himself and the Father must look upon him as the Head of a Covenant to which we belong likwise So that his obedience and sufferring is to be looked upon now not as done by a private person But looked upon as the obedience and suffering of a publick Person of one that Bears our Names before God the Father And herein there is a further mistery of godlines The reconciliation between man and man is only when one that is a stranger comes and stands between and mediateth there is not required such a union between him that he mediateth for and himselfe But Christ comes not in meerly as a third person between God and us but he comes to take our very natures upon him and we are made one in the covenant of grace he as the Head and we as the members That look as Adam stood before God as the Head of the first Covenant of works and so we were al looked upon at first in him and dyed in him So Christ who is called the Second Adam stands before the Lord as the Head of the Second Covenant and al those that he doth mediate for and whom he doth seek to reconcile to the father stand al before the father in him so that his work is imputed to be theirs and the Lord looketh upon them in their Head fulfiling that Second Covenant of life and peace that he hath made with poor creatures in him So that you must not only look upon Christ to be a Saviour as the Son of God in Heaven but if you would look upon him with comfort you must look upon him as the head of a second Covenant and upon your selves joyned with him as members of him and so presented unto the father through him Thus God was in Christ reconciling himself to the world God looking upon Christ and through Christ as the head of the Covenant of grace upon al those that Christ did undertake for as Covenanters Joyned together with him comes to be reconciled to al those which shal be everlastingly Saved This is the mistery of the Gospel God in Christ reconciling the world to himself What Christ was hath been opened And what Christ hath undertaken and how God looks upon us through this mediator These things you must search into and cry unto God that by his Spirit he whuld open these misteries of the Gospel unto you and then you shal see much of the mistery of grace and of the minde of god and so come to have abundance of peace with God notwithstanding al the present remainders of uncleannes that are in your hearts CHAP. 17. How we come to have intrest in what Christ hath done is further opened WE have shewed in the former chapter what Christ doth for the Continuance of this peace between God and us that he is at the right hand of God there making intercession for the Saints continualy so that if ther be any thing that might in its own nature break the peace between God and us this our mediator sits at the right hand of the Father and there by his intercession he continually presents himself for the removing of it and for the continuance of the peace between God and us that there may no Breach fal out for the time to come this I say Christ undertakes to do and this is a special work of his Mediation namly his being Continually at the right hand of the Father and there presenting himselfe unto God for the keping and mantaining of this peace which he hath made between the Father and us Again if it be demanded how we come to have an Intrest in this that Christ doth which was the fourth thing propounded in the twelfth chapter in his Satisfaction in al that he undertakes The Answeer was this That Christ is made the Head of a second Covenant for as the foundation of the Breach that was between God and us at the first came by the first man Adam who was the Head of the first Covenant in whom we al Sinned and so turned enimies unto God So Jesus Christ is made a Second Adam and the head of a Second Covenant and al those that are looked upon as the posterity of the Second Adam for so it must be they are looked upon as one in him As al that were of the posterity of the first Adam were looked upon as one man in him and so the Breach was made and enmity came between God and al that one mans posterity so al that are to be of the Posterity of the Second Adam that are either actually of him or are to be born of him by a Spiritual generation which in the Scripture is tearmed Regeneration al those are looked upon as one with him and hence it is that in the 1. Cor. 15.47 the Apostle speakes of the first and second Adam as if there were no more but two men in the world for indeed ther are no more in that sense nor ever were The first man saith the apostle is of the Earth Earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly here is the first man and the Second man Why you wil say are there but two men in the world No not in that sense that is there were never but two men that did represent al others and under those two men are al other men in the world represented before God Al the children of men that fel from God the are represented in the first Adam who was the Head of the first Covenant and they stand under that covenant And al those that God intends to be reconciled unto and to glorifie they are represented before God in the second Adam who is the Head of the Second Covenant It is true if we speake properly Caine was in order the second man in the world but Christ is the Second man that is the Head of a second Covenant the Second man that God did enter into the Covenant withal for other men and in that sense he alone was the second man As in the same sense Adam is Called the first man so that God is Reconciled to the world in Christ that is as in the first Adam the Breach was made between God and man so in the second Adam Reconciliation is made between God and man And as God imputeth that which the first Adam did to his Posterity for Condemnation so that which the Second Adam did he doth impute to the Posterity of that Second Adam for life and Reconciliation And that you have more largly discussed in the most part of the fift Chapter of the Rom. especially from the middle of the Chapter to the end CHAP. 18. Eight Consequences of Our Reconciliation being made in Christ 1. It is a deep Mystery 2. It is very free 3. It is sure and certain 4. It is full 5. It is an honorable way 6. Yet in such a way as doth debase man 7. It is firm and everlasting 8. This Reconciliation was a very difficult work THere are yet
41. Why God wil not himself immediatly dispute this Gospel Reconciliation BUT further it may be said why wil not God immediately himself preach this Doctrine of the Gospel The Mistery of Reconciliation we see many infirmities in men Men are ready enough to stumble at al infirmities of the Ministers of the Gospel which by the way should teach Ministers of the Gospel to have a care how they walk but because there are so many things to be excepted against men we would be ready to think if God would himself preach the gospel from heaven men would regard it more No but God wil not do so though God wil assist the Ministery to make it effectual in the hearts of those that shal be saved yet he wil not speak himself from Heaven but he wil send men like themselves and let men hear or not and howsoever though men think if God should speak himself they would hear him yet if they heare not men they would not hear God God spake himself from heaven in the delivering of the Law but men did not keep the Law but now God wil rather speak by men because he doth delight to make use of every creature according to the capacity of it The Lord takes a wonderful delight in the use of almeans that is suiteable to a creature And therefore you shal find which is very observeable that though God did begin to speak from Heaven to Saul that he did convert who afterwards was called Paul Christ spake at first from Heaven but mark he would not do the whol work himself immediately but before the work should be accomplished there should be meanes used in Acts 9.4 There Christ speaks from Heaven but I beseech you observe it what doth Christ speak from Heaven he doth not preach the gospel it is only the word of conviction Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me This was enough to strike Saul with astonishment so that he fell upon the earth and said Lord what wilt thou have me to do But mark what answer is given him Go into the Citty and it shal be told thee You must not think though I begin to speak from Heaven to you but that you must be content to set upon means and so he did with Saul he arose from the Earth in verse 8. God made him stay a good while before he would tel him what he should do he was three dayes and nights and eate nothing and was praying al the while unto the Lord and then in vers 10. Saith the Lord to Ananias a Minister of his Go to such a place and there thou shalt open to Saul my Mercy this Doctrine of Reconciliation It is true I begin to think upon him but I wil not go on in the work you shal do it and he shal attend upon your Ministery to let him know what my mercy in Christ to his Soul is and I wil bless your Ministery unto his Soul And thus you see how God stands upon the making use of the meanes I make no question but it is something like to Gods dealing with many of you though God at first begins himself and strikes some terror into your hearts A man when he is going about his business he hath some suddaine thought dents into his heart Lord where am I What if I should now die how can I answer for such and such things before God And thus perhaps he comes to be troubled in his Conscience by some immediate work of God but he wil not go on in this work immediately but he sends him to the Ministers of his word and there he shews him what he must do concerning his good I wil give you a notable text to shew you how God stands upon means in Act. 10.2 He had some kind of the fear of God but understood little of Christ he was a souldier a Centurion of the band called the Italian band he had a greate many souldiers that were wicked but yet he had some that were godly But though he was in that place yet he was a devout man and ful of prayer as it is commendable for Souldiers to be much in prayer because carrying his life in his hands he had need carry Grace in his heart and then in the 3. verse it is a very observable Scripture first God accepts of his prayers and appeares in a Vision to him and sends an Angel to him and tels him that his prayers were accepted wel but God had revealed so much of Christ to him which he was very ignorant of Object You wil say seing God did send an Angel to him why did not God reveal Christ by the Angel No he would not he sends an Angel to Cornelius to this end to bid him send for Peter that was a Minister of the Gospel This should be the message of the Angels to tel him that God regarded his prayers and almes I but as if the Angel should say God hath other things to tel you but the truth is I have no commission to tel you my commission is to tel you that you should send for a Minister he sent for Peter and Peter came and Preacht Christ unto him as you may see in verse 34. so that you may see that God doth use to work upon men by means and surely herein God wil honor humane nature in taking it upon himself and for Gods honoring of the Minister of his word take this one note which is likewise very observable that Christ himself when he Preacht upon the Earth we never read that his preaching was so efficatious to convert so many Souls as the Ministers of the Gospel did Peter when he came to preach the Gospel Converted three thousand Souls at one Sermon and you never read that Christ converted so many at a Sermon Christ himself preaching immediatly the Gospel did never convert so many as Peter did The reason is to shew that we must not expect so much the immediate preaching of God unto us as God and Christ preaching to us by the Ministery of Man that is the meaning of it so that now you have had the point opened unto you that God committs unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation I shal endeavour to apply it CHAP. 42. Use 1. The sending of the Ministers of the Gospel is to be accounted a glorious blessing FIrst If this be the great work of the Ministers that are sent amongst you to dispence the Ministery of Reconciliation to you O! then certainly the sending of any of the ministers of the gospel among you you are to account a glorious and a wonderful blessing of God upon you at any time why what is their errand They come to treat with your souls about Reconciliation with God and God hath appointed this the greate means of bringing souls unto himselfe to be reconciled unto himselfe and therefore it is one of the greatest blessings in the world to have the minestry of the gospel in any congregation Blessed be your eyes saith
here is the first sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel and blessed are they that hear this joyful sound namly that there is a possiblity of being reconciled that the Lord is content to enter into parly with his enemies for God might have cast them off forever and never so much as parly with them as he hath done the Angels that sinned against whom he was so provoked that he resolved within himself and he hath kept his resolution since the beginning of the world and he will keep it unto all eternity that he wil not so much as enter into parly with those Creatures or be reconciled with them upon any tearms As when a man is so fallen out with an another as that if one should come to speak about terms of peace he cannot endure to hear of them no saith he I will never enter into treaty with him so long as I live about it So God wil never enter into treaty with the Angels he wil not hear of any terms of Reconciliation but is resolved to revenge himself upon them to al eternity therefore the Apostle saith they are reserved in chains to the judgmtnt of the great day But now Lord what shal become of man poor man might well fear when he hears what God hath resolved upon against the Angels he hath cause enough to shake at that for indeed man is a far more poore and mean and wretched Creature than those Angels are If it be so between man and man that when a great Prince is offended with some Noble man in his Court and so offended with him yea for his first offence as that all the men in the world cannot perswade that Prince so much as to vouchsafe to hearken to any terms of reconciliation and if some meaner officer some poore Groom shal have offended the King and provoked his wrath and hears of this that his Cheif favorite one that was neer unto him that was alwaies in his presence did but offend him once and yet the King should never hearken to any means of pacification surely this man would soon think with himself Lord what wil become of me Is there any hope that there shal be a parly between the King and me Certainly this poor man wil even be ready to have his heart sink within him and sit down altogether overwhelmed with fear and dispaire And so indeed should we all have done upon our reasoning within our selves concerning Gods dealing with the fallen Angels had we not had this glorious and blessed sound of the Gospel and hopes of Reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ we would all have sunk down into the battomlesse Gulf of dispaire and concluded certainly against our selves that there can be no peace between God and us we being such enemies unto him as we are by nature But though this be beyond our thoughts as farr as the Heaven is above the Earth and though this could never enter into the heart of man that ever God would parly with poor falen man after so great an emnity begot by sin yet know this is the message that is come from Heaven even from God himself that he is contented to parly with you yea so Contented as that he himself hath sent ambassadors to us to intreat us be reconciled But of that hereafter God I say is Content to enter into treaty with man concerning a Reconciliation and the making up of a peace between him and their souls for that indeed is the very scope of the Gospel If I should a little dwell here to inquire the Reason of this why the Lord should be willing to enter into this treaty with man-kind the truth is it is an unsearchable depth we cannot imagine any Reason why the Lord should rather chuse to parly with us and to treat concerning terms of peace with us than with the Angels There is something indeed which we may have in our thoughts As thus If God did not Reconcile himself to man and save him he should loose his whole Creature he did not loose all the Angels when they fell but if God should not provide a way to be Reconciled to man the whole kind of that Creature would be utterly lost now the Lord wil not cast away the whole kind of such an excellent Creature as man is But the truth is these are but guesses at this Reason in chusing to treat with us about salvation and not with the Angels But the main thing is God hath waies to glorifie himself that we know not of in reconciling himself to man-kind We know this that there are glorious intentions that God hath in this work but what these are we shal never know througbly til we come to Heaven and that indeed wil be the very work of Heaven it self to be praising of God to all eternity for that great act of his namely his willingnesse to be reconciled to lost man rather than to the fallen Angels We shal know some Reasons of that afterward for God doth things according to the Counsel of his wil and there is nothing he doth but he hath a great deal of Reason for which we must adore though we cannot now fully understand Only for the present let me hint this unto you let the Consideration of but thus much affect your hearts O should we be sent to preach to the Devils such a point as this is or to the Angels in Hell and say the Lord hath kept this Councel from you almost this six thousand years and his waies towards you have been â—o as if he would never enter parly with you but now God hath revealed his wil towards you that he is content to enter into a Treaty with you about the things that concern your peace and the reconciling of you unto himself what a message would this be to them think you but this never was nor never shal be preached unto them If God should send this message to the damned in Hel and say to them the Lord is content to enter into a parly with you about the reconciling of himself unto you what a message would this be to them but this cannot be this is only a message to those that are alive here in this world to that part of the children of men that are living upon the earth unto them only can this be preached that there is a possibility of Reconciliation between God and them Truly the consideration of a possibility is that which may satisfie the heart of man let the terms be what they wil. O! is it possible that God may be reconciled I wil never inquire about the terms out of fear that the hardnesse of them should discourage me O! let the terms be what they will this is the most acceptable news this is the best tidings to my soul more acceptable than it I were told that I had a thousand worlds given unto me even this that I hear that there is a possiblity of reconciliation betwixt God and my self
God upon thee You are afraid of souldiers why have you not all this while been afraid of the Host of the Almighty God God hath Souldiers enough even in your own house which he can raise up against you he can raise the very dog that is in your family to tear out your throat if he once give him a Commission for there is an enmity between every Creature and a sinful soul and it must be so If there be an enmity against the Generall and Commander in chief of the Army there must needs be then the like enmity against the souldiers Thou that art a sinful soul thou walkest up and down in the midst of Gods Host that are ready every moment to destroy thee and that stands waiting for a Commission from God the Lord of Host to revenge his quarrell upon thee But now being once reconciled unto God all this Host all the whol Creation is reconciled unto thee All the good Creatures the Angels they are now for thy good whereas before they stood ready waiting for a Commission from God to strike thee to the heart for the Angels do wait when God wil give them a command to execute upon those that offend him and they are gone pesently to put the same in execution and so it is with every other Creature But now being reconciled these Angels are become ministring spirits unto thee It is a great matter to have the Angels reconciled by being at peace with God they come to be Reconciled also unto thee and instead of being thy enemies they are as so many fair chariots to guard thee from whatsoever may hurt thee The same I may say of all evil Creatures too they are al so far reconciled to thee as that they shal do thee no hurt or prejudice But The Second Consequence Secondly A Second fruit that follows is Peace of Conscience whereas before thy Conscience terrified thee struck fear and dread in thy heart continually accused thee before God and was as Gods Officer to fill thy Soul with poysoned Arrows and to rend and tear thee But now thou being at peace with God thy Conscience is at peace too Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ then follows those most sweet and comâ—ortable effects which we are afterwards to treat of But this is the fruit of Reconciliation Peace of Conscience which is worth ten thousand worlds For one to have his Conscience his enemy to have his Conscience continually to terrifie him it is a greater judgment than to have al the wild Beasts in the world to come and tear and rent his flesh Third Consequence Thirdly there is in the soul a Peace in all other faculties As thus Before the work of Reconciliation between God and man was done the Scripture saith there is no Peace to the wicked in regard of tumultuous workings of the many lusts that are in their hearts the one continally fighting against the other the Conscience telling one thing and the will of a man that opposeth Conscience and the affections they are all in a tumult one against another one lust opposeth another fighteth against another there is a disorder and a confusion and a tumult in the heart of a wicked man he goes against the light and the light against him and there is nothing but warring and combustion in his heart Your lusts saith the Apostle war one against another within you and you may easily find it to be so if you observe your selves that when your lusts are once up they breed such a woful disturbance in your heart that you are like the Sea that casts up nothing but mire and dirt Take a wicked man that hath but some darting in of any light telling him what the mind of God is his heart fights against this light and the light fights against his heart so that there are nothing but woful disturbances in his Soul and he is never at Peace No not when he seems to be most serene and quiet But now when we come to be at Peace wih God there is a blessed calme comes into the Spirit of a man the Conscience the wil and the affections are brought into a sweet and Comly order and things are in a great measure more quiet than ever they were The fourth Consequence 4. The fourth fruit is Joy in the Holy Ghost for God being at Peace with a soul the Holy Spirit comes and sheddeth abroad the love of God It is true somtimes we are not sensible of this joy but when once we come to know that we are Reconciled unto God then we come to feele the joy of the Holy Spirit shed abroad in our hearts This you have in Rom. 5. Having Peace with God we rejoyce in tribulation And more especially in Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is nor meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Spirit Joy in the Holy Spirit followes our Peace or our Reconciliation with God That is a fourth particular The fift Consequence 5. There is likewise this fruit of it Hence the soul comes to have free access into Gods presence with boldness Indeed when I look upon God as an enemy unto me and upon my self as an enemy unto God how can I come into Gods presence with boldness But being Reconciled I come to have access to God Adam could not stand in Gods presence when once he had broken his Peace with God but our Peace being made through Jesus Christ we may come into the presence of God and comfortably look upon his face and see no hatred no revenging wrath in it The sixt Consequence 6. Hence there may be a sweet and blessed trade between Heaven and Earth between God and the soul Reconciled As in Countries that are at Warr one with another there cannot be any traffique or trading between those Countries But if once there come to be a League and a Peace made up between the one and the other then trade is open So it is between God and the soul And the truth is there is no free trade made between Heaven and us till Peace be made we cannot trade to Heaven and fetch Commodities from thence we may speak to Heaven and Cry and say our Prayers as the phrase is but to fetch from thence the rich Commodities that are in that Country we cannot til there be a Peace Concluded Indeed a gracious heart that is Reconciled to God never sends up a prayer unto God but he doth as a rich man that sendeth a Ship to the Indies nay it is far more better for you may loose your Ship and your adventure that you send may miscarry But when a gracious soul trades with God and sendeth his Ship of prayer to Heaven he never fails of having a sweet and rich return The seventh Consequence 7. Now we come to injoy all the good we have in this world as upon a new right it is setled upon us and comes
to himself by him I say so that the Apostle would put an emphasis on this that we are reconciled by Christ By him Saith he and he was not satisfied in saying of it once but he repeateth it again by him I Say whether they be things on Earth or things in Heaven There are two difficulties in this Scripture first in that it is said God hath reconciled al things to himself in Christ how doth God reconcile all things to himself in Christ we are now speaking of reconciling those that shal be Saved eternally but here the Apostle speaks of reconciling of all things God may be said to reconcile not only Saints but al things unto himself in this regard In that al things were lyable to distruction through mans Sin and it is in Christ and through Christ that any thing in the world is preserved in a good Condition When you behold the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and al these things and see the preservation of them in any good Condition you must know it is al through Christ and had it not been in regard of Christ al things would have come to ruine and confusion presenly and so God reconcileth al things to himself in Christ Further Al things are reconciled in Christ too in this regard In that now al things are through him come to be made Serviceable to those that are his Saints and reconciled ones and in that regard al things may be said to be reconciled to God because they are reconciled to Gods friends whereas before al Creatures were enemies tâ— us through Sin and now through Christ they come to be made useful to us and so unto God by us A Second difficulty in this text is How God hath by Christ reconciled al things in heaven what things are there in Heaven that are Reconciled to God by Christ We must understand that the things in Heaven that are said to be reconciled are especially to be meant of the Angels But you wil say How can the angels be reconciled to Christ there was never a falling out never an enmity between God and them I Answer That though in a proper sence as reconciliation Concerns man there is no reconciling of Angels unto God yet because there is a neerer and a further and a more firm union made between God and the Angels through Jesus Christ than ever there was before or than ever there should have been for ought we know if Christ hade not been in that regard reconciliation may be said to be of things in Heaven God and them being now by Christ more firmly made one than ever they were before And again though the Angels had never Sinned against God and so were no actual enemies unto God yet they were in a capacity of sinning for they being but Creatures they could not but be frail in themselves and so lyable to fal from God and to sin against him as wel as those that did fal therefore in regard of the establishment which they have now through Jesus Christ because they are now confirmed in such a condition that they are in an impossibility of falling from God God having so taken them to himself and they being so one with God that they can never fal from him in this regard also they may be said to be reconciled For notwithstanding al the perfection of their Creation they might have fallen into the same condition that those did that are now reserved in Chaynes to the Judgment of the great day But now God hath so reconciled al things in Heaven by Jesus Christ that the Angels themselves are more firmly made one with God than they were before And further the Lord doth receive them into a more intire affection of love in and by Jesus Christ than he did before the Lord looking upon the Angels in and through Christ there is a more through firme intimate intire affection of God towards them to establish them and to accept of them in Jesus Christ And besides they are reconciled to God or unto us rather because they are come to be our friends whereas at first they were our enemies so that in that regard there is a kind of Reconciliation but because I conceive the text doth not so much intend that we shal let it pass Thus you see how God was in Christ reconciling to himself even in some sense the very Angels themselves This then is the first thing the very thoughts that God had of entering into any tearmes or parly with man about peace is by Christ that the Lords heart was inclined to man it is from Christ that the Lord would be willing to accept of any satisfaction it is through Christ that we have an access to God any way it is through Christ There is nothing from the one end of the work of Reconciliation to the other but it is al through Christ For further opening of this great point there are these things to be propounded First Briefly to shew you the necessity of Christs coming in in order to our Reconciliation with God and likewise that it could be no other way but by Christ Secondly How Chirst comes to be a fit Reconciler Thirdly What it is that Christ hath ingaged himself to and performed according to his ingagement for our Reconciliation Fourthly How that which Christ hath done comes to be made over to us and that we come to have the fruit of it for our Reconciliation with God Fiftly The Consequences that flow from this Namely that our Reconciliation comes through Christ Sixtly The reasons why God wil be reconciled to us through his Son rather than any other way And Lastly To make some Application of al. These particulars might hold us some time but because we often meet with much of this Doctrine of Reconciliation and have divers times before and are likely if God lengthen out opportunities stil to do it therefore I intend to present al these seven particulars before you in a very short view CHAP. 13. The necessity of Christs coming in for our Reconciliation FOr the first The necessity of Christs coming in for our Reconciliation and surely this is that which is to be in culcated and beaten upon you again again for you neither know God nor Christ nor your own estates except you know the necessity of Christs coming in to undertake in the work of Reconciliation I suppose if we should ask any of you how you hope to be saved you wil presently answer by Jesus Christ But the understanding of the absolute necessity that there was of Christs coming in to reconcile us and God together is not so ordinary therefore I beseech you seriously weigh it The necessity of it in a word is this There was such a distance made between God and his Creatures through sin as did put a necessity upon a Mediator to come between the distance was so great for God being the infinite first being and we being his Creatures the distance must
were honorable So is the Reconciliation between God and us it is so honorable a Reconciliation that it wil be the glory of God before the Angels and Saints to al Eternity and it is that which God doth much rejoyce in as being exceedingly pleased with it seeing his honor is made up in this Reconciliation That is a fifth Consequence from hence Consequence 6. Sixtly Followeth this If we be reconciled to God in Christ Hence our Reconciliation is in such a way as doth altogether debase man and though it be upon honorable tearms yet it is in a way wherein man hath no cause to glory in himselfe It is the greatest way for the lowing and humbling of man that posibly can be there could be no way devised wherein man should be reconciled to God and yet be abased so much as he is in this way of Reconciliation when he truly Considereth it For it is true we are reconciled but how we began it not our selves we did nothing in it our selves al was done by Christ therefore in Rom. 3.27 saith the Apostle where is bousting It is excluded by what Law of works no but by the Law of Faith God indeed hath done great things for us but al that which is done for us is not thankworthy to our selves it was al done without us God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himselfe and therfore though it is in honorable tearms in respect of God yet when we seriously Consider of it we have ground and Cause sufficient to be abased in our selves even to the very dust And then Consequence 7. Yet further Our Reconciliation being in Christ Hence it follows That it is a most firme and lasting Reconciliation an everlasting Reconciliation as it is in Christ here is the ground of the Everlastingness of it Hence it is that there is nothing can make a Breach again between God and us so as we should become Enimies againe unto him so that when we understand this Reconciliation with these properties and Consequences then we understand aright what it is to be Reconciled unto God Consequence 8. There is one Consequence or poperty mor of this Reconciliation that I must ad to what I mentioned before And that is this That if it be in Christ that we are Reconciled unto God Then certainly the work of Reconciliation is a very difficult work it is a mighty hard thing Heaven and Earth must be moved before this can be done and God even shakes the Heaven and the Earth in this work It was the difficultest work that ever God himself undertooke and the difficultest work the Son undertook for when he undertook it you find that he did sweat at it and before he had done it it cost him his very hearts blood therefore it was not an ordinary and slight work to reconcile God man together but a most difficult work because it was in Christ CHAP. 19 Three Reasons why God would be Reconciled to the world in Christ and no otherway 1. Because God the Son is most glorified this way 2. Because God the Father is most glorified this way 3. Because there was no such way as this to melt the hearts of sinners Or to encourage them to come to God BUt there yet remains to shew you the Reasons Why God would Reconcile himself to the world this way in Christ and no other way And for that I shal only give you these Three Reasons Reason 1. First Because in this way the Father glorified his Son had it not been for this way of Attonement we had but little understood the glory of the second Person in Trinity No nor indeed of the Third Person nor the distinction of the Persons and therefore before the Gospel came to be made known to the Sons of men the distinction of the Persons in Trinity was very little made known And in those places wherein the Gospel is not revealed and made known there is nothing fully known of the distinction of the Persons in the Trinity Now for the glory of the Trinity and more especially for the glory of the second Person the Son of God who is the special Person in the work of Reconciation hath God chosen this way of Reonciliation It is true indeed the Third Person and the Spirit is sent by Christ and in the Consummation of the work of Reconciliation the glory of that Person appears but the main weight of the work lies upon the Son and for the glory of the Son of God hath he appointed this way to be Reconciled to the world And indeed it is such a work as the Son himself doth exceedingly glory in and accounts this to be a great part of his glory that he is appointed by God the Father to be the Mediator to reconcile God and man together I besech you observe this this work of Reconcilation betweene God and us it is that which Christ himself doth glory in and it is that which he counteth next unto the glory that he hath Personally with the Father as he is generated of him from all Eternity next unto that Jesus Christ glories in this that he is appointed to be a Mediator between the Father sinful man And that Christ himself doth glory in this work I wil give you a Scripture or two to prove it That place which we have in the 13. John 31. is remarkable for this Therefore when he was gone out Jesus said Now is the Son of man Glorified God is glorified in him Glorified now When It was when Judas betrayed him and when he was going to shed his blood and to die for the sin of man and to Compleat and Perfect this work of Attonement or Reconciliation Now saith he is the Son of man Glorified as if so be he should have said I was indeed designed by the Father from all Eternity to undertake this work of Reconciliation and I came into the world for this very end that I might do it and all this while I have been a doing of it in a way of preparation but the main work is stil behind for me to accomplish and perfect this work of Reconciliotion but now it is at hand Now I am going to die and this my death wil bring an end to the work and now saith he is the Son of man glorified yea here is the glory that I expected from al Eternity this is the glory that I rejoyced in when I was in the Bosome of the Father for then I knew of this I knew I was appointed to be a Mediator I knew it would cost me my Blood when I should come to compleat that work and now the time is come when it is to be performed and therefore now the Son of man is glorified I say Jesus Christ accounteth it his glory that he is appointed to stand as a Mediator between God and us And therefore you shal find that when the Scripture speaks of Christs being appointed for this work by God that
set one against another there should be a Reconciliation But God hath waies in his infinite Wisdom that we are not able to comprehend the spirits of any of our Adversaries are not so desperately bent against us but there was as much enmity between us and God as there can be betwixt us and any of our adversaries in the world and we have no such exasperated enimes against us as we were by nature against God If therefore God could find a way when we were such enimies unto him to make peace betwixt us and him then hath God likewise a way to make a true setled and constant peace between our Adversaries and us And we should desire that as God hath made our peace with him firme and sure so that what peace God makes in this land it may be somwhat like unto that peace that he hath made between Heaven and Earth There is a firme peace made between God and us a peace that we may rest upon and confide in A peace betwen our adversaries and us as things now stand we cannot count it sure you cannot be sure of your lives one night after it is done as things now stand But we must desire such a peace might be made as there is made between God and us sure and firme and stable Therefore pray much and beleeve much as you are able and though things be brought to such a straite as there is no likelyhood in the thoughts of men how it should be done yet they are not brought to such a straite as things were between God and us before he reconciled himself unto us And there was more required to make up that Reconciliation betwixt God and us then there can be between us and our adversaries And what was it that made our peace first with God God was in Christ reconciling the world it was the blood of his Son that saved our blood and therefore let al those that are godly go to this God of peace and not only cry to him by Prayer for the making of a true and firme peace amongst us but present unto him the blood of his Son to that end and say O Lord thou that sentest thy Son into the world to make peace between our Souls and thee look upon that blood and let that blood prevail with thee to make peace in England that there may be no more of the precious blood of thy Saints spilt and shed amongst us Here is the way to get peace And Certainly if the blood of Christ were able to make such a peace between us and God as is firme and lasting it wil be able also to make peace in this poor Nation and such a peace as shal be firme and lasting too Thus we are incouraged in regard of external condition in regard of the peace of our land that seeing God hath done the greater he is able much more to do the lesser That seeing God hath reconciled mercy and Justice together and made peace betwixt Heaven and Earth when the Breach was so great as al the men in the world and the Angels in Heaven could not find out a way to compose the difference and make up that breach yet he hath done it He can certainly also compose the differences and make up the breach that is amongst us CHAp 24. Use 5. Those that have assurance of their peace with God highly to prise it HEnce then if our Reconciliation with God be such as hath been opened and if it be wrought after that way Then an other Use we may make of it is this Namely That al those that have any comfortable assurance that their peace is made with God they are to prise it highly and not easily and lightly to loose the assurance of it Why Because it hath cost so much as it hath done and it hath been wrought for them after such a strange manner as it hath been the greatest work that ever God made and wherein his wisdome and goodness and power hath been seen now that which God hath set himselfe to worke so powerfully in to the end that he might acomplish it and that which hath cost so dear as it hath done that wherein so much of the mistery of Godliness is contained suerly then if we have obtained the assurance of it in our selves we should highly prise it and we should seeke to preserve it and not loose it we know not how I remember when we opened the excellency of our Reconciliation with God and what admirable fruits did flow fom it we had there a Use like unto this that because it is so excellent we should preserve it and not let it go lightly But now this Use is drawn from the way of Reconciliation that it is a Reconciliation in Christ and in indeed the argument fals more strongly upon us here then it did formerly before the argument was that we should prise it because we have such comfort in our Reconciliation because such admirable fruits doe flow from it because it is able to carry us through al troubles in the world But now we must seek to preserve it because we have it in Christ because it is that which cost more then ten thousand worldes are worth because God hath wrought so wonderfully to bring it ahout Hath God therefore spoken peace to any of your souls take heed that you turn not again to folly Psalm 85.8 I wil hear what the Lord wil say for he wil speak peace to his people and to his Saints but let not them return again to folly Hast thou gotten any comfortable perswasion that the Lord is reconciled unto them Christ and God hath made thee to know that Reconciliation with him was a difficult work it may be it cost you many tears and prayers and much trouble before you could get it and a long time you were seeking of it in a Legal way and crying unto God for his mercy to pardon your sins and Seeking to him in that natural way but then you could not have peace spoken to your hearts but in time the Lord opened the mistery of Christ unto your souls and then you sought Reconciliation with him in Christ and you saw how that it was in his blood that your peace was made Have you got peace in an Evangelical way through Christ O! Make much of it it is a precious Jewel in that it comes to you in such a way as this is it cost God dear and it may cost you dear but whether it cost you dear or no you may be sure it cost God dear therfore make much of it do not loose it to loose it fully so as God should again beâ—ome your enemy that indeed you cannot do but you may loose it in your apprehensions you may loose the comfortable assurance of it There are Two waies that Christians may loose the comfortable assurance of their peace with God First through the weaknes of their faith secondly through the sinfulnes of their lives CHAP.
therefore is this phrase God is Reconcileing the world to himself As if he should say If once you are gone out of the world and are not reconcilied unto God before you are gone you are lost for ever The object of this my grace is only those people that live in the world if they pass away this time and be not reconciled unto me while they live here they shal never be reconciled for God was not reconciling himself to men that are in Hell for they are not of this world they are gone out of the world they were suffered by Gods patience to live a great while in the world and here they filled the world with sin as much as in them lay Now they are gone out of the world and are gone from the shine of Gods grace which shal never come to shine upon them more they shal never come to hear any offer of the Gospel more This is a fourth Reason Reason 5. A Fifth Reason is this Hereby God wil shew his wonderful love and free Grace to wretched Creatures that he should regard such vild Creatures as those that live in the world for the world alas what is it It is a dunghil of filth and as the Apostle saith 1. John 5.19 The whole world lies in wickedness it lies as a dead Dog or Carkass that lies in a Common Sewer Nil mundum in mundo nihil aliud est totus mundus ante conversionem nisi aut hara porcorum aut collovie rapidorum canum Aust As a filthy hogsty or kennel of mad Dogs in a ditch al in slime and filth Now that God should set his heart upon the world what an infinite and wonderful love and free grace is this The truth is before our Conversion we do al lie in wickedness as a Carrion or a dead Dog that lies in a Cart-way al in gore mire So are we in our natural Condition and yet that the great God of Heaven should send his own Son into the world to die for such a one that he should make such a one an heir of Heaven and of eternal life that such a one should become a member of his Son and so have everlasting Communion with himself that this should be plotted by God from al eternity What an infinite love of God is this And again that the world lies in wickedness the world that is so vile and so unworthy a thing that yet the Lord should be thus reconciling the World to himself What an infinite and unconceivable free Grace of God is this Reason 6. The Sixt Reason is this They that shal live in the world shal generally come in to God and indeed be actually reconciled in time Though the world for the present be not so generally reconciled unto God yet the Lord hath his time when the Jews shal be called and the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and we shal see further Reason of the generality of this expression God hath promised that Christ shal possess the utmost parts of the Earth and that the Heirs of the promise shal inherit the World I understand it litterally Rom. 4.23 God made a promise to Abraham and to his Seed that he should be the Heir of the World And this Promise is yet to be fulfiled in a literal sence In some spiritual sence the Saints may be said to be Heirs of the world for indeed the right especially belongs to them I do not say but ungodly men have right by guift he giveth the Earth to the Children of men but not by inheritance as the Saints have as Servants have a right to their meat and drink and what is given them but the Children have a right by inheritance so the Saints have a right to this world as wel as to Heaven and there is a time a comming when they wil be possest with their inheritance Then the Text wil be true literally And thus you have had the Reasons given you of this Phrase and this may suffice for the opening of the Point That it is the World that God was reconciling himself unto CHAP. 36 Use 1 Seeing God hath excepted none from Mercy let none except themselves BY way of Application now and that very briefly only two particulars First Seeing God propoundeth Reconciliation thus in such genneral and large tearmes to the world Then if God have not excepted any let none except themselves Art thou a man that livest here in the world there need be no further qualification for the tender of Grace for the offer of the gospel to thee but this that thou livest in the world God doth not cal for such qualifications as these That they must be such and such men of such and such ranks and dignities or men of such parts or that they must be such as have not committed such and such sins Or that they must be first terrified and so and so humbled No we have Commission to preach the Gospel to every one that hath no other quallification than this but that he lives in the world Indeed if thou wert gone out of the world although thou should'st have but one sinful thought to answer for we could not preach the Gospel to thee though it were possible for an Angel to come to thy soul after it is gone out of this world yet it cold not nor dare not preach the Gospel to thee But while thou are in this world we are appointed to preach the Gospel to thee and to hold forth the tender of Grace and mercy to the. There is no councel of God revealed either to Angels or men that hath excepted any one in the greatest Congrigation of people from Reconciliation with God and thou that hearest or readest what I now say thou mayest bless God that thou art one bless God when thou hearest and readest this that there is no councel of God against thee made known either to angels or men whereby thou art excepted from Reconciliation But every particular one for ought we know in any congregation may be reconciled unto God and have eternal life O Only take heed of abusing this grace of God look to it that you make a Good use of this grace of God this is that which we are bound to tel you and in the name of God we do declare it to you and God propounds this Gospel to us in these large tearms that you may be left utterly without excuse if you perrish There is none of you if you perish can say I was so vild a siner that I was afraid I should never be received by God though I did humble my selfe and come unto him for God wil answer you Were you such a vild Sinner Did not I reveal my gospel in such genneral termes that none might exclud himselfe did not I say I was reconciling my selfe to the world And did I make any exceptions of thee in particular Thou oughtest to have come in amongst the rest and have ventured thy soul
the Oyle of joy for mourning the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness the Planting of the Lord that he might be glorified that is in effect the same with this the Ministery of Reconciliation that is but a large expression of the Ministery of Reconciliation and as you see here it is a prophecy of Christ that first Christ is annoyinted this Christ is appointed by God the Father and the Holy Spirit for the Spirit of God is upon me because the Lord hath annoynted â—e there is the holy Spirit in it God the Father appoints him he only may be said to be the appointer and the Holy Spirit going to annoint Jesus Christ to be a preacher of the Gospel and he being the prime and the cheif Prophet of the Church he doth appoint others to exercise as it were some work of his prophetical office that is to preach the great Doctrine of Reconciliation hath committed unto us the Ministery of Reconciliation this you shal see is the commission that Christ gives in the last of Mark 15.16 verses And he said unto them go yee into all the world and Preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth is baptised shal be saved and he that beleiveth not shal be damned Go ye saith he and preach to every creature he that beleiveth and is baptised shal be saved but he that beleiveth not shal be damned this is the Gospel the doctrine of Reconciliation by Christ he doth not give them a bare commission but he joyns his own power together to this commission and tells them that his power doth go along with them in it Math. 28.18 And Jesus came and speak unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth What followes in vers 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptising them in the name of the Father Son and Holy-Spirit What a commission is here what a preamble to the commissions is here I have received all power both in Heaven and in Earth And than he tells them Go and teach al nations as if Christ should say you are going about the greatest work that ever any creature hath been implyed in in this world for so it is certainly The Ministery of Reconciliation is next to the work of Redemption that Christ was employed about is the greatest work that any creature in this world was employed about whatsoever the world thinks of it no Angel in heaven was ever employed about a greater work then this and therefore being of so great consequence Christ makes this preface Al power is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore as if Christ should say Be it knowen to you now that the power that is given to me by the Father shal go along with you and therefore be encouraged but they might wel have said who is sufficient for these great things But be not discouraged saith Christ my power shal go along with you to assist you to comfort you to encourage you it shal go along with you to make your Ministery proffitable unto them that do belong unto my election It shal go along with you to defend you from al adversaries The world wil be enraged against you When you come to preach this Doctrine But now my power shal go along with you to defend you from them al to strengthen you against al oppositions in the world and to enable you to suffer whatsoever shal be brought upon you and further saith Christ I am with you Alwayes even to the end of the world One would have thought that that should have been sufficient that Christ should have said I am with you to the end of the world But there is something more in this I am with you Alwayes even to the end of the world that is I wil not be only with you so as not wholly to leave you but there shal be no one moment of time to the end of the world but in it I wil be with you I wil not only overshadow you and send my presence with you but every moment every day every sermon you preach and then I wil be with you to the end of the world those were dead above 1500. Yeares agoe and yet Christ saith he wil be with them to the end of the world that is with those that should succeed them in the Minnistery of Reconciliation This is the commission And when they come to any house they are to begin thus You shal say Peace be to you when they come to any place that is the peace of God in Christ Now this doctrine of Reconciliation is that that must be understood by preaching We can read but very little of it scarce one letter in all the book of the creature we cannot come to understand it by any knowledg of our own but it must be taught us no nor by the creature But thus much may be understood by the creatures Gods continuing to the world and shining upon the just as wel as upon the unjust and abundance of Mercy heer doth this declare with a loude voice that there is some possibility for men to be reconciled unto God there is mercy for mankind there doth seem to be a loude voice in the goodness of God in the creature to sound out in the eares of al the world that man is in a better condition than the Devills for certainly if God had no intention to do good unto mankind he would not continue so many Mercies as he doth But now this cannot shew us what is Christ but it may shew us thus much that God hath a way of mercy for the Children of men and I think in part that text may be meant of this that we have in Rom. 10.18 Where the Appostle speaks concerning the Gospel but I say have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into al the world have they not heard of the Gospel that is here spoken of Hath not Israel heard the Gospel Yes verily their sound went into all the Earth and their words unto the end of the world And this text if you compare it with the 19. Psal We may have cause to wonder much at the quotation of it and there you have it a little different as in the vers 4. their Line that is the great characcter of the Grace of God that is written in the book of the creature as it were in a line that is gone out throught the earth and hath a kind of sound in it at least we may see it written but hence you see in the 19. Psalm It is clerly spoken concerning the works of God In the Sun and in the Heavens The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmant shews his handy work The creature hath a loude voice to cal us to God by repentance now there can be no calling of us to Repentance but it is a voice of the Gospel And the
preaching to you How do you think that Christ himself would preach if he were here upon the Earth That which comes neerest to what Christ would preach that you must favor cerrainly Christ would not preach to defend superstitious vanities for Christ when he came to preach preached so as the people many times derided him and scorned him One time when he had done his Sermon they carryed him to the brow of the hil of the City and would presently have broken his Neck Do but read that Sermon of Christ in the 5 6 7. Math. What preachers would you think your Courtiers to be if Christ were preaching to you that that comes nearest to that that Christ would preach that you must most favor and affect Secondly That kind of preaching you think in your consciences doth most prevaile in the authority of the word hath humbled most hearts and converted most souls that Christ hath set his seal unto I appeal unto you what kind of preaching hath humbled most souls and done most good Hath not some poor country preacher that hath preached in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit converted more souls unto God than an hundered Bishops so that he may be able to say at the great day of judgment according to his measure as our blessed Savior said Here am I and those whom thou hast given me Thirdly Examine of what side you be those that be of Gods side they know his voice my sheep hear my voice but a stranger they wil not follow take any town and divide the people and see how the Minister is liked some are for and some against him But now look into the difference of their lives of both these kinds of men of those that are for and those that are against the Minister see their different walkings come into such a place as this Because they say there is a thousand ale-houses belonging to this place of Stepny I think there be hardly five that do savor the Ministery of the word and al your prophane ones generally they speak against the Ministers Now I appeal to your consciences if you were to stand before God at the day of judgment of which side would you be either of the side of those that are drunkards swearers uncleane persons and raylers at the Ministery of the word or of the side of those that are willing to take paines to heare the word of God and bless God for the Ministery of his word Certainly that preaching hath most of Christ in it that those that have most of the Spirit of Christ do most savour fot they know the voice of Christ and a stranger they wil not hear they can understand it though wicked and ungodly ones cannot That is the Second use CHAP. 53. USE 3. We should delight in the Word A Third Use of the point is this Is the ministry of the word such as hath God and Christ speaking in it Oh then How should we delight in it How should we bless God for it With what greediness should we come to hear at any time What is not the voice of Jesus Christ sweet unto us We have Christ wooing of us Christ exhorting of us and Christ comforting of us When we come to the Word O! with what readiness and cheerfulness should we come to hear the voice of Christ If you be Godly Christ doth delight in your voice when you are gotten alone in your Closets and can speak but brokenly O then your voice is delightful to him Therefore the voice of Christ should be very delightful unto you I wil give you a Text or two for proof of this Cant. 2.14 It is a speech of Christ to the Church O my dove that are in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comly O! let me hear thy voice my dove O! thou that art in the secret places of the stairs Art thou got alone into a hole to prayer got alone behind the dore in the secret places for it is spoken here of the estate of the Church in times of persecution that they dare not come together openly howsoever wicked men wil raile at them and say they get into corners to do thus and thus but saith Christ thou that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy countenance is comely Against in the 4. Cant. 11. Thy lips drop as the hony-combe O my Spouse When the Saints speak of Christ or speak to Christ their lips do drop before Christ as the hony-comb Now what an argument is this Shal thy lips be so sweet to Christ and shal not Christs lips be as sweet to thee the Ministry of the word is as if Christ did entreat thee and beseech thee O! how sweet should it be to thee if thou hast the Spirit of Christ the Church of Christ doth answer what Christ said of her lips and of her Voice and of her Mouth so the Church doth answer to Christ in the 5. Cant. mark what the Church saith of his Mouth what an Eccho is here and an answer to prayer saith Christ to the Church Thy lips O my Spouse are as the hony-comb And thy mouth O my Saviour is most sweet In John 3.29 he saith there That the friend of the Bridegroom which stands and hears the Bridegroomes voice rejoiceth greatly If thou be the spouse of Christ thou wilt rejoice to hear the voice of the Brdegroom and every time thou comest to hear a conscionable Sermon thou do'st come to hear the very Voyce of the Bridegroom and thou canst not but rejoyce in it O! how sweet is one word of Christ to a gracious heart and the spiritual communion with Christ here upon earth it is in his ordinances we shal hereafter be alwaies in his presence and see his face But if he would have any evidence that we shal have communion with him in heaven we must Rejoyce in the hearing of his word CHAP. 54 VES 4. If God and Christ speak in the word how dreadful ought it to be to the Neglectors Disobayers and Contemners of the word IF God and Christ do speak in the ministry of his word Then O! what a dreadful point is this to al the neglecters disobeyers and contemners of the ministry of the word Thou neglectest the word O! what dost thou do when thou neglectest the word thou turnest thy backe upon Jesus Christ and wilt not hear him and therefore I suppose you know the place He that turns away his ear from hearing the law his prayers shal be abominable what dost thou turn away thine ear from hearing the word God professes that he wil turn away his ear from hearing thy prayers and thy prayers shal be abominable for thou turnest away thine eare from hearing of Christ speake to thy soul For
it is in Christs stead saith the Appostle There wil be a time when thou wouldst fain have the eare of God to hear thee As you would have God to hear you then so do you hear him now marke that text in the 1. Prov. 24. against those that turn away their eare from hearing God speak Because I have called and ye refused I have streetched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at naught al my councels and you would have none of my reproofe howsoever you thought it was but the word of such and such a man yet you have set at naught al my councels and you would have none of my reproofe your hearts fretted and vext that such a man reproved you no it is my reproofe saith God and mark what a doom follows in the 26. vers you you shal cal Saith God and I wil not hear There was a time friend when I cald to you by such a sermon and you know that I spak to your hearts and you turnd a deaf ear to me you shal cal your hearts out and I wil not hear you and there wil come a time that you shal cal to Gods ministers to pray for you What would you have God to hear his ministers for you and wil not you hear his ministers from God It was a speech of Ambrose to Theodosius the Emperor saith he wil not you hear me seeing you desire that I should be heard for you you desire saith he that I should be heard for you and therefore be you willing to heare me now that was the speech to Theodosious after he hade fallen to a great sin comming to reprove him for his sin what saith he wil not you hear me you would be willing that I should be heard for you therefore be you willing to hear me so say I to al men that live in any way of sin Hear Gods ministers now for a day wil come when you wil be glad that God should hear his ministers for you O! hear us when we come in the name of God we would not have you to heare us if we speake our owne fancies This concerns those that neglect the word Now a word or two to those that disobey the word they wil set their judgments against the judgments of the ministers let him say what he wil it is but his opinion Do you know what you say this rebellion is against God against Christ as if there were this language in your hearts Christ saith I wil have this done thy lusts say they wil have this done O! this wil be charged upon thee one day that the voice of the divel was more strong with thee than the voice of Christ but specially it is to contemne the word to set at naught Gods councels to go away contemn the word Dost thou know what thou dost let me apply but these two scriptures to thee thou that Despisest and Scornest the word that canst go to company and there talke of what thou dost heare in a contemnning manner consider but of these two texts I pray first Consider of the text out of which the Point is Raised of Gods Speaking to thee thou dost despise and dost thou so Consisider what the text in Isa 39.23 Saith when thou gettest into company and there art warme with wine Oh! then thou liftest up the voice and laughest against whom hast thou lift up thy voice thou thinkest it is against Hezekiah No it is against the Holy one of Israel thou thinkest it is against such a man that preacheth such a day no it is against the Holy God and Jesus Christ and this is upon thy score written in Heaven here is one that hath reproached the Holy one and Jesus Christ In Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me c. That is true not only of the desciples that were there for the present upon the earth but of al the faithful ministers to the end of the world for Christ saith when he sends them out I wil be with you to the end of the world They were dead more than a thousand years agoe and Christ yet had promised to be with them that is those that should succeed them he would be with them to the end of the world And this Text concerns every faithful minister as wel as the disciples of Christ al that time you despise Jesus Christ and God his Father when you despise the ministery of his word for the Lords sake take heed what you do when you have to deal with the word you have to deal with an edge tool it is that that wil either save you or destroy you for ever You that have been guilty of neglecting the word the Lord strike and humble your hearts and for a Cordial for time to come I wil apply but one scripture further to you and that is that in Heb. 12.25 What is that that in the faithful ministery of the word God and Christ speaks unto people Then take this exhortation So that yee refuse not him that speaketh If they escaped not who refused him that spak on Earth much more shal not we escape if we turne away him that speaketh from Heaven The Ministery of the gospel and the Ministery of the Law are compared One speaking from Earth the other from Heaven though the truth is they were both from Heaven But now in the Ministery of the Gospel God hath sent his own Son to you In the latter daies he hath spoken by his Son saith the Apostle in 1. Heb. the begining God who at sundery times spak in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last times spoken to us by his Son c. In former times God spake by his Prophets there was the voice of God but it is not so cleer that there was the voice of God though it is true Christ did speak then by the prophets but in comparison Christ is not said to speak by them But now in these daies God hath spoken by his Son and God hath reserved the Ministery of his Grace and his eternal counsels concerning the Children of men God hath reserved this for his Son and not only his Son personally but his Son in the Ministery of his word Now you wil say If Christ did preach as you say he doth there would be more power We find that when Christ did preach that the Pharises derided him in the original it is they blew their noses at him and marke they that were covetous they derided him they even derided Jesus Christ himself A worldly heart that is growen rich that hath gotten from a low estate to a far greater he wil deride the most excellent preaching in the world Take heed that you do not despise the Ministery for certainly the voice of Christ wil prevaile one day If it doth not prevaile here in the word it shal prevail one day when Christ shal say depart from me yee cursed though thou dost not
pleasure in the death of a sinner c. As I live saith the Lord God They were pineing away in their wickedness lying down in their sins now as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and therefore turn turn O! turn Why wil ye die As if a poor sinner should lie down and say the Lord is provoked against me and he wil not be reconciled to me No the wrath of God is out against me he wil revenge himself of me the Lord looks upon a sinner lying in this manner and he bids his servants go and say to him the Lord swears by his own life and saith to this sinner As I live I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner I swear by my self because I have no greater to swear by CHAP. 66. The Sixt Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to sinners ANother Argument is this wherein God doth manifest in his word that above al works that are pleasing to him and that he would have people most to respect in this world is the work of beleeving in his Son and laying hold upon him and so upon that mercy of his that he doth offer in his Son and that is the great work that he is more pleased withal then al the works they do and not doing that it is the greatest offence whereby they can offend God they cannot offend God more in doing any thing in the world And this shews the willingness of God to be reconciled unto sinners God being pleased with a sinner that doth come in to take hold of his mercy And that you have in John 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whâ—â—â—â—â—ch sent by way of excllency above all other therâ—â—â—â— as if God should say If you should do the 〈◊〉 famous work that ever man did in this world I would not delight in it I would not care for that in comparision of this work of comming in and beleeving in my Son Is there a man that should be the great Conqueror of the whole world a man that were famous in al the world Let a poor Soul a penitent heart come in and close with Gods grace in Jesus Christ and rowl it self upon mercy in Christ for Reconciliation this poor Soul though the meanest that were possible to be immagined in the whole Nation is a more glorious work in Gods Eye then the most glorious work of the greatest Conqueror of the earth If thou wert able to rule the Sea if thou wert able to govern al the world if thou wert able to command the Heavens it would not be such a glorious work in the Eyes of God as that is to come and lay hold upon his Son as he is tendred in the Gospel If you should give al your Almes to the poor and your body to be burnt yet it were nothing to the work of beleeving in his Son In John 3 God is most displeased with not beleeving in his Son As if God should say it 's true you are naturally enemies to me and you have lived in waies of enmity against me O! you have provoked me al your daies when you were yong a drunken unclean prophane Youth a Lyar a Swearer a Sabboth-breaker c. but yet you live to hear the voice of the Gospel sounding in your ears and to have the offer of Jesus Christ to your Souls for the pardon of your sins Now be it known to you al the Oaths that ever you swore al your Blasphemies al your Drunkenness al your Uncleaness al al your Sabboth-breaking put them altogether they wil not provoke me so much as rejecting of my Grace in Jesus Christ that I tender to you That is the condemnation of the world al the other iniquities wil not sink you down so deep in Hel as not comming to beleeve in Jesus Christ to lay hold upon the Grace of God that is tendred to you in the Gospel Now is not God very willing to be reconciled when he shal manifest himself thus unto sinful men CHAP. 67. The Seventh Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to Sinners YEt further God manifests himself willing to be reconciled in this that when he sees that notwithstanding al these expressions that have been before that we have spoke of if sinners wil not come in God he wil seek them seeing they wil not seek to him God seeks himself to sinners First that is a point that you have heard before that God is aforehand with us God comes to us because we wil not seek to him If a man be fallen out with another he should come and seek to him but he wil not because he hath such a stout heart Wel saith he that I may convince him that I am not such an austeer man as he conceivs me to be I wil seek to him first and I wil not only seek to him but I wil go to him and beseech him and that you have in the Text Christ is said to come to save and to seek that which was lost we were al lost and we would not seek to him but he was fain to come yea he came from the bosom of his Father He came into the world and his great Errand was to seek those that were lost and when he had found them he beseeches them to be reconciled unto him CHAP. 68. The Eight Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God to be reconciled to sinners FUrther God manifests himself willing to be reconciled in this in the waies of his dealing with wretched sinful men in sending his Grace to allure the hearts of sinners the Lord sends his mercy to spread al the beauty and lustre thereof before the Sons of men al the excellency and Glory of it before the Soul that it may entice the Soul of the sinner to come in unto him he doth not meerly send and seek to him but that he might overcome the hearts of men with love and mercy this is Gods way to cause his mercy to stand before the Soul and to spread the beauty and excellency of it that it move and entice and allure the hearts of men that so God as it were by coards of Love might draw the hearts of poor sinful men unto him If God did but scare men so come in to him it were somwhat but it is this which we have cause to bless God for if the Lord come in never such a terrible way to force us to come in that so there might be made up peace between God and us the Lord besides that way of terror and wrath though somtimes he wil use that way to stop men in the course of their sins and to force them to come in he goes forth and doth send his mercy to stand before the Soul and to spread the beauty excellency and glory of it before the heart of
doth deal in a familiar way as man to man when he hath brought his Arguments and answered Objections and been importunate and pleaded then truly sometimes if it be a tender hearted man perhaps his heart doth even break within him and he is ready to burst out with tears because of the stoutness and frowardness of such a one that wil ruine himself and stand out against so much reason and that prevailing more than al the other arguments especially when he is to speak to one that he hath any reference to as a Father the Father perhaps perswades the Child and answers what the Child hath to say is importunate appeals to the conscience of the Child yet he stands out stubbornly and at length the Father or Mother can hold no longer but burst out in tears lamenting the hardness of heart of such a one Now if a Child that is stubborn should look in at a key-hole and see his Father or Mother shedding of tears because of his hardness of heart then the Child wil certainly be convinced of this Now certainly my Father loves me and al he doth it is but for my good certainly thus did Christ when he came to Hjerusalem he wept over it Upon what ground O! that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that concern thy peace O! that thou hadst known Christ fel a weeping Now we are to know this that the tears of Christ at that time concern sinners now as verily truly as they did concern sinners at that very instant and we are to look upon Christs cariadge of himself to sinners in former times as at this instant concerning us and amongst us Now I would appeal to you suppose Christ were born in this world in the flesh again as he was and should come and look towards this commonwealth and should come hither and say O! England England O! that thou hadst known the things that concern thy peace and should weep over London or weep over Westminster as he did over that Citty of Hjerusalem Would not this break our hearts Would not we take this as a great Argument that Christ was very dersirous of the peace of this Citty or place Now concerning every particular Soul it is true and every one should make use of that Scripture and apply it to themselves as if Christ stood weeping over it and say Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that concern thy peace Would not this break your hearts this Town that Christ sends his Gospel amongst And suppose you could see him bodily Jesus Christ standing here and one tear trickling down after another saying O! that this people did but know the things that concern their peace at least in this their day when they have a price put into their hands before the Gospel Sun goes down or is eclipsed surely we should say that Christs tears argue the rowling of his bowels towards them it may be their time wil not continue long O! that they knew it now If you did see Christ thus weeping I suppose this would be a mighty argument to you that Christ were willing to be reconciled to you We are I say to make use of that Scripture as if it were now And though Christ doth not shed tears now in Heaven yet there is as much compassion in the heart of Christ now as ever there was here upon earth he hath lost no compassion by going to Heaven and therefore know that Jesus Christ doth look at this day upon this Congregation and many particular Souls it is propable Christ more specially eyes and saith in his very heart Oh! that such a Soul such a Servant such a Youth Oh that they did but know the things that concerns their peace for now the Gospel is opened to them and a day of salvation is made known to them and they are labored to be drawn from their evil waies to embrace me and Oh that they did know these things that concern their peace And thus it appears how willing God is to be reconciled I shal afterwards shew somwhat about Christ in a more special manner that sinners should come and be reconciled unto God CHAP. 76. The sixteenth Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God to be reconciled to sinners FUrther there is an other evidence of the willingness of God to be reconciled unto sinners and that is this The Lord doth foresee that after he hath done al to be reconciled unto sinners let him do what he can the Lord foresees what a little honor he shal have for the present at least in this world by them he sees that after they are brought in that yet stil there wil be abundance of corruption and they wil dishonor God extreamely now and wil grieve the Holy spirit that doth thus draw them he sees that they wil walk more offensively and it may be Scandalously towards their bretheren and dishonor the profession of religion God sees what a deal of do and stir he shal have with those that he doth bring in to himself and yet for al this he goes on with his work and labor with the hearts of sinners notwithstanding al that he doth foresee And then the last of al is this that after the Lord hath used al these meanes to bring sinners to come in and break their hearts that they might be reconciled to him though they that stand out against him and plead and weep over them and mourn yet the Lord is content to waite and yet a long time upon sinners and not to take advantage against them for their rejecting of this Grace of his that he tenders to them That scripture I named before is sufficient for that Isa 30.18 And therefore wil the Lord wait that he may be gratious Oh! how many yeares hath the Lord waited upon som of you We have cause to stand and admire at the Grace of God that ever he would once offer mercy to us that after so many offers and such importunities to prevail with our hearts and we frowardly have rejected this Grace that now God should waite upon us to heal our souls and at length to overcome us Oh! this manifests the goodness of God and the tenderness of his heart to be willing to be reconciled unto sinners and therefore in Jer. 13. Mark what God saith unto sinners in the last verse I have seen thy Adulteries and thy Neighings and the Lewdness of thy Whordomes and thy abominations Wo unto thee Oh Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shal it once be Saith God Oh! that once it might be I am content to stay again and again Oh! when shal it once be Let not al my labor be in vaine Oh! here is the fullness of the expressions of God and that place likewise in Isa 57. Is observable for this purpose the 17. and 18. verses For the iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth and Smote him I hid me and was
another expression there is I have a baptisme to be baptized with and how am I streightned till it be accomplished Christ was streightned in his heart til the work was done You may see how much the heart of Christ was in it to be reconciled unto sinners when became to do the thing indeed when the wrath of God was even just comming upon him then though nature had some kind of reluctancy he saieh if it be possible let this cup pass from me to shew how sensible his humane nature was of it yet presently Not my wil but thy wil but thy wil be done And the scriptue tells us that he did make his soul an offering for sin and that he layd down his life And further after that Christ had layed down his life and risen again mark one expression more that shews how willing Christ is to have sinners reconciled and brought in unto the Father and to be at peace with him and that is very remarkable in Luke 24. verse 46. And so on note what was that first preaching of Christ repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand So here in this world in his bodily presence this may seem to be his last sermon What was it he said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer Wel in vers 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name amongst al nations begining at Jerusalem and ye are witnesses of these things and then by and by he was caught up into heaven That which I note this scripture for is this that after Christ had been so notoriously abused in his sufferings yet this did not hinder his earnest thirsting after reconciliation of those that had put him to death and had so abused him saith he it is written that it behoved Christ to suffer c. To begin at Jerusalem and that is that that I would have done The repentance should be preached to al nations but begin at Jerusalem Why begin at Jerusalem Because Jerusalem was the place where Christ was put to death immediately befâ—â—â— he was crowned with Thorns mockt a Reed put into his hands spit upon The Children of Barrabas rather than him yea and they cryed Away with him they carried him to the Cross and there nailed him til he was dead and thus they dealt with Christ there yet Christ would have repetance preacht to al Nations but saith he above al think of Jerusalem and begin at Jerusalem let them have it in the first place Jerusalem that took away my life that killed me If any thing in the world could take of the heart of Christ from being reconciled to sinners one would have thought that that which he had done to him at Jerusalem should have taken of his heart but he would have them begin at Jerusalem It is a notable Text of Scripture to us and you shal find it the most remarkable conversion and bringing in of sinners was at that Sermon of Peter when Peter charged them that they had crucified Christ the most famous conversion that ever was made of those people that put Christ to death the most famous work of Gods reconcling sinners to himself of Christ bringing in of sinners by the preaching of the Gospel it was by bringing in of those sinners and therefore in the last Sermon that Christ preached from Heaven as the first Sermon upon Earth and the last Sermon upon Earth and the most solemn Sermon that was at the dedication of the Temple is altogether about bringing in sinners to be reconciled to God So the last Sermon that he preacht from Heaven or that ever he wil preach til he comes again so in Revel 22.17 And the spirit the Bride said come let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst say Come and whosoever wil let him take the water of life freely These are the last words in effect that are at the conclusion of the book that ever Christ would speak til he came to Judgment never would he speak more in that way to the children of men until he came in a new world But in this word here is the last in this expression Let him that is athirst and whosoever wil let him come and take of the water of life freely Now the Objections they wil come in as first CHAP. 78. Objections Answered concerning the willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to sinners OBject You wil say Why should God do al this and Christ do al this you tel us that God is so willing to be reconciled and hath so exprest himself and Christ so willing to be reconciled and hath so exprest himself by entreating and beseeching but both God and Christ knows we can do nothing of our selves and therefore to what end is al this that you have spoken as if we should go into Golgothus or burial places and entreat the dead to rise out of their graves To what purpose would it be we are dead in sins and trespasses and now if we can do nothing al that you have spoken is but to little purpose To that purpose I answer First though it is true we are dead in sins and trespases and are not able to performe any true saving work by our own strength yet first al those expressions of God and Christ in his word and so of the ministers of God in their names it may be of this use to stir up common gifts and graces of the spirit of God in us and that is for to have them stirred up to the utmost that possible may be people must not think that because they cannot do any worke that is indeed saving in it self any work of spiritual life that therefore there is nothing to be done by them we are to know that though the saving works of God be more rare yet there are common workes of the spirit that God doth dispence to many yea to most and in some degree or other to al especially to those that live under the sound of the Gospel there are none that live under the sound of the Gospel but they have some common gifts of the Spirit of God in one degree or other Now the Lord would have these stirred up to the utmost though it cannot be in a sanctified way and these expressions of God Christ to sinners have a great deal of efficacy in them to stir up what common gifts of Gods Spirit you have and if sinners do not this they cannot expect that God should do much towards them Consider what power God hath given them and what common gifts they have already and let that be acted to the utmost and then they may wait stil for more from God This is a truth that there are none that do perish but God hath this to charge them with that they did not stir up the common gifts of Gods spirit Secondly though we cannot do any thing of our selves yet God knows
God in a Mercy As in his Mercy to Abraham Isaak Jacob Solomon David c. There were glorious discoveries of Gods presence when as Jacob was delivered form Esau saith Jacob I have seen thee as the face of God it may be read thus I have seen thee after the face of God after I have seen the face of God I have seen thee I that is sweet and comfortable indeed when we can see a mercy after we have seen the face of God we can se the face of God in the way of his Mercy and after we see the face of God then look upon the Mercy and then gather this argument If thou hast an eye that in a Mercy thou canst see the face of God there and after the sight of the face of God in the mercy then it is somewhat Thus in Isay 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us thou wilt for thou also hast wrought al our works in us mark the argument Lord thou wilt ordain peace Why For thou hast wrought al our works in us This scripture is spoken concerning the deliverance of the people of Israel from their captivity God did begin to deliver them and those that were Godly were sure to have deliverance complate Thou wilt ordain we are sure of that say they why for thou hast wrought al our works for us for it is not Cyrus But it is a remarkable hand of God upon the spirit of Cyrus and al that is done in our deliverance it is done through a mighty hand of God Thou hast wrought al our works in us The work it is a work above Nature it is a wonderful work of God and therefore we are sure that thou wilt ordain peace for us When God appeares wonderful remarkably in a Mercy to his people then they conclude of further Mercies A most excellent place for that likewise in Psal 75.5 Vnto thee Oh God do we give thanks for that thy name is neare thy wonderous works declare mark for that thy name is near thy wonderous works declare Oh Lord as if they should have said we se thy wonderful works we see thy face thy Power thy Glory thy Mercy and thy Goodness we se thy Mercy a creating Mercy and therefore thy name is near O! thou art good yet more and more for that thy wondrous works declare Brethren when Gods mercies are creating mercies then we may expect that they wil be perfect mercies for though in generation there may be a defect yet in creation there is never a defect many times there may want a Limb a member in generation but al that God creates he creates perfect Now when the mercies of God are as it were created mercies not generated out of second causes but we see a kind of created power then surely it wil be perfect Now Brethren before we come to Application to our own hearts we cannot but apply this as a strong argument to raise up our thoughts to make account of the mercies this day we enjoy to be a door of Hope unto us for if ever people have created mercies we have if ever a people could see the face of God in a way of mercy then we may at this day if ever a people could say Thou Oh Lord hast wrought al our works for us we may wel say it and therefore we may draw that coclusion that the Church did Thou wilt ordain peace for thou hast wrought al our works for us Surely Brethren Gods name is nigh God hath seemed to be afar off from England for a long time God is coming nigh his name is nigh for his wondrous works that he hath done of late declare it But that is the first The Second discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies When Gods Mercies are Spiritual Mercies then they are certain in-lets to further Mercies a Spiritual Mercie never come alone but make way for further I wil give you but one Text for that because I see time outruns me in Ezek. 39.29 Neither wil I hide my face any more from them saith God Why For I have powred out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saitth the Lord God Mark I wil hide my face no more from them Why for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saith the Lord God Brethren if ever any Nation had the Spirit of God poured out upon them certainly we have God poureth out his Spirit unto his people upon private Christians and upon Ministers in a wonderful abundant manner and how hath he poured out his Spirit upon our Worthies assembled in Parliament Now let this be a good Argument neither wil I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my spirit upon them then it is an Argument for us this day that God wil not hide his face from us because he hath poured out his Spirit upon us If there be any people under Heaven that have the Spirit of God upon them certainly the people of England have it at this day and this is Gods own promise and Argument you may plead it with God in prayer that he wil never hide his face from them that he hath poured out his Spirit upon not only in general may you make use of it but for your selves in particular Hath God poured out his Spirit upon any of your Souls you may make this conclusion it is Gods own conclusion he wil never hide his face from you because he hath poured his Spirit upon you that is the Second The Third discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies Then is a Mercy a fore-runner of further Mercy when it is obtained by Faith and prayer in the Covenant of Grace That Mercy that prayer and the exercise of Faith doth obtain is certainly and infallibly a fore-runner of further Mercy God hath not done with that people and that Soul in a way of Mercy where he bestows a Mercy as a fruit of prayer an exercise of Faith in the Covenant If prayer be the Key to open Heaven when it is shut to us much more then wil it keep Heaven open when it is once open but that we know to be the excellency of prayer it is the great Key of Heaven that golden Key of Heaven that opens it when it is shut then surely prayer can keep Heaven open If ever a Mercy were obtained by prayer certainly that Mercy that we have now for the present here in Edgland is a Mercy obtained by prayer if ever there were a Parliment obtained by prayer since England was a Nation certainly this Parliment was we may cal the name of this Parliament Samuel asked of God and what have been the earnest cries of Gods people of many that are dead and gone but for these times Now that that is a fruit not only of prayer of Gods people for the present but is the Harvest of so many prayers of the Saints of God and Worthies of God in former
ages that are now gone and their Souls are triumphing in Heaven I say that that is the Harvest of al their prayers surely cannot be one single Mercy but is a Mercy to let in others it is a Mercy that is a door of hope to further Mercies and that is the Third Note Again Fourthly a Fourth Note of a Mercy that is a making way to further Mercies is this The Fourth Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies That Mercy that leads us to the God of Mercy is certainly an inlet to further Mercies whatsoever it is that leads our Souls to the God of Mercy we may conclude that this Mercy wil bring abundant good with it I must not build upon divers Sccriptures only read that of David in 2 Sam. 7. the whole Chapter you may read at your leisure how Gods Mercy to him lead him to the God of Mercy upon which there was such a promise of continuance of Mercy for so long a time The fift Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets of future Mercies That Mercy I beseech you observe it that is to a Soul to a people an ingagement to duty is certainly a door of more Mercy whatsoever Mercy God bestows upon you in particular or upon a Nation if the Mercy be made an engagement to Duty certaitnly it is a door to more Mercy take it thus As so we may when we do account our duties to be Mercies then our duties wil hold so when Gods Mercies are turned into duties then Gods Mercies wil hold it is a most infallible sign of one that wil persevere in duty that wil never fail If thou wouldest know whether thou art like to persevere in duty or no O! I am afraid I shal fall off saysome O! if I were sure that I should persevere to the end it would comfort me Would you have an infalliable sign that your duties wil hold to the end take this for one If thy Soul looke upon every duty as a Mercy to thee every command to a duty as Gods Mercy to thee every day thus I dare pawn my soul that soul wil persevere so far as any soul shal account a duty to be a Mercy so far that soul shal persevere As it is a certain Evidence of perseverance in duty when a duty is accounted a Mercy so I say it is a cerain Evidence that there wil be a perseverance in Mercy when Mercy is turned into duty when Mercy shal be an engagement to duty and turns into duty then it is a certain sign there wil be a perseverance in mercy as when duty is accounted mercy there wil be a persevernce in duty Again another may be this The Sixt discovery whether Gods present mercyes be in-lets to future mercies That mercy that humbleth the heart that mercy is an in-let to further mercy And it is very observable that place in Sam. 2 7. you may read that Chapter in two or three several places when God had promised to David great things marke you Davids spirit was as low then never lower what am I saith David and David cries out Thou art great O Lord he crieth not out thou hast made me great but thou art great O Lord and in the 26. verse Let thy name be magnified for ever he was low in his own spirit What am I but let thy name be magnified for ever Davids heart was not taken up about this Oh! God hath promised to me a perpetual Kingdome unto my posterity and now I am great and God hath magnified me no but what am I and let thy name be magnified and be thou great O Lord. When this shal be the frame of a soule of a people when God advanceth them in a way of Mercy and they cry out Oh! let me be low and be any thing so Gods name be magnified certainly this Mercy is a fore-runner of further mercy As it is a great argument of the strength of faith and acceptable to God when as in one adversity when God seems to come out against him that a guilty heart can beleeve and the heart can be raised and not sinke in the depth of adversity I beseech you observe it as when the heart can rise in the depth of adversity it is a stronge argument that there is an enduring faith and a pretious faith so when the heart can fal in the height of prosperity and be low there is abundance of grace in that soul acceptable to God and God intendeth much good to it The seventh discovery Whether Gods present mercies be in-lets to future mercies When as we are careful to consecrate the first fruits of our Mercies to God when the first fruits of the good we do receive are ever consecrated to God then it is but an inlet of further Mercies for so it was here This vally of Achon you know it was by Jerico as an evidence unto them that they should have al the Land of Canan now what did they at Jericho they did devote al to God the whole City to God with the suburbs of it were devoted to God they consecrated the first fruites of Canan at their entering into Canan where Jericho was and this valey of Acon was just by it when God did begin to give them possession of that good land they did devote the first fruits to God and so it became an evidence to them that they should possesse the Good land afterwards So when God beginneth in a way of mercy and goodness then if a people or family or particular man or woman begineth to devote that first fruit of mercy to God it is evident it is a doore of hope of further Mercy Thus I have done with the explication I am sory I have no more time for the application I wil passe over things as briefly as I can it is the last of al I most intend for the First therefore USE 1. If this be so that Gods Mercies and even present Mercies are inlets to future when God is in a way of Mercy then his people may expect greater to follow hence folows this consequence upon it that therefore those men and women that are only careful to seeke God in time of affliction are much mistaken and it is a vile wretched folly for any to thinke that that is the only time to seeke God the time of affliction that is confuted from this point thus for if when God is in a way of mercy then Gods people they argue that more mercy is coming then this follows that when God is in a way of mercy then it is a fit time to pray to him that is the fittest time to pray to him when God is in a way of goodness and Mercy to them when Mercy is comming then it is a time for thee to be praying But now the case is quite cross in the world they wil pray to God indeed when when God hath them at the advantage in a time of sickness and affliction and
upon their death beds when Gods justice is out against them and Gods wrath upon them and they see themselves plunging into the bottomless gulfe then they wil pray and cry for mercy Oh! thou shewest thy selfe to be a stranger to the waies of God and to the minde of God and to the covenant of God if thou wert one of Gods people then thou wouldest know that when God is in a way of Mercy then is the best time of praying for one Mercy lets in another and then is the best time of praying I would argue thus Is it more likely that God when the day of his patience and longe sufering continues to thee that then he should deny thee mercy I say is it like he should deny thee mercy then and yet when the day of his wrath and justice cometh then he should bestow Mercy upon thee what an absurd apprehension of things is here Thou criest God wil deny thee Mercy and grace now now is the day of his long-suffering patience and wil he deny it now and yet is he like to give it thee when the day of his wrath and justice cometh upon thy sick bed and death bed that may be the day of vengance of wrath If thou hast wisdome to thy soul seeke God whilst Mercy is coming and while he is in a way of Mercy that is the fittest time to pray and therefore take it this day and be convinced you carnal hearts that have no minde to pray but when they are in their afflictions but those hearts are most spiritual that can pray most when God is coming most in mercy to them but the time of affliction is the most unlikly time of getting any thing from God I had thought to have spoken divers things about that USE 2. If this be so when God is in a way of mercy one mercy wil let out another hence al the Saints of God are taught and admonished to observe and take diligent notice of the connexion of Gods mercies towards them for certainly this is Gods way to them one mercy maketh way for another and if thou belongest to God that hath been his way to thee all thy life time even from his Electing thee only now it is thy duty to be observant how God hath made one mercy a door of hope to another mercy and it is a special work to observe Gods waies towards a Christian a special work of the Sabbath many of you especially you that are not book-learned you say you know not how to spend the Sabbath after the publique exercise is done but must walk up and down the streets c. here is a work for them that are not book-learned to spend the Sabbath in If thou beest godly then sometimes every Sabbath recollect all the waies of Gods merciful providence towards thee ever since thy Youth and Childhood and how one hath had a connexion to another how one mercy hath let in another mercy and that lets in a third and that third a fourth and you shal see how the track of Gods goodness hath been towards you al your daies and that wil be a most sweet meditation for you wherein God shal have a great deal of Glory the 92. Psalme is a Psalme appointed for the Saâ—â—ath and you shal find that it is a Psalme of contemplation of the works of God and the waies of Gods mercies trwards his people it is a special way to understand the connexion of things and the connexion of causes how one cause hath dependance upon another cause and that upon another and that upon another and this is the difference between Sence and Reason the bruit Beasts that have only sence they taste the sweetness of a thing but they never enquire after the cause but now the more rational any man is the more desires kindle in him to find out the connexion of causes If this be a sweet thing to a soul in a natural way to find out the connexion of causes O! how sweet is it to a gracious soul to find out the connexion and concatination of al the mercies and goodnesses of the Lord towards him in al the passages of his life and do it the rather because that the truth is Brethren this that I am speaking of now it is that wherein a principal part of the glorious inheritance of the Saints consisteth in the glory of Heaven wherein the happiness of the glorified souls there shal consist it wil be this that eternal Sabbath that shal be spent in Heaven wil amongst other things be spent in this work that I am speaking of in a contemplation of al the connexion and concatination of Gods merces towards those that are now in Heaven Now they have been connected and concatinated ever since they have had a being and so brought up to that height of glory Oh! what an infinite content the Saints shal have when God shal reveal al when they shal see into the councels of God and the wil of God so freely and into al his waies how they were chosen from al eternity and so to eternity and there they shal see every passage of Providence that they did not understand the meaning of before how it made way to such a mercy and that to another and that to another and so til they were brought to that fulness of glory they shal I say be eternally contemplating thus of the connexion of Gods mercies and praising and blessing of God that did thus work and coennex things together for their good If thou hopest to come to Heaven to be thus excercised to give God glory there Oh! begin this work here for we pray Gods wil may be done on earth now as it is done in Heaven As on the contrary it wil be a great part of the torment of the damned that they shal there see how one work of Justice made way for another how one passage of Gods Providence made way to one Judgment and that to another and that to another and so til they were plunged into the bottomless pit for ever and the very sight how God wrought from one to another wil be torment enough to them Wel that is the Second to consider of the connexion of Gods mercies A Third Use of the Point is this USE 3. If this be so hence we are taught to entertain every mercy of God kindly and to make much of al Gods mercies if we belong to God every mercy comes but as a Messenger of further mercy Oh! entertain it wel entertain it kindly imbrace it make good use of it Indeed when the Prophet Elisha knew the Messenger of the King came to do mischief to him he bids them entertain him roughly at the door hardly at the door but Brethren every mercy that cometh to us if we be godly it cometh as a Messenger of good tidings it cometh to bring more mercy with it and therefore let us entertain it kindly at the door let us
of mercy but now if thou hadst a heart to observe the beginings of Gods mercy and to pray when he begins to open the doore and let in a little light and so to follow God thou mightest have been free from the spirit of bondage long ere now But I must leave particular applications now and come to the more general and therefore seeing that this is the thing our condition requires we must venture upon it at least now though I should never doe any other thing I could not forbeare at this time that God hath opened a doore of mercy a doore of hope to us to al England I suppose every one sees it and among the people of God it is the mater of their discourse when they come together Now what is it that should be our care O! that this doore be never shut that now our iniquities lock it not now to follow God on in the way of his mercy that is brethren a blessed doore of hope and I may compare this doore of hope to that doore that leads into the holy place 1. Kings 7.50 the text saith That the hinges of gold for the doors of the inner house that door that went into the holy place it had the hinges of gold Bretheren those worthies of our land that God hath called unto our Parliamentary Asembly they are the hinges of our door and blessed be God they are not iron hinges thaâ— they have not rigid rugged spirits not at al to regard the cries of the oppressed no they have been unto us as hinges of gold our door of hope doth hang upon hinges of gold If I were at this time to speak to that Assembly those that are the hinges of our doore to those that are our door-keepers the door-keepers of this Door of hope yea rather those that are even this doore it selfe unto us were I to speake to them I would seek to lay the great charge of that mighty trust that is committed unto them upon them never any Assembly in the world had opportunities of greater mercy from God to his people than these have were I to speake to them I should seeke to perswade that as ever they would have God open to any of their souls for themselves or their posterity when they shal knock at Gods door of mercy that they would be faithful in keeping the door of hope open unto us that we might enter comfortably into it I should cry unto them that they would set open their own hearts open ye gates be ye opened ye everlasting doores that Christ the King of Glory might enter into your hearts families be set up there but because I am not to speake to them but to you this day I shal direct my selfe unto you in that that is sutable to this auditory I am preaching to The exhortation of God to you is that you would take notice of the great work of God in this doore of hope that you would give him the glory that you would praise his name for his wonderous works declare that his name is nigh and therefore praise him that you would seek God now earnestly when he is in a way of mercy O! that you would seeke to praise him now and praise him as much as ever you can that you would close with God in the great work that God is about that according to your several places and rankes you would further the great worke that God hath opened a door unto that now you would bestir you while God is stirring in a way of mercy be you al stirring in a way of endeavours according unto the mercy God hath sent that your hearts might be up and kept up as Gods heart is up at this time and be kept up for ever and to that ende that your hearts might be a little stirred to further the work of God and towards keeping open this door take these Considerations 1. That door of hope that now we have Oh! it is a door that God hath opened after much knocking Oh! there hath been rapping at Heavens gate mighty knocking 's there before this door was opened Oh! the prayers of the Saints that have been put up for to get open this door they have knocked again and again and it hath seemed to be barred against them at length prayer hath got open the door as God promised Knock and it shal be opened This day that word is â—ulâ—illed towards us we have knocked and the door is opened now that door that is opened by such knocking 's O! whaâ— great pitty it were it should be shut again through our â—emissness 2. It is a door of hope opened to us now when as but a little while since we have hâ—d a door of fears and miseries and wrath and wickedness superstition and Idolatry even set wide open this was a door not long since Oh! did not God open a door to us so as if he would let in al wrath and miseries What fears had we What kind of communion had we when we met together What shal we do Where shal we go the hand of God is against us you were afraid that God would let ih a deluge of misery and at that door let in al his wrath upon us and not only so but a door open for al kind of wickedness al superstition Idolatry cruelty What a door was there open not long since we may apply that place of Jer. 23.15 where the Prophet saith Prophaneness is gone through the whole Land from the Prophets from wicked and scandalous Ministers and others Oh! what superstition and prophaneness went throughout our Land there was a door open from them to al wickedness such a door as might bring al kind of wickedness Now that we that had the mouth of such a door laid open upon us should now have a door of hope opened to us Oh! praised and blessed be the name of God! shal we be unfaithful now to God in this way of mercy towards us 3. Consider that we have this door of hope opened to us after that we have been unfaithful after the opening of other doors how many doors have we shut to our selves hertofore We have had many doores of hopes other Parliaments before yet we not following of God we did wretchedly and wickedly shut these doors upon God and upon our selves and yet that God should open yet another door unto us Oh Gracious God! as they cryed at the laying of the foundation of the Temple Praise Praise so we may say now though the work be not done as we desire yet at the beginning of it we may cry praise praise 4. This door of hope was opened to us when in our own thoughts we give al up for lost when we even thought in our selves that God had for eternity shut the door against us Oh! how have the ministers of God in former times been crying up judgments and our guilty consciences did close with those truths and say
old ones have you that are fit to instruct young ones and to come incourage them in the waies of Righteousness and to tel them what they have found in Gods waies and so to provoke them on to the wais of righteousness 3. How few old ones have you that can delight to see God yet appearing more gloriously in his waies in his truth and ordinances than he hath done nay are not many vexed and think to cast off al with an apprehension of novelty new things that we have and so upon that vex and fret and wish that things were as they were formerly of Old 4. How many have we that are ancient that are spiritual and heavenly that can say with Paul Now I have finished my course and have fought the sight of faith and henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory Come Lord Jesus come quickly Certainly if old age be found in the way of sin it is as dishonorable as it is glorious when it is found in the waies of righteousness 95 Isaiah 20. a sinner a hundred years old shal be accursed saith God a siner a hundred years old we read in Exe. 8.12 When God would shew the superstitious idolatry of his people there he brought Ezekiel and shewed him what the ancients of Israel did O! it is a sore and heavy thing when as the ancients of Israel shal any waies countenance the waies of superstition and Idolatry and therefore in 9 Ezek. 6. when God would come against his people in the waies of his Iudgments then God had the destroying Angel begin at those that were old first and strike them first I it is a blessed thing when the Hoary head is found in the waies of righteousness but when we have white hairs and black consciences that is a grievous thing Instead of being old in the waies of righteousness to be old in adulteries in Ezek. 23.43 it is said there she was old in adultry that is an aggravation of her sin that shee was old in adultery yea to have the wantonness of their youth that be now come to their old age to have their old age be a sinke to the diseases of their youth Those that are old in sin they shal have old wrath heaped up for them Ezek. 25.15 it is an agravation of wrath that it is said to be old wrath there is old wrath as wel as old sins An old enemy of God is a most dreadful thing for him and his forefathers to have bin old enemies to God an old earthy muckworme to be old and yet ignorant and superstitious to be an example to draw others to that that is evil through the venerableness of their age this is a sore and a very grievous and an evil thing the Lord speak to the hearts of those that are so because they have so little time to make provision for their souls to make up their peace with God and it is hard for them to do it they that have bin in captivity seventy years as we read of the children of Isarael that they had bin in captivity seventy years together and so there are many men and women that have bin in captivity under satan for these seventy years perhaps for eighty years together O! how hard is it to work upon them as if a candle lay a longe time in the wet it is hard to light that candel it is as hard to worke the work of Grace upon any that have layne soaking a long time in their corruptions I wil not say it is impossible but give me an example of one man that hath bin converted when he was old only one seemeth to have fom probability of it and that was Manasseh but except that I know no example of any not that it is impossible only this I speak to cause those that yet have not made up their peace with God and yet they have one foot in the grave to look about them while there is time it is possible but we must make account of it as a mighty great thing God must magnifie his free grace towards you for how shal God have his ende in working upon you what service shal God have from you when you have given away your former time in the waies of sin the Lord speak to your consciences and humble them before him at this day for their condition is sad and it is a most dreadful object As it is a most glorious object to behold one righteous in his old age so it is a dreadful object to se an old drunkard an old swearer an old prophane man is a most dreadful and fearful object to behold but we hope that the Lord hath some objects among us that cal for much reverence and respect and to them I desire rather to speake VSE 2 By way of incouragement and by way of exhortation much peace and comfort is due unto such the Lord and saints look upon them as honorable Thou art a Father in Israel and God remembers al that thou hast done for him these forâ—y these sixty years I remember Luther saith That one gracious action is more excellent than heaven and earth Millies quam caelum et terra saith he one gracious action and there is a truth in it there is no gracious action but hath more excellency in it than the frame of heaven and earth Then those that have continued long in the waies of God and have grown Old in them Oh! how excellent are they that have performed so many gracious actions and al are treasured up with the Lord know the Lord hath Old mercies for thee who hast been an Old disciple and he wil not forsake thee when thou art Old Psal 71.9 Cast me not off in the time of Old age forsake me not when my strength faileth And in verse 18. now also when I am Old and gray headed Oh God! forsake me not If thy conscience tells thee thaâ—â—hou hast indeavored to serve God from thy youth to do good in the place God hath set thee in thou mayest now go with comfort unto God Oh Lord now forsake me not wheâ— am Old leave me not when I am Old Now thou â—ast the blessings of the people of God upon thee and whensoever thou goest out of the world Oh! the sweet savor that thou wilt leave behind thee thou art a glory and honor to all thy children and shalt be after thou art dead and gone in Proverbs 17.6 Childrens children are the crown of Old men and the Glory of children are their fathers The glory of children are their Fahers I when their Fathers are gracious and Godly then â—â—ey are the glory of their children As now what an honor is it that a child came of such an one Oh! this young man he had a very gracious Father an ancient grave Citizen he did worthily in his time he did God a great deal of service he was a man of excellent guifts in the place where God had set him surely