Patrick Gillespie on God accepting our efforts at reform even when they fail

[Reformed Covenanter]

... Josiah works a great reformation in Judah, like unto him there was no King before him, neither after him arose there any like him, who turned to GOD with all his heart, and yet notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his wrath. Hence observe, that the persons and honest endeavours of the Lord’s worthies, that do their uttermost for turning away the Lord’s wrath from his people, may be graciously accepted with him, when their labours and endeavours come to little purpose, and are ineffectual for the turning away of his wrath and anger. There is here a testimony given to Josiah, that like unto him there was no King before him, neither after him, and yet his work came to nothing, in respect of his main design, the turning away of GOD’s wrath from Judah. ...

The second part of the proposition is, that even when it is so, that the honest endeavours of the Lord’s worthy servants for turning away of God’s wrath comes to nought, yet even then they in their persons and endeavours are graciously accepted and highly commended of him, so verse 25. Josiah gets the highest testimony and commendation that hath been given to men on earth. Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, and all those worthies that prevailed often with God, to turn away his anger from his people, are no more commended, and some of them not so much as Josiah here. ...

For more, see:

Patrick Gillespie on God accepting our efforts at reform even when they fail

We consider the context which is as strange as readily we read again in Scripture: Josiah works a great reformation in Judah, like unto him there was no King before him, neither after him arose the…

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