as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God: that is, we use all the persuasions, and motives that we can; we exhort, rebuke, instruct you, and all to this end to make you willing to receive Christ; nay we do not only beseech you, but with those in the Gospel, we compel you to come in, that is, we persuade you often against your wills, to receive Christ. Now the things that keeps men from Christ is this; they say, that they are not fit to come to Christ, and therefore they will not come: but men are deceived, for there is no other fitting condition required of us by God; only believe, and you shall be saved, that is, if you have but a desire to come to Christ, you may have him: as for example, if there should be a general proclamation made by the King, for all offenders let their crimes be what they will; that whosoever will come in, and lay down his arms of rebellion ⟨p. 298⟩and acknowledge him to be Supreme, shall have pardon; it may be there is some offenders that have greater crimes then others, and others less, whatsoever difference there be, it matters not if they will but come in, they shall have pardon: so I say unto you, if you will come in, it matters not what your sins were, or are; Christ here hath made a general proclamation, that whosoever will come in, shall have mercy; therefore fear not what your sins be, only get a willing heart to part with sin, and cleave fast unto Christ, and Christ will not forsake you. In the time of the law every seventh year, there was a Jubilee, wherein every servant was made free from his Master; but if any refused then, then he was to be bored through the ears, and to serve his Master for ever: beloved, now is the year of Jubilee, you may now be free men in Christ, if you will but receive Christ; but if you will not then you shall be marked for the devil, and serve him for ever: therefore, as Pyrrhus said unto his servants, he that will freely go with me unto the battle, let him come; so I say unto you, if you will freely come in unto Christ, come, and Christ will receive you; but if you will not, Christ will not have you to go with him, that is, you shall not: but this you will not do till you be humbled; and therefore labour to get humiliation, and then whatsoever your sins are, you shall be saved, if you will but receive Christ.
as though God did beseech you by us, wee pray you in Christs stead, be yee reconciled to God: that is, wee use all the perswasions, and motives that we can; wee exhort, rebuke, instruct you, and all to this end to make you willing to receive Christ; nay wee doe not onely beseech you, but with those in the Gospel, we compell you to come in, that is, wee perswade you often against your wils, to receive Christ. Now the things that keepes men from Christ is this; they say, that they are not fit to come to Christ, and therefore they will not come: but men are deceived, for there is no other fitting condition required of us by God; onely beleeve, and you shall be saved, that is, if you have but a desire to come to Christ, you may have him: as for example, if there should be a generall proclamation made by the King, for all offenders let their crimes bee what they will; that whosoever will come in, and lay downe his armes of rebellion ⟨p. 298⟩and acknowledge him to bee Supreme, shall have pardon; it may bee there is some offenders that have greater crimes then others, and others lesse, whatsoever difference there be, it matters not if they will but come in, they shall have pardon: so I say unto you, if you will come in, it matters not what your sinnes were, or are; Christ here hath made a generall proclamation, that whosoever will come in, shall have mercy; therefore feare not what your sinnes bee, onely get a willing heart to part with sinne, and cleave fast unto Christ, and Christ will not forsake you. In the time of the law every seventh yeere, there was a Iubilee, wherein every servant was made free from his Master; but if any refused then, then he was to be bored thorow the eares, and to serve his Master for ever: beloved, now is the yeere of Iubilee, you may now bee free men in Christ, if you will but receive Christ; but if you will not then you shall bee markt for the devill, and serve him for ever: therefore, as Pyrrhus said unto his servants, he that will freely goe with me unto the battell, let him come; so I say unto you, if you will freely come in unto Christ, come, and Christ will receive you; but if you will not, Christ will not have you to goe with him, that is, you shall not: but this you will not doe till you bee humbled; and therefore labour to get humiliation, and then whatsoever your sinnes are, you shall bee saved, if you will but receive Christ.
