THIS Apoſtle Paul who was the Pen-man of this, and the former Epiſtle, was a choſen veſſel to bear the name of Chriſt in the World; a glorius inſtrument to publiſh the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt: One of the moſt famous Ambaſſadors that ever was upon the earth; One that honoured Jeſus Chriſt as much as ever man did that we either ever read of, or ever heard of; all his care was to Magnifie, yea indeed to Omnifie Jeſus Chriſt; the very name of Chriſt was as ſugar in his mouth, and rolled up and down under his tongue; He himſelf had taſted upon his ſpirit much of the ſweetneſſe of the grace of God in Chriſt; and he labors much to make this known unto others, that they might likewiſe experience the ſweetneſſe thereof. And in theſe two verſes there is as much ſet forth of the grace of God in the Goſpel as I know in any two verſes together in all the Book of God.

We have here ſet out unto us.

1. The Doctrine of Reconciliation between God, and man.

2. The Apoſtles Commiſſion for to declare this Doctrine of Reconciliation.

3. The Faithful diſcharge of this his Commiſſion. The firſt two are in the 19. verſe. And the third is in the 20. verſe.

As for this 19. verſe we heave here. Firſt the Doctrine of Reconciliation: to wit; That God was in Chriſt Reconciling the world unto himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes to them. And in that you have theſe Two things.

Firſt, the Doctrine of Reconciliation ſet down more generally; Namely; that God was in Chriſt Reconciling the world to himſelf.

Secondly, An inſtance in one ſpecial great work of God, in Reconciling the world unto himſelf.

We ſhal make an enterance into the firſt of theſe and ſo proceed; namely, The Doctrine of Reconciliation ſet down more generally. That God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf.

This word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Reconciliation, Notes and implies; that there was a formal breach between God, and us: we cannot underſtand what it is to be Reconciled, except we do beforehand know ſomwhat about the Breach which this Reconciliation muſt make up. It doth implie an enmity that there was between man and God; for if two be reconciled, then certainly, it implys, that once there was an enmity between them. Conciliari is to bring into favor, but Reconciliari, is to bring into favor again thoſe that have bin in favor before, and between whom there hath been a Breach; therefore to bring into feavor again; is in playn tearms, Reconciliation. And in the opening of this doctrine therfore, there are theſe particulars that playnly lie before us in the Text; for I wil go no further in the opening of the Doctrine of Reconciliation but meerly to that which you have lying obviouſly, and plainly before you in the words. In which you have theſe Particulars.

Firſt, That which is implied; namely, That there was a bleſſed Union at the firſt between God and Man, but this was broken, and there was an enmity after that union between God and Man. I put theſe Two •• ether; namely that after the firſt union that was between God and Man, there was an enmity between God and Man.

Secondly, There is yet a way to have this Breach made up; there is a poſsibillity for man that is at enmity with God, to be Reconciled.

Thirdly, We ſhal open to you, wherein this Reconciliation doth conſiſt; what that Reconciliation is which the text ſpeaks of, and which the Goſpel doth tender unto us.

II. Would it not now be joyful news to you to hear of a poſſibility for God to be Reconciled to you? You ſee there is an enmity in your hearts to God; and not only an enmity; but a moſt deadly, and deſperate one. I could ſhew you abundance of particulars of this enmity, but the maine thing that I ayme at, is, only to open the Doctrine of Reconciliation: therefore if thou apprehendeſt this truth of God; and if God hath darted it into thy Conſcience: wil not the Doctrine of Reconciliation be acceptable to thee? O! it would; and it is unto thoſe that feare God, and rightly apprehend themſelves as enemies unto him. But I fear, leaſt while I am treating of the Doctrine of Reconciliation between God you, you ſhould not apprehend the excellency of it, and not relliſh it in the ſweetneſs of it. And therefore if I have ſaid any thing that ſeems to be terrible to you in my other treatiſes. If I have ſhewed to you what an evil, and dangerous Condition you are in naturally, and how liable to the wrath of God, and to the torments of Hel, where the worme dies not, & the fier goes not out; it is al to this end; that you might the better reliſh the bleſſed, and ſweet doctrine of Reconciliation between God, and your Souls. This is that then which we ſhall begin withal, as the firſt ſound of the bleſſed Silver Trumpet of the Goſpel; namely;

Doct. That there is a way to make up a peace between God and ſinful man. God hath not left mankind, who hath Sunk himſelf into ſuch a depth of miſery, I ſay, God hath not left them irrecoverable irreconcilable: the Lord doth here profeſſe unto you, that he is willing to be reconciled unto you; yea, we ſhal ſee afterward, that he doth intreat you to be reconciled. But here is the firſt ſound of the Trumpet of the Goſpel, and bleſſed are they that hear this joyful ſound: namly, that there is a poſſiblity of being reconciled; that the Lord is content to enter into parly with his enemies, for God might have caſt them off forever, and never ſo much as parly with them, as he hath done the Angels that ſinned, againſt whom he was ſo provoked, that he reſolved within himſelf, and he hath kept his reſolution ſince the beginning of the world, and he will keep it unto all eternity, that he wil not ſo much as enter into parly with thoſe Creatures, or be reconciled with them upon any tearms. As when a man is ſo fallen out with an another, as that if one ſhould come to ſpeak about terms of peace, he cannot endure to hear of them; no, ſaith he, I will never enter into treaty with him ſo long as I live, about it. So God wil never enter into treaty with the Angels, he wil not hear of any terms of Reconciliation, but is reſolved to revenge himſelf upon them to al eternity: therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, they are reſerved in chains to the judgmtnt of the great day. But now, Lord what ſhal become of man? poor man might well fear, when he hears what God hath reſolved upon againſt the Angels, he hath cauſe enough to ſhake at that, for indeed man is a far more poore, and mean, and wretched Creature than thoſe Angels are. If it be ſo between man, and man, that when a great Prince is offended with ſome Noble man in his Court, and ſo offended with him, yea, for his firſt offence, as that all the men in the world cannot perſwade that Prince ſo much as to vouchſafe to hearken to any terms of reconciliation, and if ſome meaner officer, ſome poore Groom ſhal have offended the King, and provoked his wrath, and hears of this, that his Cheif favorite, one that was neer unto him; that was alwaies in his preſence did but offend him once, and yet the King ſhould never hearken to any means of pacification: ſurely this man would ſoon think with himſelf, Lord what wil become of me,? Is there any hope that there ſhal be a parly between the King and me? Certainly this poor man wil even be ready to have his heart ſink within him, and ſit down altogether overwhelmed with fear, and diſpaire. And ſo indeed ſhould we all have done upon our reaſoning within our ſelves concerning Gods dealing with the fallen Angels, had we not had this glorious, and bleſſed ſound of the Goſpel, and hopes of Reconciliation with God through Jeſus Chriſt, we would all have ſunk down into the battomleſſe Gulf of diſpaire, and concluded certainly againſt our ſelves, that there can be no peace between God and us, we being ſuch enemies unto him as we are by nature. But though this be beyond our thoughts as farr as the Heaven is above the Earth; and though this could never enter into the heart of man, that ever God would parly with poor falen man after ſo great an emnity begot by ſin; yet know, this is the meſſage that is come from Heaven, even from God himſelf, that he is contented to parly with you; yea, ſo Contented, as that he himſelf hath ſent ambaſſadors to us to intreat us be reconciled. But of that hereafter. God I ſay is Content to enter into treaty with man concerning 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 a Reconciliation and the making up of a peace between him, and their ſouls; for that indeed is the very ſcope of the Goſpel. If I ſhould a little dwell here to inquire the Reaſon of this, why the Lord ſhould be willing to enter into this treaty with man-kind: the truth is, it is an unſearchable depth, we cannot imagine any Reaſon why the Lord ſhould rather chuſe to parly with us, and to treat concerning terms of peace with us than with the Angels. There is ſomething indeed which we may have in our thoughts; As thus. If God did not Reconcile himſelf to man, and ſave him, he ſhould looſe his whole Creature; he did not looſe all the Angels when they fell, but if God ſhould not provide a way to be Reconciled to man, the whole kind of that Creature would be utterly loſt: now the Lord wil not caſt away the whole kind of ſuch an excellent Creature as man is. But the truth is, theſe are but gueſſes at this Reaſon in chuſing to treat with us about ſalvation, and not with the Angels. But the main thing is: God hath waies to glorifie himſelf that we know not of in reconciling himſelf to man-kind. We know this, that there are glorious intentions that God hath in this work, but what theſe are, we ſhal never know througbly til we come to Heaven; and that indeed wil be the very work of Heaven it ſelf to be praiſing of God to all eternity for that great act of his, namely his willingneſſe to be reconciled to loſt man, rather than to the fallen Angels. We ſhal know ſome Reaſons of that afterward, for God doth things according to the Counſel of his wil; and there is nothing he doth, but he hath a great deal of Reaſon for which we muſt adore though we cannot now fully underſtand. Only for the preſent let me hint this unto you; let the Conſideration of but thus much affect your hearts. O ſhould we be ſent to preach to the Devils ſuch a point as this is, or to the Angels in Hell; and ſay, the Lord hath kept this Councel from you almoſt this ſix thouſand years, and his waies towards you have been • o as if he would never enter parly with you, but now God hath revealed his wil towards you, that he is content to enter into a Treaty with you about the things that concern your peace, and the reconciling of you unto himſelf, what a meſſage would this be to them think you? but this never was, nor never ſhal be preached unto them. If God ſhould ſend this meſſage to the damned in Hel, and ſay to them, the Lord is content to enter into a parly with you about the reconciling of himſelf unto you, what a meſſage would this be to them? but this cannot be; this is only a meſſage to thoſe that are alive here in this world, to that part of the children of men that are living upon the earth, unto them only can this be preached, that there is a poſſibility of Reconciliation between God and them. Truly the conſideration of a poſſibility is that which may ſatisfie the heart of man, let the terms be what they wil. O! is it poſſible that God may be reconciled, I wil never inquire about the terms out of fear that the hardneſſe of them ſhould diſcourage me; O! let the terms be what they will, this is the moſt acceptable news, this is the beſt tidings to my ſoul, more acceptable than it I were told, that I had a thouſand worlds given unto me, even this that I hear, that there is a poſsiblity of reconciliation betwixt God and my ſelf. This may ſerve to be ſome prop to ſupport, and keep up any troubled Conſcience from diſpair, even the very reading of this, though ſtill they are afraid of Gods willingneſſe to make up the peace, but it is poſsible thou may'ſt have it. No Angel in Heaven, Nor man in the world, do, or can know to the contrary, but that it is poſsible for thee, and thee, for ſuch a ſinner as thou art, or ſuch as thou art to come to be reconciled.

And doth this begin a little to ſtir thy heart, but to read that the Condition of man is not deſperate, but there is a poſſibility of his being Reconciled: do'ſt thou believe becauſe of this? then (as Chriſt ſaid unto Nathaniel) thou ſhalt ſee greater things than theſe. So, if thy heart begin to be affected by this: thou ſhalt before we have done with this ſubject, read greater things of the councel of God about his willingneſs to be reconciled unto the Children of men.

Only before I paſs let me ſpeak this one Word about this point. Let us take heed that we do not turne this grace of God that we hear of this day, to the increaſe of our more fearful condemnation, or make our condemnation far more dreadful then the condemnation of the Devils is, becauſe we have more means afforded us for our delivery than ever they had, for if we look not to it, it may prove ſo, that our condemnation may be more dreadful then the condemnation of the Devils; and therefore you had need, when you hear anything of this Decoctine of Reconciliation, or of a poſſibillity of being reconciled unto God, to lift up your hearts unto God, and deſire that the reading of this bleſſed Doctrine may not prove to the increaſe of your condemnation. There is not ſuch a thing preached to the Devils; therefore if I come not in, and accept of the terms, of Reconciliation, I ſhal be in worſe caſe than the Devils. It can never be charged upon them, that God was willing to be reconciled, and they would not; but it may be thus ſaid of al wicked and ungodly men, that live under the ſound of the Goſpel, and ſo Continue in their wickedneſs, and die in it: this wil be the charge that wil lie upon them another day; and God wil ſaie unto them; you did indeed hear that you were naturally enemies to me; yet I manifeſtd in my Goſpell, that I would enter into terms of peace with you, but you refuſed it, and ſlighted it, and ſcorned it. What can poſſibly provoke the heart of a man ſo much as this, that when he hath his enemy who hath deeply offended him, at an advantage, ſhould yet offer tearms of peace to him; and yet his enemy goes away ſcorning, ſlighting and contemning him. Truly, thus do wicked men that live under the light of the Goſpel; when the Miniſters of the Goſpel come, and preach peace and Reconciliation to them; tel them, that God is willing to be at peace with them; that he is willing to treat, and to parly with them about the buſineſs of ſalvation; they go away, and the language of their actions is this; wel, we wil ſhift as wel as we can for our ſelves, we are reſolved to have our waies of ſin, and to have our Satisfaction in this, and the other luſt. Now God forbid that this ſhould be in the heart of any one that caſts his eyes on this book.

But now that which I ſpecially intended, ſhould have been to have ſhewed you ſome Conſequences of this peace. And therein I ſhould have ſhewed you, the excellency of the Reconciliation. I will give you the particulars thereof very briefly.

YOu have read much of the bleſſedneſs of Reconciliation, what a happy condition it is to be at peace with God, eſpecially in theſe times of war, and trouble, when there is ſo little peace in the Land. And you have read that God begins the work; But how doth he do it? obſerve; it is not God meerly conſidered as Creator of Heaven, and Earth, that infinite firſt being of al things; But (the firſt thing propounded in the firſt Chapter to be opened is this,) It is God [in Chriſt] reconciling him to the world. God and man were enemies; an enmity, and a breach there was, and the breach was infinitely wide, and dreadful; how ſhal God and man now come to be reconciled? you wil ſay, the Lord is a God of infinite mercy, and he ſees his poor creatures muſt needs periſh eternally if he come to take advantage againſt them; therefore it may be God was willing to paſs by al, and ſo free of himſelf, and his own free Grace to be reconciled to ſuch, and ſuch creatures as have ſinned againſt him, and ſo Reconciliation was made up; No, this was not the way, there is more required than this. Let God, and the creature be put together without any Further Conſideration: and al the mercy of God on the one ſide; and al the Cries, and tears and repentings of the creature, on the other ſide, this wil never make up a peace. This you muſt know is the Doctrine of the Goſpel; that man having made a breach betwixt God, and himſelf, and conſider God meerly in himſelf, as he is himſelf, without relation to a Mediator; and then take al the mercy of God on one ſide, and al the tears, and repentings, the Cries and Prayers of the creature, on the otherſide; and both theſe together can never make peace. What muſt there be more, you wil ſay? That which we have in the Text, God [in Chriſt] reconciling the world. It is not God in himſelf reconciling the world to himſelf, but it is God in Chriſt. So that there muſt come ſomthing between God, and us as to the matter of Reconciliation, or otherwiſe there can never be a Reconciliation made. This thing I have often had occaſion to treat of; and I am very willing upon every occaſion to ſet this before thoſe that I am to preach unto; for this is the great truth of the Goſpel; and truly al our preaching ſhould be, even to bring this truth home to the hearts of people; and whatſoever we preach, if it be not in order to this, we loſe our labor, and God hath little glory from what we do, except it be in order to this; or as it may be ſome way a fruit of it. So then the point is this.

Doct. Our Reconciliation with God is made in Chriſt. As we read of Jonah when the ſtorms and tempeſts werein the Sea, and when the waves roared, and when the ſhip and the Marriners and al were like to be ſwallowed up, when jonah was caſt into the ſea, preſently there was a calm. So, the ſtormes, and tempeſts of Gods everlaſting wrath are up againſt a Sinner, and the waves of that wrath are ready to ſwallow him up; But now Chriſt is caſt into the heart of a man, and Chriſt being preſented as one ſtanding between God and man, al comes to be at a Calme. When the Diſciples were upon the Sea, and the Sea troubleſome; yet when Chriſt came, and rebuked the Sea, and the winds, all was ſtil. So when there are troubles of Conſcience, nothing can rebuke thoſe troubles of Conſcience; nothing can bring in peace and quiet into the ſoul, but only Chriſt coming into the heart; God is [in Chriſt] reconciling the world to himſelf. There is nothing more plain in the Scripture than this; that it is God in Chriſt that reconciles the world to himſelf. It is evident enough in the text, but I wil give you a Scripture, or two for it, and then proceed to the opening of the point. That place in Rom. 5, 1. is moſt cleer; Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God; How? through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: no peace with God, but through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It is an eaſy matter for us to ſay ſo; but to apprehend the neceſſity of this, that it muſt be through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt that we have peace with God; to apprehend this cleerly, and throughly, it is a great matter; and thoſe know much of the minde of God that know this experimentally, and powerfully. In Eph. 2.13.14. In Jeſus Chriſt you that were far off are made nigh through his blood, for he is our peace: This is ſpoken in two regards; he is our peace with God, it is apparent that it muſt be ſpoken in that regard, for ſo it follows in verſe 18. through him we have acceſs unto the father; but it is ſpoken of Chriſts being our peace in regard of uniting us to the Church of God, to be made one with the people of God; but no ſaith God here is a reconciliation, are conciliation with God, and then a union with the people of God, with the church of God; the partition wal is broken down through Chriſt; and thoſe that were as doggs before, are now ſet up at the table: and there is a peace made between Gods people and us; for ſo Chriſt makes peace that way in taking away the enmity, that the people of God might be one together, as wel as they are one with God. So in Collo. 1 21, 22. You that were ſomtimes alienated, and enimies in your mindes by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled; How? In the body of his fleſh through death to preſent you holy, and blamleſs, and unreprovable in his fight: and that in verſe the 20. is remarkable for this purpoſe; have (ſaith he) made peace, How? through the blood of his Croſs by him to reconcile althings to himſelf: [by him] I ſay. ſo that the Apoſtle would put an emphaſis on this, that we are reconciled by Chriſt, By him, Saith he: and he was not ſatisfied in ſaying of it once, but he repeateth it again, by him, I Say, whether they be things on Earth, or things in Heaven. There are two difficulties in this Scripture. firſt in that it is ſaid, God hath reconciled al things to himſelf in Chriſt; how doth God reconcile all things to himſelf in Chriſt? we are now ſpeaking of reconciling thoſe that ſhal be Saved eternally; but here the Apoſtle ſpeaks of reconciling of all things: God may be ſaid to reconcile, not only Saints, but al things unto himſelf in this regard: In that al things were lyable to diſtruction through mans Sin; and it is in Chriſt, and through Chriſt that any thing in the world is preſerved in a good Condition. When you behold the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and al theſe things, and ſee the preſervation of them in any good Condition; you muſt know it is al through Chriſt; and had it not been in regard of Chriſt, al things would have come to ruine, and confuſion preſenly, and ſo God reconcileth al things to himſelf in Chriſt.

Further; Al things are reconciled in Chriſt too, in this regard: In that now al things are through him come to be made Serviceable to thoſe that are his Saints, and reconciled ones; and in that regard al things may be ſaid to be reconciled to God; becauſe they are reconciled to Gods friends; whereas before, al Creatures were enemies t • us through Sin; and now through Chriſt they come to be made uſeful to us; and ſo unto God by us. A Second difficulty in this text is, How God hath by Chriſt reconciled al things in heaven; what things are there in Heaven that are Reconciled to God by Chriſt? We muſt underſtand that the things in Heaven that are ſaid to be reconciled, are eſpecially to be meant of the Angels. But you wil ſay; How can the angels be reconciled to Chriſt, there was never a falling out, never an enmity between God and them? I Anſwer, That though in a proper ſence, as reconciliation Concerns man, there is no reconciling of Angels unto God; yet becauſe there is a neerer and a further and a more firm union made between God and the Angels through Jeſus Chriſt than ever there was before or than ever there ſhould have been, for ought we know, if Chriſt hade not been; in that regard reconciliation may be ſaid to be of things in Heaven; God and them being now by Chriſt more firmly made one, than ever they were before. And again though the Angels had never Sinned againſt God, and ſo were no actual enemies unto God; yet they were in a capacity of ſinning, for they being but Creatures, they could not but be frail in themſelves; and ſo lyable to fal from God and to ſin againſt him as wel as thoſe that did fal; therefore in regard of the eſtabliſhment which they have now through Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe they are now confirmed in ſuch a condition, that they are in an impoſſibility of falling from God, God having ſo taken them to himſelf, and they being ſo one with God, that they can never fal from him; in this regard alſo they may be ſaid to be reconciled. For notwithſtanding al the perfection of their Creation, they might have fallen into the ſame condition that thoſe did that are now reſerved in Chaynes to the Judgment of the great day. But now God hath ſo reconciled al things in Heaven by Jeſus Chriſt, that the Angels themſelves are more firmly made one with God than they were before. And further; the Lord doth receive them into a more intire affection of love, in, and by Jeſus Chriſt, than he did before; the Lord looking upon the Angels, in and through Chriſt, there is a more through, firme, intimate intire affection of God towards them to eſtabliſh them, and to accept of them in Jeſus Chriſt. And beſides they are reconciled to God, or unto us rather, becauſe they are come to be our friends, whereas at firſt they were our enemies, ſo that in that regard there is a kind of Reconciliation; but becauſe I conceive the text doth not ſo much intend that, we ſhal let it paſs. Thus you ſee how God was in Chriſt reconciling to himſelf, even in ſome ſenſe the very Angels themſelves. This then is the firſt thing; the very thoughts that God had of entering into any tearmes, or parly with man about peace, is by Chriſt; that the Lords heart was inclined to man, it is from Chriſt; that the Lord would be willing to accept of any ſatisfaction, it is through Chriſt; that we have an acceſs to God any way, it is through Chriſt. There is nothing from the one end of the work of Reconciliation to the other, but it is al through Chriſt.

For further opening of this great point, there are theſe things to be propounded.

You wil ſay; you have ſhewed us theſe two things; that it is not God alone, and us, but in Chriſt, and us, that is reconciled. And you have ſhewd us what a reconciler Chriſt is. And how fit. But for the third thing propounded in the 12. Chapter, hath Chriſt undertaken to reconcile us? Surely this is a great work to come and reconcile Sinful man unto God; Chriſt muſt needs undertake much in this? I wil declare to you what Chriſt hath undertaken.

1 This agrement there is between Chriſt and the Father, He hath undertaken that he wil Satisfie what ever his Fathers Juſtice ſhal requier. As for example. If one ſhould come to mak a peace between a couple, and the one party hath extreamly injured the other, and he that comes to make peace; he doth not only come and ſay, Sir I beceech you for my ſake, paſs by the wrong, and be reconciled unto him, though perhaps this may do much but this wil not do the deed; and this is not the way of reconcileing God and us, for Chriſt (though he be dear to the father) only to plead, and Say, O father theſe poor Creatures have offended the, I beſeech the O father, be reconciled to them; no this is not al. But ſaith the Party offended; wil you under take to ſatisfie the wrong that is done me? I ſaith he, who is the Peace-maker, I wil undertake it al; you ſhal ſet it al upon my ſcor. And certainly you wil al conclude, that if he that comes to be mediator, and is dear unto the Party offended, ſhal not only intreat, but undertake, that whatſoever he would have of him, requier what ſatisfaction ſoever he wil, he wil undertake to under goe it al, eſpecially if he be a man able to do what he promiſeth: You wil al conclude that this wil ſurly make up a peace. This is the tranſaction between God the Father, and the Son. God lookes upon man as being an enimy to him, and Chriſt he comes to mediate, yea, but ſaith the father; what wil you do to make peace, wil you undertake for mankind, wil you ingage to Satisfy that wrong that they have done me? Yes O Father ſaith Chriſt, I wil do it, I wil ſtand betwen the and them, and undertake for them to ſatisfie al whatſoever thy Juſtice can require. And in this regard Chriſt is not only called a mediator in that place Heb. 8.5. and ſo forward; but he is called a Suerty, becauſe he hath undertaken to Satisfie what God the father requred for the Sin of mankind; and as he hath undertaken it; ſo he hath done it now, and the fathers that lived in former times might looke upon God reconciling himſelfe to the world in Chriſt, as Chriſt had undertaken it, but not fully diſcharged it. But we may look upon Chriſt, not only as an undertaker, but as one that hath diſcharged, and paid al.

2 But that is not al; Chriſt hath not only undertaken this; but in the next place, as he hath undertaken to ſatisfie God on his part; but ſaith the Father; what ſhal become of theſe poor Creatures; they have hearts oppoſite to me, and they are enemies to me, and whatſoever you do, they wil ſtil go on in waies of emnity to me? No, ſaith Chriſt; I wil do more then this, I wil undertake to bring them in to you, and to ſubdue their hearts to you; and whereas they are now enemies to you; they ſhal come, and ſubmit themſelves; and that wicked Nature of theirs, I wil take away through my ſpirit, and I wil both bring them into a peaceable diſpoſition towards you; ſo that they ſhal love you as a friend, and love al that belong unto you; they ſhal love al your waies, and love your people, and love your holyneſs; I wil undertake to bring them in to you, as wel as to ſatisfie you for what they have done. This is appearent; for in the Scripture where ever there is any ſpeaking of Reconciliation, you have mention of our being reconciled to God, as wel as Gods being reconciled to us; and indeed the Scripture doth make more mention of our Reconciling being enemies to God, than of any thing of Gods working Reconciliation for us. And that place that I quoted before in the Colloſians, is exceedging cleer for this; namely, that Chriſt hath undertaken for our Reconciliation, for you heard before in, Collo. 1.20. That he had made peace through the blood of his Croſs; He hath undertaken to ſatisfie; and the undertaking of it coſt him his blood; our Reconciliation coſt Chriſts death. But then in verſe 21. He ſaith further; You that were ſomtimes alinated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, ſo it is in your Books; but in the Original, it is; Enemies in your minds [in] wicked works; not that you came to be enemies by your works, for that is the advantage indeede that the adverſaries have, and ſay; it is not a ſinful Nature in us, but we come by action to act wicked habits; but it is, you are enemees in your minds in works; that is, you did lay out al the enmity of your minds againſt God; you have natural enmity in your minds againſt God: and in your minds you do lay out; and improve this ſtrength of your enmity in your wicked works againſt God; But ſaith he you that were thus allienated, and enemies in your minds in wicked works, he hath reconciled, to preſent you holy, and unblameable, and inreprovable in his ſight. Here are two waies by which Chriſt reconciles us unto God; he hath reconciled us by the blood of his Croſs; and then in the Body of his fleſh through death to preſent us holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in his ſight; he hath undertaken this latter, as wel as that other; and he hath undertaken, that we ſhal not remain enemies unto God eternally, but that there ſhal be a time when we ſhal be brought in to God, and have gracious diſpoſitions put into us, ſo as we ſhal become frie • ds unto God, and friends unto al that are Gods. There are many that ſpeak much of Chriſt in regard of his ſatisfaction, and what the tranſaction was between God and him; and they think that becauſe Chriſt hath undertaken to ſatisfie Gods wrath, what need we care for any thing? what is it, though we live as we liſt? it is to no purpoſe what we do, whether we do il, or whether we do wel, for Chriſt hath done al in the work of Reconciliation. But my Brethren ſee the miſtake: Chriſt hath not only undertaken ſatisfaction, and to reconcile God unto us; but he hath undertaken with God the Father likewiſe to reconcile us unto him; not to ſatisfie God alone, but to bring us into a gracious fram, and diſpoſition of heart likewiſe; and therefore except Chriſt do both, the truth is he doth neither; It is true the one may be done from al eternity; Chriſt may undertake the one, and undertake that he wil do the other alſo; but until Chriſt hath actually done the other, thou canſt not conclude, that he hath done the former. That man that perſwades himſelf that Jeſus Chriſt hath done the former, when as he hath not done the latter deceivs himſelf; and therefore to beleeve in Chriſt as a Reconciler, is to beleeve in Chriſt as undertaking theſe two things. Firſt undertaking with God the Father to make ſatisfaction unto him. And then Secondly undertaking for us, to bring us in to the Father likewiſe: and as Chriſt muſt do the one, as well as the other; ſo he wil be as faithfull in the performing the Second, as he was in the undertaking, and diſchargeing the Firſt. Few people think of this, they think much of Chriſts undertaking to ſatisfie Gods Juſtice, and ſo to Reconcile them unto God; but they have ſeldome thoughts of this, that Chriſt hath alſo undertaken to chang their hearts, and to make them friends unto God. But you that go on in wicked works being enemies to God in your minds in wicked works, perhaps you think God wil be Reconciled unto you through Chriſt, and when you die you ſhal be ſaved through him. Remember this point. That Chriſt the Reconciler hath undertaken with God the Father both to ſatisfie his Juſtice, and to ſubdue your hearts, ſo that you ſhal no longer be enemies unto him; and therefore if Chriſt have not done the other, in your hearts, it is an evident argument, that for ought that yet appears he never undertook to ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for you. O! what an argument is here, for men to be reſtleſs, and unquiet in their natural condition; You that go on in a ſinful, and & ungodly way, you may certainly know, that there is for the preſent no evidence that Jeſus Chriſt hath undertaken with the Father to make any Reonciliation for you, for if he had, he hath alſo undertaken on your parts to bring in your hearts to the Father and to make you friends with him, as wel as him friends with you. On the other ſide, any of you that find the work of the Spirit in your hearts, that begin to find Chriſt ſubduing your hearts unto God; that whereas heretofore you did live in waies of enmity unto God, but now you begin to find the power of Chriſt in his word beating down thoſe proud hearts of yours, you find Chriſt changing of your minds, and ſo bringing of your hearts into ſubjection unto God; Bleſs God for this, and know that this is part of Chiſts undertaking with God the Father, and in that he doth this in your hearts, it is an Evidence that he hath undertaken to ſatisfie Gods Juſtice for all your ſins. Thus you ſee how Chriſt is a Rec ••••• er, and Mediator.

There is a fourth thing which I propounded in the twelfe Chapter; and that is, How we come to be reconciled to God in Chriſt; It is true, Chiſt hath done it you ſee: But how do we come to have what Chriſt hath done made ours, that ſo we may be reconciled unto God?

In a word thus. Chriſt is looked upon by God the Father as the Head of the Second Covenant, and ſo we are looked upon in him as Covenanters, and as joyned together in one body in him: this is the way of Chriſts Reconciling God & us, & the way of the Conveyance of al the fruits of that Reconciliation unto us. This is the Councel of God concerning the Children of men, that they may come to be reconciled, and ſaved. As his Son hath undertaken the thing; ſo it is not only, that he ſhould ſtand between the Father and us. Its remarkable there muſt be a Union between him, and us, and he muſt preſent us to God the the Father as one Body with himſelf, and the Father muſt look upon him as the Head of a Covenant to which we belong likwiſe: So that his obedience, and ſufferring is to be looked upon now; not as done by a private perſon; But looked upon as the obedience, and ſuffering of a publick Perſon, of one that Bears our Names before God the Father. And herein there is a further miſtery of godlines. The reconciliation between man, and man, is only when one that is a ſtranger, comes and ſtands between, and mediateth; there is not required ſuch a union between him that he mediateth for, and himſelfe. But Chriſt comes not in meerly as a third perſon between God and us, but he comes to take our very natures upon him, and we are made one in the covenant of grace he as the Head, and we as the members. That look as Adam ſtood before God as the Head of the firſt Covenant of works, and ſo we were al looked upon at firſt in him, and dyed in him: So Chriſt who is called the Second Adam ſtands before the Lord as the Head of the Second Covenant and al thoſe that he doth mediate for, and whom he doth ſeek to reconcile to the father, ſtand al before the father in him; ſo that his work is imputed to be theirs, and the Lord looketh upon them in their Head: fulfiling that Second Covenant of life, and peace that he hath made with poor creatures in him. So that you muſt not only look upon Chriſt to be a Saviour, as the Son of God in Heaven; but if you would look upon him with comfort, you muſt look upon him as the head of a ſecond Covenant, and upon your ſelves joyned with him as members of him and ſo preſented unto the father through him. Thus God was in Chriſt reconciling himſelf to the world, God looking upon Chriſt, and through Chriſt, as the head of the Covenant of grace; upon al thoſe that Chriſt did undertake for, as Covenanters Joyned together with him, comes to be reconciled to al thoſe which ſhal be everlaſtingly Saved. This is the miſtery of the Goſpel, God in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf. What Chriſt was hath been opened. And what Chriſt hath undertaken. and how God looks upon us through this mediator. Theſe things you muſt ſearch into, and cry unto God that by his Spirit he whuld open theſe miſteries of the Goſpel unto you, and then you ſhal ſee much of the miſtery of grace, and of the minde of god; and ſo come to have abundance of peace with God, notwithſtanding al the preſent remainders of uncleannes that are in your hearts.

WE have ſhewed in the former chapter what Chriſt doth for the Continuance of this peace between God, and us: that he is at the right hand of God, there making interceſſion for the Saints continualy; ſo that if ther be any thing, that might (in its own nature) break the peace between God, and us; this our mediator ſits at the right hand of the Father, and there (by his interceſſion) he continually preſents himſelf for the removing of it, and for the continuance of the peace between God and us; that there may no Breach fal out, for the time to come; this I ſay Chriſt undertakes to do, and this is a ſpecial work of his Mediation; namly, his being Continually at the right hand of the Father, and there preſenting himſelfe unto God for the keping, and mantaining of this peace, which he hath made between the Father, and us.

Again; if it be demanded; how we come to have an Intreſt in this that Chriſt doth; (which was the fourth thing propounded in the twelfth chapter) in his Satisfaction, in al that he undertakes?

The Anſweer was this: That Chriſt is made the Head of a ſecond Covenant; for, as the foundation of the Breach, that was between God and us at the firſt came by the firſt man Adam, who was the Head of the firſt Covenant, in whom we al Sinned, and ſo turned enimies unto God: So Jeſus Chriſt is made a Second Adam, and the head of a Second Covenant; and al thoſe that are looked upon as the poſterity of the Second Adam, (for ſo it muſt be) they are looked upon as one in him. As al that were of the poſterity of the firſt Adam were looked upon as one man in him, and ſo the Breach was made, and enmity came between God, and al that one mans poſterity: ſo, al that are to be of the Poſterity of the Second Adam, that are either actually of him, or are to be born of him by a Spiritual generation, (which in the Scripture is tearmed Regeneration); al thoſe are looked upon as one with him: and hence it is that in the 1. Cor. 15.47. the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the firſt, and ſecond Adam as if there were no more but two men in the world, for indeed ther are no more in that ſenſe; nor ever were. The firſt man (ſaith the apoſtle) is of the Earth, Earthly; the ſecond man is the Lord from Heaven, Heavenly. here is the firſt man, and the Second man. Why, you wil ſay, are there but two men in the world? No, not in that ſenſe; that is, there were never but two men that did repreſent al others; and under thoſe two men are al other men in the world repreſented before God. Al the children of men that fel from God, the are repreſented in the firſt Adam, who was the Head of the firſt Covenant, and they ſtand under that covenant: And al thoſe that God intends to be reconciled unto, and to glorifie; they are repreſented before God in the ſecond Adam who is the Head of the Second Covenant. It is true, if we ſpeake properly; Caine was in order the ſecond man in the world; but Chriſt is the Second man; that is, the Head of a ſecond Covenant, the Second man that God did enter into the Covenant withal for other men, and in that ſenſe he alone was the ſecond man: As in the ſame ſenſe Adam is Called the firſt man ſo that God is Reconciled to the world in Chriſt; that is, as in the firſt Adam, the Breach was made between God, and man: ſo in the ſecond Adam Reconciliation is made between God, and man. And as God imputeth that which the firſt Adam did, to his Poſterity for Condemnation: ſo that which the Second Adam did, he doth impute to the Poſterity of that Second Adam for life, and Reconciliation. And that you have more largly diſcuſſed in the moſt part of the fift Chapter of the Rom. eſpecially from the middle of the Chapter to the end.

FIrſt, Through the weakneſs of their Faith; and that in Two waies.

ANd thus we have gone through that point of Gods being reconciled to us in Chriſt. There is another; Namely. The Sixt thing propounded in the firſt Chapter viz. That God [was] reconcileing the world to himſelf in his ſon. The work of our Reconciliation, is not a work of yeſterday; it is a work that God was doing from all eternity; for the point is from that particle he [was] this work; for God to reconcile us to himſelf in his ſon, hath taken up the heart of God from al eternity. That place in Titus, 1.2. Is moſt remarkable for this In hope of eternal Life, which God that cannot lie, promiſed before the world began: he not onely promiſed it now; but he promiſed it before the world began. who was there before the world began to whom God made this promiſe? There was his Son Jeſus Chriſt. So then, that is the meaning when he ſaith God [was] reconcileing himſelf to the world; that there was from al eternity, a tranſaction as it were between God the Father, and God the ſon about our Reconciliation: there was not only a purpoſe in 〈◊〉 •• om al eternity that he would reconcile the world to • elf; but there was a real, and actual tranſaction between the Father and Son about it; an agreement between God the Father, and God the Son about it. Gods Wiſdom from al eternity was exerciſed to find out a way. Secondly, Gods purpoſe was from al eternity to do it. And Thirdly, There was a tranſaction between God the Father, and God the Son from al Eternity for to do it: they did covenant one with the other: God the Father told his Son what he required of him; and God the Son promiſed to the Father to do it; there was ſuch a tranſaction as this; and therefore the ſcripture ſaith, it was promiſed before the world began; God the Father did promiſe to his Son before the world began what he would do for thoſe that he would dy for; as if he ſhould have ſaid. Thou art content to lay down thy life, and to ſhed thy blood? Yea, ſaith the Son, I am: wel, ſaith the Father, I wil be reconciled unto them, and I wil ſave their ſouls; they ſhal have eternal life for their portion; this I promiſe thee; and ſo, it was promiſed to Chriſt firſt. It is true the promiſes of the Goſpel are ſweet, and they ſhould rejoyce our hearts; I had periſhed in my affliction ſaith David, had I not had ragard unto thy word: nothing more ſweet to a ſoul then the promiſes are; but though the promiſes that are made to us in the Goſpel are ſweet; yet the promiſe that was made to the Son of God, is infinitly more ſweet. And this is the thing that I ſhould have ſhewed you: not only how this was promiſed unto Chriſt; but the excellent comfort that this is unto the Saints; that they are now to look upon al that is done unto them, and upon all the works of Gods grace to them, not as a new thing; not as an accidental thing that comes. As if we ſhould have peace here in the Commonwealth it would be pretiouſe to us, if it ſhould be upon theſe tearms, and we would al rejoyce much in what ſhould befall us in a way of a ſafe peace: But our peace with God is not wrought with God ſo, as if we were periſhing, and then Gods providence came and turned all about againe. No, our peace with God is a thing plotted from al eternity; God did as it were contrive it in Heaven before any world was made: God thought of this work of Reconcileing himſelfe unto the world; yea, unto thee in particular if thou beeſt a Beleever, a broken hearted ſinner, before even the Havens, or the Earth were made, God had actual thoughts of thee ſtil; and there was a Covenant between God the Father and the Son, for thy ſoul in particular; and though God foreſaw thou wouldeſt ſin againſt him, and turne enemy to him, yet there was a conſultation between the Father, and the Son from al eternity to bring thy ſoul home unto God, and to pardon thy ſin. So that thou art to look upon al the works of Gods grace towards thee here in bringing thee to his Son, and upon all the comforts thou haſt from his Son, as the fruit of Gods eternal plot, of Gods eternal councel with his Son: and that although it doth but now break forth, yet it was that which was in the boſom of the Father, and the Son from al eternity; and this indeed wil ſweeten our Reconciliation with God, and al means tending thereunto. As, doth God ſend but the word of Reconciliation to bring you home unto Chriſt? this was that which there was a Contrivance of in the heart of God from al eternity. That in ſuch a time, ſuch a man ſhould live, in ſuch a place, and ſuch a Miniſter ſhould be ſent amongſt them, and ſuch a text of ſcripture ſhould be opened, and ſuch truths ſhould be preached, and if thou findeſt God bringing of theſe truths home to thy ſoul: know, it is a fruit of that eternal counſel that was between the Father, and the Son before the world began; and a branch of the promiſe that God made to his Son from al eternity. Do'ſt thou, when thou comeſt to the word begin to feel thy mind inlightned, to know Jeſus Chriſt? doth thy heart begin to be melted, is thy ſoul drawing after Chriſt? do not look upon this as a meer accidental thing; do not ſay only, What a providence of God is it that called me to ſuch a Sermon? at ſuch time I went for company ſake to ſuch a place; but when I came, I felt the Spirit of God ſtirring in my Soul; yea, I find a beginning of that which I hope I ſhal have cauſe to bleſs God for, for ever. Do not look upon this as a meer accidental thing, or as an act of providence only; But know, that this very work of God towards thee, is no other then the fruit of the promiſe that God made to his Son before the world began. God promiſed his Son, that it ſhould be ſo ordered, that at ſuch a time there ſhould be ſuch a Text, and ſuch a Sermon preached, and that it ſhould ſo fall out that thou ſhould'ſt be there And ſo likewiſe any peace of Conſcience; any work of grace whatſoever, is a fruit of this promiſe; and therefore rejoyce in this; that Gods heart is broken open unto thee; and that which was in his boſom from al eternity is made known unto thee.

Thoſe men that are not converted til they be old, have cauſe to be ſorrowful, and to be troubled for that: It is true I have cauſe to bleſs God, that at length God is pleaſed to open his heart unto me; But what a miſery is it to me that I lived ſo long before I came to know God the Fathers purpoſe to my heart, had I embraced the Goſpel firſt, I had then been made acquainted with the councel of God from al eternity concerning me. And a mighty encouragement it is to yong people to bleſs God for this, that God begins with them betimes; it is a ſign that Gods heart is ful when he begins with one ſo early. For the truth is, Gods heart was towards thee from everlaſting, and the buſineſs was tranſacting from everlaſting. Some, though the heart of God be towards them, yet he keeps it a long time from breaking open til they grow to their middle age, til old age it may be, and then he diſcloſeth himſelf. As Joſeph would not open his heart to his Brethren for many daies together. So there are many people, that God lets them go on a long while in waies of ſin, he withdraws himſelf, and denies himſelf to open his heart to them, but at lengh he doth: But then how much better is it when God ſhal open his heart betimes unto a man? Would not Joſephs Brethren have been glad that he ſhould have diſcovered himſelf unto them and opened his heart unto them at the firſt coming? So, you that do begin now to have the day of grace dawn into your underſtandings, and God begins betimes to open himſelf, and thoſe things that were in his heart before the beginning of the world diſcovers them to thee; and God cannot (as we may ſpeak with reverence) ſtay any longer; but as ſoon as thou art able to receive in thoſe thoughts of the heart of God; he lets them out unto thee. O! bleſs God for it. And this will prevent abundance of ſin and ſorrow, and make thee go on with comfort al thy daies. This point alſo ſhould be a marvelous Comfort to the people of God. That their peace with God doth not ſo much depend upon the Covenant God hath made with them; but it depends upon the Covenant God hath made with Jeſus Chriſt from al eternity; and that is the roote and bottom of their peace, and Reconciliation with God. Alas were it a dependance upon a Covenant between us, and God, and what he requires of us; we could not have firm peace: But when we know this; that the root, and ground, of our peace, and happineſs, dependeth upon that tranſaction that there was between the Father, and the Son from al eternity, and upon the Covenant that was between them: O! this is that which ſhould reioyce the hearts of the Saints, and be a mighty foundation of their Faith, and inable them to go through the world, and al difficulties with Comfort.

A Word, or two further for the Application of this (for ſomething hath been already done in the laſt Chapter) and then we paſs to another point.

THE next point being the ſeventh propounded in the firſt chapter is: That God was Reconcileng the [World] to himſelfe. So the text Saith; and ſo the Point is. That God hath been reconciling the [World] to himſelfe. This which we have in the text heer it is the very ſame in effect with that we have in John. 3.16. So God loved the [World] that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever beleeved in him ſhould not periſh but have Everlaſting life.

The world you wil ſay; how is that? did God reconcile al the world, to himſelfe?

No, we are therefore to underſtand this ſaying here as an indifinite Propoſition, and not as if it were an univerſal Propoſition; and the right underſtanding of this difference between an univerſal, and an indefinite propoſition is of great use to us, both in this, and many other points of divinity. An Univerſal Propoſition, is that, that ſpeaketh ſo of the general, as it includes every particuler under it, An indefinite Propoſition, doth but ſpeake of the general, and not include every particuler under it, but only many. As thus. If one ſhould ſay, that ſuch a man teacheth al the Children in ſuch a Towne; we do not mean that there is no perticuler Child that is not thaught, for there are infants there; and there are perhaps ſome that are not taught at al; but we mean thus; that he teacheth, thoſe Children that are taught; there is none that he excepteth but if they come to him, he wil teach them, he is there ready, and ſtands prepared to teach them; and in this ſenſs he may be ſaid to teach al the Children in the Town; that is; there is a genneral propoſition without a particuler reſtriction, though every individual is not contayned in it. This now is an Indefinit propoſition, or ſpeech. But when we Say a general propoſition, then we ſpeek of al particulers none at al can be excepted, But muſt come under that propoſition: and this wil help us much in other Points of divinity. As in the promiſe: I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed. We muſt underſtand this Promiſe by the way of an indefinite propoſition, and ſo al underſtand it that underſtand it aright. Many that underſtand not the difference between theſe two, think they have a ſtrong objection, and ſay; This promiſe cannot be made of the godly, for then the Children of the Godly would be godly too. No, it is not an Univerſal propoſition that includeth every particular, but an indefinite one; that is thus. God, promiſeth to be the God of his people, and of their ſeed; that is, he wil ſhew mercy to their Seed, rather then to the Seed of others, and he wil rather draw the line of Election through their Loyns then through the Loyns of others, he wil take them, not every particular of them, but take them indefinitly, and not reveal which of them he wil take; whether this Perſon, or that Perſon individually; But he ſpeaks indifinitly; and his meaning is, that thoſe that are the Seed of his people ſhall be brought into a neerer Pale; into a neerer limit of Gods Grace, then the Seed of others, and he wil be gratious to their Seed, rather then to others. And ſo here, God ſaved the World, and reconciled the World, the propoſitions are to be underſtood alike, indefinitely; not that he loveth, or reconcileth every individual Perſon in the world Even as he is the God of the Seed of the Saints. It is not to be underſtood that he is the God of every particular one of them; he is pleaſed to expreſs himſelf thus indefinitly, and not generally.

BUt for the opening of this. That God is reconciling himſelf unto the world; that is, unto man-kind, to humane nature, though not to every individuall perſon that is in humane nature. I ſhal ſhew you.

Firſt, That it cannot be meant of every individual. And then.

Secondly, Why it is expreſſed in ſuch a large tearm as the World.

Firſt, I ſhal make it appear, That it cannot be meant of every particular man, or woman in the world: Nay, indeed, the truth is, that there is a great part in the world and ſuch a part as the world may receive denomination from too, that Chriſt hath rejected, & ſhal never be reconciled to: and that is cleer in John. 17. where Chriſt ſaith, That he prayed not for the World, ſurely then he died not for the world: there are ſome in the world that Chriſt did not ſo much as pray for; How was God reconciling himſelf to the world then, when as Chriſt profeſſeth, he did not pray for the world? It appears by this, that we are not to underſtand it of every particular man, or woman in the world; there are ſome that are in the world that God was never reconciling himſelf unto.

1. And beſides this Text, it appears from hence. Becauſe if God were reconciling himſelf to al the world, then al ſhould certainly beleeve, and be ſaved; Why? Becauſe that Chriſt ſhould lay down a price for al, and the blood of Chriſt doth as wel pardon the ſin of unbelief as any other ſin. If there be any one that Chriſt hath laid down his life for, he hath purchaſed at the hands of God the Father, that this Soul ſhould be delivered from the power of unbelief; and Faith it is a bleſſing that comes unto us by Chriſt, as wel as any other bleſſing. I appeal to you; Is not Faith a ſpiritual bleſſing, as wel as any other Grace? Eph. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God, and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt who hath bleſſed us with all Spiritual bleſſings in Heavenly places in Chriſt. So that al ſpiritual bleſſings are in Chriſt; if they are in Chriſt, then Faith is in Chriſt, for Faith is a ſpiritual bleſſing, and then Chriſt hath purchaſed Faith, for whoſoever Chriſt hath died for, they muſt beleeve in time; Chriſt hath not left the work of our ſalvation looſe upon this adventure. I wil lay down my life, and in caſe men beleeve, they ſhal be reconciled; No, Chriſt laid down his Life to purchaſe of God the Father, that men ſhould beleeve, as wel as he hath purchaſed eternal life it ſelf; and therefore if thou beleeveſt, know, it is the fruit of the purchaſe of Chriſt, as wel as Heaven it ſelf is. So then, if God were reconciled to all the world, al ſhould come, and be actually Beleevers; But in that they do not, it is apparent, that Chriſt never intended it. That is one Reaſon.

2. And then. Another argument may be this. If this were ſo, that Chriſt had laid down a price for the world in general, and only thoſe that are left to themſelves to beleeve, or not beleeve, ſhould come to be ſaved: Then the great things that are conteined in theſe great Myſteries of godlineſs, and the great works of God, both in Election, Redemption, Juſtification, & Glorification, muſt rather depend upon mans wil, than upon any work of God; for ſay they; God indeed hath wrought al this; but it is in caſe men beleeve, he hath left it to them to beleeve, or not beleeve, and ſo al the great councels of God muſt depend upon mans wil: No certainly, Chriſt hath not left it ſo, but thoſe that he hath reconciled unto God, he hath ſo reconciled them to him, as that they ſhal beleeve, and this is not al the world.

3. Further: If this were ſo, that Chriſt hath payed a price, and left it to mans free will to beleeve, or not beleeve; the truth is, Judas would have been as much beholding to Chriſt for Salvation, as Peter. But you wil ſay, Judas was never ſaved, Peter was; But according to theſe men, Chriſt did as much for Judas as for Peter, for he ſhed his blood for Judas as wel as for Peter; only Peter by the act of his free wil, beleeved, and the other did not. So that the truth is, according to the doctrine of theſe men, Peter ſhal be no more beholding to Chriſt at the day of judgment, than Judas was. Peter indeed muſt acknowledg that he was ſaved by Chriſt; but if their doctrine be true, he may wel ſay; Lord; thou haſt done no more for me, than for Judas, and what was more, I did that my ſelfe, thou ſhedeſt thy blood a like for us, but I beleeved, and he did not, if he had beleeved he might have been ſaved as wel as I; ſo hereby the grace of God is exceedingly dishonored by theſe men that hold univerſal Redemption by Chriſt, and make it to include al the world. There are many arguments that might be uſed, which becauſe they are not ſo cleer to the ordinary capacities of people, we ſhal leave further mentioning of them at this time; and ſhal only ad; that it is Arminian doctrine, to teach, that there is a price payed by Chriſt for al the world, and it is left unto men to beleeve, or not to beleeve: And that is true evangelical doctrine; That there is a price payed by Chriſt, and God hath reſolved upon ſuch, and ſuch particular ones in the world that he wil be reconciled unto, and that they ſhal beleeve, and be everlaſtingly ſaved.

NOw followes the Two other Expreſſions. Not inputing their treſpaſſes to them. And hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation. The firſt; I may finniſh in a few words, not imputeing their treſpaſſes; meaning, not reackoning, not ſetting their ſins upon their own ſcore; ſo the word is. As a man that is in debt; we ſay there is ſo much ſtanding upon his Head; ſo much upon his ſcore. Now, when God is ſaid not to impute your treſpaſſes; the meaning is; your debt comes to be cancelled & to be reckoned the debt of an other man; he ſets your ſins no longer upon your ſcore, but upon the ſcore of Chriſt: this is the happineſs of Beleevers: that thoſe ſins of theirs that ſtood upon their ſcoor are now taken off and ſet upon the ſcore of Chriſt. This is a bleſſed doctrine, and we cannot ſpeak of this without trembling of heart; becauſe we know how ſubject men are to abuſe it; but the Children muſt have the bread given to them, though it tend to the ruine, and deſtruction of others. You that are ſinners and go on in ſin, though you ſee it not, you run every day upon the ſcore, like ſome Gallants that come into an Inn, or into a Tavern, and there cal for Wine, and good cheer, never thinking that one is al the while they are eating, and drinking, and merry, behind the dore with a peece of Chalk ſcoring up al, and at laſt wil cal in for the payment of it. Every ſin we commit is upon the ſcore and there is a time when God wil cal for payment. You wil ſay, how is it then that God ſaith, their ſins ſhal not be imputed? Why, it is becauſe Chriſt comes, and al that is upon our ſcore is taken off, and ſet upon his, but yet the ſcore muſt be payed. So that this phraſe noteth; That the Salvation of man is not from ſuch a free pardon, as a man that is in debt ſhould have his Creditor come, and ſay, I wil quit the ſcore, I wil wipe off al, and pardon it al: No; But the way of the Salvation of man is thus; Here is a debt, and payed it muſt be: Only Chriſt the ſuerty comes, and he payes for ſome, and others are caſt into the priſon of Hel, where they muſt lie till they have pay'd the uttermoſt farthing; for the debt muſt be pay'd. And here is the Reaſon of the difference between Beleevers, and others. Thoſe that are damned; al the time they live, they run upon the ſcore, and at laſt God comes, and reckoneth with them for all; and then alas they have nothing to pay. Saith God to the Devil; take him Jaylor. Death is Gods Sargant to areſt him, and the Devil is his Jaylor, and they have him to priſon, and there he muſt lie til he hath payed the uttermoſt farthing. But now Beleevers that have run upon the ſcore: In the dayes of their youth, they were ſo much upon ſcore. When they were Apprentizes; ſo much upon the the ſcore. Since they were married; ſo much upon the ſcore. Yea, but when divine juſtice is ready to ſeize upon them, and areſt them; Chriſt comes in, and ſaith he; let the man be freed, I wil pay the ſcore for him. As if a ſpend-thrift ſhould run upon the ſcore, and when he is areſted, and ready to go to the Jayle, there comes ſome freind, and ſaith; deliver him, and I wil pay the debt. So Chriſt doth. So that when our ſins are forgiven, they are ſo forgiven, as that it coſts much; our deliverance coſts much. And this I note from the phrae in the Original text; for there it is thus; not reckoning, or accounting it upon the ſcore: I have in many ſermons opened the doctrine of the pardon of ſin: therfore I do not intend • o dilate upon that. I wil only give ſome few notes from hence that are moſt proper to this text.

Note, 1. And the firſt is this. That there may be ſin in the ſoul, and yet not imputed, Therefore there may be a righteouſneſs imputed which is not our own, there is the ſame ground of both. Many of our adverſaries do crie out of imputation of righteouſneſs: ſay they, how can that which is none of our righteouſneſs, be made ours? for ſo it is if we beleeve, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt which is none of ours is made ours, how can that be, ſay they? Yes, as wel as that which is our ſin ſhal not be made our ſin, if that which is our own ſhal not be imputed, then that which is not our own may be imputed likewiſe.

Note 2. Secondly: (Which is a note of marvelous Comfort) There may be a Reconciliation with God, even while there remains much ſin in the Soul. It is not ſaid thus. Reconciling the world to himſelf taking away their ſins, purging out al their ſins, as if there could be no Reconciliation til al their Sins were taken away; But he was reconciling the World to himſelf, not imputing, that is the Phraſe. As if he had ſaid. O! you Sinners, ſo long as you live in the world, you wil have ſin, and therfore do not think that God is not reconciled unto you, or that you are not reconciled unto God; No, though ſin be remaining in your hearts, yet God may be reconciled unto you not imputing your ſins. This ſhould be an argument to you, to labor to purge out ſin as much as you can, ſeeing the grace of God is ſuch; that ſin remaining in you, yet God is ſtil reconciling you to himſelf: it is not ſo much to think, that God ſhould be reconciled to the Angels in Heaven that have no ſin in them. O! but God to be reconciled to his Saints upon Earth that have ſo much ſin in them; that is much. There are many of the people of God that cannot diſtinguiſh between the not imputing of ſin and being of ſin in them; they think becauſe they have much ſin in them, the Lord wil not be reconciled to them. But know thou; though ſin be in thee, yet the • e may be no imputation of ſin to thee, and therefore learn to diſtinguiſh between ſin being in thee, and ſin being not imputed to thee.

And this ſhould be of Uſe to us likewiſe to teach us to be willing to be reconciled to others, notwithſtanding there are many weakneſſes in them; and though they ſtil continue to offend us. Be reconciled to your Servants, and reconciled to your Childdren, and to your Neighbors; and ſay not; I could be reconciled to them if I ſaw them changed indeed: What meaneſt thou by that? Doſt thou mean that thou may'ſt ſee no more weakneſſes in them, or that there may never be any thing in them more that offend thee; wilt thou ſtay ſo long? God doth not ſtay ſo long for thee, til he bringeth thee to Heaven, and perfecteth thee; he doth not ſtop his Reconciliation with thee til thou comeſt there, and beeſt perfect; No, he is reconciled to thee here; even here whil'ſt thou haſt a nature in thee that bubbles out nothing but ſin againſt him; and notwithſtanding the in-being of ſin in thee; yet God can diſtinguiſh between the in-being of ſin in thee, and the imputation of it.

Note 3. We ſee here is the bottom of al our Reonciliation; the non imputation of our Sins. It is no argument that God is reconciled to a man, becauſe he lets him proſper in the world; or becauſe he hath been at Sea, and hath got a great deal of Riches in his Voyage; perhaps the man bleſſeth himſelf, and he thinketh, O! now al is wel between God and me, for he hath given me ſo much riches; and he bleſſed me in ſuch a Voyage: alas thou miſtakeſt if thou thinkeſt that this is an argument of Reconciliation; No, the bottom of Reconciliation, is non imputation. Haſt thou an evidence to thy Soul, that God hath revealed Chriſt to thee, and that in his Son he hath imputed thy ſin to thee; and do'ſt thou build thy peace upon that? This wil hold. Many build their peace upon this; that their ſins are not ſo, and ſo great as others are, What of that; if it be but one ſin that thou art guilty of, though it be of the leaſt nature, yet if it be imputed to thee; it is enough to make thy Soul and God eternally enemies. Others there are whoſe ſins were committed a great while ago, and they have worne out the trouble of them, & now they are quiet and at peace; But O! let them know there is ſtil the debt, remaining upon the ſcore, it is not taken of. And as a man that may ſtay a long while before he cals for his debt, may cal for it when he pleaſeth, and firſt, or laſt wil do it; So, thou haſt gotten thy ſelfe into a kind of peace and worne out the trouble of thy conſcience; yet know, that ſo long as thy ſins are upon the ſcore, and are not wiped off; God wil cal for payment ſooner, or latter; therefore pleace not thy ſelf in any things in the world as the ground of thy peace, but thy being reconciled unto God in Chriſt he not imputing thy ſins unto thee.

NOw it is to be enquired after, Firſt, why God would chooſe men rather, to be the diſpencers of of the great Myſtery of Reconciliation then the Angels? God hath not committed unto them this word of Reconciliation (though it is true the Angels they do go about, and they ſomtimes witneſs to the Goſpel) as you may read afterwards) But they are not choſen by way of office to the Miniſtery of the Goſpel; that is not the office they are appointed to, ſo as the Miniſters of the Goſpel are; God hath not choſen Angels in an ordinary way to come and diſpence thoſe great and glorious things unto the Children of Men.

Object. You wil ſay, had it not been better that God ſhould have choſen the Angels to come in and preach Jeſus Chriſt, than men? for they are poor weak Creatures, and like our ſelves, and now when they come to ſtand up and Preach Jeſus Chriſt, the great things about reconciling men to God, ſhould we think that they know more then we ourſelves?

Anſw. You muſt not think that there is no good to be done till one comes and tels you that you never heard of.

But you muſt know; that it is by vertue of the ordinance of Chriſt: becauſe he hath appointed a Miniſter of the Goſpel to come, and in ſuch a way to preach, though the inſtrument be like your ſelves, and perhaps may not have a deeper underſtanding then ſome of you, yet you are to look upon it beyond the matter that he ſpeaks, you are to look upon it as the ordinance of Chriſt, and ſo to expect, and look at al means whatſoever. But now the great ſtanding ordinance in the Church of God is the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, It is this that is committed to us to Preach, and this therefore is to be looked upon as the power of God to ſalvation in thoſe that God intends Salvation to: God hath not choſen the Angels, but Men, and upon this reaſon, becauſe we are not ſo capable of converſing with Angels as men; we are not able to ſtand before them; when an Angel hath ſomtimes appeared to a gratious Servant of God he hath not been able to bear the glory of it, but to fal down, and when the Angels came in the 2 of Luk. and ſaid, Glory to God on high &c. The Angels ſtruck the Shephards with amazment.

And in the ſecond place, the Miniſtrey of the Angels could not be ſo effectual, Angels do not ſo fully underſtand the windings & turnings of the hearts of men ſo as men do, A Man is more conſcious to the turnings and windings of his own heart then any Angel can be, he may know his own heart more then Angels can, and by knowing his own heart he may be able to ſpeak more ſuitable; we do not in read the word that Angels knew the thoughts of the heart of men any further then they are ſome way expreſt; nor the Devils. That is made to be the property of God, to be the ſearcher of the heart; but a Man may ſearch his own heart in a great meaſure furthen the Angels, and ſo they may the better ſpeak unto the hearts of others, and ſo God in Wiſdome rather commits the Miniſtery of Reconciliation to men then Angels.

But a third is this, and that is a ſpecial one, that the power of God may the more appeare in the converſion of ſouls unto Jeſus Chriſt; and in this one thing, the power of God doth appear a great deal more then in making Heaven, and Earth.

Firſt, The Doctrine of Reconciliation, is the moſt high ſupernatural thing that is in the world, it is above the reach of a creature.

Secondly, It is that that doth beat down mans nature as much as can be, But now that a few poor fiſher men at firſt, to whom was committed the word of Reconciliation, and a few of the Apoſtles that were in a poore meane contemptible condition, that ſometimes had ſcarce raggs to hang upon them, were whipt up & down, & put in the ſtocks as if they had been the vileſt Rogues that had been in all the world, and yet that God ſhould ſubdue ſo many nations upon the face of the earth, and in time ſhould bring the whole world in general to receive this Doctrine by ſuch poor and weak meanes, O! the infinite power and glory of God that doth appeare. In this God uſes weak meanes, to ſhew the greatneſs of his power, and for that you have a cleare text in 2 Cor. 4 7. But we have this treaſure in Earthen Veſſels, that is the Miniſtery of Reconciliation. O! it is a treaſure indeed in earthen veſſels, the word is in the greek, in veſſels of ſhells, there were ſome rich ſhells, that had on the outſide a plaine ſhel, that when you came to the Seaſhore you ſhould look upon them, and they looked meanly as if they had not been worth a farthing, but within the ſhel there was a pretious Pearle that was worth many thouſands of pounds, ſo ſaith he, we have this treaſure in a ſhel, that is in a poor weak fraile veſſel man, a contemptible veſſel we have this pearle, And why ſo? the Apoſtle gives the reaſon, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. There is a mighty power of God that goes together with the Miniſtery of Reconciliation. Whenſoever any ſoul is brought home to be reconciled unto God, certainly there goes a mighty power, yea, there goes an hyperbolical power together with it.

Object, But how wil this appeare, that there is ſuch a mighty power of God that goes with the Miniſtery of Reconciliation?

It appeares in this, that there is ſuch mighty things done by ſuch poor weak and contemptible means that men ſhould be willing to part with any thing in the world, yea their very lives, and beare the greateſt torments of the moſt cruel Tyrants, and that for the witneſs of this truth. Now this appeares to be the mighty power of God, and this ſeemes to be a ſecret anſwer to any objection in 3 Cor. Is it ſo that the Miniſters of the Goſpel are far more Glorious then the Miniſters of the Law? What is the reaſon that the Miniſters of the Goſpel are in ſuch a meane condition, ſo much meaner then the Miniſters of the Law? There was an high Prieſt, and he had glorious Robes, and had pretious ſtones upon his breſt and ſhoulders, now we have no ſuch things, Here is a company of poor Fiſher-men, weak meane men that the world regards not, ſuerly the Miniſters of the Law were more Glorious then theſe Miniſters of the Goſpel. No ſaith the Apoſtle for al this, we have this treaſure in earthen veſſels that the excellency of the power of God might appeare, and not of man, and we are willing (as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay) that the power of God may appeare more, that the glory of God may ſhine bright, we are willing to be Earthen Veſſels.

Another Reaſon may be this, why God committs this Miniſtery to poor [Men] rather than to Angels; ſurely God hath a further end then wee imagine, it is (in juſt judgment) to be a ſtumbling block to wicked, and ungodly men, whoſe hearts are oppoſite unto the Glorious Goſpel; that (as we know) Chriſt ſaid he preached in parables, that in ſeeing they might not ſee, and in hearing they might not underſtand; as a juſt judgment of God againſt the Phariſees, and others whoſe hearts were wicked, and unclean, and oppoſite unto Chriſt, that the glorious things of the Goſpel might be hid under thoſe parables. So I make no queſtion but the means of the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, (which the world counts Fooliſhneſs) and the mean condition of the profeſſors of the Goſpel is made by God as a ſtumbling block to ungodly men, who God intends ſhould periſh eternally, becauſe their hearts are wicked and perverſe, & I hate them (ſaith God) therefore wil hide this rich treaſure from them; But thoſe that I love, I wil open the inſide unto them, but others ſhal have nothing but the outſide, they ſhal only have the viſible part. But now there are others whom God intends to ſave, and they come, and the Lord (together with their outward Miniſtery) ſpeaks to their hearts, and opens the inward treaſure to them, and they ſe the Glory of it, and admire at it, and they come to taſt the ſweet promiſes of the Goſpel, and they adore God in receiving ſuch things as theſe are: ſo that God fetches about his ends this way, but (in his juſt judgment) hides his Goſpel from ſome, and reveales it to others, and therefore ſaith the Apoſtle in 2 Cor. 4. If our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt, the miniſtery of the Goſpel it is hid to ſome, but it is to thoſe that are loſt; he hides it from them by this outward meanes, the outſide; Thus you ſee why God doth commit the Miniſtery of Reconciliation unto men rather then unto Angells.

I have treated about what commiſſion is given unto the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and there is one great thing that I would have you obſerve, that we take no notice of; how the Apoſtle again & again ſpeaks of this, as making account that it is one of the greateſt things that concerns the world that ever was; for ſaith he in v. 18. Al things are of God; who hath reconciled us unto himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt, & hath given unto us the Miniſtery of reconciliation. But he had not enough of that, but he comes over it again to wit; that God was in Chriſt reconcileing the world; that God reconciled us to himſelfe by Jeſus Chriſt, & hath given unto us the Miniſtery of reconciliation that is in the 18. v. that is; God is reconciling himſelf unto the world in Jeſus Chriſt, again the ſame is in the 19. verſe, And hath Committed unto us the word of reconciliation, ſhewing, that it is a matter of great conſequence; it is a great truſt that is commited to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, the word of Reconciliation; and there I ſhewed you, how you were (therefore) to enertain the Miniſters of the Goſpel; beautiful ſhould the Feet be of thoſe that bring glad tidings &c. That comes from God with this Commiſſion, this Doctrine of Reconciliation in their mouths as Noah put forth his hand and took in the Dove with the Olive branch: So when a Miniſter comes with this Olive leafe in his Mouth, the Miniſtry of Reconciliation, you muſt open your hearts, and take it in. A word or two more about this, This (you have heard at large) is the great work of the miniſters of the Goſpel; to bring unto you the Doctrine of Reconciliation: howſoever it may be foliſhneſs before the world, yet it is the great Ordinance whereby God wil bring men to be reconciled unto himſelf; thoſe that he hath a purpoſe to ſave. Here is now a work, to treat with you about reconciling your Souls to God; to open to you the Counſels of God about bringing you to be at peace with him.

Firſt, That the Miniſters of the Goſpel are the Embaſſadors of Chriſt.

Not Embaſſadors for Belial, or for Antichriſt as many Miniſters have been, to plead the cauſe of Antichriſt, as if they were ſent as Legates from Rome; and to plead for ſuperſtitious vanities; we are not Embaſſadors for Belial, for ſin, for wickedneſs, for many times you heare pleading againſt Godlineſs, and for wickedneſs: No, we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, we are ſent Embaſſadors; this is ſomething more than meſſengers; this is a higher degree than to be a bare meſſenger, an Embaſdor is more than a ſteward; in 1. Cor. 4. Therefore let a man ſo account of us as the Miniſters of Chriſt, and diſpencers of the miſteries of Salvation. I only wil ſhew you a ſcripture for that, and a little open it, and ſoon paſs by this point.

We have it often in ſcripture, this word Embaſſador, In Eph. 6.2. There you have it to the ſame purpoſe as it is here; For which I am an Embaſſador, and he is in bonds. He was not uſed like an Embaſſador, you know, [Embaſſadors,] Firſt they are ſuch as are ſent from Princes and States, to other Princes and States: it is not a private man. If any of you ſend a meſſenger about a buſineſs, he is not ſaid to be an Embaſſador; but one that comes from a Prince, or State from other countries, he is ſaid to be an Embaſſador. So the Miniſter of the Goſpel, he is not ſent to deale between man and man: but between God and man, in matters that concern the great God of Heaven, and Earth; and ſent from him, though deſigned to it by men, yet their calling depends upon God, upon Chriſt, only here is the difference; when Princes, and States, ſend their Embaſſadors; they ſend them to other Princes, and to other States: But now God ſends Embaſſadors to poor wretched, ſinful men, and herein he doth honor man, that he wil ſend a meſſenger from himſelfe to them to be an Embaſſador. When a Prince doth ſend a meſſenger to a perſon, you do not ſay, that the Prince doth ſend an Embaſſador to them that are in priſon, that he may execute when he pleaſes, rather an Executioner, than an Embaſſador: So we might al have expected rather that there ſhould an Executioner have been ſent, but God is pleaſed for his elect ones to ſend an Embaſſador. And beſides, Embaſſadors are not ſent about every trivial buſineſs, but when an Embaſſador is ſent, it is about a publique buſineſs, a State buſineſs of ſome great conſequence: ſo when you hear that God ſends his Embaſſadors to the world, you muſt know that it is about a great and a weighty buſineſs, about a State buſineſs, it is about that that doth concerne the very ſtate of Heaven, the God of Heaven, it is that that concerns God himſelf more neerly than any thing in ••• s world concerns him, It concerns God next unto his own beeing, and unto his Son, the neereſt of any thing that is without that belongs to a God, therefore we are called Embaſſadors.

Thirdly, They are called Embaſſadors becauſe they muſt look to this; that they do not the leaſt thing but by Commiſſion, it is as much as his life is worth to go beyond his Commiſſion in any thing: ſo the miniſters of the Goſpel they muſt keep cloſe to the Commiſſion which they receive from Jeſus Chriſt.

Fourthly, when he goes to any place, he doth repreſent the perſon of the King himſelf from whom he came, and what wrong is done to him is done to the Kings perſon; Let the Embaſſadors be never ſo meane: ſo al the Miniſters of the Goſpel, they come to you in the name of the King of Heaven, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, and there is a kind of a repreſentation even of the perſon of Chriſt in them. And that wil appeare more fully when we come to the next point.

Fiftly, An Embaſſador muſt give an account of his Embaſſage; he muſt (according as there is occaſion) ſend to the country from whence he comes of what buſineſs he hath done: ſo the Miniſters of the Goſpel comming as Embaſſadors, they are ever and anon to ſend to heaven to give an account how they ſpeed in their Embaſſage, and when they come to declare any meſſage to the people, they are to ſend to Heaven, to tel God whether it be received, or rejected, and it is a very ſad thing to any people, when a miniſter of God ſhal have any Juſt cauſe to ſend up to Heaven his complaint, and ſay, O! Lord, thou haſt ſent me with a bleſſed Embaſſage of peace and reconciliation to this people, but Lord they reject it, they wil rather have their luſts, than al that Glory of thine in Jeſus Chriſt; Heaven, and eternal happineſs is a light thing unto them. When a Miniſter makes this complaint, do you not think it wil be a hard thing to thoſe that do reject it? And al faithful Miniſters do this. And if he be a faithful Miniſter, he is ſollicitous about his Embaſſage; he looks whether it be entertained, and accordingly he gives notice to heaven, not only weekly, but dayly, how his Embaſſage is entertained, and at the laſt day he muſt give a ful account before the Lord and Jeſus Chriſt.

Sixtly, And Laſtly, it is againſt the Law of al nations to abuſe an Embaſſador though he ſhould come upon never ſuch a threatning meſſage, yet you muſt uſe the Embaſſador civily; So it is againſt al laws of religion that can be to abuſe a miniſter of the Goſpel, though he ſhould come with a threatining, But much more when he comes about an Embaſſage of peace; then they are to entertaine him. It is againſt al ſence and reaſon and againſt al relegion, and thoſe people are moſt prophane, and reprobate to every good work, that ſhal abuſe an Embaſſador comming from Jeſus Chriſt unto them.

Now a little by way of application.

Doct. 2. That a Miniſter of the Goſpel when he comes, is an Embaſſador; he comes in Chriſts ſtead, and what he ſhal deliver (according to his Commiſsion,) is to be looked at as if God, and as if Jeſus Chriſt did preach unto you.

I Have made ſome enterance into this ſecond point. Doct. That God and Chriſt doth speake in the miniſters of his word. What the mineſters of God do (acrding to their rule and Word) it is to be looked upon as if God and Chriſt did it. This is Cleere in the text. As though God did beſeech you, we pray you in Chriſts ſteed (ſaith the Apoſtle).

For this I gave you divers ſcriptures; & I might ad many more, ct thought to have added ſome more cleer ſcriptures to ſhew you that what the miniſters do, it is as if God & Chriſt did it, I might name forty places that are cleer in this point but ſhal not that I may proceed. What the miniſter; of God ſpeak according to the ruls (I ſay) it is as if God and Chriſt ſpake, and it muſt needs be ſure, if we conſider of the power that there is of Chriſt in the miniſtry: we have had experience of it, that there is ſuch a power of the miniſtry of the word that it co • ld not be but only by the ſpeaking of God, God and Chriſt in It: the which hath power to inlighten, to awaken conſcience, to terrefie the conſcience, to humble, to bring down the ſtouteſt proud heart in the world, yea, and to convert ſouls, in John. 5.25. the text ſaith of the word of the ſon of God that brings life, Verily I ſay unto you, that the houre is comming, and now is when the dead ſhal hear the voice of the ſon of God and they that hear ſhal live. 〈◊〉 certainly this is ſpoken not only of the voice of the ſon of God at the general reſurrection, but (ſaith he) it is now; the hower is comming, and now is when the dead ſhal hear the voice of the ſon of God and they that hear ſhal live. It was at the time, and is continually in the miniſtry of the word; There is the voice of the ſon of God that makes the dead to hear and to live.

And further the word of the Miniſtery, muſt be looked upon as Gods in this regard; becauſe otherwiſe there could not be any ground or bottom for faith by any thing that is delivered in the Miniſtery of the word. Now we know that the miniſtery of the word is the ſpecial ordinance that is appointed for the begetting of faith. faith comes by hearing, & hearing by the word preached. It doth not come ſo much by reading; no, not by reading of the book of God; by reading of the ſcripture: but by hearing, and hearing the word preached. Now then you wil ſay, indeed, The word in the Bible, that is the word of God; God ſpeaks there, and Chriſt ſpeaks, and we may bottom our faith upon what we read there, but we muſt have ſomthing to bottom our faith upon when we hear it preacht by man, as wel as when we read it, and it is cleer by ſcripture; that God doth rather work by the hearing of it preacht, than by the reading of it. Except we look upon it as the word of God and Chriſt, we have nothing to bottom our Faith upon, (for nothing that is humane can be the bottom, and ground of any ones faith.) It is not, what is the judgment of ſuch a man, though he be never ſo learned, never ſo holy a man) that can bottom or ground my faith. But when I come to heare him, (ſo as I can heare God, and Chriſt ſpeaking in him) then have I ſomthing, to ground my faith upon what he ſaith, therefore, here is the reaſon why ſo many go away, and are only taken at the preſent hearing, but their hearts are not grounded, and bottomed in the truth, becauſe they hear man only, and do not heare God: But when people can ſay as thoſe men that came forth from Samaria to the woman, in John 4. about the middle of the Chap. ſayd, that when the woman came and told them; Here is a man that hath tould me al that ever I did; is not he Chyiſt? And they went out to him: But at length ſay they to her, (when they had ſpoken to him) Now we do beleeve; (not becauſe thou haſt told us, but becauſe we have heard him our ſelves.) So may many a ſoul ſay, I have been often hearing of ſermons, and I have been taken with the preaching of ſuch a man, and I did beleeve what he ſaid, and it went into my heart in ſome meaſure: Oh! but now ſaith a ſoul, I do not beleeve becauſe he tells me this, but I have heard in his preaching, God and Chriſt himſelf, it hath not been he; but it hath been Jeſus Chriſt that hath ſpoken to my heart. There could be no grounding of our faith (except that which is delivered in the Miniſtery of the word) be looked upon as God and Chriſt ſpeaking in them.

Object. You wil ſay, muſt we bleeve every thing that the Preacher ſpeaks, as if God and Chriſt ſpake it? men may err.

Therefore you muſt compare what you hear with what you read, and as thoſe noble men of Berea did ſearch the Scripture to ſee what Paul himſelf preacht; they were not to take Pauls preaching, but to compare it with other Scriptures, and they were commended for it, and God forbid that we ſhould think it much that people ſhould examine any thing we ſpeak. Try all things, and then keep that which is good; ſearch the Scriptures, and compare what is delivered by Scripture, and then ſo far as that is according to the rule of Scripture that is ſpoken, (though it be not directly the words of the Scripture, yet when it is ſpoken in the name of God according to Scripture) it ſhould be received as if God and Chriſt ſpoke it. We challenge no ſuch infallibility as the Papiſts ſay the Pope hath: but we give unto al people liberty to examine our Doctrine by Scripture, and then God expects, and Chriſt expects that it ſhould be received as if God and Chriſt ſpake.

NOw you wil ſay, How ſhal I know, what kind of Miniſtry it is wherein God did ſpeak moſt?

For the Anſwer to that, I appeal to your conſciences; what kind of preaching do you think in your conſciences there would be if Chriſt himſelf were preaching to you? How do you think that Chriſt himſelf would preach if he were here upon the Earth? That which comes neereſt to what Chriſt would preach; that you muſt favor cerrainly. Chriſt would not preach to defend ſuperſtitious vanities; for Chriſt (when he came to preach) preached ſo, as the people many times derided him, and ſcorned him: One time when he had done his Sermon they carryed him to the brow of the hil of the City, and would preſently have broken his Neck. Do but read that Sermon of Chriſt in the 5, 6, 7. Math. What preachers would you think your Courtiers to be if Chriſt were preaching to you? that, that comes neareſt to that; that Chriſt would preach, that you muſt moſt favor, and affect.

Secondly, That kind of preaching you think in your conſciences doth moſt prevaile in the authority of the word, hath humbled moſt hearts, and converted moſt ſouls, that Chriſt hath ſet his ſeal unto. I appeal unto you, what kind of preaching hath humbled moſt ſouls, and done moſt good? Hath not ſome poor country preacher, that hath preached in the evidence, and demonſtration of the ſpirit, converted more ſouls unto God than an hundered Biſhops? ſo that he may be able to ſay, at the great day of judgment (according to his meaſure) as our bleſſed Savior ſaid, Here am I, and thoſe whom thou haſt given me.

Thirdly, Examine of what ſide you be; thoſe that be of Gods ſide, they know his voice; (my ſheep hear my voice) but a ſtranger they wil not follow, take any town, and divide the people, and ſee how the Miniſter is liked, ſome are for, and ſome againſt him. But now look into the difference of their lives; of both theſe kinds of men of thoſe that are for, and thoſe that are againſt the Miniſter; ſee their different walkings; come into ſuch a place as this, (Becauſe they ſay there is a thouſand ale-houſes belonging to this place, of Stepny; I think there be hardly five that do ſavor the Miniſtery of the word, and al your prophane ones (generally) they ſpeak againſt the Miniſters. Now I appeal to your conſciences, (if you were to ſtand before God at the day of judgment) of which ſide would you be? either of the ſide of thoſe that are drunkards, ſwearers, uncleane perſons, and raylers at the Miniſtery of the word: or of the ſide of thoſe that are willing to take paines to heare the word of God, and bleſs God for the Miniſtery of his word. Certainly, that preaching hath moſt of Chriſt in it that thoſe that have moſt of the Spirit of Chriſt do moſt ſavour; fot they know the voice of Chriſt, and a ſtranger they wil not hear; they can underſtand it, though wicked and ungodly ones cannot. That is the Second uſe.

FIrſt, thoſe that have committed to them the Miniſtry of Reconciliation, as it is of the Appoſtles (having it put into us) [the Miniſtry of Reconciliation]

FOr the Firſt, The willingneſs of God for Reconciliation with ſinners; Why God manifeſts this, To begin a little low, and then to riſe higher; God miniſters this, firſt by his patience towards ſinners, in that the Lord is long ſuffering toward ſinners, he doth manifeſt thereby that he is willing to be reconciled: the Scripture draws an argument from thence, in Rom. 2.4. as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, the patience of God holds this forth unto you; that you ſhould come in, and repent, that ſo you might obtain mercy from God, or otherwiſe it doth lead you to repentance. Except it ſhould hold forth Gods willingneſs to be reconciled, it could not draw the heart to repentance; but it leads: and this hath a great deal of force to draw the heart of man to repentance, Becauſe it holds forth the willingneſs of God to be reconciled unto ſinners. If God were not willing to be reconciled to you, he would take you off, and there were an end of you, or at leaſt he would excerciſe ſuch patience that ſhould not lead you to repentance: as he did with the Devils, as ſoon as they had ſinned, he clapt his chains upon them, and reſerves them in chains of darkneſs; there is no ſuch patience of God towards them as to be any argument to draw them to repentance: therefore they cannot draw any encourageing concluſion from any work of Gods patience, as to bring them towards God again: But al ſinners may do it that are the ſons of men. Hath God ſpared thy life at ſuch, and ſuch a time? know that in that work of his, he doth manifeſt his willingneſs to be reconciled unto thy Soul; as if a man hath an enemy at an advantage, and he wil not take it: Doth not this ſignifie that he is willing to be at peace with him? And that is the firſt thing.

SEcondly, God hath manifeſted himſelf very willing to be reconciled unto ſinners in this; that he hath made it to be the great Maſter-piece of al his works to provide a way for Reconciliation of thee unto him. The Lord hath wrought ſo wonderfully for the children of men, rather than for Angels, in ſending his Son, & making of him a curſe for our ſins. In this the Lord proclaims a loud voice to al the world; O! be it known to al you ſinners that I am willing to be reconciled to you. We need not name Scripture for this, for the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel is ful of this; O! the heart of God is much in this work of Reconciliation; al the arguments in the world, al the expreſſions that poſſible could have been, could never have held forth this, ſo much as meerly this proclaimation that God hath ſent his Son into the world to die for mans ſin: this holds it forth, and proclaims it (with the loudeſt voice that poſſible can be) that God is infinitly willing to be reconciled unto ſinners.

FOurthly, the Lord expreſſes this his willingneſs to be reconciled to ſinners with a ſigh, as when he expreſſes his deſire after ſinners with a ſigh, which is a note of earneſtneſs of deſire, and that you have in Deut. 5. and 24. verſe: O! that there were ſuch a heart in them. When we expreſs our deſires we ſay, I would there were ſuch a thing: But when we expreſs our moſt earneſt deſire, then we expreſs it with an O! O! that there were: ſo ſaith God, O! that they had ſuch an heart; that they would fear me, and walke in my waies, and why doth God expreſſe this? It is that it might be wel with them, and with their children for ever: therefore O! that there were ſuch an heart. It is obſervable, if you turne your eyes to the former part of the Chapter, you ſhal find; that this people did ſay, that whatſoever God had ſpoken, that they would do: But the lord ſaw that there was not a through comming off of their hearts unto him to reſigne up themſelves wholly to him: and therefore the Lord doth (as it were) fetch a ſigh in the earneſtneſs of his deſire; O! that there were ſuch an heart in them. If a man that were fallen out with another, when he were in his Bed-chamber, or at his Table, he ſhould fetch a ſigh, and ſay; O! that ſuch an one would come in, and be Reconciled to me, how glad would I be to be Reconciled to him? how doth my ſoul long after him? would not every one ſay that this man earneſtly deſiers Reconciliation with that perſon. But thus doth God, he ſits (as it were) and ſaith; O! that there were ſuch an heart.

Fiftly, the Lord doth not only expreſs his deſire by a ſigh, but by an Oath; he takes a ſolemn Oath upon it; how willing he is that ſinners ſhould come in, & be reconciled unto him, and it is the greateſt Oath that ever God took (it is about ſinners coming in) to profeſs his willingneſs that ſinners ſhould not die: but they ſhould come in, and be reconciled to him, and that you have in the 33. Ezek. 11. Say to them, As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, &c. As I live, ſaith the Lord God. They were pineing away in their wickedneſs, lying down in their ſins now as I live, ſaith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, but rather that he ſhould turn; and therefore turn, turn, O! turn; Why wil ye die? As if a poor ſinner ſhould lie down, and ſay; the Lord is provoked againſt me, and he wil not be reconciled to me; No, the wrath of God is out againſt me, & he wil revenge himſelf of me; the Lord looks upon a ſinner lying in this manner, and he bids his ſervants go, and ſay to him; the Lord ſwears by his own life, and ſaith to this ſinner; As I live, I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, I ſwear by my ſelf becauſe I have no greater to ſwear by.

ANother Argument is this, wherein God doth manifeſt in his word that above al works that are pleaſing to him, and that he would have people moſt to reſpect in this world, is the work of beleeving in his Son, and laying hold upon him, and ſo upon that mercy of his, that he doth offer in his Son, and that is the great work that he is more pleaſed withal; then al the works they do; and not doing that, it is the greateſt offence whereby they can offend God, they cannot offend God more in doing any thing in the world. And this ſhews the willingneſs of God to be reconciled unto ſinners, God being pleaſed with a ſinner that doth come in to take hold of his mercy. And that you have in John 6.29. This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him, wh •• ••• ch ſent, (by way of excllency above all other ther •••• ; (as if God ſhould ſay) If you ſhould do the 〈◊〉 famous work that ever man did in this world, I would not delight in it; I would not care for that in compariſion of this work of comming in, and beleeving in my Son. Is there a man that ſhould be the great Conqueror of the whole world? a man that were famous in al the world. Let a poor Soul, a penitent heart come in, and cloſe with Gods grace in Jeſus Chriſt, and rowl it ſelf upon mercy in Chriſt for Reconciliation; this poor Soul, (though the meaneſt that were poſſible to be immagined in the whole Nation) is a more glorious work in Gods Eye; then the moſt glorious work of the greateſt Conqueror of the earth. If thou wert able to rule the Sea; if thou wert able to govern al the world; if thou wert able to command the Heavens, it would not be ſuch a glorious work in the Eyes of God as that is to come and lay hold upon his Son, as he is tendred in the Goſpel. If you ſhould give al your Almes to the poor, and your body to be burnt: yet it were nothing to the work of beleeving in his Son. In John 3 God is moſt diſpleaſed with not beleeving in his Son. As if God ſhould ſay, it's true, you are naturally enemies to me, and you have lived in waies of enmity againſt me; O! you have provoked me al your daies; when you were yong, a drunken, unclean, prophane Youth; a Lyar, a Swearer, a Sabboth-breaker &c. but yet you live to hear the voice of the Goſpel ſounding in your ears, and to have the offer of Jeſus Chriſt to your Souls for the pardon of your ſins: Now be it known to you; al the Oaths that ever you ſwore, al your Blaſphemies, al your Drunkenneſs, al your Uncleaneſs, al al your Sabboth-breaking, (put them altogether) they wil not provoke me ſo much: as rejecting of my Grace in Jeſus Chriſt, that I tender to you. That is the condemnation of the world; al the other iniquities wil not ſink you down ſo deep in Hel as not comming to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt; to lay hold upon the Grace of God, that is tendred to you in the Goſpel. Now is not God very willing to be reconciled, when he ſhal manifeſt himſelf thus unto ſinful men?

ANother is this; that the Lord is willing to yeild unto his creatures, (as farr as may be) to yeild to the creature (I ſay) (as farr as he can with honor) for ſuch is the way of the Goſpel in bringing ſinners to God; that God hath yeilded to his creature • as farr as can be conceived to be done with honor (he cannot deny himſelf; and his Glory:) But take it thus farr, that God muſt have his Glory; it is impoſſible that God ſhould yeild further to the creature than he hath done, Whereas God might have required ſatisfaction in our own perſons, he hath yeilded to this; I wil take it in another; this is the condition of the Covenant of Grace, from that of the Covenant of works; the covenant of works required perfect obedience in our own perſons: ſo that if we did not obey, it required ſaitsfaction of us. Now in the covenant of Grace there is a high conſideration, (as it were) God is content to take it in a ſuerty; He wil be content for our parts if there be uprightneſs, if there be but endeavors, if there be but willingneſs of heart, (though he ſees that we do provoake him day by day) wel ſaith God, (whereas I ſtood upon perfect obedience in the Covenant of works) now ſaith God, I wil he ſatisfied with the wil for the deed, if there be but uprightneſs of heart, (though there be many weakneſſes) yet I wil be willing, and content with that. Now doth not a man ſhew himſelf willing to be reconciled unto another, when he ſhal ſay, wel let there be any terms, propounded that can be, I wil yeild to any tearms ſo far as I can with honor? I muſt not diſhonor my ſelf: but ſo farr as can be I yeild. God hath done thus; he profeſſes to the world, that ſo far as he can he hath yielded to us; Now if we ſhould not except of the termes that he requires (for they are ſuch tearms, ſo reaſonoble, ſo equal, that cannot be imagined leſs) there cannot be leſs required of the Creature, then is by the Creator.

Object, You ſay, beleeving is a great matter.

But conſider it in its ſelfe, it is not ſuch a great matter but only in relation unto Chriſt, in its own nature, it is but as a poor begger that puts forth his hand to take the almes, and it is God that gives it to us two: Now if we do any thing, what can we do leſs then receive, (eſpe • ially when we have a hand given us by God wherewith to receive) as if a begger had an alms promiſed him if he would come and take it. Oh! but ſaith the begger I am lame, I cannot go, and my hand is withered, I cannot ſtretch it forth. Wel, he that would give the alms ſaith, he wil help the beggar thither, he wil help him to legs to go, and he wil heal his hand and give it ſtrength whereby he ſhal put it forth to receive the alms; only do not ſtrugle againſt me, do not reſiſt me: I wil be with you, you ſhal leane upon mee, I wil give you ſtilts. Is not here as much conſideration as can be? and ſo it is in the work of reconciliation of ſinners unto God; he gives alms, and he gives the hand wherewith to receive it.

And then, the Lord manifeſts his willingneſs to be reconciled unto ſinners in this; he doth profeſs unto ſinners, that the greateſt ſins that ever they have committed ſhal not be a hinderance to bear of this work of reconciliation: The Lord I ſay profeſſes this to ſinners; he ſends his meſſengers to tel them; that though (perhaps) they may be conſcious to themſelves of ſome vile thing that they have committed, whereby they may think that God wil never paſs by that ſin: But God to take away the objection that they ſhal never be able to ſay ſo; he doth make that as cleer as any thing in this world; that there is not the greateſt ſin that ever thou haſt committed (except that one againſt the Holy Spirit) no other ſin ſhal barre or hinder the work of thy reconciliation: and certainly where that ſin is committed, the heart wil never deſire to come in to be reconciled to God, but flies in the face of God to revenge himſelf upon God. But if thou haſt a heart that deſires to come in to God, that is an infallible argument that thou haſt not committed that ſin. I might give you a great many Scriptures for this; to ſhew that God profeſſes that there is not any ſin that ſhal make the bar in the way between him and thee; in Iſa. 1, 18. Come now let us reaſon together ſaith the Lord &c. Yea, come now let us reaſon together. Thus God deals in a familiar way with ſinners, as if a Malefactor were before the Prince ſhaking, quivering, and trembling, fearing that the Prince would have his life; being conſcious to himſelf of abundance of evil that he hath been guilty of, and the Prince ſhould go and take him by the hand, and ſay, Come let us riſe up; let us reaſon together; though your offences be great; yet that ſhal not be a bar between you and me. This is that we have authority to proclaime even in the name of the Lord God of Heaven; and to every poor ſoul, and to the worſt of ſinners, and to the greateſt of ſinners that are here, or can be heer now, before the Lord, in his name, this we ſay, there is nothing paſt between God and you; no ſin that is yet paſt that ſhal be your undoing, and the eternal deſtruction of your ſouls: But it wil be ſome ſin that is yet to come; ſomewhat that is yet to come wil be the eternal deſtruction of every ſinner in this Congregation. Its true, if God ſmite thee now it wil be the ſin that is paſt: but if God let thee live this day, it is rather for ſomething that is yet to come, than for any thing that is paſt: for the continuance in the hardneſs of heart, and your unbeleife from this time forward; rather then for what is paſt. If one had run in arrears, and incurred a great deal of puniſhment, enough to his undoing; if this ſhould come to be ſaid unto him; Thus far you have run: But here is a proclamation; there is nothing that is paſt that ſhal be charged upon you but look to it for the time to come: I do not ſay, that al the ſinns that are paſt God wil never reckon, but thus, that he wil never reckon with any of you for what is paſt, but for ſome cauſe of evil that you ſhal be guilty of for the future; that muſt go along with it, and that may cauſe God to bring that, that is paſt over again: but that that wil be your undoing, and deſtruction wil be ſomthing that is to come, and if you continue in your wicked waies, then that wil bring al over again. But now if you had a heart this day, at this preſent, to fal downe before the lord, to ſeeke to make up your peace with him, and to cloſe with the grace of God in his ſon: I can bouldly pronounce that al your ſins, that are paſt, are done away; O! remember this, this gracious offer of God in Eſa. 1.18. whatſoever you have been before, yet that needs be no diſcouragement unto you; it is the continuance in your iniquity that wil undo you; and now wil not this ſoul juſtifie God at the great day? muſt not God needs be juſtified if any ſinner in this congregation be awakened at laſt? I ſay this argument ſhal riſe up againſt them, and ſhal juſtifie God againſt you. Now God wil ſay, you that lived a long time in ſin, you heard that after ſo many years ſinning, that whatſoever your ſins were before, yet ſome things that were then to come would be your deſtruction, or els you ſhould never be deſtroyed: and yet you would venture for the time to come; you would be bould to adde to that heape of your ſins that have been ſo longe a making, and thereby bring al your ſins upon you that you had committed before. And therefore righteous is God in the Condemnation of this ſinner, (wee ſpeak of the willingneſs of God to be reconcilled unto ſinners) to that end that you might come in, and be reconcilled, or otherwiſe that the juſtice of God may be cleere at the great day, and this is a ſpecial end of al the manifeſtation of Gods goodneſs unto ſinners; that he might cleer himſelfe at the great day in thoſe that ſhal periſh. There are a great many things yet more behind, where in the willingneſs of God to be reconcilled unto ſinners is further to be ſet forth: yet I know there are Objections that ly in your mindes. How can we come? And if God be ſo willing, he may bring our hearts to be willing to be reconciled to him; we ſhal diſcourſe theſe more at lardge; only for the preſent, I deſire to preſent, before you this; the manifeſtation of the goodneſs of God towards ſinners to gain upon their hearts; that they might be reconciled unto him, and I ſhould be very ſory to open al theſe things in ſuch a congregation as this is, if it were not to gain ſome ſouls: (for it's like enough that ſome wil be hardened) and now if ſome ſhould be hardened, and others ſhould not be gained: what a miſerable thing were it? I might make this as an evidence, how willing God is to be reconciled unto ſiners; that he would have the riches of his grace thus manifeſtd to gain ſiners to himſelf, though he knows that it wil be a means to harden others; he knows that it wil coſt the eternal damnation of many ſouls, and though he do know this: yet for al this ſaith God, let my wilingneſs to be reconcilled be opened unto poor ſinners by the preaching of the goſpel, though it coſts many ſouls very dear, yet (for the love I bear to poor ſouls) let it be made known to the face of them al. Now if God were not ſtrongly ſet to do good to ſouls, ſuerly he would not venture the damnation of other ſouls ſo much. But ſaith God, let their ſouls go, rather than my willingneſs to be Reconciled unto others, ſhould not be declared unto them.

ANother way is this: in anſwering al Objections that lie in the hearts of ſinners: whatſoever Objections lie in the hearts of ſinners, God hath waies to anſwer al thoſe, and he doth it in his word, and by his Spirit; As now, What would a ſinner object? If you object your unworthineſs of ſuch mercies as God doth offer unto you, and therefore it is unlikly that ever God wil beſtow that mercy on you: obſerve, Eſa. 55. there is a place that God intends directly to anſwer that objection, that it may never hinder any ſinner from comming in unto him: ſaith God, Come ye to the waters, and he that hath no monies, come ye, buy and eat: yea come buy Wine, and Milk without mony, and without price. Note in one verſe there is three times Come without Mony; he that hath no Mony come and Eat, and then, buy without Mony, and then without price, What is the meaning of this? here you are to know; that the promiſes of the Goſpel are ſet out to you by Wine, & Milk, & ſo by bread, afterwards by thoſe things that are moſt delightful & moſt uſeful for the nature of man; the Goſpel is ſet out by ſuch things, and ſo it is in Scripture by things that are the moſt excellent of al. Somtimes by a Kingdom; for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: there is the argument; the Kingdom of God is at hand. and ſomtimes by a marriage; when God ſends to people to be reconciled, he ſends to them with this Argument; that it is to marry them to his Son. And ſomtimes by a Supper; that God the Father invites too; a Supper wherein there is al kind of dainties: the great King makes a Supper at the marriage of his Son, and there are powerful Arguments that God uſeth.

O but I am unworthy ſaith a poor ſoul, What? that ſuch a one as I, ſo vile, ſo wretched, and every way unworthy ſhould have ſuch things? this was the policy of the Devil at the firſt, the Devil labors to make ſinners to ſlight the Goſpel, to ſet at naught the counſels of God: ſo you have it in Prov. 1. to account the bloud of the Covenant a common thing: that is the firſt way. But if he cannot prevail that way; but the Lord doth ſhine through al miſts, and il conceipts of the Goſpel, and ſhews unto the Soul the excellency and beuty of his Son, and of the glorious things that are in the Goſpel: then the Devil comes the other way. Indeed ſaith he there are glorious things, but thou art unworthy; thou art a wretched, baſe, vile Creature, and canſt thou think that God ſhould grant ſuch things as theſe to thee? now the Lord anſwers this Objection; What ſaith God? Come without Money; What is that? that is; though thou haſt no worthineſs in thy ſelf, though thou haſt no a, bilities to buy any thing that is good; yet come, come yet & cloſe with my Grace; that ſhal make thee rich enough; thou ſhalt have money enough that way: Come without mony & without price, let never that Objection hinder thee; that thou art unworthy & unable to do any thing: the Lord cals thee without Money, & offers freely to thee, & therefore in the latter end of the Book of the Revelation it is ſaid in the laſt Chapter the 17. ver. And the Spirit, and the Bride ſay Come, and let him that heareth ſay Come, and let him that is a thirſt, Come; and whoſoever wil, let him take of the water of life freely. How ſhal I ever think to have it? It is free, ſo that this Objection cannot hinder.

Obj. O! but there may lie another Objection; Thus, it may be, the Lord wil require, though he requires nothing that I ſhal do before hand, but wil grant his mercy freely: but when I am come, then perhaps things that are hard, wil be required at my hands: O! the waies of God they are hard waies, and then I muſt live ſo ſtrictly, then I muſt make Conſcience of my waies, and ſo abandon al my ſins and Luſts, and wha • ſaith the Devil to a corrupt heart? What? wil you leave al ſuch pleaſant waies? and be ſo ſtreightly bound? Then you muſt do nothing but according to the word of God, and of Conſcience; farewel al the Comforts and Joyes of your life i • you come once to be religious, and godly, theſe are the tentations that do keep of the hearts of men. I appeal to you; have not ſome of your hearts been kept off from Jeſus Chriſt, and the waies of God meerly upon ſome ſuch temptations as theſe? and indeed perhaps at firſt it may be ſo til the nature of a man is changed.

But mark how this objection is taken away, when ſinners are called to Chriſt, (I ſuppoſe you know the place) Come unto me, ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I wil give you reſt.

But that concerns the former, and then afterwards when Chriſt had ſaid ſo; come to me ye that are weary & heavy laden, and I wil give you reſt; take my yoak upon you, my burthen &c. It ſeems then we muſt be yoaked and burthened: But marke what follows in verſ. 30. For my yoak is eaſy, and my burthen is light (as if Chriſt ſhould ſay) never harken to ſuch a tentation of any difficulties in my wayes: I aſſure you beforehand you wil find that the Devil doth but gul you, deceive, and cozen you, I wil warrant you that beforehand; that I wil lay no yoak upon you, but you ſhal ſay when you come to beare it, it is an eaſy yoak, and though it be a burthen, yet you ſhal acknowledg it is a light burthen. This I dare ſay in the name of God unto al; come in al you that ſtand off from the waies of God; though the waies of God may ſeem hard to you at firſt, yet I dare ſay from God unto you, that you wil find the wayes of God more eaſy to you at laſt than ever you did in the waies of ſin: For certainly there is more trouble in the waies of ſin than can be in the waies of God. And when God cals upon you to come in to be reconciled, he doth profeſs this to you; that he wil require nothing of you but that which ſhal be more pleaſant to you than any wayes of ſin that you lived in before: there be more comforts, and joy, and that for the preſent, than ever you had in the waies of ſin, do but ask any one that hath made tryal of this, and deſire them to ſpeak their conſciences to thee (I meane thoſe that have had any apprehenſion of the love of Chriſt to them) yea have you began to walk in wiſdomes wayes, which are pleaſantneſs, and to tread in thoſe paths which are ſtrowed with roſes, and paved with peace? pray then ſpeak plainly, how do you find your ſelf? is it not better now than it was before? do you not find more eaſe, more comfort, and joy in theſe waies of God than you did before in any way of Sin? Oh ſuch a one wil profeſs unto you that they find more comfort than ever they did before; they find more ſweetneſs in communion with God in his wayes in one day, than they found in the waies of ſin in al their lives before, the Holy Spirit in pleading with the hearts of men ſaith the ſame Prov. 3.17. Her waies are waies of pleaſantneſs, and her paths are peace. If you wil beleeve the ſpirit of God, the waies of Godlineſs are waies of pleaſantneſs, and al her paths, are paths of peace. What ſhould hinder you then? It is neither your unworthineſs that can be any hinderance nor the hardſhip of the way. Theſe are the two great blocks that lie in the way; and God doth fully take away theſe in ſcripture; and if there be any other objection, I dare undertake bring what objections you can (give me but a litle time) to find out ſome manifeſt word, or other in the ſcripture that ſhal meet with the very objection. Then how doth this argue Gods exceeding willingneſs to be reconciled to ſinners? If a man ſend his meſſenger to ſuch a one to offer peace, and he thinks beforehand; Oh! but he wil have this and this objection againſt me; but ſaith he to his ſervant that is imployed in the buſineſs, you ſhal anſwer this objection thus, and the other objection thus.

ANother evidence is this; when yet ſiners do not come, yet the lord leaves them not; but he doth then appeal to the very conſcinces of ſinners, and deales with them that way; and that is very powerful; he deals with ſinners that way to breake their hearts: (when after al his arguments they com not in) then the lord appeals to their own conſciences, & then wil plead with them in a way of appealing to their conſciences, why they ſhould not come in and yeild unto him; and this way is verry powerful to prevail with ſinners. If you would go, and prevail with any one for a thing that you have a deſire to accompliſh, what courſe do you take? either you ſend to them, or go to them, and then you open the caſe to them, and yet they are not moved & then you bring powerful arguments to perſwad them, and yet they do not move them then you take away al their objections, and yet that doth not prevail upon them; then you do importune them, and if that do not overcome them, what is the next way you take? then you appeal to their owne conſciences, then ſay you, nay, I appeal to your own conſcience, whether I have ſaid it or no; I wil even leave it to your conſcience, and judg of it in the preſence of God let your own conſcience be your judg, and ſomtimes this prevailes more than al the arguments in the world. When you appeal to a mans one conſcience, that he doth deal unequally, and very il; that he doth not yeild: but God doth thus he doth apeal unto mens conſciences I wil give yo ſuome ſcripture for it in the 43. Eſa. 26. Put me in rememberance; let us plead together; declare thou that thou muſt be juſtified; come (ſaith God) let us hear what you can ſay; let us plead together; Declare thou that thou mayeſt be juſtified; declare it, ſay what thou canſt, try whether you or I be in the right way, I wil even be contented to leave it to you (only let us plead, and declare what we can) But that place ſeemes yet to be more ful that you have in Jerem. 2, 3, you have often expreſſions of Gods pleading with his people in the ninth verſe, and then you have it again at leaſt three times in this Chapter that the lord ſaith he wil plead in v. 23. you have it again, wherefore wil you plead with me? &c. and then in the 35. verſ. Behold I wil plead with thee ſaith God, but now God pleads thus in his pleading, he wil leave it, he wil appeal to the very conſciences of men, and that you have in Exek. 18.25. verſ. yet you ſay, the way of the lord is not equal, hear O! houſe of Iſrael, (as if he ſhould ſay) conſcience anſwer, Is not my way equal? wil not your owne conſciences anſwer you thus? that his waies are equal? the lord is content to plead with his people, & the concluſion of his pleading is a leaving it to their conſciences, to the people, (as if God ſhould ſay thus) as he doth often) God comes by his ſpirit in the miniſtry of his word. I appeal to you, (hath he not often done ſo)? and ſaith, do you think in your very conſciences that theſe waies that you walk in are right? & my waies are they good? is it any way equal that wretched ſinful creatures ſhould take their liberty to go on al their daies and pleaſe themſelves in the luſts of their own vaine hearts, and now, when they can ſin no more nor longer, that then they ſhould cry to God for mercy, and that then he ſhould pardon them, and accept them unto his favour? Is this equal? is not the lord infinitly more worthy of al the ſtrength thou haſt if it were ten thouſand times more than it is, than that thou ſhouldeſt have given it up to thy luſts and vanities? Conſcience, ſpeak whether God be not moſt worthy of al? and what wert thou made for? no other end but meerly to eat and drink and ſatisfie thy fleſh, and have thy luſts heere for a while? doſt thou thinke in thy concience that God did intend no other end for thee when he ſent thee into the world? you have been upon your ſick bedds and cried to God, and have promiſed to God better obedience, now are your waies equal to take your liberty to ſin after God hath thus delivered you, and after God hath preſerved your life when you were at the very brinke of death, and that death was ready to deliver you up into the hands of eternal miſery; and do you think that this was Gods end in preſerving your life that you might have more time to ſin againſt him, and might ſpend the latter part of your ſtrength in bringing diſhonor to his Name? was this Gods end in preſerving your life? God might have ſtruck you one blow more, and ſent you down to eternal miſery, and then God ſhould have had no more diſhonor of you, but ſhould have had the Glory of his Juſtice upon you: Now do you think that this is the end why God did preſerve you, that you ſhould have more years added to your life, that you ſhould have more time to ſin againſt him? This argues Gods willingneſs to be reconciled, that the Lord is thus pleaſing with you: and let me ſpeak to every one in this place that hath felt God pleading thus with them, know, that the Lord by this work of his, doth ſtrive with thee to bring thee to be reconciled unto him. This is no other thing than the ſtriving of the Spirit of God himſelf with you, though perhaps you think this is troubleſom to you. Many men and women when they have their conſciences pleading thus, they think it is troubleſom. Oh wretched man or woman that thou art, this work of Conſcience is nothing but God pleading with thee to ſave thy Soul: Thou haſt ſtood againſt his Word that hath been preached to thee, and now God ſeeks to thee the other way by his Spirit to ſtrive in thy Conſcience, he appeals to thy own Conſcience, that ſo thou mayeſt be brought in to be reconciled unto him. But when God hath no mind to be reconciled, then ſaith God to Conſcience, let him alone; and then the ſinner goes on with a hard heart, and bleſſes himſelf that his Conſcience is quiet: Oh no, no, Conſcience is quiet, but God hath left laboring any more with thee.

NOW before we come to anſwer the Objections, or to any application; there is yet ſomthing more to be opened unto you. [as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in CHRIST'S ſtead] as the heart of God is ſo ſet upon it to be reconciled unto ſinners: ſo is Jeſus Chriſt; it is true, Chriſt is God: but Chriſt, and God are here ſpoken of ſeverally; Chriſt is the ſame God with the father: but he is God and man; God incarnate; God the mediator between the father and us: ſo that it wil be exceeding uſeful to ſhew how the heart of CHRIST is ſet upon Reconciliation of ſinners to God (for the Apoſtle doth come in the name of Chriſt, as wel as of God the father) now that the heart of Chriſt is in it; that appears in the underſtanding of the great worke of Reconciliation. That he hath undertaken it, and that ſo willingly as he hath done; Certainly if Chriſt had not been much ſet upon this work to bring ſinners to be reconciled unto the Father, he would never have undertaken ſuch a work, which he knew would prove ſo difficult to him, and he knew what it would coſt him: but yet he took it willingly, and delightfully, and for that compare thoſe two Scriptures the firſt in Pſal. 40.7. Then ſaid I, Lo, I come: in the Volume of thy book it is written of me. It begins in ver. 6. Sacrifice, and offerring thou didſt not deſire, mine ears thou didſt open: burnt offerring, and ſin offering thou didſt not require: then ſaid I, Lo, I come: in the Volume of thy book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will Oh God. It is a Pſalm of Chriſt, and a Prophecy of him, and that it is of him it appears plainly if you compare the Scripture in Heb. 10. at the beginning, and ſo on; there you have the Apoſtle quoting this very Text (only with a little difference in the word.) Now there are three, or four things that are here to be obſerved of Chriſt in his willingneſs to come, and undertake the great work of making Attonement between God and ſinners. Mine Ears haſt thou opened; that is one. Lo I come: and then, I delight to do thy will, and thy Law is within my heart. There are theſe four. Lo I come ſaith Chriſt to do it. It appears plainly that there was a Covenant between the Father, and the Son from al eternity that Chriſt ſhould come in due time into the world, and take our natures upon him: Now the time was for Chriſt to come. There is many that wil agree to do ſuch a thing beforehand: but when it comes to be done (if they ſee there wil be any difficulty in it, and that they ſhal endure ſome hardſhip) they hang back. But Chriſt had agreed from al eternity with his Father, that at ſuch a time he would come into the world, and take the nature of man upon him, and be in the form of a ſervant, and be made a curſe for mans ſins, and al that he might reconcile ſinners unto himſelf. This was the agreement. Now the time approaches for him to come, and undertake this great work; when the time came, Obſerve now how Chriſts heart was in it. He did not hang back; he did not repent him of the Covenant: But I come, I come, (ſaith Chriſt) as we uſe to expreſs our ſelves when we are called to do a thing that we love to do; we ſay; I come I come: now the time is come for you to do that which you undertook to do; to go into the world, to take the nature of man; be made in form of a Servant, and to bear my wrath and to ſatisfie my Juſtice for the ſin of man. I come, I come ſaith Chriſt and he doth not only come: but come with delight to do thy Will, and what was this wil? It was that Chriſt ſhould be humbled to the death of the Croſs, Though I knew it would coſt my life: yet I delight to do it: becauſe my heart is ſo much ſet upon reconciling Sinners unto thy ſelf, and not only ſo but thy Law is in my heart, it hath gotten a deep impreſſion in my heart; thy Law; that i • , that Law of thine whereby I am tyed to this that I have undertaken; for it is within my heart, in the very midſt of my bowels that I ſhould do it. And then Fourthly [Mine ears haſt thou opened] the words are; mine ears haſt thou boared. The meaning of that Phraſe muſt be underſtood by comparing it that way which was of God in the time of the Law, commanding that if a ſervant would not goe out of his ſervice in the years of Jubilee that his maſter ſhould take an awle, and boar his ear and ſo he ſhould be a ſervant forever. This Phraſe hath alluſion to that; as if Chriſt ſhould ſay thus, I am content that I might do this work to be as a ſervant whoſe ear is boared, who muſt be a ſervant for ever: ſo ſaith Chriſt, that I might accompliſh the work of reconciling ſinners to thy ſelf, I am content to be as a ſervant whoſe ear is boared: thereby ſignifieing; that he would be willing to liſten to any thing that ſhould be commanded him. His maſters commandements are not grievous, but it is his meat and drink to do the wil of his Lord.

Wel might the Apoſtle ſay, As in Chriſts ſtead we beſeech you as if he ſhould ſay, Chriſts heart is much towards ſinners that he might bring them to be reconciled unto God, and we in his name come to prevail with ſinners no get them in unto God.

Secondly, Obſerve what was the firſt Sermon that ever Chriſt preached; [For the the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand] that is the firſt Sermon, calling ſinners to repent; becauſe the Kingdome of grace wherein the Goſpel of God ſhould reign, that is at hand ſaith Chriſt, and then Chriſt would preach ſo as to gain moſt, when he had the greateſt Auditors; What was it that he preacht? when he was amongſt the Jews at the Feaſt of dedication, In the great day of the Feaſt (ſaith the Scripture) Chriſt lift up his voice, and cryed; Hoe every one that is a thirſt. A Miniſter when he is to preach to a great Congregation, and he is not like to come to them again, he ſhould ſpeak on ſuch a ſubject that his heart is moſt in. Now Chriſt at the Feaſt of dedicaton he was not like to come to them ſodainly again to uſe ſuch an argument to them; he cryed, Hoe, every one that is a thirſt, come, and Chriſt further doth profeſs that it is the end why he came into the World; To ſave, & to ſeek that which was loſt: Not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance. That is the great end that he came into the world about; it was the great ſubejct of his preaching, the great errand that he came into the world about.

And further obſerve, with what lovingneſs, gentleneſs and ſweetneſs he doth it; what a gratious invitation we have in Math. 11. Come unto me al you that are weary, and heavy leaden, and I wil give you reſt: and he profeſſes in John 6.37, None that comes to me wil I caſt of. I wil not caſt of any that do come to me: Yea he tells us, that he wil not quench the ſmoaking flax, nor break the bruiſed reede; to encourage ſinners he tells them if there be but any ſtirrings of the heart unto him, but as the ſmoaking flax, and as the bruiſed reed; yet he wil not break one, nor quench the other: but he wil encourage new beginnings though never ſo ſmal in ſinners coming unto him. Theſe are the expreſſions of Chriſt towards ſinners to ſhew them how tender he is over them, and when the time drew neer for Chriſt to ſuffer, then (if ever) one would think (if the heart of Chriſt were not much in it) Chriſt would draw back; not only when he was to come into the world: but in the work of his Mediation when he was to ſuffer the violence of the wrath of his father; to be poured out upon him. But mark how he doth expreſs himſelf in Luk, 22. verſe, 15. And he ſaid unto them, with deſire I have deſired to eate this paſſover with you before I ſuffer. Why did Chriſt deſire? he deſired, that is, ſtrongly deſired to eat this paſſover; why? becauſe he knew, that aſſoon as ever he had eaten it, he ſhould be called to ſuffer for mans ſin; and to accompliſh the great work of redemption for ſinful men. Then it was to be done, Why? Was there any ſuch cauſe that Chriſt ſhould be ſo ſtrongly upon it to deſire this paſſover? One would have thought, that above al paſſovers Chriſt ſhould have been afraide of this: becauſe this was to put a period to his life: for then Chriſt was himſelf to be made the paſſover to ſuffer: when this paſſover came once, he knew that he was to be made the paſchal Lamb, and yet he doth deſire above al to eate this paſſover, thereby ſhewing, what a minde he had to finiſh the work whereby ſinners might come to be reconciled unto God. And another expreſſion there is, I have a baptiſme to be baptized with, and how am I ſtreightned till it be accompliſhed? Chriſt was ſtreightned in his heart til the work was done. You may ſee how much the heart of Chriſt was in it to be reconciled unto ſinners, when became to do the thing indeed, when the wrath of God was even juſt comming upon him, then (though nature had ſome kind of reluctancy) he ſaieh, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſs from me, to ſhew how ſenſible his humane nature was of it, yet preſently, Not my wil but thy wil but thy wil be done. And the ſcriptue tells us that he did make his ſoul an offering for ſin, and that he layd down his life.

And further after that Chriſt had layed down his life and riſen again, mark one expreſſion more that ſhews how willing Chriſt is to have ſinners reconciled, and brought in unto the Father, and to be at peace with him and that is very remarkable in Luke, 24. verſe 46. And ſo on, note what was that firſt preaching of Chriſt, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So here in this world in his bodily preſence, this may ſeem to be his laſt ſermon, What was it he ſaid unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer. Wel, in verſ. 47. And that repentance and remiſſion of ſins ſhould be preached in his name amongſt al nations begining at Jeruſalem, and ye are witneſſes of theſe things, and then by and by he was caught up into heaven. That which I note this ſcripture for is this; that after Chriſt had been ſo notoriouſly abuſed in his ſufferings, yet this did not hinder his earneſt thirſting after reconciliation of thoſe that had put him to death, and had ſo abuſed him: ſaith he it is written, that it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer &c. To begin at Jeruſalem, and that is that that I would have done, The repentance ſhould be preached to al nations, but begin at Jeruſalem. Why begin at Jeruſalem? Becauſe Jeruſalem was the place where Chriſt was put to death; immediately bef ••• he was crowned with Thorns, mockt, a Reed put into his hands, ſpit upon, The Children of Barrabas rather than him, yea and they cryed Away with him, they carried him to the Croſs, and there nailed him til he was dead, and thus they dealt with Chriſt there, yet Chriſt would have repetance preacht to al Nations, but ſaith he, above al, think of Jeruſalem, and begin at Jeruſalem let them have it in the firſt place, Jeruſalem that took away my life, that killed me. If any thing in the world could take of the heart of Chriſt from being reconciled to ſinners, one would have thought that that which he had done to him at Jeruſalem, ſhould have taken of his heart, but he would have them begin at Jeruſalem. It is a notable Text of Scripture to us, and you ſhal find it the moſt remarkable converſion and bringing in of ſinners, was at that Sermon of Peter, when Peter charged them that they had crucified Chriſt, the moſt famous converſion that ever was made of thoſe people that put Chriſt to death, the moſt famous work of Gods reconcling ſinners to himſelf, of Chriſt bringing in of ſinners by the preaching of the Goſpel it was by bringing in of thoſe ſinners, and therefore in the laſt Sermon that Chriſt preached from Heaven, as the firſt Sermon upon Earth, and the laſt Sermon upon Earth, and the moſt ſolemn Sermon that was at the dedication of the Temple, is altogether about bringing in ſinners to be reconciled to God. So the laſt Sermon that he preacht from Heaven, or that ever he wil preach til he comes again, ſo in Revel. 22.17. And the ſpirit & the Bride ſaid, come, & let him that heareth ſay, Come, and let him that is a thirſt, ſay Come, and whoſoever wil, let him take the water of life freely. Theſe are the laſt words in effect that are at the concluſion of the book that ever Chriſt would ſpeak til he came to Judgment, never would he ſpeak more in that way to the children of men until he came in a new world: But in this word here is the laſt in this expreſſion; Let him that is athirſt, and whoſoever wil, let him come and take of the water of life freely. Now the Objections they wil come in, as firſt: