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

There is many that will agree to do such a thing beforehand: but when it comes to be done (if they see there will be any difficulty in it, and that they shall endure some hardship) they hang back. But Christ had agreed from all eternity with his Father, that at such a time he would come into the world, and take the nature of man upon him, and be in the form of a servant, and be made a curse for mans sins, and all that ⟨p. 352⟩he might reconcile sinners unto himself. This was the agreement. Now the time approaches for him to come, and undertake this great work; when the time came, Observe now how Christs heart was in it. He did not hang back; he did not repent him of the Covenant: But I come, I come, (saith Christ) as we use to express our selves when we are called to do a thing that we love to do; we say; I come I come: now the time is come for you to do that which you undertook to do; to go into the world, to take the nature of man; be made in form of a Servant, and to bear my wrath and to satisfy my Justice for the sin of man. I come, I come saith Christ and he doth not only come: but come with delight to do thy Will, and what was this will? It was that Christ should be humbled to the death of the Cross, Though I knew it would cost my life: yet I delight to do it: because my heart is so much set upon reconciling Sinners unto thy self, and not only so but thy Law is in my heart, it hath gotten a deep impression in my heart; thy Law; that i•, that Law of thine whereby I am tied to this that I have undertaken; for it is within my heart, in the very midst of my bowels that I should do it. And then Fourthly [Mine ears hast thou opened] the words are; mine ears hast thou bored. The meaning of that Phrase must be understood by comparing it that way which was of God in the time of the Law, commanding that if a servant would not go out of his service in the years of Jubilee that his master should take an awl, and boar his ear and so he should be a servant forever. This Phrase hath allusion to that; as if Christ should say thus, I am content that I might do this work to be as a servant whose ear is bored, who must be a servant for ever: so saith Christ, that I might accomplish the work of reconciling sinners to thy self, I am content to be as a servant whose ear is bored: thereby signifying; that he would be willing to listen to any thing that should be commanded him.

There is many that wil agree to do such a thing beforehand: but when it comes to be done (if they see there wil be any difficulty in it, and that they shal endure some hardship) they hang back. But Christ had agreed from al eternity with his Father, that at such a time he would come into the world, and take the nature of man upon him, and be in the form of a servant, and be made a curse for mans sins, and al that