Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

Name: Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse
Author: Samuel Willard

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 ...

Samuel Willard 1640–1707printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684

[6], 391, [1] p. · 92k words · Wing W2285 · ESTC R40698

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Mercy Magnified ON A PENITENT Prodigal. › Sermon 12 › DOCT. II. In order to the conversion of a sinner, God makes him do…: DOCT. II. In order to the conversion of a sinner, God makes him deeply apprehensive tha…Mercy Magnified ON A PENITENT Prodigal. › Sermon 12 › DOCT. II. In order to the conversion of a sinner, God makes him dee…: DOCT. II. In order to the conversion of a sinner, God makes him deeply apprehensive tha…

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.

[ Earlier:427–442 of 995

:427p. 177¶2

2. Man is naturally most opposite and contrary to God, and will not (be sure) come to him until he be driven: It is very evident, that he will try every way, turn every stone, use all means to do well otherwayes, before he will betake himself to God: the Prodigal will live meanly, fare hardly, scramble, and debase himself if that will do rather than return to his father's house: as long as a sinner hath any hopes that he can make a shift to keep up himself from sinking, he flies not unto God: (the Raven; if he can have carrion to light upon and feed of, returns not to the Ark:) for till now he hath no need of God: A man must: be sick before he will send for a Physician, and dangerously sick, heart sick, before he will send for one whom he hates, other Physicians must first fail him.

2. Man is naturally most opposite and contrary to God, and will not (be sure) come to him until he be driven: It is very evident, that he will try every way, turn every stone, use all means to do well otherwayes, before he will betake himselfe to God: the Prodigal will live meanly, fare hardly, scramble, and debase himself if that will do rather than return to his father's house: as long as a sinner hath any hopes that he can make a shift to keep up himself from sinking, he flyes not unto God: (the Raven; if he can have carrion to light upon and feed of, returns not to the Ark:) for till now he hath no need of God: A man must: be sick before he will send for a Physitian, and dangerously sick, heart sick, before he will send for one whom he hates, other Physitians must first fail him.

:428p. 177–178¶4

4. In Conversion there must be a whole reliance upon God, and that must presuppose an litter rejection of all other helps and props, Hos. 14 3. Ashur shall not save us, &c. Now man hath naturally such an opinion of himself, and of the creature, that till he be throughly convinced of its emptiness, he will not forsake it, and till that he cannot close truly with God, who will not be a divided trust, or part glory ⟨p. 178⟩

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SERMON XIII.