A92856:70
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.
I now come to the application of this point. Is the entrance of sin pleasant, and is that pleasure but short, and ends that pleasure 1in miserable extremity, then 1. for
- 1Use.Ʋse.
1. Information; We may hence be informed, That all things are not right and safe, which yet are pleasant. The ways of a man 1seem right in his own eyes, said Solomon, and the motives of sin seem pleasant to our corrupt hearts; yet sinful ways are false, and sinful pleasures are nought and short. The first demand of any in point of opinion should be, how true, not how plausible; and of affection or action, should be, How good, and the next, how pleasant; not first how delightful, but first how lawful. We may not do about our moral acts, as we do in our civil, ask what fine Stuffs, but first, what good. The Apple, the forbidden Apple, which if tasted had death in it, was yet goodly to 2to look on, it was pleasant to the eyes. And the Wine of which Solomon speaks, though it bit like a Serpent, and stung like an Adder, 3yet it looked red, and gave its colour in the cup. As all sins have after their commission something to back them, so they have before their commission something to enter them: After our sinning, there are corrupt defences and reasonings; and before our sinnings, there are corrupt pleasures and delights: As in ⟨p. 15⟩the sewing of a Garment, there is a Needle to make way, and then a Thread to keep fast; so it is in the constitution of a sinful course, there is pleasure to make way for the sin, and then there is love and defence which keeps fast the sin. Therefore we must in this be informed, not to entertain any thing because it doth please and delight us, for usually that is sinful which at first is delightful; it is not how it pleaseth me, but how it pleaseth God: The soul of man naturally is very corrupt, and as it is with some stomachs which are foul, the worst diet is most delightful, so it is with our souls being evil, therefore that which is evil suits bests with them and pleaseth them most. Pleasures of any thing must be judged by 1. A Word of truth; for if they be not good, as well as pleasant, they are sins factors; and 2. by the respondency they have to a nature, not as corrupt, but as renewed.