% Evidence. Many of us never treated seriously with the Lord about peace, and how then are we reconciled to him ? What, a peace without a treaty ? Reconciliation without any consideration about it ? It can never be. When was the time, and where was the place, that you were found in secret upon your knees, mourning over the sin of your nature, and the evils of your ways ? Certainly you must be brought to this ; you must with a broken heart bewail your sin and misery.
Friend, that stony heart of thine must feel remorse and anguish for sin, it will cost thee some sad days and sorrowful nights, or ever thou canst have peace with God : it will cost thee many a groan, many a tear, many a hearty cry to heaven. If ever peace be made betwixt God and thee, thou must " take with thee words, and " turn to the Lord, saying, Take away all iniquity and receive " me graciously." O for one smile, one token of love, one hint of favour ! The child of peace is not born without pangs and ago- nies of soul.
3. Evidence. Many of us are not reconciled to the duties of re- ligion, and ways of holiness, and how then is it possible we should be reconciled to God? What, reconciled to God, and unrecon- ciled to the ways of God ? By reconciliation we are made nigh : in duties of communion we draw nigh ; and can we be made nigh to God, and have no heart to draw nigh to God ? It can never be.
Examine your hearts, and say, Is not the way of strictness a bondage to you ? Had you not rather be at liberty to fulfil the desires of the flesh, and of the mind ? Could you not wish that the scriptures had not made some things else your sins, and other things your duties : do you delight in the law of God after the inner man, and esteem his judgments, concerning all things to be right ? Do you love secret prayer, and delight in duties of communion with God : or rather, are they not an ungrateful burden, and irk- some imposition ? Give conscience leave to speak plain.
4. Evidence. Many of us are not enemies to sin, and how then are we reconciled to God? What, friends with God, and our lusts too ? It cannot be. Psal. xcvii. 10. " Ye that love the Lord
sm:M. III. THE METHOD OF CRACK. 63
?« hate evil." The same hour our reconciliation is made with God, there is an everlasting breach made with sin : this is one of the articles or conditions of our peace with God, Isa. lv. 7. " Let the wicked " forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let " him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him ; and to our " God, and he will abundantly pardon."
But it is manifest in many of us, that we are no enemies to sin ; we secretly indulge it, what bad names soever we call it. We will commit ten sins to cover one : we cannot endure the most serious, faithful, seasonable, private tender, and necessary reproofs for sin, but our hearts swell and rise at it ; sure we are not reconciled to God, whilst we embrace his enemy in our bosoms.
5. Evidence. We love not the children of God, nor are we recon- ciled to them that bear his image, and how then can we be recon- ciled to God ? 1 John v. 1. " He that loveth him that begat, " loveth them also that are begotten." What, at peace with the Father, and at war with the children ? It cannot be. Do not some that hope they have made their peace with God, hate, revile, and persecute the children of God ? Surely, in that day we are recon- ciled to the Lord, we are reconciled to all his people : we all then love a Christian as a Christian, and by this we may know that we are passed from death to life.
6. Evidence. Lastly, How can any man think himself to be re- conciled to God, who never closed heartily with Jesus Christ by faith, who is the only days-man, and peace-maker : the alone Mediator of reconciliation betwixt God and man.
This is a sure truth, that all whom God accepts into favour, are " made accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. If any man will make peace with God, he must take hold of his strength, accept and close with Christ who is the power of God, or he can never make peace, Isa. xxvii. He must be made " nigh by the blood of " Christ," Eph. ii. 13. But alas ! both Christ and faith are stran- gers to many souls, who yet persuade themselves they are at peace with God : O fatal mistake !
III. Use of Exhortation.
Lastly, This point deserves a close, vigorous application in a threefold exhortation.
First, To Christ's ambassadors, who treat with souls in order to their reconciliation with God.
Secondly, To those that are yet in their empty and unreconciled state.
Thirdly, To those that have embraced the terms of peace, and submitted to the gospel-overtures.
First, To the ambassadors of reconciliation* God hath put a great
64 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. III.
deal of honour upon you in this high and noble employment ; great is the dignity of your office ; to some you are " the savour of " death unto death, and to others a savour of life unto life; and " who is sufficient for these things?11 % Cor. ii. 16. But yet the duty is no less than the dignity. O what manner of men should we be for judgment, seriousness, affections, patience, and exam- plary holiness, to whom the management of so great a concern be- twixt God and man is committed.
First, For judgment and prudence, how necessary are these in so weighty and difficult a business as this ! He had need be a man of wisdom that is to inform the ignorant of the nature and necessity of this great work, and win over their hearts to consent to the ar- ticles of peace propounded in the gospel ; that hath so many subtle temptations to answer, and so many intricate causes of conscience to resolve : there are many strong holds of Satan to be battered, and many stout and obstinate resistances made by the hearts of sin- ners, which must be overcome ; and he had need be no novice in religion, to whom so difficult a province is committed.
Secondly r, Let us be serious in our work as well as judicious. Re- member, O ye ambassadors of Christ, you bring a message from the God of heaven, of everlasting consequence to the souls of men. The eternal decrees are executed upon them in your ministry : to some you are " the savour of life unto life, and to some the savour of " death unto death,11 2 Cor. ii. 16. Heaven and hell are matters of most awful and solemn consideration. O, what an account have we also shortly to give unto him that sent us !
These are matters of such deep concernment, as should swallow up our very spirits ; the least they can do, is to compose our hearts unto seriousness in the management of them.