N00302:369
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.
USE, 2. Here we see a reason why the moans of Grace, where they are never so powerfully dispensed, are yet so ineffectual to the conversion of sinners; why convictions fasten ⟨p. 146⟩not, threatenings take not place, promises allure not the Children of men, but they continue senseless under all: the wise man gives the reason of it, Prov. 24. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool. The saving knowledge and spiritual improvement of these things is out of their reach: It is labour lost to go about to instruct a man that is beside himself: hence it is not in the power of means to work it; none but God who can restore lost man to his wits again, and bring him to himself, is able to give efficacy to any endeavours of this nature, and till then, line upon line, and precept upon precept, are but as so much water spilt upon a rock.
USE, 2. Here we see a reason why the moans of Grace, where they are never so powerfully dispensed, are yet so ineffectual to the conversion of sinners; why convictions fasten ⟨p. 146⟩not, threatnings take not place, promises allure not the Children of men, but they continue sensless under all: the wise man gives the reason of it, Prov. 24. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool. The saving knowledge and spiritual improvment of these things is out of their reach: It is labour lost to go about to instruct a man that is beside himself: hence it is not in the power of means to work it; none but God who can restore lost man to his wits again, and bring him to himself, is able to give efficacy to any endeavours of this nature, and till then, line upon line, and precept upon precept, are but as so much water spilt upon a rock.
USE, 3. It may also teach us how to carry it towards unregenerate sinners in their unregeneracy, viz. as we would do to a man that is beside himself: i. e. First, pity and pray for them; we are not wont to be enraged at a frantic, though he play mad tricks, because we know it comes from his distemper: Thus our Saviour,