GLAD TYDINGS from HEAVEN TO The Worst of SINNERS on Earth BY WALTER CRADOCK Late Preacher at Hallows Great in LONDON LUKE 2 10. Feare not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people LONDON Printed by Mathew Simmons 1648. To the Christian Reader READER THe nature of man is prone to be inquisitive after newes especially in these unsetled distracted times amongst us it is a great part of the imploiment of people and takes up much of their time as if London were Athens and the people thereof Athenians who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newes And yet the news wee beare is sometimes bad sometimes uncertain and many times false Divert thy thoughts awhile from earthly things and in this ensuing Treatise thou shalt heare what newes from heaven in the Gospel The Law indeed brings us tidings but it is like the message of Ehud to Eglon it brings a dagger with it that stabs mortally but the tidings of the Gospel is like that message of the young Prophet to Jehu to make him a King There is nothing truly terrible but the Gospel brings tidings of our freedome from it if we be believers nor nothing truly amiable but it tells us of our interest in it How welcome to a poore captive is newes of deliverance from slaverie The Gospel brings us tidings of our deliverance from sin Satan death hell from wrath and damnation it tells us of riches and glory and Kingdomes and Crownes and what soever may satisfie the capacious soule of man God hath appointed different conditions for men and Angels the Angels that stood they are so confirmed that they cannot fall the Angels that fell they are determined under eternail wrath that they cannot rise but God from everlasting in his love and mercy had appointed that fallen man should have a way of recovery as a board after ship wracke whereby he might come safe to the shore And God in time was pleased to come out of his hidden eternity and to discover this love of his to the world and hath sent his Son to puhchase it and his Spirit to apply it and his servants to tell not this or that perticuler man but all Nations that whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall have everlasting life this blessed tidings is brought by the Gospel And let none say this newes is to good to be true for God who is truth it selfe as it were on purpose to anticipate the infidelity of man hath said it and sworne it and sealed it with the blood of his deare Son that we might have strong consolation and hath made this fabrick of the world to be as a stage to act the redemption of his people on which being finished it shall be no more It should stir us up to love and blesse the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and the holy Spirit and to imbrace the Messengers that bring those glad tidings to account their very feet beautifull the meanest part of the body and upon the moutaines the barren places of the earth And I doubt not but many poore soules can from experience blesse God for the worthy Authour in those barren mountaines where he converseth and else where and say of him as David of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings Though others being hardened spit at such lights and labour to extinguish who God in just judgment will cause to stumble and fall and lie downe in eternall darknesse But I shall detaine thee no longer from the the work but commend it and thee to Gods blessing and rest Thine in the Gospel of Christ GOOD NEWES To the Worst of SINNERS MARKE 16. 15. And hee said unto them goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature YOu may easily understand who spake these words and to whom they were spoken In these words our Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection when he had all power in Heaven and Earth given to him he sends forth his Apostles to Preach and he bids them Goe into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature This was their Commission they were to have now to go preach the Gospel Indeed they had a Commission before but it was only to the Jewes and it was a little but by spirts but now Christ was risen from the dead and had received all power in Heaven and Earth he sends them for good and all as it were he gives them a full and compleate Commission Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature Before I come to the Lesson that I mean to insist upon there are two things here in the words that must be opened that you may see the foundation or ground of this Lesson And that is First what is meant by Gospel Goe and preach the Gospel Then what is meant by creature Goe preach the Gospel to every creature For the first what is meant by Gospel I will not stand upon the severall acceptations of it onely you may understand that both in the Scripture language and also among the Heathen Gospel hath been taken for Glad tidings good newes in generall any Good newes or Glad tidings have been called Gospel So the Greek word signifies so some conceive the English word Godspel being old English signifies Gospel that is good speech good newes good hearing good tidings but in a peculiar sense in Scripture it is taken for that Good tidings of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ And so in this sense we read of it in the old Testament and in the new In the old Testament you shall read in Heb. 4. 3. that our Fathers they had the Gospel as well as we but Beloved you are to take notice that though our Fathers had the Gospel that is the glad tidings of life and salvation by Jesus Christ from Adam from the beginning of the world yet they had it but dimly and darkly and they had it mixed with a great deale of Law a great deale of bad tidings as I may speak they had a little good newes with a great deale of bad So Adam had a little good tidings The seed of the woman shall bruise the Servents head and there was bad tidings also there was the curse upon the Serpent and upon the woman the man the woman should bring forth in paine the man must eat his bread in the sweat of his browes And so in all the old Testament there was a little Gospel in the Prophecies and Gospel in the sacrifices and Gospel in the visions but abundance of law mingled with this Gospel the one spake sad tidings as well as the other did good for you know the Law spake curses and damnation to those that in every point did not observe it But in the new Testament especially after the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he went up to Heaven
Gospel quite contrary the proper object of all the good that the Gospel brings it is to a man quatinus as a sinner not as a regenerate man and a righteous man and a humble man but as a sinner And here is the excellency of the Gospel the more sinfull any man is the more sutable this Gospel is to him the more sin abounds grace abounds much more therefore you shall read Rom. 4. they that had the benefit of the Gospel they are called ungodly he that justifieth the ungodly They are called aliens Ephes. 2. they are called strangers and enemies and men without strength Rom. 5. they are called the chiefe of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 9. So to enemies aliens strangers lost people unrighteous ungodly and the like the Gospel brings perfect good newes and glad tidings of life and grace and salvation by Jesus Christ Now this in some measure you know but this that I tell you I feare you doe not know that the Ministery of the Gospel it is only good newes there is not one word of bad newes not one line not one sillable or tittle but only glad tidings sweet and good newes to the heart of the worst of sinners Therefore to shew you this truth a little more fully Before our Lord Christ went to Heaven there was some Gospel but there was much Law and as our Lord Christ was a Minister of the Gospel so he was of the circumcision as the Apostle calls him I mean before his resurrection yet it is said in Luk. 4. he took the booke of Isaiah and some think this was the first Sermon that ever he made and he read this place and opened it to the people The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because hee hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poore he hath sent me to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives to recover sight to the blinde to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord c. Beloved there is nothing in all this but only good newes glad tidings as that the poore should have salvation by Christ that the broken hearted should be healed that the Captives should be delivered that the blinde should receive their sight and that them that are bruised should be set at liberty and them that are slaves should have the yeare of Jubilee the acceptable yeare of the Lord there is not a tittle in all this but only good newes and glad tidings Take another place and that is Heb. 12. 18. there you shall have the difference between the old Testament and the new or between the Law and the Gospel if I may so speak the Law that is the administration of the Gospel in the time of the Law where there was a little good newes but mingled with a world of bad and terrible newes Yee are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of words which they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more For they could not endure that which was commanded And if so much as a beast touch the mountaine it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart Here is nothing but what is terrible and sad newes as a mountaine that was so terrible that it might not be touched when God did give his Law upon mount Horeb or mount Sinai and that mountaine all burning with fire If we see a house burning with fire it is terrible but to see a mountaine all over burning with fire and with blacknesse and darknesse and tempest too A fire though it be terrible yet there is somewhat comfortable because there is light but that fire was full of blackness and darknesse and darknesse is a sad thing And there was tempest and lightning and thunder and a voyce of words a voyce of terrible words that bid them doe such and such things that they had no power to doe and yet they must doe them or be damned It was terrible in so much that Moses himself that used to see God face to face said I quake exceedingly and if a beast touch the hill he must be stoned to death or thrust through with a dart Here was nothing but terrible objects in the administration of the old Testament in the giving of the Law upon mount Sinai But come to the new Testament of the Gospel as it is set up since Christ went to the holy of holies after his resurrection You are come now to mount Sion and that was a pleasant place if you take it according to the letter it was the pleasantest place about Jerusalem And you are come to the City of the living God to the heavenly Jerusalem And what a beautifull thing that is you may read in Revel. 20. and 21. a City with 12 gates and every gate a whole pearle And to innumerable companies of Angels Whether that be meant that now in the times of the Gospel God sends out Angels to minister to the Saints more frequently or diligently than formerly or as most men understand it Ye are now come to a myrd of Angels or to an innumerable company of Angels that is ye are come to an estate by Christ in the Gospel wherein you are at least equall with Angels And you are come to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne as if he should say you are come to a Church where all are Patriarches for the Patriarches were the first borne heretofore Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and they were honourable men Every Saint in the time of the Gospel is in as honourable and glorious a condition as any Patriarch you are not come to a Church of ordinary Saints but to the Church of the first borne whose names are written in heaven And you are come to the judge of all You will say that is a terrible thing No it is a blessed thing to see God in the light of the Gospel to be a judge Therefore in 2 Thes. 1. and divers other places he comforts the Saints in their persecutions and sufferings with this that God will come to judgement God is the Judge of all it is a comfortable thing And then you are come to the spirits of just men made perfect to such an assembly of Saints and Church of the first borne where the spirits of men are made perfect that is beyond my expression and conception there is a perfection of the Saints in their love and in their graces incomparably to that it was before And yee are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling You are come to such an estate and to such a Testament where Christ is the Intercessor and his blood speaks not as the blood of Abel it doth not cry for vengance but alway for grace and mercy from his father to
the Gospel brings tidings that when we receive Christ as wee must leave sin so we must set on the doing of good I must not be my owne Master as the Minister saith one while I must fast and another while I must pray and teach my Children and my Familie and this is a hard task an endlesse work I cannot beare it to pray every morning and evening c. I answer this is good newes Why because in the first place when the Gospel tells you any such thing the Gospel doth not bid you doe them or else you shall be damned as the Law did but the Gospel saith thus thou poore drunkard or thou proud woman here is a gracious God that hath loved thee and out of love hath sent Jesus Christ to die for thee and hath appointed his Ministers to make it known to thee and here is everlasting redemption and salvation by him only because thou art a sinner there is no other reason in the world now thou art safe free from damnation and hell feare not that that is gone Christ hath died to reconcile thee to God and Christ hath loved thee therefore obey him if not thou shalt not be damned that is done away alreadie Indeed the Law saith thou shalt be damned for not doing it but saith Christ in the Gospel I have died and have forgiven thee thy sins and if thou wilt be a Villane not respect my Father that hath loved thee and I that have died for thee so it is but if thou wilt obey me thou shalt be a good childe Thus the Gospel speaks now there is no bad newes for me to heare of my dutie to heare that the Lord Jesus Christ commands me when I see my salvation sure I worke not for life as those under the Law for the Law is a voyce of words it bids me doe this or that or I shal be damned and if I went a little awrie I should lose all my labour no I see my salvation is safe hell and damnation are shut out of doores God is my Father and I am his childe I am in an everlasting Covenant there is nothing in Heaven or Hell shall be able to separate me from the love of God Now I am redeemed from my enemies and without feare as the Scripture saith why should I not serve him and studie to doe what he commands me Besides admit the Gospel bids thee doe many things the Gospel also gives thee power to doe them It is not a voice of words as that on Mount Siuai Heb. 12. that is words that had a voice but no power thou shalt doe this and not that but it gave no strength and the people were not able to heare the word for they were bid not to commit adultery not to sweare not to steale and there was no strength but a voyce But the voyce of the Gospel is a voyce of power it is called The day of Gods power the power of God to salvation The Arme of God the strength of God Therefore whatsoever the Gospel commands it gives a sweet power to the heart to doe the same and then it is no bad newes If a man bid me pay a thousand pounds for my neighbour and give me a thousand pounds in my hand it is easie to doe it The Gospel bids me deny my selfe and subdue my lusts if it did give no power it were a terrible thing but if withall the Gospel carry the Spirit of Christ into the heart and kill sin and make me able to deny my selfe then it is good newes Besides the duties that the Gospel bids me doe they are few for number and easie for nature and for the end of them it is not for life and salvation that is safe there is no danger of that and there is a Spirit to them And also there is a sweetnesse in Gospel obedience that there is nothing on this side glory so Pleasing to the soule that hath believed as obeying of Jesus Christ Ro. 6. You have your reward in holines Godly men say that this is the meaning of it that holiness is a reward to it selfe the doing of good things is a reward to it selfe To say nothing of the reward hereafter that there is a Crowne of glory your labour is not in vaine in the Lord You that work for him but the very doing of Gospel dutie with a Gospel spirit it is no other than meate and drink Our Lord Christ Joh. 4. when he was hungrie and thirstie when hee was wearie one would have thought he might have done many things more pleasing than to be teaching a sillie woman when they came with meate hee would not leave that that he was doing I have meate saith he that you know not off who gave it thee said they Saith he It is my meate and drink to doe the will of him that sent me So when wee have the heart and the nature and the spirit of Christ it will be sweeter than meate and drink out of love to do any thing that Jesus Christ commands us Againe it may be some man will say the Gospel for the most part brings good newes but there is one thing in the Gospel that me thinks is no good newes to poore sinners saith a poore soule the Ministers use to preach and to tell me that the Law saith doe this and live and the Minister tells me that the Gospel saith believe and live he saith that there shall be all happinesse and good to me if I believe and saith the poor soule for my part it is as possible for me to keep the ten Commandments as to believe and the Ministers say that there is no good thing in the Gospel that I can partake of except I believe I would like it well but for that one thing I would but I cannot believe To answer this if the Gospel held forth Christ and salvation upon believing as many oft preach it were little better tidings than the Law for it is as easie for a man of himselfe to keep the ten Comandments by obeying as to believe of himself to have faith to receive Christ Therefore that is a misunderstanding of the Gospel the Gospel saith not bring faith with thee and then here is all grace salvation No for whence should I have faith whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh and what is of me is flesh and abominable to God therefore the Gospel expects not that any sinner should bring faith for he hath it not nay it is a sin to endeavour to have it of himselfe But the Gospel as it brings salvation so it breeds faith in the heart of a sinner The same word that makes known salvation the same word breeds and begets faith in the heart to receive it That God that gives his almes to us gives a purse to carry it that God that gives Physick to a poore soule will give a hand to receive it It were strange if
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
therefor though I see no good in me at all whereby I might receive good newes from the Law and though I doe not see that I am a humbled sinner as such a Preacher teacheth or a believing sinner or a broken hearted sinner as another Preacher saith yet I say I am a sinner and a sinner quasi a sinner is the proper object of the Gospel You will be off and on and never be knit to Christ but will be as a bone in and out till you come to that for if you goe and lay hold on Christ any other way in any other consideration that you are humbled sinners or broken hearted sinners or mortified sinners as soone as ever temptation tells you that you are not humbled enough you will be gone againe the bone will be out of joynt againe and so you will be as a reed tossed of the winde you will never be fastened to Christ whosoever holds Christ upon any qualifications on his side must let him goe one time or other As for instance if he thinke the Gospel be directed to broken heartednes and he can weep at a sermon to morrow his heart may be hard and then bee thinks he is a devill that was but now a Saint Therefore many Christians after many yeares Profession of Religion never felt their souls knit till God rightly and truly taught them this lesson but then they were knit to Christ and their soules were never in and out they were never loose more because they were able in all temptacions to retreat to this truth as a refuge For let the devil tell a man he is no Saint the soule can say I am a sinner if the devill say thou art an hypocrite I but an hypocrite is but a sinner I am a sinner still though I be not a broken hearted sinner so let the devill and hell say what they will they shall never beat him from that refuge And saith the soul being a sinner I am the proper object of grace and life and salvation in the Gospel and though I have no comfort as a Saint that I am in the Kingdome of Heaven yet at least I have comfort that I am a sinner and I may be there though I have no comfort that I am in yet I have comfort that I am neare and the doore is open though I be not a Siant I am a sinner and if I have no reall interest in Christ as a Saint yet I have interest in the promises of Christ as a sinner and though I can not serve God chearfully as a Saint yet I will serve God as comfortably as I can as one that may be a Saint In Matth. 13. It is said of the Merchant man he found the feild wherein was the treasure he rejoiced I remember a worthy man of this countrie he faith hee rejoyced not that he had found the pearle the treasure but he rejoyced that he was come neare a good bargaine he was come to the feild where it was so though I be not assured that I am a Saint yet a sinner may rightly receive this truth with joy as a sinner because he is neare a good bargaine This is the reason that you have many Professors that mislearne the first principles of religion of which this is the greatest they will never doe any thing for God but when they are assured of their salvation if there be the least doubt that the work of grace is not right they mope and will doe nothing for God but vex and fret and tug and when their qualifications are gone that they builded on then they think they are hypocrites and damned creatures and God shall have no service from them when other people that it may be have not fully assurance they are Saints not one day of three in the whole yeare yet there is a current and streame of obedience and love and delight in God in some measure and they goe on constantly though not so strongly doing and suffering his holy will Why because they have learned the Gospel aright they obey God in the notion of sinners saith the soule I see a great deale of love in God to poore sinners and the Gospel containes nothing but glad tidings to sinners and though I have nothing in me that may make me the childe of Christ yet the way is open therefore I will goe on with the work let him doe what he will Thus the soule is knit to Christ that come what will it will never be beaten off from Christ I never knew my owne soule knit to Christ till God had taught me this but it was off and on as a bone in and out a Saint to day and an Hypocrite to morrow to call God Father to day and Enemy tomorrow The Gospel is directed to a sinner quasi a sinner not as this or that sinner but as a sinnner there is the object of salvation This makes a Saint I say go with constancie if I cannot goe to Christ as a Saint yet I can as a sinner so he hath something that k epes him that he is not as many Professors that are ready to kill and hang and drowne themselves because they see the Gospel is made to Saints and they see they are not Saints then they are in a worse condition than sinners Learne this you that are Professors of Religion that are in and out that have spent ten or twentie or thirtie yeares and your soules are not knit to Christ begg of the Lord to teach you this lesson The next Lesson that I would teach you from the Lord is that this being so that in the administration of the New Testament or the Ministery of the Gospel there is nothing but glad tidings no object but what is amiable and good then all you that have received Jesus Christ let me exhort you to this labour to get up in you a perfect spirit of adoption my meaning is this you know there is a spirit of adoption and a spirit of bondage the spirit of adoption is a frame of heart a temper of spirit like that of a childe to his father And you know it is ordinary with the Saints that they have a little adoption they can cry Abba father a little and low and at sometimes but there is a great deale of the spirit of bondage mingled with it there are sometimes feares secret whisperings in the heart no thou art not right Christ is not in thee if he were it is impossible thou shouldest be so weak and so easily overcome and there will be some flaw in the heart and soakings in of guilt that will eat out a mans peace that sometimes he shall call God father and another while he will look strangely upon God and be afraid to come to God and be loath to goe upon his knees before him and be glad when he is got out of his presence there is a spirit of bondage mingled with the spirit of adoption Now in
the New Testament wee should labour for a full spirit of adoption What is that that is that there may be nothing in my heart towards God but pure love because in his dealing to me there is not a sillable but love and grace and glad tidings to me and my heart and life should be answerable For the reason of all the horrour that you finde in your hearts and all your feares and troubles that arise there they are from this error in your mindes this opinion that is not quite rooted out that there is in the Gospel administration some ill and bad tidings there is some love and some hatred some mercy and some wrath you think that it may be God is your father and it may be he is your enemie and that because you have sinned he will damne you to hell This is naturall and ordinary Now if you were convinced that there were nothing in the Gospel since our Lord Jesus is gone to heaven and is at the right hand of his Father there is nothing in his dispensation but love and mercy and no wrath hell and damnation and sin c. are all thrown away and if I be perfectly righteous and perfectly justified from all my sins if I have the spirit of Christ given me and am one with God for ever by an everlasting Covenant and shall have life and a Crowne of glory for ever and my sins shall not be laid to my charge O what a cleare and sweet spirit should I have in Gods service and not a muddie and dogged and froward spirit that ariseth from guilt soaking into the soule When I view this truth over and pull it by peice-meale and see that there is no gall nothing in the Gospel first or last but what is amiable and beautifull and blessed newes to sinners then there should follow this consideration why should there be any thing in my heart and spirit towards God but amiable thoughts and love c why should there be any of those coares of unbeliefe and distruct and feare and horrour Those mixtures of adoption and bondage Why should there be hellish feares or guilt in me since there is no wrath not anger at all in God Why should not the carriage of my heart be clear towards him as his is in his Sonne by the administration of the Gospel towards me Labour for a perfect spirit of adoption that you may not have any of those bublings of bondage in your spirits that now over take you and are twisted and woven with that little adoption that you have For who is there among us to this houre but when he comes before the Lord and hath a little smiling in his soule to see his favour and a little joy and delight to come at him and yet there is some feare and trembling as Peter when he was on the waves and what if God will not receive me c. Therefore studie to keep up the spirit of adoption It is a hard thing to keep up the temper of a childe in the soule especially when God lets a man fall into temptations and folly and weaknesse c. But though it be hard labour to keep up that temper at least thus much that thou never come to so low a condition which was the prayer of one that was a good man wherein thou can'st not with a full mouth and with a cleare heart call God father and thee his childe though the unhappiest and unworthiest childe If thou come below this if thou call on God with feare and canst not cry abba abba that is as much as daddie daddie as our babes use to say if thou doe not come so high thou art spoiled and undone desire God to teach you this Lesson also Thirdly if this be so that the Ministery of the Gospel is all glad tidings to the worst of sinners then I appeale to you all and let every man put his hand upon his owne breast and if this be a truth as I hope it hath been cleared you shall all be your own judges how just will the damnation of that sinner be that will not receive the Gospel If there were in the Gospel ridged tidings sad newes as people are apt to fancie to themselves then it were no wonder if one persecuted it and another despised it and another neglected it and another turned it into wantoness But when it comes in such a streame that there is nothing but love and light and salvation and grace and all freely laid down at the feet of a sinner for his receiving nay he shall have power and grace to receive it he shall have salvation and a vessell to carry it in judge how justly thy damnation will be in the last day man or woman whosoever thou art that settest thy selfe against the Gospel and wilt not receive salvation This is the reason why damnation comes out so rife in the new Testament it is scars ever mentioned in the old Testament that I know of damnation is not mentioned in the old Testament nor hell but as it is taken for the grave c. But when grace and the Gospel and life comes damnation comes at the heeles of it How can yee escape the damnation of hell Then comes the worme that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out The reason is because then damnation is proper Then when a man will not receive salvation not because he cannot no man is damned because he cannot receive Christ but because he will not receive this salvation and grace Therefore saith Christ Mat. 28. Goe preach the Gospel he that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned That is saith that godly Dr Preston go tell every wicked man this good newes that Christ hath brought salvation But it may be they will not believe what we say to them there is no more in the long and short but in a word tell them they shall be damned That is the reason in Mat. 22. where the Ministery of the Gospel is compared to a feast of dainties and one slights it and another despiseth it and another rejecteth it and when the Master of the feast came it is said he found one without a wedding garment and that the man was speechlesse he was as a man saith Beza with a halter about his neck faith hee goe Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth He was speechlesse he had nothing to say and truly I have had more experience lately than ever I had in my life I saw a man that was accounted all his life a professed Athiest and I was with him in the roome when one in the company opened the Gospel from one end to the other as I have endeavoured in my poore abilitie to doe now and all the riches and the salvation of it how free it is how there is no core nor nothing but what is
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
with the Gospel As to instance in a few many ministers undoe the soules of people I know this by experience that a Gospel-heart that is but weake in Gospel light and grace had rather lie a yeare in close prison than to be a yeare under a ministerie jumbling old and new together the Law and the Gospel for it routs and on sounds a poore soule As to preach terrour and damnation to a sinner qua a sinner properly as a sinner though we be called ministers of the Gospell yet this is a part of the ministerie of the Law for the Law brings curses for a sinner and blessings for him that doth well now when we quatinus as a sinner damme him and curse him we harden him and make him run further from God then before Secondly when men have drawen men to good or driven men from evil with judgments either spirituall or temporall this was the way of the ministery of the old testament When people shall take all the judgments of the old testament and perswade a man to do this or to take heed of that or else thou shalt have judgment fall upon thee and thou wilt bring judgment upon the Land Beloved this was the way of God certainly and the way of the ministery of the old testament but I never knew a saint avoid evil or doe good for feare of such judgments Therfore looke to thy owne experience men may play at dice with the word of God that way if a mans wayes like them not they may say they will bring judgment upon the Land as Independants or as such and such men but these are but bugbeares why because in the Gospel the saints are dilivered from the hands of their enemies that they may serve God with out feare they know that in God there is no cloud God may chasten and correct them out of love but there is no danger otherwise And then againe they are delivered from men they are not the servants of men I doe think for my part constantly that the mayne cause of all the divisions and stirrs and contentions among us is because there 's so much of the old testament in our ministery especially and our profession must be accordingly for our strength will be according to our meat And truly a man may be a Godly man and yet may be a minister of the old testament and if you take a man let him be a Godly man if his grace be bred in him by the ministery of the old testament and nourished in him by that and take another saint that hath grace planted and bred by the ministery of the Gospel and nourished by that the former man though he be godly must of necesity persecute the latter I pitty them when ministers rale against this man and against that and they know not why yet they may be Godly men Ishmael might be a Godly man for ought I know he was a type not of wicked men but of men under the old Covenant If ever you will have peace and comfort in the Land beg of God to remove an old testament spirit from our preachers from our prayers and our principals and to set up the new testament Jesus Christ in the Gospel and then certainly the promise shall be fulfilled we shall be all of one heart and one way and one mind but it will never be otherwise as long as some reach to the ministery of the new testament and others goe in the old as Ishmael and Isaak could not be reconciled no more will these I will conclude all only with this last word seeing it is cleare out of the word and so truly I hope you apprehend it through Gods grace that the whole Gospel is Good it is nothing but sweet and glad tidings to the worst of sinners much more to saints then I exhort you in the name of Jesus Christ that you receive this Gospel O there is no reason why thou shouldest be so shie of Christ when we speake faire and offer faire to your soules and beseech you earnestly and give you reasons why you should receive Christ you harken but a little and you goe away so shy there are some sinners still beloved there is no reason for it God deals plainly there is no tittle in the Gospel but it is really good and glad tidings to the worst of sinners therefore receive it What is that Indeavour to beleive it for the Lord Jesus that is the faithfull witnesse hath sayd it and children heretofore used to say it is as true as Gospel and though it be Gospel and truth yet you will not beleive it Then indeavour to imbrace it with joy and affection as in 1. Thess. 1. see how they received the Gospel in joy with much affliction What if it bring a little affliction with it that thou be jeared receive it with joy it is joyfull and glad tidings And then resigne thy self give thy self wholy up to walk according to this blessed Gospel and not to turne it into wantonnes or abuse it but that thou maiest give thy self bodie and soule as a living sacrifice to Jesus Christ that since he died for thee and hath given thee aboundant righteousnes and everlasting salvation and all blessed and glad tidings in it that thou maiest give thy self and all that thou hast and art freely to live to that Jesus Christ and to obey his blessed commands These are the uses that you and I should indeavour to make that this truth may remaine and abide with us that there is nothing in the whole ministery of the new testament but good tydings and glad newes to the worst of sinners FINIS An alphabeticall Table of the principall Heads contained in the foregoing SERMONS A ABuse see Liberty Accident Part. Page How men come to doe good by accident 1. 148 Adoption Spirit of adoption to be laboured for 2. 40 Full spirit of adoption wha 2. 41 Affliction see moderated Age Decency in regard of age 1. 82 All All what meant by it 1. 4 Angels Angels waite on the Saints 2. 18 Ascended Christ ascended into heaven 2. 16 B Backsliders Backsliders their course 1. 156 Baptisme Baptisme how appointed 1. 16 Baptisme the substance of it only set downe 1. 23 Baptisme the way to peace about it 1. 100 Manner of baptisme determined by the Magistrate 1. 108 Baptisme doubted of by some 1. 141. Believed Believing Believing in Christ what 1. 36 Gospel to be believed 2. 54 Binde Not to binde others where Christ hath not bound them 1. 59 Bishops Bishops their practice 1. 48 Bondage Spirit of bondage whence 1. 52 Brethren Expedient actions bring good to our brethren 1. 70 Burthen Religion presented by some as a burthen 1. 145 C Scripture not all delivered in Canons 1. 167 Carnall see outward Freedome from Ceremonies 1. 14 Why men run from Christ 1. 26 See sinners Spouse minde Christian see spirituall Question excellent The Church may