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

1. Consider, your misery is not less, but your danger is greater, because you do not mind it. Naturalists tell us of a great (but foolish) creature, which, when danger is near it, thrusts its head into a bush, and presumes, because she seeth not, she is secure: Just thus it is with poor sinners, when God threatens wrath, and declares Judgement against them, they shut their eyes, or stop their ears, will not mind it, and now they think all is safe: But know it assuredly that God will be as good as his word, and what he hath spoken shall come to pass, Whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear: He that sleeps at the top of a Mast, is not in less, but more danger of being thrown into the Sea and drowned, because he is asleep: And be sure, hell will be no whit easier to bear, because you drop into it unawares.

2. Know and assure your selves that you are labouring under dangerous mistakes: you think you are safe and all is well, but you are under the wrath of God, and condemnation of hell: You think your way is your wisdom, but this way, and this thought is your folly: you conceive a way of sin to be a gainful trade, but you shall find it the greatest loss, when you shall know that •t hath lost your souls; you account ⟨p. 166⟩God's ways, those ways of holiness to be unprofitable, but it is nothing so; and if you would rightly consider, you should find all these to be great and gross delusions, and very dangerous for they are undoing: It's certain that on these principles you must needs perish for ever.

2. Know and assure your selves that you are labouring under dangerous mistakes: you think you are safe and all is well, but you are under the wrath of God, and condemnation of hell: You think your way is your wisdom, but this way, and this thought is your folly: you conceive a way of sin to be a gainful trade, but you shall find it the greatest loss, when you shall know that •t hath lost your souls; you account