A92856:656
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.
Here again it may be demanded, How a Christian may know that his appetite is a truly spiritual appetite, flowing from life? To which 1I answer thus: If it be an appetite flowing from spiritual life. 1. Then it is a strong appetite; the Scriptures call it an hungering and thirsting, the strongest and fiercest of all appetites: O Sirs, There is an appetite dainty, and there is an appetite hungry; there is a difference twixt a want on empty desire, and an hungering, or an appetite for life. Give me children, or else I dye; the word is to such a man, more then his appointed food. 2. It is an Universal Appetite: Some men have a stomach to the Word, but not to the Sacrament; and some 2have a stomach to the Sacrament: (O, that they must have) but not to the Word; and some have a stomach to this part of the Word, not to that part of the Word, and to it as thus dressed, and another way dressed; New Dishes for dainty stomachs: But a Christian in whom the life of Grace is wrought, why! he is for the Word, ⟨p. 274⟩and he is for Sacrament, and he is for all Christs Ordinances, and all Christs truths: Why! (saith he) I have a proud heart, and such a truth will humble it; and I have a troubled heart, and such a truth will comfort it; and I have a doubtful heart, and such a truth will direct it; and I have a weak heart, and such an Ordinance will strengthen it; so that he sees food in all of them, and he hath an appetite to all of them. 3. It is a constant 3appetite: Give a living man food in the morning, and Life looks for some at night; he can feed to day, and he can feed to morrow too. Thus it is with a living man; though when a man is dying, his stomach dies in him, and leaves him: One Sermon a month, or a year, will satisfy. A living Christian, he takes in provision every market day (every Sabbath) for his soul, and he longs for the market day again: O, when will the Sabbath come again! O, when shall I appear before God again! O, when shall I sit down, and be entertained at Christs Table again! O, I could hear of Christ, of Faith, of Mortification, of the Love of God, of newness of Obedience, &c. still I need more heavenly nourishment for my Graces, &c.