Consider first, what preparation mercy hath made for your salvation: and what pity it is that any ⟨p. 59⟩man should be damned after all this. The time was, when the flaming sword was in the way, and the curse of God's law would have kept thee back; if thou hadst been never so willing to turn to God: The time was when thyself and all the friends that thou hast in the world, could never have produced 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 reason 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, 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 […], and it may be thine if thou wilt. For, "he was […] Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of actual reconciliation." […] Cor. v. 18, 19. Sinners, we are commanded to •o this message to you all as from the Lord. (Come, •or all things are ready. Luke xiv. 17.) Are all •••ings 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 •••ned, as wilfully as you have sinned, he is ready •o cast all behind his back, if you will but come. Though you have been prodigals, and run away •rom God, and have staid so long, he is ready even •o meet you, and embrace you in his arms, and rejoice in your conversion, if you will but turn. •ven the earthly worldling, and swinish drunkard. •ay find God ready to bid them welcome, if they •ill but come. Doth not this turn thy heart within •ee? O, sinner, if thou have an heart of flesh, ••d not of stone, in thee, methinks this should […] it. Shall the dreadful infinite Majesty of hea•••, even wait for thy returning, and be ready to •••ive thee, who hast abused him, and forgotten ⟨p. 60⟩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 no• 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 preparation mercy hath made for your salvation: and what pity it is that any ⟨p. 59⟩man should be damned after all this. The time was, when the flaming sword was in the way, and the curse of God's law would have kept thee back; if thou hadst been never so willing to turn to God: The time was when thyself and all the friends that thou hast in the world, could never have produced 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 reason 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, as that he hath made thee a free act of ob•ivion, and a free deed of gift of Christ and life, and offereth it to thee, and entreateth thee to accept 〈…〉, and it may be thine if thou wilt. For, "he was 〈…〉 Christ reconciling the world to himself, and hath committed to us the word of actual reconciliation." 〈…〉 Cor. v. 18, 19. Sinners, we are commanded to •o this message to you all as from the Lord. (Come, •or all things are ready. Luke xiv. 17.) Are all •••ings ready, and are you unready? God is ready to ••tertain you, and pardon all that you have done against him, if you will but come. As long as you have •••ned, as wilfully as you have sinned, he is ready •o cast all behind his back, if you will but come. Though you have been prodigals, and run away •rom God, and have staid so long, he is ready even •o meet you, and embrace you in his arms, and re••ice in your conversion, if you will but turn. •ven the earthly worldling, and swinish drunkard. •ay find God ready to bid them welcome, if they •ill but come. Doth not this turn thy heart within •ee? O, sinner, if thou have an heart of flesh, d not of stone, in thee, methinks this should it. Shall the dreadful infinite Majesty of hea, even wait for thy returning, and be ready to ive thee, who hast abused him, and forgotten
