Joseph Caryl (1602–1673) on Jesus and the Apostles Begging

This Westminster divine wrote:

Secondly, For the removing of the sins of others; yea, though their sins have been against himself, which was Job's case. He prayed for those who had dealt very hard with him, and sinned against God in doing so; he prayed for the pardon of their sin, God being very angry with them, and having told them he would deal with them according to their folly, unless they made Job their friend to him. This was the occasion of Job's travailing in prayer for his friends; and in this he showed a spirit becoming of the Gospel, though he lived not in the clear light of it. And how uncomely is it, that any should live less in the power of the Gospel, while they live more in the light of it? To pray much for others, especially for those who have wronged and grieved us, has much of the power of the Gospel, and of the Spirit of Christ in it. For, thus Jesus Christ, while he was nailed to the Cross, prayed for the pardon of their sins and outrages, who had crucified him, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:35). Even while his Crucifiers were reviling him, he was begging for them, and beseeching his Father that he would show them mercy, who had showed him no mercy, no, nor done him common Justice. And thus (in his measure) Job's heart was carried out in his prayer for his friends, that those sins of theirs might be forgiven them, by which they had much wronged him, yea, and derided him (in a sort) upon his Cross, as the Jews did Christ upon his.

Joseph Caryl, An Exposition with Practical Observations Upon the Book of Job (London, Printed by Samuel Simmons, and to be Sold at his House next Door to the Golden-Lion in Aldersgate-Street, 1677), 2357. [some language updated]

Here is another related quote:

Entreaties have great power; and therefore though the Prophets and Apostles speake sometimes in a threatning way, and command attention upon utmost peril, yet for the most part they bespeake it with Entreaties, (2 Cor. 5.20.) Now then we as Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God. The Apostles went about a begging, as it were, with this message, with the best message that ever was carried forth to the world, Reconciliation unto God; we pray you. And againe (2 Cor. 6.1.) We then as workers together with him, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vaine; that is, the doctrine of the Gospel holding forth the grace and favour of God freely in Jesus Christ, (1 Thes. 4.1.) Furthermore, we beseech you brethren, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walke and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. As he did beseech them not to receive the grace of God in vaine, so he did beseech them to a progress in & an Improvement of that grace. Again (1 Thes. 2.7.) We were gentle among you, even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children; how tender is a nurse to the infant hanging at her breast, or dandled on her knee. Speak ye Comfortably to Jerusalem, was the Lords direction when she was in her warfare; that is, in a troubled and afflicted condition. (Isa. 40.2.) The Hebrew is, Speak to her heart; speak such words as may revive her heart, and adde fresh spirits and life to her. The Apostles rule for the restoring of those that are fallen, is, that they should be kindly treated (Gal. 6.1.) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spirituall restore such an one with the spirit of meeknesse. It is a great poynt of holy skill so to order a reproofe as not to provoke; so to speak as to speak open, or pick the lock of the heart; Affectionate Entreaties are blessed pick-locks, which doe not straine the wards, but effectually lift up the holders and shoote the bolt of the heart, causing it to stand wide open to receive and take in the truth of promises, counsels and reproofes. Meeke words meeken the spirit. ’Tis hard to refuse what we perceive spoken in love; and if any thing will soften a hard heart, soft language is most likely to doe it. When Abigail came out and met David upon his way, hot upon revenge, yea having (upon the matter) sworn revenge against Nabal and his house, yet her Entreaties and mild words overcame that mighty warriour, at least, took off the edge of his spirit, and of all his party, (1 Sam. 25.33.) Nor did he only accept of or submit to her counsel, but gave thanks both to God and her for it; Blessed be the Lord, and blessed be thy advice, which hast kept me this day from shedding-blood. Gentle words, like gentle raine, soake deep, and make the soule, like a fruitfull tree, bud and blossome. For as passion in the speaker, begets passion in the hearer, and heate brings forth heate, so kinde and kindly words, are not only most usefull, but most powerfull. There is a rebuking, and that Cuttingly, or a speaking of cutting words, usefull in some cases, then especially, when sinners have not only done evill, but are setled and resolved in it. But in case of affliction, specially of inward affliction, or trouble of spirit, soft words are best and doe best.

Joseph Caryl, AN EXPOSITION WITH Practicall Observations CONTINUED UPON The Thirty Second, the Thirty Third, and the Thirty Fourth Chapters of the Booke of JOB (London: Printed for M. Simmons , and are to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at his Shop at the three Crownes against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheap-side, 1661), 143–44.

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All of the men within the broadly Augustinian tradition who use the metaphor of God begging that I have documented so far are the following:

Augustine (Early Church Father), Hugh Latimer (Early English Reformer), Isaac Ambrose (Puritan), Thomas Brooks (Puritan), Daniel Burgess (Puritan), Jeremiah Burroughs (Westminster divine), Richard Baxter (Puritan), Joseph Caryl (Westminster divine), Thomas Case (Puritan), Stephen Charnock (Puritan), John Collinges (Puritan), John Flavel (Puritan), Theophilus Gale (Puritan), William Gearing (Puritan), Andrew Gray (Puritan), William Gurnall (Puritan), Robert Harris (Westminster divine), Nathaniel Heywoood (Puritan), Thomas Larkham (Puritan), Thomas Manton (Puritan), John Murcot (Puritan), George Newton (Puritan), John Oldfield (Puritan), Anthony Palmer (Puritan), Edward Reynolds (Westminster divine), John Richardson (Puritan), Samuel Rutherford (Westminster divine), John Shower (Puritan), Richard Sibbes (Puritan), Sydrach Simpson (Westminster divine), William Strong (Westminster divine), George Swinnock (Puritan), John Trapp (Puritan), Ralph Venning (Puritan), Nathaniel Vincent (Puritan), Thomas Watson (Puritan), Daniel Williams (Puritan), Samuel Willard, Benjamin Wadsworth, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Solomon Stoddard, Samuel Davies, Ralph Erskine, Charles Spurgeon, Thomas Chalmers, Walter Chantry, Erroll Hulse, John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, and Fred Zaspel.