A92856:637
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. Lament and bewail thy unconverted Friends and Kindred. 1You read that David wept for Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son, &c. and you read, that Christ wept for Lazarus, being ⟨p. 264⟩dead; and you read, of both of these weeping also for those that were spiritually dead: David, Psal. 119. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law. Christ came near to Jerusalem, and wept over it, saying, Oh if thou hadst known, even thou, at the least in, &c. Wouldst not thou weep to see thy Fathers, or Mothers, or Sisters, or Brothers dead body carrying out to the grave? and say, Alas my Father, alas my Brother, alas my Child? How then canst thou refrain tears for their dead souls? Why doest not thou pity the dead and unconverted soul of thy Father? &c. At a Funeral Feast, there is no mirth, because the Master of the house is dead: Ah, weep over thy Father, over thy Son; the Master of the house is dead, his precious soul is dead: Thy pity can do a dead body no good, but it may do a dead soul some good, especially, if you take in the next Duty, which is,
- 1Lament thy unconverted friends.
3. Pray for the dead: I mean not in the Popish sense; they, 1you know, pray for souls departed, supposing them to be in Purgatory, where the pains, as they say, are intolerable, equal to them in Hell, and the souls are deprived of the vision of God; and therefore their Priests and others often pray for them; and upon the Graves they inscribe, Pray for the soul of such a one, and on his soul Jesus have mercy: But this is a wicked superstition. We acknowledge no Purgatory, and no need of Prayers for souls departed, yet we hold Prayers requisite for one another, whiles we are upon the earth. And because some are dead whiles they live, O pray to the Lord for them; Lord Jesus, have mercy upon the soul of my Husband, Child, Wife; O convert them, quicken them from the dead, suffer them not, their poor souls, to die for ever. When Steven was to die, he prayed for those that were spiritually dead: When Christ was dying, he also prayed for them: And Monica, the Mother of Austin, prayed for him; and all of them were heard. Object. But I have prayed, but yet no good comes of it. Sol. Pray still; as long as there is life, and as long as there is prayer, there is hope: It will be an excellent comfort to thee, and eternal happiness to thy friend, if thou canst, at length, by thy prayers, prevail with God to deliver that one soul from death.