clothes, he had bonowed of their nature, to wear them on the tlnone, in all his glory, only some princely cost bestowed, to pnt them into the fashion of that heavenly kingdom, and make them suit with his glorified state ; giving them a pattern by this, what their own vile bodies, now so dishonoiu-able, shall be made another day. Now, none of all those circumstances were found in CJod's first administration to Adam, and therefore the more familiar. Secondly, There is the sweetness of pardoning mercy, and the bleeding love of Christ, who, by his death, pvu-chased it for him, to be tasted in the reconciled soul's communion with God. This sugar Adam had not in his cup. He knew what the love of a giving God meant ; but was stranger to the mercy of a foi'giving God. The reconciled soul experiences both. The love of a father, more than ordinarily kind, is a great comfort to a dutiful child — one that never displeased his father; but it carries no such wonder in it to our thoughts, as the compas- sion and melting bowels of a father towards a rebellious child doth ; and certainly the prodigal child, that is i-eceived again into his father's embi'aces, hath the advantage for loving his father, more than his brother that never came under his father's displeasure. O this pardoning mercy, and the love of Christ that procured it ! they are the most spacious and fruitful heads, for a gracious soul to enlarge his sweetest meditations upon here on earth ; but who can con- ceive what ravishing music glorified saints will make, in running division on this sweet note ? I am sure the song their harps are tuned unto is the ' song of the Lamb,' Rev. xv. 2,3. The saints' finished happiness in heaven's glory is a composition of all the rare ingredients possible, so tempered by the wise hand of God, that as none could well be spared, so not the taste of any one shall be lost in another ; but this of pardoning mercy, and the stupendous love and wisdom of God through Christ therein, shall, as I may so say, give a sweet relish to all, and be tasted above all the rest.
CHAPTER V.
AN EXHORTATION TO EMBRACE THIS PEACE OF RECONCILIATION, OFFERED IN
THE GOSPEL.
Use 1. Let it provoke eveiy one to labour to get an interest in this peace of reconciliation v/ith God, which the gospel brings. Peace with God ! sure it is worth the sinner's having ; or else the angels were ill emploj-cd when they welcomed the tidings thereof into the world, at our Saviour's birth, with such acclamations of joy, ' Glory to God, on earth peace,' Luke ii. 14; yea, Christ himself was deceived in his purchase ; who, if a sinner's peace with God be not of high price and value, hath little to shew for the etfusion of his heart-blood, which he thought well spent to gain this. But this we cannot believe ; and yet to see how freely God offers peace and pardon to the sons of men, through Christ, and how coy, yea, sullen and cross they are to the motion, one that does not well know them both, God's infinite goodness, and wretched man's horrible baseness, might be ready to think it some low-prized ware, which lay upon God's hands ; and this to be the cause why God is so earnest to put it off", and man so loth to take it off his hands. Ah, poor deluded wretches! who is the wicked counsellor that hardens your hearts, from embracing your own mercies ? None, sure, but a devil can hate God and you so nuich. And hath he sped so well in his own quarrel against God, that he should be hearkened to by thee, poor sinner? Can he give thee armour that will resist God's bullets? how then is it that he is so unkind to himself, as to let them lie in his own bosom, to his imspeakable torment ? or will he lend thee any pity when thou hast, by his advice, undone thyself? Alas ! no more than the cruel wolf doth the silly sheep, when he hath sucked her blood, and torn her in pieces. Think, and think again, poor sinner, what answer thou meanest to send to heaven, before God calls his ambassadors home, and the treaty break up, never to he renewed again. And that thou mayest not want some seasonable matter for thy musing thoughts to enlarge upon on this subject, let me desire thee to treat with thy own heart upon these four heads.
First, Consider what it is that stands before thee in offer. Secondly, Who it is that offers it. Thirdly, How he offers it. Fourthly, ■\\'hat thou dost when thou refusest it.
Ti!E CiOSFEL OF I>1::ACE. ggl