The Elder Son Explained, and the Romish Church Exposed

Eight reasons why I believe that he was not a saved Character ,
Various have been the opinions of good men concerning the elder son: some suppose it must mean the elect angels, who, though holy beings, yet were envious of the high honors conferred on man who was so far beneath them. He took not on him the nature of angels, but, as the son of God, he took on him the seed of Abraham; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself to the death of the cross. But to form such an opinion of the holy angels is quite absurd, seeing, that so far from envying what grace has done for fallen man, they are represented as filled with joy. Hence the prophet calls upon them to rejoice—“Sing, O ye heavens! the Lord hath redeemed his people”—and in their death and safe arrival to glory, the promise runs—“For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing, (the elect angels and the spirits of just men made perfect) and all the trees shall clap their hands for joy”—God’s called people upon the conversion and happy death of others—how vast their joy at the incarnation of Christ, when they brought glad tidings of great joy; and after delivering the glorious message, they returned singing glory to God in the highest. Our dear Lord also assures us there is joy in the presence of the angels when sinners on earth repent. And why? As Mr. Toplady says, “Tell me ye seraphs of light, tell me ye souls of just men made perfect, why this exuberance of holy rapture on the real recovery of a single sinner to God?” Because ye know, assuredly, that every true conversion is, first, a certain proof that the person converted is one of your own elect number; and secondly, that he shall infallibly persevere and be brought to heaven. 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; but he is the only writer I hope that ever held such a weak idea. 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; and that the elder brother is an exhibition of the whole group of pharisees in every age and of every denomination. 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. “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. 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. 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. This must be the case with every man in this world, or else where God is he never can come: except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, neither the liberty of the gospel here, nor the mysteries of grace, nor eternal glory. It is very evident that this poor creature, bragging and boasting of his goodness, never had been through the needle’s-eye of regeneration—that camel had never been reduced small enough for that, and of course unfit for communion with God upon earth or in heaven. I beg my reader will once more attentively read the Saviour’s account of this ambitious, arrogant, envious, lying, ignorant, self-righteous boaster.