Chapter 45. Verse 20 Opened, and Five Doctrines Propounded
The same right you have to your houses, lands, and estates is the same right you have to the practice of your religion. This is a particular mercy of God towards England, more so than other countries.
Now, we take up arms to defend our civil rights, whether they pertain to our estates, houses, religion, or whatever else it may be; it remains a matter of civil rights. This is what justifies this cause and should be sufficient to silence any objections on this point and address the argument concerning the primitive times.
But I shall let this pass and proceed to the next verse.
Chapter 45.
Verse 20 Opened, and Five Doctrines Propounded
VERSE 20.
"Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
Now we are Ambassadors. Observe the elevation of spirit in the holy Apostle, as he declares, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself; not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us this word of reconciliation." Therefore, "Now then we are Ambassadors." His spirit seems to be greatly stirred by this truth. What? God reconciling the world unto himself? Not imputing their trespasses unto them? [Now then, we are
Ambassadors for Christ.] Now, indeed, we have a great trust; now we have a great charge; now we are Ambassadors, not from any earthly prince, but from Jesus Christ himself.
In these words, several key doctrines emerge, which I will outline as follows:
Doctrine 1:
The Ministers of the Gospel are Ambassadors of Christ.
Doctrine 2:
What they do in their embassy is as if God and Christ themselves were doing it, as though God did beseech you by us. Therefore, we pray you in Christ's stead.
Doctrine 3:
The consideration of the excellency of their commission and embassy makes them extraordinarily diligent and earnest in fulfilling the task they are sent to do: "Now we are Ambassadors, and as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled."
Doctrine 4:
God and Jesus Christ are exceedingly willing to be reconciled to sinners. This point is indeed the central matter of the text, and the very foundation of all that is intended here. It reveals that God and Christ are extremely willing for sinners to come in and be reconciled to him, for they pray and beseech you.
Doctrine 5:
The work of the Ministry of the Gospel is, by all means possible, to labour to draw people by entreating and beseeching them, and to not take "no" for an answer until they succeed in bringing them to be reconciled unto God.
These are the five main doctrines of verse 20.
"Now then, we are Ambassadors for Christ," etc.
I shall treat the first three briefly, as the latter two are the principal matters for which I chose this text. These latter doctrines will demonstrate the willingness of God that sinners should come in and be reconciled to him, as well as the role of the Ministry in drawing the hearts of the people. The first three points will be addressed as a preface to these main subjects.