The Puritans: From Thomas Goodwin

Of Christ's joy when a sinner comes to him:

The truth is, he is more glad of us than we can be of him. The father of the prodigal was the forwarder of the two to that joyful meeting. Hast thou a mind? He that came down from heaven, as himself saith in the text, to die for thee, will meet thee more than half way, as the prodigal's father is said to do, by his Spirit : he will send him from heaven to thee, and at the latter day himself will come again to fetch thee and receive thee to himself. If among the angels in heaven there be joy at the conversion of a sinner, how much more joy is there in Christ's heart? If there be joy in the bedchamber-men (as John speaks) what joy is there in the bridegroom's heart? Or if among the standers by, when a man-child is born into the world, how much more doth the mother that was in travail for it, as Christ's soul was, how much more doth she rejoice ? 0 therefore come in unto him. If you knew his heart you would.

---Brief biography by Alexander Whyte.