The parable of the prodigal. Containing, The riotous prodigal, or The sinners aversion from…

1. One may be called a very great sinner, whose single sin is of an amazing quality; such as not only Scripture condemns, but ¹even nature shrinks at it, as Incest and Sodomy; there is a kind of reluctancy, and abhorrency in nature against those, and the very Heathens start at them: Yet God hath converted some men guilty of these sins. The incestuous Corinthian, whom Paul would have delivered to Satan, was wrought upon, and converted, and repented; and 1 Cor. 6. 9. Some of them who were abusers of themselves with mankind, v. 11. Were yet washed, and sanctified and justified. 2. One may be called a very great sinner, whose kinds of sinning are very many, and all of them exceedingly ²provoking: When they are as a volley of poisoned arrows, all of them levelled at, and shot into the very face of God; every one of them, like Saul, is higher by the head then other sins, which in comparison are of a lower stature: Such a ⟨p. 281⟩great sinner was Manasseh; he was one of the highest Idolaters that ever we read of, and a witch, and dealt with the Devil, and offered some of his children to the Devil, 2 Chron. 33. 3, 4, 6. and shed much innocent blood: Yet this notorious sinner at length humbled himself greatly, and was converted: See vers. 12, 13. 3. One may be called a very great sinner, ³who hath continued a long time in the course and practise of great sins, perhaps twenty, forty, fifty years: Abraham continued a long time in his Idolatry, and at length was called and converted: The Ephesians walked according to the course of this world, and had their conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, Chap. 2. vers. 2, 3. yet at length were quickened and converted, vers. 5. 4. One may be called a great ⁴sinner, whose sinnings are very greatly circumstanced: Circumstances, you know, give a very great accent unto moral actions.