sorrow , agonies , that did accompany it ( yet not without evidences of his righteousness and hope in God his Father . ) For did not he sweat through the violence of his agonies , as it were great drops of blood trickling down to the ground ? And did he not cry out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ! As bearing upon himself the punishment of such capital offences , though upon our account , not his own ; that such as are guilty of such offences , and deserve such sorrows , agonies , and rejections of God , might through him have hope and comfort in God in their dyings , though of violent deaths by legal punishments , as was seen in the Malefactor that suffering with him dyed like a Saint . We finde no such matter testified of him , no agonies nor exclamations as his sins deserved ; but on the contrary , rebuking his fellow sufferer for his reproaching Christ , acknowledging the justness of their sufferings , and our Saviours innocency ; and praying Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom , he heard this comfortable word ( which doubtlesse strengthened his confidence , and gave him full assurance of his salvation . ) Verily I say unto thee , this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise . Surely this was written for an incouragement , even for such offenders also to hope in God by Jesus Christ , and betake themselves to him for mercy , in an humble acknowledgement of their offences , and of his power to forgive and help them ; which that they also may obtain of him , ( even to the giving them large confidence in him , and full assurance of their salvation . ) Christ's graciousness to him doubtless doth testifie , that none may say , what should such hainous sinners dye like Saints ? though yet in one sense such dye not as Saints ; while they glory not in , nor justifie the cause of their death ; ( as those that dye for Christ and righteousness sake may and often do ) but in that regard take shame to themselves , and acknowledge the righteousnesse of the shame and punishment ordered to them , as deserved by them , and submit themselves thereto . And surely it would be too great an injury to the grace of God , and to his love to mankind , and to their welfare : and too great a derogation to the vertues of the precious blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus , to imagine that such mercy may not be shewed to them , that are so great sinners , both as to make them , in their receit of it , hearty in their repentance , and chearful in their spirits under their sufferings , in the hope of God's salvation .

Object . Ah! but the suddainnesse of the conversion , and speedinesse of the consolations , and the coming so easily by them , without more drooping and humiliation makes some question . They expect such great sinners should long lye under dejection and sadness , before they get a good word from God ; and if not so , they are apt to conclude them under a delusion , or but hypocrites in their profession of joy and consolation .

Answ. Truly , I would not be misunderstood to speak in behalf of any that are not truly penitent and turned in to Christ , or that are daubed with untempered morter , and slightly healed . Yet this is evident , that sometimes the grace of God makes quicker work in mens conversion , and he more speedily comforts them thereupon , than the wisdom of the flesh or of man judges fitting , as by this Parable appears , as also by the carriage of the Pharasees toward Christ , often censuring him for his receiving sinners while it appears they were not satisfied of their conversion . I conceive , had they been first made Pharasees , they would not then have been offended and judged them sinners still . The woman that at Simon's house stood behind Christ , and washed his feet with her tears , &c. had not satisfied the Pharasee that she was a convert , for then would he not have had indignation thereat , nor said in his heart , If this man were a Prophet , he would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him , for she is a sinner , Luc. 7.39 . Surely Christ knew her better then he did , and knew her to be a real convert , though it seems she had not so publickly bewailed her self , and bewailed her sin , as to satisfie the Pharasee that she had left it . And what appears to have been the sorrow and humiliation of the Malectour ? we finde nothing said thereof , and yet evident tokens appear of his real conversion , and he had speedy absolution : For ,

1. He rebuked his fellow for his carriage towards Christ , as if he had been turned a suddain Preacher of repentance to him , Fearest thou not God seeing we are in the same condemnation .

2. He confessed his sins , and justified the righteousness of his death , submitting himself upon that account to bear it patiently . And we indeed justly , for we receive the due reward of our deeds .

3. He confessed Christ , and justified him in his sufferings , and that when the whole multitude , the Princes , Priests , and zealous Pharasees , and learned Rabbies , the chief builders did most of all reject him , despise , and deride him . And when he was in his deepest sufferings . But this man hath done nothing amiss .

4. He in this lowest case of Christ , when his own Disciples durst not own him , owns and professes his faith in him , that he was Lord and King ; and that he should have the kingdom , and so that God would glorifie him through and after those his sufferings , saying , Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom . And

5. In that faith he calls upon him as upon the Saviour of the world , or of sinners , saying , Lord remember me , &c. as intimately professing his faith , that he could forgive , and save , and blesse him .

We finde no great lamentation for his sin , nor dejection under the sense of it , but yet a better confession of faith we scarce finde from any of the Apostles , who were now shrunk from him . Yea , Peter that thought to have stood it out , denied him . See here how suddainly and silently the grace of God may work a notable alteration as to conversion , and then see the speediness of Christ in forgiving and comforting . He lets him not hang long drooping to his death upon the Crosse , but presently tells him , This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise . And was it not so with David , he said he would confess his sin , and God forgave the punishment of it . He said but , I have sinned , and Nathan replies , the Lord also hath taken away thy sin , thou shalt not dye , Psal. 32.5 . 2 Sam. 12.13 . So Peter had but begun to speak to the Gentiles , and presently the Holy Ghost fell on them , and they spake with tongues , without any long humbling them first for the sins of their Gentilism , or bringing them into the profession of Judaism by circumcision , as it seems the Disciples of the Jews had some thought he should have done , by their quarrelling with Peter for his eating with and receiving them , Acts 11. Yea , and Peter himself says , what was I that I could withstand God! as if there might be some such leaven in him also as to have kept them longer out from comfort , and made them more humbled first before he would have received them had they been at his disposing . Truly , I suspect it s our hypocrisies , or want of thoroughness in coming off from our idols , our sticking long in the place of the breaking forth of children , that increases and lengthens our throws and sorrows . Hos. 13.13 . As while David kept close his sin his bones waxed old , and he roared out with daily disquiets , Psal. 32.1 , 2. the heart that comes off soon and roundly from its sin is sooner comforted . So the compassionte Father here , so soon as he sees his Sons resolution , and finds him upon his way to him ; yea , While he was yet a great way off presently runs to meet him , and falls upon his neck and kisses him . Oh hasty Father , and too passionately fond , thinks his Pharasaical Son to shew so much love before no more humbling . He was not yet fallen on his knees scarce , and behold his Father falls upon his neck . He had not yet confessed his sins , only says he would , and the Father prevents him with his compassion , and before he could utter all he had to say , calls for the fatted calf , and the best robe to feed and cloth him , and therefore he hears of it afterward , As soon as this thy Son was come , that hath devoured all thy substance with harlots , thou hast killed for him the fatted calf . And so how apt are we to say , Oh! they must be soundly humbled before we may shew them any hopes of mercy towards them ; and yet indeed its hope of mercy here that humbled him , yea , the best and sweetest humbling is after the receit of mercy . Then Mary loved much , and wept much when much was forgiven , Luc. 7.47 . and so in Ezeck. 16.60 , 61 , 62 , 63. when God remembers his Covenant with adulterous and idolatrous Jerusalem , and makes an everlasting Covenant with them , then she shall remember her ways and be ashamed , &c. yet if God speedily comfort men we are ready to say , it was some delusion , they were not humbled enough .

But what is that that men call humbled enough ? I fear as some are not humbled and ashamed for their sins , so some may mistake and idolize it . If by being humbled enough they mean , so as to give satisfaction for their sins , or make an amends for them , that 's an enough that none can attain to , and therefore Christ humbled himself to death , the death of the Crosse for us , Philip. 2.7 . and was not he humbled enough for us think we ? it is upon the account of his humiliation , and not of ours , that God receives satisfaction , and forgives us , None can be sufficiently humbled for the least abuse of any mercy to deserve the forgiveness of it thereupon , but in Christ : God is the best estimator of our being humbled , so as to be fitted to receive what Christ's humiliation and sufferings for us have purchased ; and he seems to men sometimes to accept of a small measure or time of humbling , as the instances before recited make manifest . And if God speak peace to any upon short and slight humbling to appearance ( yea , or when he sees us go on frowardly , turning aside in the way of our 〈◊〉 , if he see our way and heal us , and create the fruits of his lips peace to us , as Isa. 57.17 , 18 , 19. seems to import ) who or what are we , that we should limit or fault the Holy One ! When God comforts any , how can they be dejected ! would we have them play the hypocrites to humour us , counterfeit terrour and dejection when God speaks peace to them ? surely no.

Again , we vain creatures are apt to judge of mens being humbled by the outside , the sad countenance , plenty of tears , sorrowful tones , wringing of hands &c. but God sees the heart . And God that knows the heart bare them witness ( says Peter ) speaking of the Gentiles , so suddainly in their uncircumcision received in by him . And indeed we may find the Scriptures mention persons as well humbled , and so as God counts them meet to be comforted : When ,

1. They having sinned do ( or are willing to ) ingenuously confesse , and not hide , cloke , extenuate , or plead for their sin and filthinesse , and turn from them . So in Prov. 28.13 . He that bideth his sins shall not prosper , but he that confesseth and forsaketh them finds mercy . And in 1 Joh 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Though this confession , as to particulars , is not needful to be made publike to all men , but to God . I said I would confesse my sins to the Lord , and thou forgavest me , Psal. 32.5 . and in some cases to some faithful men , Jam. 5.16 . that are concerned , and the heart made free to .

2. When they see themselves so vile , and their sins so hainous , that they cannot take comfort in any of their confessions , weepings , humiliations , fastings , but go out of all to the grace of our Lord Jesus , and his precious blood , Psal. 51.1 , 2.7.16 , 17. And indeed they are proud persons that have their hope in other things , as their weepings , humiliations , &c. for they think so well of themselves as to conceive some excellency in such their acts , that they may do something in their worthiness with God , to procure his acceptance of them , It 's a greater act of humility or humiliation , to see such emptiness or nothingness in them all , as to disown any resting in them , or comfort from them , but only to hope in the mercy of God , and the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ : And ,

3. In case God lead them out to sorrows and griefs , bring shame and sufferings upon them , to be willing to yield our selves to God . To be afflicted and mourn and weep , Jam. 4.9 . Accept the punishment of ones iniquity , and bear the indignation of the Lord till his wrath be past , as having sinned against him , Mic. 7.8 , 9. This God himself makes the character of an humble heart in his sight , when in the view of him the uncircumcised heart is humbled , and they accept of the punishment of their iniquity , confessing that they have walked contrary to God , and he hath walked contrary to them , Lev. 26.40 , 41 , 42. and that was the great act of Christ's humbling himself for us , that he accepted the punishment of our iniquity , and yielded up himself to bear it quietly , not repining or grudging thereat . And here also in this Parable the Prodigals humiliation appears in this chiefly ; that rising and coming to his Father he confesses his sin , submits himself to bear the shame of having his Father or Servants see his poor estate , and to be in any place how mean soever that his Father would put him in , though of an hired servant , so he might but be received . And surely , when we finde any that have been great sinners turned in from their evil ways , confessing their sin and vilenesse , and submitting to the grace of Christ to seek their absolution , rest and righteousnesse there , submitting themselves to walk in his ways , and bear his chastisements ; and if in so doing ( yea though there be some imperfections in their so doings ) they meet with refreshings and rejoycings in God and Christ , and in the riches of his grace , we may rejoyce in their behalf , as here the family are called upon by the Father , Let us make merry and be glad . Though others that are prophane scoffers may take occasion from such falls and miscarriages of professors of the truth to jear and blaspheme , ( for which and for whom we have cause in such cases to be sad and grieved ) and others take occasion thereby to abuse God's goodnesse and mercy to such to harden themselves in sin : ( for whom we may be sorry also , warning all to take heed of so doing ) yet in regard of God's goodnesse in general to repentant sinners , and in particular to this or that to whom he gives repentance , and restores and comforts ; we may make merry and be glad . Especially seeing our heavenly and gracious God and Father calls upon us so to do , joyning in himself with us , saying , Let us eat and be merry : We may by good authority do so ; yea , it 's unmannerlinesse , and peevish frowardnesse , like this elder Brothers in this Parable , to be sullen and sad , when God says , Let us eat and be merry , and its meet we should make merry and be glad . Shall not the Children and Servants be merry and chearful to see their Father merry and chearful , and in such a rejoycing temper ? Surely its meet then we should make merry and be glad . Again ,

CHAP. XII . The third state , and the Text further improved in some further usefulness .

3. IT may teach us , that God is a good God , not a Spirit of sadness , or that delights in our melancholly dumpish tempers ; but is a chearful , though a most holy Spirit . One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy , but sadnesse is not reckoned amongst them . Not but that the Spirit of God leads men to be sad sometimes , or rather through sadnesse to gladnesse , as of old his people through a wilderness to the land of promise , and in most cases sorrow is better than laughter , than a vain foolish worldly frothy laughter , or affliction than prosperity for us , because by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better . Yet sadness and sorrow are occasioned by and spring from another cause , viz. sin , and its fruits : were it not for them in our selves or others , the Spirit of God would scarce ever lead us to be sad . His ways are ways of pleasantnesse , and all his paths are peace , Prov. 3.17 . He is a chearful spirit , and leads to chearfulnesse , and loves not sullen sowre frames and dispositions . Yet we poor foolish creatures ( as I prove sometimes my self ) are apt to be either carnally , lightly , wantonly and vainly merry , or else on the other extream , to espouse to our selves a sad , glumpish spirit , a melancholly , rugged , harsh disposition , or Pharasaical face . For they put on sowre sad countenances , as too many yet do as a piece of religion , Mat. 6.16 . as if God delighted in such Cynick or Stoick frames , formal bodily humilities , a whining voice , a head hanging down like a bul-rush , and such like self-tormenting carriages . No , no , God is a chearful Spirit , as having infinite joy and delight in himself , and in his Son , and in his works and doings , and He and his Spirit call for , and lead to chearfulness in his service . Whence he saith , Make a joyful ( not a doleful , sad , lamentable ) noise to the Lord all ye lands , serve the Lord with gladness ( he saith not with sadness ) and come before his presence with a song . Not with a complaint , as thinking hardly of him , or being afraid of his harshnesse and aptnesse to be displeased with us , Psal. 100.1.2 . He loves not to have his Altar covered with tears , he accepts not such offerings at our hands , except in case of sorrowing after God , and for our sins , Mal. 2.13 . He loves a chearful server of him , as well as a chearful giver , 2 Cor 9.7 . In his presence is fulnesse of joy and pleasures at his right hand for evermore . And they are to reward his followers and worshippers , Psal. 16.11 . Thence those many exhortations to the righteous his worshippers to rejoyce . Finally , my Brethren , rejoyce in the Lord , Philip. 3.1 . and rejoyce in the Lord evermore , and again , I say , rejoyce , Phil. 4 4. and in 1 Thes. 5.16 . Rejoyce evermore . See also Psal. 32.11 . & 33.1 . as checking that aptness to be sad that is in his worshippers , and signifying that it displeases him ; and well it may , for its dishonorable to him , occasioning people to be offended at his service and ways , as affording nothing but sadnesse and melancholly to them that walk therein . And as signifying the great goodnesse of God , and the good and abundant cause that God's people have of rejoycing in him . For as he is the only good God , and infinitely better than any other god , or object of trust and worship ; so there is infinitely more cause of gladness in and from him , than any where else . Nor have any people such cause of rejoycing , and confidence , and boldnesse , as those that are God's , and belong to him ; considering what they have in and with him , and what a portion and happinesse he is to them . All other things are muddy cisterns , in point of causing or affording joy and chearfulness . He is the free , and full , and perpetually running fountain of joy , delight , and consolation . He gives everlasting consolation , and good hope through grace , 2 Thes. 2.16 . We have not found God then , so as to know him indeed , till we meet with and have in him , yea , under and notwithstanding all occasions of heaviness that befal us , joy unspeakable and full of glorying , 1 Pet 1.6 , 7 , 8. None may rejoyce so as the righteous , they that are in Christ Jesus , and walk with him , such may boldly say , The Lord is our helper . Come what will come , We will not fear what can man do unto us ? Oh! seek we him , and the knowledge of him , till we finde it so as to have rejoycing evermore in him . Though we may have manifold occasions of sadnesse both from within us and from without us , yet we have cause , being in him and walking with him , of a perpetual and evermore rejoycing . Away , away then with all hypocritical Pharasaical thoughts , to please God in our demure looks , and sowre countenances , as if therein stood our being humble before him , and let us take the advise and counsel of our Lord and Father , and accept his exhortation . Let us eat and be merry . Make merry , and be glad .

Quest. But what must we do to make merry and be glad ?

Answ. Alas ! what can we do to make merry and be glad ? it must all come from God as the ground and Author of it . He must go before , and it s our parts to comply with him and follow after him . If he frown upon us we have no cause to make merry , but to mourn before him till he call us to mirth , and further then he calls us to mirth and to make merry , we shall do well to be sober and attend to him . But when he calls us to joy and gladnesse , as here , and to make merry , we may in the supplies of his grace do something ; as to say , we may , and let us ,

1. Hearken to the voice of God and his servants calling us thereto , and opening the cause thereof , and the grounds for it to us . Such as be his mercy towards sinners , and to us and our Brethren in what he hath done for , and to both us and them . As the Servants say here to the elder Son , inquiring the cause of their mirth . Thy Brother is come , and thy Father hath killed the fatted Calfe . And the Father here : It was meet we should make merry and be glad , for this thy Brother was dead , and is alive again ; was lost , and is found . And indeed upon these two grounds especially is the cause of mirth and joy ; Gods goodnesse , and our Brethrens welfare and happinesse , as also our own through the same goodnesse . His goodnesse is declared in the feast made for us , and in our own and others liberty to it , or injoyments of it . And indeed the ground and cause of mirth , as that which is the spring of our happinesse and our Bretherns too , is the feast that is made for us by him , and his love to us therein : A feast is made for ●laughter , and wine maketh merry , Eccles. 10.19 . That we may laugh and be merry then in the Lord , let us I say , first hear him calling us to it , and expounding it to us , and presenting occasions of mirth to our view . So the Samaritans hearing and closing with the Gospel had great joy in their city , Act. 8.8 .

2. At our Fathers call go into the house to him , and be there with him , and with our Brethren . Let us not here be Schismaticks , and make rents from our Brethren that believe in , confesse , and rejoyce in God's love and grace to us in Christ , and walk therein . Take heed of what may separate and divide us from them . For Schisme is a work of the flesh , and leads to destruction , Gal. 5.20 . There is a feast made for all , and all are called to come in and eat of it ; The simple also , and they that have no understanding , Prov. 9.1 , 2 , 3 , 4.5 . Yea , the poor , maimed , halt , lame , and blind , Luc. 14.13 , 21. The Publicans and Sinners are received here in their coming to Christ the house wherein it is , and to his people with whom he is one , and who are his holy house also : As it is said , Whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence , and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end , Heb. 3.6 . with Luc. 15.1 , 2. Pray , let us not be so busie as those in that Parable Mat. 22.5 . about our farms , merchandises , or pleasures , much lesse be so wicked and rude , as they that took the servants that called them in , and despitefully intreated , and slew them for their labour therein . Nor so taken up as in the Parable , Luc. 14.18 . about our Oxen , Farmes , and Wives , as to think thereby to excuse our selves from coming in to this feast . No , nor so superciliously proud with this Pharasaical elder Brother in his froward distemper , to think the grace of God is too free , and too freely exposed and proposed to sinners , and they too easily admitted into Christ's and his peoples fellowship , and so into God's house , and to feast therein . As if it were only fit for us , and such holy creatures as we conceit our selves to be , that are so regulated , and have lived so obediently : as if we feared the lamenesse , blindnesse , maimednesse , that is , the imperfections , ignorances , and defects of the other guests and in-goers would infect us ; or their looser demeanours formerly , their riotous livings and being publicans and sinners , would too much disgrace us if we should go and fit in God's house with them such vise wretches . This was the fault of this elder Son here ; he was a Schismatick as he was in this temper , he would rent from his Fathers house . Why , I pray you ? oh my Brother ( nay , I will not own him for a Brother ) that spend-thrift , that hath devoured his living with harlots is intertained there , and he is too bad for me to joyn with . Thrust him out , and I will come in galdly . Let me , and such as I am have the calf to our selves , and we shall need but little intreating . He is offended at his Brothers badnesse , though not at present continued in . He hath repented it and hath left it . Indeed it is implyed that there is no ground of joying in or for sinners else , nor are any faulty for refusing to joyn with them , if they have not testified repentance . But the Servants have testified of him . Thy Father hath received him safe and sound . Now yet to hang back is too incredulously done . Yea , though the Father himself also intreat him to come in , he still objects his badnesse , till he hear it from his Father himself . He was dead , but is alive again ; he was lost , but is found , that is , he is a real convert . This is too much unbelief , not to believe the Servants , testimony , unlesse we have assurance from God of our Brethrens conversion . This , stand by thy self , come not near me , for I am holier than thou , is it that oftentimes makes men Schismaticks from God's house , Saints and Servants , but these are so far from pleasing God better than others , that he saith of them , These are a smoke in my nostrils , a fire that consumeth all the day long , Isa. 65.5 . Away then with these hangings back , and refusals of Christ , and the feast in him , or taking offence at the freenesse of God's grace to sinners , or at our Brethren , for being or having been worse than our selves , as we proudly think . If we will indeed make merry and be glad , better go in and fit down , though there should be one unworthy one there , that hath not on the Wedding Garment . He only , not we , for that shall be rejected , Mat. 22.12 .

3. Going into the house of God ( that is , joyning up our selves to Christ and his people , that is , all them that call upon him in sincerity , however they may have in some things done worsethan we , or differ from us ) sitdown to meat there and eat , and drink at this feast . But here we must take heed that we take on with us the Wedding Garment ( for this is a Wedding feast too ) which is prepared also by the feast-maker for us as well as the feast , that is , that in our coming into the Church of Christ to joyn with Christ , and his people or worshippers , we put the Lord Jesus Christ , so as to come only upon the account of him , and the grace of God in him ▪ not presuming upon our own worthinesse to approach his table , or lay claim to his provision , though also putting on his vertues in our believing in and on him . Putting off the deeds of darknesse , put on the armour of light , not walking in surfettings and drunkennesse , chamberings and wantonnesse , strife and envyings ; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ , making no provision for the flesh to fullfil it in the lusts thereof , Rom. 13.12 , 13 , 14. that is , put on as the Elect of God in receiving the grace of God , as those that are holy & beloved the vertues of Christ , Bowels of mercy , meeknesse , kindnesse , humblenesse of mind , &c. Coll. 3.13 . Otherwise if we take up only the form of godlinesse , and deny the power ; the profession , and deny subjection to Christ and his Spirit , we shall be cast out again into outer darkness , Mat. 22.13 , but so coming and being entred , Let us eat and be merry . Unless we eat our meat , and drink our drink , that our heavenly Father hath provided for us , we shall never be merry . Fasting and mirth are not meet concomitants , but feasting and mirth . Our Father hath killed for us the fatted calf ; indeed he bid his Servants do it , and so they do in a sort , in their ministerial holding forth Christ crucified for us . Yea , all are his servants , they that crucified Christ did but therein what his hand and counsel had determined to be done , Act. 4.28 . But the Son puts it upon the Father , Thou hast killed for him the fatted calf . God hath prepared him for us , delivered him up for our sins , and raised him again for our justification . Sets him forth in the Gospel as a sacrifice offered up for our sins , and gives him to us as the bread of life to eye and believe in , exercise faith in , and so feed upon him . We are not put upon it , or called upon in this feast to bring any dish with us , but only to eat what he hath prepared and made ready for us . It will make our Father's heart glad to see us accept his love , and eat heartily of his meat , and eat together like brethren lovingly . He will not think his fatted calf ill bestowed on us , if we will but eat heartily on it . Yea , therein he hath delighted , its meat and drink to him his Sons obedience and righteousnesse , and in and through him , its as meat and drink to him to see us eat heartily on him too . Do not look upon our meat only ( though its good to look on it too ; for it s so lovely , and altogether pleasing to an enlightned eye , that it will allure us to eat ) but also eat of it , feed on it , put it in our mouths , let it go down into our bellies or hearts . Cause our bellies to eat , and fill our bowels with it , Ezek. 3.3 . If thou confesse with thy mouth Jesus the Lord , and in thine heart believe that God hath raised him from the dead , thou shalt be saved . Rom. 10.10 . But what have we no drink to our meat ? yes , yes , I warrant you , our Father keeps a good bountiful house , he hath a cup of good wine for us , spiced wine , the most choise wine , the blood of the grape , and yet it s but the fatted calf still ; For his flesh is meat indeed , his being incarnate and made flesh for us , his being delivered up to death for our ransome and redemption . He , as therein the way for us to God , the mediator of God and us , the receptacle for us and convayer of the grace and blessing of God to us : This is our meat , and its meat indeed . And his blood is drink indeed , his abasement and sufferings as obtaining for us and confirming to us the New Testament , and its precious promises which are all in him ( by vertue of this his most pretious blood obtaining for us the continual pardon of our sins ) yea , and Amen . Affirmed and confirmed , or ratified for and to us . This , this , and the love herein testified is drink indeed , Joh. 6.55 . His love is better than wine , will cause the lips of those that are asleep to speak , Cant. 2.2 . and 7.9 . come then , let us eat together of this meat , this is better than to feed on the flesh of our own arms , Isa. 9.20 . That 's pittiful stuff ; that is , what we can do and gather up to and for our selves by our own strength , our fastings , prayers , whinings , pinings , works of righteousnesse of our own doings , our humblings and self abasements , as reflected on by us . The flesh and blood of this fatted calf is ten thousand times better ; it will make us strong to labour and work what is good , and make us thankful to him that gives it to us , and to acknowledge our selves infinitely unworthy such a dish to have been prepared for us ; but these things are the fruits and effects of it fed on , not the meat we are to eat , much lesse what is but the issue of our own power and strength . Come then Brethren , let us sit at it here , and eat and drink heartily if we will be merry and glad , and make our Father merry and glad , and our Brethren merry and glad . Let 's eat , and drink , and be merry here . This will never make us Epicures , nor drunkards , nor riotous eaters of flesh . Here is no excesse in this feast , eat and drink of it what we can . Eat we that that is good , and let our souls delight themselves in fatnesse . Hereto we are invited and called upon , Isa. 55.2 , 3. And here call we upon one another too , as our Lord doth upon us all . Eat , oh friends , yea , drink , yea drink abundantly of my love ( as some translate that ) Cant. 5.1 . Our Father will never chide us or tax us for it , as gluttonous eaters of flesh or drunkards . I say , for eating our fills here , nor shall we need to spare this fatted calf is a living dish , that will grow upon us in the eating it ; the more we eat the more we may eat , and the more we eat of it the more welcome . And the wine here will do like the oil in the miracle , increase as we empty it , or drink of it . Here 's a Princely feast , no law to limit us how much to eat or drink . Oh! that all the Epicures , drunkards and gluttons in the world would lay aside their epicurism , in which they spend and wast God's creatures , and break his laws , and bring upon themselves misery and destruction , and turn gluttons and drunkards here if they can . Yea , here its lawful and a priviledge to be drunken , for so some read that in Cant. 5.1 . Drink , and be ye drunken , oh ! my beloved , or with my love . And to be sure if Christ make men drunk , he will never fault them for it ; if men drink here till they loose their own understanding , reason , senses , it will never harm them ; for they loose them not for the worse , as in bodily and sinful drunkennesse , to be made like beasts ; but for the better , to be made like Angels , or conformable to Christ . To be drunk into his Spirit , his will , mind , judgment , and to be carried above not beneath our selves . Here we may call for cups and flagons too , Stay me with flagons , Cant. 2.5 . be not drunk with wine then , wherein is excesse , but be filled with the spirit of love , and of Christ , there 's no excesse in that , Eph. 5.18 , 19. This wine will exhilarate or chear us , while it assures us of God's love in Christ , and ascertains us of the injoyment of his promises , yea , and convays them to us . This wine will indeed make glad our hearts . Let 's eat , drink and be merry then here ( not for tomorrow we shall dye , but ) and we shall never dye . We shall never drink our selves dead here , as the drunkards of this world do , but we shall drink our selves alive , we shall drink death away , and drink our selves into eternal life . For whoso eateth my flesh , saith our Lord , and drinketh my blood hath eternal life , Joh , 6.56 . And this will beget mirth , and as it begets mirth , let us make it or be given up to it : For it makes us

4. Sing . Let us sing the songs of Sion , not of fools , that know not of this feast : but of those that are instructed into Christ by his Spirit , a new song even praises to the Lord , Psal. 40.2 , 3. Lauding , and magnifying , and blessing the Lord ; yea , and blessing , and commending the Lamb we eat of , or this fatted calf , and the cup we drink , for its a cup of blessing , such as it both yields blessing to us , and is to be blessed and magnified by us , 1 Cor. 10.16 . Take a Psalm then , Psal. 81.2 . But how shall we come by it ? why , drink but off our cups of the wine forementioned , and we shall have Psalms spring up in us , as the spirit thereof also hath composed some by his servants the Prophets for us , and take we of them . Be we filled with the Spirit ( in eating this meat and drinking , this drink forespoke of the love of God in Christ ) speaking to our selves ( as implying that then we shall speak , for it will make the lips of them that are asleep to speak , as was noted before in Cant. 7.9 . but not as drunkards often do in a sinful way , but ) Psalms , and Hymns , and Spiritual Songs , singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord , that is , to the praising , commending , and glorifying him , Ephes , 5.18.19 . Col. 3.16 . Yea , and to help that

5. Bring hither the Timbrel , and the pleasant Harp , and the Psaltery , Psal. 81.2 . We have musick at this feast too to help our mirth , so we read ver. 25. When the elder Son came out of the field , and drew nigh to the house , he heard musick . Here was musick it seems then , God allows his children musick to their meat . So in Rev. 14.2 . I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps , and they sung as it were a new song before the throne , and all meat , and songs , and musick of our Fathers providing . He gives us songs in the night too , Job 36.10 . and he gives gifts to men , the instruments of musick ; we are bid only to bring them hither , bring them all to provoke this spiritual joy and mirth to be expressed at this feast ; use all our gifts to further God's praise , and the joy of one another in the Lord . Musick was used to stir them up , and help them in their songs , to sing the more tunably and merrily , as there were in the sanctuary , The singers going before , and the players on instruments following after , in the midst the Virgins or Damsels playing on Timbrels , Psal. 68.26 , Such a one was the Prophet Ezekiel , As one that could play well upon an instrument , and had a pleasant voice , Ezek. 33.32 . or rather like the lovely song of such a one , of the good musitian Christ himself , the Master of the musick ; he that excelleth in skil , and tunes all the instruments and plays upon them with his hand , or breaths in them ; whose eares and hearts being bored are made as wind instruments to receive his divine breath & inspirations ; and to whom ( namely Christ ) all the Psalms and Songs of Sion are dedicated . Such musitians and instruments of musick also subordinately too are Gospel-Preachers skillful in the praises of the Lord , and to direct others in their acknowledgments and confessions of him , Blowing up the Trumpets , as in the new Moon , and playing upon the Tabret , the merry harp , and Lute . To whose musick diligently attending , our hearts will be composed for the accesses and impressions of the holy Spirit upon us ( as the Prophet Elishas in 2 King . 3.15 . ) and we shall be framed both to sing , and as pleasant instruments to make melody to the Lord . Primely the Prophets and Apostles , and those that are endewed with , and exercise their heavenly and spiritual gifts , as helpers of our joy , 2 Cor. 1.24 . To their found , to their joyful found attending : Sing we merrily to God our strength , and make a chearful noise to the God of Jacob , as the Vulgar reads it , Psal. 81.1 , 2. with 89.15 . And to make our mirth compleat .

6. Dance . That was here too , ver. 25. Musick and dancing . A regular motion of the body is dancing ( but here of the heart , as in Psal. 28.7 . The Lord is my strength , and my shield , my heart hath trusted in him , and I was helped , therefore my heart danceth , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ( so some render the Hebrew ) and with my song will I praise him ) according to the modulations of the musick ( the heavenly musick made by the musitian , & musitians and in struments before mentioned to the glory of God ) not such as tends to beget unclean lusts , as in bodily dancing of men and women promiscuously together is often found , but to the provoking to heavenly , divine , and spiritual love to Christ , and of one another , and of Christ again to them all , in which if they be moved to a spiritual conjunction in the bed of divine love , as a chast Virgin all of them to Christ ; yea , and if also they give and receive the immortal seed of the Word of God betwixt themselves promiscuously either men with men , or any man with any women or men ( though indeed there are neither male nor female in Christ Jesus , but all are one ) there is herein no turpitude or uncleannesse , nor will Christ ever reckon them therefore Adulterers or Harlots , but his chast Spouse all of them ; and own all the spiritual fruit or children so begot and born as his and holy to him , nor shall they ever be endited by him , or by any law of his , or agreeing with his , or be brought to suffer death for it upon the gallows ; as for bodily and fleshly uncleannesses they justly may . But Injoying love in this Bridegrooms armes , They shall be above all the fleshes charmes .

And all this mirth and spiritual jollity , singing , dancing , proceeds from the spirit of this heavenly meat they feed on ; about which therefore they may play , and sing , and dance . For though it was idolatry , and heavily punished of God , when Israel made a Golden Calf and danced about it ; and so it is yet to make a calf of mens own ear-rings , jewels , or any gifts , parts , or works of righteousnesse , and sacrifice to , and worship it : Eating and drinking , and rising up to play . Yet it is no idolatry or sin at all to worship this fatted calf , ( so understood and interpreted for Christ ) sacrificing sacrifices and songs of praise to it , eating and drinking of it , and rising up to play , and dance about it , for this is none of our making . This is God's image in which he will be worshipped of us , and which he will allow us to worship , sing to , and rejoyce in , as one with himself . And indeed the God that gives us this mirth , and makes us able to play , and sing , and dance : For it s he that confirmes and strengthens our feeble knees , that were ready to knock together , and puts strength into our ancle bones by his Name , as he did to the lame mans , that lay at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple , Act. 3.7 , 8 , making him to leap up , and stand , and walk ; and to enter the Temple leaping , and walking , and praising God . So doth his heavenly Name , in which is this spiritual food , this flesh and wine proposed , strengthen us to dance . Leaping o're the Mountains , Skipping o're the Hills ; Capring to those Fountains , Whence this liquor Drills . Mounting up to Heaven , And to Earth descending ; To shew unto Men Where 't is safe depending .

For this chear lifts up the heart above all fears , droopings , and discouragements , and above all towring objects of inticing vanities and allurements , to take a view and converse with heaven ; and then lets down again to men to shew forth the vertues and praises of Lord to them ; and guides in all to regular and heavenly ordered motions , according to the instructions of the grace and operations of the Spirit of God and Christ . No such dancing , no such mirth as this , which God allows his children , in which they may spend their days , and in a moment go up to heaven ; contrary to that of the wicked and their children , Job . 21.11 , 12 , 13. With this were the Epicures and Pleasure-mongers of this world acquainted , they would leave their drinking and drabbing their dandling and dancing to come to this feast ; and would they come indeed hither , this loving Lord , and glorious feast-maker would intertain them as he did this Prodigal . Yea , and perswades the Pharasaical to agree with them therein , letting go their own righteousnesse ( which is spiritual whoredome to adore , however much they make of it , and in the view of it look a squint at publicans and harlots received in ) while they stumble at the grace of God to sinners , and keep out from this fatted calf , they do but make golden calves of their own to delight in , worship , and dance about , and commit adultery , spiritual adultery ( as bad in the sight of God as bodily adultery ) with . Though they think it their righteousnesse , it s but stollen waters , bread eaten in secret , because they think the table of the Lord contemptible , and his meat polluted by being exposed to , and partook of by such unholy ones in their apprehension . But , I say , God would perswade them relinquishing those their stollen waters , and secret breads , to come and joyn with their penitent Prodigal Brethren in this feast of love , where they might eat , and drink , and sing , and play , and dance , till they take a frisk at God's calling them out of the flesh into the heavens , where they might everlastingly live and love in the bosome of their Father , and embraces of the Lamb and sing Hallelujahs for ever and ever . It is meet that we ( thus ) make merry , and be glad , for thi , thy Brother was dead , but is alive again , was lost , but is found ,

Blessed be God .

CHAP. XIII . The Conclusion in some Poems . Psalm . 23. THe Lord 's my Shephead , I shan't want In pastures green he feeds me . And there to lye down doth me grant , And by still waters leads me . My fainting Soul he doth restore , And guides me in right ways For his own names sake . I therefore To him sing laud and praise . And though with death , and grim despaire I grapple I 'le not care : For thou art with me , thy Scepter And staffe my comforts are . Thou dost support me by thy power , Thy strength is all my stay ; And by the same what would devour Thou drivest far away . In midst of my disdainful foes My table thou dost spread My cup of comfort overflows Thy balm anoints my head . Thy mercy and goodnesse alway Shall compasse me about , And in thine house I 'le ever stay , And never more go out . Amen . Finis .

1. Spring up , O well , to it we 'l sing The praises of the Lord . Let each musitian strike his string , And all herein accord . 2. Oh Lord how wondrous is thy love ! What one is like to thee . It doth exceed , and goes above All things that we can see . 3. The heaven above , the earth beneath , And all that is therein Do shew it : yea , it shines through death And gloryeth over sin . 4 What is it thou hast done or said Ere since the world began . Yea , or before the world was made , Wherein thou eyd'st not man ! 5. Didst thou not all things for him make , And all things to him give ? Thou shew'dst the course that he should take , That he might ever live . 6. Nay when he heedless of the love Against thee did rebel ; Thy only goodness did thee move , To care he might do well . 7. When he forlorn , and all undone , Helpless and hopeless was , Thou then sent'st forth thine only Son , Thy will to bring to pass . 8. Which was , this wretched Man to raise , Through his own Death and Blood ; Vnto a state more worthy praise , Then that where first he stood . 9 , Him thou declar'st , and to him call'st Thy very enemies : By him thou heal'st their wounds and falls , And Fools thou makest wise . 10. They that obeying to him come , To them thou dost impart Thy self , and all things ; so great room Have they within thine heart . 11. They that refuse , or from him stray , Thou dost not presently In wrath destroy , or cast away ; Being loath that they should dy . 12. Thou usest means them to reclaim By sweets , and sowers , as thou Who all things knowst , dost see their frame , And what may make them bow . 13. When vilest Sinners worthiest Of Wrath , to thee return ; Thou intertain'st them with the best ; Thou glad'st them when they mourn . 14. Thou such a Feast for such hast made , As shews thy love most dear To Mankind : Oh it can't be said How vertuous is its chear ! 15. A fatted Calf thou hast prepar'd , More than the world to thee ; Which to Men worthless of regard , Thou giv'st their Meat to be . 16. This fatted Calf help us to praise , So long as we remain . When we are down it doth us raise , And make us strong again . 17. His Flesh as meat the Soul doth feed , His Blood Man's Heart doth chear : He 's such a Robe as Sinners need ; None like it can we wear . 18 With Songs and Musick here our hearts Rejoyce may : and nothing Of worth there is , but this imparts Vs unto bliss to bring . 19. Dear Lord , clear up our eyes that we More clearly may discern . The vertues in this Food that be , And cause us them to learn . 20. Come all ye Sinners far and near , Let go what doth you kill ; Come hither . Tast this dainty chear , And eat thereof your fill . 21. Here you may eat , and drink , and sport , And heavenly pleasures get ; Riches , and honours , and comforts , Wherof none may you let . 22 Here 's that will satisfie your hearts , When all things else prove vain : Here 's that will cure your wounds & smarts And make you whole again . 23. Come murmuring Momus too , whose eye Doth grudge to see our Chear : Let go , disdain , Pride and Envy ; Here 's room too for thee here . 24. Think not thy self too good for those That intertain'd here be : For that thy proud thought will thee loose , If not let go by thee . 25. There 's no true goodness but what springs From hence . What this doth give Is food and physick , this all brings , That tends to make us live . 26. Yea , if from what in thee is wrought By feeding on this meat Thou feed'st on , sleighting this , to nought Thou lt come , and thy self cheat . 27. Who keep to this , by this are kept To everlasting joy : Who stray from this away are swept : Evil will them destroy . 28. Here is the Spring whence all good flows , Washing all ill away . Here is the Light which all things shows , And makes perpetual Day . 29. This House of Mirth where this feast is , Is only that exceeds The House of Mourning , for in this There 's to supply all needs . 30. This is God's house . Let 's here abide , Him hear , his Table tast : His favour shall us safely hide , While any heavens shall last . Finis .

A spiritual Song . 1. WHo can sing the songs of Sion ? Who can dance the heavenly dance ? Who can Judah's valiant Lyon Worthily with songs advance ? 2. They be happy souls indeed , And may sing all cares away . Their felicities exceed All that we can think or say . 3. Come ye noble heaven-born spirits . Joyning hearts , and clasping armes . Rais'd up in your Saviours merits Above griefs and fears of harmes ; 4. Lift your feet from off the earth , Not affecting things below : View the place whence is your birth , Let your lives your breedings shew . 5. Take good heed to all your motions , And let all your turnings be ; Such as with the heavenly notions Of the joyful sound agree . 6. Toward Sion set your faces : Jump not with the worldly wise , With the Saints keep equal paces ; Nimbly'bove your droopings rise . 7. And to strengthen you the better To perform the heavenly dance , That you may break every fetter , And your hearts to heaven advance . 8. Come and eat of the provision , By our blessed Father made : And therefrom by no misprision Let your appetites be staid . 9. Come and eat the fatted Calf , Tast and see how good the Lord is , All the world the tenth of half Its sweetness cannot afford us . 10. Then be gone thou fleshly pleasure , And ye sensual delights : Here 's the mirth exceeds all measure , Where no after sorrow bites . 11. Eat and drink then and be merry , Here be wholesome dainty dishes , Better wine than Sack and Sherry , And all the Wine-biber wishes . 12. Better chear than Beaves and Muttons , Partridge , Pheasant , Fallow Dear : Come ye Drunkards , and ye Gluttons , Eat , drink , and be merry here . 13. Yea , come Pleasure-mongers all , Here be pleasures sweet and lasting : To a feast I do you call , Where be all things worth your tasting . 14. Where ye can't be Epicures , Though you feast it day and night : Our Law-maker us assures , He will count it good and right . 15. Never such a feast as this , Never such a merry meeting , ●re all People may have bliss , Coming to it as is fitting . 16. Ye whom avarice makes vitious , Here are riches worth your craying : And ye proud men and ambitious Buy these honours worth your having : 17. Ye who righteousness seek after , And in works and frams would find it ; Here 's the feast prepar'd for laughter , Isaac Sarah's Son ; pray mind it . 18. Whom her Womb had not conceived Till they eat the fat Calf stain . Till the mystery be believed , All your labour 's , but in vain . 19. Come my Brethren let 's be chearful , Though earth and hell , 'gainst us plot ; Feeding here we shan't be fearfull . They may kill yet harme us not . 20. The Vertues and Medicine Which this fatted Calf doth give ; Do afford such joys Divine , As in Death will make us live . 21. Blessed be the God above , Who his own Son hath not spared . Blest that Lover , and that Love , Which for us vile sinners cared . 22. And this food is worthy praises , Honour , glory , thanks , and bliss , Which from Death and hell up-raises To such merriment as this .

FINIS .