J. Church

“ Hath not one God created us? The angels by creation are called sons—professors who turned apostates before the flood are called sons—and the whole body of Israel God denominated his sons—so that in a national way and in the same profession of the Jewish religion, the most precise and the most profane were brethren; but because some of the very worst amongst them were called by grace to the knowledge and profession of Christ, these angry brethren hated them and often disowned them. Another objection has been raised from the language of the father—son, thou art ever with me ”

“ The saints of God, as recorded in the word of God, have at times made use of very passionate language under pinching trials, and when falsely accused have vindicated themselves from cruel aspersions; they have also appealed to God of the sincerity of the heart, made so by grace; but all boasting is for ever excluded in the religion of free grace. God has declared the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be brought low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted. ”

“ Here the pride of the heart is awfully manifested—wanting to bring in God a debtor to him for his paltry, ragged, rotten, worm-eaten cobweb righteousness. The grand design of grace is to humble the heart, and to cause us gratefully to acknowledge that all we have and all we are out of hell is favor and mercy indeed. ”

“ I confess and declare, that the Pope should be honored by all men, in all things, as the most holy father; and moreover, that those heretics who live contrary to his ordinances, should not only be exterminated BY FIRE and SWORD, without exception, and without the least mercy, but also that their bodies and souls should be delivered up to Satan. ”

“ None but the God-man Mediator has a right to such language—He never transgressed the commandments of God at any time, but fulfilled all righteousness for the justification of his church, which is the best and first robe that clothed the repenting prodigal. ”

“ I confess, that to invoke the saints, worship the holy father, and bow the knee to them, make pilgrimages to their tombs, clothe them, and burn lights before them, is godly, holy and useful.
“I confess, that a priest is much greater than the mother of God: Mary only bore the Lord Christ, and never conceived again; but a Romish priest offers, and forms the Lord Christ, not only as often as he wishes, but in any manner he pleases; yea, he feeds upon him while he chews his bread. ”

“ I confess and believe, that the Pope is Christ’s vicar, and has full power to forgive the sins of all mankind, according to his own will and pleasure, either to save, to let them perish, or to excommunicate them, if he thinks fit. ”

“ So to this day the majority of Pharisees are mere easy professors, and in general opulent characters, who have their portion amongst the smooth stones of the brook, whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasures: for the earth he has given to the children of men. ”

“ I also confess, that whatever the Pope establishes, whether in the Holy Scriptures or not, whatever he shall please to ordain, is the truth, divine and genuine; that, consequently, every inferior person should esteem them equal to the commandments of God. ”

“ Others have supposed, that the elder brother signifies a believer truly converted, but very legal in mind—one that has been kept from outward sin—very precise and moral—virtuous and consistent, yet envious at the conduct of God our heavenly Father towards a most desperate backslider. This I acknowledge was my opinion for some years; but in time I was led to see that this opinion was wrong, and that the prodigal son refers to the state of God’s elect as fallen in Adam the first, and called, convinced, and effectually converted in Adam the second, by the Holy Spirit ”

“ This is giving the lie to God’s word, which reveals the sinful state and wretched depravity of every man in heart, lip, and life. Everyman by nature is a God-hater—his carnal mind is enmity against God. There is not a grace-taught person in this world that ever dare to use such arrogant lying language.
p. 53rd.—His boasting and impudent demand of God’s attention to his service—“Lo, take notice how many years I have served thee.”—An awful proof he had never been in the stripping room—in the element of free grace all boasting is excluded. ”

“ For however moral a believer may be kept all his days, yet was there ever, is there now living, one child of God upon earth that ever could use such language as this proud boaster is represented using. p. 3“Lo, take notice Lord, these many years have I served thee—I never transgressed thy commandment AT ANY TIME.” I say again, there NEVER was such a believer to be found that dare to make use of such arrogance and awful lies. ”

“ Many more reasons might be assigned why the elect angels rejoice in the conversion of a sinner to God. Other writers have supposed that our Lord did not mean any particular person or character, or order of beings, by the elder brother in this parable; but this is most absurd, to suppose that our Lord should utter so many words, including eight verses, about nobody. If the younger brother alludes to some order of beings, surely the description of the elder brother cannot be without meaning. This however was the opinion of the late worthy John Bradford ”