N00302:146
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of the lost son found, is opened and applied, as it was delivered in sundry sermons, / by Samuel Willard teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Two lines from Luke]
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684
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.
5. When men put away from them the fear of God: this is the character of a wicked man, Psal. 36. 1. There is no fear of God before his eyes. This is interpreted a forsaking of God, Jer. 2.19. God dwells in mens hearts by putting his fear into them, when he causeth them to delight in his ways, to love his commands, and to be afraid of his Judgements: but when instead of this, they thrust away his law, refuse to hearken to his counsel, and are not awed by his Judgments, their will cannot submit to his, when conscience is stifled, or lulled asleep, and men sin securely and without any dread, now they are gone far from God.
5. When men put away from them the fear of God: this is the character of a wicked man, Psal. 36. 1. There is no fear of God before his eyes. This is interpreted a forsaking of God, Jer. 2.19. God dwels in mens hearts by putting his fear into them, when he causeth them to delight in his wayes, to love his commands, and to be afraid of his Judgements: but when instead of this, they thrust away his law, refuse to hearken to his counsel, and are not awed by his Judgments, their will cannot submit to his, when conscience is stifled, or lulled asleep, and men sin securely and without any dread, now they are gone far from God.
2. For the evidence of the Doctrine that it is so, the Scripture is plain; it is the very character of wicked men, as we heard, Psal. 73.27 They that are far from thee, shall perish. And that their prosperity emboldens them to it, the Psalmist also ascertains us, Psal. 55.19. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. And he that observes the boldness, security, confidence, fearlessness, irreclaimableness of wicked men, especially if the providence of God smiles upon them, will easily conclude these men are far from God.