It is expected among men, that he who gives the offence, should be
the first in seeking peace; but, sinner, betwixt God and man it is
not so: not that we loved God, not that we chose God; but God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them. God is the first that seeketh peace; and in a
way of entreaty, he bids his ministers pray you in Christ's stead:
"As if God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be
ye reconciled to God."

O sinner, wilt thou not open? Behold, God the Father and his Son
Jesus Christ stand both at the door of thy heart, beseeching there
for favor from thee, that thou wilt be reconciled to them; with the
promise, if thou wilt comply, to forgive thee all thy sins. O grace,
O amazing grace! To see a prince entreat a beggar to receive an
alms, would be a strange sight; to see a king entreat the traitor to
accept of mercy, would be a stranger sight than that; but to see God
entreat a sinner, to hear Christ say, "I stand at the door and
knock, with a heart full and a heaven full of grace to bestow upon
him that opens;" this is such a sight as dazzles the eyes of angels.
What sayest thou now, sinner? Is not this God rich in mercy? hath
not this God great love for sinners? Nay, further, that thou mayst
not have any ground to think that all this is hut complimenting,
there is also here declared, that "God hath made him to be sin for
us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him." If God would have stuck at any thing, it would have been at
the death of his Son; but he delivered him up for us freely: how
shall he not then with him freely give us all things?

Let us now come to the carriage of these sinners to God, and that
from the first day he begins to deal with their souls, even to the