The divine life in three treatises

But O how much greater encouragements hath my soul to converse with God! Company never hindereth him from hearkening to my suit: He is infinite and Omnipotent, and as sufficient for every individual soul, as if he had no other to look after in the world: when he is taken up with the attendance and praises of his Heavenly Host, he is as free and ready to attend and answer the groans and prayers of a contrite soul, as if he had no nobler creatures, nor no higher service to regard. I am oft unready, but God is never unready: I am unready to pray, but he is not unready to hear: I am unready to come to God, to walk with him, and to solace my soul with him; but he is never unready to entertain me. Many a time my conscience would have driven me away, when he hath called me to him, and rebuked my accusing fearful conscience. Many a time I have called my self a prodigal, a companion of Swine, a miserable hard-hearted sinner, unworthy to be called his Son, when he hath called me Child, and chid me for my questioning his Love. He hath readily forgiven the sins which I thought would have made my soul the fuel of Hell: He hath entertained me with joy, with music and a feast, when I better deserved to have been among the Dogs without his doors. He hath embraced me in his sustaining consolatory arms, when he might have spurned my guilty soul to Hell, and said, Depart from me thou worker of iniquity, I know thee not. O little did I think that he could ever have forgotten the vanity and villainy of my youth; yea so easily have forgotten my most aggravated sins. When I had sinned against light; when I had resisted conscience; when I had frequently and wilfully injured Love, I thought he would never have forgotten it: But the greatness of his Love and Mercy, and the blood and intercession of his Son, hath cancelled all. O how many mercies have I tasted since I thought I had sinned away all mercies! How patiently hath he born with me, since I thought he would never have put up more? ⟨p. 364⟩And yet besides my sins and the withdrawings of my own heart, there hath been nothing to interrupt our converse. Though he be God, and I a worm, yet that would not have kept me out: Though he be in Heaven, yet he is near to succour me on Earth, in all that I call upon him for: Though he have the Praise of Angels, he disdaineth not my tears and groans:

But O how much greater encouragements hath my soul to converse with God! Company never hindereth him from hearkening to my suit: He is infinite and Omnipotent, and as sufficient for every individual soul, as if he had no other to look after in the world: when he is taken up with the attendance and praises of his Heavenly Host, he is as free and ready to attend and answer the groans and prayers of a contrite soul, as if he had no nobler creatures, nor no higher service to regard. I am oft unready, but God is never unready: I am unready to pray, but he is not unready to hear: I am unready to come to God, to walk with him, and to solace my soul with him; but he is never unready to entertain me. Many a time my conscience would have driven me away, when he hath called me to him, and rebuked my accusing fearful conscience. Many a time I have called my self a prodigal, a companion of Swine, a miserable hard-hearted sinner, unworthy to be called his Son, when he hath called me Child, and chid me for my questioning his Love. He hath readify forgiven the sins which I thought would have made my soul the fuel of Hell: He hath entertained me with joy, with musick and a feast, when I better deserved to have been among the Dogs without his doors. He hath embraced me in his sustaining consolatory arms, when he might have spurned my guilty soul to Hell, and said, Depart from me thou worker of iniquity, I know thee not. O little did I think that he could ever have forgotten the vanity and villany of my youth; yea so easily have forgotten my most aggravated sins. When I had sinned against light; when I had resisted conscience; when I had frequently and wilfully injured Love, I thought he would never have forgotten it: But the greatness of his Love and Mercy, and the blood and intercession of his Son, hath cancelled all. O how many mercies have I tasted since I thought I had sinned away all mercies! How patiently hath he born with me, since I thought he would never have put up more?