Come & welcome to Jesus Christ, or, A plain and profitable discourse upon the…

'Tis true, as I said, at first setting out, he spake heartily, as sometimes Sinners also do in their beginning to come to Jesus Christ: But might not he, yea, in all probability he had, (between the first step he took, and the last, by which he accomplished that journey) many a thought, both this way, and that; as whether his Father would receive him, or no? As thus; I said, I would go to my Father: but how, if when I come at him, he should ask me, Where I have all this while bin; What must I say then? Also, if he asks me, What is become of the portion of Goods that he gave me; What shall I say then? If he asks me, Who have bin my Companions; What shall I say then? If he also shall ask me, What ⟨p. 198⟩hath bin my Preferment in all the time of mine absence from him; What shall I say then? Yea, and if he ask me, Why I came home no sooner; What shall I say then? Thus, I say, might he reason with himself; And being Conscious to himself, that he could give but a bad Answer to any of these Interrogatories; no marvel, if he stood in need first of all, of a Kiss from his Fathers Lips. For, had he answered the first, in Truth he must say, I have bin a haunter of Taverns, and Alehouses; and as for my Portion, I spent it in Riotous Living; my Companions, were Whores, and Drabs: As for my preferment, the highest was, that I became a Hoggard: and as for my not coming home till now, Could I have made shift to have staid abroad any longer, I had not lain at thy Feet for Mercy now.

'Tis true, as I said, at first setting out, he spake heartily, as sometimes Sinners also do in their beginning to come to Jesus Christ: But might not he, yea, in all probability he had, (between the first step he took, and the last, by which he accomplished that journey) many a thought, both this way, and that; as whether his Father would receive him, or no? As thus; I said, I would go to my Father: but how, if when I come at him, he should ask me, Where I have all this while bin; VVhat must I say then? Also, if he asks me, What is become of the portion of Goods that he gave me; VVhat shall I say then? If he asks me, Who have bin my Companions; VVhat shall I say then? If he also shall ask me, What ⟨p. 198⟩hath bin my Preferment in all the time of mine absence from him; VVhat shall I say then? Yea, and if he ask me, Why I came home no sooner; What shall I say then? Thus, I say, might he reason with himself; And being Conscious to himself, that he could give but a bad Answer to any of these Interogatories; no marvel, if he stood in need first of all, of a Kiss from his Fathers Lips. For, had he answered the first, in Truth he must say, I have bin a haunter of Taverns, and Alehouses; and as for my Portion, I spent it in Riotous Living; my Companions, were Whores, and Drabs: As for my preferment, the highest was, that I became a Hoggard: and as for my not coming home till now, Could I have made shift to have staid abroad any longer, I had not lain at thy Feet for Mercy now.