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

When they shall through their weakness think that that sin they fall into, or are overtaken with, doth presently cause an enmity between God, and them. I make no question but there are many souls that God is reconciled unto, and sometimes have had some comfort in the assurance of this reconciliation, and yet if at any time they be but overcome with the sinful distempers of their hearts, they presently think, that this puts an enmity between God, and them again, and they begin to look upon God as upon their enemy, and think that all the peace is broken between God, and them, and this makes such a Breach between God, and them, as that all that God hath done, is undone again, and now they think that God is against them in all his ways, and contrary ⟨p. 124⟩unto them as unto an enemy. It's true, Carnal hearts that do not understand what the difficulty is of making peace with God; or what a breach it is that sin makes between God, and the soul; they can sin, and sin, and sin, and yet think God will be merciful to them still, and never look upon their sin as enmity unto God, or upon God as an enemy unto them in regard of their sin. But take a poor soul that understands what sin is, and hath found it a hard thing to make peace between God, and himself, as soon as any sin overcomes such a soul, the daily weaknesses many times make him think that God is an enemy to him; and however he had good hopes before, yet the breach is again as wide, if not wider between God, and him as ever it was. Now by this know, you do dishonour much the great work of God in Christ in the point of Reconciliation. surely it is as great a dishonour as you can cast upon Christ; when he hath come to make Reconciliation between God, and you, and when he hath undertaken it, and done it so throughly as he hath; and when it cost him his very life to do it, yet when you apprehend this Reconciliation to be no otherwise, but that upon any offence, you think all is undone again: truly this were but a very poor Reconciliation. Suppose two that were at odds one with another, and a great breach hath been made between them; another comes and reconciles these two for the present, but yet so as that the one shall watch the other, to take an advantage against the other, so as if there be but the least offence committed, they shall be as great enemies one to another as before; this were but a poor Reconciliation.

When they shal through their weakness think that that sin they fall into, or are overtaken with, doth presently cause an enmity between God, and them. I make no question but there are many souls that God is reconciled unto, and somtimes have had some comfort in the assurance of this reconciliation, and yet if at any time they be but overcome with the sinful distempers of their hearts, they presently think, that this puts an enmity between God, and them again, and they begin to look upon God as upon their enemy, and think that all the peace is broken between God, and them, and this makes such a Breach between God, and them, as that al that God hath done, is undone again, and now they think that God is against them in all his waies, and contrary