Now all these things depend on God, as the author of them, who hath used this means of making up that breach between him and us, and hath given us power and commission to give men reconciliation, peace, or pardon, or absolution, upon renewing of their lives. And the tenure of our commission runs thus, That God hath used Christ as a means to make peace between him and the greater and worse part of the world, the Gentiles at this time as well as the Jews, (not by pardoning of their sins, while they remain in them, but by admitting them to repentance, by not shutting up ways of mercy, and moreover calling them, using admirable methods of mercy in revealing himself to them,) and hath put in our hands the word of reconciliation, the preaching of this gospel, and making known the means of grace, and advising and persuading all men to make use of it. This therefore is the nature of our present employment, to be (as our title of apostles imports) proxies and negotiators for Christ, we supplying the place of Christ on earth, and so treating with men, after the manner that Christ did when he was here, calling sinners to repentance, and that with all the affectionate importunity imaginable, as sent from God on purpose to entreat men to it: and accordingly now we do, in Christ's stead; we beseech you to reform your lives, and make yourselves capable of the return of God's favour to you: see note [m] Matt. v.