N00302:96
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.
3. That these men are left of God to use these, or rather abuse them, at their sinful pleasure, is evident in those divers ways wherein he so leaves them. For though it is true that God doth restrain wicked men unto such limits as ⟨p. 33⟩he sees meet even such as shall make all serviceable to his Glory at last, yet they are in very high measures given up by God; For,
3. That these men are left of God to use these, or rather abuse them, at their sinful pleasure, is evident in those divers wayes wherein he so leaves them. For though it is true that God doth restrain wicked men unto such limits as ⟨p. 33⟩he sees meet even such as shall make all serviceable to his Glory at last, yet they are in very high measures given up by God; For,
1. That they do abuse them is manifest, by the evil improvement which they make of them: Observe but what course men of greatest advantages do usually steer in this world; doth not all drive at the advancing of the interest of Satan's Kingdom, and not of Christs? And how few great men improve their power for his Glory? the most do it for his dishonour; hear the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 16. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, &c. These carnal things for the most part serve but to strengthen the enmity of the heart against God; poor, weak, and base things are they which for the most part follow Christ:
1. That they do abuse them is manifest, by the evil improvement which they make of them: Observe but what course men of greatest advantages do usually steer in this world; doth not all drive at the advancing of the interest of Satans Kingdom, and not of Christs? And how few great men improve their power for his Glory? the most do it for his dishonour; hear the Apostle,