The wells of salvation opened, or, Words whereby we may be saved

Whatever peaceable disposition he taught, and his Gospel doth work in the heart where it prevails, yet accidentally it causeth division, and stirreth up to opposition in those that will not yield obedience thereunto; and therefore the world hate and contend with his Disciples, because he hath chosen them out of the world; wicked men have an enmity in their hearts against Believers, and will not be at Peace with them. But Christ preached Peace with God. Christ came from Heaven to bring this glad tidings to earth, that the God of Heaven was willing to be at Peace with sinful men. It would not have been an easy thing to have made sinners believe (especially if they had been convinced of sin, how heinous it is in its own nature, how highly it affronts and provokes the highest Majesty; if they had been awakened with a sense of the dreadfulness of the punishment which God hath threatened, and they had deserved for their sins) that so great and holy a God should be willing to put up all affronts, and forgive all iniquities, and be at Peace with sinners; yea, that he should seek after it: They might have questioned not only how this could be, but also how any could have known it: But to put all out of doubt, Christ the eternal Son of God hath come forth from Heaven, declaring what he hath heard of the Father, and hath made known this, that God is willing to be at peace with us. Christ was sent from the King of Glory upon the Embassage of Peace, and he preached Peace therefore unto men; ⟨p. 51⟩not unto all men, for Isa. 57.21. There is no Peace to the wicked; that is, to such as are impenitent and senseless of their sins, and go on still in their trespasses. Christ threatened the wicked as severely as John Baptist; he tells the impenitent that they should perish, Luk 13.3. and the unbelievers, that they should die in their sins, Joh. 8.24. And he calls the hypocritical Pharisees (who persevered in their opposition of him and his ways) Serpents and Vipers that could not escape the damnation of Hell, Matth. 23.33. But Christ preached Peace to all that repented, were troubled for their sins; that mourned and turned; that believed and yielded up themselves to the obedience of the Gospel. He preached the Gospel to the poor, to the bruised and broken, that is, such as were sensible of their sins, and their need of a Saviour,