and sense of the love of God will have the greater influence because it usually finds us in sorrow doubting whether ever favour will be extended towards such as we fearing we are cast-awayes Now when in this doleful darkness the light of Gods countenance is lifted up and he shews his reconciled face oh how do our affections work towards him The Prodigal who came home with a sad and doubtful mind when he found himself in his Fathers armes when he saw thaâ— so long absence and great exorbitancies had not extinguish'd his Fathers love surely the workings of his love towards his Father again were beyond expression 2. Assurance of peace will fill you with joy and wonder You will admire to see how the case is altered with you a while ago you were strangers now friends and favourites a while ago you had not obtained mercy but now you have obtained mercy a while ago dead in sin but now you have attained to the first resurrection and so are some of those happy ones over whom the second death hath no power a while ago the children of wrath and sons of death now adopted the children of God and the heirs of glory Well may your hearts rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you This joy is not like that of the carnal and ungodly 't is built upon a surer foundation affliction cannot damp it and the thoughts of death and judgment which quite spoil the mirth of the wicked will but highten and increase it it being an earnest of that fulness of joy which after dissolution will be entred into 3. Assurance of peace will mightily engage you unto thankfulness This is one reason certainly why David is called a man after the heart of God because he was so much in praise And assurance will make you abound in thanksgiving Unbelieving doubts and fears cause us to be possessed with a dumb devil so that though our receipts are vast our returns are small We misconstrue mercies and say they are common to hypocrites and that they are given in anger to us and will serve only to increase both our sin and punishment But when we know that our peace is made we shall also know our interest in those blessings which are peculiar to Gods chosen ones and as for outward mercies they will be very much sweetned because coming not only from the hand but from the heart of God and hereupon we shall be the more forward to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13. 15. 4. Assurance of peace will quicken you to duty and make you stedfast in obedience With what forwardness will you pray when you know you shall be heard with what willingness will you engage in other Ordinances when you know that God will meet with you in them When you attend upon the ministry of the Word the Lord himself hath engaged to be your instructer when you come to the table he will certainly make you welcome and will be not only the inviter but the feast likewise Your expectations may be justly raised and you shall not be ashamed of them What encouragement doth this afford Add also when you know that you are reconciled to God and have had a sight and taste how good and gracious he is you will cleave to him with the fuller purpose of heart you will find so much sweetness in him that all the delights of sin and the world which Satan doth so much magnifie in his temptations will be but cheap and mean in comparison 5. Assurance of peace will set you above the fears of affliction and of death Then you will be able to make application of that supporting truth unto your selves That all chastisements are from love â—â—d tend unto your holiness and profit â—eb 12. 6 10. and this will keep you from fainting and dismayedness of Spirit Nay death it self will rather be desired then feared when you know it will admit you into the Lords presence from whom while in the body you are absent when you know that as soon as this earthly house of your tabernacle shall be dissolved you shall have a building of God â—n house not made with hands eternal in â—he heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. USE IV. Of Direction how peace may be kept and maintained 1. Let not your hearts be lifted up with pride after the Lord hath manifested himself to you Pride is a great enemy to peace God revives and comforts the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones Isai 57. 15. Those who observe the workings of their own souls shall find after Gods manifesting himself that pride is commonly one of the first sins which assaults them The Apostle after the abundance of revelations was in great danger of being exalted above measure therefore the messenger of Satan is sent to buffet him that this self-exalting might be prevented Oh do not think highly of your selves do not censure and undervalue others the more low you are in your own eyes your joy and peace will be the more abiding 2. Be watchful even against little sins These will dead the heart and grieve the Spirit causing him to suspend his sweet influences and make way for greater Little sins have their peculiar aggravations How inexcusable are we when we stand with God about a small matter and refuse to do a little for him Mispence of a little time a little excess in using of the creatures a little frothiness of mind the smaller stirrings of pride and passion and such like which are more commonly to be found in professors you must beware of else these lesser sins to your cost and sorrow will be found great enough to interrupt and break your peace 3. Especially take heed of gross transgressions which waste the Conscience When David would needs feed upon forbidden pleasures he lost his peace and the joy of Gods salvation Psal 51. Grosser falls do break the bones and raise a new storm in the Conscience where before a calm was By these you will not only cause the Lords enemies to reproach religion but also your own hearts to reproach you Oh therefore cry Vphold me continually with thy free Spirit and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 4. Do the work of the Lord diligently God doth most constantly manifest himself to those who most constantly seek and search for him with their whole heart Jer. 29. 13. Never offer unto God a sacrifice but let it have sound inwards The Psalmist tells us That the Lords countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. ult When we are sincere and serve him with our whole soul then he shews his face and in his looks we may read his love and through Christ his accepting of us 5. Let your design in begging the continuance of peace be this that hereby you may be encouraged to do more for God and to cleave the closer to him Aim at his
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
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