A92856:778
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.
if one Grape, what is the cluster of Grapes? Now not only this or that mercy in the Covenant belongs to a converted man, but every mercy, the God of all mercies, and all the mercies of God; the God of all comforts, and all the comforts of God.
5. True Conversion, It is the infallible fore-runner, the 1earnest, the pawn of Glory: the pledge which God leaves in hand, the first fruits of thy eternal Glory in the highest heavens; and is not this a cause of great joy? if I look back, and see a love from all eternity; if forward, and see a glory to all eternity. Truly, if I should never taste Honey on earth; if all the Wells of a present comfort were stopped up, if my Father should never smile on me in the way, if all my Life were a sailing on brinish tears, and my Ship were still to be tossed with troublesome waves; yet, if I were sure at length to put in at this Port, to come safe to Heaven at length, to appear ⟨p. 342⟩before the God of Gods at the last, to see him in Glory, and enjoy his face, and the pleasures at his right hand for evermore, even this confidence and assurance were enough to make me to rejoice in the hope of the Glory of God. Oh Christian, besides all that joy which ariseth from converting grace (which is it self a sweet Rose) and besides all those Honey dues which fall upon the soul in the exercise of grace, in the way to Heaven, (Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways, Isai. 64. 5.) There is also reserved in the highest heavens, that most perfect happiness, that most perfect tranquillity, that most perfect joy; Oh, I cannot express it, I cannot comprehend it. 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath begotten us again unto a lively hope. v. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Ponder the words; an inheritance, the best of possessions; incorruptible, the best of inheritances; undefiled, the best of incorruptibles; unfading, the best of undefileds; and reserved in heaven, the best of unfadings: Nothing is so surely kept as that which is kept in heaven for us, and born unto all this, and a lively hope of all this: Oh, what comfort! Oh, what joy comes out of all this! If I had all the world, and looked up towards heaven, but my heart should tell me, that goodly Canaan will never fall to thy portion; it would be now with me, as once with Ahab, who, though he enjoyed a Kingdom, yet was very sad, because the heavens were as Brass to him.