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

Secondly: Hence then it concerns us all to look about us while we live in this world; that there may be some work of God upon our hearts while we are here; that while we live in this world, we may be reconciled unto him; for if the third of our life be once cut asunder, and we be no longer in this world, but go out of it without being reconciled unto God; we are undone creatures for ever. We say of men when they are dying; alas such a one is now no man for this world; well, they had need then to look to themselves that the work of Reconciliation be done before, for when thou art no longer in this world, then thou art gone for ever. O, then apply thy self to this work whilst thou hast time, and take hold of the means, and opportunities which God affords unto thee while thou art a man of this world, loose it not; and know, it is a great mercy of ⟨p. 171⟩God to thee to continue thee in this world; because here thou art under the power of grace; thou art under that general grace of God that is indefinitely tendered unto every man; under that grace which hath fallen upon as great Sinners as thou art; and therefore so long as there is life there is hope. This point I have divers times made use of; to show, that this time of our lives, is the time of grace, and salvation; and it follows naturally, and fully from the expression in the text; therefore I shall leave it. Only let me tell you thus much, That though God expresseth this grace of Reconciliation here to the world; yet if ever thou beest actually, and indeed reconciled to God, before thou dost leave the world, God will make thee to be a man no more of this world, and though thou art in the world, yet thou shalt not be of the world but above the world. Therefore in john 17. you shall find when Christ speaks of those that his father had given unto him, and had believed on him; he sayeth verse 14. and 16. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the World, even as I am not of the world; I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that shouldest keep them from the evil. It's true, when men have believed on Christ, they are in the world, and Christ doth not pray that God should take them out of the world, but preserve them in the world. It should teach us by the way, to be content to live in the world though it be a dangerous, and an evil world;