2 " of a Son to ſuch : Father, The petitionary part of what he reſo!v- ed upon, V. Ig. 15 not here again repeated, but to be underſtood, Men may by tis common Grace of God denyed to no Man, have ſome 202d thoughts, but tney dye away, anJ come to no maturity, gnleſs the Holy >pirit of God breathes upon them, and maintaineth, and upholdeth them in tne Soul 3 bur where the Lord defigneth a thorough Change in a Soul, the Spirit of the Lord comes, and con- vinceth the Soul of Sin, and. of Righteouſneſs, and where he doth ſo, the Reſolution ripeneth into Attion, and produceth in the Soul a true and hearty Contrition, and confetfion of its fin, with humble Petitions, and a retignation of its ſclf to the Lord's Will, and a caſting of its ſelf upon God's free Grace and Mercy.
22 But the farher faid ro his ſervants, Bring forth the beſt robe, and put z7 on him, and pur a ring on his hand, and ſhoes on he feer.
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill i: ; and et us ear and be merry,
24 For this my ſon was dead, and is alive again ; And they began to be merry- | |
we muſt remember that we are in a Parable where a finncr is repreſented to us under tie notion of a Prodigal Son, God under thenotion of an Indulgent Father. A Repenting Sinner, under the notion of a Prodigal returning to his Father, confeſſing his Error, etitioning his Father for Mercy, acknowledging he deſerveth none, hut caſting himſelf upon his Fathers Goodneſs and Mercy. It is ob-
«ſerved by an Eminent Author, That amongſt all the Parables, this
is one of the moſt famous, and wherein is the moſt full and perfe&t Repreſentation of the thing intended to be repreſented, and an ap- licableneſs of every part of the f1militude to that which it is brought £o reprefent. This part of it repreſenteth the Grace of God to tru- ly repenting Sinners. We before heard, his readineſs and willing- neſs to receive them, this part lets us fce the manner how he wall treat them. As in caſe of Apoſtacy ; the ſecming Righteouſneſs, and Profeſſion of Men ſhall not be remembred, Exel. 3. 20. and 33. 13. f in caſe of a true and hearty Repentance, the fins of a Soul ſhall not be remermbred, ja. 43. 25. The Father taketh notice of the Prodigal's leaving his Fathers Huuſe, or waſting his Eſtate riotouſlly, but ſaith, Bring forth the beſt Robe, Tay MANY THV apwTHY, and put a King upon his Hand, anz Shes upm kis Feet, and bring hither the Fattzd Calf Ty wager mw arrevny. I find ſome Interpreters, who by the fatted Calt are willing enough to underſtand Chrift ; yet interpreting the beſt Robe, Innocency, or Inherent Righteouſneſs. Nor is it an 11] Interpretation, if we contider, That God at the ſame time, when he imputeth the Merits of Chrift to the Soul for Zuſti- fication, doth alfo put his Spirit of Alineſs 1nto the Soul, by which being renewed 1n the inward Man, this Man brings forth tie Fruits of Holineſs unto Righteaufneſs, Ezeh. 35. 26, 27. But why we ſhould not underſtand both the Phrates of the application of Ckrifts Me- rits, and the Imputation of his Rightcouſnefs to the Sou], I cannot tel], conſidering, that the Church of Lacdicea is counſelled to buy of him White Rayment, that ſhe mizht be cloathed, Rev. 3. 18. and that thoſe Chathed with White Robes, Rev. 7. 14. arc faid to have Waſhed their Robes, and made them White in the Blood of the Lamb, and that tho” the Habits of Grace are tomnctimes in Holy Writ, compared to Chathing, (Be 1e chathe4 with Humility, faith the Apoitle) yec theſe are not j AJ} 1 @pary, | fhould therefore rather chuſe to interpret 'the killing of the futted Calf for the Prodigal Son, as repreſenting, that Application of the Blood of Chriſt, which is made to every tfin- ner, that truly repenteth, and maketh its application to God for Mercy 3 and the be Robe, the Righ:ewſneſs of Chriſt, in that moment reckoned unto the Soul {thus believing) for Righteouſneſs. Further yet (to conttder it only if the Parable) the Word Jvourz Stertfice the tatted Caif, ſeems, to fignifie what a great Cauſe of Thankſgiving to God, as we!l as 75y amongit Men, the Converſion cf a Sinner 1s. -We that arc Earthly Parents, or Miniſters of the Goſpel. ſould not receive the news, or fee the viſible probability of a Souls teing converted and returning unto God, without offering a Sacr1- hiceof Thankſgiving unto God, for doing ſuch things for men, and without 3 truc, and hearty rejoycing 1n our ſelves. But to return apain to the meaning of the Parable, | Zet us eat and be merry, | Contiger thefe Words, as the Words of an Heavenly Father, they tipnific unto us, that the eternal God, from the Day that a repent- Ing foul hath the Biood of Chriſt applycd to it, and is cloathed with I11s Righteouſneſs, is at Peace with the Soul, hath a Communion with it, and that it from that time, hath a true right to ſpiritua] Mirth, and rejoycing, for Light is ſown for the Rightenm, and joy fs the upright in heart. Tho' poſſibly the ſoul at preſent through Temptations, cannot appretend it, and be not aftually poſſeſſed of tiat foy, and Peace which followeth believing, yet it hath a right to it, ard indeed none but that Soul hath any thing to do with Peace.It rolloweth, | For this my Son was dead, and # alive again, he was lo$f an is ſymnd) & tinful Soul is a dead Soul, as the Woman that tiveth in plcaſare, is {aid to be dead while (he lives, by the Apoſtle, : 1c Converſion of a Sianer, 15 4s: a Reſurredtion from tlic Dead, Nor is any Soul capable of any truc Mirth, till it be reconciled to vUd through the Blood of Chriſt, © »
25 Now his elder fon Was in the fietd : and as he came and drew nigh to the houle, he heard muſick and Gancing, | . 26 And he called one of the ſervants, and asKed what .inele things meant.
27 And he ſaid unto him, Thy brother is come ; and hy father hath killed the facred calf, becauſe he: hath re- caved him ſafe and found. » 4315 -
28 And he was avgry, and would-nar go ut :. therefore -2Me his father our, and intreared him.” **” -
29 Ard he anf{wering, taid ro hs father, Lo, theſe may years do | ferve thee, neicher cranſgrefled [ at
K E.
any time thy commandment , velit me a kid friends,
30 Bur as ſoon as this thy fon was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harl ra Pie wire the fatted calf : riots, thou halt killed for him
31 And he {aid unto him, Son, thou art eve FE FREIE: and all thar 1 have is thine deooadirage,.