The Parable of the Prodigal, Title page – Table of contents
THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL.
CONTAINING,
The
Riotous PRODIGAL, or the Sinners Averſion from God.
Returning PRODIGAL, or the Penitents Converſion to God.
PRODIGALS Acceptation, or Favourable Entertainment with God.
Delivered in divers Sermons on LUKE 15. from Vers. 11. to Vers. 24.
By that Faithfull Servant of Jeſus Chriſt OBADIAH SEDGWICK, B. D.
Perfected by himſelf, and Peruſed by thoſe whom He intruſted with the publiſhing of his Works.
London, Printed by D. Maxwel, for SA. GELLIBRAND, at the Ball in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1660.
CHRISTIAN READER,
GOds good Providence doth hand unto thee in this enſuing Treatiſe, The whole Parable of the Prodigal Son, both interpreted and improved, Doctrinally and Practically, for the Spiritual Advantage, from the Pen of a Workman, who needed not to be aſhamed. Herein, the Sinners Averſion from God, Converſion to God, and his Acceptation with God, are profitably unfolded & applied. Helps in theſe ſeveral Subjects, are well worth every Chriſtians welcome; and time ſeriouſly ſpent in peruſing ſuch Diſcourſes, will not be labor in vain. Adam, by forſaking God, loſt his primitive Glory, which cannot poſſibly be repaired in his Poſterity, but by returning to his Majeſty-Man cometh into the World with his Back towards Heaven, and with ſtrong Antipathies againſt God; yea, his conſtant courſe of life is a departing from the Lord, till his Highneſs by Omnipotent Grace doth change both his Heart and Way. And when the ſecure Sinner is well awakened to conſider his wofull Apoſtacy, attended with the ſad Conſequents thereof, together with the impoſſibility of all Creature ſoccours to relieve him, then, and not till then, doth he ſeriouſly think of facing about towards God, whom he hath deſerted with inexcuſable neglect and diſhonor.
Now the ſelf condemning Convict, in this dolefull condition, upon frequent ſelfreflexions, & aggravating his woful Apoſtacy, doth find it very difficult to hold up hope of gaining re-admiſſion into the favor of ſlighted & forſaken Deity. This poor Spira did experience, as his tears, his torments, together with his deſponding, deſpairing language doth demonſtrate. But in this pitifull plight, the ſinking ſoul may receive ſtrong ſupports, by conſidering, with application, what loving Entertainment the guilty, worthleſs Prodigal received from his offended, forſaken Father. Theſe particulars, which we do only hint at are here largely handled for thy profit; the effecting whereof, is deſired and prayed for, by
Thy loving Friends, and faithfull Servants in Chriſt.
HUMPH. CHAMBERS.
EDM. CALAMY.
SIM. ASHE.
ADONIRAM BYFIELD.
Novemb. 8. 1659.
A Table of the Contents.
THe Scope of the Parable, pag. 2. The Parts of the Parable, p. 4. Sin is a departing from God, p. 8. A Sinner doth voluntarily, of his own accord, depart from God, p. 9. The pleaſures of ſinning will quickly end, and the end of them is extreme miſery, p. 9. The pleaſures of ſin are but ſhort, proved p. 10. Sin will end in many miſeries, p. 12. Though ſin brings men into ſtraits, yet ſtraits do not alwayes bring men from ſin, p. 22. An afflicted condition no infallible teſtimony of a ſafe condition, p. 24. The further men go on in ſin, the worſe work they ſhall find it to prove, p. 31. And the Reaſons thereof, p. 34. And why we do not alwayes ſee it ſo, p. 37. A ſinner will try all wayes, and go through the utmoſt extremities, ere he will return from his ſins, p. 45. How it may appear to be true, p. 49. Why it ſhould be thus, p. 51. Take head of ſhuffling with God, p. 55. Means to prevent …his ſhuffling, p. 59. Nothing ſhall avail this ſhuffling ſinner till he return, but God will diſappoint all his projects, p. 61. made to appear to be a Truth, p. 63. Why nothing ſhall avail the ſhuffling ſinner till he repent, p. 64. A ſerious conſideration, and right compariſon of the miſerable eſtate of a ſinfull condition, and happly eſtate of a converted converted condition, are ſteps to true and ſpeedy repentance, p. 69. How theſe two are prime ſteps to repentance, p. 71. Objections, That we are ignorant, not at leiſure, it will make us deſpair, anſwered, p. 77. How I may know whether my conſideration be right, p. 78. Whether conſideration of ſin may be right, when there are ſome ſins that a man thinks not of, p. 83. Whether a ſingle conſideration of ſin be ſufficient to repentance, p. 84. Rules for right conſideration, p. 86. Rules for compariſon, p. 87. Sound Reſolution is required to ſound Reformation, p. 89. The properties of this Reſolution, p. 90. Why it is requiſite, p. 92. The benefits and comforts of a firm Reſolution, p. 95. The Means to raiſe it, p. 97. and maintain it, p. 101. True Repentance for ſin will bring forth true Confeſſion of ſin, p. 106. The Reaſons of it, p. 111. Penitent perſons are humble and lowly perſons, p. 118. Humbleneſs deſcribed, p. 120. Why true Penitents are humble perſons, p. 124. The means to become humble, p. 128. Perſonal Unworthineſs is not prejudicial to ſpiritual Supplication, p. 129. Reaſons for it, p. 131. How we may know that we are truly ſenſible of our Unworthineſs, p. 136. Penitent intentions and reſolutions ſhould be accompanied with preſent executions and performances, p. 140. Reaſons for it, p. 142. The Motives and Means for a preſent execution, p. 148. and The Helps, p. 154. The very initials of true Repentance are ſeen by God, p. 157. proved, p. 159. Evidences of true Repentance though initial, p. 163. God is very ready to ſhew all kinds of mercy to the truly Penitent, p. 165. Reaſons of it, p. 169. By no means deſpair of mercy, p. 174. Objections anſwered, p. 175. Reaſons why God makes not known his mercy preſently, p. 179. How one ſhall be ſupported in the interim, p. 183. God is pleaſed not onelyonly to be reconciled, but manifeſts himſelf ſo to be unto the penitent, p. 184. Reaſons of it, p. 186. Motive to ſeek after the ſeals and tokens of Gods favour, p. 188. Means to attain them, p. 191. The kindeſt expreſſions of mercy do not hinder an humble confeſſion of ſin, p. 195. Reaſons of it, p. 196. Motives to it, p. 198. God takes no notice of our ſins upon our true Repentance, but expreſſeth himſelf wholly love and kindneſs, p. 199. Reaſons of it, p. 202. What is meant by the Robe, and the beſt Robe, p. 206. How we may know whether we have put it on, p. 211. God gives to the penitent perſon a precious Faith, by which he is eſpouſed or married to Chriſt, p. 213. What tis to be married unto Chriſt, p. 213. How Faith marries us unto Chriſt, p. 216. Whether we have this Faith, p. 219. What is meant by Shoes on his Feet, p. 222. God doth enable the penitent perſon with Grace and ſtrength for a better and ſingular courſe of life and obedience, p. 223. Reaſons of it, p. 227. Every ſinfull unconverted man is a loſt man, p. 234. How a man may know that he is loſt, p. 237. A loſt ſinner may be found, p. 238. How God finds a loſt ſinner, p. 238. Why God doth thus find a loſt ſinner, p. 241. Motives to a ſerious Trial, whether our loſt ſouls be found, p. 242. An impenitent unconverted man is a dead man, p. 254. Reaſons of it, p. 256. Trial, whether we be ſpiritually dead, p. 261. Every converted man is a living man, p. 265. How this may be evidenced, p. 268. Trial of our ſelves about our ſpiritual life, p. 269. Objections anſwered, p. 276. A very great and notorious ſinner may be converted, p. 279. Who may be called ſo, p. 280. How it may appear great ſinners may be converted, p. 281. Directions to ſuch converted ſinners, p. 288. Great afflictions are ſometimes an occaſion of great ſinners converſion, p. 289. How it may appear, p. 290. There is an Almighty Ppower required to convert a ſinner, p. 294. proved, 295. True Converſion is avery great, inward and univerſal change, p. 303. and demonſtrated, to p. 312. How may a man know that God hath indeed changed his heart, p. 316. Comfort to thoſe who are changed, p. 323. How may we know, this change is from converting Grace, and not from the power of a troubling Conſcinece, p. 329. Converſion brings the ſoul into a very joyfull condition, demonſtrated p. 333. What kind of joy Converſion brings, p. 336. Why Converſion makes the ſouls condition ſo joyfull, p. 339. How can this condition be ſo joyfull, that is ſo expoſed to afflictions, p. 344. and denies and abridges many delights, p. 347. Trial whether converted or no, p. 359. How converted perſons ſhould do, to walk joyfully, p. 363.