Though the command of Christ be express to search the Scriptures Jeh 5. 39. Though the Apostle Paul sayes Let th◠Word dwell in you richly Colos 3. 16. Though Timothy from his childhood wa◠admitted to and made acquainted with the Scriptures which made him wise t◠salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Though Chrysostom with whom the other Fathers generally as to this particular agree doth tell us Hom. 9. in Epist ad Col. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That all evils are caused by the Scriptures ignorance Yet unto how many under Popery are the Scriptures denied It was thus in this our Land not many scores of years ago Romish darkness as thick here as in other places But now the Bushel is taken off from the Lamp of the Word all may be enlightned and directed by it which foolishly shut not their eyes against it You have the Word in your houses in your hands oh that it were in more heads and hearts You may daily have recourse to this Word for counsel for quickning and comfort and if you will but give up your selves to it that Promise shall assuredly be fulfilled Prov. 6. 22. When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou awakest it shall talk with thee As the Word doth guide and guard them that entertain it so it talks with them it tells them of such things as draw forth their desires inflame their love put them upon labour and fill them with unspeakable joy 2. You have this Word opened and applied by the ministry of the Gospel Ministers are yet with you and that 's a great priviledge for with them Christ hath promised to be alwayes to the end of the world Matth. 28. ult 'T is their business to divide the Word and to give to every one his portion They foresee the storm and warn the wicked to turn and fly unto a place of refuge they encourage those who have true though but weak grace and shew how those Promises and Comforts which they hear of belong to them though they are so apt to thrust them away from themselves Ministers they do both bind and loose they bind the impenitent and unbelieving sinner under the curse under wrath and he is bound in Heaven for the sentence that the Gospel passes upon him is in Heaven ratified But if the impenitent soul is broken mourns for sin loaths it leaves it if the unbelieving sinner which before rejected Christ receives him then Ministers have commission to loose him whom before they bound and he is loosed in Heaven whom the Word declares justified to be sure the God of Heaven hath acquitted And truly Ministers bind with this design that afterwards they may loose they denounce threats that sinners being awakened and contrite they may apply the Promises These Ambassadours of Christ come and intreat you to be reconciled unto God and as they inform you upon what articles he will be at peace with you so they use many arguments to work upon your consciences and affections they will not let you alone in your vanity but Sabbath after Sabbath cry to you and tell you that when you rush into sin you rush into a battel and 't is against that great God who must needs be too hard for you Who ever fought with him and got any thing but blows wounds and death Who ever hardned himself against him and prospered Job 9. 4. They are ever commending Jesus Christ to you and declaring how able and how willing he is to save you and how certain you are to be damn'd without him And is it not a priviledge to be thus importuned for your own good to have blessedness and life in a manner obtruded and forc'd upon you Now Messengers of Peace are sent in this Day of Grace now glad tidings are brought that God is willing to be reconciled but when once you come to the Region of darkness below such tidings will never come to your ears more The greatness of this priviledge to enjoy the Word will further appear if the admirable effects of the Word of God are duly considered 1. The Word of God doth make the simple wise Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Those whom Satan before befool'd putting them off with husks instead of what is solid and satisfying are by the Word made too wise for this subtle Serpent Now they are undeceived and perceive how little fruit they have had of their evil works therefore they are ashamed of them and of their own folly in giving way to them The Word discovers the pearl of price to them and makes them wise Merchants they sell all to purchase it This wisdom which the Word infuses is not of this world nor of the Princes of this world which come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. The great ones of the earth may be prudent in chusing and ordering the means for the attaining of the end which they aim at but in the choice of their end they discover the greatest simplicity All that greatness and glory which they design and themselves also will come to nought Death will certainly and speedily contract all their honour and power and cover it with those two words Hic jacet Here it all lies buried But the wisdom which the Word imparts makes us to look higher at a better and more enduring substance at an inheritance which never fades away And the Word shews how by sanctification we may be prepared for that inheritance and those who are made meet to be so shall at length be made partakers of it While the Day of Grace lasteth thou mayst be made wise to salvation but if this be not improved in the greatness of thy folly thou shalt go astray and dye without instruction Prov. 5. 23. 2. This Word doth raise the dead to life That Voice Arise ye dead and come to Jesus must needs be powerful since upon it follows the first Resurrection John 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live At the hearing of this Word of God the Conscience which was before stupid is startled the heart that was all of stone becomes a heart of flesh it is tender and sensible it feels the weight of sin and of the curse and longs to be freed from both though before it matter'd neither A new principle of grace is put into the Soul whereby it is inclined towards God and acts for him The Lord is breathed after and there is a desire to please him now as there was formerly to please the flesh by fulfilling the lusts of it O dismal state to lye dead in sin to be senseless and unconcern'd under such a load But that 's a life indeed to be alive to God And while this day of salvation continues thou maist be questioned but if this be lost the second
THE Day of Grace In which the Chief of SINNERS MAY BE Turn'd and healed By Nathanael Vincent 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the accepted time Behold now is the day of salvation LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridge next the Gate 1669. To the Reader 'T Is not at all improper to add a Treatise of the Day of Grace to a Discourse concerning Conversion This is the only time wherein he that turns will be accepted Oh therefore receive not the Grace of God in vain Though the sinner by his iniquity is removed far away from God the Gulph notwithstanding is not yet fixed We are cast out by Nature in a far Country indeed but this Country is not Hell though just upon the borders of Hell a return is possible unto our Fathers house and upon our return how joyfully shall we be embraced One principal reason why Time is so exceeding precious is because it contains the Day of Grace This present time though so very short is of greater value then an whole Eternity hereafter for then mercy will be out of reach and Reprobates unalterably concluded in sin and under the heavy load of divine vengeance and indignation This is the Day of thy gracious visitation Waste it not away in doing nothing or which is worse in doing wickedly for there is another day a coming which will be a day of darkness and of gloominess a day of distress and destruction if Grace and Salvation be neglected N. V. The Day of Grace Luke 19. 41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes THe time was now approaching in which our Lord was to make his Soul an offering for sin and to testifie his love to his Sheep by laying down his life to redeem theirs from death which by going astray they had deserved And Jerusalem is appointed the Stage on which Christ was to act the greatest part both of sorrow and affection Well might he cry out Behold ye that pass by Was ever Grief and Was ever Love like Mine Unto Jerusalem he comes most willingly though he soresaw the Cross and shame The Head was forward to suffer himself that hereby the sufferings of the Members might be prevented And according as it was foretold by the Prophet his approach is not with outward pomp and splendour but he is meek and lowly riding upon an Asses Foal Thus he that thought it not robbery to be equal with God made himself of no reputation and humbled himself to this end that we might be raised and exalted When he was just at the descent of the Mount of Olives the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoyce and to praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen v. 37. They cry Hosanna to the Son of David and bless the King that cometh in the name of the Lord saying Peace in heaven and glory in the highest v. 38. Even through the darkest cloud of Christs Humiliation some beams and rayes of this Sun of Righteousness of this Lord of glory did break forth The Pharisees are offended at the Disciples acclamations and desire Jesus to rebuke them v. 39. Unto which unreasonable request of theirs he makes this reply That if these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out v. 40. As if he had said My Person my Doctrine my Actions my Wonders are so evident that they who are not as stupid as the stoues themselves must needs be convinced At last he comes within view of Jerusalem and the sight of this faithless ungrateful and obstinate City where so many Prophets had been kill'd and which now it self was so near to desolation raises a sorrow in his sacred breast so that in the midst of his Disciples triumph he bursts out into tears saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Which words express how our Lord was affected towards Jerusalems Inhabitants His commiseration is very great and 't is joyned with a kind of exprobration or upbraiding of them he pitties their sad estate and upbraids their ignorance and folly in not minding the things which would have conduced to their peace and welfare The text may be thus divided 1. Our Saviour mourns When he came near he beheld and wept 2. The persons over whom The City of Jerusalem 3. The causes why and they are these 1. They know not no not they who had so much means of knowledge the things that belonged to their peace 2. They improved not but neglected Their day of visitation 3. This neglect and ignorance of theirs being wilful was punished with a greater degree of blindness Now they are hid from thine â—yes and that was a judgment most deplorable Beloved I am to speak-of the Day of Grade I wish you may all know the things which concern your peace else Jerusalems punishment may be also yours the day may be gone the lights of the Sanctuary may be put out and the things of your peace may be hid from your eyes I shall illustrate the words of the Text by this ensuing Commentary upon them And when he was come near he beheld the City The nearness of a miserable object does affect the sight and heart And as with his eyes he saw the City so by the eyes of Prophesie he saw the City besieged the enemy casting a trench about it and keeping it in on every side he foresaw how it would be laid even with the ground by Roman Armies and not so much as one stone left upon another And he wept over it These tears shewed the truth of his humane nature and how iniquity excepted he was in all things made like unto his brethren Our Lord could hunger and groan and weep and dye but sin indeed he could not Heb. 4. 15. It was the desire of Christ to execute thâ— office which his Father had put him in which was to be a Gatherer and a Saviour of the lost Sheep of the house of Israel But when he perceived those Sheep transformed into Wolves ready to devour their own Shepherd peremptorily resolved to perish and to refuse the salvation which he brought them 't is no wonder if he did not hold his tears Saying If thou hadst known even thou There is a mixture of grief and indignation in Christ at the ignorance and perversness of miserable Jerusalem and this made his speech to be abrupt and imperfect Calvin translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O si cognovisses Our Lord wishes that they had known what so highly and nearly concerned them But 't is plainly implied that they knew not and this is that of which the Prophet long ago complained Isa 1. 3. The Ox
the world are blind As Moses speaks they are void of counsel neither have they any understanding in them they are not wise to consider their latter end Deut. 32. 28 29. nor the worth of that gracious season in which alone preparation can be made for it And shall we write after the Coppies which a company of fools set us Shall we follow the blind that quickly will fall into the ditch and have not eyes to see their danger 2. The most are unbelieving a froward generation children in whom there is no faith and from this root of infidelity doth spring their prodigallity of the day of Grace Did they indeed believe that death will not make an end of them but that after this is finished another life will follow either of the greatest joy or of as great sorrow and that joy or sorrow in the next world will be their lot according as the present season is or is not improved certainly they would be more sparing of that which is so precious Oh the secret paganisme that is in the hearts of multitudes they live as if Eternity were a fiction and Hell a fable but will it be thought a fable when they feel the tortures of it And what shall we tread in the steps of such Infidels No we are to follow not the unbelief but the faith of others Heb. 13. 7. Whose faith follow considering the end of theâ—r conversation 3. Are not many who are such spend-thrifts of this Day of Grace self-condemned How often doth Conscience reproach them for their spiritual sloth and 't is very unreasonable to go in that way which they themselves do frequently condemn themselves for Idleness is is a sin which leaves behind it a great deal of regret and dissatisfaction in the heart 't is common for the slothful to hear a voice behind them saying Time is a treasure that ought not to be thus foolishly and to no purpose wasted USE III. Of Exhortation Let me perswade all to a serious improvement of this day of their gracious visitation The Arguments to prevail are these 1. This day is continually passing Your glass is running every moment whether you sleep or wake are in company or alone are vain or serious do pray or sin it never stands still And when once your glass is run 't will never be turn'd again but taken down immediately Your dayes are but an hand-breadth and whether of this hand-breadth there be an inch remaining is a question Time is not unfitly pictur'd with wings because it flies so fast away and bald behind because you cannot catch hold of it to pull it back The best part of this day is usually at first if we seek unto the Almighty betimes Job 8. 5. we are the more sure to find him and this should engage you to a more speedy trading with this precious talent 2. You all must be reckoned with how you have husbanded this gracious season Oh what a case will the slothful soul be in when death gives him a summons and he hears that word Render an account of thy stewardship for thou mayst be no longer steward Conscience must needs very much amaze the sinner when it shall before the Judge bring in such Indictments as these against him So much of this day of savation was spent in immoderate recreations So much in carnal and ungodly company So much in eager pursuing after the deceitful riches and pleasures of this world So much in making provision for the flesh that the vile and base lusts of it might be fulfilled So much in proud and towring imaginations So much in amorous and filthy musings So much in vain and rotten communication So much in Taverns and Ale-houses and in the Harlots habitations So much in tricking and adorning the body And Christ and the soul were all the mean while neglected and forgotten Often ask thy self this question Do I spend my Day of Grace after such a manner as I may account for it at last with comfort Such thoughts would make you serious 3. Let the diligence of the earthly minded in improving the worlds day shame you out of your idleness in this day of salvation If the greedy tradesman hears of an excellent bâ—rgâ—m what madness doth he count it to neglect the season wherein he may have it He that is covetous of preferment 't is no sooner offer'd then accepted Oh say such We must catch occasion by the fore-lock we may never have the like again Alas that men should be so wise in trifles and such fools in the greatest matters Now is the time of preferment you may be advanced to the dignity of Children and Heirs of God Now is the time to grow rich towards God to lay up such a treasure ' that will never fail that none can take away from you 4. Let the apprehensions which others have of this Day of Grace be consider'd by you Here I shall bring several Speakers upon the Stage delivering what their judgments and thoughts are 1. Hearken to the awakened Soul whose eyes are newly forced open by the Spirit Surely I am more brutish then any I have not the understanding of a man Many years I have liv'd and as many I have lust in sin and folly A treasure I have been entrusted with but I have been cheated of it by a deceitful heart a deceitful world and a subtle Serpent I remember opportunities have followed thick one upon another of getting grace but none were laid hold upon There was nothing I slighted more then that which least of all deserv'd my slighting Oh that my past dayes could be again recall'd they should be spent after another fashion But instead of that what cause have I to fear that the Lord may allow no more time since that which he hath allowed hath been so unprofitably consumed 2. Hearken to the serious Christian How great a work have I to do and how short a time to do it in How vast is eternity which depends upon this moment Lord the world is not worth my time and pains in comparison of thy self and that Grace and Glory which thou hast revealed Now is the time to fly from the vengeance of eternal fire and to gain the life that 's â—verlasting and to scape the one and gain the other shall be my lifes main business 3. Hearken to a rouzed sinner just going out of the world Oh! my head doth ake my heart is sick my eyes are dim my breath is short a general trembling seises on me and all do shew that this earthly house of my tabernacle is upon the point of being dissolved And must I now be forced away O my soul to what place art thou removing Hark! I hear a dreadful sound within Conscience speaks language full of horrour Alas Is the sentence now past Cut down the tree that brought forth none but evil fruit Must I go presently to the Bar of God who have nothing but provoked him all my dayes May I not
be spared a few years or moneths or weeks longer Oh call time again I never saw thy worth till now If I might be again recover'd and restored oh how often would I pray and how earnestly would I cry for mercy and grace how carefully would I hear and practise But this I should have done before 't is now too late to think and there he stops his thread is cut asunder his soul flyes away and leaves his body a clod of earth And now Brethren are your hearts still mastered 'T is to be hoped concerning the worst in this Congregation that their day is not quite gone but who knows whether this may not be the last hour and if now you will not your own spirits may be quickly required of you or Gods Spirit may depart from you You will wish at last as others have done that the day of salvation had been valued let it therefore be no more neglected 5. Consider If you will not improve the Day of Grace you can reasonably expect nothing but a day of wrath When mercy hath acted its part towards ungodly ones and being still refused makes its Exit then fury and indignation enters upon the stage but of that traged there will be no end Whole eternity will be taken up in feeling the effects of divine displeasure and in bewailing the loss of that Day of Grace wherein this anger might have been appeased I have done with the second Doctrine Doct. 3. The third follows To know in this Day of Grace the things which belong to our peace is our great happiness and wisdom If Jerusalem had been thus wise she would not have been as she was rejected If thou hadst known sayes Christ The defective speech is thus to be made up If the things of thy peace had been understood by thee O Jerusalem thy state would have been as happy as now 't is woful instead of being cut off thou wouldst have been still as near to God and as dear as ever instead of having his wrath poured out upon thee to the uttermost that mercy which hath been so often proffer'd had assuredly been bestowed if thou hadst not foolishly shut thy eyes so as not to see either the value or thy own need of mercy A text somewhat parallel to this we have Isai 48. 17 18. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee â—o profit which leadeth thee by the way which thou shouldest go Oh that thou â—â—dst hearkened to my commandments â—hen had thy peace been as a river and thy â—ighteousness as the waves of the Sea In the prosecution of this Doctrine â— shall first open to you the nature of â—eace Secondly manifest what are the â—hings which belong to our peace Thirdly confirm the doctrine Fourthly apply it In the first place I am to open to you â—he nature of peace This is a subject no less profitable then pleasant Dulce nomen pacis the name of peace hath a sweet sound Peace implies a blessed conjunction between heaven and earth between the Creator and us his creatures and which follows hereupon a satisfaction and quietness in our hearts so that those disturbances and disorders which were caused by sin are becalmed and regulated The first of these namely Agreement with Heaven is the principally intended peace which Christ speaks of but the other namely Quietness within follows upon this and is the superstructure upon this foundation I shall therefore first explain the nature of Peace above and afterwards of Peace within 1. There is a Peace with God above When I speak of peace with God 't is supposed that by nature God and we are at variance and sin is the make-bate between God and man Sin is a thing that not only causes commotions and tumults here below therefore saith the Apostle From whence comes war and fightings among you comes it not hence even of your lusts that war in your members Jam. 4. 1. but it also sets Heaven and Earth at odds it so besots the potsherds of the earth that they venture to contend with him that is their Maker and who can easily dash them all in pieces Sin hath set us at a vast distance from God and is continually thrusting us further from him yet we may have peace if we will indeed return to him Though we have provoked him to be an enemy yet he is not such an enemy as is irreconcileable Hark what language he utters Isai 27. 4 5. Fury is not in me let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Peace with God is here promised God himself is ready to strengthen us that we may make peace with him and the more abundantly to encourage us he sayes Fury is not in me that is towards them who are willing to be reconciled and to rebel no more he is not at all furious but gracious and easie to be intreated though their awakened and fearful hearts are prone to imagine the Lord is made up all of anger This Peace with God several thingâ— are implied in it 1. Peace with God implies the removal of his wrath All sin is pardon'â— and done away in the bloud of Christ and guilt being cover'd the Lords anger ceases for sin is the only provocation to him See how these are joyned the forgiveness of sin and the taking away of wrath Psal 85. 2 3. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin Selah Thou hast takeâ— away all thy wrath thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness of thine anger The flaming sword is removed and the Lord sayes Draw nigh to me and I will draw nigh to you We read as of a Gulph fixed between God and damned spirits so of a middle wall of partition between God and unregenerate sinners the former namely the Gulph indeed cannot be passed thorow but the latter the middle wall may be broken down and 't is broken down when our peace is made His wrath abides on those that will not believe that refuse to be reconciled but his anger ceases towards them who believe and yield to him Thrice happy they who are eased of such a load as the wrath of God! Speak O ye troubled Consciences is not this anger your greatest trouble and that which makes the deepest wounds Speak O Hells Inhabitants is not divine wrath a punishment too heavy for you to bear is not this the weight which sinks you lowest in the bottomless pit Finally hear what Christ spake when he felt the displeasure of his Father My Soul sayes he is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Well may they rejoyce who through Jesus are freed from this displeasure 2. Peace with God implies an interest in his love His love is every whit as great towards those who are at peace with him as before his wrath was We may cease to be angry with another and yet