not have any great affection for him But where the Lord turns away his wrath the stream of his love doth run amain The time of our reconcilation and returning is called a time of love And this love is the more to be admired because it finds us in our bloud which makes us deserve loathing it finds no beauty no comeliness at all in us but what it puts upon us The Apostle speaks of rich mercy and great love which the reconciled have an interest in Ephes 2. 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved This love of God is exceeding liberal it sets open his fulness which is so all-sufficient and we may come and take what we need at pleasure And as they who are at peace with God have an interest in his love so this love doth enkindle love in them to him again The unreasonable enmity of their hearts against God is cured the soul lifts up it self to God Psal 25. 1. which before very unreasonably doated upon the world and much more unreasonably upon its own lusts 3. Peace with God implies the establishment of a sure and everlasting Covenant between him and us As the Lord makes this Covenant so he makes over himself in this Covenant He becomes ours and he takes us for his own Ezek. 16 8. Nâ—w when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine This Covenant is styled the Covenant of peace The Lord being once a friend will never become an enemy he will be merciful to the unrighteousness of them that are in Covenant with him and as he hath engaged not to leave and forsake them so he hath promised to put his love and fear into their hearts that they shall not leave and forsake him they are apt to be unstedfast 't is well they have to do with a God that is faithful and changeth not to this is owing their perseverance and their blessedness That 's a sweet place Isai 54. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Oh that our hearts were but set to study this Covenant of our God! How precious how sutable are the Promises of it We are guilty defiled troubled weak and lost creatures but in this Covenant Pardon the Spirit Peace strengthening Grace and eternal Salvation are made over And he that hath promised can as easily perform as promise Nay Christ hath confirmed this Covenant by his death so that it cannot be altered Our Lord at his death engaged his Father to be a Friend unto all that did or should believe in him and therefore that he will be a sure and never failing Friend may securely be built upon 4. Peace with God implies his taking us into a new and near relation to himself He makes us his Children and surely then we shall abide in his house for ever He not only sayes I will be a God to you but also I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. Well may we wonder with the Apostle 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Those who are at peace with God are espoused unto Jesus Christ unto such a Bill of divorce shall never be given And as Christ becomes their Husband and God their Father so they consent to carry it like Children to love and fear the Lord in a child-like manner to follow fully and hard after him they are willing to be faithful unto Christ and to be subject unto his commands which are far from being grievous 5. Peace with God implies freedom of access to him Those who proudly harden themselves in sin the Lord beholds them afar off but he is nigh to those whose peace is made such are invited not only to come but to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace and mercy and grace to help shall not be denied them Heb. 4. ult They may without discouragement approach to God and tell him of their temptations He is ready to succour them they may tell him of their weakness he is ready to strengthen them with might in their inward man they may tell him of the distempers which they are burthen'd with he is ready to heal them they may spread their desires before him he is ready to fulfil the desire of the humble Psal 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear And as the Soul whose peace is made hath freedom of access to God so God hath freedom of access unto the soul When Christ knocks the heart opens when the Spirit moves he doth prevail when God comes to dwell the heart yields it self to be his Temple and habitation and how much hereby is the soul dignified and advanced The sinner is no longer foolishly stubborn he denies the Lord nothing when he requires his heart his desire his love none of these shall be kept back any longer from him 6. Peace with God implies fellowship and communion with him There is a kind of a commonness between God and them that are reconciled to him whatever is in God is theirs because God is not ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11. 16. They have an interest and propriety in his Power and Wisdom and Mercy and fulness and they are sensible of the blessed effects of these and other of the Lords Attributes God having given them himself what will he refuse to communicate He is ever manifesting himself and bestowing those blessings upon them which Aliens never do receive He deals not towards them with a sparing hand the promise runs thus Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. And this is certain that the more open our mouths are the more open will the hand of God be Thus you see what Peace above what Peace with God is In the next place I am to speak of Peace within 'T is natural to man to be his own enemy and tormentor He that was possessed with unclean spirits 't is said no man could bind him no not with chains but he was in the Tombs and Mountains crying and cutting himself with stones Mar. 5. 5. In like manner a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the power of the Air worketh will not be bound will not be hindred from doing his soul harm those cords of restraint that the Word casts upon him he breaks asunder and casts away he is
perfect hatred Sin which was lov'd better then the soul better then salvation the heart by the Spirit is turn'd against it and how earnest are the cries that it may not reign no nor live any longer And Holiness against which there was a very strong though unreasonable antipathy is now hungred and thirsted after there is a tide which runs upwards contrary to the former stream which ran downward The Lord hath those affections which before sin and the world commanded The desart is become as Sharon and in the ruines which corruption hath made there is a Temple for the Spirit of God to dwell in The Day of Grace is the only time to be made new creatures in Now thy earthly heart may be made heavenly thy impure heart cleansed thy mind which was vain carnal enmity against God may be made serious and to approve and subject it self to the Law of God 3. 'T is the work of the Spirit to guide They who are the children of God are lead by him and 't is in the way everlasting that he leads them they are directed into such a path as will certainly bring them to the everlasting enjoyment of the Eternal God Neither doth he only guide but strengthen the Spirit puts might into their inner man and makes them to hold on their way till they come to the blessed end of it We have all like sheep gone astray we have turned every one to his own way Isa 53. 6. But in this Day of Grace the Spirit is near to chalk out a path in which we cannot miss of happiness and to help us over all the stumbling blocks and difficulties which are cast in our way The Spirit doth also comfort as well as strengthen He sheds abroad the sense of the love oâ— God into the heart and such a joy issues from this sense of love that tribulation cannot turn into sorrow 4. Many of them that perish have experience while this Day of Grace continues of the Spirits workings The Spiriâ— doth use a kind of holy violence to hinder them from pulling down vengeance upon themselves Thus he did strive with the old world in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. Christ was quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah This place is wrested and may seem difficult but the meaning is plainly this That Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost by which Holy Ghost accompanying the ministry of the ancient Patriarks he preached unto the impenitent sinners of the old world whose spirits are now imprisoned in hell because â—n their life time they were disobedient â—o the Spirits voice all the while the â—ong suffering of God did wait upon â—hem Thus the Spirit likewise did â—trive with the children of Israel but â—hey rebelled and vexed the holy Spirit of God Isai 63. 10. 'T is not an unusual â—hing for the Spirit to enlighten and aâ—aken the Conscience to clap chains and â—etters upon corruption for a while that â—â— breaks not forth as formerly to conâ—â—rain unto a frequent performance of duty But the Soul hankers after its beloved lusts and vanities grows weary of the Spirits restraint grudges the time and pains which duty takes up and wishes that the Spirit would go away and accordingly the Holy Ghost departs from him However this is true that the Spirit works much and would more were he not resisted That 's the second priviledge of the Day of Grace the presence of the Spirit 3. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is liberty to come to the Throne of Grace All flesh is now invited to the Hearer of Prayers and their prayers shall be regarded if they no longer regard iniquity 1. The Lord now is near and may bâ— found Isai 55. 6. His merciful nature inclines him to come to the help of them that need it As he is near to give theâ— that grace which they cry for so to givâ— them grace to cry after a right manner We cannot so much as come that wâ— may be help'd unless we are help'd tâ— come The Lord is within hearing oâ— all that call who ever sought him seriâ—usly and sought in vain He is so neaâ— as to hear our very whisper'd supplications and to take notice of the inward groanings of our spirits Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee But some may object Doth not the Scripture say that the Lord and his salvation are far from the wicked and therefore wicked ones have no encouragement to come to him Well But if the wicked man doth cry that he may be renewed and that his wickedness both as to the guilt and practise may be put far away from him then the Lord will draw near immediately 2. God is not only in this day of grace willing to be found but he seeks after us John 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Fervent prayer is delightful musick in his ears Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy counâ—enance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely The Lord is pleased to see us gather about him and to hear us cry for this and that and the other mercy since his mercies are so great a multitude that he hath enough and enough for all Nay the Lord himself doth seek to us and beseech us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. And if he intreat us to accept of mercy shall not we speed in our intreaties for the obtaining of it 3. The promise which God hath made may now be pleaded This is the time to lay hold upon his Covenant Lord thou hast promised to blot out iniquity as a cloud oh when shall this cloud be scatter'd that I may walk in the light of thy countenance Thou hast promised a new heart when shall this heart of mine be changed when shall it burn with love to thee and indignation against sin which doth offend thee Lord Thou hast promised to take away the heart of stone and to transform the adamant into flesh oh why am I so hard and stupid why since I have sinned so much should I sorrow so little Again Thou hast promised to make me clean Lord when oh when will it once be Thus may we urge the Promises and he that made them will give us cause to adore his faithfulness The worst of men the chief of sinners may urge the promise of a new heart and of washing from filthiness as long as they seek unto the God of Israel to do this for them Ezek. 36. 37. and are so far wrought upon as to desire to be sanctified
is really possible therefore Gods decree is not to be blamed which brings no coaction upon the will of man but mans own perversness if he is wrack'd and miscarries to eternity We read of the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appearing Tit. 3. 4. The Son of God was manifested in the flesh of man and upon this score it is that light comes into the world and shines even upon those dark souls that are unwilling to comprehend it and salvation is proffer'd also unto them that refuse to embrace it 2. A Day of Grace is granted that the power of God may be known His power is much spoken of in the Gospel and believers feel the wonderful effects of that power We are inform'd of a twofold Creation the first and the second the old and the new In the first Creation the power of God was glorious indeed iâ— making the world out of nothing but here as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to resist this power oâ— God But in the new Creation in making new creatures there is a great opposition and resistance met withall and how glorious is the power of God that overcomes it What wonders are wrought in this day of Grace by the hand of the Lord He not only sayes Let there be light where darkness is but where darkness is loved He not only sayes Arise to them that are dead but to them that are unwilling to be raised Indisposition and opposition likewise are to be found in sinners when the Lord first comes to work upon them The Bullock cannot endure the yoak though hereby its life is lengthened for the beast that works not is fatted immediately for the slaughter A sinner is likened to a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak Jer. 31. 18. he discovers a great reluctancy and unwillingness to yield now in turning such an one with whose corruption and lusts Satan joyns to hinder conversion the power of God is the more to be admired 3. A Day of Grace is granted for the manifestation of divine goodness and mercy The Lord is said to delight in mercy Mic. 7. 18. therefore he allows a day in which mercy may be had and now it is to be obtained or never It is not small mercy that raises the sons of men out of those depths of misery into which they are fallen Great is thy mercy towards me saith the Psalmist and the greatness of it is demonstrated for thou hast redeemed my soul out of the lowest hell And if the unworthiness of man be duly considered the freeness of this mercy is to be admired as much as the abundance of it Mercy is free as well as plenteous 't is expressed not only above desert but without desert nay contrary to desert therefore according to that ancient Fathers phrase 't is Omni modo gratuita free every way Hence it is that Saints have used that as an argument to obtain mercy which oâ—â— would have thought should have quite discouraged them from entertaining any hopes of it namely the greatness of sin Psal 25. 11. For thy Name sake pardon my iniquity for it is great as if he had said Lord I know 't is thy design in this day of grace to manifest and to magnifie thy mercy and the greatness of my sin will serve to set thy mercy higher the richness and freeness of it will be the more wondred at because shewn to a gross transgressour Mercy nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundant mercy is expressed in justifying the ungodly in quickening the dead and begetting them again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. And this is the only season if it be not now laid hold on it will be clean gone for ever 4. A Day of Grace is granted that the Lords long-suffering and forbearance may be wondred at He is an eye-witness of all the wickedness that is done against him he hates all the sin he sees and can easily take vengeance upon the committers of it he stands not in the least need of any of them and yet he spares them and that a great while Oh how great is the stock of his patience Lord what is man that thou doest forbear him so long since thou canst so easily crush him How comes it to pass that thou doest call after him to benefit him since thou canst not be benefited by him and notwithstanding many provocations art unwilling he should perish Oh wonderful patience that will leave the abusers of it without any the least apology and that will be matter of everlasting marvel to those who hereby are lead unto repentance 5. A Day of Grace is granted that the righteousness of the Lord in those severities which are shew'd upon the impenitent and unbelieving may be the more evident and undeniable He will be justified when he speaks though never so amazing a sentence be utter'd by him he will be clear when he is judged Sinners who had a day of Grace and lost it an acknowledgment will be extorted from them that they are justly punished with the loss of endless blessedness which they frequently heard of and as often slighted When God shall thus plead with the Impenitent at his Bar Did not I give you a day as well as others Did not I call and you refuse Did not I stretch forth my hand and you disregarded me Did not I give you counsels and reproofs and you set them all at naught And thereupon shall bid them depart away never to see his face more How will all the Saints and Angels approve of the Sentence and cry Righteous art thou O Lord because thou hast thus judged and the impenitent will not have one syllable to say against it Now I descend to the Application And I shall begin with some Consectaries that may be drawn from the Doctrine 1. In this Day of Grace to sleep is very improper Let us not sleep as do others sayes the Apostle but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast-plate of faith and love 1 Thes 5. 6 7 8. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggish Conscience when wilt thou awake shall nothing force thine eyes open The enemies of our salvation are far from sleeping they ply their business to bring about our ruine and shall not we awake for our own security How can we watch unless we are awake and if we are not vigilant how certain are we to be devoured by the roaring Lion Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light and light being given to see withall see that thou walk circumspectly The Sun of Righteousness is up and shining therefore we should be up and doing Sloth in this mid-day of the Gospel is unsutable as well as dangerous the Apostle therefore cautions against it Heb. 6. 12. That ye be not
Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit Testa diu odorem Horat. Epist 2. ad Lollium The cask retains the scent of that a long time after which was first put into it when 't was new And in like manner if youthful years are season'd with grace the gray hairs will be found in the way of righteousness Prov. 12. 6. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Add also that in the time of youth sin is more easily pluck'd up because it hath not taken such deep root Age and custom will make evil like the spots of the Leopard and the blackness of the Aethiopians which no water can wash away Augustine in his Confessions l. 8. c. 5. doth make this acknowledgment Ex voluntate perversâ facta est libido dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas From a perverse corrupted will flow evil desires while evil desires are fulfilled sin ripens into custom while custom is not resisted there follows a kind of necessity and unalterableness in simming Oh therefore withstand sin betimes use the same policy in reference to your lusts which the Egyptians would have used towards Israel they feared lest the Israelites when grown might be too hard for them therefore they endeavoured in their weak infancy to destroy them To see young faces set towards Sion the way thither being diligently enquired after to behold children turn Souldiers in the spiritual warfare fighting under Christs Ensign making the Tempter flee from them taking Heaven by storm and violence what a brave sight is it 2. The Season of Health is another season to be improved Then the body is a more fit instrument to serve the soul in the Lords service The time of sickness is most commonly a time of spending therefore in health you should be treasuring up good store of Grace Now you may attend upon the publick Ordinances you may come to Gods House and sit down at his Table but sickness will deprive you of such opportunities Now you should be labouring for Grace and trying your grace that you may not be deceived with what is but counterfeit You should be so wise as to foresee the evil day of affliction and infirmity a coming and beg beforehand for such a measure of faith as may make you stand such a measure of patience and submission that there may not be the least repining thought against God but whatever your trials are that you may not faint but acquiesce in the wisdome and grace of him by whom you are chastized Beg also beforehand for a sense of his Love and when you see the rod in your Fathers hand none of the stripes will be intollerable Let health be thus improved And to perswade you consider that what you do in the day of health will be more upon choice and not upon force and consequently your sincerity will be the more evident whereas if you are forced to seek the Lord by his smiting of you whether your hearts are right may be suspected 3. The Season of spiritual Plenty should also be with care and diligence improved When heavenly Manna falls so thick about your habitations shall none at all be gathered When so much seed is sown shall the Fowls of the Air be suffered to take all away or if you do receive this seed shall it be choaked by the world and bring forth no fruit to perfection Let every one in this Assembly think thus with himself How many scores of Sermons have been preached to me how many warnings have I had how many reproofs have been given me how often have I been exhorted to obedience how many prayers have I joyned in But what fruit have I to shew of all What grace have I gotten what lust have I got the mastery over Where 's the faith the love the zeal the holiness and humility which might have been attained if these means of grace had been as they ought to have been improved Ordinances in abundance are now enjoyed shall they be but prices in the hands of fools Where the Lord gives so much to be sure he will require the more Oh lament your pass'd non-proficiency and for the future let your whole heart be in every duty be most earnestly desirous to get something from God every time you draw near to him You neglect your own interest when you do his work negligently Ordinances are the pipes through which grace is conveyed to thirsty souls there is never a duty you engage in wherein this truth should not be considered and believed In this duty God can give me that which is of greater worth then the whole world and hereupon you would not in Ordinances themselves but obtain the benefit of them 4. The Lords day is another special Season of the Day of Grace let it not be prophaned but husbanded to the best advantage They who keep holy the Sabbath day and find the Lord owning that sanctification of his day by sanctifying and quickning and refreshing their hearts upon it as they are clearly convinced so they are glad the Sabbath iâ— moral they would not it should be otherwise 'T is but reasonable they should give the Lord one day in seven and no day is so much their own so much for their spiritual which is the truest gain as this which they give to him It may not only be called the Lords day but the Souls day likewise Worldly thoughts and pleasures and employments which on other dayes are allowed be now forbidden that the Soul with greater intension may be respected and provision made for it Now Gods mouth is open he speaks to us his ear is open we may speak to him and if we hear and obey his voice he will not fail to hear and grant our requests The priviledge of enjoying Sabbaths one of our English Poets doth no less piously then ingeniously set â—orth O day most calm most bright The fruit of this the next worlds bud Th' endorsment of supreme delight Writ by a friend and with his bloud The couch of time cares balm and bay The week were dark but for thy light Thy torch doth shew the way Man had straight forward gone To endless death but thou dost pull And turn us round to look on one Whom if we were not very dull We could not chuse but look on still Since there is no place so alone The which he doth not fill Sabbaths the Pillars are On which Heavens Palace arched lies The other dayes fill up the spare And hollow room with vanities They are the fruitful beds and borderâ— In Gods rich Garden that is bare Which parts their ranks and orders Thou art a day of mirth And where the week dayes trail â—â— ground Thy flight is higher as thy birth O let me take thee at the bound Leaping with thee from seven to seven Till that we both being toss'd from
earth Fly hand in hand to heaven Herbert Temple p. 66. 67 68. 5. The feasting day is another season Grace When we are brought into thâ— banquetting-house and the banner over â—â— is love Cant. 2. 4. Who that Table iâ— spread where Christ is the Feast as weâ— as the Inviter to it there it is that believers may arrive unto such a nick of communion with the Lord that is nearest oâ— kin to that fellowship which perfected Spirits which see him face to face havâ— with him Oh what a rellish hath thaâ— flesh which is meat indeed that bloud which is drink indeed John 6. When we behold how Christ hath suffered the curse for us and upon this our faith concludes from suffering it we shall be exempted how may our hearts rejoyce At this Table Christs Fulness is the entertainment He beholds none with a grudging look with an evil eye the more hungry we are the more welcome and sure not to be sent away empty Oh why will any feed on husks and despise this bread of God which giveth light unto the world Thus you see what are the special Seasons of the Day of Grace which not to lay hold upon is to be false to your selves and regardless of your chief advantage USE II. Of Caution There are three evils which I must warn you to beware of First Presume not upon the lasting of this Day of Grace Secondly Don't rashly conclude the Day of Grace is pass'd Thirdly Take heed of being strengthned and emboldened by the general practice to idle it all away 1. Presume not upon the lasting of this Day of Grace Presumption is a sin as common as unreasonable How many thousands are now despairing in Hell because of the vain hopes and false confidences which here on earth they entertained 'T is an ordinary delusion for the ungodly to imagine that either they have believed and repented already or that there will be time enough several years hence to do it and after they have deferred their main work long they are apt to defer it longer Tanquam semper victuri vivunt Sen. They live as if they were to live alwayes and as if the Day of Grace were not a day but a kind of eternity 'T is a notable passage of Gregory Hom. 12. in Evang If every one knew sayes he when he were to go out of this present world then he might more reasonably allot this part of his time for pleasure and that for repentance Sed qui poenitentiae veniam spopondit peccanti crastinum non promisit But he that promiseâ— pardon to them who repent of sin hath not engaged to give another day to them that go on in sin Let two things here be laid to heart 1. Presumption is the way to make the Day of Grace altogether unavailable Men will not seriously mind eternity while they think they have time enough before them Thou who reckonest upon many Sabbaths yet to come and upon many Sermons yet to be heard the present Sabbaths are lost and the present Sermons are little heeded less practised and thou thy self least of all profited 2. Presumption is the way to shorten this Day of Grace and to hasten the everlasting nights approach The evil servant that said in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming is threatned The Lord of that servant will come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of much sooner then he was aware and cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 24. 48 49 50 51. The rich man in the Gospel presumed upon many years but he had not many hours of his time remaining God called him Fool and said This night thy soul shall be required of thee If an earthly Master bid his servant go and work to day and he answer he will set about his work a week or a moneth hence how can the Master chuse but be provoked he justly turns that servant out of doors allowing him no longer time to tarry The Lord in like manner bids the Sons of men to work to day If they answer Many years hence 't is time enough How can he chuse but be incensed and his displeasure may cause the season of mercy to end suddenly Now that I may further strike at and startle this presumption I shall propose and answer one Case of Conscience When have sinners cause to fear that the Day of Grace is growing towards evening and ready to conclude with them To this I answer 1. One sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is long and unbewail'd unfruitfulness When they who have lived under the means of Grace are either empty Vines or bring forth fruit unto themselves when the Lord hath come not three years only but ten twenty thirty years together seeking fruit but hath found none and which is worst of all their barrenness is not their burthen 'T is to be feared that the axe will speedily be laid to the root that they will quickly be cut down and be made fuel for that fire that is unquenchable You have a notable Parable of a Vineyard planted in a very fruitful hill Isa 5. 'T was fenced the stones were gathered out but when grapes were expected behold nothing but leaves and wild grapes ver 4. But upon this God resolves to take away the hedge and his vineyard shall be eaten up to break the wall and it shall be trodden down he resolves to lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged there shall come up briars and thorns and the clouds are commanded to rain no rain upon it ver 5 6. You that have been long unfruitful and this hath never troubled you how soon may the clouds be commanded to rain no rain upon you how soon may the influences of heaven be altogether withheld from you how soon may barrenness be your punishment which is your sin the Lord in judgment resolving that never fruit shall grow upon you 2. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is great security The old world were thus secure when the Lord resolved the Holy Ghost should not much longer strive with them Great security was the forerunner of the Jews rejection They would not believe their sins were so heinous or that God was so much displeased with them they would not believe the Messiah who told them of their maladies and proffer'd to cure them And the Apostle tells us because of unbelief they were broken off Rom. 11. 20. And such security will go before the end of the world when the Day of Grace shall conclude with all and when time it self shall be no longer How far are secure souls from being in a secure state When they cry peace and safety how suddenly may trouble and destruction come upon them which they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. 3. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an
sin and misery of our worthlesness and weakness and bows our hearts to a submission to the righteousness of Christ and draws us to a closure with him 2. The Spirit sanctifies and cleanses us from the filthiness in which we wallowed and causes us to yield obedience to the commands of God Ezek. 36. 27. 3. The Spirit doth more and more stir up and increase the grace which he he hath wrought so that the actings of faith and love and hope and zeal are the more strong and sensible 4. The Spirit doth discover the truth of these graces letting us see that our hearts do prize Christ and breath after God and after a greater degree of likeness to him as the Saints in Scripture have done before us 5. Then peace and joy follows But here we must understand that this peace is twofold First more weak mixed and imperfect Secondly more ravishing glorious and triumphant 1. There is a peace more weak mixed and imperfect which is for our support and encouragement and this is common with believers when they stir up themselves and seek the Lord with their whole desire as they did 2 Chron. 15. 15. Seldom is a duty performed with our heart and might but some degree of peace and satisfaction follows the Spirit giving some intimation and raising a secret hope that God through Christ doth accept of us Oh who would not labour since there is such peace and rest attends it 2. There is a peace more ravishing glorious and triumphing How brightly doth the light of Gods countenance then shine upon us How sweet is that love the sense of which the Spirit sheds abroad in the heart Rom. 5. 5. What confidence have we then in God! How do we admire the richness of his grace how low are we in our own eyes being astonished that such vile creatures should be so advanced How do we then despise the worlds delights and the pleasures of sin How forward are we to obey and to walk in all Ordinances blameless How undaunted at danger and at death which will but increase our pleasures sending us much nearer to the Lord then here we are capable of approaching Thus 't is by the Spirit that peace is spoken to us and if we would attain to this peace we must heed the Spirits counsels we must readily close with his motions we must gladly accept of his help and assistance we must give up our selves unto his guidance In the third place follow the reasons of the Doctrine Why to know the things of our peace is our great happiness and wisdom The reasons are these 1. Because a true knowledge of these things will be practical and industrious It will very much affect the heart and quicken diligence in seeking peace before it be too late A right understanding of it will hinder a business of such eternal consequence from being any longer neglected by us 2. Because of the evil which unavoidably follows if of the things which concern our peace we are ignorant The ignorant soul is wretchedly careless it matters not whether God be a friend or foe â—s if his loving kindness were not to be â—alued as if his wrath were not to be â—eared and at last the soul misses of merâ—y which it doth not regard and falls â—uddenly and irrecoverably into the pit â—f destruction which it dreams not of â—or endeavours to prevent Now follows the Application USE I. Of Instruction There are two great lessons which we may learn from this Doctrine 1. One lesson is this That believers are the wisest and happiest souls for the things of their peace are understood by them Those things which are hid from the prudent of the world are unto these discover'd I know they are accounted children aâ—â— babes by the carnally minded but in the end they will be found to have had â—â— all others the greatest foresight the faithest reach the truest understanding Matth. 11. 25 26. At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hâ—â— hid these things from the wise and prâ—dent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thâ— sight Peace is a thing which all seek after but most are mistaken in judging whaâ— is peace and are wofully deceived in thâ— way to it Only the believer hits righâ— for he is lead by a Guide that leads onlâ— into truth 'T is indeed found by experience thaâ— endeavours are used to blind and deceive the believer himself but he is too wise to be put off with peace and happiness only in shew Many things do proffer peace to him 1. Pleasures do use this charming language What is it O man which thou seekest for Is it quiet and satisfaction 〈…〉 taste the sweetness which gratifying thy senses will afford Is it not fine â— gâ—â—â—ter in silk and silver bravely to be â—lothed in purple and fine linnen and to presumptuously and deliciously every day Who are more free from care and trouble â—â—en those who chaunt to the sound of the â—â—ol who drink wine in bowls who eat limbs out of the flock and calves out of â—â—e midst of the stall and after lay them down upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches Come come away with needless scruples indulge unto thy appetite please thy senses whatever thy eys desire withhold not from them and quench thy longing flame in Dalilah's â—â—braces Unto this the believing soul replyes Death is climbing up at the windows the Judge standeth before the door Eternity is just at hand and O all ye sensual pleasures can you last any longer then a short season Where is the Glutton that fared deliciously that had as much as heart could wish Is he not tormented in the flames Oh deceitful pleasures which cheat men of eternal joys and drill them along to endless torments 2. Wealth and worldly greatness do also make big offers Wouldst thou O Man have peace then seek a great estate joyn house to house and field to field let thy coffers be cram'd with silver and gold endeavour to be somebody in the world Doest thou not know how many eyes how much respect riches and honour will draw after thee Let this be thy aim to live iâ— plenty and esteem and to leave a name behind thee Unto this also the believing soul answers To expect peace and contentation from worldly abundance is as absurd as tâ— hope to sleep quietly in a bed of thorns Who ever attained to greater earthly glory then Solomon whose treasures did ever more abound yet he himself disgraces aâ—â— his own wealth and honour by calling them Vanity and vexation of spirit 3. At last the Lord calls to the Believer and thus speaks to him Is it happiness O man which thou art searching after Look unto me who am the God of love and peace The creatures have but empty breasts are but broken cisterus but I have store of living waters to quench
death will be thy portion and then Life will be eternally farre from thee 3. This Word doth cleanse those defilements which nothing in the world can do away The Word of God is compared to fire and to an hammer as an hammer it breaks the rocky heart and then as fire it melts the heart and from its dross doth purifie it John 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken to you In the Word as in a glass we may behold the abominable filthiness and vile ingratitude that is in sin and also the beauty of holiness is presented to our eye no wonder then if the former be abhorr'd the latter desired Besides the Word holds forth a Promise from the Lord himself to make the sinner clean and that from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit Ezek. 36. 25. 2 Cor. 7. 1. The Day of Grace is a day of healing now thou mayst be purged and cured of thy spiritual plagues but if this season be neglected thou wilt dye of them 5. This Word doth afford such peace and joy as the creatures cannot yield Corn and Wine and Oyl cannot yield such true comfort Hark to David Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart In sensual mirth the heart is sad misgives and is unsatisfied but the Word makes the very heart joyful In the Word we may see at present the reconciled face of God the frowns and other signs of anger gone and it speaks plainly of fuller manifestations and infinitely greater pleasures which are reserved for hereafter and the lively hopes of these which are so near as well as sure and glorious may well make the heart to leap for joy 5. This Word is able to build up those who are converted and to bring them safe unto their Country 'T is a means to increase the grace which 't is a means to work As it is the incorruptible seed whereby we are regenerated and begotten again so it is the milk wherewith we grow and thrive in holiness Act. 20. 32. I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified I might add That even those whom the Word doth not savingly change yet it prevails upon many times a great way it brings them near to the Kingdom and 't is their own fault that they miss of it And seeing the Word of God hath such effects that the enjoyment of it is a great priviledge is without controversie 2. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is the presence of the Spirit The Word and all other Ordinances without the Spirit are but like the carcass without the soul He makes the Word quick and powerful and sharper then a two-edged Sword which also would be found but a dead and inefficacious letter 'T is observed concerning the hotter Climates that when the Sun is up and begins to shine and scorch more vehemently there is also a wind arises to fan and cool the dwellers there else those Regions would be uninhabitable In like manner where the Sun of the Gospel shines there is the wind of the Spirit and these his gales how refreshing how powerful are they The accâ—sses of the Spirit are much to be observed and esteemed without his concurrence no advantage will be reaped by all the means of grace we use If the several operations of the Spirit are consider'd 't will be very evident what a priviledge of the Day of Grace this is to enjoy his presence 1. 'T is the work of the Spirit to convince Though the secure ones of the world had rather be let alone to sleep on and cannot endure to be jogged by conviction yet these convictions are great mercies What the Spirit doth convince the world of our Lord informs us John 16. 8. And when he is come he will reprove or convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment of sin because they believe not on me of righteousness because I go to the Father and ye see me no more of judgment because the Prince of this world is judged The Spirit convinces men of sin he shews the evil in it and the danger of it and among other sins that grand one of unbelief that is to say their rejecting Christ so long and slighting and refusing the remedy he proffers is in a special manner set home upon their hearts to their affliction and humbling He convinces likewise of righteousness as well as of sin He discovers the righteousness of Christ whereby all sin may be covered and this righteousness appears to be compleat and accepted because Christ is gone to his Father Christ undertook by his sufferings to satisfie for our offences and if the satisfaction had not been full he would never have been rid of the curse which sin being imputed to him was laid upon him neither would his righteous Father have suffered him to have sit down in the Throne with him But now since he is gone to his Father and set down in the Throne we may conclude he hath paid the utmost farthing of our debt and through him the Father is ready to shew grace and favour to us And if the conviction and sight of sin cast down the discovery of this righteousness may again revive 'T is a happiness to see our scores since we are shew'd a way how to have them all cross'd were it not for the sight of the one we should never mind the other Again the Spirit doth convince of Judgment By Judgment we may understand the condemnation of the impenitent and unbelieving who though they are convinced of sin continue in sin and though Christ be proffer'd still refuse to embrace him The Prince of this world is judged and condemned and shall these who sin against a remedy which the Devil never did escape No certainly God who spared not the Angels which sinned but cast them down to hell knows how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2 4 9. Or else by Judgment we may understand the Government and Kingdom of Jesus Christ All power is given to him and Judgment committed into his hand Satan the Prince of this world is already cast out and overcome And if he hath spoiled principalities and powers certainly all his foes will be made his footstool Well then it highly concerns all to submit unto the Scepter of Christ since else they will be dash'd in pieces by him And in this Day of Grace Christ is ready to pass by former rebellions if you now will become obedient to him 2. 'T is the work of the Spirit to renew 'T is a difficult matter to change an heart that is so unconceivably wicked as mans is and yet the Spirit doth effect this change he shews his mighty power in causing a vehement love to be turned into a