N00302:538
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.
1. Great heedlessness; that men do not regard ⟨p. 226⟩the presence of God; and that shows much of Atheism: Did men know or believe that God stood by and over-looked all their actions, would they dare so to do as they do? This was that which made them so impudently bold, in Ezek. 9. 9. They say, the Lord s••th not. And thus men deny that glorious Attribute without which he were not God, Or,
1. Great heedlesness; that men do not regard ⟨p. 226⟩the presence of God; and that shews much of Atheism: Did men know or believe that God stood by and over-looked all their actions, would they dare so to do as they do? This was that which made them so impudently bold, in Ezek. 9. 9. They say, the Lord s••th not. And thus men deny that glorious Attribute without which he were not God, Or,
2. Horrid profaneness: If men do acknowledge, and yet regard not that God seeth them, it argues that men have cast off the fear of God from them, that they have lost the awe of his Judgements, and are not afraid of his wrath. It is the aggravation of Sodoms Sin, Gen. 23.13. They were sinners before the Lord, God comes to men and presents himself in his strict commands, and severe threatenings, tells them in his Word and Ordinances that his wrath shall burn against such Sins, and such Sinners; and yet they care not: God speaks by his Word, and speaks by conscience, but to no purpose; this proves mens obstinacy.