Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or A brief discourse, wherein Christs parable of…

USE, 1. This may show us the true reason why hypocritical men are so little affected with the conversion of a sinner to God: when the report of it comes to them, it may be they are angry and envious, however they are not stirred up by it to praise God for them, to congratulate with them their happiness, and partake in their joys: Alas, they were not invited, they do not see nor know what it is to have been dead, and be alive, to be restored from spiritual death, to be brought home to God, of a Prodigal to be made a son.

USE, 1. This may shew us the true reason why hypocritical men are so little affected with the conversion of a sinner to God: when the report of it comes to them, it may be they are angry and envious, however they are not stirred up by it to praise God for them, to congratulate with them their happiness, and partake in their joyes: Alas, they were not invited, they do not see nor know what it is to have been dead, and be alive, to be restored from spiritual death, to be brought home to God, of a Prodigal to be made a son.

USE 2. Here we also see a reason why unconverted men wonder when they hear the People of God speak of their joys and comforts; whereas they look upon them as sorrowful and miserable men, and think them mad to please themselves with phantasms and dreams; whereas their own blindness and ignorance is the cause of their admiration. Felix thinks Paul ⟨p. 360⟩is distracted, whereas he himself is distempered; Hence let not the People of God judge themselves by, or think worse of themselves for worldly mens opinion concerning them.

USE 2. Here we also see a reason why unconverted men wonder when they hear the People of God speak of their joyes and comforts; whereas they look upon them as sorrowful and miserable men, and think them mad to please themselves with phantasms and dreams; whereas their own blindness and ignorance is the cause of their admiration. Foelix thinks Paul ⟨p. 360⟩