Wo unto us if now after God hath been at such a great deal of cost we should slight the motion Angels wonder at what you slight 1 Pet. 1.12 Shall the Blood of Christ run a wasting Mind the business I pray you God hath laid out all his wisdom upon it and will not you take it into your thoughts Gods Heart was much set upon it or else he would never have given his Son to bring it about 'T is the folly of man to part with things of worth for trifles As Esau sold his Birth-Right for a mess of Pottage Lysimachus his Kingdom for a Draught of Water Surely we cannot imagine this of the wise God when he hath been at such expense 't is not for a matter of nothing Therefore we should the more regard it 3dly In that he hath appointed a Ministry of Reconciliation and authorized some as solemn Messengers to tender this grace to us in his name Therefore we as Embassadors for Christ we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God God might have contented himself with putting his thoughts into Scripture and given us the word and doctrine of Reconciliation only and truly that 's a great mercy Heathens are left to the puzzle and distraction of their own thoughts and know not how God shall be appeased But because that Blessed Book may possibly lye by as a neglected thing he will have some that shall put us in mind daily of his design of saving the World by Christ. If he would send Messengers he might have sent Heraulds to proclaim War but he hath sent Embassadors of peace Surely upon this account we should be welcome to you Isa. 52.7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth Salvation that saith unto Zion Thy God Reigneth How dirty soever their feet be with the Journey Our Message is not to require satisfaction for the wrongs done to the Crown of Heaven or to denounce War but a matter of peace Not only to beg a correspondency of Traffick but a treaty about Marriage and so to enter into the strictest-amity with God Even that you may be married unto Christ to bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 Yet farther 4thly These messengers are under a charge to manage Gods message with all wisdom and faithfulness and diligence Mark 16.15 16. To preach the Gospel to every creature to Rich and Poor Learned and Unlearned And woe be to them if they be not diligent warning every Man and teaching every Man that they may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1.28 Christ hath conjured them by all their love to his person to do it Joh. 21.15 16 Feed my sheep Feed my Lambs If we have any respect to our Lord we must be diligent in offering peace to all that are willing to repent and believe This work is seriously commended to us yet profess to be my Servants and therefore by all the love you have to me I conjure you I shall not take it that you love me if you have not a care of my sheep and my Lambs You know the temptations prejudices and hatred of those you have to do with Therefore pray them to be reconciled And 5thly Consider the terms which God requireth Which are only that we should render our selves capable of his favour by entring into covenant with him On Gods part all things are ready Now we pray you to be reconciled That is do you enter into covenant with him God in the covenant is our Friend Abraham is called the Friend of God James 2.23 2. Chro 20.7 Thou gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy Friend for ever Isa. 41.8 The seed of Abraham my Friend Abraham was Gods Confederate and they loved intirely as one Friend doth another In the covenant you take God for your God and God taketh you for his people you enter into a League Offensive and Defensive to hate what God hateth and to love what God loveth God promiseth and ingageth to bless and you to obey 3dly The value of this priviledge 't is worth the having What do we plead with you about but the favour of God and reconciliation with him by Christ God found out the way Christ purchased it The Angels first published it Luk. 2.14 I here are many priviledges depend upon it As 1. Sanctifying Grace God being propitiated in Christ giveth us the first grace and causeth us to repent and believe in Christ. For on the behalf of Christ 't is given us to believe Phil. 1.29 And the regenerating Spirit is Shed upon us by Christ. Now when we repent and believe we are made capable of more of the sanctifying Spirit Acts. 2.38 The holy Ghost is given to them that obey Acts 3.32 And we are witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy-Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him And a farther measure of grace upon our actual reconciliation Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father 2dly The pardon of sins When we are Regenerated our sins are actually pardoned Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and Inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me Heb. 8.10 11 12. We are released from the eternal punishment and God quits his controversy against us 3dly Communion with God Favour Image and Fellowship go still together They were lost together Before we could not look God in the face or lift up the Head to him or think of him without Trembling There is a God but he is my enemy Every Prayer revived our guilt But now we have access with boldness and confidence of welcom and audience when ever we have occasion to make use of God Heb. 4.16 When David heard that Saul was pacified towards him he was in his presence as in times past 1 Sam. 19.7 The flaming Sword which kept the way to the Tree of life is removed In our falls in our distresses in our dangers in our wants in death its self we have a God to go to to move for relief to whom to commit our Souls 4thly We have solid Consolation Rest and Peace in our selves For the chief cause of our fear and sorrow is done away Our sin is pardoned and subdued and the eternal punishment released 'Till this be you can never have any rest for your Souls 'till you are at peace with God and submit to the course prescribed by him for your reconciliation Matth. 11.28 29. One great fault of man is that he doth not take a right course to quiet his Soul God complaineth of his people by the Prophet That they had forgotten their resting place Jer. 50.6 That is they had forgotten God their only trust Men seek peace
satisfied in Christ that he is willing to forgive the offences done to him for the Text saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them And our wicked disposition is done away and our hearts are converted and turned to the Lord Acts 9.6 And he trembled and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do And 2 Chron. 30.8 But yield your selves unto the Lord and enter into his Sanctuary which he hath sanctifyed for ever and serve the Lord your God that the fierceness of his Wrath may be turned from you And we are drawn to enter into Covenant with the Lord even that new Covenant which is called the Covenant of his peace Isa. 54.10 And so of enemies we are made friends as Abraham because of his Covenant-relation is called the friend of God Jam. 2.23 In the new Covenant God offereth pardon and requireth repentance when we accept the offer the pardon procured for us by Christ and submit to the Conditions lay down the weapons of our defiance and give the hand to the Lord to walk with him in all new obedience then are we reconciled 2. This reconciliation is as firm and strong as our estate in innocency as if there had been no foregoing breach and in some considerations better especially when we look to the full effect of it As good as if the first Covenant had never been broken for God doth not only put away his anger but loveth us as if we never had been in hatred he doth not only pardon sinners but delight in them when they repent Men may forgive a fault but they do not forget it the person liveth in Vmbrage and suspicion with them still Absolom was pardoned but not to see the Kings face 2 Sam. 13.14 Shimei had a lease of his life but lived always as a hated and a suspected man 1 Kings 2.8 But now 't is otherwise here we find not only mercy with God but are as firmly instated into his love as ever Our sins are cast into the depths of the Sea Hosea 7.19 And Hosea 14.4 I will love them freely And Rom. 9.25 And her Beloved which was not Beloved He not only passeth by the injury but calls her Beloved Breaches between man and man are like deep wounds though healed the scares remain something sticketh or like a vessel sodered weak in the crack but here Beloved delighted in The Lord delighteth in thee Isa. 62.4 And he will rest in his love In some sort 't is more sure 't is not committed to us and the freedom of our wills A bone well set is strongest where broken Adam was happy but not established 3. This active reconciliation draweth many blessings along with it 1. Peace with God Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God To have God an enemy is to have a sharp sword always hanging over our heads by a slender thread How can we look him in the face lift up our heads to Heaven think of him without trembling There is a God but he is our enemy how can we eat drink or sleep while God is our enemy Did we know what 't is to have God our enemy we should soon know that he cannot want instruments of revenge death may way-lay us in every place if we eat our meat may poyson or choak us if we go abroad God may cast us into Hell before we come home again if we sleep his wrath may take us napping For our damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 3.3 Surely 't is such a dreadful thing to be at enmity with God that we should not continue in that estate for a moment but when once you are at peace with God you stop all evil at the fountain head 2. Access to God with boldness and free trade into Heaven Rom. 5.2 By whom we have access by faith And Eph. 2.18 For through him we have both access by one Spirit unto the Father When a peace is made between two warring Nations Trading is revived When you have occasion to make use of God you may go to him as your reconciled Father there is no flaming sword to keep you out of paradise 3. Acceptance both of your persons and performances your persons are accepted Eph. 1 6. He hath accepted us in the Beloved to the praise of his glorious grace You are looked upon as members of Christ favourites of Heaven your duties and actions are accepted Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain The sinful failings of our best actions are hid and covered they are not examined by a severe Judge but accepted by a loving Father 4. All the graces of the Spirit are fruits of our reconciliation with God Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atoâ—ement Jewels of the Covenant wherewith the Spouse of Christ is decked Christ prayed that we might be loved as he was loved John 17. Not for degree but kind John 3 34. These are given as tokens and evidences of his Love the priviledge is so great that we cannot believe it without some real demonâ—â—ration of Gods heart towards us When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive and Governour of Egypt he would not believe it but when he saw the Waggons which Joseph sent to carry him Gen. 45.27 28. Then his Spirit revived within him So here 1 Thessa. 1.5 For our Gospel came not to you in word only but in power and in the Holy-Ghost and in much assurance 5. All outward blessings are sanctified especially the inâ—oyment of them which we have by another right and tenure Surely one that is reconciled to God cannot be miserable for all things are his 1 Cor. 3.23 Whatsoever falleth to his share comfort and cross cometh with a blessing And all worketh for good Rom. 8.28 Gods enmity is declared by raining snares Psal. 11.6 There is a secret war against the Soul but his love that always worketh for good Out of what corner soever the wind bloweth it always bloweth for good to his people 6. 'T is a pledge of Heaven Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled by his death much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life The glorifying of a Saint is a more easie thing than the reconciling of a sinner suppose the one and you may suppose the other if God would pardon us and take us with all our faults he will much more glorify us when we are reconciled and sanctified 7. Our right to this priviledge beginneth assoon as we do believe in Christ. For upon these terms God hath set forth Christ Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by â—his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. When our hearts are drawn to receive Christ upon these terms we are legally capable of his favour Now faith is nothing else but a broken hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ with a resolution to give up our selves to
without Purse and Scrip and Shoes lacked ye any thing And they said Nothing God sendeth abroad his Servants many times to make experiments of the care of his Providence they are helpless and shiftless but did ye lack any thing The Lord can wonderfully incline the Hearts of Men and dispose of the Creatures for the Supply of his People he cometh in by wonderful and unexpected ways of Supply It were easy to give Instances if my intended Brevity would permit Merlin was hid in a Hay-mow in the Massacre of Paris and an Hen came constantly and laid an Egg every day for a Fortnight 4. Observe That Christ's keeping extendeth to corporal Safety So it is quoted John 18.8 9. If ye seek me let these go their way that the Saying might be fulfilled which he spake Of those which thou gavest me have I lost none God is in Covenant with both Body and Soul and he looketh after both for the Body as far as it is necessary for his Service and for our Profit and Salvation as well as for the Soul therefore it is but reason we should depend upon him for both It is a pretty Question Which is more difficult to believe in Christ for Temporals or Spirituals The Reason of doubting is because Promises for Temporals are not so express and so exactly accomplished in the Letter as they are in Spirituals But certainly Heaven and Pardon of Sins are greater Mercies and if Conscience were opened and the Heart serious we should see the difficulty to obtain them to be greater There are greater and more plausible Prejudices against Pardon of Sins than against daily Bread God feedeth all his Creatures even the young Ravens but he pardoneth but a few and blesseth them with all spiritual Blessings But here is the Mistake Bodily Wants are more pressing and here Faith is presently to be exercised with Difficulties and Men are careless of their Souls and so content themselves with some general desires and loose hopes of Ease and eternal Welfare which Hopes import their Security and Presumption not their Gospel-Faith But certainly he that durst venture his Estate into Christ's hands by a genuine Act of Faith doth a less thing than he that by a genuine Act of Faith ventures his Soul They say they find no difficulty in believing in Christ for Salvation and Pardon of Sins and yet cannot trust him for daily Bread for Maintenance which God giveth to the Ravens and bestowed upon them when they were Children of Wrath. Well then trust Christ for these common Mercies You shall have temporal Safety as long as God hath a mind to employ you in his Service and as much as is necessary to glorify him and keep your Hearts good In other things we must moderate our desires God is a better Judg than we are our selves and then by an undisturbed Faith without doubts and carkings wait upon him When you cark and run to unlawful Means you take Christ's Work out of his hands and put it into your own yea you put your selves out of Christ's keeping and put your Safety into the Devil's hands O the Children of God should consider this Do you expect God should give you spiritual and eternal Safety and not temporal Shall he give the greater and not the less Martha was of this Temper John 11.23 24. Jesus saith to her Thy Brother shall rise again O saith she I know he shall rise again at the last Day as if it were an easier matter to raise him up after so many Years than after four Days If you put your Souls which are the more excellent part into Christ's hands will you not put your Bodies Will you not trust him with all that you have You should make Experiments this way How are you temporally kept It is good to be acquainted with God by little and little to trust him with smaller Matters and then with greater And what is this Trust Leave all to God's disposal having served Providence in the use of Means It is a shame to see Christians prole and shift as if they had no Father in Heaven no Mediator to take care of them Secondly Now I come to the Success and Fruit of Christ's Care I. As to the Elect. II. As to Judas I. As to the Elect I have kept those whom thou hast given to me and none of them is lost None of the Elect can be lost God's Election cannot be weakned by the falling of Hypocrites Christ may lose Members as he is Head of a Visible Church but not as he is Head of a Mystical Body One of you shall betray me but I know whom I have chosen John 13.18 As if he had said this will not defeat my purposes of Grace So Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded God's Election worketh through all Prejudices wicked Parents bad Education a dumb Ministry and others are hardned notwithstanding all Advantages as Judas tho of the Seed of Abraham tho an Apostle tho under Christ's Inspection The Fathers compared Paul and Judas Paul an open Enemy Judas a seeming Friend 1 Tim. 2.18 19. Who concerning the Truth have erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the Faith of some Nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his As those that build a Palace are wont to lay a firm Foundation so God in building a heavenly City he hath laid a Foundation by which is meant God's Election which is the great Ground-work of Salvation whoever fall God's Elect stand sure Vse Let us not be troubled at the Defection of Hypocrites let it not shake our Belief of the Doctrine of Perseverance be not offended as if the Salvation of the Elect were not sure Tho glorious Luminaries are quenched and those that seemed to be Stars leave their Orb and Station God's Election standeth sure When a Tree is shaken rotten and unsound Fruit comes clattering down The Devil never had such a season to set Men on work to broach the Doctrine of the Apostacy of the Saints because of the general Defection and Miscarriage of eminent Professors In this case let us run to the Scriptures The Defection of one from the College of the Apostles was a great Scandal but Christ saith That it might be fulfilled which was written So when any Scandal falleth out thus should we run unto the Scriptures II. As to Judas who is here called the Son of Perdition 1. Observ. In the General That there are some Persons that are so wilfully set to destroy and damn themselves that they may be called Sons of Perdition As here is one that perisheth in Christ's own Company a Prey taken out of his Hands one that was never the better for all the care of Christ for seeing his Holy Life and for the excellent Discourses that he heard from him for all the Kindness that he had shewed to him in taking him into a near Office and
were with the Sons of Men But he is in us in a Mystical and gracious Way John 17.26 That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them He is in us as the Soul is in the Body to give us Life Sense Vigor and Operation Vse 1. To press us to labour after an Interest in this Privilege that Christ may be in us It is the saddest mark if Christ be not in us 1 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Reprobates disallowed of God Let me press it 1. If Christ be not in us the Devil is Ephes. 2.2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Man's Heart is not a Waste it is occupied by Christ or Satan The Children of Disobedience are acted by the Devil and governed by the Devil Those that are cast out of the Church which is a Figure of cutting off from Communion with Christ were given up to Satan to shew that he reigneth there where Christ doth not take possession the Devil entreth into them and sendeth them headlong to their own destruction 2. Where Christ is there all the Trinity are John 14.23 We will come unto him and make our abode with him there is Father Son and Spirit Such an one is a consecrated Temple wherein God taketh up his Residence They do not only come as Guests to tarry with us for a Night as the Angels came to Abraham Gen. 18.2 Or as Friends come to visit and away and so leave more Sorrow on their departure than Joy in their Presence but they will abide with us for ever Heaven is where God is this Heaven we have upon Earth that all the Persons take up their abode in our Hearts God knocketh at the Door of a Wicked Man's Heart but doth not enter much less have his Abode and Residence there Here is the Father as a Fountain of Grace Christ as Mediator and the Spirit as Christ's Deputy to work all in us This is his second Heaven one above the Clouds and another in our Hearts Oh what a condescension is it that God should not only pardon us and admit us into his Presence hereafter be familiar with us when we have put on our Robes of Glory but dwell in us here When Christ was about to go to Heaven and his Disciples were troubled at it then he leaveth us this Promise We cannot go to God but God will come to us not only give us a Visit but take up his Abode in us 3. Where-ever the Trinity are there is a Blessing left behind The presence of Earthly Princes is costly and burdensome because of their Train and the Charges of Entertainment But the Trinity are Blessed Guests they never come but bring their Welcome with them and a Blessing in their Hands The Father Son and Holy Ghost do not come empty-handed Gen. 18. The Son of God came to Abraham with two Angels but he came not without a Gift a Promise of a Child tho their Bodies were dry and dead Wheresoever Christ came in the days of his Flesh he left some Mercy behind While in the Womb of the Virgin he came into the House of Zacharias and Zacharias and Elizabeth his Wife were both filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.41 He came into Peter's House and brought deliverance for Peter's Wive's Mother from a Feaver Mat. 8.15 He came to Capernaum and brought with him to the Man sick of the Palsie Health for his Body and a Pardon for his Soul Mat. 9.2 He came to the House of Jairus and raised his Daughter Vers. 23. He came to the House of Zacheus and brought Salvation with him Luke 19.9 Every where where-ever he went trace him you will find he left a Blessing behind him Laban thrived better for Jacob the House of Obed-Edom for the Ark. In these short visits Christ left a Blessing but in a Gracious Soul they have a perpetual Residence it is fit these Blessed Guests should have good Entertainment 4. It is a Pledg that we shall have more Christ in us the Hope of Glory Col. 2.29 He dwelleth in us to fit us for Heaven It is Heaven begun it makes our Exile a Paradise It is still growing till it cometh to a compleat Presence in Heaven Where he is once in Truth there he is for ever Temples built may stand forsaken but God never forsaketh his Spiritual Temples Vse 2. Direction What must we do that Christ may be in us 1. Make way for him Empty the Heart of all Self-confidence When the Heart is full of Self there is no room for Christ. Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith First There must be a cutting off from the wild Olive-Tree by a sound Conviction we must know what Strangers we are to the Life of God Was there a Time when we were convinced of this Ephes. 4.18 Having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart How can a Man that was never convinced of the sadness of his Estate say Not I but Christ 2. Wait for him in the Ordinances Where should a Man meet with Christ but in his Ordinances in the Shepherds Tents All the Ordinances have an Aspect upon our Union with Christ either to begin or continue it God offereth him to us in the Word 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye are called to the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. We are intreated to take him As long as they see nothing but Man in it it cometh to nothing but many times in hearing they see God in the Offer the Matter is of the Lord as Rebekah yielded out of an over-ruling Instinct So for the Religious use of the Seals We are baptized into Christ Gal. 3.27 It is the Pledg of our Admission into that Body whereof Christ is the Head God is aforehand with us we were engaged to make a profession of this Union before we had liberty to chuse our own way Let us not retract our Vows and make Baptism only a Memorial of our Hypocrisy to profess Union when there is no such Matter I profess to be planted into Christ by Baptism but I feel no such Matter O you should groan for this Then for the Supper of the Lord. 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ