3 That God calleth all, even those sinners who are heavy laden with sin;1 and that he did never deny his mercy to any sinner that asked his mercy with a penitent heart. This the history of the Gospel witnesseth: There came unto Christ all sorts of ⟨p. 887⟩sick sinners: the blind, lame, hal•, lepers; such as were sick of palsies, dropsies, bloody fluxes; such as were lunatics, and possessed with unclean spirits, and Devils. Yet of all those, not one that came and asked his mercy and help, went away without his errant. If mercy he asked, mercy he found, were his sin never so great, were his disease never so grievous. Nay he offered and gave his mercy to many, who never asked it (being moved only with the bowels of his own compassion, 2and the sight of their misery) as to the woman of Samaria, the widow of Nain, and to the sick-man that lay at the pool of Bethesda, 3who had been 38. ⟨p. 888⟩years sick. If he thus willingly gave his mercy to them that did not ask it, and was found of them (as the Prophet saith) that sought him not;4 will he deny mercy unto thee who doest so earnestly pray for it with tears? and doest like the poor Publican, so ha•tily knock for it with penitent fists upon a bruised and broken heart? Especially when thou prayest to thy Father in the name and mediation of Christ, for whose sake he hath promised to grant whatsoever we shall ask of him:5 as sure as GOD is true he will not. Though Nin•uies-sins had provoked the Lord to send out his sentence against them; yet upon their repentance, ⟨p. 889⟩he called it again,6 and spared the City: how much more if thou likewise repentest, will he spare thee; seeing his sentence is not yet gone forth against thee? If he deferred the Judgement all Ahab's days, for the external show only which he made of Humiliation: how much more vvill he clean turn away his vengeance, if thou wilt unfeignedly repent of thy sin, and return unto him for Grace and Mercy?
3 That God calleth all, euen those sinners who are heauy laden with sinne;1 and that he did neuer deny his mercy to any sinner that asked his mercy with a penitent heart. This the history of the Gospel witnesseth: There came vnto Christ all sorts of ⟨p. 887⟩sicke sinners: the blinde, lame, hal•, leapers; such as were sicke of palsies, dropsies, bloudy flixes; such as were lunaticks, and possessed with vncleane spirits, and Diuels. Yet of all those, not one that came and asked his mercie and helpe, went away without his errant. If mercy hee asked, mercy he found, were his sinne neuer so great, were his disease neuer so grieuous. Nay he offered and gaue his mercy to many, who neuer asked it (being moued onely with the bowels of his owne compassion, 2and the sight of their misery) as to the woman of Samaria, the widow of Naim, and to the sicke-man that lay at the poole of Bethesda, 3who had beene 38. ⟨p. 888⟩yeeres sicke. If he thus willingly gaue his mercy to them that did not aske it, and was found of them (as the Prophet saith) that sought him not;4 will he deny mercy vnto thee who doest so earnestly pray for it with teares? and doest like the poore Publican, so ha•tily knocke for it with penitent fists vpon a brused and broken heart? Especially when thou prayest to thy Father in the name and mediation of Christ, for whose sake he hath promised to grant whatsoeuer wee shall aske of him:5 as sure as GOD is true hee will not. Though Nin•uies-sinnes had prouoked the Lord to send out his sentēce against them; yet vpon their repentance, ⟨p. 889⟩hee called it againe,6 and spared the Citie: how much more if thou likewise repentest, will he spare thee; seeing his sentence is not yet gone forth against thee? If hee deferred the Iudgement all Ahabs dayes, for the externall shew onely vvhich hee made of Humiliation: how much more vvill hee cleane turne away his vengeance, if thou wilt vnfainedly repent of thy sinne, and returne vnto him for Grace and Mercie?
- 1Mat. 11.28.
- 2Joh. 5.56.Ioh. 5.56.
- 3Luk. 7.13.
- 4Isai. 65.1. Rom. 10.20.
- 5Joh. 14.14.Ioh. 14.14.
- 6Novit Dominus mutare sententiam, situ noveris emendare vitam. Aug. in Psal. 50.Nouit Dominus mutare sententiam, si tu noueris emendare vitam. Aug. in Psal. 50.
