Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 75
CHAP. 75. The Fifteenth Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God to be reconciled to ſinners.
BUt further, the Lord ſhews his willingeſs to be reconciled to ſinners in this, that when this way wil not prevail you wil think there were never another way to be found, yet there is another way when God doth deal in a familiar way as man to man, when he hath brought his Arguments, and anſwered Objections, and been importunate, and pleaded, then truly ſometimes, (if it be a tender hearted man) perhaps his heart doth even break within him, and he is ready to burſt out with tears, becauſe of the ſtoutneſs and frowardneſs, of ſuch a one, that wil ruine himſelf and ſtand out againſt ſo much reaſon, and that prevailing more than al the other arguments, eſpecially when he is to ſpeak to one that he hath any reference to, as a Father, the Father perhaps perſwades the Child, and anſwers what the Child hath to ſay, is importunate, appeals to the conſcience of the Child, yet he ſtands out ſtubbornly, and at length the Father or Mother can hold no longer, but burſt out in tears, lamenting the hardneſs of heart of ſuch a one. Now if a Child that is ſtubborn ſhould look in at a key-hole, and ſee his Father, or Mother, ſhedding of tears, becauſe of his hardneſs of heart, then the Child wil certainly be convinced of this. Now certainly my Father loves me, and al he doth, it is but for my good, certainly thus did Chriſt, when he came to Hjeruſalem he wept over it, Upon what ground? O! that thou hadſt known in this thy day the things that concern thy peace: O! that thou hadſt known, & Chriſt fel a weeping. Now we are to know this, that the tears of Chriſt at that time concern ſinners now, as verily & truly as they did concern ſinners at that very inſtant, and we are to look upon Chriſts cariadge of himſelf to ſinners in former times, as at this inſtant, concerning us, and amongſt us. Now I would appeal to you; ſuppoſe Chriſt were born in this world in the fleſh again as he was, and ſhould come and look towards this commonwealth and ſhould come hither; and ſay, O! England, England, O! that thou hadſt known the things that concern thy peace, and ſhould weep over London, or weep over Weſtminſter, as he did over that Citty of Hjeruſalem, Would not this break our hearts? Would not we take this as a great Argument that Chriſt was very derſirous of the peace of this Citty or place? Now concerning every particular Soul, it is true, and every one ſhould make uſe of that Scripture, and apply it to themſelves, as if Chriſt ſtood weeping over it, and ſay, Oh that thou hadſt known at leaſt in this thy day the things that concern thy peace, Would not this break your hearts? this Town that Chriſt ſends his Goſpel amongſt. And ſuppoſe you could ſee him bodily, Jeſus Chriſt ſtanding here, and one tear trickling down after another, & ſaying, O! that this people did but know the things that concern their peace, at leaſt in this their day when they have a price put into their hands, before the Goſpel Sun goes down, or is eclipſed, ſurely we ſhould ſay that Chriſts tears argue the rowling of his bowels towards them, it may be their time wil not continue long. O! that they knew it now. If you did ſee Chriſt thus weeping; I ſuppoſe this would be a mighty argument to you, that Chriſt were willing to be reconciled to you. We are I ſay to make uſe of that Scripture as if it were now. And though Chriſt doth not ſhed tears now in Heaven, yet there is as much compaſſion in the heart of Chriſt now, as ever there was here upon earth he hath loſt no compaſſion by going to Heaven, and therefore know that Jeſus Chriſt doth look at this day upon this Congregation, and many particular Souls (it is propable) Chriſt more ſpecially eyes and ſaith in his very heart, Oh! that ſuch a Soul, ſuch a Servant, ſuch a Youth, Oh that they did but know the things that concerns their peace, for now the Goſpel is opened to them, and a day of ſalvation is made known to them, and they are labored to be drawn from their evil waies to embrace me; and Oh that they did know theſe things that concern their peace. And thus it appears how willing God is to be reconciled.
I ſhal afterwards ſhew ſomwhat about Chriſt in a more ſpecial manner that ſinners ſhould come and be reconciled unto God.