Luke 15

You are just in all that is brought upon us. And confession then is ingenuous when it is free not forced (Luke 15:18). I have sinned against heaven, and before you; he charges himself with sin before ever his father charges him with it.

Response. If you will now at last seek to God by prayer, and break off your sins, God has the compassion of a Father for you, and will in no wise cast you out. When the prodigal did arise and go to his father, his father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed…

Whores are the Devil's horseleaches, sponges that will soon suck in all one's money. The prodigal had soon spent his portion when once he fell among harlots (Luke 15:30). King Edward the Third's concubine, when he lay a dying, got all she could from him, and plucked the rings of…

As when the wind leaves the west, it turns into a contrary corner. The repenting prodigal did not only leave his harlots, but did arise and go to his father (Luke 15:18). In true repentance the heart points directly to God, as the needle to the North Pole.

This exposes to contempt. When the Prodigal was poor, his brother was ashamed to own him (Luke 15:30): This your son; he said not this my brother, but this your son; he scorned to call him brother. When the deer is shot and bleeds, the rest of the herd push it away; when God sho…

Imputation alone is that which makes it his, and that [illegible] God's act; and he did never by any thing that he has done lay any the least obligation upon God to do it; and that must needs be most free, to the earning and procuring which, we have never done any thing, [illegi…

And that it does intend an earnest desire, we shewed in the consideration of the word foregoing. And the word is never used in the New Testament, but either in a bad sense, to express the impetuous acting of lust, as (Matthew 5:28; Galatians 5:17; Romans 1:1), or a most fervent…

Knowing that we have in ourselves. The things which they had lost, were their goods, or their substance, as they are called (Luke 15:13). To these he opposes the substance, which of what nature it is, he declares in comparison with those other goods.

9. The tears of a righteous man are more excellent: holy tears are the costly gum which distills from the trees of righteousness: Mary Magdalene stood at Christ's feet weeping (Luke 7:38). Her tears dropped as pearls from her eyes; the tears of the wicked are good for nothing, t…

Whoso is simple, &c. The stray lamb is brought home upon the Shepherd's shoulders (Luke 15). Oh that these words might be spirit and life to you!

If so, truly you have more need to exercise pity than revenge toward him — and that upon a double account. First, he is beside himself; for so indeed is every unconverted sinner — Luke 15:17. Should you go into Bedlam and there hear one rail at you, another mock you, and a third…

Ungodly men are frequently compelled by the light of their own consciences, and by the irresistible evidence of things, to commend those holy and righteous ways of God, in which they will not walk. It is true, wicked men are generally mad, and therefore it is said of the Prodiga…

We speak of voluntary relation, for there are natural relations, as between parents and children: and these need no Covenant, there is no Covenant to make a man a parent, or a child. There are also violent relations, as between conqueror and captives, and in these there is no Co…

Men will do thus and thus because they think their state is good. The Scribes and Pharisees came not to Christ (Luke 15:1), but Publicans and sinners came: so it is with men now, do we lay open their sins to them, yet they will not be persuaded: men will be righteous of themselv…

And pray that you may be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23). Let a holy resolution be taken up at last (after many neglects) as was by the poor distressed Prodigal, after he had long lived a wandering life (Luke 15:18) and onward, I will arise, and go to my Fath…

Dan. 9. Luk. 15. The second point is, the excellencie of Humiliation, which stands in this, that it has the promises of life eternal annexed to it, Esa. 57. 15.

Where mention is made of divers Apostataes, that were by God called to repentance, with promise of pardon, if they turned unto him. And in Luk. 15. the Prodigall child, (by whome I understand one, that after grace received, ell from his repentance and obedience to God) when he d…

3. It is pleasant to Him, because in this, the Lord has a special complacency; and has evidenced in His Word, comparatively a greater delight in sinners closing with Christ, and in their accepting of life through Him, than in many other things: therefore it is, that He calls for…

So that if you would know what is the sum and effect of Christ's errand and work in the world, here it is: He came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He came to seek and save that which was lost; to bring home the lost sheep on His shoulder; to seek and find the lost coin; to rec…

O Lord open your lips, that my mouth may show forth your praise: and after the meeting of the Lord and the forlorn Son, besides the poor son's expression, full of sense: consider how much sense and joy is in the Father; it is a parable, yet it says much of God. Luke 15, Verse 20…

And man is led and taken with reason. Christ is a convincing thing, and invincibly binds reason: so the forlorn Son, before he returns to his Father, argues (Luke 15:17), My Father has bread, he gives it to servants, and I am a starving son; therefore I'll return to my Father; a…

(3.) They buy and sell you [in non-Latin alphabet] with decked up and well kammed fair words. O our Redeemer that bought us, our Saviour! O free grace! O free redemption! as Libertines now do, and yet they that deny sanctification, deny Christ who in their profession bought them…

(2.) No further price for what they need (1 Peter 1:18-19), you are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot and blemish. The repentance of a sinner is pleasing to him, there is joy in heaven (Luke…

Though they themselves be not the parties interested, the spectators not the guests; yet they are delighted in the glory of God, and are kindly affectionated to the salvation of lost men; and that they may have a nearer view of this mystery God gratifies them by sending them oft…

Marke the speech, I thought. The prodigall child, Luk. 15. upon his purpose to returne to his father, (before he had indeed humbled himselfe in word) was received to mercie. When Dauid said, I have sinned, Nathan in the name of God said, Your sinne is forgiuen you.

When the prodigall sonne conceiued a desire to be reconciled to his father, with a purpose to confesse his offence, before he had vttered his desire, he is received to mercie. Luk 15:21. The second example is a desire of Gods presence and protection in common iudgements.

The sin of false apostles that troubled the Galatians (Galatians 5:10). Nay, it drives men beside themselves, as appears in the example of the prodigal son, who repenting of his sin, is said to have come to himself (Luke 15:17). Small sins are like slips and slidings, whereby me…

Neither can it be but men of any good heart, will be deeply touched with extreme sorrow at the beholding of such a woeful spectacle. We read, (Luke 15:10) how the angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, and therefore they are much grieved at the perdition of any one of the…

Let us now examine the parable in detail. Luke 15:12. And the younger of them said to his father. The parable opens by describing a mark of wicked arrogance in the youth, which appears in his being desirous to leave his father, and in thinking that he cannot be right without bei…

14. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of those little ones should perish. Luke 15:1-10 1. And all the publicans and sinners drew near to him to hear him.

Matthew 15:26, 27. The Prodigal Son said, I will arise and go to my Father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy it be called thy Son; make me as one of thy hired Servants, Luke 15:18, etc. See also Luke 18:9. etc.

Luke 13:3: 'Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish.' Luke 15:7, 10: 'There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents,' that is, over one sinner that is converted. Acts 11:18: 'Then has God, also to the Gentiles, granted repentance unto life.'

It appeared in Cain who hated his brother, because he was more acceptable to God than himself; and it appears still in these times, and in this place. There are many who are like the elder brother, who could not bear it that the prodigal when he returned should be received with…

3. It is a sad word to those that leave the ordinary way of God's calling by the preaching of the word, and trust to raptures, revelations, inspirations, and extraordinary means for God to call them by: alas, they also are out of God's ordinary way of calling; for God ordinarily…

Surely yes. For if there be joy in Heaven (Luke 15) over a repenting sinner, then doubtless, there is abundant ground of joy on earth. If Angels rejoice when a sinner repents, much more may the repenting sinner rejoice.

The Angel of the Lord pitches round about them that feare him: And all this they doe unto us of loue, as though it were not inioyned them: So we after their example must imploy our selues in soule and bodie, calling, credit, and all we have for the good of men. Sixtly, the Angel…

So when the Lord had spoken unto Job, and made him see and know himselfe, he cries out, Behold, I am vile, Job. 39, 37. and againe, Now I abhorre my selfe, and repent in dust and ashes, for those things that I have said and done, Chap. 42. 6. In such sort also did the Prodigall…

The third qualification confirms the same (for, it is in effect one qualification in three expressions) and it's in these words, and in the day of the gladness of his heart; What is it (says she) that cheers Christ, and makes him heartily glad? It's even this, when poor sinners…

The first is, her bowels being thus stirred and moved, she arises to open, as being sorry she had lain still and shifted him so long: I rose up; This is opposite to her former lying still, and refusing to give him entry; now she yields, and begins to bestir herself, to draw her…

A returning sinner will be welcome to all the persons of the Godhead. 2. We, that is, I with the Angels, who (Luke 15:10) rejoice at the conversion of a sinner. And, 3. we may import, I and all the daughters that admire you.

"My spirit made diligent search." As the woman in the Gospel did light a candle, and search for her lost groat (Luke 15:8). So conscience is the candle of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27).

Every step a sinner takes is a going further from God. The Prodigal's going into a far country (Luke 15:14) was an emblem of the sinner's going afar off from God. How far are they distant from God, who have been traveling forty or fifty years from their Father's house!

Such withered grass are the wicked, who are never taken into the reapers bosom; but as soon as saints are cut down by death, they fall into the hands and bosoms of the angels of God, who bear them in their arms and bosoms to God their father (Luke 16:22). For look, as these bles…

The world hates a ruling and reigning Christ; and so we hate his holy actings, and the wishing to have grace and gracious influences ruling in us, is a dream. We really desire no such thing, but love an independency of our own, as was the unlucky prayer of the son who loved not…

Sense complains the breathings of the Spirit are not strong, the wind is not fair: but faith is not content to look through the key-hole, and see the half of his face, and is humbler: Ah, may I but hear of him, or kiss his feet and weep over them, touch but the skirts or the hem…

Nor is this to flatter such as separate from Christ and his ordinances; nor to say, Stand by yourself, come not near me; for I am holier than you (Isaiah 65:5), and yet they themselves remain among the graves and lodge in the monuments. Be rather frequenting hospitals of sick on…

This is represented in the parable of the Prodigal Son, by the carriage of the father towards the elder brother that was so proud, and ill-humored, so angry that he would not come in. The father did not say, "Let him stay out then," but he came himself and entreated him (when he…

Hannah's meekness and quietness was in some degree wanting, when she fretted, and wept, and would not eat (1 Samuel 1:7), but prayer composed her spirit, and set her to rights (verse 18) — her countenance was no more sad. It was the unquietness of the spirit of the elder brother…

Yes, yes; He is more ready to receive you, than you are to come to him. Luke 15:20. And he, [••]ose and came to his Father. But when he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion on him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

When any particular soul is freed from the family of this world, it is revealed to the angels. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God (that is among the angels, and by them) over one sinner that repents (Luke 15:10). Now the angels cannot of themselves absolutely know…