N00302:85
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.
USE, 1. We see here the reason why men of large parts and abilities use them so little to the glory of God, the most part of such men improve their wit to invent sin, and find out vain, carnal, and fleshly devices, and worldly stratagems to advance their own by-ends: others use their estates to feed and humour their lusts, to pamper their pride, voluptuousness, or covetous humours: the reason of all this is, because man being turned away from God, and ⟨p. 29⟩fallen upon other objects, is not willing to be ruled by God: Had men been free to have lived like Children, and kept their own place, God would have taught them to have better improved his gift. By this therefore you may discover a natural man, he is like a young novice, that is broken away from Family Government, with his reins on his neck, and lives like one that hath none to rule him.
USE, 1. We see here the reason why men of large parts and abilities use them so little to the glory of God, the most part of such men improve their wit to invent sin, and find out vain, carnal, and fleshly devices, and worldly stratagems to advance their own by-ends: others use their estates to feed and humour their lusts, to pamper their pride, voluptuousness, or covetous humors: the reason of all this is, because man being turned away from God, and ⟨p. 29⟩fallen upon other objects, is not willing to be ruled by God: Had men been free to have lived like Children, and kept their own place, God would have taught them to have better improved his gift. By this therefore you may discover a natural man, he is like a young novice, that is broken away from Family Goverment, with his reins on his neck, and lives like one that hath none to rule him.
USE, 2. To admonish us that we beware of giving way to this inclination: Our nature is prone to it, and we have therefore reason to be the more watchful against it▪ and there are two things which if well weighed, will be helpful here: