A92856:240
The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from…
The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from God. Returning prodigal, or The penitents conversion to God. Prodigals acceptation, or Favourable entertainment with God. Delivered in divers sermons on Luke 15. from vers. 11. to vers. 24. By that faithful servant of Jesus Christ Obadiah Sedgwick, B.D. Perfected by himself, and perused by those whom he entrusted with the publishing of his works.The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from God. Returning prodigal, or The penitents conversion to God. Prodigals acceptation, or Favourable entertainment with God. Delivered in divers sermons on Luke 15. from vers. 11. to vers. 24. By that faithfull servant of Jesus Christ Obadiah Sedgwick, B.D. Perfected by himself, and perused by those whom he intrusted with the publishing of his works.
London: printed by D. Maxwel for Sa. Gellibrand, 1660
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.
Thou sayest, thou knowest thy sins as well as any man can tell thee: Be it so, but if thy heart remain hard, not humbled, abased, broken, grieved for these sins, alas! as their unworking faith, Jam. 2. so thy unaffected speculation of sin, is vain: but findest thou this, that upon the serious consideration of thy sins, thy heart is humbled and abased in thee? that thou art cast down in the sense of thy exceeding vileness? O wretched man that I am! O Lord to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion! and that thy heart is grieved within thee and afflicted? that bitter mournings arise because of bitter sinnings? my soul hath them in remembrance and is humbled within me; Lam. 3. Thy heart melts before the Lord; I assure thee, this is a right and blessed consideration of sin.
3. If it work in him Detestation of sin. Grief seems to be more 1passionate, but hatred is a more fixed quality, as I may so phrase it, Ezek. 36. 31. Ye shall remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good (here is the consideration we speak of) and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and your abominations (here is detestation, the proper effect of true consideration;) for in a right consideration, the singular causes or reasons of hatred do arise: v. g. Excess of evil, absolute repugnancy to our best good, effectual prejudice, and greatest injury. Repugnans & Offendens, the Schoolmen make the two chief grounds of hatred. Vide Summistas in 1. 2dae. q. 29. But I will not prosecute that. Now then peruse thy self, Hast thou considered of thy sins aright? if thou doest not hate them, thou hast not; Seest thou sin, and art thou brought to hate it? Let me but propound a few things unto thee, that thou mayest see whether ⟨p. 81⟩thou loathest and hatest sin, or no. "Is it peace, or is it war? If sin lies quietly in the soul, it is peace, it is not hatred; hatred breeds variance, enmity, opposition, conflict. Paul hated sin,