and rest upon him Doth Conscience terrifie thee with being an enemy to God and God's being an enemy to thee Tell her the blood of his Cross hath made reconciliation for the sins of his people And for me if I renounce my enmity and return unto him Mat. 26.28 Rom. 3.25 26. Heb. 9.12 Col. 1.14 20. Heb. 2.17 Oh if Conscience could but lay a clear claim to this blood farewell such cramps and convulsions quickly Could she but say The blood of our Lord Jesus was shed for me I have redemption through his blood Now there would be a most ample serenity Well Conscience cannot yet put forth an act of assurance after it yet may she and should put forth an hand of acceptance towards it and of an holy acquiescence on it as knowing sin cannot write so bitter things against us but this blood of sprinkling speaks better things for us 1 Tim. 1.15 Isa 26.3 Heb. 12.24 2 See Christ applying his blood for you presenting the merit of it to his Father and thereby pleading for mercy to the faithful in his Intercession He is not gone into the Holiest of all as the high Priest with the blood of goats and calves was wont which he offered for himself as well as others But by his own blood he is entered into the holy place and this not for himself but to appear in the presence of God for us And if that blood sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall this blood sprinkled in the Conscience purge it from dead works Heb. 9.7 15 24. c. 7.25 Direct 6. Try the Breasts of the Church you may suck and be satisfied These are breasts of Consolation Breasts for beauty and benefit fair and full of milk and nutritive vertue As the clusters of the Vine as clusters of grapes full of vinous spirits succulency and sweetness Isa 66.11 Caut. 7.7 8. You that are athirst i.e. in distress and desirous of relief may come freely Christ invites you encourages injoyns you to come away Isa 55.1 2. Joh. 7.37 Rev. 21.6 Mat. 11.28 1 Try the Breasts of the Promises Do not put them from you they are full of affecting delicacies and as it were ake for want of drawing In them is not only sure but strong consolation For he is faithful who hath promised Lay but the mouth of faith to the promise as Sara and Abraham did and the fears you plead from the improbabilities and seeming impossibilities of peace will melt away and vanish Isa 55.3 Heb. 6.18 c. 10.23 c. 11.11 Rom. 4.19 20 21. Sayest thou I see no peace of Conscience within nothing but puzling calamities without me But the Promises shew that there is peace in Christ for thee In the world ye shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace Joh. 16.33 Object Alas for peace I have great bitterness Answ Yet hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace to his people he will bless his people with peace Psal 85.8 29.11 Object What! I have peace Alas I have not deserved the least peace but the greatest punishments 'T is not all the world can give me peace Ans But in the Promises you have to do with the God of peace They ask not for deserts accept desires and afford all of free gift Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Joh. 14.27 Obj. But alas I see no cause no foundation of peace Matter of provocation God may find enough and too much in me but no matter of peace whence he may educe this blessing for me Ans The Promises exhibit peace as not only of God's causing but of God's creating And creation is out of no pre-existing or no predisposed matter I create the fruits of the lips peace peace I create Hierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Isa 57.19 c. 65.18 Ply these and the like promises as Phil. 4.7 Isa 26.3 c. 27.5 c. 54.10 c. 57.16 17 18. c. 55.12 c. 66.12 c. with the strongest desires of their goodness and with your steadiest dependance on their truth Who ever went to God in the promises for peace that went away without the peace of God 2 Try the Breasts of the publick and solemn Ordinances These are full of milk and marrow and fatness not for support only but to abundantly satisfie us Let thine heart preserve them and they will add peace to and preserve thee Psal 36.8 65.4 Prov. 3.2 17.1 Essay the Sacraments which some will have to be those two Breasts Cant. 4.5 Certain it is that Christ who is our peace is the internal substance of them And he doth not only outwardly signifie but inwardly seal righteousness and therefore peace by them Ephes 2.14 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Rom. 4.11 c. 14.17 Reflect on thy Baptism It ministreth powerful arguments not only for the killing of sin but for the quieting of the soul as being baptized into Christ and under the bond and therefore having the benefits of the Covenant thereby confirmed and sealed This is another Ark against the deluge of wrath as Noah's was against the deluge of waters Rom. 6.3 4. Gal. 3.26 27. 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Renew thy presence often at and participation in the Supper of the Lord. Here is Bread to strengthen and Wine also that maketh glad the heart of man the Communion both of the Body and of the Blood of our Lord Christ Lo here is both a peace-offering for thee and an offer of peace to thee under the broad-seal of the God of peace How many Souls have unloaded all their pressures and soul-distresses at this port and have gone away loaden under full sail with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost O let not thy weaknesses so much deter thee hence as thy wants drive thee hither and Christ's willingness to communicate himself to his weak believers draw thee even to those who are filled with troubles of heart Psal 104.15 1 Cor. 10.16 Eph. 5.2 Cant. 2.3 4 5. Joh. 14.1 27. c. 16.6 22. cum c. 13. Cant. 5.1 2. Essay Sermons The Lord will speak peace But he is not wont to speak it immediately by himself but through the ministry of his own Ordinances and offices who must therefore preach the Gospel of peace Yea he creates peace but so as the word preached is of place and use in this Creation as the word of his power was in the first Creation I create the fruit of the lips peace peace The Priests lips are to be a storehouse of comfort as well as of knowledg God hath committed to them the Ministry of Reconciliation Nor doth the word they preach only propound the matter of peace but their preaching of the Word is a powerful and oft-times a present means of peace thorough his benediction Psal 85.8 Rom. 10.15 Mal. 2.5 6 7. Isa 57.19 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. Isa
in point of dignity with thee And never think it can give thee peace from him while thou goes on in ways of opposition to him or that thou shalt feel quietness while thou followest these courses Job 15.20 20.20 Isa 48.22 1 Abandon every sin Acknowledg all away with all hate and abhor all One Achan is enough to trouble the whole Camp One Jonas to bring a tempest upon the whole Ship The breach of one article as to a league-peace is as effectual to cause and continue a war as if all were broken Thou must hate every false way then away with all iniquity The allowance of one sin speaks an heart for all sin And God accounts him guilty of all who knowingly gives his approbation to any Psal 119.104 128. Hos 14.2 Jam. 2.10 Ezek. 18 10 13. Every sin is an enterprize of war against both God and thy own Soul Rom. 7.23 1 Pet. 2.11 And never imagin Conscience can from God proclaim peace while corruption proclaimeth war against God and Conscience 2 Abandon Satan He is the Prince and Captain-general under whose Banner Sinners fight both against the Gospel of Peace and the God of Peace to their own perdition but at his pleasure Joh. 12.31 Rev. 12.7 2 Cor. 3 4. Thou must quit his Kingdom come off his Camp cast off his Colours not only cashier thy self from his Army but convert thy arms against him and chuse Christ henceforth to be thy only King and Captain who is the Prince of Peace So shalt thou receive the forgiveness of thy sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified Ephes 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 Ephes 6.11 12. Act. 26.18 Never think thou canst be at peace with Heaven while thou art at peace with Hell and under its power There must be a war with Satan if peace of Soul * Pax nostra bellum contra Satanam Tert. ad Mart. 3 Abandon sensual things not the simple use but the sinful abuse of them to a war with Heaven and to the wounding of your own hearts Whosoever will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God Jam. 4.4 Yea and to his own good piercing himself thorough with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.10 He that dotes on Earth bids defiance to Heaven and the God of Heaven to him and is but driving of nails and thorns into his own heart 1 Joh. 2.15 16. Mat. 6.24 c. 13.22 Be vigilant in the use and flee the abuse of worldly things then Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with any of them Luk. 21.34 Be sure Conscience will not give them peace that give her nothing else but pain and give the world an higher place than to the God of Conscience Direct 4. Accept the terms of Peace which free Grace tenders thee yet the White-flag is hanging out God is willing to a peace and that thou hath shouldst not perish Lo he proclaimed it in his Scriptures preached it by his Son published it by his Angels and is still praying and perswading it by his Ambassadours 2 Pet. 3.9 Isa 52.7 Act. 10.36 Luk. 2.14 2 Cor. 5.20 Durst thou contend with Omnipotency or why dost thou not desire conditions of peace yea he offers thee conditions conditions of the highest honour and security which if thou shalt sincerely own thou art sure of peace and felicity Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Luk. 14.32 Isa 27.4 5. Canst thou yet bid defiance or be at a longer distance Oh! if thou didst but know in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace How equal how easie how excellent are the terms But the tender of them is of no effect unless thou embrace and take them up except it be to render thy sufferings more easless and thy self more excuseless Nor will Conscience as being Gods Herald cease denouncing the terrors of war while thou continuest defying his terms of peace But accept these and he will accept thee and Conscience also shall acquit thee as from him Ezek. 20.40 41. Rom. 14.18 Isa 60.7 Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh may Conscience say and give it unto men whom I know not where they be 1 Sam. 25.11 She expects an answer of peace with Moses and whether thou wilt open thy City-gates at her approach and cordially embrace the Covenant of Peace she offers thee Deut. 20.10 11. Ezek. 34.25 c. c. 37.26 c. Every article of this Covenant must find thy acceptance and consent or the tenders of grace can take no effect in peace for 't is an immutable Covenant founded upon an immutable Counsel God will not cannot lie to indulge thee any one lust Heb. 13.20 c. 6.17 18. Thou must repent of all thy iniquities be renewed in all thy faculties be ready to all duties receive Christ in all his Offices resign up all to his command and dispose refer all to God as thy highest end and happiness and reciprocate with him in all taking all his to be also thy friends or enemies So shall thy peace be as a river and thy righteousness like a mighty stream I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will beal him Ezek. 18.30 Ephes 4.23 24. Tit. 3.1 Joh. 1.12 Luk. 14.26 1 Cor. 10.31 Psal 139.21 22. Isa 66.12 c. 57.19 In short then wilt thou subscribe and seal over to God the conditions of the new and better Covenant Wilt thou henceforth lay down thy arms give him thy allegiance put all thou art and hast into the hands of his Government for his disposal as well as defense Wilt thou henceforth take himself for thy chiefest good and absolute happiness Wilt thou take his Son and therewith take up his Cross to be thy Prince as well as Saviour the Lord thy Righteousness And wilt thou take his Spirit henceforth to mortifie thy flesh and to manage thy faculties as may best accord with the praise of God and with the power of Godliness I doubt not to say that God hath now guided thy feet into the way of peace Isa 44.5 Rom. 6.13 Psal 17.15 Jer. 33.16 Rom. 8.13 14. Luk. 1.79 But it is requisite perhaps that I be a little more particular Well then Direct 5. Apply thy self to the Lord of peace and the Lord of peace unto thy self There is no peace with God nor peace of Conscience but by Jesus Christ This is the Blastus whom you must make your friend if you mean to find peace 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Act. 10.36 c. 12.20 Peace is of his manifesting his meriting his making 1 This peace is of his manifesting and publishing Men are naturally at a loss in the means of peace The way of peace have they not known Nor had the Angels known it but by the Church Nor had the Church known it but by Christ Rom. 3.17 Eph.
should come to repentance Behold he is ready to pardon Hebr. a God of pardons gracious merciful slow to anger and of great kindness Ezek. 33.11 c. 18.32 2 Pet. 3 9. Neh. 9.17 I know thou lookest upon him as clothed with righteousness and armed with omnipotent justice to revenge thy disobedience And 't is true he is so if thou shalt persist in thy sins But wilt thou revolve these few questions in thy heart and return an answer to them in thy own bosom 1. Is not Omnipotent mercy as propense and willing to save thee as Omnipotent justice is to damn thee Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God and not that he should return from his ways and live He doth not so much as afflict willingly Judgment is his strange work but he rejoyceth to shew mercy He is as it were drawn to acts of justice but he delighteth in acts of mercy Ezek. 18.23 Lam. 3.33 Isa 28.21 Jer. 32.41 Mic. 7.18 Why then such confusion of heart Why dost thou cast away thine hope why shouldst thou fear and fly from him as one that will not forgive when there is forgiveness with him that he may be feared Psal 130.4 7. 2. Is not Omnipotent mercy as prevalent with him to save thee as justice is or can be to damn thee Behold mercy rejoyceth against judgment Acts of mercy flow freely from him they are of his own meer will and motion He hath mercy because he will have mercy Acts of justice have their foundation still without him and are laid in the desert of sin Justice requireth desert Mercy remitteth desert and requireth only distress or defect and knows no motive out of its own self Mercy doth not extend it self upon any former obligations or upon any future hopes Its acts are all free and both from and for it self How marvellous must the influence of mercy then be that is not raised upon the goodness or worth of the sinner but upon the good will of himself Yea when justice seems ready to strike mercy stays its arm and that for its own sake when there is nothing but misery and necessity can be suggested for the sinners sake Jam. 2.13 Rom. 9.15 16. Job 37.23 Psal 78.38 39. Isa 48.9 Behold then the foulness and merit of thy sins is supererogated by the freeness and super-abundance of his mercies 3. Hath not Omnipotent mercy provided and done more in order to thy Salvation then justice hath for thy damnation Yea he hath sent his Son to save thee if thou wilt accept of him his servants by office to shew thee the way of Salvation if thou wilt attend them his Scriptures and Ordinances to skill thee in and work in thee the things that accompany Salvation if thou wilt improve and obey them And nothing can damn thee but thy impenitence in sin Hath justice done as much to fit thee for hell as mercy hath to fit thee for heaven Now the designs of all his acts of justice are but to drive thee to the acceptance of his mercies If justice threatens 't is that she may not punish or if she punish here 't is that she may not punish for ever If thou art judged of the Lord 't is that thou mayst not be condemned with the world Joh. 3.16 Act. 16.17 c. 13.26 Tit. 2.11 1 Cor. 11.32 Oh! turn thy amazing fears of justice into admirings and hopes of mercy 4. Hath not Omnipotent mercy hitherto preponderated the proceeds of justice toward you Yea 't is not for want of might but of meer will and mercy that he hath hitherto forborn you and that your forfeited souls states c. have not been fearfully snatcht from you by some signal arrest of divine vengeance Hath he not indured you with much long-suffering Could finite mercies have put up a thousandth part of such continued injuries and indignities What bowels what bounties of mercies have yearned on you and been extended to you why should not Conscience reflect and say may not the same mercy at last save me that hath so long spared me yea and it will save you if you will yet shake off your sins and submit to its terms Nay this is the very end of it Oh may it so end in you Account that the long-suffering of God is Salvation in the end and design of it He waits that he may be gracious unto you Return and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Rom. 9.22 c. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.15 Isa 30.18 Jer. 3.12 5. Doth not Omnipotent mercy proffer and perswade you to imbrace its Propositions of Salvation and to prevent the ominous strokes of provoked justice yea God will have all men to be saved The grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared Lo he proffers it to all Whosoever will Ho every one that thirsteth He presseth it upon all who soever thirsteth let him come let him come let him come 'T is urged yet a fourth time Encline your ear and come to me He perswadeth it Here are waters here is wine here is milk here is bread for you whatsoever may raise your natures or relieve your necessities Here is the good which you seek after and which alone can satisfie you He prevents the exceptions whereupon men stand off its worth and their unworthiness Come buy without money and without price He pleads and expostulates wherefore will ye spend your money for that which is not bread c. Why will ye die Yea he prayeth and entreateth by his Ambassadors as though God did beseech you by us we pray you to be reconciled Lost man do but suffer me to save thee poor sinner suffer me to love thee These are the charms as one saith * Manton on Jude v. 2. p. 75. of Gospel rhetorick 1 Tim. 2.4 Tit. 2.11 Rev. 22.17 Isa 55.1 2 3. 2 Con. 5.20 Shall your diffidence and despair turn the deaf ear to all this and frustrate both God's design and your own desires to all eternity 6. Hath Omnipotent justice ever condemned any under the publication of the Gospel but upon the neglect or refusal of the offers of Omniptent mercy No mercy must disclaim you ere justice can damn you Vindictive justice must have the permit at least of divine mercy ere it can so punish This this is the condemnation the neglect of that great Salvation mercy shews us the miserable refusals and abuse of the riches of mercy Mercy never refuseth till men refuse What say you are you willing to be at peace and friends with that God to whom you say you have been so long enemies Never were there any who were willing to accept the conditions of mercy and to accord the quarrel of justice that mercy hath abandoned or justice arrested and cast into hell-torments If you are but willing truly throughly willing be you never so weak or have you