that sentence be pronounced Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground 4. Christs compassion towards them that perish is seen in wishing when for their obstinacy they are given over to themselves that they would have hearkened and â—beyed Thus he weeps and wishes that Jerusalem had known what they were â—gnorant of And Israel when for their â—eafness unto and refusing of God they â—ere given up to their own hearts lusts â—nd suffer'd to walk after their own â—ounsels the Lord wishes O that my peoâ—le had hearkened unto me and Israel had â—alked in my wayes Psal 81. 11 12 13. Those that perish will have no reason to â—omplain of Christ but of themselves he wanted not pitty but to themselves they were unmerciful But in the second place the compassion of our Lord is manifested and that principally to them that are saved they are called Vessels of mercy 1. Christ receives those he saves though they come home in rags The beggarliness of the Prodigal did not hinder his Father from running to him and embracing him Their emptiness of worth doth not stir up his hatred but his pitty Christ hath enough and to spare for them Sinners should not keep off from Christ because they cannot bring any grace of their own to commend them He can put comeliness upon those who by sin are never so much deformed When we come to our Lord we are over-spread with a leprosie iniquity is fitly called by that name and all our righteousness is as filthy rags now what mercy is it that he takes away our filthy garments and puts upon us the robe oâ— his own righteousness and from thaâ— worst sort of leprosie doth make uâ— clean 2. Christ makes reconciliation for the sins of those who are saved by him And considering what wo and misery sin unpardon'd exposes the children of men to 't is an act of mercy to make an atonement for it Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore in all thlngs it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people That load of guilt and wrath which else would sink them into the lowest Hell the Lord Jesus takes off from the Heirs of salvation 3. Christ heals the wounds which their spiritual enemies have made The good Samaritan had compassion upon the man that fell among thieves Luke 10. Our Lord finds us in a worse case what wounds have our lusts and Satan made in our spirits and truly they are incurable by any but this Physician When the fiery Serpents had stung the Israelites they looked unto the Brazen Serpent and looking they were healed presently That Brazen Serpent typified Jesus Christ and although Conscience be never so much sting yet He can expel the poyson and asswage the pain and anguish and make the Conscience first pure and after peaceable 4. Christ gives rest unto them that labour and are heavy laden Matth. 11. 28. Many are the burthens of believers but he commands them to cast all their burthens upon him and he promises to sustain them The curse of the Law is a burthen but Christ redeems them from the curse of the Law being himself made a curse for them Gal. 3. 13. They groan under the dominion of sin the bondage of corruption but the Son of God pulls down sins dominion and makes them free indeed Their poverty and emptiness causes them to sigh and complain but Christ Jesus unlocks his unsearchable riches which are superabundantly sufficient to replenish them And he that commands the rich in this world to be ready to distribute to be willing to communicate surely himself will in no wise be a Niggard of his spiritual Treasures 5. Christ succours those he saves in their temptation In the hour of temptation they very much need his pitty and aid and they have both Dido in Virgil spake thus to the Trojans who were cast upon her Coasts Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco I that have endured misery my self know how tâ— compassionate and succour the miserable Our Lord himself he had experience of temptations and he will relieve those that are assaulted as he was Hark to the Apostle Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he knows how to succour them that are tempted He knows that believers enemies are above their match that sin and the world and the God of it would be too hard for them therefore his own Power doth rest upon them which brings them out of the field more then Conquerours The Application follows USE 1. If our Lord be so compassionate hereby Faith may be marveliously encouraged How safely and gladly may a Soul venture it self in the hands of such an one Those are unacquainted with his Bowels that entertain hard thoughts concerning him Why art thou cast down O desponding spirit Why art thou so much disquieted Why doest thou credit the unreasonable suggestions of the Wicked one Though he be the Father of lyes yet a greater lye he never tells then when he doth perswade thee that Christ is unwilling to receive them that see their need of him and long after him 1. If he weep over the obstinate do ye think he will be hard-hearted to the penitent If he stretch forth his hands all the day long to the disobedient and gainsaying will not his Arms be open to embrace the obedient and complying If he goes into the far Country to seek thee when he has inclined thy heart to come home will he shut the door against thee 2. Consider for the encouragement of faith That tâ—â—se compassions of Christ do far transcend and exceed all human mercies A Mothers bowels do yern especially towards her sucking Infant and yet even these are Marble compared with the bowels of Christ Hark how Zion is reproved for her hard surmises Isai 49. 14 15. But Zion hath said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee How unwilling is a Mother to bring forth Children for the Murtherer And much more unwilling is this Saviour that any Soul which is desirous to be sanctified and saved should become the Devils prey 3. Consider His compassions are joyned with such a fulness that there is nothing miserable sinners need but out of this fulness they may have abundant supply Our Lord hath power as well as pitty why then should we not trust in him and go to him at all times since his power shews him so able and his pitty proves him so willing to relieve and save USE II. Since Christ is so compassionate surely 't is unreasonable to quarrel at and refuse to submit unto his yoak The yoak of such a merciful one must needs be granted an easie yoak and his burthen a light burthen Matth.
11. 30. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Marriage And as the Wives subjection unto a tender and indulgent Husband is sweet and pleasant so and much more pleasant is the Believers subjection unto Christ Ungodly ones are strangely prejudiced against the Scepter and Government of Jesus but indeed 't is without cause they say We will not have this Lord to reign over us 'T is a mercy to be translated into his Kingdom for then you are freed from other Lords which are so imperious so cruel and will reward with death all the service which you do for them All the precepts of Christ are for your profit and he forbids you nothing but what he sees will hâ—rm you Methinks at the reading of this the most stubborn should yield and say We stood out against the Lord of life but 't was upon a mistake we did not think his service was so near a kin to freedom we once imagined his commands grievous therefore we cast them behind our backs but now we are resolved to obey no other since they are to be esteemed above gold nay the finest gold and are sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb USE III. Since our Lord is so merciful let me perswade you to the imitation of him put on as the elect of God bowels of mercies Among the company of blessed ones the merciful are numbred for they shall obtain mercy Matth. 5. 7. Your own souls and the souls of others should be the special objects of your pitty Let your own souls be wept over because guilty of so much sin and because by such prodigious defilements rendered so much unlike unto an holy God 'T was a saying of a Father Flebam merituram Didonem me mortuum non flebam I wept when I read the story of Dido about to kill her self but my own condition though quite dead in sin I bewailed not Look into your selves and you may behold matter enough for mourning fresh guilt and stains added to what were before here be liberal of your sorrow where 't is so very well deserved The souls of others too should have a share in your compassion Oh weep over kindred neighbours that still are ignorant aliens enemies and wish and pray that they may know the things which belong to their peace before they are hid from their eyes Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. 2. The second follows That the Lord does grant unto sinners a Day of Grace in which pardon and life are proffer'd to them and may be obtained by them If thou hadst known in this thy day This day we read of Heb. 3. 7 8. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Now Gods voice is heard and that heart is both wicked and foolish which hardens it self See also 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. We then as workers together with him beseech you that ye receive not the grace of God in vain for he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted in the day of salvation have I succour'd thee Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation Those words I have heard thee in a time accepted in the day of salvation have I succour'd thee are spoken by God the Father unto Christ his Son Christ himself had in some sense a Day of Grace in which the Father was well pleased with him in which the Sacrifice which he offered up once for the sins of all was accepted in which his strong cryes for himself that he might be carried through the difficult work of Mans Redemption were heard and accordingly he was succour'd and enabled to work out a compleat salvation for the children of men And hence it comes to pass that unto them also a day of grace is granted in which they may be accepted and salvation is brought near them that they may lay hold upon it My work in the handling of this truth will be First to shew upon what account the Season of Grace is called a Day Secondly to declare what are the priviledges of this Day of Grace Thirdly to lay down the properties of it Fourthly I shall give some reasons why such a day is granted And then conclude with the Application First Upon what account the Season of Grace is called a Day 1. The Season of Grace is called a Day in regard of the light that then shines The Sun of Righteousness is risen and this Day is made by that Suns shining Light from the Gospel springs up unto them which else would have sat in darkness and in the region and shadow of death Matth. 4. 16. By this light things are discover'd which were hid from Ages and Generations Gods eternal counsel to glorifie his Grace in the pardon adoption cleansing and saving of men that have all sinn'd and thereby come short of his glory is by this light made manifest The light of Nature is but weak and dim and cannot make it day it gives such a discovery both of God and sin as is sufficient to leave those that sin against God without excuse Rom. 1. 20. But the way how enemies may be reconciled it cannot shew Nay because the first Covenant ran thus Do this and live the light of Nature doth strongly incline us to put a confidence in our own works then which nothing is more contrary to the Gospel of the Grace of God But though the Light of Nature be apt to lead out of the way as well as imperfect the Light of the Gospel is sufficient All that are now in glory made use of this Guide in their passage through the world David Psal 19. doth make a comparison between the Light of Nature and that of the Word From the Heavens Firmament Sun and Moon and other Creatures something of the Glory of God may be discover'd but then after he adds The Law of the Lord is perfect as if he had said From the Word shines forth a greater light then from the Sun and Moon and Stars a light which guides infallibly to the Light that 's everlasting And this Light is one thing which makes the Day the text speaks of 2. The Season of Grace is called a Day in that it is design'd for working When the day comes though the beasts gather themselves and lay them down in their dens yet man arises and goes forth to his work and labour till the evening Psal 104. 22 23. In like manner this day of the Gospel though they who are brutish lay them down in the bed of ease and fall asleep in carnal security yet such as have the understanding of men will go forth unto their work and labour and surely they who have lusts to mortifie a world to overcome a devil to resist and souls to save have work enough to do Why stand ye here all the day idle sayes our Lord in the Parable Matth. 20. 6. Spiritual sloth is now unseasonable and unreasonable Now is the time and the
perfect hatred Sin which was lov'd better then the soul better then salvation the heart by the Spirit is turn'd against it and how earnest are the cries that it may not reign no nor live any longer And Holiness against which there was a very strong though unreasonable antipathy is now hungred and thirsted after there is a tide which runs upwards contrary to the former stream which ran downward The Lord hath those affections which before sin and the world commanded The desart is become as Sharon and in the ruines which corruption hath made there is a Temple for the Spirit of God to dwell in The Day of Grace is the only time to be made new creatures in Now thy earthly heart may be made heavenly thy impure heart cleansed thy mind which was vain carnal enmity against God may be made serious and to approve and subject it self to the Law of God 3. 'T is the work of the Spirit to guide They who are the children of God are lead by him and 't is in the way everlasting that he leads them they are directed into such a path as will certainly bring them to the everlasting enjoyment of the Eternal God Neither doth he only guide but strengthen the Spirit puts might into their inner man and makes them to hold on their way till they come to the blessed end of it We have all like sheep gone astray we have turned every one to his own way Isa 53. 6. But in this Day of Grace the Spirit is near to chalk out a path in which we cannot miss of happiness and to help us over all the stumbling blocks and difficulties which are cast in our way The Spirit doth also comfort as well as strengthen He sheds abroad the sense of the love oâ— God into the heart and such a joy issues from this sense of love that tribulation cannot turn into sorrow 4. Many of them that perish have experience while this Day of Grace continues of the Spirits workings The Spiriâ— doth use a kind of holy violence to hinder them from pulling down vengeance upon themselves Thus he did strive with the old world in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 20. Christ was quickned by the Spirit by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah This place is wrested and may seem difficult but the meaning is plainly this That Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost by which Holy Ghost accompanying the ministry of the ancient Patriarks he preached unto the impenitent sinners of the old world whose spirits are now imprisoned in hell because â—n their life time they were disobedient â—o the Spirits voice all the while the â—ong suffering of God did wait upon â—hem Thus the Spirit likewise did â—trive with the children of Israel but â—hey rebelled and vexed the holy Spirit of God Isai 63. 10. 'T is not an unusual â—hing for the Spirit to enlighten and aâ—aken the Conscience to clap chains and â—etters upon corruption for a while that â—â— breaks not forth as formerly to conâ—â—rain unto a frequent performance of duty But the Soul hankers after its beloved lusts and vanities grows weary of the Spirits restraint grudges the time and pains which duty takes up and wishes that the Spirit would go away and accordingly the Holy Ghost departs from him However this is true that the Spirit works much and would more were he not resisted That 's the second priviledge of the Day of Grace the presence of the Spirit 3. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is liberty to come to the Throne of Grace All flesh is now invited to the Hearer of Prayers and their prayers shall be regarded if they no longer regard iniquity 1. The Lord now is near and may bâ— found Isai 55. 6. His merciful nature inclines him to come to the help of them that need it As he is near to give theâ— that grace which they cry for so to givâ— them grace to cry after a right manner We cannot so much as come that wâ— may be help'd unless we are help'd tâ— come The Lord is within hearing oâ— all that call who ever sought him seriâ—usly and sought in vain He is so neaâ— as to hear our very whisper'd supplications and to take notice of the inward groanings of our spirits Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee But some may object Doth not the Scripture say that the Lord and his salvation are far from the wicked and therefore wicked ones have no encouragement to come to him Well But if the wicked man doth cry that he may be renewed and that his wickedness both as to the guilt and practise may be put far away from him then the Lord will draw near immediately 2. God is not only in this day of grace willing to be found but he seeks after us John 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Fervent prayer is delightful musick in his ears Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stairs let me see thy counâ—enance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely The Lord is pleased to see us gather about him and to hear us cry for this and that and the other mercy since his mercies are so great a multitude that he hath enough and enough for all Nay the Lord himself doth seek to us and beseech us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. And if he intreat us to accept of mercy shall not we speed in our intreaties for the obtaining of it 3. The promise which God hath made may now be pleaded This is the time to lay hold upon his Covenant Lord thou hast promised to blot out iniquity as a cloud oh when shall this cloud be scatter'd that I may walk in the light of thy countenance Thou hast promised a new heart when shall this heart of mine be changed when shall it burn with love to thee and indignation against sin which doth offend thee Lord Thou hast promised to take away the heart of stone and to transform the adamant into flesh oh why am I so hard and stupid why since I have sinned so much should I sorrow so little Again Thou hast promised to make me clean Lord when oh when will it once be Thus may we urge the Promises and he that made them will give us cause to adore his faithfulness The worst of men the chief of sinners may urge the promise of a new heart and of washing from filthiness as long as they seek unto the God of Israel to do this for them Ezek. 36. 37. and are so far wrought upon as to desire to be sanctified
the whole Covenant shall be made good to them if their unbelief of Gods power and truth be not an hinderance 4. Now in this Day of Grace the great High-priest stands ready to intercede for us Never any sincerely begg'd for pardon and for grace but Christ pray'd that Prayer over again and a gracious return was made to it The Spirit also is ready to help infirmities to fill our hearts with such desires as shall be surely satisfied and truly we have to do with a God who of the best things which are most needful most desirable is alwayes most liberal Now are the mollia fandi tempora the times to speak and speed but when this gracious season is gone ah then the loudest cries will be in vain God will hear Christ will intercede the Spirit help no more 4. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is this That now the way is open to the Kingdom As you may come to the Throne of Grace so 't is possible to get into the Throne of Glory Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne Our Lord doth stand as it were with a Crown of Life in his hand and sayes Believe in me and continue faithful to the death and this Crown shall be put upon your heads The Kingdom is offered and the sure way to the Kingdom is revealed Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel that is such a blessed and glorious life as will never by death have a period and if you cease to do evil learn to do well and patiently continue in well-doing this eternal life shall assuredly be given you The foolish Virgins had a Day oâ— Grace as well as the wise The Bridegroom came and the door was open iâ— they had been ready they might have entred but having lost the opportunity they knocked at last but it was too late the door was shut and they were sent away with I know you not Matth. 25. We read of a Ladder that reached from earth to heaven now there is a possibility of climbing up thither But there is no Ladder that reaches from hell to heaven If this present day of salvation be lost salvation it self also will be lost for ever 5. Another priviledge of the Day of Grace is this That during this season the state of the wicked is not unalterable 'T is true the Holy Ghost expresly sayes that impenitent and unbelieving ones are condemn'd already Joh. 3. 18. Sentence of condemnation is past but it may be repealed if they at last are brought to mourn for their rejecting of a Saviour and with their hearts believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God the consequent of this faith will be freedom from condemnation Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit There was condemnation heretofore to them as well as to others but now there is none for they are in Christ and shew it by renouncing the lusts and works of the flesh and giving themselves up to the Spirits guidance They whom sin hath set at a great distance from Christ are called to come to him and while this Day of Grace lasts that word holds good I will in no wise cast out But when this day is done then 't will be I will in no wise receive The Lamb himself then will be full of wrath and that 's dreadful The Lamb can pacifie the anger of God but who can appease the Lambs anger When the only Reconciler is himself irreconcileable when the only Intercessour is inexorable when the only Saviour punisheth with everlasting destruction what hope of help remains then But as yet 't is possible for Rebels to obtain a pardon and to be made children Though thou hast sinn'd thy self near to hell yet thou hast not sinn'd thy self into hell Though sin hath abounded if thou art brought by the entring of the Law to a sence how thy offences have abounded Grace will much more abound Rom. 5. 20. The Lord hath turn'd and chang'd as bad as the worst of you and that which hath been done may be done again since his hand is as mighty to save and his Grace as free as ever I have done with the priviledges of this Day of Grace In the third place follow the properties of it which are these 1. This Day of Grace is uncertain as to its duration 't is more uncertain then the day of life for that may end before this doth Nay the Day of Grace may be past while the very means of Grace continue The acceptable time was pass'd with the Jews when the Prophet was sent to preach among them Hark what a sad Commission he had Isa 6. 9 10. Go make the heart of this people fat make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed 'T is dreadful when the Word shall make the ear more deaf and the Light the eye more blind and awakening means the heart more gross and stupid The Sons of Eli had outstood their day and yet after this their Father admonishes them and endeavours to reclaim them They were lascivious and made themselves vile and Eli said 'T is no good report I hear of you my sons ye make the Lords people to transgress If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them When Drunkards Sorcerers Liars Whoremongers Worldlings are reproved often and will not hearken who knows but the season of mercy may be ended and the Lord intends to slay them to damn them And if at the hearing of this they are unconcern'd there is greater cause to fear though we cannot absolutely conclude that 't is so indeed The day of grace is uncertain the means of grace may be before you are aware removed The golden Candlestick doth not stand so fast in any place as that 't is impossible it should be took away Tremble at that threatning uttered to the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent And although Ordinances remain a blessing may be withheld from them Thou doest not know but every call may be the last time of asking and Christ may for ever after hold his peace and therefore presently give consent to be espoused to him thou dost not know but that every motion of the Spirit may have his last striving with thee and if thou still resistest the Spirit may take his leave and say Foolish Soul go on in sin go on to hell I will not strive any more to
is really possible therefore Gods decree is not to be blamed which brings no coaction upon the will of man but mans own perversness if he is wrack'd and miscarries to eternity We read of the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appearing Tit. 3. 4. The Son of God was manifested in the flesh of man and upon this score it is that light comes into the world and shines even upon those dark souls that are unwilling to comprehend it and salvation is proffer'd also unto them that refuse to embrace it 2. A Day of Grace is granted that the power of God may be known His power is much spoken of in the Gospel and believers feel the wonderful effects of that power We are inform'd of a twofold Creation the first and the second the old and the new In the first Creation the power of God was glorious indeed iâ— making the world out of nothing but here as there was nothing to help so there was nothing to resist this power oâ— God But in the new Creation in making new creatures there is a great opposition and resistance met withall and how glorious is the power of God that overcomes it What wonders are wrought in this day of Grace by the hand of the Lord He not only sayes Let there be light where darkness is but where darkness is loved He not only sayes Arise to them that are dead but to them that are unwilling to be raised Indisposition and opposition likewise are to be found in sinners when the Lord first comes to work upon them The Bullock cannot endure the yoak though hereby its life is lengthened for the beast that works not is fatted immediately for the slaughter A sinner is likened to a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak Jer. 31. 18. he discovers a great reluctancy and unwillingness to yield now in turning such an one with whose corruption and lusts Satan joyns to hinder conversion the power of God is the more to be admired 3. A Day of Grace is granted for the manifestation of divine goodness and mercy The Lord is said to delight in mercy Mic. 7. 18. therefore he allows a day in which mercy may be had and now it is to be obtained or never It is not small mercy that raises the sons of men out of those depths of misery into which they are fallen Great is thy mercy towards me saith the Psalmist and the greatness of it is demonstrated for thou hast redeemed my soul out of the lowest hell And if the unworthiness of man be duly considered the freeness of this mercy is to be admired as much as the abundance of it Mercy is free as well as plenteous 't is expressed not only above desert but without desert nay contrary to desert therefore according to that ancient Fathers phrase 't is Omni modo gratuita free every way Hence it is that Saints have used that as an argument to obtain mercy which oâ—â— would have thought should have quite discouraged them from entertaining any hopes of it namely the greatness of sin Psal 25. 11. For thy Name sake pardon my iniquity for it is great as if he had said Lord I know 't is thy design in this day of grace to manifest and to magnifie thy mercy and the greatness of my sin will serve to set thy mercy higher the richness and freeness of it will be the more wondred at because shewn to a gross transgressour Mercy nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundant mercy is expressed in justifying the ungodly in quickening the dead and begetting them again to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. And this is the only season if it be not now laid hold on it will be clean gone for ever 4. A Day of Grace is granted that the Lords long-suffering and forbearance may be wondred at He is an eye-witness of all the wickedness that is done against him he hates all the sin he sees and can easily take vengeance upon the committers of it he stands not in the least need of any of them and yet he spares them and that a great while Oh how great is the stock of his patience Lord what is man that thou doest forbear him so long since thou canst so easily crush him How comes it to pass that thou doest call after him to benefit him since thou canst not be benefited by him and notwithstanding many provocations art unwilling he should perish Oh wonderful patience that will leave the abusers of it without any the least apology and that will be matter of everlasting marvel to those who hereby are lead unto repentance 5. A Day of Grace is granted that the righteousness of the Lord in those severities which are shew'd upon the impenitent and unbelieving may be the more evident and undeniable He will be justified when he speaks though never so amazing a sentence be utter'd by him he will be clear when he is judged Sinners who had a day of Grace and lost it an acknowledgment will be extorted from them that they are justly punished with the loss of endless blessedness which they frequently heard of and as often slighted When God shall thus plead with the Impenitent at his Bar Did not I give you a day as well as others Did not I call and you refuse Did not I stretch forth my hand and you disregarded me Did not I give you counsels and reproofs and you set them all at naught And thereupon shall bid them depart away never to see his face more How will all the Saints and Angels approve of the Sentence and cry Righteous art thou O Lord because thou hast thus judged and the impenitent will not have one syllable to say against it Now I descend to the Application And I shall begin with some Consectaries that may be drawn from the Doctrine 1. In this Day of Grace to sleep is very improper Let us not sleep as do others sayes the Apostle but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken are drunken in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breast-plate of faith and love 1 Thes 5. 6 7 8. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggish Conscience when wilt thou awake shall nothing force thine eyes open The enemies of our salvation are far from sleeping they ply their business to bring about our ruine and shall not we awake for our own security How can we watch unless we are awake and if we are not vigilant how certain are we to be devoured by the roaring Lion Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light and light being given to see withall see that thou walk circumspectly The Sun of Righteousness is up and shining therefore we should be up and doing Sloth in this mid-day of the Gospel is unsutable as well as dangerous the Apostle therefore cautions against it Heb. 6. 12. That ye be not
slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises The Lethurgy of the Conscience is a sore malady when the sinners heart is ever and anon ready to drop asleep notwithstanding all the means which are used to rouze it But though threatenings though judgments will not awaken some that are seized upon by the spirit of slumber yet I 'll tell you what will do it The sight of an angry sin-revenging Judge upon the Tribunal the seeing and feeling of the torments of Hell will awaken them that are most fast asleep in sin What wilt thou sleep upon the pits brink Usually sinners fear least when because of the nearness of evil they have most reason to be afraid 2. How much besides themselves are they whose whole employment is the works of darkness in this day time The Apostle exhorts us to cast off the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light Rom. 13. 12. Light is a kind of armour for the light making a discovery of sins deceitfulness the heart is hereby arm'd against temptation but because most do love their evil deeds therefore they hate the â—ight which doth discover and reprâ—ve them Alas that such bad work as the service of Satan and divers lusts is should have so many hands to it The works of wickedness are rightly termed the works of darkness the actors of them fly the light for when they are seen they cause shame and from God who is light they hinder us allowance of these and fellowship with him are inconsistent moreover unto outer darkness these works have a most certain tendency Now shall a Day of Grace be consumed in sins drudgery This was given as a day of salvation and shall we in it work out our own condemnation Shall it be spent in making sure of Hell and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath When the Lord doth grant us a day to make our peace shall we give this day to Satan and do nothing but by wicked works more alienate our selves and make the wall of separation higher If the season that was allotted for the obtaining of mercy be abused only to the aggravating of sin and augmenting of misery this will argue you guilty of such a folly and madness as must be confess'd beyond hyperbole 3. What cause is there of thankfulness for such a Day of Grace The Israelitish servants prized the year of Jubilee and much more should we this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptable year of the Lord. Liberty and freedom from our spiritual bondage is now offer'd and may be obtain'd if you will not let sin and Satan boar your ears as it were if you say not as most do We love these masters and we will not leave them The greatness of our obligation to thankfulness for this Day of Grace will be further evident if these things are weighed 1. The light doth shine more clearly in this our day then it did of old The ancient Jewish Church enjoyed but the dawning or at most the early morning of this Day of Grace but we the noontide of it many shadows of good things to come they had whereby those things were obscurely represented but we have under the Gospel the substance exhibited and the shadows are flown away Moses the great Prophet of the Jews had a vail upon his face to signifie that his was a more dark dispensation but we all saith the Apostle with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of God are ebanged into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. Christ is now more fully discover'd his sweet offices more explain'd and his precious benefits more gloriously displayed 2. We ought to be thankful that this our day hath so long lasted The Lord long ago might have given us up to a reprobate mind nay fetter'd us in chains of darkness because of our hating knowledge and holding the truth in unrighteousness 'T is a wonder that having sinned so much against the light we have not sinn'd the light away I read that at Joshua's request the Sun stood still in the Firmament and hasted not to go down for an whole day Josh 10. 13. And have not we had experience of the like miracle of Grace Hath not the Sun of Righteousness stopt his course not hasting to go down How long hath Christ stood waiting and still he stands proffering both light and life and light and life shall be given to them that understand the value of such offers 3. Especially we have cause to praise if this Day of Grace hath been effectual and we have been made the children of light and of the day Most even in this Day of Grace are blinded by the God of this world the Gospel is to them an hidden Gospel but if the Lord who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts and hath called us out of darkness into his marvelloas light sure we have abundant reason to shew forth his praises 1 Pet. 2. 9. If he had not enlightened our eyes we should have slept the deep of death as well as others Was there not a time when we did not see either our sin or our extream danger Was there not a time when we were as unsensible of the worth of souls and of our need of Jesus as the most careless ones Oh wonderful love that he hath made the difference and distinguished us from others that hath illuminated and converted us when others are suffer'd still to run on blindfold towards ruine 4. Since such a day of Grace is granted the special seasons of it should be improved The whole is precious but some seasons are more golden and to be esteemed at an higher rate 1. The Season of Youth This is the fittest time to sow the seed of Grace that it may bring forth the fruit of life and glory The journey towards the new Jerusalem is long the distance which sin hath set us at from our Creatour is great therefore to be setting forth betimes is a great part of wisdom The Lord doth take it well when in our youthful dayes we make choice of him Samuel Obadiah Josiah Timothy have a commendation given them that they knew and loved and feared God betimes that they abstained from and despised those lusts and vanities with which youth most commonly is ensnared and defiled The time of youth is a time of strength vigour and activity then you will either do much for God or much against him In the service of such a Master as the Lord is how well will your strength be employed Activeness will here become you Early remembrance of God will prevent abundance of sin which might cause bitterness many years after Thou writest bitter things against me sayes Job and causest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Job 15. 26. and it will have great influence to your stedfastness with God all your dayes
earth Fly hand in hand to heaven Herbert Temple p. 66. 67 68. 5. The feasting day is another season Grace When we are brought into thâ— banquetting-house and the banner over â—â— is love Cant. 2. 4. Who that Table iâ— spread where Christ is the Feast as weâ— as the Inviter to it there it is that believers may arrive unto such a nick of communion with the Lord that is nearest oâ— kin to that fellowship which perfected Spirits which see him face to face havâ— with him Oh what a rellish hath thaâ— flesh which is meat indeed that bloud which is drink indeed John 6. When we behold how Christ hath suffered the curse for us and upon this our faith concludes from suffering it we shall be exempted how may our hearts rejoyce At this Table Christs Fulness is the entertainment He beholds none with a grudging look with an evil eye the more hungry we are the more welcome and sure not to be sent away empty Oh why will any feed on husks and despise this bread of God which giveth light unto the world Thus you see what are the special Seasons of the Day of Grace which not to lay hold upon is to be false to your selves and regardless of your chief advantage USE II. Of Caution There are three evils which I must warn you to beware of First Presume not upon the lasting of this Day of Grace Secondly Don't rashly conclude the Day of Grace is pass'd Thirdly Take heed of being strengthned and emboldened by the general practice to idle it all away 1. Presume not upon the lasting of this Day of Grace Presumption is a sin as common as unreasonable How many thousands are now despairing in Hell because of the vain hopes and false confidences which here on earth they entertained 'T is an ordinary delusion for the ungodly to imagine that either they have believed and repented already or that there will be time enough several years hence to do it and after they have deferred their main work long they are apt to defer it longer Tanquam semper victuri vivunt Sen. They live as if they were to live alwayes and as if the Day of Grace were not a day but a kind of eternity 'T is a notable passage of Gregory Hom. 12. in Evang If every one knew sayes he when he were to go out of this present world then he might more reasonably allot this part of his time for pleasure and that for repentance Sed qui poenitentiae veniam spopondit peccanti crastinum non promisit But he that promiseâ— pardon to them who repent of sin hath not engaged to give another day to them that go on in sin Let two things here be laid to heart 1. Presumption is the way to make the Day of Grace altogether unavailable Men will not seriously mind eternity while they think they have time enough before them Thou who reckonest upon many Sabbaths yet to come and upon many Sermons yet to be heard the present Sabbaths are lost and the present Sermons are little heeded less practised and thou thy self least of all profited 2. Presumption is the way to shorten this Day of Grace and to hasten the everlasting nights approach The evil servant that said in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming is threatned The Lord of that servant will come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of much sooner then he was aware and cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 24. 48 49 50 51. The rich man in the Gospel presumed upon many years but he had not many hours of his time remaining God called him Fool and said This night thy soul shall be required of thee If an earthly Master bid his servant go and work to day and he answer he will set about his work a week or a moneth hence how can the Master chuse but be provoked he justly turns that servant out of doors allowing him no longer time to tarry The Lord in like manner bids the Sons of men to work to day If they answer Many years hence 't is time enough How can he chuse but be incensed and his displeasure may cause the season of mercy to end suddenly Now that I may further strike at and startle this presumption I shall propose and answer one Case of Conscience When have sinners cause to fear that the Day of Grace is growing towards evening and ready to conclude with them To this I answer 1. One sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is long and unbewail'd unfruitfulness When they who have lived under the means of Grace are either empty Vines or bring forth fruit unto themselves when the Lord hath come not three years only but ten twenty thirty years together seeking fruit but hath found none and which is worst of all their barrenness is not their burthen 'T is to be feared that the axe will speedily be laid to the root that they will quickly be cut down and be made fuel for that fire that is unquenchable You have a notable Parable of a Vineyard planted in a very fruitful hill Isa 5. 'T was fenced the stones were gathered out but when grapes were expected behold nothing but leaves and wild grapes ver 4. But upon this God resolves to take away the hedge and his vineyard shall be eaten up to break the wall and it shall be trodden down he resolves to lay it waste it shall not be pruned nor digged there shall come up briars and thorns and the clouds are commanded to rain no rain upon it ver 5 6. You that have been long unfruitful and this hath never troubled you how soon may the clouds be commanded to rain no rain upon you how soon may the influences of heaven be altogether withheld from you how soon may barrenness be your punishment which is your sin the Lord in judgment resolving that never fruit shall grow upon you 2. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is great security The old world were thus secure when the Lord resolved the Holy Ghost should not much longer strive with them Great security was the forerunner of the Jews rejection They would not believe their sins were so heinous or that God was so much displeased with them they would not believe the Messiah who told them of their maladies and proffer'd to cure them And the Apostle tells us because of unbelief they were broken off Rom. 11. 20. And such security will go before the end of the world when the Day of Grace shall conclude with all and when time it self shall be no longer How far are secure souls from being in a secure state When they cry peace and safety how suddenly may trouble and destruction come upon them which they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. 3. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an
end is unlamented indifferency whether or no it do continue If you are of an indifferent spirit whether you enjoy the light or it be put out in obscurity whether you hear the publishers of glad tidings or whether their mouths be stopp'd there is reason to be afraid the Lord is about to divest you of those priviledges which you know not how to value If you look upon spiritual darkness as no plague which is infinitely worse then that of Egypt if you esteem the famine of the Word which is worse then a famine of bread or a thirst of water Amos 8. 11. no such great judgment as long as from temporal judgments you are exempted this is a most wretched temper of soul and the Lord must needs be angry when the greatest mercies and favours are slighted and what punishment more probable or equal then to be deprived of them 4. Another sign that the Day of Grace is near an end is contradicting and persecuting of the Lords Messengers We read Matth. 22. of a Marriage feast prepared servants are sent forth to invite many to the Marriage some who were invited took those servants and intreatthem spightfully Could the King which made this Supper bear this No he was wrath and did destroy these persecutors and none of them were permitted to partake of those good things he had provided and once proffer'd to them That is a dreadful text 2 Chron. 36. 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and there was no remedy The Apostles Barnabas and Paul preached the Gospel the multitude flock to hear them when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spake against the Apostles doctrine but the Apostles seeing them reject ' the Gospel and them in such a way make this reply It was needful that the Word of God should be first spoken unto you but since you put it from you you shall not be troubled with it lo we turn to the Gentiles Acts 13. 45 46. and then to the Gentiles did the light arise and shine forth and the Jews were left under darkness Another sign the Day of Grace is near an end if not quite ended is obstinacy in some opinions which are damnable When fundamental truths are denied when all means used to reclaim and turn the erroneous through prejudiâ—e do but confirm and harden them how near to desperate is their case When the Lord sends strong delusions to any and they believe a lye oh 't is to be feared he intends their ruine and that their judgment will not linger will not flumber long 2 Thes 2. 11 12. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Errour may extinguish the light of the Gospel and cause the Ordinances of God to be slighted the Word to be cast aside and the Spirit to depart and leave sinners to the seduction of Satan and the imagination of their dark and foolish hearts Let me therefore speak to you in the words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. 17. Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being lead away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 6. Another fatal sign that the Day of Grace is near its period is an habit of back-sliding Hark how the Lord upbraids his people with this and after they are told of their desperate state Jer. 8. 4 5. Thus saith the Lord shall they fall and not arise shall they turn away and not return why is this people of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual backsliding And then it follows ver 20 21 22 The Harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not saved For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am black astonishment hath taken hold upon me Is there no balm in Gilead is there no Physician there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recover'd There are many Professours who sometimes look Sion-ward and have some common work upon them but after do draw back and by often doing so contract such a scaredness that they make light of doing so They do possibly under some awakenings confess their sins but quickly return to the commission of them again they are convinced 't is their duty and yet they will not be perswaded to do the work of the Lord vigorously they are convinced of such and such sins and yet they will not be disswaded from following after them They may have a form of godliness but they will not be brought under the power of godliness nor give their consent to be sincerely and thorowly sanctified Divers motions and proffers of assistance they have had from the Spirit but all in vain they are bent upon backsliding Surely then they have just ground to fear that sentence is ready to be if not already pronounced Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Thus concerning the Signs when the Day of Grace is declining and drawing towards night Presumptuous soul if thou findest in thy self any of these signs oh startle exceedingly at the discovery and before the last hour of the day be ended enter into and labour to purpose in the Lords Vineyard 2. A second word of Caution is this Don't rashly conclude the Day of Grace is pass'd and that the Sun is already set upon you This is an extreme contrary to that of presumptuous ones which tempted and troubled spirits are very prone to run into They are ready to takeup Jobs complaint only with some sad variations Oh that I were as in moneths past as in the dayes when God would have preserved me when his candle shined upon my head and by his light I might have been deliver'd from the power of darkness The Almighty was then with me he call'd upon me to turn and was ready upon my turning to hear my calling to him But now I cry and he doth not hear me I stand up and he regards me not I have so bitterly provoked him to leave me that I am afraid he is now gone for ever Three things are here to be consider'd 1. No man can certainly conclude concerning another that his day is pass'd If we consult the Scripture we shall find those that have gone far in wickedness at last reclaimed therefore we should not despair of the worst Indeed the pride and stubbornness of the ungodly makes us fear that all our labour will be in vain yet we speak still and exhort and reprove with all long-suffering 2 Tim. 4. 2. because with God all things are possible and those sheep that are gone much astray seemingly past reach he can lay hold
not have any great affection for him But where the Lord turns away his wrath the stream of his love doth run amain The time of our reconcilation and returning is called a time of love And this love is the more to be admired because it finds us in our bloud which makes us deserve loathing it finds no beauty no comeliness at all in us but what it puts upon us The Apostle speaks of rich mercy and great love which the reconciled have an interest in Ephes 2. 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved This love of God is exceeding liberal it sets open his fulness which is so all-sufficient and we may come and take what we need at pleasure And as they who are at peace with God have an interest in his love so this love doth enkindle love in them to him again The unreasonable enmity of their hearts against God is cured the soul lifts up it self to God Psal 25. 1. which before very unreasonably doated upon the world and much more unreasonably upon its own lusts 3. Peace with God implies the establishment of a sure and everlasting Covenant between him and us As the Lord makes this Covenant so he makes over himself in this Covenant He becomes ours and he takes us for his own Ezek. 16 8. Nâ—w when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine This Covenant is styled the Covenant of peace The Lord being once a friend will never become an enemy he will be merciful to the unrighteousness of them that are in Covenant with him and as he hath engaged not to leave and forsake them so he hath promised to put his love and fear into their hearts that they shall not leave and forsake him they are apt to be unstedfast 't is well they have to do with a God that is faithful and changeth not to this is owing their perseverance and their blessedness That 's a sweet place Isai 54. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Oh that our hearts were but set to study this Covenant of our God! How precious how sutable are the Promises of it We are guilty defiled troubled weak and lost creatures but in this Covenant Pardon the Spirit Peace strengthening Grace and eternal Salvation are made over And he that hath promised can as easily perform as promise Nay Christ hath confirmed this Covenant by his death so that it cannot be altered Our Lord at his death engaged his Father to be a Friend unto all that did or should believe in him and therefore that he will be a sure and never failing Friend may securely be built upon 4. Peace with God implies his taking us into a new and near relation to himself He makes us his Children and surely then we shall abide in his house for ever He not only sayes I will be a God to you but also I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. Well may we wonder with the Apostle 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! Those who are at peace with God are espoused unto Jesus Christ unto such a Bill of divorce shall never be given And as Christ becomes their Husband and God their Father so they consent to carry it like Children to love and fear the Lord in a child-like manner to follow fully and hard after him they are willing to be faithful unto Christ and to be subject unto his commands which are far from being grievous 5. Peace with God implies freedom of access to him Those who proudly harden themselves in sin the Lord beholds them afar off but he is nigh to those whose peace is made such are invited not only to come but to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace and mercy and grace to help shall not be denied them Heb. 4. ult They may without discouragement approach to God and tell him of their temptations He is ready to succour them they may tell him of their weakness he is ready to strengthen them with might in their inward man they may tell him of the distempers which they are burthen'd with he is ready to heal them they may spread their desires before him he is ready to fulfil the desire of the humble Psal 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear And as the Soul whose peace is made hath freedom of access to God so God hath freedom of access unto the soul When Christ knocks the heart opens when the Spirit moves he doth prevail when God comes to dwell the heart yields it self to be his Temple and habitation and how much hereby is the soul dignified and advanced The sinner is no longer foolishly stubborn he denies the Lord nothing when he requires his heart his desire his love none of these shall be kept back any longer from him 6. Peace with God implies fellowship and communion with him There is a kind of a commonness between God and them that are reconciled to him whatever is in God is theirs because God is not ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11. 16. They have an interest and propriety in his Power and Wisdom and Mercy and fulness and they are sensible of the blessed effects of these and other of the Lords Attributes God having given them himself what will he refuse to communicate He is ever manifesting himself and bestowing those blessings upon them which Aliens never do receive He deals not towards them with a sparing hand the promise runs thus Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. And this is certain that the more open our mouths are the more open will the hand of God be Thus you see what Peace above what Peace with God is In the next place I am to speak of Peace within 'T is natural to man to be his own enemy and tormentor He that was possessed with unclean spirits 't is said no man could bind him no not with chains but he was in the Tombs and Mountains crying and cutting himself with stones Mar. 5. 5. In like manner a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the power of the Air worketh will not be bound will not be hindred from doing his soul harm those cords of restraint that the Word casts upon him he breaks asunder and casts away he is
quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him Surely that heart is worse then rocky which doth not tremble before him 4. He can engage all the creatures against you He is the Maker and also the great Commander of the Host of Heaven and Earth The Angels are ready press'd for his service and to do his will all the Devils are at his beck and forward to be the Executioners when he hath pass'd an angry sentence The Thunder and the Lightning say unto him Here we are The stormy Wind doth fulfill his words Nay the smallest and most inconsiderable creatures he can render dreadful and tame the proudest by them And since he is Jehova Exercituum the Lord of such Armies Oh do not enter into battel with him 5. He hath access unto your very spirits and can wound and fill your souls with horrour When the Lord impressed his anger upon the heart of Judas how restless was he though a covetous man he flings away his silver that would not ease him his life is a burthen and with his own hands he puts an end to it A wounded spirit who can bear and wounds there the Lord can give you 6. His power will reach his enemies in the next world Nay then his hand will be heaviest of all God will lay on load upon his adversaries and not in the least spare them His patience will then be at an end his goodness totally and eternally withdrawn and how low then will his vengeance weigh them down Such an enemy the Lord is and this is one argument to perswade you to peace 2. Be mindful of the dependance you have upon him In him you live and move and have your being and if he should withdraw his visitation your life would presently conclude and vanish And is it safe or a wise part in you to provoke that God to be your enemy in whose hand your breath is and who can take it out of your nostrils when he pleaseth He can loose the silver cord he can break the golden bowl and require your souls at your hands without giving you an hours or a minutes warning Whosoever you fall out with methinks you should get and keep in with God for 't is his patience and mercy which keeps you out of the grave and hell of both which by reason of sin you are in great danger 3. The condescension and stooping of God is admirably great in beseeching such as you to be reconciled And shall he intreat in vain Shall the malefactour be beseeched to accept of a pardon and refuse it That is a text that should work upon the most refractory 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God What is it come to this doth God beseech and Christ pray that we who are so mean and so vile would be friends and shall we continue rebels O earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord for the impenitent then the earth or stones are much more stupid To slight the proffer of mercy and to disobey the command to come for it is both a fault and a folly inexcusable but to be deaf to intreaties is worst of all this goes nearest unto God when his condescension and kindness is disregarded and abused and upon this abuse the greater contempt and anger and hatred must needs follow 4. Consider what kind of friend the Lord is I might be large in describing his excellencies which they who are acquainted with him see and admire Three things at present I shall mention 1. God is such a friend whose love is transcendent That sweet name which is as an oyntment poured forth he calls himself by The God of love and peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. Nay he is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love in the abstract 1 John 4. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Whatever returns of love we make those returns fall infinitely short of the love of God from whence they come Indeed it is as possible to equal him in strength in wisdom or any other of his perfections as to equal him in love Oh let this love of God be as a loadstone to draw yours and as a whetstone to sharpen it 2. God is such a friend whose fulness can never be exhausted The Sun although it hath shined ever since the Creation yet 't is as full of light as ever it was And though the Lord hath supplyed the wants of all them whom he hath made his friends from the beginning yet his stock and store is not at all diminished His wisdom is never posed in their greatest difficulties when believers know not what to do and their eyes are unto him he knows what to do for them His power can raise them out of the lowest deep his all-sufficiency can give to the uttermost of their desires nay exceedingly more then it hath entred into their hearts to desire or conceive Who in his wits would not leave a vain world and deceitful lusts to come to such a friend as God hath alwayes shewed himself to be 3. God is such a friend as will last when all other friends fail He is the Lord who changes not He can as soon cease to be as cease to be faithful and the faithfulness of God towards his friends will make them also faithful he will not turn away from them and he will hold them fast that they shall not depart from him The Lord is most constant the Ordinances of the Sun and Moon and Stars are not so immutable as the Promises he hath made Men of low degree are vanity men of high degree are a lye Psal 62. 9. But God is true Wealth may take wings and fly away prosperity may vanish so as to be forgotten flesh and heart may fail but the Lord will be a friend and a portion for ever Oh consent to be reconciled since such a friend hereby will be gained 5. Consider If God be at peace with you he will shield you from all other adversaries he will wrest those weapons out of your own hands whereby you endeavoured your own destruction he will give a deaths wound to sin that it shall not be your death And though the world and the God of the world fight against you they shall not be able to prevail Nay their very enmity shall befriend you and God will turn to good what they do mean for evil 'T is admirable to consider how the adversaries of the Lords people though they have the intension of enemies yet are forced to act like friends and do a kindness unto Saints by those means whereby they thought to have injured and
destroyed them Just as Joseph's brethren when they would hinder his promotion sold their brother into Egypt where he arrived to that honour which being foretold was the matter of their envy 6. Gods late dispensations in a way of judgment do call upon you aloud to sue for peace He hath displayed his Flag of Defiance and the Motto of it hath been Peste Ferro Flamma By Plague and Sword and Fire By all these the Lord hath been fighting with us and our sins and rebelling against him is the ground of the quarrel The Sword was drawn which devoured flesh and dyed red the Sea with bloud The Quiver was opened and out flew the Arrows of the Pestilence and what slaughter did those Arrows make Heaps upon heaps the Destroyer kill'd many thousand went down to the Chambers of Death We were ready to conclude when the Plague was over that God had done with us but we were mistaken A Fire was kindled in his wrath which the strongest the stateliest buildings could not stand against How did the flames roar what havock did they make In three dayes space London was no more like it self then the dead bones which have lay'n in the grave for several years are like unto the man when he was alive and in his greatest strength and beauty When these effects of his displeasure are look'd upon with a considerate eye who can doubt that God was angry and how little hath been done to appease his wrath 'T is high time to beg for mercy and to abandon whatever is a bar in Mercy 's way Oh that London oh that England would know the things that belong to their peace We are not brought so low but we may be brought lower if we provoke the Lord to continue still an enemy 7. Consider as yet there is a possibility of being reconciled to God His Arms are open and stretched forth if you will but cast your selves into them If the most wicked will but forsake their wayes and thoughts and return to the Lord he will have mercy upon them and though sin hath abounded he will abundantly pardon Isai 55. 7. Oh what would the damned give that mercy were but possible to be obtained 'T is great mercy that you have not sinn'd your selves beyond the reach of mercy But if the favour of God and peace with him be neglected how quickly may you be concluded under sin and wrath and your salvation become as impossible as is the salvation of those who are in Hell I hope by this time your ears will be readily open to hearken to some Directions how you may have your peace with God made The Directions are these 1. Be sensible of and bewail that enmity which is between God and you You have unnaturally rebelled and risen up against your Father that made you Those members which he formed you have yielded as weapons of unrighteousness those powers which he hath indued your souls with you have employed sinfully You have dishonoured him in your bodies and spirits whereas you should have glorified him in both You are unjustly and unreasonably the Lords enemies what hath he done to deserve your hatred for which of his kindnesses do you fight against him But the Lord is justly an enemy to you because your transgressions against him have been so many and so mighty That you should have hearts alienated from such a God so holy and gracious and to whom you owe all that you are and have it should make your hearts break and melt within you and that you have engaged this God against you should be esteemed an evil and a bitter thing Jer. 2. 19. 2. Let your cryes be strong for peace Resolve never to give over till he whom you have provoked to be your enemy is become your friend If you would have an interest in the favour of God that favour must be intreated and that with your whole heart Psal 119. 58. I intreated thy favour with my whole heart be merciful to me according unto thy word The condemned prisoner at the bar if there be hopes of speeding how doth he implore the Judges mercy The beggar who is ready to starve for hunger how doth he make a noise Bread bread for the Lords sake bread And you have more cause to cry for peace with God for if you live and dye enemies you are everlastingly undone And to hearten you to prayer let that Scripture be consider'd Psal 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee 3. The mediation of Jesus Christ must be used The Apostle tells us That Christ came and preached to them which were far off and to them which were nigh Ephes 2. 12. that is both to the Jews and Gentiles And that peace which he preached by his bloud he purchased The bloud of Christ hath a voice which voice is loud and peace is the thing which his bloud cryes for You must expect peace no other way but by the bloud of the Cross Believe that this bloud of Christ the eternal Son of God is sufficient to make an atonement for your sin and being encouraged by the proffers and promises which he hath made in the Gospel be sure to trust in him to be your Advocate with the Father and he will not fail to mediate your peace who ever believed on him and was confounded Christ is styled the Prince of Peace Isai 9. 6. which shews that he hath an uncontroulable power to make peace when and for whom he pleases 4. Let the design of God in the Gospel be consider'd as matter of encouragement which design is to reconcile the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5 19. God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation One great thing which keeps â—en off from God is an unbelieving fear that â—â— is aversâ— from peace rather forward to take vengâ—anâ—â— upon the sinner then ready to forgive his sin But have they who entertain such fears ever look'd into the Gospel If the Lord were so forward to kill and destroy why hath he provided a City of refuge why did he refuse to spare his Son why doth he proclaim himself a God abundant in loving kindness goodness and truth who hath mercy for thousands and forgives iniquity transgression and sin The more firmly you are perswaded of his kindness and compassions the sooner you will yield to him 5. Lay hold upon the Lords own strength if you would have your peace made Consult the forecited place Isai 27. 5. Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Though by the strength of the Lord we may understand Christ Jesus who is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. Yet I rather think the Holy Ghost doth intimate to us in that place that unless
hereby extinguished Vse 2. Do not unwarrantably surmise that the things of your peace are in judgment hid from you All blindness is not judicial If thou wouldst fain know the will of God and do it God upon thy asking will give wisdom liberally without upbraiding Jam. 1. He will not fail by his Spirit to instruct thee who hath made thee thus willing to be instructed Doct. 5. The last Doctrine follows When souls are left under darkness their state is wretched and deplorable Consider with such 1. God is extreamly angry When he punisheth sin with sin he is most of all displeased and truly he cannot punish it with a worse evil then it self is In temporal judgments 't is to be hoped the Lord aims at our reformation and amendment but when he gives up any to blindness of mind and a reprobate sense 't is a sign his love and mercy have done with them As by the Spirit of God believers are sealed up to the day of redemption so by the spirit of flumber the unbelievers are sealed up to the day of destruction 2. With such Satan doth what he pleases he leads them along and how little do they perceive whither they are going how do means make them worse how bold are they in sin how quickly are they like to fill up the measure of their iniquity and grow rotten ripe for vengeance and when that vengeance overtakes them then they will weep over themselves as Christ doth over Jerusalem and too late lament their own misery when 't will be impossible to have it removed Vse 1. Earnestly intreat that this may never be yours which was the punishment of Jerusalem And if you would not lye under the like plague you must not be guilty of the like sin namely rejecting Christ and the Gospel of peace Vse 2. Pitty those who tread in Jerusalems steps and provoke the Lord to close their eyes tell them of their danger which they themselves do not perceive awaken them out of their Lethargie if it be possible before it become past remedy Vse 3. If the Lord when others are blinded is become both light and salvation to any of you break out into praise The light is marvellous which you are called to and marvellous should be your joy You have that eye-salve with which few eyes are annointed you have that Spirit which the world doth not receive You were born blind as well as others but a miracle of grace hath been wrought upon you the vail is taken off and you see the Lord and your interest in him how should all that is within you bless him This present light wherewith you are visited is as it were the dawning of the day of glory and a certain forerunner of the light that 's everlasting THE END ERRATA The First Part. PAge 5. line 13. for Him read Me p. 7. l. 20. for deadful r. dreadful p. 10. l. 11. f. nelp r. help p. 12. l. 22. f. hepless r. helpless p. 22. l. 17. del to be p. 41. l. 5 f. de r. be p. 46. l 12. f. wayes r. wages p. 86. l. 6. f. vow r. voice The Second Part. PAge 4. line 16. for know read knew p. 5. l. 19. f. eyes r. eye p. 15 l. 7 f. thlngs r. things p. 16. l. 1. f sting r. stung p. 33. l. 4. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 15. f. vanity r. iniquity p. 38. l. 26. f questioned r quickned p. 43. l. 13. f. sit r. sat p 60 l. 16. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 69. l. 27. f. lethurgy r. lethargie p. 74 l. 16. f. deep r. sleep p 80. l. 9. after not r. rest p. 107 l. 23. f mastered r. unaffected p. 128. l 7. f. cruclfied r. crucified p. 149. l. 7. f. should r. shall p. 151. l. 15. f. Nehem. r Nahum