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

1. then from this point; that God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himself. Hence is presented before us the woeful misery that sin hath brought us into. There is nothing that sets out the Breach between God and man so much as this. That the making up of that Breach must be in Christ. There is a great question now on foot. Whether humiliation be necessary or no; whether men must be made sensible of their natural condition, and so be humbled, and that way be brought unto Jesus Christ. There are a great many that Catch hold upon the abuse of this Humiliation so as wholly to exclude it (but exceeding ignorantly) because that some would make humiliation as if it were a Condition of the Covenant, which indeed it is not; and when they hear us say, that it is not a Condition; they presently Conclude that there is no need at all of it; because say they, Humiliation doth not at all interest us in Jesus Christ. And because some perhaps will trust two much in their Humiliation, and rely upon it, therefore others will wholly take it away, and exclude it. But: though humiliation is not the Condition of the Covenant, though it is not that which doth give us an interest in Jesus Christ; though it is not that which we are to rely upon; yet there is very much need of humiliation, and that we be made sensible of our lost Condition by sin; and by that which hath been delivered you may see a necessity of it: for Consider; I suppose if you believe that God will pardon your sins, and that he will be Reconciled ⟨p. 108⟩unto you, you believe it is in Christ: Yea, you will say, that is Certain; and therefore seeing Christ hath wrought our Reconciliation what need we be humbled for sin. Certainly my Brethren in that which you say, if you understand what you say, there is implied the deepest work of humiliation, and the strongest argument thereunto that it is possible for any Creature to be Capable of in this world. How is that, you will say? Thus. I believe that God is reconciled to me in Christ; what? hath God wrought my reconciliation in his Son? hath he brought it about by Jesus Christ? and chosen that way above all other ways to do it? Then certainly such was the Breach between God and me through my sin that all the Angels in Heaven, and all the men in the world could never make it up.

1. then from this point; that God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himselfe. Hence is presented before us the woful misery that sin hath brought us into. There is nothing that sets out the Breach between God and man so much as this. That the making up of that Breach must be in Christ. There is a great question now on foot. Whether humiliation be necessary or no; whether men must be made senssible of their natural condition, and so be humbled, and that way be brought unto Jesus Christ. There are a great many that Catch hold upon the abuse of this Humiliation so as wholly to exclude it (but exceeding ignorantly) because that some would make humiliation as if it were a Condition of the Covenant, which indeed it is not; and when they heare us say, that it is not a Condition; they presently Conclude that there is no need at al of it; because say they, Humiliation doth not at al interest us in Jesus Christ. And because some perhaps wil trust two much in their Humiliation, and rely upon it, therefore others wil wholly take it away, and exclude it. But: though humiliation is not the Condition of the Covenant, though it is not that which doth give us an interest in Jesus Christ; though it is not that which we are to rely upon; yet there is very much need of humiliation, and that we be made sensible of our lost Condition by sin; and by that which hath been delivered you may see a necessity of it: for Consider; I suppose if you beleive that God wil pardon your sins, and that he wil be Reconciled