Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

Thirdly, If God shall bring a man home to himself, according to the practice of men, he must bring him home in a way of calling. I drew them with the cords of a man, Hos. 11.4. When God deals with man, it is in a way suitable to man: But why? When he brings a man home to himself, will he do it in a way of calling, when as he might do it immediately by his own infinite power? If I knew that a man would not accept my Invitation to Dinner, I would never send to invite him. God knows that every one will not come, what need he then stand calling and inviting? We must consider, That as God will deal with man in the way, and according to the manner of men; So he will deal with man also in the way of God too. Christ is God-man. God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.6. Because the work of our Redemption was to be carried on by the hand of God, and by the hand of man both. Whereas should God deal with man only as God, then he would convert him presently by his own infinite po•er, and never make any invitation to him: And if he should deal with man only as man, he would never invite any of the dead: For who is there of you that will send to the grave, and invite a dead man to your table? But as God, he invites dead ⟨p. 190⟩ones. There are some that think Christ need not to invite, because he can bring men home to himself by his own almighty power: But such do forget that the Deity works as a man. Others think men are to be converted only by moral suasions and persuasions: Such do forget that Christ works as God too. But Christ i• God man because the great work of our Redemption and Salvation, is to be carried on by the hand of both. As God, he does invite and call irresistibly, omnipotently: As man, he invites by persuasion: As God-man, he invites, and gives a heart to accept of his invitation.

Thirdly, If God shall bring a man home to himself, according to the practice of men, he must bring him home in a way of calling. I drew them with the cords of a man, Hos. 11.4. When God deals with man, it is in a way suitable to man: But why? When he brings a man home to himself, will he do it in a way of calling, when as he might do it immediately by his own infinite power? If I knew that a man would not accept my Invitation to Dinner, I would never send to invite him. God knows that every one will not come, what need he then stand calling and inviting? We must consider, That as God will deal with man in the way, and according to the manner of men; So he will deal with man also in the way of God too. Christ is God-man. God manifested in the flesh,