Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 76
CHAP. 76. The ſixteenth Argument: Manifeſting the exceeding willingneſs of God to be reconciled to ſinners.
FUrther, there is an other evidence of the willingneſs of God to be reconciled unto ſinners and that is this. The Lord doth foreſee, that after he hath done al to be reconciled unto ſinners, let him do what he can, the Lord foreſees what a little honor he ſhal have (for the preſent at leaſt in this world by them) he ſees that after they are brought in that yet ſtil there wil be abundance of corruption and they wil diſhonor God extreamely now, and wil grieve the Holy ſpirit that doth thus draw them; he ſees that they wil walk more offenſively, and it may be, Scandalouſly towards their bretheren, and diſhonor the profeſſion of religion. God ſees what a deal of do, and ſtir, he ſhal have with thoſe that he doth bring in to himſelf, and yet for al this he goes on with his work and labor with the hearts of ſinners, notwithſtanding al that he doth foreſee. And then the laſt of al is this; that after the Lord hath uſed al theſe meanes to bring ſinners to come in, and break their hearts that they might be reconciled to him, (though they that ſtand out againſt him, and plead, and weep over them, and mourn) yet the Lord is content to waite, and yet a long time upon ſinners, and not to take advantage againſt them for their rejecting of this Grace of his that he tenders to them. That ſcripture I named before is ſufficient for that, Iſa. 30.18. And therefore wil the Lord wait that he may be gratious. Oh! how many yeares hath the Lord waited upon ſom of you? We have cauſe to ſtand and admire at the Grace of God that ever he would once offer mercy to us; that after ſo many offers and ſuch importunities to prevail with our hearts, and we frowardly have rejected this Grace, that now God ſhould waite upon us to heal our ſouls, and at length to overcome us; Oh! this manifeſts the goodneſs of God, and the tenderneſs of his heart to be willing to be reconciled unto ſinners, and therefore in Jer. 13. Mark what God ſaith unto ſinners in the laſt verſe; I have ſeen thy Adulteries, and thy Neighings, and the Lewdneſs of thy Whordomes, and thy abominations; Wo unto thee Oh Jeruſalem! wilt thou not be made clean? When ſhal it once be? Saith God. Oh! that once it might be; I am content to ſtay again, and again, Oh! when ſhal it once be? Let not al my labor be in vaine; Oh! here is the fullneſs of the expreſſions of God, and that place likewiſe in Iſa. 57. Is obſervable for this purpoſe the 17. and 18. verſes, For the iniquity of his Covetouſneſs was I wroth, and Smote him; I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heat, I have ſeen his waies and wil heal him &c. Though he went on, and was worth; yet (ſaith God) I have ſeen his waies, and wil heal him; I wil not take advantage; I wil be content after al their froward rejections of al the offers of Grace, yet I wil heal them for al that. The frowardneſs is that that hath reference (not only to unprofitableneſs under afflictions) but when one is dealt kindly withal, and doth not anſwer according to his kindneſs, but wil have his own wil ſuch a one doth go on frowardly. Now then if we could put al theſe together that have been named of Gods willingneſs towards ſinners to bring them in to be reconciled to him; Oh Lord! how infinite would the Grace, and goodneſs of God appeare? How were God to be glorified in his Grace?
I ſee I cannot poſſibly come to theſe things, that I have heretofore propounded; As what needs al this and the like? But that muſt be done, or the reaſons why God doth deal thus.
A word or too at this time for that; why God doth do al this, why doth God deal thus with ſinners in ſuch a manner?
Firſt, It is becauſe mercy pleaſes him Micha. 7.18. there God makes a large promiſe of pardon of ſin, becauſe mercy pleaſeth him. Now that that is pleaſing unto any creature; that the creature loves to do it, and loves to do it to the ful, to the height, as al pleaſure you know, to enjoye the creature; to eate, and drink, and ſport is very pleaſing to a voluptuous man, and therefore he doth deſire to have this to the ful: a large bag of Gold pleaſes a covetous man, therefore he is never ſatisfied, but would have it to the ful; Honor pleaſeth an ambitious, man, and therefore he never hath enough: ſo mercy it pleaſes God, and therefore (as I may with Holy reverence ſpeak) God ſcarce thinks he hath ever done enough to ſhew the riches of his Grace.
Secondly, God doth it; becauſe the blood of his Son doth cry continually in his eares for mercy, and it is of ſuch infinite worth, and value and the obedience of his Son in ſhedding of his bloud it hath been ſo acceptable unto God, and is; that whoſoever this blood is pleaded for, the Lord muſt needs grant it to the utmoſt. Now it is the blood of Jeſus Chriſt that is ſhed for ſinners, that doth plead with God the Father; that al this mercy might be ſhewed. It is ſaid in the ſcripture, that the blood of Chriſt ſpeaks better things than the blood of Abel; the blood of Abel cries loude for vengeance; vengance Lord againſt ſinners: But the blood of Chriſt cries aloude merrcy, mercy, Lord for ſinners, and God heares the cry of his Sons blood. What is this that recries? The blood of my Son for mercy for ſinners: let them have mercy, yea let them have mercy to the ful. Then the fludgates of mercy come to be opened, though (if it were not for the blood of Chriſt) the patience of God would let out ſome common favors: but when God comes to ſatisfy the cries of the blood of Chriſt for mercy ſaith God, open al the fludgates now, and let in ſtreams of mercy for ſinners; let mercy be ſhewed to the higheſt degree that can be, if the blood of my Son cry for it, it muſt be, (though it requires wonderful mercy) it muſt be great, rich, glorious mercy, it is not a drop, but had need of a Sea, of mercies to anwſwer it.
I but ſaith God, the blood of my ſon cryes for mercy, and though there be need of an infinite Ocean of mercy for to clenſe the ſoul of ſuch a ſinner, it muſt needs be granted; becauſe the blood of my ſon cryes for it. When you finde God manifeſting himſelfe to your ſouls in waies of mercy, it comes from the blood of Jeſus Chriſt that cries to God the father for mercy to be beſtowed on you, and this is the ſum and ſubſtance of al theſe expreſſions of Gods grace toward ſinners. (We thinke that ſo be very ſtrange that ever ſuch an infinite God ſhould condeſcend to ſinners, but when we come to examin the reaſon, we need not wonder at it; we ſee now from whence it al coms; it ſprings al from the ever living fountaine of the unſearchable rich grace of God in Chriſt, though (at the very reading) we may wonder that ever God ſhould do ſo; and perhaps ſome men may think theſe are but the ſtraynes of miniſters to make it ſo: but when we come to underſtand the bottom, the ground of al, then we muſt acknowledge the reality of it: no wonder, God ſhews mercy to ſuch ſouls ſo unworthy and ſo vild; why? Becauſe the blood of his ſon cryes for mercy.