Sermon XIV

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. - Isaiah 54:10

    Opening the Nature of the Peace made by virtue of this Covenant.

    Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

    I AM this Day to conclude with this great Subject: The last Thing I told you, that I should do, was to open the Nature of that Peace, which is made by virtue of this Covenant: The Method I shall take in speaking unto this, shall be,

    First, To give you a short Summary Account of what we have said, as to what is requisite to this Peace with God, &c.

    Secondly, Shew you the Nature of this Peace.

    Thirdly, Apply the whole we have said on this Subject.

    First, I have shewed you that Jesus Christ alone, is the great Peace-maker between God and Man.

    I. You have heard that we can have no Peace with God, until he is Reconciled, and this Christ has done; God in Christ is Reconciled, his Justice is satisfied, and his Wrath by Christ's Obedience and Sacrifice is appeased.

    II. Sinners must also (we have shewed you) be Reconciled to God; We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye Reconciled to God.

    Tho Sinners Peace may be made with God, by Jesus Christ, yet that Peace may not be accepted of by them, or they may not be reconciled to him; true, we have proved that Jesus Christ undertook to do both these for all God's Elect; (as hath again and again been hinted.)

    1. You have heard that Christ died on the Cross, so making Peace by satisfying Divine Justice.

    2. He also, as our Blessed High-Priest, sprinkles that Blood upon our Consciences, I mean, applies the virtue of it to our Souls: By the first Act he removes all Obstacles out of God's way, and by the second he removes all Obstacles out of the Sinner's way; so that the Reconciliation becomes Mutual.

    Now that which is requisite on the Sinner's part, in order to Peace and Reconciliation to God.

    1. Is that his Eyes be opened to see his wretched State and Condition by Nature, i. e. that he is a Sinner, an Enemy to God, a Rebel; yea, a Cursed and Condemned Creature in the first Adam— Yet,

    2. That God in Christ is well pleased (or as I have shewn) is reconciled by his Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice, as the Way, Means, or Meritorious Cause thereof; and that that Enmity which is naturally in the Sinner's Heart, must be removed also.

    3. He must believe, or come to Christ, resting alone upon him for Justification, Pardon, Peace, and Eternal Life; being convinced there is no other way to obtain these Blessings but by him only.

    4. And the Grace of God being thus poured forth upon the Soul by the Spirit, Faith is wrought in him to look to Jesus Christ; and so seeing and admiring the rich Bounty, Pardon, and Unwordable Clemency of his offended and provoked Sovereign, this works Repentance, or Godly Sorrow for Sin in every such Person; by which means he mourns, and is more or less in great bitterness of Spirit, in beholding how hateful Sin is to God, and also what Sorrows his Sins brought upon his Blessed Saviour. Hence it is called, A mourning for him, Zech. 12.10. For saith the Soul, now I see that my Sins Crucified my dear Lord, and let out his Hearts Blood; and thus was my Peace made.

    5. Upon this the Believing and Sin-loathing Sinner resolves to lay down his Arms, and never any more to fight against God. Shall I (saith he) thus receive a Free Pardon of all my by-past Treasons, Sins, and Rebellion against my most Gracious Sovereign, refuse to lay down my Arms?—Shall I continue in Sin,because Grace has abounded, God forbid? Brethren, if Grace be infused into the Sinner's Heart, it will Teach him to deny all Ungodliness,and Worldly Lusts: And not only to deny it, to leave it, but also to loath it; it changes the Mind: yet Repentance is not the Condition of Peace with God, but an effect of it, or of Christ's Merit, a Broken Heart being one Promise in the Covenant.

    6. A Sinner hath not, cannot, have actual interest in the Blessings of this Covenant, or have Peace in his own Soul, without Union with Christ, which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, and Faith of the Operation of God first of all, whereby it is, that the Soul is transplanted out of the first Adam, that dead stock into the second Adam that quickening Spirit. Moreover know that the Real and Relative Change is at one and the same time; and certainly all that deny that there is a Change of State, as well as a Change of Heart, err exceedingly. (1.) Because the Word of God positively declares, That by Nature the Elect are Children of Wrath, as well as others; therefore more than under Wrath in their own Conscience; for in their own Consciences they may not apprehend they are the Children of Wrath before they believe;) Faith also must be somewhat more than an Evidence, the Soul having that in its actual possession, which it had not before. (2.) Because they that believe, God says, Are passed from Death to Life; that is, from a State of Death and Condemnation, into a State of Life and Justification: See Joh. 5.24. 1 Joh. 3.14. (3.) Because the Holy Spirit in Convictions, represents the state of an Elect Sinner to himself, to be before Grace wretched and miserable, who is a true and faithful Witness, and cannot lie. Brethren, as the first Adam, and all in him were Condemned by the pronunciation of the Sentence of the Holy God in Paradise; so the second Adam, or all his, or all in him, are for ever Justified: And as whilst we remain in the first Adam, his first Sin is imputed to us, so not till we are in Christ is his Righteousness to our actual and personal Justification imputed to us, tho I grant Federally and Representatively in Christ it was imputed before to all the Elect; yet 'tis through the reception of Grace, or the infusion of the Spirit, whereby Faith is wrought, that the Soul receives the Atonement, and comes actually possessed with the Blessing of Peace; The God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing—There is no Peace to the Wicked, saith my God: And this because they have not an actual Interest in Christ—Where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty, and therefore Peace, and in none else.—

    7. And thus the Sinner is brought to God, (and comes to be taken into the Covenant of Grace) the which the Spirit doth renew and confirm in his Baptism, Rom. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and which is further renewed and confirmed to him in the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, which is a Sign or Pledge of the New Covenant, in or by Christ's Blood. Hence called, The New Covenant in his Blood.

    8. Moreover let it be noted, That a Man may be in a State of Grace and Peace, and yet not know it; all that have Faith, or do believe, do not know they have Faith, or believe, but have Doubts about it, 1 Joh. 5.13. all enjoy not what they have in possession; therefore true Faith, as to the Essence thereof, cannot be a simple Evidence to the Soul of what it hath, nor a full Persuasion that Christ is mine and I am his; for if so, then he that has not this Evidence, or Assurance, is no true Believer, or if he lose it, he loses the very Essence of Faith, and so ceases to be a Believer. Moreover, it would then follow, that there are no weak Believers, or Babes in Christ, for every Babe must be a Strong Man, were it thus: For is not he a strong Christian that has a clear Evidence of his Justification, and a full assurance of Eternal Life?

    9. There is no steady and full Enjoyment of this Spiritual Peace, without keeping up and maintaining a War against Sin; also this War is maintained by every Faculty; the whole Soul being united in carrying it on, and also against every Sin. Moreover it is a War in which the Soul by the Spirit prevails; Sin shall not have Dominion over you, &c. 'Tis a resolute War, or carried on with uttermost Revenge against Sin, and likewise always, even to the end of our Days; and if called to it, to resist unto Blood, striving against Sin. All, my Brethren, that have Peace with God, or are Reconciled to him, are at War with Sin, Satan, and the World, resolving never to be Reconciled to these Enemies, or be at Peace with one Sin whilst they live.

    10. Our Peace, as to the degree of it, as in our selves is, and will be according to that degree or measure of our Faith we have, a weak and doubting Believer, hath but little Peace in his own Conscience, he being too subject to ground his Peace on his good and lively Frame, or to judge of his Justification by the degrees of his Sanctification, or inherent Holiness, tho the State of the weakest Christian, is as safe as the strongest, yet he has not that Peace and Comfort others have. But no more as to this,

    Secondly, I shall open the Nature of this Peace.

    1. It is Peace with God, the Mighty God, God is hereby become our Friend, all Enmity or Wrath in God against the Soul is gone for ever, and all Enmity that was in the Soul against God, is removed or taken away also, there being a Mutual Peace and Reconciliation; I do not say God can no more be offended with the Soul, but if he be, yet he will not be provoked to Wrath, or to let out his against such a Person any more for ever.

    2. All the actions of God towards his People, are in Love, tho the poor Believer, perhaps, cannot see it thus, but fears the contrary: My Brethren, God receives us into his entire Affections, and lets out his Love and Bowels towards us, and acts always towards us as a tender Father to his Children.

    3 We hereby enter actually into a League with God, God takes the Soul into an everlasting Covenant of Peace, and the Soul also takes God to be his God in the same Everlasting Covenant, as you have heard, which Covenant all the Powers of Hell and Darkness can never break or violate, the Peace and Union with Christ in this Covenant, is indissolvable; The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord: Tho we may sin, yet God will blot them all out, Sin, nor Satan, nor the World, nor Life, nor Death, neither any thing else can separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord; their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more: All the Attributes of God are for us, and no Accusation of Satan, can provoke God against us, so as to become our Enemy: True, Sin or Satan may spoil the sensible Peace and Comfort of our Souls, but they cannot spoil our Peace with God, or break our Union.

    4. It is Soul-Peace, Spiritual Peace: O! how great, how sweet and precious is that Peace? Earthly Peace, National Peace, Congregational Peace, and Family Peace is good and to be prized: But what is any kind of Peace to true Spiritual Soul Peace? As no Trouble, no Sorrow is like Soul-Trouble, so no Peace is to be compared to Soul-Peace; Great Peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them.

    5. Such have Peace also with the Holy Angels; the Angels of God are at Peace with them that God is at Peace with, they are hereby become our Friends, and take our part, and fight for us, and against the Devil our grand Enemy; they War against the Evil Angels, who hate and envy us; And they Minister unto them that shall be Heirs of Salvation; nay, the Angels of God encamp round about them that fear him. They also War against our external Enemies: yea, against all Gods Enemies, and our Enemies, and fight for our Friends.

    6. 'Tis such a Peace that reconciles a Man to himself: Before a Man's Heart was divided, one Faculty was set against another, the Understanding, perhaps, was enlightened, and the Will opposed the Understanding, also Conscience perhaps terrified the Man, because he sinned against the Light and Dictates thereof; a Man's Judgment, (like Balaam's may declare for God, and cry out; How goodly are thy Tents,O Jacob? And thy Tabernacles, O Israel?) But his Love and Affections may run out after the Wages of Unrighteousness, as Balaam's did: A Man before Grace Wars against himself, but Grace unites all the Faculties of the Soul, and sets them all against Sin, and on God's side; all inward Tumults now cease, nothing is a greater sign of true Conversion, my Brethren, than this; i. e. when the whole Heart is united to God and Godliness.

    7. It is a wonderful, or inconceivable Peace; it passeth all Understanding; The Peace of God that passeth all Understanding, shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus. This may not simply refer to Peace of Conscience, but to that Peace made with God by Jesus Christ, we cannot conceive of the Excellent Nature thereof; nay, that which is received and inwardly enjoyed, is inexpressible at some times; Nothing shall offend such who possess it —It is called Joy, unspeakable, and full of Glory.

    8. It is perfect Peace; Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace, whose Mind is stayed upon thee, because he trusteth in thee. It is the same as to its Nature, with that Peace the Saints possess in Heaven, it is Heavenly Peace.

    9. It is Peace joined with Joy in the Holy Ghost: It is thus when this Peace rules in the Heart, or a Believer possesseth it in the highest Decree.

    10. It is a Peace that opens a Blessed Trade to Heaven: Hereby as you have heard we have free access to the Father, Heaven is opened, by this Peace, and Christ's Treasures of Grace and Glory are free to all Believers, to all Spiritual Merchants, and Holy Traders; but you must set out with full Sails of Faith, and with a sweet Gale of the Spirit, and then you will return well freighted, your Ship shall be loaden with the rich Merchandise of Heaven, being filled with Peace, Joy, and Consolation.

    11. It is a Peace that opens the way to Communion with God: Hereby we come to have the Honour to walk with God, as Enoch did Three Hundred Years; Can two walk together except they are agreed? Can they friendly converse, and have Communion together till then? No, surely: Hereby we also come to dwell with God and Jesus Christ; nay, and to sit with Christ in Heavenly Places; Christ and Believers daily visit one another, yea, and God opens hereby his Secrets to us, and we have also the Sweet Kisses of Christ's Mouth, and are Embraced by him, and lie as it were in his Bosom. Moreover, God is hereby become our Refuge, our Defense, our Protector, our Guard, and only Safety in the Day of Trouble.

    12. It is that great Legacy Christ bequeathed to all his Disciple; My Peace I leave with you,my Peace I give to you, &c. 'Tis Peace the World knows not of, can neither give it, nor take it away.

    13. 'Tis Everlasting Peace, Peace like a River, and it will abide to Eternal Ages; nay, and it will increase and be much greater, but never cease, read my Text.

    14. To Sum up all: All sorts of Peace are comprehended in this Peace. (1.) Peace with God. (2.) Peace of Conscience. (3.) Peace with Angels. (4.) Peace with your selves. (5.) Peace with Saints, (Jews and Gentiles by this Peace were made both one) that is, all the Elect among them. (6.) Congregational Peace, Christ purchased this Peace, and requires us to possess it: Have Salt in your selves,and be at Peace one with another: And O how lovely a thing is this. (7.) Family Peace, relative Peace; before Grace, may be the Husband and Wife lived in War with each other; and the Parents and Children, and Masters and Servants, might quarrel with one another, but Grace reconciles all together in Love. True, Christ says, He came not to bring Peace, but a Sword; that is, he foresaw this would be the effect of his coming, and where he is received and one is Converted, and the other not, the Unconverted raises oftentimes War, but when that Person is changed, and has Peace with God, that War ceases also. (8.) National and External Peace is comprehended in this Peace likewise; all Nations shall have Peace, as the Effect of the Covenant of Peace; yea, and all the Saints shall be united together in Love, and sweet Concord, and tho this is not yet fulfilled yet, Christ's Kingdom is at the Door, and it will be a Peaceable Kingdom, the Church shall then have outward and inward Peace like a River; He will also make Wars to cease, to the Ends of the Earth—Of his Government and Peace there shall be no end—And they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares,and their Spears into Pruning Hooks:Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation, neither shall they learn War any more. O be ready! Look out, for those happy Days are very nigh. Read the Words after my Text, Vers. 13, 14, 15. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the Peace of thy Children, vers. 13. In Righteousness shalt thou be established, and thou shalt be far from Oppression; thou shalt not fear, and from Terror, for it shall not come near thee, vers. 14 Compare this with Isa. 66.10, 11, 12, 13. I will extend Peace to her like a River, and the Glory of the Gentiles like a flowing Stream. Brethren, Babylon must fall before these Prophesies are fulfilled: O cry therefore to God to hasten his Judgments upon that Bloody Whore, that Sion's Glory and Peace may be manifested, and all Sighings and Sorrow fly away: And then these Words shall be fulfilled, viz. And the Work of Righteousness shall be Peace, and the Effects of Righteousness, Quietness, and Assurance for ever; and my People shall dwell in a Peaceable Habitation, and in sure Dwellings, and in quiet resting Places, Isa. 32.17, 18.

    The General Application.

    I. From hence we may infer, that there is a great Mystery in Reconciliation, yea, and we may well stand and admire the Wisdom and Goodness of God, in respect of that Peace we receive in and by Jesus Christ.

    II. We may infer also from hence, that God the Father is the principal Author and Spring of this Reconciliation, or way of our Peace; he was the Contriver, and first Mover in those Acts, whereby the first Foundation-Stone was laid; God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself—All things are of God, &c. that is, of God the Father, and through Jesus Christ, &c. It is to raise his Glory, as well as the Glory of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit; therefore let him primarily have the Honour of our Peace and Salvation. O how did Love and Bowels move towards us in the Heart of God the Father from everlasting?

    III. Exhort. Also be exhorted to prize and highly esteem of the Lord Jesus Christ, from what you have heard concerning the Covenant; because Christ is the Sum of the Covenant; I will give thee for a Covenant to the People.

    1.

    Christ is originally and fundamentally the Covenant, saith a Worthy Writer, he is the Original Root, out of which this Covenant sprang, and he is the Foundation upon which it is grounded; Behold, I say, in Zion, for a Foundation, a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious corner Stone, a sure Foundation, &c.

    God fixed his Eye on Christ, and entered into Covenant with him, he is the Foundation Stone of this Covenant; had there not been a Mediator found, there had been no Covenant of Peace ever made, nor any Redemption for poor Sinners.

    2. When it was first revealed, it was expressed by his Person, viz. The Seed of the Woman, nothing else is mentioned there, yet this contains the first Revelation of this Covenant to Fallen Man: And what was the Covenant of Grace as revealed to Abraham, but Jesus Christ; In thy Seed shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be Blessed. Thus Christ is represented as the Sum of the Covenant.

    3. Christ is the Covenant primarily (as the same Author notes) and by Propriety;

    As Fire is hot for it self, and all things hot for it, and by participation: With Christ the Covenant was made as the chief Party; with Believers it was made in Subordination to him; with him it was made at first Hand, with us at second Hand.

    Now, Brethren, this certainly is true, therefore all Promises were made first to Christ, and first fulfilled to him, and all Acts of God's Love terminate first upon him, and come to us through him, Who has made us accepted in the Beloved: Had not God's Love been fixed first on him as Mediator, it had never run out to us; all Covenant-Blessings are in him; Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus. Christ, as our Head, is the Repository, or Seat of all Divine Blessings. Christ is the Jewel, the Riches, or the Sum of all things in the Covenant, as Life, Righteousness, Pardon, Peace, &c. And he that receives this Jewel, receives all things with him. From hence he is compared to a Cluster of Camphire.

    4.

    Jesus Christ (saith the same Author) is the Covenant eminently, because he is the chief Blessing of the Covenant; there is not such another Promise in all the Bundle of Promises contained in the Covenant; If thou knowest the Gift of God, &c.

    Christ is the Gift of God; yet certainly our Author forgot that God the Father, and the Holy Ghost are given as well as Christ in the Covenant; but when Christ is given, God the Father and the Holy Spirit is given; He that has the Son, has the Father also: All other things in the Covenant are (saith he) but as the Garnish of this Jewel.

    5.

    Christ is the Covenant virtually, he is the just value of all the Bargain; he is of as much worth, as all that is promised: If you would know the worth of the Covenant, consider the worth of Jesus Christ.

    Moreover, my Brethren, they that have Christ, have all that is promised in the Covenant.

    6. Jesus Christ purchased all that good which is in the Covenant; when we say, God is our God, we must say, he is our God in Christ, or by Christ, or through his Redemption and Procurement.

    7. Christ is the Covenant comprehensively, or summarily; he is the very Compound or Abridgment of the Covenant; he is the whole Covenant by way of Stipulation on our part, &c.

    8. Jesus Christ is the only way of Conveyance of all Covenant Blessings, through whom we receive all we need, or that is Communicated unto us. Moreover, the Tender of the Covenant, and Interest in it, is contained in the free Tender of Christ, and Interest in him: Get Christ, be but in Christ, and thou art in the Covenant. Sirs, when God gives Christ to a Sinner, the whole Covenant is performed to that Person, and he that receives not Jesus Christ, shall never have one saving Benefit or Blessing thereof. And thus may Christ be called the Covenant—But

    IV. From hence also we may infer the wonderful worth that there is in the Blood of Christ—It is not only precious Blood in respect had unto his Person whose Blood it is, viz. the Eternal Son of God; but also in respect of that Atonement it hath made, and that Wrath it has appeased, and that Peace it has procured, and in regard of those Infinite Blessings and Privileges it hath merited for us, and that precious Soul it Sanctifies. O prize this Blood! What will become of them that contemn and slight this Blood—and the Virtue and Efficacy that is in it? Or account it as the Blood of another Man, or as an unholy and unprofitable thing, it had been better for such if they had never been Born.

    V. We may moreover from hence see the absolute necessity there is of the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit, in order to the Application of the Blood of the Covenant, and all Covenant Blessings unto us: The Holy Ghost deserves (my Brethren) equal Glory with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit must plant Grace in our Hearts, or be a Vital Principle in the Soul; it is he which infuses sacred Habits, from whence all Vital Acts proceed; by the Spirit we come to have the root of the matter in us, from whence all Spiritual Fruit flows; 'tis the Spirit that draws us to Christ, that unites our Souls to him, without it the Death of Christ profits no Man, it is he which sprinkles his Blood on our Consciences. O let our Mediations swim in the unlimited Ocean of Love and Divine Goodness, and magnify all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

    VI. We may furthermore learn from hence to see what absolute necessity there is of the Revelation of this Mystery through the Word or Holy Gospel, what signifies all Natural Religion, doth naturally light in Man, discover any thing of our Redemption and Reconciliation by Jesus Christ: And from hence let us be moved to abhor those New and Cursed Notions, which at this Day so much prevail, which tend to raze the very Foundation of the true Christian Religion; for such that contemn all revealed Religion, contemn the Christian Religion. From hence also

    VII. We may perceive the Necessity of True and Saving Faith, and likewise the Excellency thereof; no Man is possessed of this Peace that has not the Faith of God's Elect; He that believeth not,is Condemned already— and shall be Damned, unless he believes in Jesus Christ: Also you may hereby see what a strong ground here is for our Faith and Comfort. From hence also we may see the Cause why the Holy Angels pry into this Mystery; this Love and Grace of God to Mankind, they bow down to look into these things, yea, look with admiration; And shall not we admire it, who are more especially concerned herein?

    IX. Sinners be exhorted (from the Considerations of the whole) to labour and strive to receive Jesus Christ—(And let such of you who think and hope you have received him, try your selves by what you have heard;) O, be exhorted to know in this your Day the things which belong to your Peace, before they are hid from your Eyes, Luke 19.42.

    X. Believers, see that you labour after a strong Faith in Christ, and in the Covenant; for the measure of your Peace, will be according to the measure and degree of your Faith. O get a great Faith, and then your Peace will not be little, but like a River, yea, wonderfully abound in you.

    XI. Trial. Let all that hear me this Day, try themselves, examine themselves, whether they have Peace with God, or not? Take a few Rules to try your selves.

    1. Are you at War with Sin? Is Sin cast out of your Love and Affections? Is there an irreconcilable opposition made in you against all Sin? And as it is Sin, do you loath and hate it, because it is hateful to God, and hath exposed your Blessed Saviour to so much Pain, Shame, Sorrow and Suffering, even to let out his most Precious Blood?

    2. Do you mourn for Sin, because it caused such Cursed Enmity in your Hearts against God, causing your Souls to rebel against him, yea, to hate and despise him in your Hearts?

    3. Are you reconciled to the Ways of God, even to the strictest Acts and Duties of Holiness? Do you love the Word of God because of its Purity?

    4. Do you love all the People of God, and are you Reconciled to those, (who may in many things differ from you?) Do you pray for them, and hate all Bitterness; and forbear all Reproachful Language and Censorious Reflections? Dare any reproach and speak against their Father's Children? Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother, and slanderest thine own Mothers Son. It is thy deliberate Practice and Business (as if God should say) thus to do: 'Tis to be feared, that such are not at Peace with God, that are not at Peace with all the Children of God: He that saith he is in the Light, and hateth his Brother, is in Darkness until now— We know that we are passed from Death unto Life,because we love the Brethren; he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death. Therefore let such tremble that are not at Peace with all those who have Peace with God.

    5. Do you mourn for such whom you love, even for your Brethren, your Kinsfolk, your Neighbours that are not yet Reconciled unto him? See Rom. 9.1, 2.

    6. Do you Love, Esteem, and highly Respect and Honour the Ambassadors of Peace, and cannot endure to hear them reviled and unjustly slandered and spoken against?

    7. Have you Peace in your own Consciences, and Peace in your Families? And do you live peaceably in the Church of God? And also strive as much as in you is, to be at Peace with all Men?

    8. Do you long for the Peace of Jerusalem, and pray for her Peace, for that Peace which is promised to her in the last Days?

    Christ hath purchased Universal Peace for his Church; not only internal Peace, but external Peace also, not only Peace within, but Peace without; not only Peace with God, but Peace with Men also, and the Day is near he will give his People Entire and Universal Peace.

    Caution. Let none mistake me in any thing I have delivered in any of these Sermons about God's being Reconciled in Christ, &c. so as to think he is at Peace, Reconciled, and well pleased with the Elect, whilst they remain in a State of Enmity against him, being vile and notorious Sinners: God can't but hate Sin wherever it is, and loath the unrenewed. Sinner, when he looks upon them as in the first Adam, or as in their Filthiness, for as such he hates and loathes them, but as he looks upon any Persons in Christ, so he loves them, and is at Peace, and well pleased with them; God sees not as Man sees, for he sees a Man Condemned and Justified at one and the same time; nay, as being in this World, and yet as being in the World to come, but whatever sight of Things, or of Persons God hath, or how we are looked upon and Justified in his sight in Christ, is one thing, and what the State of Persons are (or what Things and Persons may be said to be) as they actually are, or when they actually exist, (or in a proper Sense and Acceptation) is another thing; for it is ridiculous to say, That a Man in a proper Sense is actually or personally Condemned and Justified, Dead and yet Alive at one and the same time, or is in the first Adam, and yet in the second, or in a State of Wrath, and yet in a State of Grace, at one and the same moment: Nay, and dangerous it is for any to say, that a wicked Man whilst he is so, is an Object of God's Delight, or that such a Person is actually Justified, and that God is at Peace, and well pleased with him, it being so directly contrary to the Testimony of God's Word, and the Witness of the Divine Spirit. The Sum therefore of what I say and mean is this: When I say God in Christ is Reconciled to Sinners, viz. God having chosen his Elect in Christ from Eternity, was Reconciled to them in him as the Way and Means of the Procurement of their Peace, or of their Recovery out of the Fall, or out of their lapsed State foreseen by him; but to say he was actually reconciled to them, personally considered from Eternity , or from the Death of Christ, seems absurd and improper: For how could he be said to be Reconciled to this or that Person, before that Person had any personal Existences, or Being; or if they had a Being, yet were Enemies to him, and loathsome Wretches, and under his denounced Wrath, and Curse, and in which State they remain before they are actually united to Christ, or are effectually called—Yet take notice that that which actually reconciles the Holy God to us is Christ's Satisfaction alone, to which there can be no Addition made by any Collateral Work wrought in us, and done by us. We should therefore distinguish between a Federal, a Virtual, and a Representative Union, and Justification, and an Actual Union, and Personal Justification. For from hence, perhaps, the Mistake may arise: The Scripture every where declareth, that God is an Enemy, or an Adversary to all Unconverted Persons; nay, and that he hates all the Workers of Iniquity, and Ministers declare and preach the same thing, and the Holy Ghost in Convictions represents the State of the Soul to be deplorable before effectual Calling: There is it is evident a Relative Change, passing on the Soul by the Spirit, as well as a Real Change.

    Consolation. In the last place (and to close with all I shall say) What ground of Comfort and Consolation to Believers is here?

    1. Your Sins are fully and for ever expiated, When he had by himself purged our Sins,sate down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high; that is, he hath removed the Guilt, Stain, and Punishment of Sin by his Satisfaction and Merits, so as God may be Just as well as Gracious in Pardoning and Justifying of us that believe in Jesus.

    2. All Accusations of Sin, the Law, Satan, and our own Consciences, shall be silenced and answered by the Intercession of Christ: He doth and will out-plead them all.

    3. All your Wants shall be richly supplied, all your Graces strengthened, and all your Enemies are and shall be Overcome, Conquered, and Vanquished for ever.

    4. You are brought to God, and Reconciled to him in his own way, in a sure way; Comfort ye my People, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,And cry unto her that her Warfare is accomplished, and her Iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord's Hands double for all her Sins. War is for ever ceased betwixt God and you, and as God has received by Christ double Satisfaction (as it were, For where Sin abounded, Grace hath much more abounded:) So you have and shall receive hereby double at his Hands, viz. not only a Discharge from Sin and Wrath in Hell, but also Eternal Life and Glory in Heaven.

    5. All your Afflictions (and whatsoever else) shall work together for your good.

    6. You stand firmer, and more sure in his Covenant, than Adam stood in Paradise before he fell.

    1. Your Peace is increasing, The Path of the Just is as a shining Light that shines more and more to the perfect Day: And not only your Personal Peace, or Peace of your Souls, but the Peace of all God's Israel also. O how great will that Peace be in the latter Days, when God delivers his People from all their external Enemies, and Troubles, and also unites them altogether to serve him with one consent.

    2. You shall have Peace not only while you live, but also when you die; Mark the Perfect Man, behold the upright, the latter End of that Man is Peace—He shall enter into Peace,they shall rest in their Beds, &c.

    3. You shall be found in Peace at the Great Day, when the Lord Jesus shall appear; Be diligent, that ye may he found of him in Peace, without spot and blameless: That is, give diligence to make it evident to your own Consciences, that you are in Christ, or are sincere Christians, that so the Peace of God may rule in your Hearts by the Holy Ghost.

    4. Lastly, None can deprive you of this Peace and Joy, or take it away from you; Peace I leave with you,my Peace I give unto you, not as the World giveth give I unto you: Let not your Hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid—Your Hearts shall rejoice,and your Joy no Man taketh from you.

    Therefore be of good cheer, for tho you have many things that trouble you, and Satan may greatly disquiet your Minds, yet lift up your Heads and Hearts—My Brethren, I shall conclude all with the words of the Apostle; The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your Feet shortly: The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

    FINIS.