A92856:694
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.
why doth it bring this man and not the other man to Conversion? There can be no reason given but this, that the one would hearken to it, the other would not; so that the effect of Conversion (by this opinion) is manifestly placed in the liberty of a sinners will, whereas the Scripture plainly ascribes it to the will of him who calls, not to the will of him who is called. 2. Others hold it to be much beyond this; To be a most High Power, a 1Creating Power, a Divine Power, an Almighty Power, such a Power as overpowers all the sinful power in man, bears it down, and overcomes a proud, stubborn, resisting heart; though it doth not totaliter eradicare, yet it doth actualiter predominari & vincere resistentiam voluntatis. Now that no less power is sufficient, effectually 2to convert a sinner, may be cleared by these Arguments. 1. If you consider the nature of Conversion it self: there are two 3things which Conversion doth denote; One is an immediate work ⟨p. 296⟩of God, renewing man, or giving unto him a new birth; this cannot be done without an almighty Power. Our Divines in the Synod of Dort, call this Mirabilem operationem; Prosper calls this Grace Bonorum in nobis creatricem: This is the creating work, to bestow a Soul upon the Soul, a Spirit of life upon a spirit; this must be the work of an almighty God indeed, Omnipotentissima potestas inclinandi humanorum cordium: Austin de Cor. & Gra. c. 14. No man nor Angel can make a creature, only a God can make creatures, and new creatures: The Ethiopian cannot change his skin, and can any but a God, change the heart, the nature of a sinner? Another is, A work of man by Faith, and Repentance, turning himself unto God; some term the former conversionem primam, and the latter conversionem secundam; these two in the order of time cannot scarce be distinguished, but in order of causality they are, the work of God converting man is before, and it is a cause of the action in man converting unto God: Now Conversion in this sense depends upon an almighty Power; even the believer cannot believe without Gods mighty Power; there is a wonderful Power required to draw out the act of believing: Oh, how much power is necessary to make any troubled broken heart actually to come unto Christ, actually to believe, to embrace Jesus Christ! how many Seas must be divided first? how many Mountains levelled and removed out of their places first?