We read, indeed, of some poor and ineffectual pleas that will be made by some at the last day ; so Matt. vii. 22. " We have " prophesied in thy name," fyc. These pleas will not avail ; but as for you, what will you plead ? Possibly many thousand ideots, or poor weak-headed persons, may perish ; many young ones that had little or no time in the world to acquaint themselves with matters of religion, or understand the way of salvation. Many millions of Heathens that never heard the name of Christ, nor came within the sound of salvation, who will yet perish, and that justly.
Now whatsoever apologies any of these will make for themselves in the last day, to be sure you can make none. God hath given you a capacity and competent understanding; many of you are
60 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. III.
wise and subtle in all your other concernments, and only shew your folly in the great concernments of your salvation. You can- not plead want of time, some of you are grown grey-headed under the gospel; you cannot plead want of means and opportunities, the ordinances and ministers of Christ have been with you all your life long to this day ; sure if you be Christless now, you must also be speechless then.
Inf. 2. Hence it also follows, That the world owes better enter- tainmcnt than it gives to the ministers of Christ: Chrisfs ambas- sadors deserve a better welcome than they find among men.
Your respects to them is founded upon their office and employ- ment for you, Heb. xiii. 17. and 1 Thes. v. 12. They watch for your souls, dare any of you watch for their ruin ? They bring glad tidings, shall they return with sad tidings to him that sent them ? They publish peace, shall they be rewarded with trouble ? O un- grateful world ! We read in Eph. vi. 20. of an ambassador in bonds, and he no ordinary one neither. We read also of a strange challenge, made by another at his own death, Acts vii. 52. " Which of all " the prophets have not your fathers persecuted ? And they have " slain them which shewed before the coming of the just One." Some that brake the bread of life to you, might want bread to eat, for any regard you have to them. The office of the ministry speaks the abundant love of God to you; your contempt and abuse of it, speaks the abundant stupidity and malignity of your hearts towards God. What a sad protestation doth Jeremiah make against his ungrateful people, Jer. xviii. 20. " Shall evil (saith he) " be recompensed for good ? for they have digged a pit for my " soul ; remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, " and to turn away thy wrath from them."
God's mercy is eminently discovered in the institution of, and Satan's malice is eminenty discovered in the opposition to, the ministerial office. Satan is a great and jealous prince, and it is no wonder he should raise all the forces he can to oppose the ambassa- dors of Christ ; when, saith * one, the gospel comes into his domi- nions, it doth, as it were, by sound of trumpet and beat of drum, proclaim liberty to all his slaves and vassals, if they will quit that tyrant that hath so long held their souls in bondage, and come under the sweet and easy government of Christ. And can the devil endure this, think you ? If Christ sends forth ambassadors, no wonder if Satan sends forth oppos-ers ; he certainly owes them a spite, that undermine his government in the world.
Infer. 3. Hence it follows, That it nearly concerns all Chrisfs
* .Air. GurnaTs Christian Armour.
THE METHOD OF GRACE. 61
ambassadors, to see that they be in a state of reconciliation with God themselves.
Shall we stand in Christ's stead by office, and yet not be in Christ by union ? Shall we entreat men to be reconciled to God, and yet be at enmity with him ourselves ? O let us take heed, " Lest after " we have preached to others, we ourselves should be cast-a-ways," 1 Cor. ix. 27. Of all men living we are the most miserable, if we be Christless and graceless : our consciences will make more terri- ble applications of our doctrine to us in hell, than ever we made to the vilest of sinners on earth. O, it is far easier to study and press a thousand truths upon others, than to feel the power of one truth upon our own hearts ; to teach others facienda quamfaci- endo : duties to be done, than duties by doing them.
They are sad dilemma's with which a learned * writer poses such graceless ministers ; If sin be evil, why do you live in it ? If it be not, why do you dissuade men from it ? If it be dangerous, how dare you venture on it ? If it be not, why do you tell men so ? If God's threatenings be true, why do you not fear them ? If they be false, why do you trouble men needlessly with them, and put them into such frights without a cause ?
Take heed to yourselves, lest you should cry down sin and not overcome it ; lest while you seek to bring it down in others, you bow to it, and become its slaves yourselves : it is easier to chide at sin than to overcome it. That is a smart question, Rom. ii. 21. " Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? A pro- fane minister was converted by reading that text once, but how many have read it as well as he, who never trembled at the consi- deration of it as he did !
2. Use for conviction.
Is this the method God uses to reconcile men to himself; O, then examine yourselves, whether yet the preaching of the gospel hath reconciled you to God. It is too manifest that many among us are in a state of enmity unto this day. We may say with the prophet, Isa. liii. 1. "Who hath believed our report? and to " whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" We offer you peace upon gospel-terms and articles, but our peace returns to us again ; enemies you were to God, and enemies you still continue. The evidence is undeniable : for,
1. Evidence. Many of you were never convinced to this day of your state of enmity against God ; and without conviction of this, reconciliation is impossible; without repentance there can be no reconciliation, and without conviction there can be no repentance. When we repent, we lay down our weapons, Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. But
• Gildas Salv. p. 15, 16.
62 THE METHOD OF GRACE. 8ERM. III.
how few have been brought to this ? Alas ! if a few poor, cold, heartless, ineffectual confessions of sin, may pass for a due convic- tion, and serious repentance, then have we been convinced, then have we repented ; but you will find, if ever the Lord intend to reconcile you to himself, your convictions and humiliations for sin, will be other manner of things ; and will cost you more than a few cheap words against sin, % Cor. vii. 11. "In that ye sorrowed " after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what " clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, " yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge ?