N00302:330
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.
Reas. 3. From the delusion of Satan and the World, who promise to vain man more from the enjoyment of these things, than ever they ⟨p. 130⟩can perform for him; and the credulous soul is ready to believe them, and the rather, because these things are seen, whereas spiritual things are not seen: Satan presents the world in a fine and fair dress, and the heart of man is easily deluded; he thinks it to be all out as good as it looks for, and so his affections are stolen away, Isa. 44. 20.
Reas. 3. From the delusion of Satan and the World, who promise to vain man more from the enjoyment of these things, than ever they ⟨p. 130⟩can perform for him; and the credulous soul is ready to believe them, and the rather, because these things are seen, whereas spiritual things are not seen: Satan presents the world in a fine and fair dress, and the heart of man is easily deluded; he thinks it to be all out as good as it looks for, and so his affections are stollen away, Isa. 44. 20.
USE, I. Hence wonder not to see the men of the world carried out so instantly, and with such eagerness in pursuit of the things of this life: their poor, hungry, starving souls want supply, and they hope to fill their bellies with these things; they are their happiness: could we but see the inside of the greedy worldling, and know what conceptions he entertains himself withal, how he promiseth himself all peace, comfort, content and felicity in the creature, (our saviour characterizeth him to the life, in, Luk. 12. 17, 18, 19.) We would no more wonder at his violence, his eager and immoderate pursuit after them, every man loveth life, is loth to perish, and is therefore (in distress) ready to say, who shall show me good, and now through his own mistake, increased by the devils delusion, and the worlds flatteries, he conceives that he hath found it: Oh! thinks he, could I but have my belly full of these husks, I should be well of it: he envies the very swine their draff, and could he but be