Proposition 2

PROPOSITION II.

That in this day of patience, God takes a great deal of pains with sinners, to engage them to fruitfulness. The Owner did not only tarry three years, but he was all this while coming, that is, upon all occasions; and he comes to seek fruit. God's coming to sinners under the Gospel, does not intend a mere observation, but also the endeavours that he uses with them for their good, in the application of means to them in such a way as to invite and encourage them; and this will be evident if we consider, when God may properly be said to come? God's coming is not to be understood only in respect of his Omnipresence, for that all beings are equally sharers in, but it intends his application of himself to them for the persuading of them to repentance. There is therefore an outward, and an inward coming here to be taken notice of.

1. God comes outwardly to men in his ordinances, and in his providences. These are the external means which he makes use of, which are suited to the nature of man, and have a voice of God in them. The ordinances are primarily so, being appointed of God to discover his mind and meaning to the children of men; in which he reveals to them the way of profiting; declares what is his will and their duty; shows them their native barrenness, and where their fruit is to be had; calls upon them to attend the things of their peace, warns them of the danger of neglect, sets before them the gracious encouragements of obedience, and is continually putting them in mind of the things which they are apt to forget. God indeed uses the ministry of men in these respects, but they are ambassadors that represent God himself (2 Corinthians 5:20). To hearken to them, is to hearken to him; to despise them, is to despise him. Thus God comes every Sabbath; and lecture; in every ordinance that is dispensed, every sermon that is preached, every counsel and warning that is privately given (Jeremiah 25:4, 7). Providences are so secondarily, namely, as they are used by God to back his ordinances, and lay men under the more sensible obligations to hearken and yield obedience to them; the rod is therefore said to have a voice in it (Micah 6:9), and it is God that speaks by it to the children of men.

2. God comes also inwardly to men, and that is by his secret strivings with their hearts in these ordinances and providences. There are the near approaches of God to them, which though others discern not, yet they themselves cannot but be sensible of. The Spirit of God strove with the old world in the ministry of Noah. They that resist the Gospel are said to resist the Holy Ghost (Acts 7:51), and that not only because they who preach it are commissioned by him to their work, but also because he himself comes in and with it, and moves upon the hearts of men, leaves some touches there, which are for their awakening, and put them under conviction, and upon consideration. There are oftentimes secret whispers in men's souls, which say to them, this is your concern, which fasten this and that cord upon them; which under such providences as they met with, makes them to reflect and consider, which put them upon purposing and promising, or at least upon thoughtful deliberation with themselves: and as long as it is so, God is coming inwardly as well as outwardly. It is true, this inward application is not tied to the outward; sinners therefore are not, by every word or rod, put upon such thoughts; but it is often so, nor does this always last as long as the other; men may have sinned away the Spirit from coming in the ordinances to their hearts, while God yet sees meet to be coming to them in outward dispensations; but while both these are continued to them, this is that which is properly their day of grace.