Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n
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A30282
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Mans whole duty and Gods wonderful intreaty of him thereunto set forth from 2 Cor. 5, 20, and published at the request of some hearers / by Daniel Burgess.
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Burgess, Daniel, 1645-1713.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing B5709; ESTC R23833
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54,814
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178
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when we are told it is to be through a full satisfaction made by his Son and price invaluable paid by him By him who though the infinite God became a finite Man Tho' Gods equal became his Servant Though the Blessed God yet was made a Curse for us We cannot but persist asking How can these things be It nothing repents me that I have often said We do now as much need to have the Spirit of God Live in us as ever we did need the Son of God to Dye for us And as the Purchase of Reconciliation did require a Divine Person the Proof of it doth require no less God deals with Man as Man In a way of Reason suited unto his Reasonable Nature Which cannot Believe any thing without a Reason for Belief of it Of all the great and marvellous things that God commands our Faith he first giveth sufficient grounds for our Faith of them Particularly of his foresaid Purpose to reconcile Sinners and of his Sons Purchase foresaid things of greatest worth and weight and of Concernment to as many as do need Reconciliation Of these extraordinary things God hath provided extraordinary Proof Even the Testimony of a Person no less than the Father himself or the Son Of the Glorious Spirit coessential and coequal with both This Divine Infallible Person who cannot be deceiv'd himself or deceive us is sent by the Father and his Son to certifie us of the Purpose and the Purchase which we speak of To inform us of both to conquer and drive away the Objections of our Minds against both to give us a certain kind of presence and sight of both A sight sufficient to move our Wills and make our Hearts to relye and rest upon both as really true And to draw our Affections in necessary degrees causing us to Love and long for the possession of the Reconcilement so purposed and so purchased And to over-rule our Lives and make them nothing so much as a course of Contemplation Prayer and Action for this said Reconciliation For be it deeply considered The Holy Ghost is declared in the Word to be sent for this end To be a Witness unto Jesus Christ and an Agent for him It would be very vain to object that the Holy Spirit was given under the Old Testament long before Jesus Christ came to Reconcile us by his Death For he was so upon Christs interposing as our Reconciler straight-way after sins entrance and that with respect to Christs future Oblation and Intercession for our Reconcilement And then as for degrees there is no comparison The Spirit drop'd but Dews in the Old Testament In the New he rained down Showers So that comparately he is said not to be given till Christ was Glorified He our Redeemer comes into the World and proclaims Gods Love unto it and purpose to reconcile and save sinners As also his own undertaking according to a contract made between the Father and himself to effect that Reconciliation by his Oblation and Intercession This the guilty graceless World could not believe nor have the patience to hear from the reputed Son of a Carpenter Jews as well as Gentiles made light of it yea rose in arms against it all save a handful and those better taught by him whom we are next to speak of The Holy Spirit as was agreed on between the Divine Persons now cometh and what does he Why he guides Souls into the Vnderstanding and Faith of all the Truth by Christ preach'd He Glorifies Jesus Christ convinceth Unbelievers that Christ is no Impostor but a Glorious Person come with a Glorious Commission to pursue Gods Glorious Purpose and to make the Glorious Purchase foresaid He receiveth Christs Spiritual things and shews them unto Men that could not see them before even his Truth and his Grace He receiveth them from Christ as the Lord Treasurer of them and shews them abroad that it may be seen what they are and in whose hand they are That Glory may be brought unto Christ That he may be owned and honoured as the Purchaser of the purposed Reconciliation Jo. 16.13 14 15. c. This did the blessed Spirit effectually causing the Church in all Ages to exalt the Father as the Original Purposer the Son as the Meritorious Purchaser the Holy Ghost as the convincing Proof-maker of our Reconciliation Without which Proof no Soul had ever believed it or found an Heart to look after a portion in it Which is the next great Consideration concerning it For if God has Purposed and Christ has Purchased Reconciliation and the Holy Ghost has proved it so fully that there is no just place for the least doubt but they have so done the very next thing to be looked after must be 4. The Sinners possession of it For whatever be the proportion of a good it avails not me without propriety Let this Reconciliation be thought as it is in truth a good no less than infinite If it be not made mine own if I am not Reconciled the sound of its Doctrine is to me but as the speech of Bread to a Man starving for want of it Or as words of a Pardon to a Man going up the Ladder when he hath it not O what Pillows do they sleep on who lay their Eyes together without this Reconciliation attained One would think it should be more easie to rest on the points of swords and spears then upon one thought of God unreconciled I will say with my dear and now blessed Friend Mr. Richard Alleyn of Somerset-shire If all the Kings of the Earth would give me all they are worth I would not lie down on my bed any night with one sin Vnrepented and without some hope of God Reconciled to me But I return The Holy Spirit in his Word testifyeth a purpose of Reconciliation that is Eternal As also a Reconciliation at the Death of Jesus Christ that is Fundamental But he doth as clearly deny any actual Reconciliation before Conversion Before our Understanding and sincere Consent unto the Covenant of Grace How should Divine Wifdom throw the richest Pearl to the vilest Swine Or Holiness forgive and embrace Creatures contrary to it There is no Law above God but God is a Law to himself And though he can do what he will he cannot will what is Unwise or Unholy Elect or not Elect he that believeth not on the Son the wrath of God abideth on him Jo. 3.36 He that hath not the Son of God to wit in Marriage-Covenant he hath not Life to wit the Life of Peace with God or of Hope from him or of Holiness toward him 1 Joh. 5.12 In a word Look at what time God teacheth and you learn at what time God draws and you run after him at what time you unfeignedly say Lord I do rely on the promises and I do consent to the demands of the Gospel-Covenant at that time in that very punct of time your Pardon is seal'd in Heaven 'T is published in the Gospel