This makes the bowels of a sinner to roll within him and drives him to a stand, and almost overcomes our unkind natures: What! A King to entreat a Traitor to be pardoned; the Judge a Thief to be acquitted; a Conqueror fall at the foot of a Captive and his Prisoner, and desire him to be reconciled. I hat God, the great God of heaven and earth who was offended by us, who hath no need of us, who was infinitely happy in himself without us who might with the breath of his nostrils for ever confound us, and that justly; why it had been enough, and enough a Conscience, but to admit such accursed dust and ashes into his presence, […] to hear him speak, and give him but leave to bewail his sins before he should have perished for them. It had been a high favour and mercy to have given him leave to have begged mercy, though he had never granted it. But to hear me when I call and cry, to receive me to favour when I come, that is as much as could be desired. But that God should stoop to man, heaven to earth, […] to meanness, he that was offended ⟨p. 361⟩by me, had no need of me, was happy without me, and might have honoured the name of his Justice in my everlasting confusion, not only to hear me and receive me when I come, but to send after me, but to beseech a damned forlorn Creature to be pardoned. This is the wonder of Mercy more than I could have conceived, durst have begged, yea I should have conceived it unreasonable to have desired it, nor could I have thought it, but that the Lord hath said it and done it. His will be done, and blessed be his holy name for ever. Oh that I should live to hear of this Mercy, but wretch that I am if I should outlive the offer of it, or not entertain it. I need not question, that the Lord is serious and heartily willing to have the tender of his Grace entertained, and my self for ever comforted therein and thereby. Why he takes his Oath, not that he can change, but that he would have me be settledly assured thereof. As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live, Ezek. 33. 11. If God do not desire my death but my repentance. Why should I desire my own death? so that the heart of a sinner could almost be content to give way, but yet his loose domineering lusts will not give leave.
This makes the bowels of a sinner to rowl within him and drives him to a stand, and almost overcomes our unkind natures: What! A King to entreat a Traytor to be pardoned; the Judge a Theif to be acquitted; a Conqueror fal at the foot of a Captive and his Prisoner, and desire him to be reconciled. I hat God, the great God of heaven and earth who was offended by us, who hath no need of us, who was infinitely happy in himself without us who might with the breath of his nostrils for ever confound us, and that justly; why it had been enough, and enough a Conscience, but to admit such accursed dust and ashes into his presence, 〈…〉 to hear him speak, and give him but leave to bewayl his sins before he should have perished for them. It had been a high favor and mercy to have given him leave to have begged mercy, though he had never granted it. But to hear me when I cal and cry, to receive me to favor when I come, that is as much as could be desired. But that God should stoop to man, heaven to earth, 〈…〉 to meanness, he that was offended ⟨p. 361⟩by me, had no need of me, was happy without me, and might have honored the name of his Justice in my everlasting confusion, not only to hear me and receive me when I come, but to send after me, but to beseech a damned forlorn Creature to be pardoned. This is the wonder of Mercy more than I could have conceived, durst have begged, yea I should have conceived it unreasonable to have desired it, nor could I have thought it, but that the Lord hath said it and done it. His wil be done, and blessed be his holy name for ever. Oh that I should live to hear of this Mercy, but wretch that I am if I should outlive the offer of it, or not entertain it. I need not question, that the Lord is serious and heartily willing to have the tender of his Grace entertained, and my self for ever comforted therein and thereby. Why he takes his Oath, not that he can change, but that he would have me be settledly assured thereof. As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should repent and live, Ezek. 33. 11. If God do not desire my death but my repentance. Why should I desire my own death? so that the heart of a sinner could almost be content to give way, but yet his loose domineering lusts wil not give leave.
