Gospel reconciliation, or, Christ's trumpet of peace to the world

CHAP. 48. The second Doctrine, (Propounded in the 45. Chapter) prosecuted.

Doct. 2. That a Minister of the Gospel when he comes, is an Ambassador; he comes in Christs stead, and what he shall deliver (according to his Commission,) is to be looked at as if God, and as if Jesus Christ did preach unto you.

Doct. 2. That a Minister of the Gospel when he comes, is an Embassador; he comes in Christs stead, and what he shal deliver (according to his Commission,) is to be looked at as if God, and as if Jesus Christ did preach unto you.

For want of the right knowledge of this point it is that there are so many sermons lost. If people had but this text in their hearts, and looked upon all the faithful Ministers of the Gospel as if God and Jesus Christ were present speaking; how much good would be done? When God doth intend good to any Soul he will cause it to look upon the preaching of the Gospel, as the very voice of God and Jesus Christ to the Soul. Though many a poor creature that (perhaps) hath heard a thousand Sermons) looked upon preaching as what a man would say) but at length when the time of love came, he saw an authority, and majesty of God himself, and of Jesus Christ in the Ministry, and did feel God speaking to his heart and then it did prevail; that is plain in the text. As though God did beseech you by us, that; that we do, it is as if God did it; and do we pray you? It is in Christs stead. Now this is not only the Ministers of the Gospel since Christs time: but formerly what was done. Those that were sent by God to be his Messengers, it was as if God and Christ did it. You have that proof of it in the 1 Peter, the 3. Chap. 18, 19. vers. For Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to Death in the Flesh, but quickened by the spirit, by which also he went and preached to the spirits which are in Prison. That is vainly made use of by some, to prove that Christs Soul did descend into Hell, to go and preach to the damned in Hell, but certainly that is a vain conceit, if you observe the text, you shall find that this is the meaning of it, observe the 20. verse, It was to those spirits which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God, waited in the days of Noah. Those Spirits that did live in the days of Noah, and Noah's preaching unto them; Now (saith the text) they are in prison, Jesus Christ went & preached to the spirits that were disobedient in the times of Noah, that now are in prison. How did he go but by his Spirit? by his