And then a Second Note of Observation is this; Let us do as God doth then; that is, Labour to cast the Bonds of 1Love upon those we have to deal with; it's Gods way to his people to bind them to himself, to throw upon them Bonds of Love, And then saith God I have enough, I have them strong enough if I get them with the bonds of Love. Oh let us do as God doth, labour to draw people with bonds of Love; If you would draw any to you, let it be by Love, do you desire to draw any to you, you 2that are Ministers, especially you are appointed to draw others to God, it's your work: what should you do? open the Love of God to them, present the Grace of the Gospel to souls, labour to work upon their hearts by all the mercies of God, By the mercy of God tendered to them, by the mercy of God received by them, bestowed upon them: There's no such way to draw souls to God as this. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, that's the preaching of the Gospel. The first preaching of all 3Christs Sermons, and of his Disciples was, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. As if he should say, Oh! Sirs, look about you, Consider your ways, there's a glorious Kingdom now at hand, a Kingdom of righteousness, and mercy wherein the glory of the Grace of God comes to be revealed to the children of men in another way than ever formerly. This is the way to bring men to repentance. It's true, it's good to use all means, to show the greatness and the justness, and the holiness of God, and the like; But the prevailing argument above all to bring men to repentance it is, That the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; and indeed we would do so if we did consider that repentance it is a Gospel Grace, it is not that 4that comes by the Law, the Law takes no notice of repentance, but the Gospel, and therefore to present the ⟨p. 67⟩Love of God as it is in the Gospel, so there God manifests his love to the children of men, and that's the way to draw to repentance; there's a notable story that we have in the book of Martyrs, not far from the beginning, as 5also in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius: speaking of John the Apostle that did commit a young man which was very hopeful unto a Bishop, to take care of him;
And then a Second Note of Observation is this; Let us do as God doth then; that is, Labor to cast the Bonds of 1Love upon those we have to deal with; it's Gods way to his people to bind them to himself, to throw upon them Bonds of Love, And then saith God I have enough, I have them strong enough if I get them with the bonds of Love. Oh let us do as God doth, labor to draw people with bonds of Love; If you would draw any to you, let it be by Love, do you desire to draw any to you, you 2that are Ministers, especially you are appointed to draw others to God, it's your work: what should you do? open the Love of God to them, present the Grace of the Gospel to souls, labor to work upon their hearts by all the mercies of God, By the mercy of God tendered to them, by the mercy of God received by them, bestowed upon them: There's no such way to draw souls to God as this. Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, that's the preaching of the Gospel. The first preaching of all 3Christs Sermons, and of his Disciples was, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. As if he should say, Oh! Sirs, look about you, Consider your waies, there's a glorious Kingdom now at hand, a Kingdom of righteousness, and mercy wherein the glory of the Grace of God comes to be revealed to the children of men in another way than ever formerly. This is the way to bring men to repentance. It's true, it's good to use all means, to shew the greatness and the justness, and the holiness of God, and the like; But the prevailing argument above all to bring men to repentance it is, That the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; and indeed we would do so if we did consider that repentance it is a Gospel Grace, it is not that 4that comes by the Law, the Law takes no notice of repentance, but the Gospel, and therefore to present the ⟨p. 67⟩Love of God as it is in the Gospel, so there God manifests his love to the children of men, and that's the way to draw to repentance; there's a notable story that we have in the book of Martyrs, not far from the beginning, as 5also in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius: speaking of John the Apostle that did commit a yong man which was very hopeful unto a Bishop, to take care of him;
- 1Obs. 2.
- 2Ministers duty to open Gods love.
- 3Mark, 1. 15. applied.
- 4Repentauce a grace of the Gospel, not of the Law.
- 5Book of Martyrs, lib. 1. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 20.
