Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 78
CHAP. 78. Objections Anſwered concerning the willingneſs of God and Chriſt to be reconciled to ſinners.
OBject. You wil ſay, Why ſhould God do al this? and Chriſt do al this? you tel us that God is ſo willing to be reconciled, and hath ſo expreſt himſelf, and Chriſt ſo willing to be reconciled, and hath ſo expreſt himſelf, by entreating and beſeeching; but both God and Chriſt knows, we can do nothing of our ſelves, and therefore to what end is al this that you have ſpoken? as if we ſhould go into Golgothus or burial places, and entreat the dead to riſe out of their graves, To what purpoſe would it be? we are dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, and now if we can do nothing, al that you have ſpoken is but to little purpoſe.
To that purpoſe I anſwer. Firſt though it is true, we are dead in ſins and treſpaſes and are not able to performe any true ſaving work by our own ſtrength, yet firſt al thoſe expreſſions of God and Chriſt in his word, and ſo of the miniſters of God in their names, it may be of this uſe to ſtir up common gifts and graces of the ſpirit of God in us, and that is for to have them ſtirred up to the utmoſt that poſſible may be, people muſt not think (that becauſe they cannot do any worke that is indeed ſaving in it ſelf, any work of ſpiritual life) that therefore there is nothing to be done by them, we are to know that though the ſaving works of God be more rare, yet there are common workes of the ſpirit, that God doth diſpence to many, yea to moſt, and in ſome degree or other to al, eſpecially to thoſe that live under the ſound of the Goſpel, there are none that live under the ſound of the Goſpel but they have ſome common gifts of the Spirit of God, in one degree or other. Now the Lord would have theſe ſtirred up to the utmoſt, (though it cannot be in a ſanctified way) and theſe expreſſions of God & Chriſt to ſinners, have a great deal of efficacy in them to ſtir up what common gifts of Gods Spirit you have, and if ſinners do not this they cannot expect that God ſhould do much towards them. Conſider what power God hath given them, and what common gifts they have already, and let that be acted to the utmoſt, and then they may wait ſtil for more from God. This is a truth, that there are none that do periſh, but God hath this to charge them with, that they did not ſtir up the common gifts of Gods ſpirit. Secondly, (though we cannot do any thing of our ſelves) yet God knows that that is the beſt way to conveigh true ſaving Grace unto them, a ſpirit of life into them, it is by this means rather than by others, the Lord chooſes this way rather than others. You have received the Spirit, ſaith Paul to the Galatians, And how have you received it? by the preaching of the Law, or by the preaching of the Goſpel? Which way was the conveighance of the ſpirit of God to you? Was it by the preaching of the Law, or the preaching of the Goſpel? not by the one but by the other. (Though there be a great deal of uſe of preaching the Law) yet that which doth conveigh the Spirit and grace into the Conſcience, it is the opening the riches of the treaſure of the Grace of God in the Goſpel, therefore this Objection hath no ſtrength in it; to ſay, we have no power in our ſelves. God doth entreat and beſeech becauſe by this meanes he puts forth a power into the hearts of thoſe he doth intend to ſave everlaſtingly. If we ſhould entreat dead men to riſe, it were a folly for us, becauſe we cannot conveigh any power into them, but it is not in vain for God, becauſe he is able while he is entreating and beſeeching to conveigh a power into them.
Obj. But you ſay in the ſecond place what need the Lord do al this? God might work it by a word from himſelfe, God might preſently ſhew forth his almighty power to bring in ſinners to himſelfe, he need not ſtand praying and intreating and anſwering Objections, bringing of arguments and the like: becauſe he can by his almighty power bring in ſinners; he can breake the ſtouteſt heart that lives upon the earth, and pul downe the proudeſt ſpirit, and therefore what need God do al this.
Anſ. I Anſwere who a…t thou O man! that reaſoneſt againſt God? but if you wil have reaſons, there are many to be given.
Firſt becauſe God having to work with a rational creature, he wil work ſuitable to the nature of that creature that he is working upon. If God were to work meerly uppon ſtones, to raiſe out of the ſtones children unto Abraham, then God would but only ſpeak the word and ſay let it be done, & it ſhould be done, but the Lord loves to do it in a way ſutiable to a rational creature, now that way is this.
Firſt that the underſtanding ſhould be inlightened, and the heart ſhould be gained and wrought upon, they knowing what it doth, it ſhould come to do what it doth freely and wilingly (though we have no free wil at the firſt) yet when wee do embrace the goſpel, then the Lord doth cauſe the hearts of men to embrace it wilingly, and this is a great part of the goſpel of God to ſhew himſelfe to his creature, he wil work his own work: but ſuch a way as ſhal be ſuitable to his creature. Again, (if the Lord ſhould bring in ſinners to himſelf by his almighty power) then there would not ſo much of the beauty, and riches of his grace appear as there doth this way. If God ſhould effectually work it by his own hand (I ſay) the glory of his grace would not ſo gloriouſly ſhine ſorth. Now it is the ſpecial deſigne that God hath in al his workes about redemption; that the glory of the riches of his grace might appear to men, and Angel's that they might magnify it. Now what can be more to magnify grace? then when a ſinner ſhal come to vieu the ſeveral workings of Gods mercy towards him; how the lord hath provided a way of Reconciliation, and that (though the ſoul were backward, and hung of) yet the Lord ſtil followed on, and put on the ſoul, and would not ſuffer the ſoul to die, and perriſh in the ſins of it. What wil magnifie Grace more than this? the way of bringing in ſinners to be reconciled unto himſelf wil be a principal ſubject for the Saints to be bleſſing of God to al eternity. And therefore you Chriſtians that have found the work of God bringing in your hearts to himſelf, obſerve what Gods work is; marke the ſeveral waies of Gods working with your ſouls! For know that thoſe ſeveral waies of Gods working with your ſouls now, wil be the ſubject of your eternal praiſes in Heaven. And hence it is that God doth go on in ſuch ſeveral expreſſions, that the riches of his Grace might appear the more fully. Yea, and further, that by this means he might gain the hearts of ſinners everlaſtingly to himſelf; there is nothing wil gain them ſo unto God, as this declaration of the riches of his Grace in the Goſpel. And when the ſinner ſhal ſee, (not only that God is reconciled) but how God hath ſet his heart upon it, how earneſt God hath bin in it, this wil engage the heart of a ſinner for ever unto God, and hence it is; that thoſe ſinners that have felt moſt of the Grace of God bringing them in to be reconciled are thoſe that keep cloſeſt unto God. As for ſuch as are only ſtopt in the way of their ſins by the terrors of the Law, and are not acquainted with the miſtery of the Grace of God in the Goſpel, they ſeldom hold out, though for a while out of ſlavery to their conſciences they do not commit ſuch and ſuch ſins. This I make no queſtion one may be brought to do; that hath no true ſaving Grace; that they may not dare to commit a ſin in ſecret for a while (meerly our of terror of conſcience) But now theſe men, they are only wrought upon by the terrors of the Law; they ſeldom hold out, but (though conſcience bear a ſtrong hand to keep them from ſin for a long time,) yet at length they break thoſe bonds: But now thoſe that have not only conſcience enlightned, and do not ſee the danger of ſin only, but come to have theſe beames of the Grace and goodneſs of God let out into their hearts, and their hearts are ſo gained unto God by this; that they wil never depart from him: but their hearts wil follow to the bountifulneſs of God. The difference of theſe two may be expreſt by this ſimilitude. Look how it is in froſty wether when the water is frozen; there are two waies to come by the water, the Husbandman goes in the morning, and ſees the water frozen, and beates it to pieces, and breaks the yce. but though he doth ſo the next morning he comes, and ſees it frozen as much as before: but when there comes warm weather, and diſſolves the yce then it quite goes away in flakes: ſo hence the hearts of al ſinners are frozen, and God comes with the terror of the Law, and beats them in pieces, and breaks them that way, I but at laſt they freeze again, and grow as hard again as ever: But now when the Lord comes with the beams of his Grace, and ſhines upon them: then their Hearts thaw, and the yce goes away, and their hearts come in flowing to God in another manner than when he comes by his ſtroaks. Now becauſe the Lord ſees that this is ſuch a way to engage the hearts of ſinners to come in unto him, therfore he doth not only put forth ſuch an almighty power: but comes in ſuch a way as this; when the ſinner cannot be able to perceive the hand of God, that is the almighty power that doth the work: yet the ſinner can perceive the ſhining of Gods Grace, and his goodneſs, and the expreſſons of his love, and the like: this is apparently before the Eyes of the ſinner to admire, and works upon the heart, when the other is more ſecret.
Obj. Thirdly, If God, and Chriſt be ſo willing to be reconciled unto ſinners, then you wil ſay, what is the reaſon that there are no more reconciled? One would think that al ſinners in the World ſhould be reconciled to him, hee may reconcile al; Is it not as eaſie for God to reconcil one as wel as another? God many times tels us that few ſhal be ſaved: Yea, Chriſt himſelf tels us ſo. Now this that you have preached about Gods, and Chriſts willingneſs to be reconciled; One would think that al the world ſhould come in to be reconciled, otherwiſe how wil it appear that they are ſo willing?
Anſ. For the anſwer to that, the heart of God & Chriſt are much ſet uppon Reconciliation with ſinners; (but ſo as may be ſuitable to other ends that God hath: God wil not have the work of his mercy manifeſted ſo as it ſhal croſſe any other work that he hath to do,) ſo farr as the Glory of his mercy may be manifeſted without croſſing of ſome other work that God hath to do, ſo farr it is let out, not to al. Why? Becauſe it wil not be ſuitable to ſome other ends that God hath to bring about; that he ſhould be reconciled unto al ſinners.
Object. You wil ſay, to other ends; Why? Do Gods ends croſſe one another? If Gods Heart be for Reconciliation with ſinners, how ſhould this Croſs any other thing that God hath to do?
Anſw. For anſwer; (though things may ſeem to us, one to be croſs to the other:) yet there is a bleſſed concord in Gods ends, and his waies, and it wil appear plainly one day before the Children of men, and Angels, and it wil be the great work of God, hereafter to manifeſt that thoſe things that ſeem moſt to be croſs one to another: yet wil be very Advantagious and aſſiſting to the Promoting, and Coronation of this bleſſed work.
As it is in the Heavens, there is the motion of the Heavens; they have one motion by which they are carryed one way, and there are the Starres, they have another particular motion of their own, and yet there is a concord in the motions of the Heavens. In any work that a man doth, as in a Clock, there is one wheel that runs one way ſo farr, and another meets with it, they ſeem to run quite contrary waies, and yet take them altogether, and they do al run to the end that the work is intended for, and yet ſeem to go contrary; the Croſs going of the wheels is the right going of the Clock: So God ſeems to work in the works of his Grace one way, and in the works of his juſtice another way, and they ſeem to go quite contrary one to the other: But the truth is, they worke al to the end that the workman makes it for; here is the Grace, and mercy of God thus manifeſted in entreating, and beſeeching ſinners to be reconciled; It goes thus far, and then when it hath had its ends, then comes the ſtroak of Gods juſtice, and that ſtriks another way, and al makes to the beauty of the work of God, that he might have glory in al; So though God be thus earneſt, (yet it is no Argument that al ſinnners ſhould be reconciled:) becauſe it appeares to be the beauty of Gods work which ſhal appear another day; the work of mercy thus farr, and the work of juſtice ſo farr: this we are not able to underſtand throughly now: but it is left to the great day to be underſtood.
Further, It may be anſwered, that theſe expreſſions are cheifly intended towards thoſe that belong to his eternal election; but revealed in ſuch a general way as none ſhould exclude himſelf: therefore the charge of the Miniſters of the Goſpel is to preach to every creature, becauſe we do not know who they be that do belong to the election, but it is for the ſake of Gods elect ones that theſe things are reconciled in ſuch a ful way as they are; ſuch things ſhould be taught in a Congregation where there are many thouſands: but if there be but a few that belo…g to the election of Grace, God aimes at them moſt: though he may aime at the other too for to leſſen their ſins, and ſomtimes to aggravate them: Yet know, if there be but a few, that it is for you, and for your ſake that theſe things are preacht, and theſe may ſerve to anſwer to thoſe objections.