God a Christians Choice, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Containing reproof to them that do not, will not chuſe God.
BEfore I paſs unto the ſecond branch of the Exhortation: give me leave to ſubjoin here a few words of Reproof, to them that will not be prevailed with ſo to do.
Uſe.Ʋſe of reproof. Reproof here is to all (I had almoſt ſaid, but to all) thoſe perſons that are negligent and careleſs in this Duty, what ſhame, and cenſure, yea indeed Condemnation are they worthy of, that do not, will not chuſe God, but refuſe him; and how many are there that may juſtly be charged with this guilt! this is the ſin of the moſt in the World at this day, and that God's own people, that are a profeſſing people ſhould be guilty of it, is a very ſad thing. This ſeems to be God's charge on his Iſrael; Pſal. 81.8. Hear O my people, and I will teſtifie unto thee, O Iſrael, if thou wilt harken unto me. 10. I am the Lord thy God, &c. But my people would not barken to my voice, and Iſrael *foreign Noluit me. Non aſſenſit (cum foreign) noihi Pi. non accepit ſuaſionem a me. M. P. Syn. Crit.would none of me, had none to me, they would not accept of my offer, or my counſel, they would not yield, nor aſſent to have me to be their God, they would not be perſwaded to deſire ſuch a thing as this, or to obey my voice. Which is always a concomitant, and evidence of the ſame, reſolve on the contrary, that they will not have him to rule over them, chuſe any thing rather than him. As the Jews, denyed the holy one, and the Juſt, and deſired a murderer to be granted unto them, Acts. 3.14.
Having already reaſoned with you, and argued the caſe about it, to provoke, and move you to take God to be yours, let us here ſee, and take notice of what may be the reaſon of this great unwillingneſs.
Firſt, one reaſon may be, Ignorance of him, they know him not: many times where perſons are put to their choice, they are apt to chuſe the worſt, becauſe they know not the difference between things, nor the excellency of one thing above another. Men do not like, nor chuſe him, becauſe they never*1 Joh. 3.6. have ſeen him, nor known him. Oh the Ignorance of God that reigneth in the World! if men had the offer of a worldly eſtate, a rich, well-ſituated farm, here they were in their element, here they knew what to ſay, and here quickly would they make a free choice; but becauſe The natural man underſtandeth not the things of God, 1 Cor. 2 14.being ſpiritually diſcerned, and they ſtill carnal, they have not an eye to ſee, nor yet an underſtanding to apprehend his excellencies; but as it was ſaid of the Jews, to the ſame Purpoſe, They ſaw no beauty nor comelineſs in him, Iſa. 53.2.wherefore they ſhould deſire him. The worldlings eyes are holden that they cannot know him. Luk. 24.16. they perceive any thing more pretious, and deſirable than the Almighty, and therefore are they ready to ſay, Who is the Lord that they ſhould chuſe him *?Exod. 5.2. Job 21.14. let him depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledg of his wayes.
Secondly, Others have prejudices againſt God and Chriſt, they think there is but little to be gotten by him; nay, they may think of all things to be parted with for him, and conſulting with fleſh and blood, may imagine that the gain will ſcarcely quit the coſt, if they ſhould embrace and chuſe him to them; they may think him an hard maſter, and having ſuch hard thoughts of him, will never chuſe him. What profit ſaid they Job. 21. if they chuſe to ſerve him? What can the Almighty do for them? Job 22.17.
Thirdly, Others have enmity in their hearts againſt God; ſo that they can blaſpheme God, and curſe God, and deny God, and ſo vent and breath out their hatred of him, but they have not one good thought of, nor motion towards God.
To cloſe this, I add a ſhort expoſtulation and ejaculation.
But why blind Soul, will not thou be prevailed with? Canſt thou ſhew any juſt reaſon or excuſe for thy refuſal; were thine eyes opened, ſurely thou wouldeſt run like the Roe, and the Hinds of the Fields after him. Thou lookeſt into a naughty glaſs, that miſrepreſents God to thee, ſtay a little and look into one glaſs yet, which it may be thou never hitherto didſt look into, even the glaſs of his Word, and bleſſed Goſpel: could but one ray of his excellency dart it ſelf into thy heart, thou wouldeſt with both hands earneſtly lay hold on him; How quickly wouldeſt thou open thy heart to let him in! and he would become the deſire of thy Soul!
Oh Bleſſed God, wilt thou ever ſuffer ſuch poor Creatures to turn their back upon thee! ſtill to hold faſt their wickedneſs, and always to let thee go? how long wilt thou ſuffer them to belch out their malice againſt thee, to thy very face, who art ſo infinitely glorious in Holineſs? how long ſhall they be ſpitting their Venom thus at thee? When ſhall they learn to chuſe thee the chief Good, & refuſe the evil? When wilt thou encline their hearts to thee? Oh Lord, pluck off the Scales from their eyes, perſwade their obdurate hearts, that at laſt they may chuſe thee the Lord to them, that they may love the name of the Lord, and be his Servants, and chuſe the things that pleaſe thee, and take hold of thy Covenant! Lord, let the reading of theſe few lines prevail with one heart, if it pleaſe thee, to take hold of thee! Oh, that one Soul by this my weak labour, might be brought to chuſe and embrace thee, and to ſay with Thomas, my Lord, and my God!