N00302:491
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.
God wins the soul to himself nextly, not by terrors, but his benignity. It is true, God prepares them to entertain his kindness, by terrible discoveries, that so he may make it the more welcome; but still, these do but terrify, amaze, make afraid; but this is that which wins the soul, breaks the heart, encourageth hope, and by this way the spirit worketh the soul to Repentance. Hence that, Job 13. 20, 21.
God wins the soul to himself nextly, not by terrours, but his benignity. It is true, God prepares them to entertain his kindness, by terrible discoveries, that so he may make it the more welcome; but still, these do but terrifie, amaze, make afraid; but this is that which wins the soul, breaks the heart, encourageth hope, and by this way the spirit worketh the soul to Repentance. Hence that, Job 13. 20, 21.
USE, Thus may teach us that for Ministers to preach nothing but terrors, or for poor awakened souls to look upon nothing but terrors, is not the way to promote the work of the Gospel, or conversion of Souls: This drives only to despair: All our Doctrines, and all our hopes, must centre in the free Grace of God. But I come to the words themselves.
USE, Thus may teach us that for Ministers to preach nothing but terrours, or for poor awakened souls to look upon nothing but terrours, is not the way to promote the work of the Gospel, or conversion of Souls: This drives only to despair: All our Doctrines, and all our hopes, must center in the free Grace of God. But I come to the words themselves.