3. The publishing, declaring, and making of it known, by way of proclamation. The great God that might have kept sinners in bonds for ever, and in prison for ever; doth pass an act of grace, and sent his own Son into the World, to proclaim liberty to spiritual bond-men; proclamation hath been made by Christ himself, that prisoners may be released, that those that are bound in Chains may have their fetters knocked off, and such as have been taken Captive by the Devil, the common enemy of man's salvation may be set at Liberty; and the Ministers of the Gospel are given by Christ, and sent by him as the Heralds of the great King of Heaven and Earth, to proclaim pardon to the penitent, healing to the Wounded, ease to the burdened, liberty to the captives: This Christ did in person in the days of his flesh upon earth, Joh. 7.37; and now the Ministers of Christ do proclaim the same things in Christ's stead, 2. Cor. 5, 18, 19, 20, Cyrus King of Persia, put forth a proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to give liberty to the captive Jews, to go back unto Jerusalem, to build the House of the Lord, saying, Who is there among you of all his people, ⟨p. 13⟩people, the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up, 2 Chron. 36.22, 23. So the Lord, the King of Nations, hath made a proclamation, and put it in writing, and commands his Servants to go up and proclaim, Return, ye sinners unto me, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord God, and I will not keep anger for ever, Jer. 3.12. I might be angry with you, as long as I am God; but if you will repent and turn, I will not. I might pour out my wrath upon you for ever; but if you will forsake your wicked ways, Iniquity shall not be your ruin, Ezek. 18.30, 31. Isa. 55.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7. Who is there among you, that are weary of the service of sin? you Might be received into better service, and have a better reward. Who is there among you, that are weary of your Chains and Fetters? be but willing and you shall be freed from them. Who is there among you, that hath lain long in the Goal of Satan, in the filthy darksome dungeon of an unconverted state? behold Christ is come to open the prison doors; Go ye forth, come away, sinners, come away, not only one by one, which yet would be matter of joy, to see one one Lord's day, and another on another Lord's day to come out of prison;
3. The publishing, declaring, and making of it known, by way of proclamation. The great God that might have kept sinners in bonds for ever, and in prison for ever; doth pass an act of grace, and sent his own Son into the World, to proclaim liberty to spiritual bond-men; proclamation hath been made by Christ himself, that prisoners may be released, that those that are bound in Chains may have their fetters knocked off, and such as have been taken Captive by the Devil, the common enemy of man's salvation may be set at Liberty; and the Ministers of the Gospel are given by Christ, and sent by him as the Heralds of the great King of Heaven and Earth, to proclaim pardon to the penitent, healing to the Wounded, ease to the burdened, liberty to the captives: This Christ did in person in the days of his flesh upon earth, Joh. 7.37; and now the Ministers of Christ do proclaim the same things in Christ's stead, 2. Cor. 5, 18, 19, 20, Cyrus King of Persia, put forth a proclamation throughout all his Kingdom to give liberty to the captive Jews, to go back unto Jerusalem, to build the House of the Lord, saying, Who is there among you of all his people, ⟨p. 13⟩people, the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up, 2 Chron. 36.22, 23. So the Lord, the King of Nations, hath made a proclamation, and put it in writing, and commands his Servants to go up and proclaim, Return, ye sinners unto me, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord God, and I will not keep anger for ever, Jer. 3.12. I might be angry with you, as long as I am God; but if you will repent and turn, I will not. I might pour out my wrath upon you for ever; but if you will forsake your wicked ways, Iniquity shall not be your ruin, Ezek. 18.30, 31. Isa. 55.1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7. Who is there among you, that are weary of the service of sin? you Might be received into better service, and have a better reward. Who is there among you, that are weary of your Chains and Fetters? be but willing and you shall be freed from them. Who is there among you, that hath lain long in the Goal of Satan, in the filthy darksom dungeon of an unconverted state? behold Christ is come to open the prison doors; Go ye forth, come away, sinners, come away, not only one by one, which yet would be matter of joy, to see one one Lord's day, and another on another Lord's day to come out of prison;
