Consider first, What preparations Mercy hath made for your salvation: and what pity it is that any man should be damned after all this. The time was when the flaming sword was in the way, and the curse of Gods Law would have kept thee back, if thou hadst been never so willing to turn to God: The time was when thy self and all the friends that thou hast in the world, could never have procured thee the pardon of thy sins past, though thou hadst never so much lamented and reformed them▪ But Christ hath removed this impediment by the ransom of his blood. The time was that God was wholly unreconciled, as being not satisfied for the violation of his Law: But now he is so far satisfied and reconciled, ⟨p. 124⟩as that he hath made thee a free Act of Oblivion, and a free deed of Gift of Christ and Life, and offereth it to thee, and entreateth thee to accept it, and it may be thine if thou wilt. For, he was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of actual reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. Sinners, we are commanded to do this Message to you all, as from the Lord, [Come, for all things are ready] Luke 14.17. Are all things ready, and are you unready? God is Ready to entertain you, and pardon all that you have done against him, if you will but come. As long as you have sinned, as wilfully as you have sinned, as heinously as you have sinned, he is ready to cast all behind his back, if you will but come. Though you have been Prodigals, and run away from God, and have staid so long; ⟨p. 125⟩he is ready even to meet you, and embrace you in his arms; and rejoice in your Conversion, if you will but Turn. Even the earthly worldling, the swinish drunkard, may find God ready to bid them welcome, if they will but come. Doth not this turn thy heart within thee? O sinner, if thou have an heart of flesh, and not of stone in thee, methinks this should melt it. Shall the dreadful infinite Majesty of heaven even wait for thy returning, and be ready to receive thee, who hast abused him, and forgotten him so long? Shall he delight in thy Conversion, that might at any time glorify his Justice in thy damnation, and yet doth it not melt thy heart within thee, and art thou not yet ready to come in? Hast thou not as much reason to be ready to come, as God hath to invite thee, and bid thee welcome?
Consider first, What preparations Mercy hath made for your salvation: and what pitty it is that any man should be damned after all this. The time was when the flaming sword was in the way, and the curse of Gods Law would have kept thee back, if thou hadst been never so willing to turn to God: The time was when thy self and all the friends that thou hast in the world, could never have procured thee the pardon of thy sins past, though thou hadst never so much lamented and reformed them▪ But Christ hath removed this impediment by the ransom of his blood. The time was that God was wholly unreconciled, as being not satisfied for the violation of his Law: But now he is so far satisfied and reconciled, ⟨p. 124⟩as that he hath made thee a free Act of Oblivion, and a free deed of Gift of Christ and Life, and offereth it to thee, and intreateth thee to accept it, and it may be thine if thou wilt. For, he was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of actual reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. Sinners, we are commanded to do this Message to you all, as from the Lord, [Come, for all things are ready] Luke 14.17. Are all things ready, and are you unready? God is Ready to entertain you, and pardon all that you have done against him, if you will but come. As long as you have sinned, as wilfully as you have sinned, as hainously as you have sinned, he is ready to cast all behind his back, if you will but come. Though you have been Prodigals, and run away from God, and have staid so long; ⟨p. 125⟩he is ready even to meet you, and embrace you in his arms; and rejoyce in your Conversion, if you will but Turn. Even the earthly worldling, the swinish drunkard, may find God ready to bid them welcome, if they will but come. Doth not this turn thy heart within thee? O sinner, if thou have an heart of flesh, and not of stone in thee, methinks this should melt it. Shall the dreadful infinite Majesty of heaven even wait for thy returning, and be ready to receive thee, who hast abused him, and forgotten him so long? Shall he delight in thy Conversion, that might at any time glorifie his Justice in thy damnation, and yet doth it not melt thy heart within thee, and art thou not yet ready to come in? Hast thou not as much reason to be ready to come, as God hath to invite thee, and bid thee welcome?
