VeR. 20.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 293
tlie testimony of God to you, so one day it will be the testimony of God against you; this word shall judge you, John xii. 48. It doth not fall to the ground, but will be produced as a witness against your negligence and carelessness.
Thirdly, The manner. Here is beseeching and praviug in and by his ministry which God hath instituted ; God cometh down from the throne of his sovereignty, and speaketh supplications. We must treat with men after the manner of Christ, when he was here upon earth, calling sinners to repentance with all the affectionate importunity imaginable.
1. With love and sweetness ; the manner must suit with the matter. We have an authority to exhort, yet in regard of the rich grace we offer, we must beseech and entreat with all gentleness and importunity. Paul in a like case doth the like elsewhere : Eom. xii. 1, * I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living- sacrifice.' Church power and civil power differ much. They go altogether by way of injunction and command, we must beseech ; they compel, we must i^ersuade. The power of Christ's ambassadors is a ministr}' not a domination ; we are to deal with the will and the affec- tions of men, which may be moved and inclined, but not constrained. Again, there is a difference between the law and the gospel ; the law doth not beseech, but only command and threaten : ' You shall have no other gods before me : ' Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, <fcc.' ; but we, as in Christ's stead, pray you to be reconciled. The law is peremptory, ' I am the Lord ; ' the gospel wooetli before it winneth, and reasoneth with us. The gospel being a charter of God's love, we must use a dispensation suitable, invite men to God in a loving sweet way ; and surely, if men despise God's still voice, their condem- nation will be very just. When Nabal slighted David's kind message, he marched against him in fury, 1 Sam. xxv. 13, 14, to cut off all that belonged to him. It we despise the still voice, we must expect the whirlwind, ' I stretched out my hands, and no man regarded,' Prov. i. 24, ' I will laugh at their calamity.' How can we expect that God should hear our prayers, if we be deaf to his requests ; and when we in his stead pray you to be reconciled, and still you refuse to hear ?
2. Meekness and patience. Praying and beseeching doth not only note meekness in the proposal, but perseverance also, notwithstanding the many delays and repulses, yea rough entertainment, that we meet with at the hands of sinners : 2 Tim. ii. 25, 'In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God will give them re- pentance to the acknowledgment of the truth, that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.' One reason why God will make use of the ministry of men is because they know the heart of man, how much he is wedded to his folly, how angry he is to be put out of his fool's paradise, and to be disturbed in his carnal happiness : Titus iii. 2, 3, ' Showing meekness to all men, for we ourselves were sometimes foolish and disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures.' And therefore we must wait, exhort, warn, and still behave ourselves with much love and gentleness, that compassion to souls may bear the chief rule in our dealing with them.
Fourthly, The matter: 'Be reconciled to God.' We have heard
294 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXVIII.
much of the way of God's reconciliation with us ; now let us speak of our reconciliation with God, what is to be done on man's part.
1. Let us accept of the reconciliation offered by God. Our great business is to receive this grace so freely tendered to us : 2 Cor. vi, 1, ' We, as workers together with him, beseech you not to receive this grace in vain,' that is, by a firm assent, believing the truth of it ; 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a true and faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,' and Eph. i. 13 ; ' For God hath sent forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,' Eom. iii. 25. And thankfully esteeming and prizing the benefit, for our acceptance is an election and choice : Phil. iii. 8, 9, ' I count all things to be dung and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; ' Mat. xiii. 45, 46, ' And having found one goodly pearl of great price, he sold all and bought it,' depending upon the merit, worth, and value of it ; 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know in whom 1 have believed.' And venturing our souls and our eternal interests in this bottom, sue out this grace with this con- fidence, Ps. xxvii. 3, ' One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of God for ever.'
2. We must accept it in the way God hath appointed, by performing the duties required on our part. What are tliey ? Repentance is the general word, as faith is our acceptance. In it there is included —