2. If goodness can gain the hearts and affections of men, the word of God is good as well as true. There is a double desire in man — a desire of truth and a desire of immortality ; to know the truth, and to enjoy the chiefest good ; the happiness of the intellect, of the under- standing, that lies in the contemplation of truth ; and the happiness of the will, in the enjoyment of good. In the state of innocency, this was represented by the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, to suit these two capacities and desires that were in the heart of man : the tree of life, to suit his desires of happiness ; and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, to suit his desires of truth. Under the law, this is set forth by the candlestick and the table of shewbread ; and in the gospel by the sacrament of baptism, which is called an en- lightening— lleb. X. 32, 'After you were enlightened;' that is, after you were baptized — and the Lord's supper. Light and life are the two great things man looks after as a reasonable creature ; to get more light, and then life, that he may enjoy God. Now, we are still at a loss for satisfaction of these desires until we meet with the word of God, where there is primum verum, the supreme truth, and summum honum, the
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chiefest good ; and therefore the directions of the word are called ' true laws' and 'good statutes,' Neh. ix. 13: true laws, all words of truth, so to perfect the understandings of men ; and good laws, very suitable to their will and inclination, and so bear a full proportion with the desires of a reasonable creature. So 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.' The gospel is a faithful say- ing ;. there is truth to perfect the understanding, and then worthy of the chiefest embraces of our wills and affections. As there is plain, certain, clear truth in the word of God, a satisfaction to the under- standing in the view of truth, so there is also a full compliance with the motions of .the will which the scripture offereth. Now two things there are the scriptures do reveal which are good for men, and cannot be found elsewhere, and all the world have been puzzled about them how to find them out : — (1.) Eeconciliation with God ; (2.) Salvation, or eternal happiness.
[1.] Eeconciliation with God : this is the grand inquiry of the guilty creature, Wherewith shall God be appeased, satisfied, and we reconciled to him, he being offended by our sin ? Micah vi. 8. How justice shall be satisfied, and men, that are obnoxious to the wrath of God, may come to have delightful communion with him, this is the great scruple that troubleth the creature, and all the false religions in the world were invented for the removing and assailing this doubt and scruple, and appeasing the hearts of men as to these fears of divine justice. Now, we can nowhere be satisfied but in the way of reconciliation and peace which is tendered by God himself to repenting sinners, through the mediation of Christ Jesus. Natural conscience will make us sensible of sin and wrath, and we have no ransom to pay it ; and all other crea- tures cannot help us, for they are debtors to God for all they have and can do. How then shall God be satisfied ? How shall we escape this vengeance ? This fear would have remained upon us to all eternity, but that we have relief from the word of God : 2 Cor. v. 19, ' God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their tres- passes.' There is more glory in these few words, and more of God discovered in them, than there is in all the world. Oh, what a deal of comfort, and what a foundation for the rejoicing of our faith, is there laid in this reconciliation in and by Christ Jesus our Lord ! That short sentence discovers more of God's intentions and good-will to man than all the bounty of his providence in and by all the creatures put together. Here was a secret which could never enter into man's heart, nor do we find a syllable of it written in any heathen book as to the way of it, how it shall be brought about ; a truth so incredible to flesh and blood, that the prophet, when he speaketh of this wonder, asketh, * Who hath believed our report ? ' Isa. hii. 1 ; who hath believed that lie should bear our sorrows, and be wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, and that the chastisements of our peace should be upon him, and by his stripes we should be healed ? Here is the great secret God hath revealed to you in his word. This must needs be a secret in nature, for this was a work which merely proceeded from the free motion of God's will ; and therefore, being not opus naturae divincc, but opus liberi consilii, that work which God did not do by any necessity of nature, but by the free motion of his own will.