Heaven Upon Earth, Sermon · Exhortation
EXHORTATION.
Once more, poor ſinners, That God which can in a moment ſtop thy breath, and ſend thee into Hell, doth offer to be friends with thee. If thou wilt come upon his invitation, well and good, thou art a happy man for ever; if not, thou wilt rue the day that ever thou wert born: yet, through mercy the matter is not gone ſo far, but that thou mayeſt (if you will now at laſt in good earneſt humble thy ſelf to him) be received into favour. Behold, a Pardon, Mercy, and Grace! ſtand aſtoniſhed, O ye Heavens, at this infinite condeſcention, wonder O ye Angels, and pry into this kindneſs. Was there ever ſuch condeſcention, love, and goodneſs heard of? If thou didſt but underſtand, O ſtupid ſinner, what an offer is made to thee, thou couldeſt not but adore that goodneſs that can pardon and forget ſuch offences, and receive ſuch a Creature into favour▪ thou wouldeſt alſo cry out with as great admiration as he did; what manner of love! you would think it a mercy not to be paralell'd, a kindneſs never to be forgotten, a propoſal by no means to be refuſed. Now that I may, if poſſible, prevail with ſome that are yet afar off, to come near, I ſhall enforce this Exhortation with many powerful Motives, the leaſt of which (were men but well in their wits as to Spiritual matters, were the world not to a wonder fools, in the great affairs of their ſouls and eternity) might eaſily prevail. O that I might prevail! O that ſome might be perſwaded! O that God would put life and power into theſe words, that they might prove effectual to the intended ends! O that ſome poor rebellious ſinners might be made to cloſe with the moſt advantagious offers that ever were, or could be made to Creatures in our condition!