A66106:111
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse wherein Christs parable of the lost son found is opened and applied as it was delivered in sundry sermons / by Samuel Willard ...
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
USE, 3. It may afford encouragement not to despair of unregenerate men, although they may at present be left to themselves, and wickedly to abuse all God's favours which they enjoy: God knows how to take them in their months: The poor Prodigal, left to himself, went far, but yet he returns at last, and is graciously welcomed by his Father: If men are bad at present, it doth not hence necessarily follow that they shall never be good: Hence be not put out of heart, do not think your prayers and tears are thrown away, which are laid out for their conversion; yea, but be the more earnest, by how much you see that they may be more serviceable to the glory of God than many others; how much their rich parts, abilities, ⟨p. 41⟩advantages would bring into the Treasury of the Temple, if God should be pleased to convert them.
USE, 3. It may afford encouragement not to despare of unregenerate men, although they may at present be left to themselves, and wickedly to abuse all God's favours which they enjoy: God knows how to take them in their months: The poor Prodigal, left to himself, went far, but yet he returns at last, and is graciously welcomed by his Father: If men are bad at present, it doth not hence necessarily follow that they shall never be good: Hence be not put out of heart, do not think your prayers and tears are thrown away, which are laid out for their conversion; yea, but be the more earnest, by how much you see that they may be more serviceable to the glory of God than many others; how much their rich parts, abilities, ⟨p. 41⟩advantages would bring into the Treasury of the Temple, if God should be pleased to convert them.
USE, 4. It may counsel us all to beware how we desire to be at our own will and dispose; to be left to our selves, to have our own portion in our own hand: God may grant such unreasonable desires, but if he do, we shall smart for it: Know therefore that every Child of Adam left to himself, will prove a Prodigal: If we are not willing to be under the direction of Gods Law, and conduct of his spirit, he may righteously leave us, and then we shall certainly do as this younger Son did, which is the next thing we are to enquire into.