N00302:172
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.
2. The only way for us to improve the favours of Gods unto the enjoyment of happiness, is in the service of God. As happiness is our subjective, so is the Glory of God our objective end; and God hath tied these together so inseparably, that man cannot possibly make a separation of them, without his unspeakable loss: The way to Glory is to glorify God, our glorifying of him is to be expressed in our improving of his bounty, to us aright, in honouring of him; those that honour him, he will honour. There is nothing we can do sincerely for God, but it redounds to our well-being; parts, power, privileges, and all other creature enjoyments used for God, do help forward our everlasting salvation. Hence
2. The only way for us to improve the favours of Gods unto the enjoyment of happiness, is in the service of God. As happiness is our subjective, so is the Glory of God our objective end; and God hath tyed these together so inseparably, that man cannot possibly make a separation of them, without his unspeakable loss: The way to Glory is to glorifie God, our glorifying of him is to be exprest in our improving of his bounty, to us aright, in honouring of him; those that honour him, he will honour. There is nothing we can do sincerely for God, but it redounds to our well-being; parts, power, priviledges, and all other creature enjoyments used for God, do help forward our everlasting salvation. Hence
3. All is utterly lost which is laid out upon our lusts: whatsoever men use to the service of their own desires ultimately, it's abused; it is wasted in riot, it is grossly thrown away. For,
3. All is utterly lost which is laid out upon our lusts: whatsoever men use to the service of their own desires ultimately, it's abused; it is wasted in riot, it is grosly thrown away. For,