N00302:720
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.
4. The saving efficacy of all the means of Grace is of God: it is not in them, they have not power in themselves to produce this grace in us, but that is according to his pleasure: it was he that touched Lydia's heart, Act. 16. the virtue of the means, lies not in the skill, grace, good will of instruments, nor all their industry but in him, I Cor.3.6. some are converted at the first Sermon they ever heard, others have heard a thousand, and are yet in their Sins: Sermons are but the Prophets staff in the Servants hand.
4. The saving efficacy of all the means of Grace is of God: it is not in them, they have not power in themselves to produce this grace in us, but that is according to his pleasure: it was he that touched Lydia's heart, Act. 16. the vertue of the means, lies not in the skill, grace, good will of instruments, nor all their industry but in him, I Cor.3.6. some are converted at the first Sermon they ever heard, others have heard a thousand, and are yet in their Sins: Sermons are but the Prophets staff in the Servants hand.
5. Though Gods ordinary method be, first to prepare the Soul for Faith, before he infuseth it, yet, not only the preparation is ⟨p. 291⟩of Grace, but the soul thus prepared, is, before believing, a great way off from God, he is still in a state of nature, hath nothing in him that can challenge this Grace; but if God bestow it upon him, it is his mere favour: there are many who have a common work, and it proceeds no farther: they have had many awakenings, shakings, terrors; taken up many resolutions, made many promises; and yet never past from death to life, but have either staid here, or gone back again: nay, God is here Sovereign, the Sinner is dead still, and hath not a promise that God will give him life: God when he passeth by, may either look upon him, and say to him Live; or he may pass away.