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

3. He causeth him to draw this positive and sad conclusion, that in this condition he must certainly perish: He is now shaken out of all his vain hopes, fond expectations, wherewith he was wont to feed his fancy, and cherish his soul: There is now nothing but misery, hell and destruction in his eyes and thoughts: The Law is rigorous, and will be satisfied; God is holy and will be glorified; he is by this Law condemned, and hath no satisfaction to make to it; the world is a priceless thing, and if he had it, it would not be taken in exchange for a soul; and thus, between longing and despair he is ready to faint and die: This whole condition is amply described to us in apt and pertinent metaphors, Isa. 41. 17. The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst.

2. Touching the necessity of the work in order to conversion, we may observe.

1. That conversion is the turning of a sinner from sin to God: Now Sin is properly the reliance of the creature upon something else which stands in competition with, and opposition to God, which therefore it must leave, or else it's ⟨p. 176⟩impossible that it should come to him: he that goes to one contrary, must in so doing go away from the other; the Apostle opposeth these two, I Tim. 6. 15. That they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God.

1. That conversion is the turning of a sinner from sin to God: Now Sin is properly the relyance of the creature upon something else which stands in competition with, and opposition to God, which therefore it must leave, or else it's