N00302:677
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.
Mercy Magnified ON A PENITENT Prodigal. › Sermon 19 › DOCT. True Repentance is practical Repentance.
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.
5. The Will, being commandress over the whole man, is not only to resolve for it self, but for the whole man. Purposing or resolving is properly an act of the will, but it is for the whole, it being representative of all, and being able to indent for all: thus the young man promiseth for himself, I will arise, true purposes are an obligation laid on the whole man for the performance of them.
6. Hence, if the Will be indeed sincere in purposing, practice will follow. This is unquestionable to him who knows what power it hath in man. You shall find in Scripture, that impenitence, or unconversion is charged here, Ezek.33.11. Job. 5.40. Psal. 81.12. and why? but because where the Will leads the whole man naturally and necessarily follows, at least in true and real endeavours. A Believer may indeed fail in the manner of performance, when his Will is intense: but yet, where purposes have been taken, and promises made of Repentance, and not put forth in endeavour, but men sit still where they were, ⟨p. 277⟩those promises were made with a deceitful heart, Isai. 44.90. and this hinders thorough repentance, Psal. 78.37. their heart was not right: where the he••t is truly given to God, such an one will not sit still, but be up and doing.
2. What is the practise of Repentance which is requisite?