Gospel reconciliation, or, Christ's trumpet of peace to the world

Consequence. 3

when he thinks of the greatness of the work, what it is to be reconciled unto God, he trembles, and shaketh in himself, fearing it were to good news to be true, and least it were not certain and sure. Yea, but when he comes to understand what God hath done for the accomplishment of that work, how God not only hath promised it; but we can say now, that it is done, that the Lord hath indeed sent his Son into the world and that he is made man, and that he hath been under the Curse of God for mans sin, and he hath been Crucified dead and buried, and is ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the father, and all those glorious Mysteries of the Gospel (spoken of in the Old Testament) are now fulfilled, and accomplished; when a sinner comes to understand this, O! then he thinks, surely there is a certainty, a sureness in this work of Reconciliation with God. And as when Jacob heard that Joseph his Son (whom he loved) was yet alive, the Text saith, the heart of the old man failed, he did not believe it, he thought it was two good to be true; But when his other Sons came and showed him the Chariots that Joseph had sent, and gave ⟨p. 95⟩him such real demonstration of the thing; not only that he was a live, but that he was the greatest man in Egypt, and next unto Pharaoh himself; then the text saith; that the Spirit of Jacob revived, and he said, is Joseph my son a live? I have enough: So when a Sinner that comes to be made sensible of the evil of sin, and the greatness, and wideness of that Breath that is between God and him; when he comes and hears one preach of the Doctrine of Reconciliation, and of Atonement between God and the Soul, and how that all his Sins may be pardoned, and God may become an entire friend unto him, and he come to be saved, and glorified eternally in the highest Heavens: The hearts of a poor Sinner begins to fail; but when he can tell him what great things God hath done to bring this work about; that God hath in his infinite wisdom found out such a glorious way for reconciliation, that he hath sent his son, and he is become man, and hath been under the wrath of his father, and Satisfied for mans Sin, and died, and shed his blood, and is now ascended into Heaven, and is at the right hand of the Father, and an Advocate, and an intercessor;

when he thinks of the greatness of the work, what it is to be reconciled unto God, he trembles, and shaketh in hmself, fearing it were to good news to be true, and least it were not certain and sure. Yea, but when he comes to understand what God hath done for the accomplishment of that work, how God not only hath promised it; but we can say now, that it is done, that the Lord hath indeed sent his Son into the world and that he is made man, and that he hath been under the Curse of God for mans sin, and he hath been C•ucified dead and buried, and is ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the father, and al those glorious Mysteries of the Gospel (spoken of in the Old Testament) are now fulfilled, and accomplished; when a sinner comes to understand this, O! then he thinks, surely there is a certainty, a sureness in this work of Reconciliation with God. And as when Jacob heard that Joseph his Son (whom he loved) was yet alive, the Text saith, the heart of the old man failed, he did not beleeve it, he thought it was two good to be true; But when his other Somes came and shewed him the Charriots that Joseph had sent, and gave ⟨p. 95⟩him such real demonstration of the thing; not only that he was a live, but that he was the greatest man in Egipt, and next unto Pharoah himselfe; then the text saith; that the Spirit of Jacob revived, and he said, is Joseph my sone a live? I have enough: So when a Siner that comes to be made sensible of the evil of sin, and the greatnes, and widenes of that Breath that is between God and him; when he comes and hears one preach of the Doctrine of Reconciliation, and of Attonement between God and the Soul, and how that al his Sins may be pardoned, and God may become an intire frind unto him, and he come to be saved, and glorified eternally in the higest Heavens: The hearts of a poore Sinner beginns to fail; but when he can tel him what great things God hath done to bring this work about; that God hath in his infinite wisdome found out such a glorious way for reconciliation, that he hath sent his son, and he is become man, and hath been under the wrath of his father, and Satisfied for mans Sin, and died, and shed his blood, and is now assended into Heaven, and is at the right hand of the Father, and an Advocate, and an interscessor;

upon this, the sinner may come to believe that there is a reality in the thing, a Certainty in this work of reconciliation. My Brethren, the work of reconciliation, is a Sure thing indeed: it is not a notion, fancy, or an imagination, but there is a reality. and a certainty in it; and all this follows from hence; that it is [in Christ:] we could never be so ertain of the thing, except we had these real demonstrations of Gods heart towards us. Suppose God had sent an Angel from Heaven to preach to the Children of men the Doctrine of reconciliation, and to tell them, that God was wiling to be reconciled unto them; alas, this could never be made out to be so Certain unto them; but still the hearts of poor Sinners would have been afraid, and would have thought, surly whatsoever is said unto us, is but a little to quiet us for the present; certainly the ⟨p. 96⟩matter is not so, as it is declared unto us, this would not have been so certain, though an Angel from Heaven had declared it; but when God shall please to give this evidence to us of his heart being towards us, and of his willingness to be reconciled unto us, that he hath wrought so strangely for us in sending the second Person in trinity to be made man, and him to do thus, and thus to work out this work of Reconciliation: Upon this we may come certainly to conclude: that the heart of God is real in the wo•k. In Rom: 4.16. we have an expression to this purpose; therefore it is of faith saith the Apostle: it is: what is that? that is the promise of life and peace; for of that the Apostle is speaking in that place: It is of faith; why? that it might be by grease, so the end the promise might be sure. Mark here these two properties of our reconciliation with God, We are reconciled in Christ. Upon that, first it follows that it is a great mystery. And then secondly, that therefore it is free; [therefore] (saith he) it is of faith that it might be free. It is of faith; as if he should say; it is from God in Christ; for faith doth relate always unto Christ: It is of faith; that is of faith in Christ: that it might be by grease. as if it had not been by faith; if it were by any works that we should do, then it were not free; it were not by grace; but it is by faith in Christ, that it might be by grace. And then secondly: it is of faith in Christ, to the end that the promise might be sure you will say:

upon this, the sinner may come to beleeve that there is a reallity in the thing, a Certainty in this worke of reconciliation. My Brethren, the work of reconciliation, is a Sure thing indeed: it is not a notion, fancy, or an imagination, but there is a reality. and a certainty in it; and al this follows from hence; that it is [in Christ:] we could never be so ertain of the thing, except we had these real demonstrations of Gods heart towrads us. Suppose God had sent an Angel from Heaven to preach to the Children of men the Doctrin of reconciliation, and to tel them, that God was wiling to be reconcilied unto them; alas, this could never be made out to be so Certain unto them; but stil the hearts of poore Siners would have been afraid, and would have thought, surly whatsoever is said unto us, is but a little to quiet us for the present; certainly the ⟨p. 96⟩mater is not so, as it is declared unto us, this would not have been so certain, though an Angel from Heaven had declared it; but when God shal please to give this evidence to us of his heart being towards us, and of his willingnes to be reconciled unto us, that he hath wrought so strangly for us in sending the second Person in trinity to be made man, and him to do thus, and thus to worke out this work of Reconciliation: Upon this we may come certainly to conclude: that the heart of God is real in the wo•k. In Rom: 4.16. we have an expression to this purpose; therefore it is of faith saith the Apostle: it is: what is that? that is the promise of life and peace; for of that the Apostle is speaking in that place: It is of faith; why? that it might be by greace, so the end the promise might be sure. Mark here these two properties of our reconciliation with God, Wee are reconciled in Christ. Upon that, first it follows that it is a great mistry. And then secondly, that therfore it is free; [therfore] (saith he) it is of faith that it might be free. It is of faith; as if he should say; it is from God in Christ; for faith doth relate alwaies unto Christ: It is of faith; that is of faith in Christ: that it might be by greace. as if it had not been by faith; if it were by any works that we should do, then it were not free; it were not by grace; but it is by faith in Christ, that it might be by grace. And then secondly: it is of faith in Christ, to the end that the promise might be sure you wil say:

would it not be sure though it had not been by faith? suppose God had only sent an Angel (as I hinted before) would it not have been sure? No, not so sure as now it is; for in that it is by faith upon Christ, we have Christ to pitch upon as the Object of our faith for our reconciliation with God, and by that it comes to be more sure then it cold be by any other way. We cannot conceive that it were possible for the Lord by any way to reveal the reality of his heart, and the certainty of his work in reconciling the world to himself so as by this means, in that he hath revealed it to be in ⟨p. 97⟩Chirst. And that is the Third thing that follows from it.

would it not be suer though it had not been by faith? suppose God had only sent an Angel (as I hinted before) would it not have been sure? No, not so sure as now it is; for in that it is by faith upon Christ, we have Christ to pitch upon as the Object of our faith for our reconciliation with God, and by that it coms to be more sure then it cold be by any other way. We cannot conceive that it were possible for the Lord by any way to reveale the reallity of his heart, and the certainty of his work in reconciling the world to himself so as by this means, in that he hath reavled it to be in ⟨p. 97⟩Chirst. And that is the Third thing that follows from it.

Consequence. 4.

The Fourth thing from thence is this. That if it be in Christ, then as it is sure; so it is full. Indeed were it in any other way that God did reveal Reconciliation to us then in Christ, we might be afraid that there were something in the heart of God against it, that the heart of God did not fully close with us, & to be fully Reconciled with us: but when we hear what God hath done to Reconcile us to himself; what a price he hath paid for it, what cost he hath been at to accomplish it, and that his own Son hath undertaken to bring us and the Father together, and so to make up this Reconciliation; then we may conclude it a full, and perfect Reconciliation. Jesus Christ would never undertake such a work, but he would Complete it, and he hath Completed it; and therefore when you hear this word of the Gospel that we are Reconciled to God in Christ, we may conclude, that the work is a full, and a complete work, because it is done in him. That is another Consequence.

The Fourth thing from thence is this. That if it be in Christ, then as it is sure; so it is full. Indeed were it in any other way that God did reveal Reconciliation to us then in Christ, we might be afraid that there were something in the heart of God against it, that the heart of God did not fully close with us, & to be fully Reconciled with us: but when we hear what God hath done to Reconcile us to himself; what a price he hath paid for it, what cost he hath been at to accomplish it, and that his own Son hath undertaken to bring us and the Father together, and so to make up this Reconciliation; then we may conclude it a full, and perfect Reconciliation. Jesus Christ would never undertake such a work, but he would Compleat it, and he hath Compleated it; and therefore when you hear this word of the Gospel that we are Reconciled to God in Christ, we may conclude, that the work is a ful, and a compleat work, because it is done in him. That is another Consequence.

Consequence. 5.

Further, if the Reconciliation we have with God be in Christ: hence in the Fifth place it follows, that God is Reconciled unto man upon very honourable terms, it is an honourable Reconciliation, for it is such a Reconciliation wherein God suffers nothing at all, but he hath all made up. If God had come, and only passed by our offences, and so had been reconciled to us without any more ado, the Devils perhaps might have cried out against him, and have said: Where is the glory of thy Justice? these have sinned against thee as well as we, and the Breach they have made upon thy Justice is no way made up; thou hast been by them dishonoured, and that ⟨p. 98⟩dishonour that thou hast received by them is no way answered. But now, Man being reconciled to God in Christ; none of the Devils in Hell can speak against Gods Justice, or against his Righteousness; for as God is Reconciled, so he is Reconciled upon honourable terms. Indeed a man that hath an inferior who hath offended him, when he can see no other way to help himself; but that he must put up all the wrong, and injury that hath bin done him. It is a far different thing, then to be reconciled to the party offending upon honourable terms; for if he could come to have this wrong made up again, and not only he that hath offended come to submit himself to him but all the injury that he hath done him fully satisfied; this were honourable. So is the Reconciliation between God and us, it is so honourable a Reconciliation, that it will be the glory of God before the Angels, and Saints to all Eternity and it is that which God doth much rejoice in, as being exceedingly pleased with it, seeing his honour is made up in this Reconciliation. That is a fifth Consequence from hence.

Further, if the Reconciliation we have with God be in Christ: hence in the Fifth place it follows, that God is Reconciled unto man upon very honorable tearms, it is an honorable Reconciliation, for it is such a Reconciliation wherein God suffers nothing at all, but he hath all made up. If God had come, and only passed by our offences, and so had been reconciled to us without any more ado, the Devils perhaps might have cried out against him, and have said: Where is the glory of thy Justice? these have sinned against thee as wel as we, and the Breach they have made upon thy Justice is no way made up; thou hast been by them dishonored, and that ⟨p. 98⟩dishonor that thou hast receivd by them is no way answered. But now, Man being reconciled to God in Christ; none of the Devils in Hell can speak against Gods Justice, or against his Righteousness; for as God is Reconciled, so he is Reonciled upon honorable tearms. Indeed a man that hath an inferior who hath offended him, when he can see no other way to help himself; but that he must put up al the wrong, and injury that hath bin done him. It is a far different thing, then to be reconciled to the party offending upon honorable terms; for if he could come to have this wrong made up again, and not only he that hath offended come to submit himself to him but all the injury that he hath done him fully satisfied; this were honorable. So is the Reconciliation between God and us, it is so honorable a Reconciliation, that it wil be the glory of God before the Angels, and Saints to al Eternity and it is that which God doth much rejoyce in, as being exceedingly pleased with it, seeing his honor is made up in this Reconciliation. That is a fifth Consequence from hence.

Consequence. 6.

Sixthly: Followeth this; If we be reconciled to God in Christ, Hence our Reconciliation is in such a way as doth altogether debase man; and though it be upon honourable terms; yet it is in a way, wherein man hath no cause to glory in himself: It is the greatest way for the lowing, and humbling of man that possibly can be there could be no way devised, wherein man should be reconciled to God, and yet be abased so much, as he is in this way of Reconciliation, when he truly Considereth it. For it is true, we are reconciled, but how? we began it not our selves, we did nothing in it our selves, all was done by Christ: therefore in Rom. 3.27. saith the Apostle; where is boasting? It is excluded; by what Law? of works? no, but by the Law of Faith. God ⟨p. 99⟩(indeed) hath done great things for us, but all that which is done for us, is not thankworthy to our selves; it was all done without us. God was [in Christ] Reconciling the world, to himself; and therefore though it is in honourable terms (in respect of God) yet, when we seriously Consider of it, we have ground, and Cause sufficient to be abased in our selves; even to the very dust. And then.

Sixtly: Followeth this; If we be reconciled to God in Christ, Hence our Reconciliation is in such a way as doth altogether debase man; and though it be upon honorable tearms; yet it is in a way, wherein man hath no cause to glory in himselfe: It is the greatest way for the lowing, and humbling of man that posibly can be there could be no way devised, wherein man should be reconciled to God, and yet be abased so much, as he is in this way of Reconciliation, when he truly Considereth it. For it is true, we are reconciled, but how? we began it not our selves, we did nothing in it our selves, al was done by Christ: therefore in Rom. 3.27. saith the Apostle; where is bousting? It is excluded; by what Law? of works? no, but by the Law of Faith. God ⟨p. 99⟩(indeed) hath done great things for us, but al that which is done for us, is not thankworthy to our selves; it was al done without us. God was [in Christ] Reconciling the world, to himselfe; and therfore though it is in honorable tearms (in respect of God) yet, when we seriously Consider of it, we have ground, and Cause sufficient to be abased in our selves; even to the very dust. And then.

Consequence, 7.

Yet further. Our Reconciliation being in Christ; Hence it follows: That it is a most firm, and lasting Reconciliation, an everlasting Reconciliation; as it is in Christ, here is the ground of the Everlastingness of it; Hence it is, that there is nothing can make a Breach again between God, and us, so as we should become Enemies again unto him; so that when we understand this Reconciliation with these properties, and Consequences; then we understand aright what it is to be Reconciled unto God.

Yet further. Our Reconciliation being in Christ; Hence it follows: That it is a most firme, and lasting Reconciliation, an everlasting Reconciliation; as it is in Christ, here is the ground of the Everlastingness of it; Hence it is, that there is nothing can make a Breach again between God, and us, so as we should become Enimies againe unto him; so that when we understand this Reconciliation with these properties, and Consequences; then we understand aright what it is to be Reconciled unto God.

Consequence 8.