The unbelievers preparing for Christ. By T.HThe vnbeleevers preparing for Christ. By T.H

I have seen one drunkard going to hell, and the devil as it were dragging of him into everlasting destruction, and an other adulterer plunged into eternal damnation, and yet when I stuck fast in my sins all this while, that the Lord should not only persuade me and entreat me to come out, but by main force carry me out of these flames whether I would or no, oh what wonderful goodness is this! that yet I live to praise and magnify thy name, that yet I live to get assurance of thy love here, that I may reign with thee for ever in glory hereafter ⟨p. 74⟩no mercy is like unto this, no mercy to be compared with this; this is not mercy, but the depth of mercy; this is not compassion only, but the bowels of compassion. Should a King come to a Peasant, and proclaim pardon unto him after he hath plotted treason against him, and if in the mean time the traitor rebels and flings away the pardon, were it fit that the King should yet pursue him with favour, or pursue him with judgement rather for neglecting this mercy? that he should pursue him with favour this is more than nature can do, or will do in this kind: but here God doth not only proclaim pardon for our sins, and reveal mercy to us, but when we contemn all, and slight all, and trample the pardon under our feet, yet the Lord will force his mercy upon us, and he will save us whether we will or no; that the Lord should thus overcome us with compassion, let us walk worthy of all this riches of Gods favour, for the Lord Christ Jesus sake […] and let no man presume because of this mercy and favour of the Lord, for he that hath those cords and hooks cast upon him spoken of before, he will be wearied I warrant him before he will be made fit for mercy.

I have seene one drunkard going to hell, and the divell as it were dragging of him into everlasting destruction, and an other adulterer plunged into eternall damnation, and yet when I stuck fast in my sinnes all this while, that the Lord should not only perswade mee and intreat me to come out, but by maine force carry me out of these flames whether I would or no, oh what wonderfull goodnesse is this! that yet I live to praise and magnifie thy name, that yet I live to get assurance of thy love here, that I may reigne with thee for ever in glory hereafter ⟨p. 74⟩no mercy is like unto this, no mercy to be compared with this; this is not mercy, but the depth of mercy; this is not compassion only, but the bowells of compassion. Should a King come to a Peasant, and proclaime pardon unto him after he hath plotted treason against him, and if in the meane time the traytor rebells and flings away the pardon, were it fit that the King should yet pursue him with favour, or pursue him with judgement rather for neglecting this mercy? that hee should pursue him with favour this is more than nature can do, or will do in this kind: but here God doth not only proclaime pardon for our sinnes, and reveale mercy to us, but when wee contemne all, and slight all, and trample the pardon under our feet, yet the Lord will force his mercy upon us, and hee will save us whether we will or no; that the Lord should thus overcome us with compassion, let us walke worthy of all this riches of Gods favour, for the Lord Christ Iesus sake and let no man presume because of this mercy and favour of the Lord, for hee that hath those cords and hooks cast upon him spoken of before, hee will bee wearied I warrant him before hee will bee made fit for mercy.