Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 43
JOHN 17.18.
Even ſo have I alſo ſent them into the world.
DOCTRINE 2. Chriſt doth not ſend his Miniſters particularly or reſtrictively to any Countrey, or to any Nation, but their Commiſsion leaves them free to all the world.
YOU ſee, he doth not tell his Father, I have ſent them into Jewry only, or into any other Region of the earth, but I have ſent them into the world; That is the local object of their Miſſion, the world at large without reſtraint or limitation, all the world.
Indeed our Saviour once profeſſed of himſelf, I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, Mat. 15.24. And ſo accordingly when firſt he ſent forth his Apoſtles, his expreſs injunction was, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, but go ye rather to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, Mat. 10.5. At his aſcention he appointed them to be his witneſſes, firſt in Judaa and Jeruſalem, Acts 1.8. This courſe and method the Apoſtles very carefully obſerved, as you may ſee, Acts 13 46. It was neceſſary (ſay Paul and Barnabas unto the Jews) that the word of God (the Goſpel) ſhould firſt of all be preached unto you. But if you mark it well, my brethren, the final and the laſt Commiſſion of our Saviour was, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature, Mark 16.15. Go ye and teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19.
But you will ſay that this was a Commiſſion proper to Apoſtles, and doth not any whit concern ſucceeding ordinary Miniſters, and Paſtors in the Church, who are reſtrained to ſpecial places, and fixed in ſpecial Congregations.
I grant indeed that many ordinary Miniſters are reſtrained and fixed ſo; but all are not ſo reſtrained, neither are any ſo reſtrained, but that they may in caſe remove to other places and to other Countreyes. And in that any are reſtrained and fixed, it is not meerly as they are Miniſters of Chriſt, but as they are the choſen Officers and Paſtors of ſuch a Congregation or of ſuch a people. Their Commiſſion as from Chriſt, doth not fix them anywhere, but leaves them free as I have ſaid, to exerciſe their Miniſtry whereſoever they are called in all the world. Indeed the Apoſtle tells us that God hath ſet ſome in the Church, ſome Miniſters of all ſorts, as you may ſee, 1 Cor. 12.28. He hath placed and fixed them there. But that is out of all diſpute the univerſal Church which is not limited to any Countrey, but is to be extended over all the world. For if you mark it, the Apoſtle ſaith not, God hath ſet ſome in the Churches, in the plural number, but foreign in the Church, and that in ſuch a latitude as that it comprehendeth in it all gifts, all members, all officers of all ſorts, which cannot be intended of the Church of Corinth, or any ſingle Congregation, but only of the univerſal Church of Chriſt on earth. There Chriſt hath ſet his Miniſters, not his Apoſtles only, but his ordinary teachers; and if they be confined to narrower limits, it is not properly by his Commiſſion, but by a call from men, or by ſome other ſecundary means. And as for that Commiſsion mentioned even now, Go ye and teach all Nations, though it were given immediately to the Apoſtles, it cannot be reſtrained to the Apoſtles, being evidently meant, in and with them, of all the Miniſters and Preaches of the Goſpel that ſhould ſucceed them in the Church to the end of the world. And therefore it is added preſently in the next verſe. Lo, I am with you alwayes to the end of the world. They were not to continue for their own parts, by many hundred years ſo long, and therefore it muſt alſo ſtretch to thoſe who were to follow them in the office and work of Goſpel-preaching, till it be publiſhed univerſally to all Nations: which was not done you know by the Apoſtles; it was but begun by them, and muſt be carried on till it be finiſhed by other Miniſters of Chriſt in ever age ſucceſſively to the end of the world; So that the point is clear you ſee; Chriſt doth not ſend his Miniſters particularly or reſtrictively to any Countrey or to any Nation, but their Commiſsion leaves them free to all the world.
And there are two great reaſons of the Point, viz. becauſe his Kingdom Reaſon 1 is to be erected, and his Church is to be planted over all the world in every Countrey and in every Nation, under heaven. And therefore Jeſus Chriſt doth ſend his Miniſters to all the world, for this purpoſe, for the erecting of the one, and the planting of the other.
1. His Kingdom is to be erected over all the world. It is not bounded or confined to any Countrey, or to any Nation, but it is to ſtretch and to extend it ſelf to all places, and to all people. And hence the Kingdom of the Lord Chriſt is likened to a ſtone that ſwells into a Mountain, and in the end repleniſhes the world, as Dan. 2.35. The ſtone that ſmote the Image, became a great Mountain, and filled the whole earth. A very fit reſemblance of our Saviours Kingdom. Firſt it is a little ſtone, it lyes within a little compaſs, it is confined within very narrow limits; but yet at length it grows into a Mountain, yea a great Mountain, it ſtretches and extends out it ſelf exceedingly, and in the end repleniſhes the whole earth. The beginnings are but ſmall, a little ſtone, a man may put it in his pocket, but the ſtone becomes a Mountain, and the Mountain fills the world. And this is that which the ſame Daniel in his viſion did foreſee, as if it had been done already, Dan. 7.14. And there was given him, ſaith he, dominion, and glory and a Kingdom, (ſpeaking of the Lord Chriſt) And what Kingdom ſhall he have? See in the following words; he ſhall have ſuch a Kingdom, that all the people, Languages, and Nations in the world ſhall ſerve him. There is a Prophecy to this purpoſe, Pſal. 22.27, 28. All the ends of the world ſhall turn to the Lord, and all the kinreds of the Nations ſhall worſhip before him; For the Kingdom is the Lords, and he is the Governour among all Nations, with which accordeth that, Pſal. 72.8. He ſhall have Dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the River unto the ends of the Earth: and yet again, Pſal. 86.9. All Nations whom thou haſt made (and you know there is no Nation which he hath not made) ſhall come and worſhip before thee, O Lord, and ſhall glorifie thy Name: This is the meaning of that famous Proclamation of our King himſelf, Mal. 1.11. From the riſing of the Sun unto the going down of the ſame, my Name ſhall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incenſe ſhall be offered to me, and a pure offering; for my Name ſhall be great among the Heathen, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: And when all theſe predictions ſhall be brought to execution, then ſhall that which was repreſented in a Viſion unto John be really accompliſhed, Apoc. 7.9. I beheld, ſaith he, and loe a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations and kinreds, and people, and tongues, ſtood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands: and then ſhall that triumphant voyce take place, Apoc. 11.15. The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chriſt, and he ſhall reign for ever and ever.
Now how ſhall this be brought to paſs, my Brethren, but by the preaching of the Goſpel over all the world, which by our Saviour Chriſt himſelf is called the Goſpel of the Kingdom? Mat. 24.14. becauſe his Kingdom is erected by it; and that is the firſt reaſon, why Chriſt ſends forth his Miniſters to preach the Goſpel over all the world, that ſo his Kingdom may be erected by it over all the world. This Goſpel of the Kingdom (ſaith our Saviour in the fore-alledged place) that is, this Goſpel by which my Kingdom is ſet up, and propagated and enlarged, ſhall be preached in all the world, to all Nations, and then ſhall the end come: When this is done, this Goſpel preached, and this Kingdom thereby propagated unto all the world, then (ſaith our Saviour) and not till then ſhall the end come.
2. And as the Kingdom of our Saviour is to be erected, ſo Churches (in the ſecond place) are to be planted over all the world: And that is another reaſon why Chriſt ſends forth his Miniſters to preach the Goſpel over all the world; for Goſpel preaching ſerves as to erect the one, ſo to collect and plant the other.
The Church indeed was antiently ſhut up among the Jews, but now it is let out to all Nations, ſo that neither Jew nor Grecian, neither Scythian nor Barbarian, is excluded from the Church. Thou haſt redeemed us by thy blood, ſay the Elders to our Saviour, Apoc. 5.9. not out of one, but out of every Kindred, Nation, Tongue and People.
This enlargement of the Church is clearly taught us in the Propheſie of Hoſea 2.23. which may ſerve inſtead of all; And I will ſow her to me in the earth, ſaith God there, which is a Metaphorical or borrowed ſpeech, by which the Lord fore-ſhews the great extenſion of the Church in theſe latter Goſpel days; For as the Husbandman that means to have his Corn increaſed and multiplyed, firſt ſows it in the ground, that ſo it may take root and ſpring and bear him many grains for one; ſo God affirming he will ſow his Church, inſinuates he will make it do as corn when it is ſowen, to grow and multiply exceedingly. So that from a very ſmall, it ſhall encreaſe to a great number. And hence he ſaith not I will ſow her in the land of Canaan only, but in the earth at large without reſtraint or limitation. In former times, he made his breach in Iewry only; his field the Church was but a little corner of the world; but here the Lord fore-ſhews, that he will multiply her ſo, that ſhe ſhall be diſperſed over all the earth; And I will ſow her to me in the earth: And for this reaſon, Jeſus Chriſt ſends forth his Seedeſmen into all the Earth, that they may ſow the Church in all Countries. This ſhall ſuffice for clearing of the point.
And is it ſo that Jeſus Chriſt doth not ſend his Miniſters particularly, Ʋſe 1 or reſtrictively, &c. This then may ſerve my Brethren, in the firſt place at leaſt to juſtifie the practice of thoſe Miniſters of Chriſt, who for the propagating of the Church of Chriſt and elarging of his Kingdom, have done as the Apoſtle Paul profeſſed he had ſtrived to do, Rom. 15.20. ſaith he, I have ſtrived to preach the Goſpel not where Chriſt was named, leaſt I ſhould build upon another mans foundation; but as it is written, To whom he was not ſpoken of they ſhall ſee, and they that have not heard ſhall underſtand. Preached when a Collection was made for propagation of the Goſpel in New-England.You heard even now of many zealous Inſtruments of Chriſt, who have had the ſame deſign, viz, to preach the Goſpel in America, where Chriſt was never named till within theſe few years. To lay the firſt ſtone of the Foundation of Religion there, to gather Churches, and to erect the Kingdom of the Lord Chriſt among the poor blind Indians, in the remoteſt quarter of the world, That ſo the Fathers promiſe may at length be made good to Jeſus Chriſt, Pſal. 2.8. Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſsion. And verily in this my Brethren, they have not gone beyond their line, they have not ſtrayed beyond the bounds of their Commiſſion. Chriſt doth not ſend his Miniſters, as you have heard, particularly or reſtrictively to any Countrey, or to any Nation, but their Commiſſion leaves them free to all the world: Even the Commiſſion, not of Apoſtles only, but of the ordinary Miniſters of Chriſt, as I have ſhewed before in Explication of the point: ſo that they are within their compaſs ſtill, though they be among the Indians, even at the other end of all the Earth.
And it is to be very much obſerved, that Chriſt hath given abundant teſtimony to this glorious work of theirs, in the incredible ſucceſs of their endeavours there, ſo that poor naked ſouls come continually to Jeſus Chriſt, ſtoop to the Government and Scepter of his Kingdom, deſire to be acquainted with his will, to be inſtructed in the way of his worſhip, to have their children brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; And in a word, they ſhame us who have ſo long enjoyed the Goſpel, that we are even weary of it, and begin to put it from us, and ſo to judge our ſelves unworthy of eternal life. The Lord in mercy grant it go not from us to the Indians, who prize it more, are more eager after it, and more fruitful under it, according to their light, then multitudes of us profeſſed Chriſtians are.
Now I beſeech you my Beloved, caſt an eye upon them, travail thither in your thoughts and meditations; there you ſhall ſee ſome Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, once our fellow-Labourers, ſpending themſelves, undergoing difficulties without number or meaſure, to convert ſouls, and gather Churches among blind Heathens. There you ſhall ſee the Goſpel bloſſoming, the Church enlarging her Tent, and ſtretching forth the Curtains of her habitation, the Doves flocking to the windows of the Ark, the Church of Chriſt, the fulneſs of the Gentiles now beginning to come in; and in a word, that great work going on, which is incomparably the moſt remarkable that Chriſt hath yet to do in this world.
What ſhall we do now, my Beloved, and how ſhall we behave our ſelves under ſuch a diſpenſation? ſhall we (as many have done heretofore, and it may be yet do) condemn the Inſtruments, as if they went beyond themſelves in this buſineſs? Shall we mock at theſe beginnings of the building of the Temple? ſhall we deſpiſe the day of ſmall things? ſhall we as Gallio care for none of theſe matters?
Truly the leaſt that we can do, is to comply with Jeſus Chriſt in this deſign of his, for which he ſends his Miniſters into the world, and to promote this glorious work to the utmoſt of our power. It is in the hands of thoſe for whom (as you have heard) it is too heavy, ſo that they cannot mannage it, they are not able to go through with it. They ſeem to call over to us, as the man of Macedonia, Come to America and help us. Oh let not ſuch a work miſcarry, and fail of being driven on, for want of any help that we can yield to it, a work that is ſo purely Chriſtian as this is.
But which way can we help it on? it may be you will ſay to me. Truly my Brethren, if no other way, we may promote and help it on at leaſt without purſes and our prayers. This we may do at this diſtance. I ſhall ſpeak a word to either.
1. We may promote it with our prayers. This was the courſe the Prophet took as you may ſee, Iſa. 62.1. In the precedent chapter he is very large, and eloquent on this buſineſs; ſhewing the future glory of the Church, by the addition of the fulneſs of the Gentiles in all Countries and in all Nations. And having done with the deſcription of it in two whole Chapters, me thinks he is an end to haſten the fruition of it: For Zions ſake I will not hold my peace, ſaith he, and for Jeruſalems I will not reſt. So we, my Brethren, having heard of the beginning of this great work in America, let us do as Iſaiah did, let us be always crying to the Lord, let him be hard beſet on all hands, let him not have a quiet hour. The Lord hath ſet his Watchmen on the walls of his Jeruſalem, to this purpoſe, Iſa. 62.6. that they may watch ſuch opportunities as theſe are. And leaſt he ſhould forget this great work, when it is upon the wheel, he hath appointed ſome remembrancers to mind him of it, and therefore let us be continually minding God of this buſineſs, beſeeching him to go on with this work, till he hath brought it to perfection, till the whole fulneſs of the Gentiles be come in, till Chriſt inherit all Nations. Let us remember that we have a little ſiſter in America, and that now is the day of ſpeaking for her, for now her caſe and buſineſs is in agitation; and therefore now let us be earneſt with the Lord, let us pray and pray hard, let us not be cold or dead in ſuch a ſuit as this is.
We may promote it with our purſes and eſtates: And this is that eſpecially we have in hand at this time. There are very many things in that great buſineſs now on foot, that need pecuniary helps, as hath been ſaid. The charge that lies on theſe that are the agents in it, is exceeding great, and indeed too heavy for them; and therefore we (me thinks) that ſhare not in the difficulties and the labours that other of our Brethren undergo among the Indians, ſhould be content to ſhare a little in the coſts; for who would willingly ſit wholly out in ſuch a bleſſed work as this is?
Alas, my Brethren, how much idle mony do we ſpend a hundred ways, that might be ſaved for ſuch a purpoſe! And truly I believe, we never had occaſion to lay mony out to a better end then this. Now we may help, in a qualified ſenſe, to purchaſe ſouls with money, to further the accompliſhment of the Goſpel promiſes with money; we may make temporal and earthly things ſerve ſpiritual and heavenly ends.
And therefore I beſeech you, my Beloved, enlarge your bounty more then ordinary, in ſuch a choiſe and extraordinary work as this is. Let love to Chriſt and to his Church, compaſſion to thoſe blind Americans, draw out your very hearts to them, that thoſe poor Indian ſouls, whoſe Converſion and Salvation you may further by this means, may bleſs you. Thus make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that you may render up a good account when the day of reckoning comes.
Is it ſo, That Jeſus Chriſt ſends forth his Miniſters into the world, and Ʋſe 2 that (as I have ſaid) to gather Churches, and erect his Kingdom over all the world? Then let this raiſe our hearts, my Brethren, in reference to this work, which is indeed the greateſt and the moſt eximious that Chriſt hath yet to do in this world. Oh let our hearts be lifted up towards it, and that eſpecially three ways, in faith, in expectation, in Petition. I ſhall ſpeak to them in order.
Let our hearts be lifted up in faith, with reference to this work; Let them be raiſed to a full and firm belief, that it ſhall ſurely be accompliſhed in the Lords own time. Chriſt hath ſent forth his Miniſters about it, and brought it on a great way, and therefore let us reſt upon it, that he will ſurely finiſh it in his ſeaſon. It may be you may look upon it as a thing almoſt impoſſible, that all the Nations of the world ſhould turn to Chriſt, and receive him for their King. But if you will caſt back your eye on the beginnings of this glorious work, you cannot but acknowledge, that it was as hard to bring it on to what it hath attained already in the world, as to perform that which remaineth to be done; All that which we expect is not ſo hard, as that which Chriſt hath done already.
If you had ſeen him here upon the Earth, and his fiſhermen about him, you would not have imagined that ſo many Nations would ever have been brought in to him, as there are at this day. When he ſent out a company of poor deſpiſed men to preach the Goſpel, and to draw men in to him, by telling them they muſt deny themſelves, and they muſt take up their Croſs and ſuffer perſecution for his ſake; they muſt forſake all, leave all and follow him; you would have thought this had been an unlikely way to do very great matters. And yet by ſuch improbable, unlikely means as theſe, hath Chriſt been entertained in many Nations, and many Countreyes, and multitudes of people have been brought to ſtoop to him. And therefore ſeeing he hath done ſo much already, and that in ſuch a ſtrange way, as you would never have believed, if you had not ſeen it done, you may the better caſt your ſelves upon him, with this aſſurance that he will overcome the difficulties that are yet behind, that he that hath begun the work, and proſpered it ſo far as he hath done, will finiſh it untill he hath brought in the fulneſs of the Gentiles to his Church and Kingdom, from one end of the earth unto the other.
Object. But you will ask me now perhaps, What, would you have us to believe that all the people of the world ſhall accept of Jeſus Chriſt, and receive him for their King, and be the Subjects of his Kingdom? Why then it ſeems there ſhould be no tares, no Goats, no wicked when that time comes.
Sol.No, my beloved, this is not the thing at which I aim: And therefore you may not be miſtaken, you muſt remember that diſtinction of the Kingdom of Chriſt Ieſus, into the Kingdom of power, and the Kingdom of grace.
The firſt of theſe indeed is univerſal, and doth already reach to all places and to all perſons. Though all be not the ſubjects of the grace of Chriſt, yet all are ſubject to the power of Chriſt. And hence the Pſalmiſt tells us, that his Kingdom rules over all, Pſal. 103.19. And that he is the King of all the earth, Pſal. 47.7. he is King of all the places in the earth, yea and of all the perſons in the earth either one way or the other. Either he is a gracious King to rule them, or a powerfull King to break them. And thus his Kingdom doth already reach to all Countreys, and to all people.
But now my brethren, for the ſecond Kingdom which we have called the Kingdom of grace, that is alſo in a ſence, to ſtretch and to extend it ſelf to all places, and to all people. I ſhall clear it very briefly.
1. It is to ſtretch and to extend it ſelf to all places and to all Countreyes. The Church of Jeſus Chriſt is to be Catholick in this reſpect, and ſo by conſequence his Kingdom too, it is to be erected and ſet up in all Nations. And hence the Holy Ghoſt affirmeth, that all the people, Languages, and Nations in the world ſhall ſerve him. And the Apoſtle tells us that in the buſineſs of ſanctification, or ſetting up the Kingdom of Chriſt Jeſus in the hearts of men, there is neither Greek nor Jew, neither Scythian nor Barbarian, but Chriſt is all in all. That is, the Jew is not preferred before the Greek, and neither of them is preferred before the Scythian and Barbarian, but all of them are one to Chriſt, and Chriſt is one to all of them: and he will have a Church and Kingdom as well among the Scythians and Barbarians, as among the Jews themſelves.
2. And as this Kingdom is to ſtretch and extend it ſelf to all places, and to all Countreyes, ſo it is alſo to extend it ſelf to all people; That is, to all degrees and ſorts of people, though not to all of thoſe ſorts. And as there is no Nation, ſo there is no condition or eſtate or rank of men excluded from the grace of Jeſus Chriſt, nor barred from being ſubjects of his gratious Kingdom here, and of his glorious Kingdom hereafter.
Let our hearts be lifted up in expectation of this glorious work. Since Chriſt hath ſent forth his inſtruments about it, to gather Churches, and to erect his Kingdom over all the world, and ſince the work hath proſpered very far, and now is going on amain among the Indians, let us not lye ſtill and idle, as if we knew not what is a doing in the world. Now Chriſts work is in his hand, let our eyes be in our heads, and let it raiſe up extraordinary expectations in us; The Prophet having had a glymps of this moſt excellent and glorious work in contemplation, when it was not yet begun, is on tip-toe preſently, Iſa. 62.1. And ſo let us, eſpecially now we behold it in the execution, let us lift up our heads and look, let us get up on our watch-towers where we may have more advantage to ſee, if by any means we can diſcover more of it: and let our ſpirits be continually reaching after the fufilling of it, as being full of hope about it.
Let our hearts be lifted up in ſupplication for the accompliſhment of this work. Not that we can change the Lord by any means, or antedate his Counſels and Decrees; but yet if we would have ſuch glorious works to come to execution, it is extreamly neceſſary for us to do that on which the execution of them is ſuſpended in the Scripture. I will build the ruined, and I will plant the deſolate and deſert places, ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 36.37. I will build the ruined Nation of the Jews, which was a Church in former times, and I will plant the deſolate and deſert places of the Gentiles; I the Lord have ſpoken it, and I will do it; But yet on this condition, that I will be enquired of by my people. The Lord will ſurely come (my brethren,) in his own appointed ſeaſon, and gather Churches, and erect his Kingdom over all the world. But in the mean time he will have his people pray, Thy Kingdome come; he will have them haſten him and fetch him by their prayers, that he may ſay unto them, as the Angel did to Daniel, Dan. 10.12. From the firſt day that thou didſt ſet thy ſelf to underſtand, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words, And here to quicken you a little, I ſhall preſent you with a few Conſiderations.
1. The Lord expects you ſhould be very earneſt and importunate with him this buſineſs. He hearkens after ſupplications; and looks that men ſhould ply him hard. Thus ſaith the Lord, the holy one of Iſrael and his maker, Iſa. 45.11. Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons, command you me. q. d. There are great things to come that I am doing for my Church; what is the reaſon that ye are ſo ſtil, and that I hear of no Petitions from you touching theſe things? You are alwayes plying me for preſent things, but I delight to hear you pleading with me for thoſe glorious things to come, which I will ſurely do for my people. Come put in your Petitions and requeſts concerning them, and I will ſtoop ſo low to be commanded by your prayers. Ask of me things to come, concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
2. Conſider in the ſecond place, to quicken you in prayer, that this is ſuch a buſineſs as is worth your earneſtneſs; aſſure your ſelves you cannot lay out too much heat and zeal upon it. When once the Lord hath gathered in a people to him over all the world, the Church ſhall have perfection of beauty. It is a very high expreſſion, but you ſhall ſee it is applied to Sion, Pſal. 50.2. And it is meant apparently (my bretren,) of the Goſpel Sion, of the Goſpel Church; for in the following parcell of the Pſalm, the Lord rejecteth Jewiſh worſhip. Indeed the Churches happineſs ſhall be ſo great in thoſe dayes, that it is called heaven very often in the Scripture. And ſo the Saints who are to be the Members of that Church, are ſaid to dwell in heaven, Apoc. 13.6. Indeed my brethren, it ſhall be heaven upon earth.
3. Conſider that the bringing in of people over all the world to Chriſt, will be an extraordinary honour to him: the enlargement of his Kingdom is the enlargement of his glory. It adds exceedingly you know, my brethren, to the Luſter of a Kingdom, when it hath many people under it, and when the territories of it are amplified and enlarged. Its no ſuch glory my beloved, to be the King but of a little City or a little Iſland or of a ſmall and inconſiderable company of men. But to be the King of many Nations, and of many Kingdoms, to have a multitude of people in ſubjection, this is a glorious thing indeed. In this reſpect the Empire of Chriſt Jeſus in the latter times ſhall be unparalleld, when once the Jews come in and bring the fulneſs of the Gentiles with them. And therefore out of love to Jeſus Chriſt, and regard to his glory, we ſhould be intent upon it.
4. Conſider that the bringing in of people over all the world to Jeſus Chriſt, will be very beneficial and advantagious to our ſelves. Perhaps we do not apprehend it to be ſo: this Countrey is come in already to the profeſſion of the Goſpel, we are come in already, and what need we care ſo much for other Nations, and for other people? We are well enough our ſelves, and why ſhould we look after others? Yes, my beloved, we have reaſon to look after others: for till all others that belong to Chriſt of all the Nations of the world be gathered in, we are not in ſo good a caſe as we ſhall be afterwards; We are in Chriſt perhaps, and that is well for us indeed; but others of his people by election, of many other Countreyes, are as yet without: and we without them cannot be made perfect, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Heb. 11. ult. We without them are members in a ſence of an imperfect body. We without them have but imperfect grace, nay though we were in heaven already, we could have but imperfect glory. Till all that appertain to Chriſt be gathered in of all Nations, ſo long as there is but a man without, there can be no day of judgement, and ſo no full reward, no complement of our beatitude. And therefore we have reaſon to help on this glorious work to the utmoſt of our power, becauſe till it be accompliſhed, it cannot be ſo well with us as it will be afterwards; we without them cannot be made perfect.
Is it ſo that Ieſus Chriſt ſends forth his Miniſters to gather Churches, and to erect his Kingdom over all the world? Here then is matter of rejoycing and thankſgiving for us, the once rejected and neglected people of the Gentiles. There was a time my brethren, when we were ſet without the verge, the reach of mercy; When the poor Gentiles liv'd, and we too liv'd without God, without Chriſt, without a promiſe, without Goſpel; when Chriſt did never ſend to them, to invite them to come in, and when he had no Scepter but in Jewry, no ſubjects (in a manner) but among that people. Alas my brethren, Chriſt was a King in thoſe dayes, to break the Gentiles by his power, but he was not a King to rule them by his grace. But now, my brethren, in theſe Goſpel dayes, there is no ſuch reſpect of perſons with him, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Acts 10.34. In every Nation, and in every people he hath or ſhall have ſome to ſerve him, and to be accepted with him.
And therefore whereas formerly, he ſent his meſſengers to none but to V;ſe 3 the people of the Jewiſh Nation, and gave them an expreſs Injunction, Goe not into the way of the Gentiles: In which reſpect it was that Peter was ſcrupulous to preach the Goſpel to Cornelius: Now he ſends forth his Miniſters to all the world to all Nations: now he enlargeth their Commiſſion, Go preach the Goſpel to every Creature; So that we Gentiles are included in it. All Countreys, People, Callings, Nations, are alike to Chriſt in this reſpect; the publication of the Goſpel and the tender of Salvation, belongeth to them all alike, and if they entertain it and embrace it, whether they be Jews or Gentiles: whether they be Males or Females, whether they be bond or free, they ſhall have ſalvation by him.
How great a cauſe have we my brethren, that are Gentiles, of rejoycing and thankſgiving, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould ſend to us, that the word is come to us as it is to all the world, that we ſhould have the Goſpel publiſhed and revealed to us! That we, who formerly were utterly ſhut out from the enjoyment of the means of our ſalvation, ſhould have as full and free a title to them now, as the very Iews themſelves. Nay that we ſhould have the preferment of the Jew, in that by the abundant bleſſing of the Lord upon the means, the Churches of the Gentiles (which were wholly deſolate and barren heretofore) ſhould be more fruitfull, and have more encreaſe of children then ſhe that ſometimes had an husband. Oh let us magnifie the grace of Ieſus Chriſt, let us adore the infiniteneſs of his mercy that he hath caſt us on theſe happy times, wherein he takes ſuch care of poor Gentiles, wherein he ſends to them, and wherein he looks after them as if they were ſome rich purchaſe. Ah, my beloved, did we follow this mercy as far as we could reach it in our thoughts, we ſhould at length (finding no end or bottom in it) cry out with the Apoſtle, Oh the depth of the riches, both of the wiſdom and goodneſs of Chriſt, &c.