Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…

USE, 2. For expostulation with unregenerate ⟨p. 72⟩men, and those especially upon whom God hath bestowed much of his common bounty; I would plead with such as these in the words of the Prophet, Isa. 55. 2. Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread? See and be convinced of your desperate folly and madness: God hath given you understanding, health, strength, comforts of this life, the Gospel of grace, and the means of spiritual good; why do you spend all this in riot, lay out all in that which will do you no good at all? wherefore is all this wast? but more particularly.

1. See and be convinced that whatsoever you gratify any sinful lust withal, is mere riot; all is lost that lust gains: The covetous man boasts that he is no Prodigal, he saves, whiles the other spends, he lays up whiles the other lays out, and doth not lay out unnecessarily; but know it, whiles you are feeding your covetous humours, and satisfying that eager desire, and greediness of gain, you do but consume it. The voluptuous man thinks nothing is ill spent that may afford his sensual part any satisfaction, and whereof he may taste the sweet: but know it, a life of pleasure is but death, I Tim. 5.6. She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. The ambitious man reckons it a glorious purchase, if with all his wit, policy, and advantage, he may obtain favour ⟨p. 73⟩and esteem, applause and credit among men; but what hath he bought for his money but smoke, and the East wind? We may say the like of every other lust. There is no purchase but that of Salvation, but is dearly bought with the expense of our precious time, thoughts and care; all this sets you further from heaven and glory, and if you could purchase the whole world at the hazard, much more than with the sale and loss of your souls, you would deservedly procure the name of shameful unthrifts.