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

USE, 2. Let it be for a word of encouragement to those that are at the point of death, who feel themselves miserable, but neither in themselves nor elsewhere can find deliverance, and are (possibly) ready to pass a sad sentence ⟨p. 196⟩upon themselves, that there is no hope for their souls. Thou hast seen an end of all created perfection, thou hast come to the bottom of thine own confidence; thou hast found an empty world, felt an empty soul; but didst thou never hear of God, or hast thou never tried him? If not, do not yet despair; first see what he can and will do for thee: you will say, I have tried many courses and they fail, and I am dis-heartened; well, but this is a way never yet frustrated thee, and let these Attributes put a little comforting hope into thy soul; consider then and believe.

USE, 2. Let it be for a word of encouragement to those that are at the point of death, who feel themselves miserable, but neither in themselves nor elsewhere can find deliverance, and are (possibly) ready to pass a sad sentence ⟨p. 196⟩upon themselves, that there is no hope for their souls. Thou hast seen an end of all created perfection, thou hast come to the bottom of thine own confidence; thou hast found an empty world, felt an empty soul; but didst thou never hear of God, or hast thou never tryed him? If not, do not yet despair; first see what he can and will do for thee: you will say, I have tryed many courses and they fail, and I am dis-heartened; well, but this is a way never yet frustrated thee, and let these Attributes put a little comforting hope into thy soul; consider then and believe.

1. That God is able to help thee: He hath all that, and more than all that which thou needest: He hath eternal life with him to give to all those that ask it of him; thou art starving, but he can feed thee, thou art perishing, but he can save thee: God loves to commend his power to us, that we may take hold of it,