A92856:603
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.
2. When God finds a lost sinner, that sinner finds himself without 1all strength to come back to God. Though you find your selves to have lost your God, yet if you can find strength of your own to bring you back unto your God, assuredly your lost souls are not found: For (to speak punctually) no man finds himself lost, who as yet can find any thing in himself to set up himself; if I yet possess strength, I am not yet lost: But a truly and experimentally lost soul, feels in it self not only a loss of God, but also of power to come forth, to come back to God; Rom. 5. Without strength. It knows not, by its own light, one foot of the way; and when it is made known, alas, it finds no power to stir; nay, if I might have mercy and heaven upon the freest terms, but for coming home, I am not able to do it. O how a found lost soul complains! It complains as much of an impotent heart, as of a wandering heart: I cannot come, I cannot turn this wandering heart into the right way; come back to my God I should, but come I cannot; go to Christ I should, but go I cannot; if Christ doth not come to me, I shall never be able to come to him; if he doth not seek me, I shall never seek him; i• he finds not me with strength, I shall never find him with comfort and safety.
2. When God finds a lost sinner, that sinner finds himself without 1all strength to come back to God. Though you find your selves to have lost your God, yet if you can find strength of your own to bring you back unto your God, assuredly your lost souls are not found: For (to speak punctually) no man finds himself lost, who as yet can find any thing in himself to set up himself; if I yet possess strength, I am not yet lost: But a truly and experimentally lost soul, feels in it self not onely a loss of God, but also of power to come forth, to come back to God; Rom. 5. Without strength. It knows not, by its own light, one foot of the way; and when it is made known, alas, it finds no power to stir; nay, if I might have mercy and heaven upon the freest terms, but for coming home, I am not able to do it. O how a found lost soul complains! It complains as much of an impotent heart, as of a wandring heart: I cannot come, I cannot turn this wandring heart into the right way; come back to my God I should, but come I cannot; go to Christ I should, but go I cannot; if Christ doth not come to me, I shall never be able to come to him; if he doth not seek me, I shall never seek him; i he finds not me with strength, I shall never find him with comfort and safety.