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I shall use no other arguments to move a sinner to repentance, but to tell him unless he does he shall certainly perish; and if he does repent timely and intirely, that is, live a holy life, he shall be forgiven and be saved: But yet I desire that this consideration be en∣larged with some great circumstances; and let us remember;
1. That to admit mankind to repentance and pardon was a favour greater then ever God gave to the angels and devils: for they were never admitted to the condition of se∣cond thoughts: Christ never groaned one groan for them; He never suffered one stripe, nor one affront, nor shed one drop of blood to restore them to hopes of blessedness after their first failings. But this he did for us, he paid the score of our sins, only that we might be admitted to repent, and that this repen∣tance might be effectuall to the great purpo∣ses of felicity and salvation.
2. Consider that as it cost Christ many mili∣ons of prayers and groans, and sighs, so he is now at this instant and hath been for these 1600 years night & day incessantly praying for grace to us that we may repent, and for pardon when we doe, and for degrees of par∣don beyond the capacities of our infirmities, and the merit of our sorrows & amendment, and this prayer he will continue till his se∣cond coming;* 1.1 for he ever liveth to make inter∣cession for us, and that we may know what it is in behalf of which he intercedes,* 1.2 S. Paul tels us his designe [we are Embassadours for Christ, as though he did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God; & what Christ prayes us to do, he prayes to God that we may do; that which he de∣sires of us as his servants, he desires of God who is the fountain of the grace and powers unto us, and without whose assistance we can do nothing.
3. That ever we should repent, was so cost∣ly a purchase, and so great a concernment, &
so high a favour, & the event is esteemed by God himself so great an excellency, that our blessed Saviour tels us, there shall be joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth:* 1.3 mean∣ing that when Christ shall be glorified, and at the right hand of his Father make intercessi∣on for us, praying for our repentance; the conversion and repentance of every sinner is part of Christs glorification; it is the answer∣ing of his prayers, it is a portion of his re∣ward in which he does essentially glory by the joyes of his glorified humanity. This is the joy of our Lord himself directly, not of the Angels, save only by reflexion: The joy (said our blessed Saviour) shall be in the presence of the Angels; they shall see the glo∣ry of the Lord, the answering of his prayers, the satisfaction of his desires, and the reward of his sufferings, in the repentance and con∣sequent pardon of a sinner. For therefore he once suffered, and for that reason he rejoyces for ever: and therefore when a penitent sin∣ner comes to receive the effect and full con∣summation of his pardon, it is called [an en∣tring into the joy of our Lord] that is, a par∣taking of that joy which Christ received at our conversion and enjoyned ever since.
4. Adde to this that the rewards of Hea∣ven are so great and glorious, & Christs bur∣den is so light, his yoke is so easie, that it is a shameless impudence to expect so great glo∣ries at a less rate then so little a service; at a lower rate then a holy life. It cost the heart-blood of the Son of God to obtain Heaven for us upon that condition; and who shall dye again to get Heaven for us upon easier
terms? what would you do, if God should command you to kill your eldest son, or to work in the mines for a thousand years toge∣ther, or to fast all thy life time with bread & water; were not Heaven a very great bar∣gain even after all this? And when God re∣quires nothing of us, but to live soberly, just∣ly and godly which things in themselves are to a man a very great felicity, and necessary to our present well being) shall we think this to be an intolerable burden, and that Hea∣ven is too litle a purchase a•• that price? and that God in meer justice will take a death-bed sigh or groan, and a few unprofitable teares and promises in exchange for all our duty?
If these motives joyned together with our own interest, even as much as felicity, and the sight of God, & the avoyding the intolerable pains of Hell, and many intermedial judge∣ments comes to, will not move us to ••o 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. The filthinesse, and 2. The trouble, and 3. The uneasiness, and 4. The unreasonable∣ness of sin, and turn to God, there is no more to be said, we must perish in our folly.
Hebr. 7.25.
2 Cor. 5.20.
Luk. 15.7.