day or two it vanisheth to nothing But here you shall finde first the feild and then the pearle Professors are grown carelesse they were wont to read Chapters morning and evening that was ordinary but thou must doe more if thou wilt understand the mysteryes of the Gospel compare one Chapter and one Scripture with another search the Scriptures and goe to God to open the meaning of it Sixtly spread these glad tidings as much as you can to others You know when people receive good newes they run and tell it to others The poore shepheards Luke 2. when they heard the newes of the Messiah they left their sheep and ran to the Townes to tell it So when Christ was risen Mary runs to tell the newes to the Disciples Beloved when we understand this good newes we should endeavour to spread it People buy Diurnalls for their friends and fold them in their Letters and send them about the Kingdome let us doe so with these spirituall tidings that we may send them forth O I would to God that wee did see how the poore Countries in the North and West of England in many places in Townes they have not so much as a Service-booke not so much as reading if God settle and compose these times the Lord give you hearts to joyne together to finde out a course to send the Ministers of the Gospel to bring the glad tidings to poore people that lie in the Mountaines of darknesse and in the shadow of death And let us not be so curious or scrupulous as to hinder people that they should not preach the Gospel Suppose people have no degrees in the University or it may be have not the knowledge of the tongues though that were to be wished let us not pick quarrels with them to stop their mouthes and to hinder the preaching of the Gospel And let us not think so hardly in these dayes of those men that God hath raised to preach the Gospel It is strange you shall have your Pulpits ring calling them Tub-preachers and Tinkers and Coblers We should think better of them Why they are filled with good newes and they goo and tell it to others We doe so usually in other things when we have good newes we run to our friends and neighbours and comrade's and make it known This is an age wherein God comes and fills his people with the glorious light of the Gospel and poore wretched they cannot chuse but speak what they have seen and heard therefore be not so captious and furious The Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie Amos 3. 8. When God fills peoples souls with the knowledge of Christ who can keep it in It is as the new wine spoken of in Joh it cannot be kept in And surely the time is comming that young men shall see visions and old men shall dreame dreames and God will poure out his Spirit upon all flesh and they shall prophesie It is prophesied in Joel and this is to be made good in the new Testament And therefore if wee see that the Lord fills young men or tradesmen c. and gives them hearts to goe and tell the good newes to others why should you be so extreamely troubled and spend your spirits in rage at it I use not to tell stories but let me tell you this one thing since I have been from you of late I have observed and seen in the Mountaines of Wales the most glorious work that ever I saw in England unlesse it were in London the Gospel is run over the Mountaines between Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire as the fire in the thatch and who should doe this They have no Ministers but some of the wisest say there are about 800 godly people and they goe from one to another They have no Ministers it is true if they had they would honour them and blesse God for them and shall we raile at such and say they are Tuh-Preachers and they were never at the university Let us fall downe and honour God what if God will honour himself that way They are filled with good newes and they tell it to others and therefore vex not at them and say O what times are these and what will become of us Why what is the businesse O such a man he was never Master of Arts hee was never at the university and he rakes upon him to preach when it may be he hath more of God in him than I and a hundred that have all this Only take two Cautions First I speak not to disparage learning or learned men it were to be wished that there were more godly and learned men also in England and Wales Secondly take this Caution that because God fills many with the Gospel and they doe a great deale of good take heed least any of you run before you be sent that is that a man goe not rashly and believe his owne judgement rather than the judgement of the Saints as divers in this City they think they are fit to preach and other people of God that are better able to judge of their gifts think not so and yet they will run presently Take heed of pride and rashnesse but if God fill a man with the tidings of the Gospel and others of the people of God see it spark le out as a vessel full of new wine who am I that I should resist if with humility hee make known this tidings to others If the Gospel be such a thing as I desire you to spend some thoughts in considering of this truth then this should comfort us and help our patience a little in these trouble some times that though all be out of order and we suffer such losses yet blessed be God wee have the voyce of the turtle still in the Land thou maiest say though I have hard newes at home trading is low and my stock is small yet blessed be God I have the Gospel that is I have abundance of glad tidings made known to my eares and to my soule every day This is some comfort you have lesse of outward things but more of inward I suppose then ever Another thing is this if this be so then it is a caution that is necessary to be observed by us that are Ministers they must take heed of two things First take heed of corrupting and adulterating this blessed Gospel and glad tidings with their owne wisdome it is glorious enough of it selfe every addition of humane wisdome makes it worse take heed of sophisticating the word of God of playing the hucksters as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 3. wee are not those that play the hucksters hucksters mingle apples and peares they mingle their commodities take heed of that And then take heed of mingling the Law and the Gospel together It is true the Law is necessary and is added to the Gospel but God intends not in the new testament that it should be mixed and mingled
amiable Saith the man when he had done judge yee will yee not think it just if yee be damned if ye will not receive and obey this Saith he it is so I deserve to be damned without mercy Consider this you will say so too you will be made to confesse how just your damnation will be for refusing it If there were any thing in all this that were harsh and cruell and rough and ridged it were somewhat but when God hath cast the Gospel into such a mold and way that every thing smiles and all is roses and yet a wretch shall go and persecute it and slight it and neglect and despise it I leave such a man let him judge himselfe at the last day worthy of damnation for he shall have judgment without mercy that rejecteth this mercy When men have this mercy without mixture of judgment it is fit that those men should have pure judgment withour mixture of mercy This is the reason that the Lord laughs at mens destruction Pro. 1. when it comes as a whirlwinde Now wee must understand that God doth not laugh at any mans destruction as a transgressor of the Law for he hath cast himself into a necessity of sininng and hath damned himself and he cannot help it And God will not laugh at the destruction of the Gentiles and heathens that have not heard of the Gospel but when God comes by his Ministers and opens and unbowels all the mysteries of the Gospel to people and hath laid all before them clearly yet then for people to love darknesse rather than light and to continue drunkards and whoremongers and swearers and villanes and jearers of Gods people and laugh at his Ordinances this makes the Lord laugh at their destruction I beseech you therefore all you that yet never received the Gospel of Jesus Christ consider what I have said In the fourth place if the Gospel and the Ministery of it be good tidings and glad newes to the worst of sinners Then Beloved you should me thinks imbrace with all affection the true and sincere Ministers of this Gospel these Messengers that bring you these glad tidings we are as the Apostle saith the offscouring of the world a spectacle to men and Angels Truly there are no Ministers in the world that are more persecuted and hated and despised than the humble sincere Ministers of the new Testament of the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor never were This is a sore and a strange thing if we did bring one word that were sad and greivous and harsh to you it were no wonder but if all that wee speake be the voyce of the dove doves language all sweet come to the Gospel Ministery if there come a poore man full of sadnesse the Ministery of the Gospel speaks a word of comfort to him if he be in darkness and he knowes not which way to goe waiting on a Gospel Ministery there is light to finde his way If he be in feare and know not his estate what he is a Gospel Ministery will give him assurance of Gods love so it brings glad tidings to some souls every houre Is not this than madnesse in men that of all creatures in the world they hate that man and those Messengers that bring these blessed glad tidings There is a Prophesie in Isaiah 52. 7. How beautifull upon on the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good things that publisheth salvation that saith to the righteous thy God reigneth How beautifull are their feet much more their lips you doe not in this as you doe in naturall things if a man come and bring glad tidings of taking of such a Towne or of such a victory though it may be there is losse and little good in it we all welcome it and he is rewarded presently and hath all wayes of encouragment and yet when people shall come and by the Spirit of God make known all the love of God in Jesus Christ and all the riches of the Gospel in Jesus Christ that your hearts should so rise against it that you should receive and entertain so many prejudices against it it is a strange and wonderous thing Therefore you should doe well me thinks as you read in the booke of God 2 Sam. 18. 27. of two men that did bring tidings to David of the warrs and the watchman said Me thinks the runing of the formost is like the runing of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and the King said he is a good man and comes with good tidings He would have the watchman open the gate quickly why because he was a good man and did bring good tidings So wee should especially if men be good and holy and humble and feele the power of that they speake and expresse it in their lives say as David that is a good man and bringeth good tidings he will teach me if I be ignorant hee will comfort me if I be sad he will direct me if I have lost my way hee will build me up if I thrive not in grace The consideration of this truth me thinks should bannish all those strange thoughts and prejudices that wee have against the Ministers of the Gospel In the first place another lesson is this if the Gospel be such good newes such glad tidings then you should hearken much after it and inquire much into it We all you know are naturally greedie to heare newes and we know how much time is spent here in the City especially in reading Diurnalls inquiring after tidings and how much money is cast away that way Wee should doe so much more about these glorious tidings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ It is not enough to heare a Sermon or to read a Chapter once or twice a day as it is the manner of some that will not bring us to know the mysteryes of the Gospel but we must search the Scripture and compare spirituall things with spirituall things As in earthly tidings if a man tell of such a victorie one way and another after him another way and a third a third way you compare what they say and their letters and newes to finde out the truth So you should be earnest in seeking God and bego his Spirit compare Scriptures together see what the Scripture saith in such a place and how in another place and this is the way to find out the mystery of the Gospel These tidings are great therefore inquire into them and they are true tidings they are not fables and tidings of common concernment to every Saint therefore let this be the use that thou and I should make of it to desire the Lord to lead us into the depth of those mysteryes and to set our selves to studie it more and more for the further we goe the more wee shall finde as in a myne It is not as in your newes many times you have a great deale of good newes in a
you You see in the administration of the New Testament or of the Gospel there is not one sillable or tittle but what is amiable and sweet and comfortable even to the worst of sinners And therefore the Spouse in the Canticles speaking of Christ as I suppose she commends Jesus Christ from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot as all beautifull and amiable and then she summes up all Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Jesus Christ in the new Testament or Ministery of the Gospel is all faire altogether amiable even to the worst of sinners there is no spot in him So you have the Lesson breifly Now that which with the help of God I will further doe is to give you a weiw of the summe of the whole Gospel in particular that so you may look upon every peice of it and you shall see that there is not a jot from the beginning to the end but it brings glad tidings to the worst of sinners First of all you may take notice that the Gospel doth hold forth to sinners their lost wretched condition they are in In the Gospel poore sinners come to learne what a damnable wretched condition they are in whereas men without it think they are well they doe no body hurt they give to the poore and lend and the like and yet they are going the broad way to destruction Now we see not only by Scripture but by experience the Gospel tells them they are dead in sin that they are children of wrath that they are under the curse of God going the broad way to hell But you will say is that good newes for a man to heare the Preacher say he is in a damned condition and a child of wrath c. Beloved it is sweet and good newes if the Preacher should make thee a damned creature or dead in sin it were bad newes but when the Gospel brings thee a light to see that thou art so whereas otherwise thou in thy blindnesse wouldest goe downe to hell in it it is blessed and good newes it is better to see it here than for ever in hell where there is no remidie And there is no man or woman in this place that belongs to God but they can blesse God and his Son Jesus Christ that by the Gospel the Lord hath discovered to them their wretched condition that they were naturally in That is one thing A second instance is this that the Gospel holds forth to sinners all the wrong wayes that they goe and all the wrong meanes that they use to save their soules this is by the light of the Gospel Man naturally is either dead in sin or asleep or if he be a little awaked he takes a thousand wayes to goe to heaven and none of them Gods way none of them the right way Every carnall man sometime or other hath some designe in his head to save his soule one man thinks to doe it by his equity and justice in his dealing and trading another by his hospitality and charity to the poore another by hearing of Sermons and performing of duties as in the time of Poperie how many yeares did they spend spent their strength and time and their money and when all came to all all was lost all their ways were the wrong way to Heaven Now the light of the Gospel discovers all these false wayes and shewes that you will come short of the glory of God and the salvation of your soules and will convince you that There is no Name under heaven by which you can be saved but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Consider is not this good newes that God should come first by the Ministery of the Gospel and shew thee thy wretched condition and then when thou hast spent thy time and strength in false wayes to be reconciled to God and to save thy soule the Gospel comes and discovers all these that thou maiest go seek the true way Thridly the Gospel holds forth to poore sinners that there is a love an eternall love an infinite love in Gods breast to poore sinners before ever the world was made You know in reason a man would think that God should hate such a one as I am God foresaw what a creature I would be when I was borne and how I have lived and reason would think that love should proceed from something amiable in the object that should produce love some beautie or bountie as wee say but God sees me to be wicked and sinfull and therefore reason would think God must damne me world without end Now the Gospel comes to such a sinner and tells him the case is otherwise it is not so poore sinfull man or woman and though God hate sin above all things in heaven or hell yet God loved thee knowing what thou wouldest be God knows the reason of it we doe not it is as it is said in Deutrenomie I loved thee because I loved thee God hath an infinite speciall love to thy poore soule yet hates thy fin from before the world was made and the Mountaines were brought forth So God loved the world that he gave his Son c. There was a love in God out of which he gave his Son Jesus Christ to die for us This the Gospel and the Spirit of God init reveales to the poore soule that when I was an enemie to God hee was my friend when I hated him he loved me nay before I was God had thoughts of an infinite eternall love to me Then fourthly the Gospel holds forth to a sinner that as God had an infinite love towards him so it was not a cold love that ended in nothing but out of this love God would send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners This is one maine principle of the Gospel that the Father out of his love sent his own Son that was the Image of his person the Son of his love and delight into this world to lay downe his life and to die for sinners Were it not for the Ministery of the Gospel we could never know this how could we know but by the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ did come to die to save sinners So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that hee that believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Fiftly breifly for I doe but give you a few touches of instances it holds out to us that as the Father out of his love sent his Son so that Jesus Christ actually and really is come into the world and took our nature upon him soule and body and the infirmities of both and sanctified our nature that he took and in that nature became our Surety a Publick person for us our Advocate a second Adam That he was conceived and born of the Virgen and that he lived here and so did the will of God and
you that is better than to be Lords and Earles that have an innumerable company of Swearers and drunkards and whoremongers for their serving men that it were agreat deale more ease if they could spare them to be without them but you shall have a company of Saints and Angels to waite on you And though the Gospel tell you not of outward riches for Christ himselfe saith The soxes have holes and the foules of the aire have nests but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his head Yet the Gospel tells you that you have so much title to worldly things that Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come And that God will be a Sun and a shield to those that feare him and he will withhold from them nothing that is good Is not that tidings enough of riches and wealth when God will withhold nothing that is good God will give food and raiment they have it by promise wicked men have it by providence as the doggs and fowles have it Therefore for all that objection this truth runs cleare But secondly another will say the Gospel indeed brings tidings of Christ and salvation but it brings tidings also of afflictions and persecutions the Gospel saith Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And Christ saith I come not to bring peace but a sword I come to set the father against the sonne and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against her mother And saith the carnall heart I like not this newes I love to be at peace with God and all the world as their phrase is Concerning that though it be true that the Gospel brings afflictions yet it is true the Gospel tells you that these sufferings of yours In the first place they are priviledges the Gospel tells you it is a peice of your happinesse to have them 1 Cor. 3. Whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death Death what is death Afflictions are called death In death oft that is afflictions they are but little deathes and one great death ends all the greatest death is a priviledge your afflictions and povertie and reproaches will be a priviledge How is that You have it in Ro. 8. They all work for good to them that love God For your good here and your glory hereafter for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. These light afflictions that are but for a moment they work for us an exceeding exceeding weight of glory The English word cannot expresse it compare it with Rom. 8. The afflictions that wee suffer are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed The Spirit of glory riseth on you The Lord doth you good by it for the present and it works for a Crowne of glory hereafter For this is a true saying if we suffer with Christ we shall reigne with him Therefore though the Gospel bring sufferings with it yet take them as the Gospel expresseth them they are sweet and good tidings they are priviledges to you and will turne for your good here and your glory hereafter The Gospel moreover tells you for your suller satisfaction that the Lord will lay no more upon you than you are able to beare And he will be in the afflection with you in the fire and in the water the Lord Jesus will be with you there and in due time he will make you a way to get out Beloved put all together that the Gospel speakes of afflictions and sufferings construe them together you shall see that there is nothing in all that but glad tidings and good newes I but saith another the Gospel if it be Gospel that we use to heare from our Ministers it is not good newes for our Ministers preach against Drunkards and Swearers and Whoremongers and when I sweare the Minister saith I shall never goe to Heaven And he saith the Gospel will have a man forsake his sins and repent and the like this is not good newes it is good newes that God will save me but it is not good newes that I must leave my sins and all my wayes of pleasure that I am in It is good newes that the Gospel will have me saved but it is not good newes that the Gospel will have me a Puritan and be purisied and purged from my sins Concerning that it is very true that though the Gospel speak not properly against drunkards and whoremongers and Swearers yet the Gospel saith that drunkards must leave their drunkennesse and Swearers must leave their swearing and the Gospel calls every man to repentance from every sin yet not withstanding that it is no bad newes First take Christs Argument Mat. 5. Doth thy right eye offend thee pul it out and cast it from thee doth thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee That is as some interpret it there are some sins that are as pleasant as the right eye as profitable as the right hand and thou wer 't better to cut them off why so It is better to goe to heaven with one eye than with two eyes to go to hell and it is better to goe to heaven with one hand than with two to goe to hell Is it not good tidings when a man is taught to make a good bargaine is 't not good tidings when the Gospel tells a man he must throw away his sinnes and it is better to crosse himself a little in his lusts and goe to heaven than to goe lusts and soul and body and all to hell Is it not good newes when a mans house is on fire if one come and shew him how to save a peice It is better than to have all burned Now the Gospel teacheth you to leave sin and it is good newes Why I will tel you because when the Gospel bids thee leave sin it puts in thee a new nature that is contrarie to sin to hate it more than hell and the Devill himself and then if God bid thee leave thy sins it is the best newes in the world as for instance there are many men and weomen I believe here that if the Lord should say to them as he did to Solomon I will give thee whatsoever thou wouldest have in heaven or earth there are some in this place that would say O Lord I would leave my pride I would have a humble heart and a heart that should not love worldly things and a heart that should not be froward and waspish If the Gospel should leave the heart as the Law did and bid you throw away your sinnes and give no strength to doe it it were bad newes but if the Gospel give you a new nature to hate sin and when it bids you leave it gives you power to take it away it is sweet and pleasant newes Another objection that others may make is that
God should expect faith from a poore sinner whereas for ought I know and learned men hold that Adam in innocencie had not the faith that we are justified by and for ought I know the Angels in heaven have it not and whence should a poore sinner have it It is God that gives repentance to Israel and God is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. And in Philip 1. It is given to you to believe Therefore when I heare of grace and glory and salvation by Jesus Christ I must not consider where I shall have a vessell to carry it home where I shall have faith to receive it but it carries the vessel with it and I goe and take the promise and by the holy Spirit that same Gospel that brought the grace will work faith or else it were as harsh as the Law Therefore never stand off about faith for he that gives grace and solvation will work faith Againe it may be objected by some wee confesse that the Gospel is good newes and blessed be God it is performed also But it seemes that there is in the Gospel or annexed to it a discipline or a government whereby wee shall be ruled thus saith one thus saith another and if we receive the Gospel of Christ we must receive the Government of Christ say the Ministers and wee feare that will be no good newes to our poore soules As for that in few words as I am able I confesse Beloved that in or with the Gospel of Christ there is a Government or there is a discipline that may in a sense be called an externall discipline over the Saints or people of God And it is true that all the governments that have hetherto been in the world since our Lord Christ went to heaven men have called them the Governments of the Gospel and fatherod them upon Christ and the Gospel and truely if they had been so indeed as men pretended that is if those kind of governments that wee have had had been part of the Gospel surely than there had been a great deale of bad newes and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Jesus Christ As for instance There have been but two great governments or disciplines if I may use that word in the world since our Lord went to heaven The one was Papacie The other Episcopacy Wee have been governed either by the Pope that stiled himself the Successor of Peter and the Romish Governour or by Episcopacy in latter yeares in many parts though Papistrie made the greater stirr in the world Now these two differ in degrees otherwise they are of the same kinde And if these were the government of Christ and the discipline of the Gospel we may well say there hath been sad tidings and heavie newes from the Gospel for many yeares Give me leave to instance in a few substantiall things in these two Governments This was one thing that was in both these Governments The Ministers such as they were by what titles soever they were stiled for they had many sorts they took all the power of governing and government wholly and solely into their owne hands they called themselves the Church of God we must looke to the Church that is the Bishops to their lawes c. They called themselves the Clergie that is Gods inheritance as the word in the Originall signifies True it is there is a power a sweet Gospel power in the Ministers that is somewhat peculiar from the people But to take all power into their owne hands and to leave the people and call them the laity the drosse the valgar to leave them as vassalls and slaves and to call themselves the Clergie and the Church and the like If this had been Christs discipline there had been some hard and heavie tidings in the Gospel of Christ Secondly as they took this power into their hands so they used this power as Lords over Gods inheritance contrary to the command of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 5. 4. You shall not Lord it over Gods inheritance Now you know they were Lords that will appeare in two things First they made Lawes upon the consciences of men besides the Lawes that Jesus Christ made you know they had their Synods and their Convocations and their great Councels and the like and there they would have Canons or Lawes every time they met for the consciences of poore Saints This was no good newes And then forcing men to aver those lawes that they had made as they had made a law that people should not goe out of their Parishes they must every one heare his owne Minister though it may be he was an Ignorant drunken dumb prophane wretch and if they did not they were forced and compelled to doe it Beloved this was not according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for if it had surely it had been no good newes Thirdly in the second Government that we have had hetherto they imposed Ministers and Officers upon the people the people never had yet liberty under these two Governments to choose men according to Gods own heart that would feed them with knowledge and understanding but such as the Bishops sent they must receive whether they were good or bad they must tako them as they found them and those usually were either Ignorant unlearned meu or prophane unsanctified men and these were sent by them as Lords and the people were forced to receive them Then fourthly in this government all the power which they had which they took all to themselves they exercised it onely almost against the Saints and people of God either as Schismaticks or Lollards or Heretiques or Puritans or the like either for doing that that was good or for things that were trifles according to their owne judgment For doing that which was good for fasting and praying for meeting to teach one another and to seek the Lord these were called Conventicles Or for trifles that they in their consciences held indifferent as the wearing of the Surplice and the Crosse in baptisme they themselves said they were indifferent things and trifles and yet men must be silenced and people bannished beyond Sea for these things This government wee have had and there was little good newes and glad tidings to the soules of the poore Saints from all this Fiftly they did restraine the Spirit of God in the Saints both in preaching and praying In preaching the Ministers were tied they must preach such and not such things and they must be in danger to be fined if they did not keep to the houre And for Prayer when it may be the poore Ministers soule was full of groanes and sighs and he would have rejoyced to have poured out his soule to the Lord he was tied to an old Service-Booke and must read that till he grieved the Spirit of God and dried up his owne spirit as a chip that he could not pray if he would and
salvation of their soules It is harsh but it is good newes 2 Cor. 5. saith the Apostle In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ when yee are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus speaking of the incestuous person If men will be so wretched as to sin grosly the Lord Jesus hath ordered that such a man shal be delivered to Satan for what that he may be damned and to bring him to hell No for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And truly Beloved I have seen more than one that have blessed God for that Ordinance that have been brought to humble their soules and sweetly and closely to walk with God againe by the blessing of God on that Ordinance Now I have told you the worst in the Gospel either reproofe and that but upon great occasion or else delivering to Satan and that must be upon extraordinary occasion yet both are sweet and profitable and precious for the good of the soule Therefore the truth of the Doctrine holds cleare to you that there is nothing in the Gospel look which way you will but good newes and glad tidings to the worst of sinners There is one objection more and so I proceeed to the Uses Some body may say out of the Prophet Isaiah There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa. 57. ult. And Isa. 48. 12. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose watters cast out mire and dirt The Prophet seemes to comfort the godly but wicked men have no peace then a man may say how doth this stand with your Doctrine you say that the Gospel holds forth peace and glad tidings and good newes to wicked men even to the worst of sinners The are three wayes to answer it in few words The first is that however Isaiah was in a sort an Evangelicall Prophet and spake many things of Gospel by way of Prophesie he saw things for us and not for himselfe as Peter saith yet these kinde of expressions are more properly Law than Gospel for it is certaine there is no other language in the Law but that there is no peace to the wicked Transgresse once and be damned for ever but the language of the Gospel is contrary it comes and gives peace to the wicked and justifieth the ungodly he preacheth peace to them that are neere and to them that are affar off And who were they The Gentiles that were emphatically sinners are we not Jewes saith the Apostle and not sinners of the Gentiles Therefore this was rather Law than Gospel Secondly there is no peace to the wicked or to sinners saith my God You may understand it also in this sense that the Lord will not make any peace with sin though he send messages of peace and reconciliation to sinners though God be reconciled to a sinner hee will never be reconciled to sin But the third and last and most proper as I take it is this There is no peace to the wicked saith my God that is there is no peace to men that continue in sin after Jesus Christ hath been offered them and they have refused him then there is no peace to them Observe for it is a thing of great concernment it becomes not a Minister of the Gospel by any meanes to pronounce wrath and curse or damnation to a sinner qua a sinner as a sinner he is not a Minister of the Gospel if he doe he is a Minister of the old Testament that saith here comes a drunkard eo nomnie because he is a drunkard God will plague him and damne him this is the language of the old Testament But you will say will you speak peace to drunkards and sinners Wee speak judgment and curses and damnation to them when once wee have first offered Christ and they refuse him And for this reason and no other according to the Ministery of the Gospel I am to pronounce damnation and curse to wicked men because they refuse Jesus Christ because they doe not believe in Jesus Christ You will say is it absolutely evil for a Minister to speak against drunkards and Swearers and whoremongers and to say the curse of God will fall on them c. No Why because I speak against a drunkard not properly because he is a drunkard but his drunkeness is a signe that he continues in unbeliefe and so hath not received Jesus Christ So we are to understand the Scriptures There is a drunkard a Sot a jearer of godliness I say the curse of God will come upon him and the damnation of hell is ready to overtake him why not because he is properly such a one but because those are signes that he is an unbeliever When God shall come to judge the world There are people that he will judge eo nomine because they are drunkards he will throw them to hel as those in the Mountaines of Wales c. Because they have but a little light and they did not follow that they shall be condemned and the heathens shal be condemned for their ignorance c. But under the Gospel all are wrapped up in unbeliefe So that this is the pin of Heaven or Hell the very wards that opens or shuts that you be believers or unbelievers But I will not stand longer on that Now I proceed to shew what profit we may have by this Doctrine by way of Application There be divers speciall Lessons that I would have you learne hence The first is this that this truth that I have now taught you it is the doore of the Gospel the very entrance into Christian Religion the first stone as it were in the Christian building in the Profession of Religion in Gospel Profession There is a kinde of devotion and Profession but it is not built according to the Gospel but if you would walk according to the Gospel learne this lesson first that is that God gives life and salvation through Christ to sinners as sinners though they be hard hearted backsliding and the chiefe of sinners yet as long as they be sinners and but sinners they may alway looke upon Jesus Christ and salvation in his hand to be bestowed on them This is a truth that thou must learne and be taught it of God or else thou canst not goe one step into the Profession of the Gospel for beloved till you know and learne this you will be like men in the dark you will be groping for Christ Jesus but you will never be graffed into him you will never be knit to Christ I say this is the first step to Religion to understand this truth aright that the Gospel brings glad tidings of salvation to be given to the worst of sinners