Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 57 – Chapter 67
CHAP. 57. Reaſons of Faithful Miniſters earneſtneſs, 1, their love to God. 2, their love to Jeſus Chriſt. 3, their love to their ſouls to whom they Preach. 4, a kind of love to themſelves.
FIrſt, thoſe that have committed to them the Miniſtry of Reconciliation, as it is of the Appoſtles (having it put into us) [the Miniſtry of Reconciliation]
Reaſon. 1.
Firſt, that that makes them ſo earneſt, it is the love they have to God: for they know that this is the great glory of God; this that ſhines in the Miniſtry of Reconcilliation in that that they go to declare to the world, & except that the Lord have his glory in that, (the truth is) he hath his glory in nothing in Compariſon, and the…e…ore that they might teſtifie their love to God; that the God whom their Souls love, may have his glory, in that which is indeed his glory, and his Maſter-piece of al his works. O! this it is that makes them earneſt; they thinke if the lord hath not his glory here, where ſhal he have his glory? O! it is infinite pitty that ſo great a work (wherein ſo much of the glory of God doth appear) that the Lord ſhould have no glory in that work.
Reaſon. 2.
And again, their dear love to Jeſus Chriſt, every faithful Miniſter of Chriſt doth bear a deer affection towards Jeſus Chriſt, and their ſoules would faine that Jeſus Chriſt might be lift up in the world: now there is nothing that lifts up Jeſus Chriſt in the world ſo much as the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, thoſe that have any love to Chriſt that know what Chriſt hath done for them, they deſire to lift up his name: and beſides the honor the work puts them upon, it is the Miniſtry of Reconciliation, and an honorable worke it is; and therefore the Apoſtle Paul Rom. 15. hath a notable expreſſion for that purpoſe; honor of the work, it is the Miniſtry of the goſpel, in verſe 20. the word in the Greek foreign, ſignifies to love the honor of it; thoſe that underſtand the language it is a word that ſignifies to love the honor of a thing: I was ambitious to preach the goſpel, (that is the phraſe) and ſo it may be tranſlated, I was ambitious to preach the goſpel. So that Paul was not ambitious for a great living, or to be brave, or in power, or a Juſtice of peace, or a Lord, and the like, (as many miniſters of late have been) but his ambition was to preach the goſpel; looking upon that, as the greateſt preferment that any of the ſons of men were capable of, or that he could deſire in the world.
Reaſon. 3,
And then again, beſides, the Conſideration of the Miniſtry of the Goſpel makes them earneſt in love unto their Bretheren, and to the ſouls of the people to whom they pre…ch: for they know that ſouls are utterly undon except they come to know God in Jeſus Chriſt; except they come to have the miſtery of the Goſpel revealed: whatſoever excellencys they have in this world; what parts of nature they have: yet they are loſt, undone, miſerable creatures for ever, and better they had never been born; better they had never breathed in the aire except Jeſus Chriſt be revealed unto them. Now it is impoſſible for any man that knows the neceſſity of the Revelation of Chriſt: but that if the Miniſtry of the goſpel be committed to him, he muſt needs be earneſt and faithful in the work of the miniſtry.
Reaſon. 4.
And there may be ſome argument from love to themſelves, thoſe that have the Miniſtry of the goſpel Committed, to them, (ſome way) God gives them leave to love themſelves, they cannot love themſelves any way ſo as to be earneſt in the Miniſtry.
Firſt, If they be faithful in the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, and God go along with them (as he wil if they be faithful) then Oh! how many ſouls ſhould bleſs them if at any one Sermon; if perhaps they go into a ſtrange place and work upon a few ſouls, they ſhal hear their ſouls bleſſing God for them every time they go into Gods preſence. Now what a wonderful encouragement is it for a Miniſter to be painful in the work of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel. This is a greater matter than to have a Biſhopprick, to have but one ſoul bleſs God for one that God hath been pleaſed to work upon, and this is no other than we challenge to be our due, if we by any means may be poor inſtruments of God to reveal Chriſt to any of your ſouls. This is due in juſtice that you ſhould ever mention us before the throne of Grace, and that the bleſſing of your prayers ſhould be upon us; and this is a mighty encouragement to make them earneſt (not only to make a Sermon) but to be ſtriving to reveal the miſteries of Chriſt to their ſouls, and as they wil be bleſſing of Chriſt here, ſo (by this meanes) thoſe that are faithful, they ſhould give a good account at the day of Jeſus Chriſt, and they ſhal be able to behold the face of Chriſt when he ſhal appear, who is the great Biſhop of their ſouls. He wil come with his viſitations one day; and when that is come, then they ſhal not have encouragement that have read Service, and wore Su…plices every day: But they ſhal be able to look upon his face with joy that have been faithful in the work of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, and thoſe that they have done good unto ſhal be their joy, and their Crown at that day. In 2. Phil. 16. Saith the Apoſtle to the Philipians (amongſt other exhortations) he exhorts them that they ſhould hold forth the word, the word of life; do thus, and thus (ſaith he) Oh! manifeſt the power of the Goſpel in your lives, that I may rejoyce in the day of Jeſus Chriſt that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain. It is an argument to prevail with people to embrace the Goſpel that they may recompence thoſe that labor amongſt them with this recompence that they may have joy in the day of Jeſus Chriſt, that they may be able to come to Chriſt, and ſay, bleſſed Savior here am I, and thoſe whom thou haſt given me; here are reaſons enough. I wil paſs therfore bretheren from the point, only thus much.
CHAP. 58
Uſe, 1. The horrible wickednſs of thoſe that are idle in the Miniſtery.
FIrſt, you may ſee what an horrible wickedneſs it is for any that take upon them to be the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and yet be idle: to be an idle ſhepheard, to be unfaithful in this, it is a moſt deteſtable wickedneſs; of all men in the world thoſe men have given up their ſpirits to wickedneſs that have the weight of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, to lie upon their charge, and yet they are idle. Oh! it is woful that ever that man was borne, that ſhould take upon him ſuch a glorious Miniſtery as the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, and therein be negligent of preaching, or by a ſcandalous life do miſchif unto others: It had been better that he had never been born, ſaith the Apoſtle. Woe to me if I preach not: So may they ſay, wo to us if we be negligent in it, and wo to us if we (by our ſcandalous lives) hinder the fruit of our own preaching, and of other mens preaching alſo. But we ſhal let that paſs.
CHAP. 59.
Ʋſe. 2
IN the ſecond place, labor you to inform your ſelves in this; when you ſee any faithful Miniſter earneſt in this work of his miniſtration, know what the ground is (perhaps ſome of you wonder at it, why he cannot content himſelf as ſome others) know where the ground lies, In this; from whence it comes, it is the Miniſtery of the Goſpel that is committed to him, and he knows it is a Glorious Miniſtery, and he ſees much of Jeſus Chriſt in it, and the Glory of God ſhines in it, and if he be faithful, and hath any love to Chriſt, and Saints, and their ſouls; it is impoſſible but that he muſt needs be earneſt in it. Paul was ſo earneſt that the people thought him mad, and that in this very Chapter where my text is verſe 13. You may think we are beſides our ſelves; wel it is for your cauſe, and it is the love of Chriſt conſtrains us; we cannot but do that we do, as the Apoſtle Peter, ſaith in another pleace. So ſaith any faithful Miniſter (think of it what you wil,) we cannot but ſpeak what the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt is; what it is that we have ſeen; and what it is that we have heard out of the Miniſtery of the Goſple our ſelves, and the love of Chriſt conſtrains us, and then in verſe, 11. knowing therefore the terror of the Lord (then much more the grace of the Lord) we perſwade men. If ſo be that God would but convince you of this, that when you heare any thing of the miſtery of the Goſpel opened to you, and any earneſtneſs of ſpirit manifeſted in it, I ſay, if you were convinced that the ground, and principle of it is this; the apprehenſion of the glory of this miniſtration (as it is ſuch in an excellent Miniſtery) Therefore it is that all faithful Miniſters of God are ſo earneſt in the miniſtration of it) It would prevaile more with your hearts to receive what is delivered in ſuch a way. But we let that paſs, and come to that which is the mai…e in the text.
CHAP. 60. The fourth Doctrine (propounded in the 45. Chapter) viz. That God and Chriſt are exceeding wiling and deſirous to be reconciled to ſinners.
As though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled unto God.
You have not in any ſcripture (that I know) more fully ſet out a more earneſt deſire of Jeſus Chriſt to be reconciled unto ſinners than here is; this expreſſion is (after the manner of men) to expreſs the earneſtneſs of Gods heart in his deſires to be reconcilced to ſinners, and that is our point of doctrine, our doctrine ſhal be the ſcope of theſe expreſſions; (not the very words) but the ſcope, and the ground of it. It is this.
Doct. 4. That God and Jeſus Chriſt is exceeding willing, and very deſirous to be reconciled unto ſinners.
Now the thing that I am to open to you, is to ſhew this in the ſeveral manifeſtations of it, ſeveral demonſtrations of the willingneſs, and deſire that is in God and Chriſt to be reconciled unto ſinners: and then anſwer a queſtion about it, why they are not reconciled to God, if God be ſo willing, and the like, and then for application of it.
The next point wil come in ſtead of the Uſes. That therefore the Miniſters of God, they ſhould intreat (likewiſe) and beſeech you, and by al means labor to draw your Souls to be reconciled unto God.
CHAP. 61. The Firſt Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God to be reconciled to ſinners.
FOr the Firſt, The willingneſs of God for Reconciliation with ſinners; Why God manifeſts this, To begin a little low, and then to riſe higher; God miniſters this, firſt by his patience towards ſinners, in that the Lord is long ſuffering toward ſinners, he doth manifeſt thereby that he is willing to be reconciled: the Scripture draws an argument from thence, in Rom. 2.4. as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, the patience of God holds this forth unto you; that you ſhould come in, and repent, that ſo you might obtain mercy from God, or otherwiſe it doth lead you to repentance. Except it ſhould hold forth Gods willingneſs to be reconciled, it could not draw the heart to repentance; but it leads: and this hath a great deal of force to draw the heart of man to repentance, Becauſe it holds forth the willingneſs of God to be reconciled unto ſinners. If God were not willing to be reconciled to you, he would take you off, and there were an end of you, or at leaſt he would excerciſe ſuch patience that ſhould not lead you to repentance: as he did with the Devils, as ſoon as they had ſinned, he clapt his chains upon them, and reſerves them in chains of darkneſs; there is no ſuch patience of God towards them as to be any argument to draw them to repentance: therefore they cannot draw any encourageing concluſion from any work of Gods patience, as to bring them towards God again: But al ſinners may do it that are the ſons of men. Hath God ſpared thy life at ſuch, and ſuch a time? know that in that work of his, he doth manifeſt his willingneſs to be reconciled unto thy Soul; as if a man hath an enemy at an advantage, and he wil not take it: Doth not this ſignifie that he is willing to be at peace with him? And that is the firſt thing.
CHAP. 62. The Second Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconciled to ſinners.
SEcondly, God hath manifeſted himſelf very willing to be reconciled unto ſinners in this; that he hath made it to be the great Maſter-piece of al his works to provide a way for Reconciliation of thee unto him. The Lord hath wrought ſo wonderfully for the children of men, rather than for Angels, in ſending his Son, & making of him a curſe for our ſins. In this the Lord proclaims a loud voice to al the world; O! be it known to al you ſinners that I am willing to be reconciled to you. We need not name Scripture for this, for the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel is ful of this; O! the heart of God is much in this work of Reconciliation; al the arguments in the world, al the expreſſions that poſſible could have been, could never have held forth this, ſo much as meerly this proclaimation that God hath ſent his Son into the world to die for mans ſin: this holds it forth, and proclaims it (with the loudeſt voice that poſſible can be) that God is infinitly willing to be reconciled unto ſinners.
CHAP. 63. The third Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be Reconciled to ſinners.
AND then thirdly, after this work of God ſending his Son, mark how God doth expreſs himſelfe to the Children of men! he doth profeſs that there is nothing wherein he doth more glory than he doth in this; to ſhew mercy to ſinners: he doth make account that the chefeſt glory he hath in the world it is to ſhew mercy unto ſiners. Certainly that that his ſoule is ſo wel pleaſed with, & that that he accounts himſelf moſt honored by, is; when ſinners ſhal come in unto him to repent, that he may be reconciled unto them. If a man ſhould do thus that hath an enemy, and ſhould manifeſt this to ſome of his friends that ſit at his table, as to ſay, ſuch an one is an enemy to me: but O! how fain would I have him come in, that there might be peace between him and I, and I would count it as great an honor as ever I had in my life; would not any one ſay, this man were willing to be reconciled; certainly God doth ſo, and therefore in Exod. 30. the place you know about the 6. verſe, the Lord, when he was proclamming his glory that Moſes deſired, and the Lord promiſed, he promiſed Moſes in the Latter end of the 33. Chap. that his glory ſhould paſſe by him, and he cauſed his glory to paſſe by him, as in Chap. 34 and what was that glory? The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and pretious, long ſufering, and abundant in goodneſs, and mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgroſſion, and ſin; as if God ſhould ſay, Moſes, wouldeſt thou ſee my glory? this is it, that I am merciful and forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin; here is the height of my glory; in this is my magnificence made known. And another moſt remarkable place, we have in Eſa. 30.1…. I ſhal make uſe of the begining of the place: And therefore wil the Lord wait that he may be gracious, and therefore wil he be exalted. How wil God be exhalted? That he may have mercy upon you: Therfore he wil be exſalted that he may have mercy upon you; and ſo he goes on, For the Lord is a God of Judgment, Bleſſed are al they that wait for him: ſo that God accounts himſelf an exalted God, when he hath mercy upon a ſinner. Surely he is very willing to be reconciled to a ſinner when he counts himſelf an exalted God, when a ſinner comes in, and beleevs in his on. Now am I exalted, ſaith God, this is that my ſoule glories in; this I account to be a happineſs to mee; God is exalted in ſhewing mercy, and that is the concluſion of this argument.
CHAP. 64. The fourth Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconcilled to ſinners.
FOurthly, the Lord expreſſes this his willingneſs to be reconciled to ſinners with a ſigh, as when he expreſſes his deſire after ſinners with a ſigh, which is a note of earneſtneſs of deſire, and that you have in Deut. 5. and 24. verſe: O! that there were ſuch a heart in them. When we expreſs our deſires we ſay, I would there were ſuch a thing: But when we expreſs our moſt earneſt deſire, then we expreſs it with an O! O! that there were: ſo ſaith God, O! that they had ſuch an heart; that they would fear me, and walke in my waies, and why doth God expreſſe this? It is that it might be wel with them, and with their children for ever: therefore O! that there were ſuch an heart. It is obſervable, if you turne your eyes to the former part of the Chapter, you ſhal find; that this people did ſay, that whatſoever God had ſpoken, that they would do: But the lord ſaw that there was not a through comming off of their hearts unto him to reſigne up themſelves wholly to him: and therefore the Lord doth (as it were) fetch a ſigh in the earneſtneſs of his deſire; O! that there were ſuch an heart in them. If a man that were fallen out with another, when he were in his Bed-chamber, or at his Table, he ſhould fetch a ſigh, and ſay; O! that ſuch an one would come in, and be Reconciled to me, how glad would I be to be Reconciled to him? how doth my ſoul long after him? would not every one ſay that this man earneſtly deſiers Reconciliation with that perſon. But thus doth God, he ſits (as it were) and ſaith; O! that there were ſuch an heart.
CHAP. 65. The Fift Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconciled to ſinners.
Fiftly, the Lord doth not only expreſs his deſire by a ſigh, but by an Oath; he takes a ſolemn Oath upon it; how willing he is that ſinners ſhould come in, & be reconciled unto him, and it is the greateſt Oath that ever God took (it is about ſinners coming in) to profeſs his willingneſs that ſinners ſhould not die: but they ſhould come in, and be reconciled to him, and that you have in the 33. Ezek. 11. Say to them, As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, &c. As I live, ſaith the Lord God. They were pineing away in their wickedneſs, lying down in their ſins now as I live, ſaith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn; and therefore turn, turn, O! turn; Why wil ye die? As if a poor ſinner ſhould lie down, and ſay; the Lord is provoked againſt me, and he wil not be reconciled to me; No, the wrath of God is out againſt me, & he wil revenge himſelf of me; the Lord looks upon a ſinner lying in this manner, and he bids his ſervants go, and ſay to him; the Lord ſwears by his own life, and ſaith to this ſinner; As I live, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, I ſwear by my ſelf becauſe I have no greater to ſwear by.
CHAP. 66. The Sixt Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconciled to ſinners.
ANother Argument is this, wherein God doth manifeſt in his word that above al works that are pleaſing to him, and that he would have people moſt to reſpect in this world, is the work of beleeving in his Son, and laying hold upon him, and ſo upon that mercy of his, that he doth offer in his Son, and that is the great work that he is more pleaſed withal; then al the works they do; and not doing that, it is the greateſt offence whereby they can offend God, they cannot offend God more in doing any thing in the world. And this ſhews the willingneſs of God to be reconciled unto ſinners, God being pleaſed with a ſinner that doth come in to take hold of his mercy. And that you have in John 6.29. This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him, wh… …ch ſent, (by way of excllency above all other ther…; (as if God ſhould ſay) If you ſhould do the … famous work that ever man did in this world, I would not delight in it; I would not care for that in compariſion of this work of comming in, and beleeving in my Son. Is there a man that ſhould be the great Conqueror of the whole world? a man that were famous in al the world. Let a poor Soul, a penitent heart come in, and cloſe with Gods grace in Jeſus Chriſt, and rowl it ſelf upon mercy in Chriſt for Reconciliation; this poor Soul, (though the meaneſt that were poſſible to be immagined in the whole Nation) is a more glorious work in Gods Eye; then the moſt glorious work of the greateſt Conqueror of the earth. If thou wert able to rule the Sea; if thou wert able to govern al the world; if thou wert able to command the Heavens, it would not be ſuch a glorious work in the Eyes of God as that is to come and lay hold upon his Son, as he is tendred in the Goſpel. If you ſhould give al your Almes to the poor, and your body to be burnt: yet it were nothing to the work of beleeving in his Son. In John 3 God is moſt diſpleaſed with not beleeving in his Son. As if God ſhould ſay, it's true, you are naturally enemies to me, and you have lived in waies of enmity againſt me; O! you have provoked me al your daies; when you were yong, a drunken, unclean, prophane Youth; a Lyar, a Swearer, a Sabboth-breaker &c. but yet you live to hear the voice of the Goſpel ſounding in your ears, and to have the offer of Jeſus Chriſt to your Souls for the pardon of your ſins: Now be it known to you; al the Oaths that ever you ſwore, al your Blaſphemies, al your Drunkenneſs, al your Uncleaneſs, al al your Sabboth-breaking, (put them altogether) they wil not provoke me ſo much: as rejecting of my Grace in Jeſus Chriſt, that I tender to you. That is the condemnation of the world; al the other iniquities wil not ſink you down ſo deep in Hel as not comming to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt; to lay hold upon the Grace of God, that is tendred to you in the Goſpel. Now is not God very willing to be reconciled, when he ſhal manifeſt himſelf thus unto ſinful men?
CHAP. 67. The Seventh Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconciled to Sinners.
YEt further, God manifeſts himſelf willing to be reconciled in this; that when he ſees that (notwithſtanding al theſe expreſſions that have been before that we have ſpoke of) if ſinners wil not come in; God he wil ſeek them ſeeing they wil not ſeek to him, God ſeeks himſelf to ſinners. Firſt that is a point that you have heard before, that God is aforehand with us; God comes to us becauſe we wil not ſeek to him. If a man be fallen out with another he ſhould come and ſeek to him: but he wil not, becauſe he hath ſuch a ſtout heart. Wel ſaith he, that I may convince him that I am not ſuch an auſteer man as he conceivs me to be, I wil ſeek to him firſt, and I wil not only ſeek to him, but I wil go to him, and beſeech him, and that you have in the Text; Chriſt is ſaid to come to ſave, and to ſeek that which was loſt, we were al loſt and we would not ſeek to him: but he was fain to come, yea, he came from the boſom of his Father. He came into the world, and his great Errand was to ſeek thoſe that were loſt, and when he had found them he beſeeches them to be reconciled unto him.