IT was our Savi­ours Commande­ment unto his Apostles Luke 10 into whatsoever Ci­ty ye come say vnto them the Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you verse. 9. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say peace be unto this house, And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turne to you againe verse 5.6. I am this day by the providence of the Almighty, comea stranger to your City, And now what fitter subiect, can I thinke of for a [Page] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] stranger to speake unto strangers than the glad tidings of Peace by Iesus Christ.

Cornelius the centurion, with his kinsmen, and neere Friends, are the Auditors Peter is the preacher. And this text a part of that sermon at the preaching whereof the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. verse. 44. O that the Lord would vouchsafe that the like effect may this day follow the preach­ing, of the word of this life. That as many as heare me this day; may goe away, filled with the fullnesse of God. Peter doth seem to say in effect, thus much, you are heere met together, to attend unto the word of salvation, delivered from my mouth, I can preachto you no other gospel, then that which was before by the Prophets declared unto the chil­dren of Israell, in due time to be reveal­ed (that is to say) Peace by Iesus Christ he is the Lord of all.

The Proposition from these words, is that, the Gospell, is a Doctrine of Peace, by Iesus Christ.

This Doctrine propounded, needeth [Page 7]not soe much proofe, as explication namely, to shew unto you, what manner of Peace this is which is holden forth unto you, by the tender of the glorious Gospell. I hope you doe not expect, that I should this day declare unto you, any outward, temporall, or worldly Peace; in the middest of these distem­pers, I would I might, and be yet a true Prophet. The Peace which is the sub­iect of the Gospell is like the Kingdom of Christ, [being indeed a part of it] not of this world: Iohn 18.46. The Peace which came by Iesus Christ, is not an earthly Peace, our blessed Saviour will not, that you should entertaine, or har­bour such a thought, as this: Thinke not that I am come to send Peace on earth, I came not to send Peace, but the sword; for I am come to set the daughter in law against her mother in law, and a man [...] shall be they of his owne houshould: Math. 10.34. If any one then shall preach unto you, that if you will im­brace the Gospell, you shall have out­ward Peace, and prosperity: Is not this [Page 8]the presuptious man speaking His owne words: Is not this the pro­phet prophesying in his own name, whom the Lord hath not sent? If any christian shall embrace the Gospell, in hope to attain outward felicity and pro­sperity, let me tell him, his thoughts wander from the truth, and he erreth, not knowing the Scriptures, for if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, & take up his crosse, and follow me. Mat. 16.24. And all that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3.12. Heare we also what Paule saith. 2. Cor. 11.23.24.25. verses. In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft, of the Iews five times received I fourty stripes save one, (that is in all 195. stripes) thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwrack, a night and a day have I been in the deep, in iorneying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine owne country­men, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wildernesse, in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren, [Page 9]In wearines and painfullnesse, in watchings often In hunger and thirst, In fastings often, In cold and nakednesse, what a catalogue of evils, what an inventory of afflictions have we here? And yet all this and more is the portion of a labo­rious Apostle. And if we will seek for a true and sincere Minister of the Gospel, we shall, assoon find him in poverty and nakednesse, as jetting up and down the streets with atten­dants at his heels, we shall assoon find him in the universitie of Newgate, or some other pri­son, as in great mens houses, we shall assoon him in a cloud of reproach, as in a fat benefice or Cathedrall dignity, we shall assoon finde him at the Bar accused, of heresie, condemned for blasphemy as in the Courts of Kings, or Princes: for to the instruction and consolation of the people of God be it spoken, they shall put you art of their Synagouges, yea the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service John 16. Seing then that it is clear, that it is no worldy peace, it remaineth yet to shew you what peace this is which the Gospel preacheth. It is not an ex­ternall peace, but it is internall. yea eternall; It is a lasting, yea an everlasting peace, A peace which no tounge is sufficient to expresse, nor heart to conceive it is even the love of Christ that passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19. It is even the peace of God which passeth al. yea angelicall un­derstanding If some great and [...] angell should undertake to declare this peace to you [Page 10]am consident he would confesse his abi­lities too weak, how much more I that am but dust and ashes? Surely when I shall have told you all that I am able I shall not tell you one hundredth part, & when you shall understand and believe all that you are able, you shall not attain unto the least part of that glory which shall hereafter be revealed; though I am not able to speak what you desire, or the thing it self deserveth, yet I will ende­vout to speak what I am able: And I shall commend unto you a twofold Peace, the first Descending, The second ascending. The first is the tidings of the love and reconciliation of the everliving God unto the sonnes of men.

The second declares the reconciliation of the sonnes of men to the everliving and everloving God.

To speak plain, first I will shew, how God comes to be reconciled unto men. Beare with the term reconciled although improperly spoken of him that was ne­ver an euemy. Secondly, I will shew you [Page 11] how we come to be reconciled unto God. For the first How doth God come to be re­conciled to men?

I conceive now the drooping consci­ence that sits in darknesse under the cloudy apprelhension of an angry Iudge, under the fearfull expectation of a terri­ble account, to be given unto the consu­ming fire, wil be very attentive to heare that which his heart so thirsteth after How God may be reconciled. Oh what shal I doe, saith the soule, to obtain the fa­vour of God? What shall I doe to turn away his wrathfull displeasure from me wherewith shall I come before him? or how shall I appease him? Attend there­fore and I shall declare that which thou wilt hardly believe, when it is told un­to thee: for Lord who hath believed out report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, Isa. 53.1. And yet that which I shall declare (if thou canst be­lieve it, will fill thy mouth with laughter and thy longue with singing, Psal. 126.2 Take this proposition, God is freely, and fully reconciled to the elect, and loveth [Page 12]them in Iesus Christ without any previous dispositions, without any qualifications, without any performances of conditions on their parts, unlesse to be polluted and finful be a previous condition or qualification. This is a bold proposition will the phari­see say, this is too good newes, to be true will the distressed soul say. But I say the Lord break your stony harts, & give you an heart of flesh, that you may submit to his righteousnes. And I make no questi­on but the glorious grace of the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, shal abundant­ly be manifested, The method I intend is 1 To prove the truth of this proposition 2 To answer six obiections. 3 To make ap­plication. 1 For the proof, When Eve and Adam (in whose loins we all sinned had eaten the forbidden fruit, and were now become guilty of condemnation. They hear the voice of God walking in the garden (which voice was this) thou haste at en, and thou shalt dy) they hide thmselves from the presence of God, amongst the trees of the garden; when man had sinn'd & was in a despairing condition, having not so much wit as to think of a saviour much [Page 13]lesse the boldnes to ask one at the hands of an offended God.

Now in this case behold the exceed-Love of God towards man, in giving and manifesting the promised seed, aswell to the terrour of Satan; as to the consola­tion of mankind. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed, and her seed, and it shall bruise his head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3.15 (See if I may compare the Crea­tor, with the creature) how the Lords bowells doe yern upon man. And he cannot refraine himself, but that (least man should have been swallowed up with sorrow) the blessing of the promised seed, shall be first declared, before the Lord pronounce, the least curse against man. Father Abraham receiveth the promise in the uncircumcision of his flesh. And unto Adam is the promise revealed, in the uncircumcision of his heart; but lest you should think that some qualificati­on in Adam, did forerun the manifestati­on of the promise, I will referre you un­to that place of Scripture which (I am [Page 14]resolved) shall never slip out of my re­membrance (and I hope the like of you) 2 Tim. 1.9. VVho hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own pur­pose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus, before the world began. What [...] there, that is not comprehended in this word grace? here you see that grace was given before the world began. Now what conditions or qualifictions were there in us before the world began? We may safely therefore say that the grace of our God was before all conditions, &c unto this we will adde in the next place one text, that like a diamond casteth his lustre in the dark, and ministreth a great measure of the spirit Eph. 2.4.5. God who is rich in mercie for his great love wherewith the loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sinnes hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved.] What if I shall now prove so bold, as to make such a stop at sinnes, as shall shew that that part of the sentence is referred to that which went [Page 15]before, so that we may say in plain terms that God loved us with his great Love, e­ven when we were dead in trespasses and sins. If I shall read it thus, the text will bear it either in the originall, or in other translations. But if any froward person shall say that I doe iniurie in reading it thus and that this clause [dead in trespas­ses & sins ought rather to be referred to quickened, which followes after then to the verb loved, which goeth before Let this man know that the sence will be one and the same: for when God quic­kened us, then he loved us, with his great love, His love being the cause of quic­kening: the effect of his Love, But thou sayst we were quickened when we were, dead in trespasses and sins. Therefore we con­clude, we were loved with his graet love when we were dead in trespasses and sins For further confirmation I must intreat you to consider what is written by the Apostle Rom. 9.11.12.13 verses. For the children being not yet born neither ha­ving done good or evill, that the purpose of God according to election might stand not [Page 16]of works, but of him that calleth, It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the yon­ger, as it is written Iacob have I loved, but Esau, have I hated. Now you see Gods love set upon Iacob, where were Iacobs qualifications? he had neither done good nor evill. Therefore it is plain that God loved him before any qualification. But some may confesse that the Lord loved him indeed, before he had done good or evil And yet may perchance ask a question upon a supposition, saying, suppose that after Iacob was born, he should have led a wicked and perverse life, suppose that for some yeares, he should have been a notorious, and prophane person, would or could the Lord have continued his love to such a person as this? I answer boldly yea; for Gods love and mercy, are mer­cies of eternity, the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that feare him Psal. 103, 17, not only to e­verlasting, as eternall in respect of time to come, but also from everlasting, age et­nall in respect of that which is past, Gods mercies are not onely without be­ginning, [Page 17]but also without ending, as it is so often repeated even 26 times, Psal. 136. his mercy endureth for ever. This is it that is written by the prophet, I the Lord, I change not, Therefore yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed. Mal. 3.6. Would you know the true reason, why the sons of Iacob are nor consumed, it is this, I change not: should the Lord change as often as we change: should his love in­crease and decrease towards us, as often as our love to him, and obedience to his Maiesty, ebbeth and floweth, the Lord should be more variable then the wind, more changeable then the Moon, that the Lords love altereth not, although it hath beene sufficiently proved by that which hath been spoken, yet to the praise of the glory of his grace, I will proceed to shew you, by more restimonies that the Lord loveth all his elect, with his great love, even then, when as they lie weltring in their sinnes, & transgressions. Vnto this the Holy Ghost bears witnesse, Rom. 5. verse. 6. When we were yet [Page 18]without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For whó Christ died, them the Father & the Son loved; but Christ died for the ungodly, that were without strength, Therefore such were undoubt­edly beloved of God. Lest wee should think the first of these propositions to be weake, it is confirmed, verse 8. God commendeth his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us. And very worthy of observation is that which is spoken verse 10; When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne. Here we have more proved than I have yet undertaken; for my task is to prove, that God was recon­ciled to us whilst we were enemyes. This text saith not onely so, but that we were recontiled to God when we were enemies: But of this more shall be spoken here­after, only for the present we disire to have it granted, that when we were re­conciled to God, he was without all doubt reconciled to us; for our reconciliation to him, is not the cause of his reconcilia­tion [Page 19] to us, but contrary his reconciliation to us, is the cause of our reconciliation to him, Now let us see the argument once againe, For whom Christ died: those he lo­ved. But Christ died for vngodly, for sin­ners, for enemies, Therefore hee loved ememies, sinners, ungodly. And with such a love, as is not onely verball, but reall, not in word but in deed & in truth, as doth al­ready appeare by his death, and will; yet more plainly appeare those acts of love, communicated unto us, even when wee were in the state of vngodlinesse, in the worst estate and condition. Let us con­sider that place so full of the glory of God, which is writen, Ezek. 16.2.3. verses, unto the 15. verse. Thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy Person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee in thy blood; yea, I said unto thee in thy blood, [...]ive. Why doth the Lord use this In­semination, In thy blood, In thy blood? [...] it not because he knoweth how hardly [Page 20]we are drawne to beleeve the glory of his grace? and how ready we are to rob him of the honour of his infinite mercy? The Lord doth as it were say: I know you will wonder at this, that I should say, Live, before you were washed, salted, or swadled, while you were in your blood,

But I remember the act of my grace which passed upon you even in blood. I he Lord loved us not because we were washed and cleansed, but therefore he washed and cleansed us, because he loved us. See the freenes of Gods love, God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten sonne that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Ioh. 3.16. This place is wel known unto you, it may be here lies hid something, which ma­ny of you never discovered, namely that Christ given is the effect of Gods love, not the cause. And that the love of God goes before the gift of his son as the cause goeth before the effect. He therefore gave his sonne, because he loved.

If this seem strange, that Gods love should be more ancient, in order of causes [Page 21]then the gift of his sonne, Because that in him God doth communicate all things unto us, I answer, that Christ is God manifested to him in the flesh. 1 Tim, 3.16. And that all the blessings of that love, wherewith the Lord loved us eternally, are manifested onely in Christ Iesus. And in him they are fully manifested to have been for ever in the bosome of the Father: So that for us to say or think, that Christ purchased the love of the Father for us, is that which I am confident the redeemer of the world will not chalenge unto himself. But say (as in another case) it is not mine to give, but it was given to them, to whom it is given before the foundation of the world was laid, This is all that I am a­ble to speak, unlesse it should be lawfull for me, in so reverend a mystery, to use a distinction, and to consider in the love of God the original of his love, and the continuation thereof, and to say that the original of his love was before the gift of his sonne, as the cause before the effect But that the continuation of love, is to be [Page 22]referred unto the propriation of the re­deemer, as the effect of that sacrifice which he offered, To speak plain, Gods love was before the gift of his son, as the cause before the effect. But the continua­tion of that love, that he should loveus for ever, requires a foregoing propitiation & satisfaction. But when we shal say thus, we fall into a depth unsearchable, when we shall ask why the continuation of his love should rather require a foregoing propitiation, then the originall setting of his love upon us. I confesse I cannot tell what to say, for to cleare this; but trem­ble to speak of this glerious mystery, And desire to refer my self to the iudgement of the spirituall, who are able to iudge all things, and to be instructed by them, whether it be not safer to rest, in that which was said before, then with subtilty of distinctions, to wade into the depth un­searchable. We see the great love of God to us in our bloud, how that he so loved us, that he gave us his sonne, I will now be bold to step a step higher, if higher may [Page 23]be, and to shew you that God did not one­ly love us in our bloud, with his great love; But that his love to us in our broud was as great as ever afterwards. He loved us, I say, with as great love when we were in bloud and polltion as he did afterward when we were cleansed. I know the Pharisee will stamp at this, and say, Doth God love us aswell before conversion as after conversion? Did God love Paul, with as great a love when that he persecuted the Church, as when he preached the Gos­pell? I will answer boldly, yea he did, And that I shall by the assistance of God prove unto you, against men, or de ills who shall oppose it. That God loved us being dead in trespasses and sinnes, you have heard proved: now give mee leave to propound a question, Whe­ther this great love wherewith God loved sinners, be not his infinite love like himself? nay, whether is it any other thing then him self? God is love. 1 Ioh. 4.16. If this be granted that Gods love is in­finite to sinners, that it is like himself, [Page 24]yea, that it is himselfe: for love in God is not a quality: Then it will be plaine, that his love is not capable of increase or decrease, but is alwayes one and the same. The difference is in us, whose apprehen­sions doe often increase and decrease. A­gain, is not the love of God to be weighed by the pledges of his love? But we shall find the greatest pledges of his love to be given unto sinners even in the state of ungodlinesse. What greater pledge than the gift of his Sonne? In this God com­mendeth his love, &c. as before. Rom. 5.8. All the mercies of God are commen­dations of his love, but none like this: All other gifts are not comparable to the gift of his Sonne. He thht spared not his owne Sonne, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Rom. 8.32. If all things were laid in one ballance, and the Sonne of God in the other, no man doubteth, but that the Sonne of God would bee iufinitely beyond all things. Greater love than this hath no man, that [Page 25]a man lay down his life for his friend, John 15.13. But greater love hath God, in that he laid down his life for his enemies. In this was manifested the love of God to­wards us, because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world, that wee might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us, and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes, 1 Iohn 4.9.10. Now that the Apostle saith, In this was manife sted the love of God. And, Herein is love, he doth it to this end, that hee might shew unto us, that Christ was the greatest manife­station of Gods love: Hereby perceive we the love of God, That he hath laid down his life for us, 1 Iohn 3.16. These spee­ches are all comparative, shewing us that Gods loue was manifest in nothing more, or rather nothing so much, as in the death of his Son. Abrahams love to God appeared in many things; but above all, in that he denied not his Sonne. For now I know thai thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with-held thy sonne, thine onely [Page 26]sonne from me, Gen, 22.12. May not we iustly say with admiration unto God, Now we know that thou lovest us, because thou hast not with-held thy Sonne, thine onely Sonne, Thus you see God doth not onely love us before conversion, but he loveth us with his great love, yea his grea­test love that ever was communicated to the creature: for greater love did God never manifest to the creature, than that hee should give his Sonne. This may more fully appeare by severall effects of the love of God, communicated unto men, by God, in and through his Sonne; before conversion, faith, &c. or any thing in us preconsidered. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1.4. Again, Hee hath predestinated us un­to the adoption of sonnes, by Iesus Christ to himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the be­loved, in whom we have redemption through his bloud, even the forgivenesse of sinnes, according to the riches of his grace, verses [Page 27]5.6.7. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsell of his own will, verse 11. How many acts of God have wee here comunicated by his grace unto the crea­ture, before repentance, faith, or conver­sion, or calling. We will adde to these one act of grace more communicated to the creature in the state of ungodlinesse. God justifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. yea take wee sanctificaiion in the common acception, may we not say God sanctisi­eth the ungodly. For men are not sancti­fied because they are godly, but godly be­cause they are sanctified. Yea one thing more, even Calling it self, effectual Calling I meane, goes before conversion, as the cause before the effect: for calling is not an effect of conversion, but conversion is an effect of calling. It is necessary that God call before wee can heare; yea that God open the heart before wee can re­ceive. If I did think that these things nee­ded proofe, I would spend time about it. [Page 28]You see now, Predestination, Choosing, Redemption, Iustification, Sanctificati­on, Calling, opening of the Heart, all of them gracious acts of God, communica­ted unto the creature before the conver­sion of the creature to God. Let us heare the Lord speaking of his own work upon the creature, Esay 57.18. Hee went on frowardly in the way of his heart; I have seen his wayes and will heale him, I will lead him al­so, and restore comforts to him, and to his mour­ners. Whom wilt thou heale? O Lord whom wilt thou restore? Even him whose wayes I have seen. What are those wayes? Even frowardnesse and pervers­nesse. Hee went in frowardly in the way of his heart. See againe, Esay. 43.25. I, even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressi­ons for mine owne sake, and will not remem­ber thy sinnes. Whose sins will the Lord blot our? Looke wee back unto the 22. verse, Thou hast not called upon mee, O Ia­coh, thou hast been weary of mee, O Israel, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes, Thou hast wearied me with thine iniqui­ties, verse 24. See, Thou hast been wea­rie [Page 29]of me, yea thou hast wearied me. This is Iacohs qualisication. This is Israels preparation. Then followes, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions. As if the Lord would say unto his peo­ple, as he speaketh by the prophet Ezek. Chap. 36.22. Say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I doe not this for your sake, O house of Israell, but for my holy names sake, which ye have profaned among the Heathen, whither ye went, or as when Israel was neer the confines of Canaan The Lord speaketh thus unto them by Moses, understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possosse it for thy righteousnesse, for thou art a stiffnecked people. Deut. 9.6. As if the Lod should say, I will blot out your transgressions. But I would have you know the riches of my grace. It is not a­ny thing in you that moveth me unto it. For there is nothing in you but rebelli­on; but I doe it for my glory sake. As the Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, Esay 48.8.9. I knew that thou wouldest deale very treachercusly, and was [Page 30]called a transgressour from the womb: for my names sake will I deferre mine anger, and for my praise will I refraine for thee, that I cut thee not off. This is all the qua­lification we bring unto God, to win his love and mercie: We are rebellious, we are prophane, we are a stiffe necked peo­ple. And if the Lord should not love us, untill hee find lovely conditions in us, surely he must hate us for ever: If God should not be reconciled unto us, untill we be reconciled unto him: he must con­tinue our enemy for ever. Wherefore considering what hath been said, we will be bold to conclude to the praise of the glory of his grace, that his love and mer­cie to us, is before all qualifications in us: that his love and mercy to us, is the cause of all qualifications in us. That his love towards us is as great before faith and conversion as after. There is no difference in him. But some will say, peradventure we grant that God thus loveth us, as is be­fore prov'd; but it may be it was because hee foresaw we would be good, repent, beleeve, &c. Farre bee it from us to en­tertain [Page 31]such thoughts. He that well pon­dereth what hath beene said, shall well perceive, that God doth not therefore love us, because hee foresaw we will re­pent and beleeve, but therefore causeth us to repent, and beleeve in his time, be­cause he loveth us.

But to make this also more cleare, the holy Ghost declares, That the kind­nesse of God towards man, appeared not by works of righteousnesse which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, Tit. 3.4 5. The paterne according to which God setteth his love upon man, was not any thing save his rich mercy, whereby it is plain, Not that wee loved him, but that he loved us, 1 Iohn 4.10. Yee have not chosen mee, but I have chosen you, Iohn 15.16. As our Father Abraham recei­ceived the righteousnesse of faith being yet uncircumcised, and then received the signe of circumcision, a seale of the righ­teousnesse of faith which hee had yet be­ing uncircumcised: So as Abraham was first righteous, and then circumcised; not first circumcised, and then righteous: [Page 32]So the children of Abraham are first be­loved and then converted, not first convert­ed and then beloved, And as God did not account Abraham righteous because he foresaw he would be circumcised, But therefore he gave him the signe of Circumcision because he had made him righteous. So it is with the children of Abraham, God doth not therefore love them, because he foreseeth they will re­pent and believe, but therefore he causeth them in his time to repent and believe the Gospel, because he loved them. Thus have I done with the first thing pro­pounded in the handling of this proposi­tion: The second followes, namely the answer unto the severall obiections. The first and greatest is this, if God love the elect while they are yet dead in trespasses and sinnes, tand so love them with his great love, and with as great a love before couversion as after, as is before proved. then how is it said. Psalm 5.5. Thou ha­test all the workers of iniquity?

And hither we may reserre many pla­ces [Page 33]of Scripture of like nature. If God hate all the workers of iniquity, how can he be said to love the ungodly? Thus you see in one short sentence, seemeth to be quite overthrown all that I have hi­therto spoken. To wind out of this labarinth, which some having assayed, have further intangled themselves (with invocation unto God for the wisedome of his holy Spirit to guid us into the truth) I will first shew you what some have said to clear this; and then I shall deliver unto you mine own iudgement: And yet, I hope, not mine owne, but the iudgement of the Spirit of God, and of most of the Saints of God. First then, I find a great Cathe­drall Doctor (moving the obiection, and labouring to give solution) to give us this distinction; That God hates the workes, but nor the persons of his e­lect. I will not stand to question, whe­ther there may be such a distinction ad­mitted, or no, but will take it for grant; and yet I doe believe sinne to be of that [Page 34]hideous nature, and the iustice of God so perfect, that he cannot but hate the person, unto whom hee imputeth, and upon whom he chargeth sinne, if so be the person charged cannot give full, perfect, and present satisfaction. And yet will I not say, that the Sonne of God. upon whom all our iniquities, great and small, were charged, was at any time, Filius odii, a sonne of hatred (for the father was eternally well pleased with him) the reason is, that our sinnes were no sooner charged upon him, but that hee had given full and perfect satisfa­ction, being the Lamh slain from the foundation of the world, Rev. 13.8. Al­though the soresaid distinction of person and workes, should be granted, without further question, yet give me leave to pronounce it nothing pertinent to the solution of the Obiection in hand: For the Text saith not onely he hateth the works, but the workers, (that is, the persons working) iniquite. A­nother answer is brought to untie this [Page 35]knot, by a jiugling distinction of a two­fold love in God, namely, Amor bene­volentiae, and, amor complacentiae, that the simple may understand, there is in God, say they, a love of well willing, and a love of liking. Now God (say they) loves his elect before their conversion, with the love of well-willing, but not with the love of liking. Like unto which we heare of a distinction not sel­dome, Of the love of Election, and the love of Iustification. God (say they) loves his elect with the love of Electi­on, but not with the love of Iustifica­tion. First of all, I desire you to con­sider, whether there be not more time then reason in these distinctions; the love of Election, and the love of Iusti­fication, being not diverfities of love, or divers degrees of love, but divers ma­nifestations of one and the same infi­nite love. As when a Father hath con­veyed an inheritance to his Sonne, here is no new love from the Father to the Sonne, but a new manifestation of that [Page 36]love, wherewith the father loved the sonne before. Secondly, how can it be that God should not like the person whom he loves? There is indeed this difference betwen Humane love and Divine; Men commonly love because they like: but God likes because hee loves. Man cannot but love where hee likes. And I beleeve (speaking of the person) God cannot but like where hee loves. To make such differences of love in God, will I feare open a gap to ma­ny foule absurdities. But suppose that these things could be so, it will appeare that God loves the persons of his elect, not only with a love of Benevolence, but a so with a love of Complacence and li­king: For this ia the voyc of the Fa­ther from heaven, This my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Matth. 3.17. Here is a revelation of the love of li­king, I am well pleased: The Father is well pleased in his Son. With whom? Surely with those unto whom hee had given his Sonne, that is, all his elect. A­gaine, [Page 37]this answer, if it were beyond all exceptions, yet it is very impertinent to the obiection: For the Text doth not onely say, that God loveth them not with such or such a love, but in plaine terms it saith, that the Lord hateth them that work iniquity. Now what shall we say, that God loves a person with infinit a love, beyond expression, or conceit, and yet at the same time, hateth the same person with that perfect hatred where­with hee hateth all the workers of ini­quitie. Let us take heed that we draw not a vaile before the face of God, and delude our selves and others with such frothy and impertinent distinctions. But I have by this time bred a kinde of wonder in you; what I shall speak, see­ing that which other men have said thus far, liketh me not. I answer there­fore, that this clause, God hateth all the workers of iniquity, and God loveth the ungodly, are both in Scripture, and therefore both true; yet in a different sense. The first, The Lord hateth all the [Page 38]workers of iniquity, is the voyce of the Law: the other, the Lord loves sin­ners, is the voyce of the Gospel, Now the Law, and the Gospel speak divers things; the one being the manifestation of Gods iustice, tells us what we are by nature: the other, being the manifesta­tion of Gods mercie, tells us what wee are by grace in Iesus Christ. The Law saith, that every sinner shal be accursed. The Gospel saith, Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. The Law saith, God will by no meanes cleare the guilty, Exod. 34.7. The Gospel saith, God ju­stifieth the ungodly. The Law declareth wrath without forgivenesse: The Gos­pel, Mercy, grace and peace in Iesus Christ. Thus farre is the obiection an­swered; but yet all difficulty and scru­ple is not removed: For the Law, you will say, is an eternall veritie, whatso­ever it saith, is true. I confesse it so, and one iot or tittle thereof cannot faile. But I say, with the Apostle, that whatso­ever the Law saith, it saith to them only, [Page 39]who are under the Law, and to none o­ther. I say again, that the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled by Christ for us all; yea in all that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.4. So that although the elect of God are sinners in the iudgement of the Law, Sense, Reason, yea and oftentimes Conscience; yet having their sinnes translated unto the Sonne of God, (in whom they were elected) they have the righteousnesse of the Law fulfilled in the Mediatour, and so become to be accounted righte­ous in his sight; that as God on the one side delivered the innocent to death, as though hee had been a sinner, being made countable for our sinnes: So on the other side, God loveth, justifieth, cleareth the guilty and sinners, as if they had been holy, righteous, and blamelesse. The summe is this, that as Christ was no sinner indeed, and yet a sinner by im­putation; so they that are Chrisis, are no sinners by imputation, and yet sin­ners indeed.

Thus much for the first Obiection. The second followes.

BEfore I enter to speake of Mans reconciliation to God, It is necessary that I premise a distinction, and shew you a two-fold re­conciliation, set out unto us in the Scriptures. 1. Originall, 2. Actuall. Beare with the termes, I confesse they are not altogether so fit as I could wish: But I therefore thought fit to use these termes, that I might para­lell this distinction unto another, used by Divines of Originall and Actuall sinne. Originall reconcili­ation [Page 2]is wrought without us by ano­ther person, yet for us: you may call it the reconciliation of our nature. Actual reconciliation is wrought with­in us, although not by our owne pow­er. This you may call the reconcilia­tion of our persons or consciences, the one being the reconciliation of our na­ture to God, the other the manifesta­tion of that, and the premised recon­ciliation to our soules: That this is not an unnecessary distinction you shall find by comparing some Scrip­tures together: the first is Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne. Againe, Eph. 2.16. That he might reconcile both unto God into one body by the Crosse having slaine the enmity thereby, Col. 1.21.12. Thirdly, consider what is writ­ten, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Iesus Christ, and hath given unto us the ministery of reconciliation: To wit, That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe, not imputing their tres­passes [Page 3]unto them. Now compare wee these three places forementioned, with that which we find, 2 Cor. 5, 20. We are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be yee reconciled unto God: In the former places the Apostle told us wee were reconciled; and in this place, he beseecheth us to be reconciled. For to take up this difference, I say that in the former he speaketh of our Originall re­conciliation, wherein our nature was re­conciled to God by Christ, in the se­cond I say, he speaketh of our Actuall re­conciliation, wherein our consciences be­come reconciled to God, through the apprehension of the reconciliation which Christ hath wrought for us. First of all I must speak of our Originall re­conciliation. And there I lay downe this proposition, that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne, without any previous conditions in us, or per­formed by us. You see it is the act of Christ upon the Crosse, it was done by his death: The Lord Christ being a [Page 4]common person, taking our nature up­on him, we are said to doe that which he did, and to have that done upon us which was done upon him. As in the first Adam we all sinned before we were, or bad committed any Actuall transgression: so in the second Adam we were reconci­led. As by one mans disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous, Rom. 5.19. I say we are said to doe that which he did, as to be buried with Christ, by baptisme into death, Rom. 6.4. We are said to be crucified with Christ, as our old man is crucified with him, Rom. 6.6. to be dead and alive with him. Reckon yee also your selves to be dead indeed unto sinne, but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.11. We are said to be risen with him, Coloss. 3.1. which is elegantly set forth by the Pro­phet Hosea, speaking of the resurrecti­on of Christ. He speaketh on this wise, After two dayes he will revive us, and the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight, Hose. 6.2. Yet more, [Page 5]we are said to be placed together in hea­venly places with him, Eph. 2.5.6. This is that which I call Originall reconcili­ation. Whereby we see that not onely God was reconciled unto us, but also that our nature was reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne, without any condition, or qualification wrought in us. Thus much for our Originall re­conciliation. Now followes our Actu­all reconciliation; to wit, the manifesta­tion of Gods reconciliation to us, and of the reconciliation of our nature to God in Jesus Christ. Here I lay downe this proposition: Mans Actuall reconci­liation to God requireth previous conditi­ons and qualifications to be wrought in man by the spirit of God before man can be Actually reconciled to God, or Gods reconci­liation manifested unto him. Althogh this proposition need no proofe, in regard that the world so far doteth on conditi­ons, that they will hardly admit God to be reconciled to man, without performan­ces in man: Surely much lesse will they thinke it possible that Man should be reconciled [Page 6]unto God, without something wrought in man; yet for our better un­derstanding I will shew you the proofe of this by certaine texts. As Except a man be borne of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God, Iohn 3.5. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God, vers. 3. To enter into, and to see the kingdome of God, is that which I call reconcilia­tion to God: to know the favour and love of God towards us in Christ, re­quires you see the condition of being borne againe of water and of the spirit, which is (not to be baptized as the Pa­pists would have it) but to have such fruits and effects of Gods spirit wrought in us as purifie the heart, as water doth the body. Secondly, except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you have no life in you, Iohn 6.53. Marke I pray you, he doth not say, that except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, yee have no life in God, or in Christ; but yee have no life in you. Now you see we must eat [Page 7]the flesh of Christ, and drinke his bloud, or else we can have no life in us. To eate his flesh and to drink his bloud, is to be­leeve in him, to have life in you, is to know Gods favour in Iesus Christ, as much as if he should say, except yee be­leeve, yee cannot know Gods favour to you in Iesus Christ. Vnto this we may adde in the third place: Except yee re­pent yee shall all likewise perish, Luke 13.3. And to this place we may also referre that place of which we had oc­casion to speake somewhat before; with­out holinesse no man shall see God, Heb. 12.14. not onely that holinesse is con­comitant or companion of our seeing of God, but that faith being a part of (yea the first fruits of holines) is that where­by the soule is brought to the sight of God in Jesus Christ. But I am not wil­ling to spend time in larger proofe, though you cannot but perceive I might be very large herein, but I will for your better understanding, confine my selfe, and goe on to shew you in particular, what Conditions are required in us, be­fore [Page 8]we can be reconciled to God. And here I have occasion, for the better ex­plaining of this, to commend unto you three sorts of conditions,

• 1. Antecedent.
• 2. Present.
• 3. Consequent.

Antecedent Conditions I call those which are necessarily presupposed in us before we can submit unto God, or be reconciled unto him. They are such conditions as may be seperated from re­conciliation in time, yea they are such conditions, as are, and may be in them which are not reconciled, nor yet ever shall be: so that they are proper, Omni­bus sed non solis electis, to all the elect, but not onely to the elect. 2. Present conditions I call them, that goe before reconciliation, as the cause before the ef­fect, yet are never seperated from recon­ciliation in time, but are indeed the ve­ry thing whereby the holy spirit of God doth reconcile man to God. 3. Conse­quent conditions I call them, which doe alwayes follow reconciliation, as the [Page 9]effect the cause, although they are inse­perable in respect of time. And I there­fore undertake to speake of these (al­though the curious may thinke me blame-worthy for transgressing the rules of method) that we might be war­ned of a rock and shelfe; namely, that we doe not confound these conditions together, and to take those for antece­dent which are onely consequent: which to my knowledge hath made some souls to make shipwrack for a time, when as they would have in them before they beleeve, such conditions as are onely consequents, and not antecedents of faith: First, to speake of Antecedent conditi­ons, which necessarily goe before our re­conciliation to God: They shall be refer­red unto two heads, the first is the know­ledge of sinne, with whatsoever is requi­site unto the knoweledge of sinne. The se­cond is the knowledge of the depth of mi­sery by sinne to be such, as we can neither help our selves, neither is it in the pow­er of any other creature for to helpe us: but that we are undone for ever in re­spect [Page 10]of whatsoever we can doe or any other for us; for untill the soule be brought to this, there is no hope of re­conciling it unto God: for you must know, that it is meere necessity that drives us: we are by nature haters of God, and cannot be brought to come to God in love before we perceive God to love us; such is the malignant nature of man, that if he could make any shift in the world, hee would not bee beholding to God for helpe: The prodigall sonne will never returne to his father so long as he can get cloaths for his backe, and meate for his belly elsewhere; but when he is brought to that passe that he would fain have filled his belly with husks which the swine did eate, and no man gave unto him, Luke 15.16. Then he is conten­ted, to thinke of submitting to his fa­ther, but not before, if he could have got a living by keeping of Hogs, hee would not have returned. Thus is it with man so long as he is in any hope to escape misery any other way, there is no hope of his returning to God. They that be [Page 11]whole need not the Physitian, but they that are sick, Mat. 9.12.

The Pharisee thinketh himself able to establish his owne righteousnesse: and therefore he will not submit to the righ­teousnesse of God, Rom. 10.4. He cares not a pinne for Christ, he is whole; he cares not for the Physitian. If any man will come after me, let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow me, Luke 9.23. No man can follow Christ except he deny himselfe, his own Righ­teousnesse and holinesse, would you know a reason under the determinate counsell of God; why the Publicans and Harlots received Christ, but the holy Pharisees rejected him, (a true paterne of our dayes:) the Pharisees thought them­selves able to stand upon their owne legs; they were alive in their conceits, and for them to heare of righteousnesse in another, was too great a disparage­ment unto them and their holinesse; when the publicans and strumpets, be­ing convinced of sinne, and having no righteousnesse of their owne, they are [Page 12]contented to accept it upon any terms. A rich man, he sometimes scorneth a gift, and saith nay, but I will buy it, I will give satisfaction for it: but the poor naked man is glad to receive what he wanteth. Thus before the soule of man be brought to be reconciled unto God, it is necessary that it see it selfe a sinfull creature; yea so sinfull, That nei­ther crying nor howling can wash it away; yea so sinfull, that no correction or amend­ment of life is able to make satisfaction.

Thus farre of the antecedent conditi­ons: which as I said before, are proper to all; but not onely to them that are reconciled to God: for these that I have shewed hitherto, may be found in the not reconciled, even as in the recon­ciled: yea, in the reprobate, even as in the elect. The second sort of conditi­ons are present, which go before recon­ciliation, as the cause before the effect; but is never separated from it; as being the thing I say, whereby the holy Spi­rit of God doth actually reconcile the soule to God. Of this sort I finde but [Page 13]one only condition; namely, of faith, or beleeving. Here are two things to be pondered. The first, That without be­leeving, the soule (remaining in the body) cannot be reconciled unto God. The se­cond, That by beleeving, the soule is actually reconciled unto God. For the first, it is proved. He that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, Iohn 3.36. To be re­conciled to God, is to see life, therefore he that beleeveth not, shall not be recon­ciled to God: but the apprehension of the wrath of God shall torment his wakened conscience. He that beleeveth not, shall not see life; he shall see no­thing but wrath. Secondly, He that be­leeveth not God, hath made him a lyar, 1 Iohn 5.10. That is, hath accounted him a lyar. Now, who can finde in his heart to be reconciled to a lyar? Wher­by it is plain, that without, or before faith, man cannot be reconciled unto God. For the second, that by beleeving, the soule becomes to be reconsiled unto God: is proved; He that hath received [Page 14]his testimony, hath set to his seale that God is true. John 3.33. As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sonnes of God, even to them that beleeve on his name, Iohn 1.12. Whosoever belee­veth, hath power to cry, Abba Father. And to this place, we refer that knowne text, Rom. 5.1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And this is the proper office of faith, (as it justifieth) to reconcile the soule and conscience unto God, and to make us at peace with him, by assuring us of his favour and good will towards us, in Jesus Christ, mani­fested, in that God gave his only Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes, and to satisfie whatsoever the justice of God required at his hands. And this is our receiving of Christ, our putting on of Christ, and our living by faith (if we take faith for beleeving.) And thus much of the second condition which is present: Now followes the third sort of conditions, which are consequent unto our reconciliation, and things that ac­company [Page 15]our salvation. These conditi­ons are first, Ioy in the Holy Ghost. Se­condly, Love to God and his Church. Thirdly, New obedience in newnesse of spirit, and not in oldnesse of the letter.

First, Ioy in the Holy Ghost, is a neces­sary consequent, and an inseparble com­panion to our reconciliation by faith; as appears by that which hath been spo­ken before, touching joying in belee­ving, with joy unspeakable and full of glo­ry. And indeed, how can it be that it should be otherwise: can the men of this world hear of great possessions fal­len unto them, without joyfulnesse? How then is it possible, that the chil­dren of the living God, can come to the apprehension of the fatherly love of God in Christ, but they must needs sing a new song, yea, break forth into singing, and cry aloud, with the blessed Virgin, saying, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Sa­viour, Luke 1.46. If I could this day bring you happy tydings of reconcilia­tion betweene King and Parliament, [Page 16](which the God of heaven effect,) what joy would this work in the hearts of e­very man here present? How much more shall the tydings of eternall peace by Jesus Christ, affect the soule with extraordinary comfort. Here what the Lord speaks concerning the new Jeru­salem, God shal wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, &c. Rev. 21.4. Let others think what they will; I firmely beleeve the new Ierusalem, to be the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ, (which is righteousnesse, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost) advanced in the con­science: and hither also are to be refer­red those glorious things that are spo­ken of the City of our God, by the Go­spell Prophet, in these words, The ran­somed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with songs, and everlasting joy up­on their heads: they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse, and sorrow and sighing shall flye away, Isay 35.10. This is the promise of our Saviour, Your sorrow shall be tur­ned into joy, Iohn 16.20. This is the of­fice [Page 17]of the Holy Ghost, To be the Com­forter, to speak peace and joy unto his peo­ple. And therefore amongst the sundry precious gifts, which are declared to be the fruits of Gods Spirit, joy, is not the least, Gal. 5.22. This also is the lot and inheritance of the Saints of God: for wee reade not of any converts in the Scripture, but we also read of the joy of Gods Spirit replenishing their soules: They, (even they) who were pricked in their hearts, and knew not what to doe, doe not eat their meat with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart, Acts 2.46. The Eunuch returneth rejoycing, Acts 8.39. Samarias conversion cau­seth great joy in that City, Acts 8.8.

But why do I stay on particulars, let us heare the Apostle for all; We also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom we have now received the attone­ment, Rom. 5.11. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God: And more, we glory in tribulation also, Verse 2.3. Can the Sun be without her light? can the fire bee without heat? Then also may the cal­led [Page 18]of God, the reconciled to the Fa­ther, be without joy and peace in belee­ving. Can a man stop the ebbing or flowing of the water? then may the soules of the reconciled to God be de­prived of those flouds of comforts, which flow from fountaines of com­forts, into the subject of comforts, the soules of the people reconciled to God. This is the first effect of reconciliation, joy, and peace. The second followes; which is, Love to God: Love is also an inseparable consequent of mans recon­ciliation: can man behold the beauty of God, and the glory of his face in Je­sus Christ? And the soule not be ravi­shed with love. See the love of the re­conciled to God, in that garden of sweet expressions, the Book of Canticles; Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick with love, Cant. 2.5. The love of the reconciled to God, it is a great love: Many sins are forgiven her, for she loved much, Luke 7. A love ta­king great delight and contentment in the object beloved; My beloved is white [Page 19]and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thou­sand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a Raven, his mouth is most sweet, he is altogether lovely' Cant. 5.10. &c. Againe, it is a restlesse love, that canfind no content, can take no rest (nonot in her bed) if shee may not enjoy the presence of her be­loved. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loved, I sought him, but I found him not, I will rise now and goe a­bout the City, &c. Cant. 3.1.2. That this love is an inseperable consequent, a daily companion of mans reconcilia­tion to God, will bee plaine, when wee shall see how the Holy Ghost, descri­bing unto us the called of God, setteth them forth by this token of love unto Al­mighty God: Eye hath not seen, nor eare hath not heard, &c. the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, Rom. 8.28. This ornament of love is like the garment of divers colours, with which all the Kings daughters, which [Page 20]were Virgins, were apparrelled, 2 Sam. 13.18. If a Woman bee seen in the streets without a party coloured gar­ment, it is concluded, that she is either none of the Kings daughters, or at least no Virgin: so is this ornament of love (I say) that thing, wherewith all the people of God, reconciled to him, are adorned; if wee see a soule altogether stript of this ornament, we conclude, They are not in the number of Gods people; or at least not reconciled. Therefore the Holy ghost concludes; He that loveth not, knoweth not God, 1 Ioh. 4.8. And as on the affirmative, pro­nounceth, Grace be on all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ, in sincerity, Eph. 6.24. So also on the negative, If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22. Thus you see the consequents of our re­conciliation, inseparably conjoyned to­gether, so that no creature shall be able to put them asunder: you have seene Peace to the brethren, and love, with faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus [Page 21]Christ, Eph. 6.23. The third consquent is new obedience in newnes of the spirit: As peace, and joy, and love follow, and attend upon faith, so is new obedience an attendant of love. This is the love of God, that wee keep his Commondements, 1 Joh. 5.3. If you love me keep my Com­mandements, Ioh. 14.15. If a man love me, he will keep my words, verse 23. This is that which I had occasion to speake of before, that the holy Spirit of God doth not onely cleanse the conscience, but in some measure the conversation also: This is that which I said before, Without holinesse no man shall see God, and drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdome of God: I say again, that Christ entring into the soule, shall drive out whatsoe­ver is prophane, and draw up the soule by the cords of love unto new obedi­ence: And to this place we refer hatred of sinne, love of vertue, a godly sorrow for transgression committed, revenge upon our selves, for the things that are past, and a jealous care for that which is to come. But of these particularly [Page 22]I cannot speake; for as Rome was not built on a day, so neither can it be puld down in an houre (I mean the Doctrine of Rome.) And here I would have made an end of speaking of the consequents of our Reconciliation, but that I fear the timorous soule will be ready to say, In thus saying you have filled my heart with sorrow: The consequents of our reconciliation being layd downe, I con­fesse they are true; but alas, when I cast an eye back upon mine owne soule, I find my joy & comfort little, my love to be lesse than my joy, and my obedience to be least of all. This, this puts my heart in feare, and makes my soule to tremble. I answer, what is it that thou fearest, O thou of little faith? Thou answerest, thou art afraid, that God is not thy God, that hee is not reconciled unto thee: See thy errour, these things cannot be signes that God is not recon­ciled unto thee; but they are signes, that thou art not fully reconciled unto God, but that thy faith is weake like the bul­rush, that thy joy is as little as thy faith, [Page 23]and that thy love and obedience is as im­perfect as thy joy. Measure not the re­conciliation of God to thy soule, by the perfection of thy obedience: for in so doing thou plungest thy soule into miferable doubts. But seeing the imper­fection, not of Gods reconciliation to thee, but of thy reconciliation to God, cry thou unto the Throne of grace, Lord increase my faith, and make my love and obedience, my joy, and peace, to abound more and more, through the spirit of our God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thus have I now done with the Antecedent, the present, and consequent conditions, of our reconciliation to God. The next thing that I intend is to make Appli­cation.

It hath been hitherto mine endea­vour, to declare unto you the misterie of salvation, and to imitate the skilfull Limbner, to give unto every Limbe and part, not onely his due proportion, but also his due place, and not to set the head where the foot should be, or the [Page 24]foot where the head: I may peradven­ture to many seem guilty, of that crime which was laid against the Apostle, to turne the world upside downe, and to place that in the bottome, which others make the top of the building, and to set that upon the roofe, which others lay for a foundation: But I submit my selfe to the judgement of the word: Consider we what hath been spoken, of Gods reconciliation to us without all conditions; of our reconciliation to God, originall and actuall: and now let us see, if these dstinctions be founded (as it is before proved) upon the holy Scriptures, of the Prophets and A­postles, whether they bee not blame­worthy that make no difference at all between these two, but confounding heaven and earth together, the Creature with the Creator, doe most absurdly apply those things which are antece­dents, or causes of our reconciliation unto God, to be causes of Gods recon­ciliation unto us, drawing a vaile before the free grace of God, and keeping the [Page 25]soule from setling upon a sure founda­tion: The Lord complained of the Prophets of old (the false Prophets) that they pudled the waters with their feet.) When water is pudled, it is not water; but water and dirt mingled to­gether: In a puddle no man can discern whether it be deep or shallow: water is Doctrine, pudling is confounding of things together, without division or se­paration: O that our dayes were free from this complaint! O yee Pastours of the Lords flock, that feed his heri­tage; Be you contented to beare the word of admonition, from the meanest of the servants of God. Look back up­on the waters, that yee have made the heritage of the Lord to drink: Con­sider the pastures, which you have set before them: have you not made the LORDS sheep become a prey (sometimes to presumption, some­times to despaire) by your Doctrine? Have you not made the soules of the righteous sad, and the soule of the wic­ked to rejoyce? Consider your wayes [Page 26]I pray you: Have you not many a time confounded the conditions of our re­conciliation to God, making that to be the case, which is the effect, and that to be the effect, which is the cause? Let me beseech you to weigh these things, and to endeavour that your Doctrine may be the light of the World, that it may be cleare as the Christall, proceeding from the throne of God, and of the Lamb, Rev. 22.1. You sheep of the pasture of the Lord, the God of his inheritance, know, it your duty aptly to distin­guish these things in your owne Con­sciences, that you may enjoy the bright­nesse of the glory, of the grace of God, set up in your soules, if you search into the reason of your many years bondage, of your miserable doubting, you shall finde your disease, in that which hath been spoken, and I hope the remedy al­so: The Lord give you understanding.

The second Application, may shew unto us the difference, between the re­conciled, and the not reconciled: Al­though both may bee objects of the [Page 27]grace of God, both beloved of the ever­lasting Father: yet shall you finde a vast difference, if you look either upon their Conversations, or their Consciences. The difference of Conscience is, the not reconciled, have a defiled, and pol­luted Conscience. A Conscience that is either seared, and fitted with Atheisti­call carelesnesse, or at the best, sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death, seeing no light, Matth. 4.16. when as the consciences of the reconciled, doe enjoy the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Second­ly, the conversation of the people not reconciled, is either a conversation pol­luted with Pharisaicall righteousnesse, and blind zeale, (for all zealous per­sons are not reconciled to God) seeking to establish its owne righteousnesse in the sight of God: or else a conversati­on, according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the ayre; the spirit that wor­keth in the children of disobedience; A conversation in the lusts of the flesh, [Page 28]fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, Eph. 2.2, 3.

The third Application, sheweth us an open doore, for the easie understan­ding and plaine reconciliation of many places of Scripture, which seem so ex­ceeding different, as if no way of recon­ciling could be found. Let us learne to distinguish, when God speaketh of his reconciliation to us, and when hee speaketh of our reconciliation to him. Let us learn to distinguish, between the thing, and the manifestation of the thing: the want of which distinction, breedeth an horrible confusion in the interpretation of holy Scripture; To give an instance, it is written, Galat. 3.26. Yee are all the Children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. It is written again, Gal. 4.6. Because yee are sonnes, God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts, crying Abba Father. In this last place, the Holy ghost declares son-ship to be the cause of giving the Spirit, as also he declareth it to bee an eternall grace of God, communicated unto his [Page 29]people, Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of sonnes, by Iesus Christ, Eph. 1.5. But then if this be so, how are we said to be sons of God by faith, &c? I answer, the one speaketh of the thing it selfe, or of Gods reconciliation to us; The other of the manifestation of the thing, or our reconciliation to God. Againe, if the grace of adoption be an eternall grace, how is it said, wee are borne againe by the Word? 1 Pet. 1.23. and begotten by the Word? Iames 1.18. I answer, these places are to be under­stood of the manifestation of Adopti­on, not of the act of Adoption it selfe: And that this is so, is plaine, God hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead, 1 Pet. 1.3. A lively hope is the thing, unto which we are begotten. And that it is ordinary in Scripture, to call the manifestation of things, by the names of the things themselves, will be plaine by two places, (I might bring two hundred) the first is Ierem. 1.10. I have this day set thee over the nations, [Page 30]and over the Kingdomes, to root out, to put downe, and to destroy, and to throw downe, and to build, and to plant. How doth poore Jeremy destroy Nations? Even by declaring the judgements of God in the overthrow of Nations. And thus doth he plant, by declaring the merci­full promises of God in the restaurati­on of Nations.

The second place is, Ioh. 20.23. Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted, and whose sins ye retaine, they are retained. How do the Apostles remit and retaine sinnes, but by declaring Gods gracious remis­sion to every one that beleeveth, &c.

But some may object and say, why doth not the Lord speak in plain terms? I answer who art thou that wilt cor­rect the Lord, and teach him to speak? I answer againe, in our Saviours words, when his Disciples ask the question, Why speakest thou unto them in Para­bles? Mat. 13.10. His answer is, Be­cause it is given to you to know the myste­ries of the kingdome of God, but to them it is not given. As if he should have said, [Page 31]in respect of you, that are my people, I need not to speak more plaine; for you (being taught of God) are able to un­derstand the misteries of the kingdom. In respect of others: I will not speak more plaine, because to them it is not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdome. Thus far for the appli­cation: I now draw to an end: only I will give you the Skeleto or Map of that which hath beene delivered in a few words. Consider we the causes of Gods reconciliation, as it stands manifested to us in Christ. Secondly, the causes of our reconciliation to God.

Gods reconciliation to us.

• 1 Efficient, Gods love.
• 2 Materiall, Christs righteousnesse.
• 3 Formall, Imputa­tion of righteous­nesse.
• 4 Finall, Gods glo­ry, mans salva­tion.

Our recodciliation to God,

• Efficient, Principall H. Ghost, instrumen. tall faith.
• Mate­riall, Christs righ­teousnesse.
• For­mal, Apprehension of Christs righteousness by faith.
• Fi­nall, Gods glory, & mans consola­tion.

Consider we the difference of these two in their causes. The finall cause of Gods reconciliation to us, is salvation; the finall cause of our reconciliation to God is, consolation. The Lord fill you with his Spirit, that the apprehension of Gods salvation may fill you with eternall consolation. Amen.