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

Quest. But some may say unto me; If the case be so, How ¹may one know that God hath indeed converted and changed his very heart, so that he may confidently say, that although I was once dead, yet I am now alive? This Question deserves a serious Resolution. For 1. There are many abortive changes, deluding changes, rising from false and insufficient Principles, from a terrified conscience, or from politic parts, or from the power of restraint, or from denial of occasions, or from prevalent passions, or from the contrariety of one sin to another, or from a present and sudden apprehension of matters, or from the defect of strength, or from judicial impressions, by the appearing of death, or from education, or from respect to our superiors and friends, and hopes which we have from them, &c. 2. If the heart should never graciously be changed, ⟨p. 317⟩²(as sure as God lives) the man will be damned; though the man may have parts, abilities, honours, be civil, ingenuous, candid and punctual with men, and in-offensive in his dealings: O friends! the Heart (or Soul) is that which God looks on, and every man is as his heart is; as that is, so the man is; he is so for the present, and he is so for eternity. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, said Christ to Nicodemus, Joh. 3. 3. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are past away, all things are become new. Christ you know is the way, the truth, and the life: Can the Christless man ever be a heavenly man? assuredly no Christ, no Heaven: But then if a man be in Christ he is a new Creature (.i.) Christ doth change him, and forms him a new; he strips him of his old heart, and puts into him a new heart.

Quest. But some may say unto me; If the case be so, How ¹may one know that God hath indeed converted and changed his very heart, so that he may confidently say, that although I was once dead, yet I am now alive? This Question deserves a serious Resolution. For 1. There are many abortive changes, deluding changes, rising from false and insufficient Principles, from a terrifyed conscience, or from politick parts, or from the power of restraint, or from denial of occasions, or from prevalent passions, or from the contrariety of one sin to another, or from a present and sudden apprehension of matters, or from the defect of strength, or from judicial impressions, by the appearing of death, or from education, or from respect to our superiours and friends, and hopes which we have from them, &c. 2. If the heart should never graciously be changed,