418 The soutes effeEfuallcaling to ChriftL what was the Prodigall then ? finelyhis joy was incatnprehenfible, and unconceivable : if they which .were onely the beholders of the Prodigals good did fo rcjoyce, then what was Lee that was the gainer ofall that good, tocome from fuch a deale ofmifery to filch a father ; nay to come from fetch a bale courfe, not onely tobe entertai- nEd to the family, but to tl,eaffeaionsof tl e fa- ther, hee mull needs bee full ofjoy for the fame: Oh then, how great is that joy and that co:3fola- t'ìonwhich is fpiritaall, andwhichevery faithful! foule whichhath beetlea Prodigall,now receives, when hee is come home to God, and is corne home to him wh6he hath formetly difhonoured? This Prodigall is nothing elfe but the pieureof a poore finner that runs ;lot fromGod,and from his truth : as r Pet.2. a 5. We were Jheepe going Affray: we are the Prodigals naturally, and wee follow our owne wages, and the corruptionof our owne hearts, and we have fpent all our patri- mony, andare goneaway fromGod, and grace, and life, and all; but the broken hearted finner now comes home toGod the Father by faith : Now ifthe Qrodigall,when he foundhis home, was focheared, andifhis father rejoyced, and the friends feafied, much more then wheal! poore finner comes home to God the Father : there is joy in Heaven for one finner that repenteth; therefore thou mailt jufflyrejoyce inearth : God theFather rejoyceth to fee thee comming home ; andGod the Son rejoyceth toreceive theepoore and meeke, and the Spirit of God rejoyceth to wCh
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