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
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
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
quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him Surely that heart is worse then rocky which doth not tremble before him 4. He can engage all the creatures against you He is the Maker and also the great Commander of the Host of Heaven and Earth The Angels are ready press'd for his service and to do his will all the Devils are at his beck and forward to be the Executioners when he hath pass'd an angry sentence The Thunder and the Lightning say unto him Here we are The stormy Wind doth fulfill his words Nay the smallest and most inconsiderable creatures he can render dreadful and tame the proudest by them And since he is Jehova Exercituum the Lord of such Armies Oh do not enter into battel with him 5. He hath access unto your very spirits and can wound and fill your souls with horrour When the Lord impressed his anger upon the heart of Judas how restless was he though a covetous man he flings away his silver that would not ease him his life is a burthen and with his own hands he puts an end to it A wounded spirit who can bear and wounds there the Lord can give you 6. His power will reach his enemies in the next world Nay then his hand will be heaviest of all God will lay on load upon his adversaries and not in the least spare them His patience will then be at an end his goodness totally and eternally withdrawn and how low then will his vengeance weigh them down Such an enemy the Lord is and this is one argument to perswade you to peace 2. Be mindful of the dependance you have upon him In him you live and move and have your being and if he should withdraw his visitation your life would presently conclude and vanish And is it safe or a wise part in you to provoke that God to be your enemy in whose hand your breath is and who can take it out of your nostrils when he pleaseth He can loose the silver cord he can break the golden bowl and require your souls at your hands without giving you an hours or a minutes warning Whosoever you fall out with methinks you should get and keep in with God for 't is his patience and mercy which keeps you out of the grave and hell of both which by reason of sin you are in great danger 3. The condescension and stooping of God is admirably great in beseeching such as you to be reconciled And shall he intreat in vain Shall the malefactour be beseeched to accept of a pardon and refuse it That is a text that should work upon the most refractory 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God What is it come to this doth God beseech and Christ pray that we who are so mean and so vile would be friends and shall we continue rebels O earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord for the impenitent then the earth or stones are much more stupid To slight the proffer of mercy and to disobey the command to come for it is both a fault and a folly inexcusable but to be deaf to intreaties is worst of all this goes nearest unto God when his condescension and kindness is disregarded and abused and upon this abuse the greater contempt and anger and hatred must needs follow 4. Consider what kind of friend the Lord is I might be large in describing his excellencies which they who are acquainted with him see and admire Three things at present I shall mention 1. God is such a friend whose love is transcendent That sweet name which is as an oyntment poured forth he calls himself by The God of love and peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Nay he is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love in the abstract 1 John 4. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Whatever returns of love we make those returns fall infinitely short of the love of God from whence they come Indeed it is as possible to equal him in strength in wisdom or any other of his perfections as to equal him in love Oh let this love of God be as a loadstone to draw yours and as a whetstone to sharpen it 2. God is such a friend whose fulness can never be exhausted The Sun although it hath shined ever since the Creation yet 't is as full of light as ever it was And though the Lord hath supplyed the wants of all them whom he hath made his friends from the beginning yet his stock and store is not at all diminished His wisdom is never posed in their greatest difficulties when believers know not what to do and their eyes are unto him he knows what to do for them His power can raise them out of the lowest deep his all-sufficiency can give to the uttermost of their desires nay exceedingly more then it hath entred into their hearts to desire or conceive Who in his wits would not leave a vain world and deceitful lusts to come to such a friend as God hath alwayes shewed himself to be 3. God is such a friend as will last when all other friends fail He is the Lord who changes not He can as soon cease to be as cease to be faithful and the faithfulness of God towards his friends will make them also faithful he will not turn away from them and he will hold them fast that they shall not depart from him The Lord is most constant the Ordinances of the Sun and Moon and Stars are not so immutable as the Promises he hath made Men of low degree are vanity men of high degree are a lye Psal 62. 9. But God is true Wealth may take wings and fly away prosperity may vanish so as to be forgotten flesh and heart may fail but the Lord will be a friend and a portion for ever Oh consent to be reconciled since such a friend hereby will be gained 5. Consider If God be at peace with you he will shield you from all other adversaries he will wrest those weapons out of your own hands whereby you endeavoured your own destruction he will give a deaths wound to sin that it shall not be your death And though the world and the God of the world fight against you they shall not be able to prevail Nay their very enmity shall befriend you and God will turn to good what they do mean for evil 'T is admirable to consider how the adversaries of the Lords people though they have the intension of enemies yet are forced to act like friends and do a kindness unto Saints by those means whereby they thought to have injured and
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
the whole Covenant shall be made good to them if their unbelief of Gods power and truth be not an hinderance 4. Now in this Day of Grace the great High-priest stands ready to intercede for us Never any sincerely begg'd for pardon and for grace but Christ pray'd that Prayer over again and a gracious return was made to it The Spirit also is ready to help infirmities to fill our hearts with such desires as shall be surely satisfied and truly we have to do with a God who of the best things which are most needful most desirable is alwayes most liberal Now are the mollia fandi tempora the times to speak and speed but when this gracious season is gone ah then the loudest cries will be in vain God will hear Christ will intercede the Spirit help no more 4. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is this That now the way is open to the Kingdom As you may come to the Throne of Grace so 't is possible to get into the Throne of Glory Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Our Lord doth stand as it were with a Crown of Life in his hand and sayes Believe in me and continue faithful to the death and this Crown shall be put upon your heads The Kingdom is offered and the sure way to the Kingdom is revealed Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel that is such a blessed and glorious life as will never by death have a period and if you cease to do evil learn to do well and patiently continue in well-doing this eternal life shall assuredly be given you The foolish Virgins had a Day oâ— Grace as well as the wise The Bridegroom came and the door was open iâ— they had been ready they might have entred but having lost the opportunity they knocked at last but it was too late the door was shut and they were sent away with I know you not Matth. 25. We read of a Ladder that reached from earth to heaven now there is a possibility of climbing up thither But there is no Ladder that reaches from hell to heaven If this present day of salvation be lost salvation it self also will be lost for ever 5. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is this That during this season the state of the wicked is not unalterable 'T is true the Holy Ghost expresly sayes that impenitent and unbelieving ones are condemn'd already Joh. 3. 18. Sentence of condemnation is past but it may be repealed if they at last are brought to mourn for their rejecting of a Saviour and with their hearts believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God the consequent of this faith will be freedom from condemnation Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit There was condemnation heretofore to them as well as to others but now there is none for they are in Christ and shew it by renouncing the lusts and works of the flesh and giving themselves up to the Spirits guidance They whom sin hath set at a great distance from Christ are called to come to him and while this Day of Grace lasts that word holds good I will in no wise cast out But when this day is done then 't will be I will in no wise receive The Lamb himself then will be full of wrath and that 's dreadful The Lamb can pacifie the anger of God but who can appease the Lambs anger When the only Reconciler is himself irreconcileable when the only Intercessour is inexorable when the only Saviour punisheth with everlasting destruction what hope of help remains then But as yet 't is possible for Rebels to obtain a pardon and to be made children Though thou hast sinn'd thy self near to hell yet thou hast not sinn'd thy self into hell Though sin hath abounded if thou art brought by the entring of the Law to a sence how thy offences have abounded Grace will much more abound Rom. 5. 20. The Lord hath turn'd and chang'd as bad as the worst of you and that which hath been done may be done again since his hand is as mighty to save and his Grace as free as ever I have done with the priviledges of this Day of Grace In the third place follow the properties of it which are these 1. This Day of Grace is uncertain as to its duration 't is more uncertain then the day of life for that may end before this doth Nay the Day of Grace may be past while the very means of Grace continue The acceptable time was pass'd with the Jews when the Prophet was sent to preach among them Hark what a sad Commission he had Isa 6. 9 10. Go make the heart of this people fat make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed 'T is dreadful when the Word shall make the ear more deaf and the Light the eye more blind and awakening means the heart more gross and stupid The Sons of Eli had outstood their day and yet after this their Father admonishes them and endeavours to reclaim them They were lascivious and made themselves vile and Eli said 'T is no good report I hear of you my sons ye make the Lords people to transgress If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them When Drunkards Sorcerers Liars Whoremongers Worldlings are reproved often and will not hearken who knows but the season of mercy may be ended and the Lord intends to slay them to damn them And if at the hearing of this they are unconcern'd there is greater cause to fear though we cannot absolutely conclude that 't is so indeed The day of grace is uncertain the means of grace may be before you are aware removed The golden Candlestick doth not stand so fast in any place as that 't is impossible it should be took away Tremble at that threatning uttered to the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent And although Ordinances remain a blessing may be withheld from them Thou doest not know but every call may be the last time of asking and Christ may for ever after hold his peace and therefore presently give consent to be espoused to him thou dost not know but that every motion of the Spirit may have his last striving with thee and if thou still resistest the Spirit may take his leave and say Foolish Soul go on in sin go on to hell I will not strive any more to
slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises The Lethurgy of the Conscience is a sore malady when the sinners heart is ever and anon ready to drop asleep notwithstanding all the means which are used to rouze it But though threatenings though judgments will not awaken some that are seized upon by the spirit of slumber yet I 'll tell you what will do it The sight of an angry sin-revenging Judge upon the Tribunal the seeing and feeling of the torments of Hell will awaken them that are most fast asleep in sin What wilt thou sleep upon the pits brink Usually sinners fear least when because of the nearness of evil they have most reason to be afraid 2. How much besides themselves are they whose whole employment is the works of darkness in this day time The Apostle exhorts us to cast off the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light Rom. 13. 12. Light is a kind of armour for the light making a discovery of sins deceitfulness the heart is hereby arm'd against temptation but because most do love their evil deeds therefore they hate the â—ight which doth discover and reprâ—ve them Alas that such bad work as the service of Satan and divers lusts is should have so many hands to it The works of wickedness are rightly termed the works of darkness the actors of them fly the light for when they are seen they cause shame and from God who is light they hinder us allowance of these and fellowship with him are inconsistent moreover unto outer darkness these works have a most certain tendency Now shall a Day of Grace be consumed in sins drudgery This was given as a day of salvation and shall we in it work out our own condemnation Shall it be spent in making sure of Hell and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath When the Lord doth grant us a day to make our peace shall we give this day to Satan and do nothing but by wicked works more alienate our selves and make the wall of separation higher If the season that was allotted for the obtaining of mercy be abused only to the aggravating of sin and augmenting of misery this will argue you guilty of such a folly and madness as must be confess'd beyond hyperbole 3. What cause is there of thankfulness for such a Day of Grace The Israelitish servants prized the year of Jubilee and much more should we this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptable year of the Lord. Liberty and freedom from our spiritual bondage is now offer'd and may be obtain'd if you will not let sin and Satan boar your ears as it were if you say not as most do We love these masters and we will not leave them The greatness of our obligation to thankfulness for this Day of Grace will be further evident if these things are weighed 1. The light doth shine more clearly in this our day then it did of old The ancient Jewish Church enjoyed but the dawning or at most the early morning of this Day of Grace but we the noontide of it many shadows of good things to come they had whereby those things were obscurely represented but we have under the Gospel the substance exhibited and the shadows are flown away Moses the great Prophet of the Jews had a vail upon his face to signifie that his was a more dark dispensation but we all saith the Apostle with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of God are ebanged into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. Christ is now more fully discover'd his sweet offices more explain'd and his precious benefits more gloriously displayed 2. We ought to be thankful that this our day hath so long lasted The Lord long ago might have given us up to a reprobate mind nay fetter'd us in chains of darkness because of our hating knowledge and holding the truth in unrighteousness 'T is a wonder that having sinned so much against the light we have not sinn'd the light away I read that at Joshua's request the Sun stood still in the Firmament and hasted not to go down for an whole day Josh 10. 13. And have not we had experience of the like miracle of Grace Hath not the Sun of Righteousness stopt his course not hasting to go down How long hath Christ stood waiting and still he stands proffering both light and life and light and life shall be given to them that understand the value of such offers 3. Especially we have cause to praise if this Day of Grace hath been effectual and we have been made the children of light and of the day Most even in this Day of Grace are blinded by the God of this world the Gospel is to them an hidden Gospel but if the Lord who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts and hath called us out of darkness into his marvelloas light sure we have abundant reason to shew forth his praises 1 Pet. 2. 9. If he had not enlightened our eyes we should have slept the deep of death as well as others Was there not a time when we did not see either our sin or our extream danger Was there not a time when we were as unsensible of the worth of souls and of our need of Jesus as the most careless ones Oh wonderful love that he hath made the difference and distinguished us from others that hath illuminated and converted us when others are suffer'd still to run on blindfold towards ruine 4. Since such a day of Grace is granted the special seasons of it should be improved The whole is precious but some seasons are more golden and to be esteemed at an higher rate 1. The Season of Youth This is the fittest time to sow the seed of Grace that it may bring forth the fruit of life and glory The journey towards the new Jerusalem is long the distance which sin hath set us at from our Creatour is great therefore to be setting forth betimes is a great part of wisdom The Lord doth take it well when in our youthful dayes we make choice of him Samuel Obadiah Josiah Timothy have a commendation given them that they knew and loved and feared God betimes that they abstained from and despised those lusts and vanities with which youth most commonly is ensnared and defiled The time of youth is a time of strength vigour and activity then you will either do much for God or much against him In the service of such a Master as the Lord is how well will your strength be employed Activeness will here become you Early remembrance of God will prevent abundance of sin which might cause bitterness many years after Thou writest bitter things against me sayes Job and causest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Job 15. 26. and it will have great influence to your stedfastness with God all your dayes
end is unlamented indifferency whether or no it do continue If you are of an indifferent spirit whether you enjoy the light or it be put out in obscurity whether you hear the publishers of glad tidings or whether their mouths be stopp'd there is reason to be afraid the Lord is about to divest you of those priviledges which you know not how to value If you look upon spiritual darkness as no plague which is infinitely worse then that of Egypt if you esteem the famine of the Word which is worse then a famine of bread or a thirst of water Amos 8. 11. no such great judgment as long as from temporal judgments you are exempted this is a most wretched temper of soul and the Lord must needs be angry when the greatest mercies and favours are slighted and what punishment more probable or equal then to be deprived of them 4. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is contradicting and persecuting of the Lords Messengers We read Matth. 22. of a Marriage feast prepared servants are sent forth to invite many to the Marriage some who were invited took those servants and intreatthem spightfully Could the King which made this Supper bear this No he was wrath and did destroy these persecutors and none of them were permitted to partake of those good things he had provided and once proffer'd to them That is a dreadful text 2 Chron. 36. 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and there was no remedy The Apostles Barnabas and Paul preached the Gospel the multitude flock to hear them when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against the Apostles doctrine but the Apostles seeing them reject ' the Gospel and them in such a way make this reply It was needful that the Word of God should be first spoken unto you but since you put it from you you shall not be troubled with it lo we turn to the Gentiles Acts 13. 45 46. and then to the Gentiles did the light arise and shine forth and the Jews were left under darkness Another sign the Day of Grace is near an end if not quite ended is obstinacy in some opinions which are damnable When fundamental truths are denied when all means used to reclaim and turn the erroneous through prejudiâ—e do but confirm and harden them how near to desperate is their case When the Lord sends strong delusions to any and they believe a lye oh 't is to be feared he intends their ruine and that their judgment will not linger will not flumber long 2 Thes 2. 11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Errour may extinguish the light of the Gospel and cause the Ordinances of God to be slighted the Word to be cast aside and the Spirit to depart and leave sinners to the seduction of Satan and the imagination of their dark and foolish hearts Let me therefore speak to you in the words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. 17. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being lead away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 6. Another fatal sign that the Day of Grace is near its period is an habit of back-sliding Hark how the Lord upbraids his people with this and after they are told of their desperate state Jer. 8. 4 5. Thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not arise shall they turn away and not return why is this people of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual backsliding And then it follows ver 20 21 22 The Harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not saved For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am black astonishment hath taken hold upon me Is there no balm in Gilead is there no Physician there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recover'd There are many Professours who sometimes look Sion-ward and have some common work upon them but after do draw back and by often doing so contract such a scaredness that they make light of doing so They do possibly under some awakenings confess their sins but quickly return to the commission of them again they are convinced 't is their duty and yet they will not be perswaded to do the work of the Lord vigorously they are convinced of such and such sins and yet they will not be disswaded from following after them They may have a form of godliness but they will not be brought under the power of godliness nor give their consent to be sincerely and thorowly sanctified Divers motions and proffers of assistance they have had from the Spirit but all in vain they are bent upon backsliding Surely then they have just ground to fear that sentence is ready to be if not already pronounced Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Thus concerning the Signs when the Day of Grace is declining and drawing towards night Presumptuous soul if thou findest in thy self any of these signs oh startle exceedingly at the discovery and before the last hour of the day be ended enter into and labour to purpose in the Lords Vineyard 2. A second word of Caution is this Don't rashly conclude the Day of Grace is pass'd and that the Sun is already set upon you This is an extreme contrary to that of presumptuous ones which tempted and troubled spirits are very prone to run into They are ready to takeup Jobs complaint only with some sad variations Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the dayes when God would have preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I might have been deliver'd from the power of darkness The Almighty was then with me he call'd upon me to turn and was ready upon my turning to hear my calling to him But now I cry and he doth not hear me I stand up and he regards me not I have so bitterly provoked him to leave me that I am afraid he is now gone for ever Three things are here to be consider'd 1. No man can certainly conclude concerning another that his day is pass'd If we consult the Scripture we shall find those that have gone far in wickedness at last reclaimed therefore we should not despair of the worst Indeed the pride and stubbornness of the ungodly makes us fear that all our labour will be in vain yet we speak still and exhort and reprove with all long-suffering 2 Tim. 4. 2. because with God all things are possible and those sheep that are gone much astray seemingly past reach he can lay hold
of and bring home again to the fold 2. No man ought to draw such a sad conclusion in reference to himself that the season of mercy is quite expired Though our election may be made sure yet reprobation is not presently to be discover'd Though upon thy comparing thy heart and life with the Word of God thou mayst know of a certainty thou hast no grace yet thou hast no warrant to say thou never shalt have any As filthy as thou have been washed as unholy as thou have been sanctified as guilty as thou have been justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. 3. When Satan pesters you with thoughts that there is no help remaining but the acceptable time is all slipt away rather hope the contrary for Satan is a liar and because he is so busie about you 't is a sign that he is afraid of loosing you if he knew certainly that your day of visitation were gone he would be sure of you and so he would be quiet â—nd not as he doth molest and trouble â—ou But for the further relief of those who are apt to discourage themselves and to damp their own endeavours after grace by thinking the day is ended and 't is now too late I shall do two things First Lay down some probable signs Secondly Some certain signs of this Day of Grace's continuance The probable signs of its continuance are these 1. When the heart is inclined to sit under powerful means who knows but by the word of faith which you attend upon the grace of faith may be wrought in you 2. When ever and anon the heart iâ— stirred and conscience awakened by the Spirit and the Lord doth not let yoâ— alone in your iniquities nor suffer you tâ— sleep quietly and undisturbedly the sleep of death 3. When those false grounds of hope which you have built upon are more and more discover'd when you are madâ— to perceive the vanity of confidence iâ— your selves or in your own righteousness and that 't is not enough to bâ— somewhat better then the worst are anâ— that the name of Christians signifies no thing unless you depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. Who knows but that being beaten off from insufficient bottoms you may at length be settled upon the right foundation Jesus Christ 4. When there is a great fear least the Day of Grace should be past 't is to be hoped that 't is not past Jerusalem in the text was far from any such fear Usually souls are left senseless when the Lord leaves them Of the old world and of Sodom 't is said They eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded they married and were given in marriage and minded nothing else but things of this nature though the floud was so near the one and fire ready to consume the other 5. When sinners are inquisitive what they shall do to be saved 't is probable at least that the day of salvation is not terminated but salvation is near and may be obtained if the terms on which 't is proffer'd are not quarrel'd at but submitted to as good and equal In the second place follow the certain signs that the Day of Grace is not yet concluded 1. This day is not pass'd when the Soul is for peace with God upon any conditions If this be the yielding frame and temper of thy heart certainly thou dost not only know but also art willing to do the things which belong unto thy peace If this be thy language Lord Doth a right eye offend thee it shall be pluckt out doth a right hand offend thee it shall be cut off Those sins that seem most sweet and necessary as long as thou hatest them that is sufficient to discommend them I am resolved to love them no longer Thou hast no reason to give up all for lost No no being thus made willing to cast away every transgression iniquity shall not be thy ruine as you may see Ezek. 18. 30. 2. This Day of Grace is not pass'd when the sinner sets open the door of his heart that Christ the Lord may enter That promise is most sure If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and sup with him and he shall sup with me Rev. 3. 20. Christ complains of the Jews that They would not come to him that they might have life but if any are made willing to come the waters of life are open and none that desire shall be denied them Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come and whoever will let him drink of the waters of life freely Doest thou know Christ Art thou acquainted with his Kingdom as well as his Priesthood and art thou willing to have his Kingdom set up in thy heart and thy very thoughts and affections brought into obedience and captivity Art thou willing thus to receive him Certainly thou shalt be received by him and have power to become a child of God Joh. 1. 12. 3. This Day of Grace is not pass'd if Grace be desired above all things in the world If the edge of thy appetite towards the things that perish is turn'd if the pearl of price be indeed of price in thy esteem if that be thy will and desire which is the will of God even thy sanctification surely the Spirit is so far from having left thee that he is in thee 'T is he who raises this hunger and thirst after righteousness which as it shall be satisfied so it argues thy estate blessed Maâ—th 5. 6. 5. This Day of Grace is not pass'd when the heart is grieved for the mispence of so much of this day and is willing to live the rest of it to the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 2. If you judge that the time past of your life doth suffice nay more then suffice to have been foolish and disobedient to God and to have obey'd and served divers lusts and pleasures and if you resolve to dedicate the remainder of your lives in the flesh to the Lord that he may dispose of it certainly the Lord will accept both of your time and you Though you come in late so it be but presently into the Vineyard you shall receive a penny and diligence in your Masters work will be rewarded with your Masters joy 3. A third word of Caution is this Take heed of being strengthned and emboldned by the general practise to idle this Day of Grace away We read concerning Laish That the people dwelt careless after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure Judg. 18. 7. And truly this is the manner of most in the world careful possibly they are about many things but as to the main thing utterly careless Their tiâ—e is of little and their souls of less value in their judgments But that the humour and custom of the world may not be followed let these considerations be ponder'd by you 1. The most in
be spared a few years or moneths or weeks longer Oh call time again I never saw thy worth till now If I might be again recover'd and restored oh how often would I pray and how earnestly would I cry for mercy and grace how carefully would I hear and practise But this I should have done before 't is now too late to think and there he stops his thread is cut asunder his soul flyes away and leaves his body a clod of earth And now Brethren are your hearts still mastered 'T is to be hoped concerning the worst in this Congregation that their day is not quite gone but who knows whether this may not be the last hour and if now you will not your own spirits may be quickly required of you or Gods Spirit may depart from you You will wish at last as others have done that the day of salvation had been valued let it therefore be no more neglected 5. Consider If you will not improve the Day of Grace you can reasonably expect nothing but a day of wrath When mercy hath acted its part towards ungodly ones and being still refused makes its Exit then fury and indignation enters upon the stage but of that traged there will be no end Whole eternity will be taken up in feeling the effects of divine displeasure and in bewailing the loss of that Day of Grace wherein this anger might have been appeased I have done with the second Doctrine Doct. 3. The third follows To know in this Day of Grace the things which belong to our peace is our great happiness and wisdom If Jerusalem had been thus wise she would not have been as she was rejected If thou hadst known sayes Christ The defective speech is thus to be made up If the things of thy peace had been understood by thee O Jerusalem thy state would have been as happy as now 't is woful instead of being cut off thou wouldst have been still as near to God and as dear as ever instead of having his wrath poured out upon thee to the uttermost that mercy which hath been so often proffer'd had assuredly been bestowed if thou hadst not foolishly shut thy eyes so as not to see either the value or thy own need of mercy A text somewhat parallel to this we have Isai 48. 17 18. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee â—o profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldest go Oh that thou â—â—dst hearkened to my commandments â—hen had thy peace been as a river and thy â—ighteousness as the waves of the Sea In the prosecution of this Doctrine â— shall first open to you the nature of â—eace Secondly manifest what are the â—hings which belong to our peace Thirdly confirm the doctrine Fourthly apply it In the first place I am to open to you â—he nature of peace This is a subject no less profitable then pleasant Dulce nomen pacis the name of peace hath a sweet sound Peace implies a blessed conjunction between heaven and earth between the Creator and us his creatures and which follows hereupon a satisfaction and quietness in our hearts so that those disturbances and disorders which were caused by sin are becalmed and regulated The first of these namely Agreement with Heaven is the principally intended peace which Christ speaks of but the other namely Quietness within follows upon this and is the superstructure upon this foundation I shall therefore first explain the nature of Peace above and afterwards of Peace within 1. There is a Peace with God above When I speak of peace with God 't is supposed that by nature God and we are at variance and sin is the make-bate between God and man Sin is a thing that not only causes commotions and tumults here below therefore saith the Apostle From whence comes war and fightings among you comes it not hence even of your lusts that war in your members Jam. 4. 1. but it also sets Heaven and Earth at odds it so besots the potsherds of the earth that they venture to contend with him that is their Maker and who can easily dash them all in pieces Sin hath set us at a vast distance from God and is continually thrusting us further from him yet we may have peace if we will indeed return to him Though we have provoked him to be an enemy yet he is not such an enemy as is irreconcileable Hark what language he utters Isai 27. 4 5. Fury is not in me let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Peace with God is here promised God himself is ready to strengthen us that we may make peace with him and the more abundantly to encourage us he sayes Fury is not in me that is towards them who are willing to be reconciled and to rebel no more he is not at all furious but gracious and easie to be intreated though their awakened and fearful hearts are prone to imagine the Lord is made up all of anger This Peace with God several thingâ— are implied in it 1. Peace with God implies the removal of his wrath All sin is pardon'â— and done away in the bloud of Christ and guilt being cover'd the Lords anger ceases for sin is the only provocation to him See how these are joyned the forgiveness of sin and the taking away of wrath Psal 85. 2 3. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin Selah Thou hast takeâ— away all thy wrath thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness of thine anger The flaming sword is removed and the Lord sayes Draw nigh to me and I will draw nigh to you We read as of a Gulph fixed between God and damned spirits so of a middle wall of partition between God and unregenerate sinners the former namely the Gulph indeed cannot be passed thorow but the latter the middle wall may be broken down and 't is broken down when our peace is made His wrath abides on those that will not believe that refuse to be reconciled but his anger ceases towards them who believe and yield to him Thrice happy they who are eased of such a load as the wrath of God! Speak O ye troubled Consciences is not this anger your greatest trouble and that which makes the deepest wounds Speak O Hells Inhabitants is not divine wrath a punishment too heavy for you to bear is not this the weight which sinks you lowest in the bottomless pit Finally hear what Christ spake when he felt the displeasure of his Father My Soul sayes he is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Well may they rejoyce who through Jesus are freed from this displeasure 2. Peace with God implies an interest in his love His love is every whit as great towards those who are at peace with him as before his wrath was We may cease to be angry with another and yet
continually cutting and wounding his own conscience and if he be not quickly translated out of this estate he will quickly give himself the fatal blow As long as any are enemies to God they are also their own adversaries but when they leave off fighting against God they cease warring against themselves Peace within is very comprehensive several things are therein included 1. Peace within comprehends calmness in the Conscience This calmness follows upon the apprehension and sense of our peace with God and that now he is in his Son reconciled A reproaching Conscience is a fearful companion we cannot fly away from Conscience it is alwayes with us if awakened 't will speak boldly and tell us our own be we never so proud or high in the world and the ear is forced to hear Conscience's accusations when God gives it a command to speak how impossible is it for us to impose silence on it Oh what a storm doth the remembrance of manifold sins with their manifold aggravations raise in the Conscience how amazed is it to see so much guilt and God so much and so justly incensed But when God by his Spirit doth say Soul though sin hath abounded my grace doth superabound thy debts are all paid thy iniquities are all pardoned Then the storm ceases and there follows a great calm Then Conscience layes aside the whip of steel wherewith before it lash'd it self Conscience acquits the sinner because God hath first justified and absolved him Sins which are past are remitted and instead of continuing in sin the heart is changed and is sincerely desirous to have it slain and this godly sincerity Conscience gives testimony to the effect of which is peace and joy 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience Conscience tells us of our duty and urges us to the performance of it now when Conscience is heeded by us and what we do for God our very hearts are in it Conscience will not condemn but approve us and this will quiet us for sayes the Apostle 1 Job 3. 20. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 2. Peace within comprehends satisfaction in the heart Solomon while making trial what sufficiency was in the things under the Sun was far from peace within vanity was the fruit of all his labour and his spirit is so far from being satisfied that 't was filled with vexation But when God doth give himself to us whom our hearts must then needs look upon as a proportionable happiness as a sufficient portion oh then we are come to our centre and are at rest When the Soul ceases to tire and weary it self in pursuing after the creatures and is fixed upon God who is a Sun a Shield an exceeding great Reward who is the God of all grace and calls us to eternal glory who cannot only satiate our desires but do exceedingly above our desires and thoughts according to that power which worketh in us Ephes 3. 20. Then then our peace abounds and passes all understanding The heart is exceedingly pleased with its choice having made choice of God it would not exchange conditions with the greatest graceless ones in the whole world It must be acknowledg'd indeed that in this life only the back parts of the Lord Jehovah are seen and little of him in comparison is to be enjoyed Yet this is certain that Gods little is much more then the worlds all The enjoyment of the Lord in part affords more peace and satisfaction by ten thousand degrees then the creatures are capable of yielding and that satisfaction how much is it heightned by the assured hopes that at last we shall be fully satisfied 3. Peace within comprehends an agreement in our wills to the will of God 'T is but reason that since Gods will is so high so holy so good our wills should stoop and submit and we cannot have peace but in that submission The carnal mind is enmity against God and refuses to be subject to the Law and Word of God Nay by that very Law the corrupted heart is irritated and provoked 't is the more forward to sin because forbidden to transgress He was not unacquainted with mans nature who said Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata We are very prone to do that which is forbidden and to desire what is denied us And while the heart is thus irritated by the Law alas the sinner is like the troubled sea when it cannot rest Sin taking occasion by the commandment doth work all manner of concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. But now what peace is there when our hearts are reconciled to our duty when we do not quarrel at but love the Law and wish oh that our wayes were directed to keep it How can there be peace within unless there be some sutableness between our spirits and Gods Word and Ordinances unless what was before look'd upon without cause as a burthen and weariness be now esteem'd as a priviledge and advantage Peace within comprehends ordinateness in the affections Our passions and affections being corrupted by sin are very tumultuous and unruly and except these are tamed and brought into right order we shall not know peace Those are some of the worst kind of slaves that are enslaved by their own affections How is that man hurried who is under the power of worldly or unclean desires His fleshly and his worldly lusts do so take up his time and pains that they will not permit him to eat or drink or sleep and much less pray in quiet How is that heart rent and torn that is by inordinate love glued to any creature when of that creature 't is deprived Oh the overwhelming sorrow which follows upon love that is excessive What a rack and torture is anger What an evil is fear many times worse then the evil feared And so I might instance in other affections If the world be compared to a Stage and the life of man to a part which he acts upon it we may truly say that a wicked man doth act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the part of a Self-punisher because by giving way to his corrupt affections he contributes so much to his own disquiet But 't is the work of the Spirit of God to renew these affections the anger and sorrow are turned against and on sin the love and the desire are towards God And as here there is no danger of excess so there is a certainty of enjoyment The heart sits loose from the world and the world is not able to disturb that peace which it hath in God None are more free from trouble then those that are most masters of their own affections And well may the Apostle say that the fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy Gal. 5. 22. since he brings our affections into captivity 5. Peace within comprehends a ceasing to be our own foes When are we our own foes Surely when we side with Satan against our selves
wisdom and then we see the way of reconciliation He is made unto us righteousness sin is no longer imputed and that quarrel which Justice had with us comes to an end He is made unto us sanctification and then the holiness of God ceases to be our enemy and we no longer hate that holiness there is a sweet agreement between our renewed nature and an holy God and his holy Law which he would have us walk according to They that are sanctified in Christ Jesus love God because of his holiness and they love the Word of God upon the same score Psal 119. 139 140. My zeal hath consumed mâ— because mine enemies have forgotten thy words Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Finally Christ is made unto us redemption that 's a fourth benefit reckoned up by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. He makes us free indeed because he frees us from that which is slavery indeed he delivers us from the bondage of corruption and causes us to become the servants of God and righteousness Rom. 6. And now we are reconciled to Gods Soveraignty and Authority we own him as our Lord who as he hath right to rule us so 't is our honour our advancement our freedom to be ruled by him 2. As we must know who is our Peace-maker so what are the conditions of our peace 1. One condition is godly sorrow And as the Lord doth grant us peace so he himself doth work this and the other conditions of it If we will be reconciled we must mourn for our offending and provoking God to be an enemy The eye of the body can look every way but inward and shall the eye of our mind never look inward neither Were our hearts but more acquainted with themselves they would be more broken and contrite hearts How deeply is the Law of sin engraven there and this Law of sin forbids whatever the Law of God commands and commands whatever the Law of God forbids The most venemous creature is not more full of poyson then our hearts are full of enmity against the Lord and reprobateness to what is good This corruption of our nature is not a thing which hath layn dormant and idle no but as a Fountain perpetually sends forth water so from the heart proceed evils abundantly whereby the man is defiled 'T is difficult to reckon up the sins of one day or of one duty and how vast then is the total sum of our whole lives abominations Oh break hard heart for shame who hast so often broken the most equal laws and broken thorow so many obligations to obedience If thâ— offending God be made light of this will anger him more then all thy other offences 2. Another condition of our Peace is Believing When the Jaylour was under the sense of Gods anger and wrath and tortur'd with the fears of damnation and cry'd out What shall I do to be saved Paul and Silas made this answer Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 30 31. How much is faith preached up in the Gospel and unto Christ our faith is directed for 't is in him that God is well pleased and 't is through that beloved Son alone that he will be at peace and well pleased with us If we expect favour or mercy any other way but through Jesus that very expectation is sufficient to be an eternal impediment to our obtaining of either The Lord hath made Faith one great condition of our peace and salvation for two reasons 1. Man being thus reconciled and saved by believing all the glory redounds to God alone Mans boasting is utterly excluded The hand of faith is an empty hand it brings nothing along with it but it receives Christ and with him and from him freely all thâ—ngs Faith exalts Christ and abases the sinner and makes him see that he is wretched and miserable and poor and naked and that to Christ he must be beholding for every thing he must thank himself for nothing Man being thus reconciled and saved by believing his peace with God is lasting his salvation sure Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure Adam was at peace with God when first created but since the continuance of his peace depended upon the constancy of his obedience peace and life were soon lost by him But faith puts our peace and salvation in the hands of another in the hands of Christ he undertakes to be the finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. He hath promised to keep us from falling and to confirm us to the end 1 Cor. 1. 8. And the believer rests upon this word of promise which will never fail him That 's the second condition of peace believing 3. Another condition is Conversion with the whole heart to God How often doth the Spirit cry out Turn and liveâ— And though the Lord was bitterly provoked yet upon his peoples returning he promises to be pacified Jer. 3. 12. Go and proclaim these words towards the North and say Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Our returning to him must be without delay without deceit we must not divide our hearts between him and sin between him and Mammon but we must consent to be wholly his and never to leave him any more but if through infirmity we do fall we must look unto the Lord to pity and pardon and heal and raise us To turn away from God so as not to return is inconsistent with peace Thus you know these things which are the conditions of your peace let me add Happy are ye if ye do them 3. It concerns us to know how we may attain to an assurance of Peace The soul indeed may be safe without this assurance but withall 't will be disconsolate Now 't is the Spirit who makes this discovery We read Rom. 14. 17. of peace and joy in the holy Ghost Peace and joy are the fruits of this blessed Comforter In Scripture the Saints are said to be sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. And their being thus sealed as it denotes their distinction from the rest of the world their being appropriated unto God and the value that is put upon them so it serves to confirm them in that perswasion That God is theirs and they are his There is indeed a privy Seal of his gracious Decree of which the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his But afterwards when the Spirit works upon us we are sealed in a more discernable way Now the work and method of the Spirit in sealing and bringing those who are reconciled unto an assurance of peace I shall declare 1. The Spitit convinces us of
God doth draw us to himself by his own strength we shall never close with him but still continue at a distance and enmity Your neck is so much like an iron sinew that a less strength then that of God is insufficient to bow it to his yoak Desire therefore that this arm may be revealed whereby your naturally stubborn spirits may be made tractable and obedient 6. Resolve to cover and keep nothing whereby the Lord hath been provoked He that covereth his sins shall not prosper And as sin which is the cause of war must be forsaken so you must leave the tents of Rebels you must shake off your acquaintance with them that are the Lords profess'd enemies and become companions of those that fear him USE III. Of Advice to those whose peace is made Endeavour after an assurance of it Be restless while it may be question'd whether God be your friend or whether he be your foe His favour is a thing of so great value of such sweetness and will have so great an influence as that it better deserves to be ensured then those things of the world uncertainty about which doth so much torture the worldly minded Here I shall first Lay down some signs of that peace which is true Secondly Some arguments to perswade believers to endeavour after an assurance of peace The Signs are these 1. True peace follows after contrition and trouble for sin Thou art at peace but wast thou ever troubled if not 't were well if thy peace were gone and trouble in the room of it Thou art troubled at thy temporal losses and when thy expectation from the creatures is frustrated affliction also is troublesom and acknowledg'd an evil but were thine eyes open to see the evil of sin was thy heart ever troubled for it If guilt be made light of if future punishment be not thought on nor feared if thou art unsensible that sin is a plague and 't is not noysom to thee if thy offending of God be the smallest matter of a thousand as long as thou feelest nothing of his hand certainly thou wast never broken and so thy peace is not thy priviledg but thy punishment Christ was annointed to bind up the broken-hearted and to comfort thâ—se who first have mourned Isai 61. 1. and those who have true rest given them were first weary and heavy laden 2. True peace is the fruit of the lips Isai 57. 9. I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near Peace is called the fruit of the lips partly because 't is obtained by prayer partly because 't is grounded upon the Gospel which is preached to us Where true peace is there hath been a crying and lifting up the voice for it Oh what importunities have been used that the Lord would cease to be an adversary what wrestlings for his favour and friendship This peace hath been valued above all the world and the soul hath been contented to do any thing to be any thing so it may be at peace with God True peace is likewise grounded upon the word 't is a peace not of our own but of the Lords speaking Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his people and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly And when he speaks peace who then can make trouble The word discovers the marks and characters of such as are indeed reconciled unto God and become his children that they prize the Lord Jesus above all 1 Pet. 2. 7. that they hunger and thirst after holiness and righteousness Matth. 5. 6. that they love and fear and are desirous to follow their Father Ephes 5. 1. And the Spirit by the Word doth work these gracious qualities and inclinations in our hearts and discovers that he hath wrought them and so we come to conclude that we are indeed reconciled 3. True peace is joyned with the spiritual combat The Spirit lusts against the flesh in all those who are reconciled unto God There is a war with sin where-ever there is a peace with God If any of our lusts which are both the Lords enemies and our own too are winked at and provision is made for them that they may be fulfilled we plainly shew we are still alienated from him But if the remainders of corruption if that evil which is present with us be our burthen and makes us cry out O wretched as we are Rom. 7. 24. and we would esteem it one of the greatest happinesses to be eased of that sin that dwells in us this shews evidently that with our minds we serve the Law of God that we are in Christ Jesus and there is no condemnation to us Rom. 7. 25. and 8. 1. I grant that in a wicked man there may be a combat between his will and his conscience Conscience may check and reproach him for what his will hath a strong propension towards But the combat between the flesh and Spirit is another thing Here the very heart and will is renewed holiness is longed after sin not only because of its guilt but because of its filth a burthen and the heart is desirous that conscience were more awakened that it might exercise greater power and cause a greater restraint from what is evil whereas the desire of unrenewed ones is that conscience when troubled may be husht asleep that so sin may be committed without any remorse 4. True peace is inconsistent with careless walking A Child of God who hath attained unto peace if he grows loose and begins to live at random presently his peace withers and conscience grudges and is unsatisfied especially if temptation to sin that hath more of presumption doth prevail Canst thou omit thy duty canst thou be proud and peevish canst thou be excessive in thy recreations canst thou be unwatchful over thy heart and words and wayes and yet thy peace not at all abate Assure thy self thy peace is but a meer delusion The quicknings of the Spirit may be without the comforts but never the comforts without the quicknings If thou grievest the Spirit by thy lukewarmness and formality to withdraw his assistance and to leave thee under deadness and thy peace still remains that peace is not the Spirits fruit but thy own hearts presumption Thus of the signs of peace Now follows the arguments to perswade unto endeavours after assurance that your peace is made 1. Assurance of peace will inflame your hearts with love How will the fire kindle and your hearts burn within you when you perceive that you even you in particular have an interest in that love which passes knowledge that God hath had thoughts of kindness and mercy towards you before the foundation of the world was laid and that as his love is from everlasting so to everlasting it will endure 1 John 4. 19. We love him sayes the Apostle because he first loved us And this manifestation
and sense of the love of God will have the greater influence because it usually finds us in sorrow doubting whether ever favour will be extended towards such as we fearing we are cast-awayes Now when in this doleful darkness the light of Gods countenance is lifted up and he shews his reconciled face oh how do our affections work towards him The Prodigal who came home with a sad and doubtful mind when he found himself in his Fathers armes when he saw thaâ— so long absence and great exorbitancies had not extinguish'd his Fathers love surely the workings of his love towards his Father again were beyond expression 2. Assurance of peace will fill you with joy and wonder You will admire to see how the case is altered with you a while ago you were strangers now friends and favourites a while ago you had not obtained mercy but now you have obtained mercy a while ago dead in sin but now you have attained to the first resurrection and so are some of those happy ones over whom the second death hath no power a while ago the children of wrath and sons of death now adopted the children of God and the heirs of glory Well may your hearts rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you This joy is not like that of the carnal and ungodly 't is built upon a surer foundation affliction cannot damp it and the thoughts of death and judgment which quite spoil the mirth of the wicked will but highten and increase it it being an earnest of that fulness of joy which after dissolution will be entred into 3. Assurance of peace will mightily engage you unto thankfulness This is one reason certainly why David is called a man after the heart of God because he was so much in praise And assurance will make you abound in thanksgiving Unbelieving doubts and fears cause us to be possessed with a dumb devil so that though our receipts are vast our returns are small We misconstrue mercies and say they are common to hypocrites and that they are given in anger to us and will serve only to increase both our sin and punishment But when we know that our peace is made we shall also know our interest in those blessings which are peculiar to Gods chosen ones and as for outward mercies they will be very much sweetned because coming not only from the hand but from the heart of God and hereupon we shall be the more forward to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13. 15. 4. Assurance of peace will quicken you to duty and make you stedfast in obedience With what forwardness will you pray when you know you shall be heard with what willingness will you engage in other Ordinances when you know that God will meet with you in them When you attend upon the ministry of the Word the Lord himself hath engaged to be your instructer when you come to the table he will certainly make you welcome and will be not only the inviter but the feast likewise Your expectations may be justly raised and you shall not be ashamed of them What encouragement doth this afford Add also when you know that you are reconciled to God and have had a sight and taste how good and gracious he is you will cleave to him with the fuller purpose of heart you will find so much sweetness in him that all the delights of sin and the world which Satan doth so much magnifie in his temptations will be but cheap and mean in comparison 5. Assurance of peace will set you above the fears of affliction and of death Then you will be able to make application of that supporting truth unto your selves That all chastisements are from love â—â—d tend unto your holiness and profit â—eb 12. 6 10. and this will keep you from fainting and dismayedness of Spirit Nay death it self will rather be desired then feared when you know it will admit you into the Lords presence from whom while in the body you are absent when you know that as soon as this earthly house of your tabernacle shall be dissolved you shall have a building of God â—n house not made with hands eternal in â—he heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. USE IV. Of Direction how peace may be kept and maintained 1. Let not your hearts be lifted up with pride after the Lord hath manifested himself to you Pride is a great enemy to peace God revives and comforts the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones Isai 57. 15. Those who observe the workings of their own souls shall find after Gods manifesting himself that pride is commonly one of the first sins which assaults them The Apostle after the abundance of revelations was in great danger of being exalted above measure therefore the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet him that this self-exalting might be prevented Oh do not think highly of your selves do not censure and undervalue others the more low you are in your own eyes your joy and peace will be the more abiding 2. Be watchful even against little sins These will dead the heart and grieve the Spirit causing him to suspend his sweet influences and make way for greater Little sins have their peculiar aggravations How inexcusable are we when we stand with God about a small matter and refuse to do a little for him Mispence of a little time a little excess in using of the creatures a little frothiness of mind the smaller stirrings of pride and passion and such like which are more commonly to be found in professors you must beware of else these lesser sins to your cost and sorrow will be found great enough to interrupt and break your peace 3. Especially take heed of gross transgressions which waste the Conscience When David would needs feed upon forbidden pleasures he lost his peace and the joy of Gods salvation Psal 51. Grosser falls do break the bones and raise a new storm in the Conscience where before a calm was By these you will not only cause the Lords enemies to reproach religion but also your own hearts to reproach you Oh therefore cry Vphold me continually with thy free Spirit and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 4. Do the work of the Lord diligently God doth most constantly manifest himself to those who most constantly seek and search for him with their whole heart Jer. 29. 13. Never offer unto God a sacrifice but let it have sound inwards The Psalmist tells us That the Lords countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. ult When we are sincere and serve him with our whole soul then he shews his face and in his looks we may read his love and through Christ his accepting of us 5. Let your design in begging the continuance of peace be this that hereby you may be encouraged to do more for God and to cleave the closer to him Aim at his