Chapter V
The application or uses of the foregoing doctrine.
I shall now shut up this discourse with what is the apostle s chief scope in the text, 2 Cor. v. 18-20, viz., an use of exhortation, to beseech men to be reconciled to God ; because reconciliation imports an having been formerly enemies ; and in that case, it is (as I shewed), necessary for men to apprehend themselves in a state of enmity with God, ere they will ever seek unto God for peace and reconciliation, or listen to the true terms of it.
1. I shall therefore, in the first place, earnestly beseech all men to con sider whether yet such a work of reconciliation be wrought in them, yea or no ? And this is a question the best and greatest man living may, with out offence, be entreated to ask his own heart ; and it concerns every man that will have reconciliation with God to do it. To this end I beseech you to consider that we were once enemies, that is, in a state of enmity, and it is not Christ s having died that altereth that state. You see that the text supposeth God s having been in Christ reconciling the world, when yet the world remaineth unreconciled to God ; for upon that supposition he foundeth this exhortation. It is true, Christ died for us, when we were enemies, and therein his love was shewn ; Rom. v. 8, God commendeth his love to us, that while we were yet sinners (and enemies, as it follows), Christ died for us. Yet withal it is as true that we remain notwithstanding in that
state, until a work of reconciliation to God is wrought in us, through Christ s death : Col. i. 22, And you that were sometime enemies, yet now
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 141
hath he reconciled. Nothing is more sure than that we were all once such ; and it were well if we had good reasons to be as sure that now we are not. And the apostle everywhere stands upon the important now of
every man s condition, as putting every man upon the examining his pre sent condition.
2. And, secondly, consider, that this enmity is seated in your minds and natures. You are enemies in your minds, Kom. v. 8. Whence there fore it must be acknowledged that there must needs be some great alteration wrought in your minds, if God and you be friends. And thence consider that therefore it is not education, or outward privileges, or deportment in the church, that either doth alter, or argues your condition altered. As take a wolf, a cub, that is newly fallen from the dam, which is, as we know, in its nature an enemy to a lamb, though you put it into a lamb s skin, and
bring it up with the sheep in the same fold, and feed it with the same food, yet still it will remain a wolf, and an enemy to a lamb : such is our woful
case, being born in our natures enemies to God, though immediately when we fell from the womb, we had a Christian s ear-mark given us, were trained up in a Christian profession, and have been ever since fed with the same
word, &c., yet we are enemies still, if there be no more alteration in us.
It was the case of Simon Magus, Acts viii. 23, I perceive thou art still in the gall of bitterness. And ver. 21, Thou hast neither lot nor part in this
matter, though he had been baptized, &c. And though an innocent and harmless carriage in the world be added to this, yet this will not argtie your estates to be altered, for a wolf may be so tamed, that it shall not do much hurt ; for every beast hath and may be tamed, as James saith, James
* Every kind of beasts and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. And if mankind can tame beasts, their inward natural disposition remaining, but restrained, God can do the like, and much more, to the hearts and spirits of men, without changing of them. Thou mayest be a tame wolf, be chained up from ranging and devouring, and yet still remain an enemy. For re member that this enmity is seated in thy mind and nature. That your hearts are not filled with so much gall, as to carry you on to evil works, doth not argue you friends and reconciled, if withal they be not seasoned with so much good will to God, as to make you
iii. 7,
* zealous of good works, Titus ii. 14. Mere neuters (if you could be such) are no friends. God accounts them enemies ; Mat. xxi. 80. He that is not with me is against me, says Christ, our supreme judge. 3. Neither, thirdly, is it a forward profession of what is outwardly good, added to your inward carriage, which will argue you to be friends ; for
flatterers may abound in outward kindnesses, as well as friends, Isa. Iviii. 2. You see a company there to mention kindnesses to God, whom God regards not. For it is with God herein as with great men, who have many flat
terers, but few friends, as Solomon expresseth it, Prov. xix. 6, Many entreat the favour of the prince, &c., because of gifts, and will be friends
(that is, seem to be), to him that giveth gifts. And thus also God, having great gifts in his hand to give away, heaven, &c., and the keys of death and
hell at his girdle ; he hath many who do seek and earnestly entreat his
favour, out of such respects and ends ; and apprehensions strongly set on upon their hearts, who yet do but flatter him. Therefore trust to none of
these, but love to have such a work of true reconciliation wrought in you as hath been spoken of. Which, if there be, the before mentioned disposi tions of pure good will will be sooner or later bubbling up in your hearts.
142 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK III.
In brief, therefore, take the help and benefit of all those particulars to examine your estates by, and try whether such a work hath been wrought in you.
(1.) Consider, whether thou, having first apprehended thy enmity against God, thou wert therewithal brought to know God anew, and his Son ; and
knowing him, didst fall in love with him (and all that ever yet have known
him, have loved him) not with such a love only as we bear to some hero, that doth great and noble things ; or to our dead founders, whom we speak well of, and commend their doings, although we never knew them but by tradition (and such at best is the common love to God and Christ which men bear to them) ; but so to know and love him, as to be enamoured
with him, as one in love useth to be with the person he sets his affections
on. Doth thy heart burn after him, when thou seest a glimpse of him but
* Art acquainted with him ? Job xxii. 21. Hath he imparted any secrets to thee, as to his friends he doth? John xv. 15. Hath he shewed and manifested himself to thee, John xiv. 20, if not in assurance of his love to thee, yet in the goodness that is in himself ? Though thou hast seen him but as through the lattice (as the church did, Cant, v.), yet canst thou never be at quiet till thou seest him again ? Hath thy heart been divorced from all other lovers upon acquaintance with him ? Hast thou chosen him, and dost thou seek him
passing by thee ? Or, to use the phrase in Job,
for ever ? And for what hast thou chosen him, and why dost thou seek him ? Good will looks especially at the person, not the fortunes (as you call them) ;
* I seek not yours, but you, is the language of a friend. Alex ander had two friends : the one he called O/Xo/SacYXsug, a lover of the king ; the other, $iXaXiaydgii, a lover of Alexander, as being a lover of his per son and dispositions. So many profess to love Christ, yet do it only as he
is a saviour, and their judge, and king of heaven and hell. They love him not as Christ, not for that which God chiefly loves him for, namely, because he is his natural Son, his image, the express image of his person. Nor do
they love him as Christ, that is, as anointed with the Spirit, and all the
graces thereof, full of grace and truth above measure. For which yet the
virgins are said to love him : Cant. i. 3, Because of the savour of thy oint
ments, they love thee ; and that, as virgins, with a pure and chaste affection
to himself, with a savour of his graces, sweetness, and perfumes thereof.
Is it the holiness, the amiableness, the love, the goodness, that is in him, which draws thy heart unto him ? What says Paul ? Phil. iii. 7-9, But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubt
less, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Observe it, he had suffered the loss of all for the excellency of the know
ledge of Christ Jesus his Lord ; and counted them dross in comparison of
the knowledge of him. And his great desire was, that he might win Christ and be found in him, his person first ; and then to be found in him, not
having his own righteousness.
(2.) Again ; Of all the things which he hath to bestow, or that is in him, what is the thing thou especially seekest for, and shalt never rest satisfied or contented without it ? Is it his love, his favour, to have his heart towards thee, his delight set upon thee, to enjoy his presence, his face, to
live with him for ever ? And desirest thou to be happy thyself, that he
CHAP. V.] IN OUR SALVATION. 143
may greatly delight in thy beauty ; and that thereby thou mightest be suited to him, and so mightest come to delight in him ; and this in such a man ner as nothing else will satisfy thee, neither pardon, nor Christ s death, with addition of all the world, if it could be separated from the favour of God, would not content thee ?
(8.) Again ; Dost thou choose the things that please him ? And what
pleaseth him most, dost thou choose most ? As a man useth to do his
friend, whom he affects to please. As because thou hearest faith pleaseth him, Heb. xi., because a broken heart pleaseth him, Ps. li., glorifying him more than thousands of rams, Ps. 1., because private prayer pleaseth him
(as himself declared, Let me hear thy voice ; it is pleasant, Cant. ii. 14). Because thanksgiving pleaseth him more than thousands of rams, Ps. Ixix. 31. Do all these things therefore delight thy soul ? Because the Sab bath is his delight, and honourable to him, that is, for his honour, is it therefore thy delight, and dost thou call it honourable? Isa. Iviii. 13, 14. Because the saints please him, and are his delight, are they therefore thine ? Ps. xvi. 2. In a word, take all ordinances, dost thou use them as back doors to let Christ thy private friend in, to the end to speak with him, and to enjoy communion with him ? Doth thy heart upon that account value the word thou readest or hearest, as a private letter sent from a dearest friend ? Dost thou think of going to the sacrament, as of going to a friend s house to supper ? Rev. iii. 20. In like manner, dost thou regard private prayer as an opportunity of speaking privately and alone with a friend in secret ?
(4.) And again, in thy doing what pleaseth him, what is it setteth thee in thy constant course a-work ? Is it his love that sets thee a-work, and constrains thee? 2 Cor. v. 14. Or if not the sense of that, yet is it a desire to please him ? And when thou dost it for him, dost go about it as about a friend s business, not coldly, but so as to do it to purpose with all thy might, serving him with all thy strength ? Grudgest thou if thy lusts or corrupt affections do get any of thy spirits, so that they are not spent for him, and upon him ? Thinkest thou all this to be no trouble to thee ? Art glad when thou canst do him a kindness, that is, anything which he may be pleased to accept ? Thinkest thou that day best spent wherein thou canst do him a service ? Yea, most of all, thankest him that thou hast a heart to do it ? as David did, 1 Chron. xxix. 14. And when thou hast done, thou yet still fallest down as an unprofitable servant and unuseful friend. Thinkest thou that it is all too little, and confessest still,
t this and that is not good enough, so as thou couldst find in thy heart to do over all again ? Wast never yet (and that out of love, not conviction
only) satisfied with the best prayer that ever thou madest ? Art ashamed of the performance in any kind ? Yet because it is thy best he hath enabled thee to do, thou desirest him to take it in good part ; but not at, or in thine own name, because of thine unworthiness, but for his Son s, thy Christ s sake. Dost thou not find that thou hatest also, where he hateth ? whether
it be sinners, or persons as clothed with sins. Dost thou hate those that hate God ? Ps. cxxxix. 21, 22, Do not I hate them, Lord, that hate thee ? And am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee ? I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. And as for sins, canst thou say (as David),
< I hate every false way ? And that (as he says there) out of prizing all God s precepts in all things to be right, Ps. cxix. 127, 128. And when it falls out that thou dost sin against him that is so canst thou yet in truth say, I do what I hate ? Rom. vii. And
144 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK III.
then what is it in sin thou hatest most ? Is it because thou feelest thy heart turned (as it were) within thee ? saying, as 2 Sam. xvi. 17, Is this
thy kindness to thy friend ? Shall I do my God, my friend, this wrong ?
Shall or should I so evilly or unthankfully requite God ? Or dost thou
hate sin, because it breaks communion betwixt God and thee ? And when thou hast thus sinned, art thou never quiet till thou hast returned, and God and thou art friends again ? And returnest thou again to him, not as healed*
by conscience into his presence ; and so stayest not till an arrest come
forth for thee, or be served upon thee, and until thou are fetched in by ter
rors or afflictions only (though sometimes these are needful), but returnest thou out of a longing and lingering after him ; as one without whom thou
canst no longer live, no, not in this world, where thou hast so many things to comfort thee ? From whom to be estranged, is it bitter as death to
thee ? So that during all that space of distance from him, when thou but
nearest or thinkest of him, thy heart glows within thee, burns after him, and in the end thou resolvedly cornest to say, I can no longer bear this
life, I must return to him again whom my soul loves, for then it was bet
ter with me than now, Hos. ii. 7. I never enjoyed good hour since I
wickedly and foolishly forsook him. And then when thou comest again into his presence, what is it broacheth thy heart, and makes it gush ? Is
it thy unkindness to him ? Doth that dissolve and melt thy heart, con found and overcome thee, stop thy mouth, so at first thou canst do nothing but sit in silence with thy mouth in the dust, laying that most to heart which God lays most to heart ?
* If it had been an enemy he could have borne it/ But that thou, his friend, xai ff-j rexvov, dost ,it, is intolerable. Thou who wast once a perfect and utter enemy unto him as ever was, and
yet seeing the misery and danger of that condition, and having heard of
his loving-kindness, grace, and mercy, wast sweetly drawn in, won, and
allured, by himself too, to seek his favour and friendship more than life. And he as graciously also condescended to entertain a treaty with thee about it ; gave thee many hopes and evidences of his favour, which thou
hast prized more than life ; and thou wast even then, when this unhappy lust betrayed thee, and carried thee captive, upon the very point of obtain
ing the assurance of his love from him. Or suppose (I speak to one who hath obtained assurance from him) that thou wentest, as Saul, seeking after
asses, a world of vanities, and yet even then hast found thyself in the ambushment of an infinite and everlasting love, surrounding thee without
the possibility of escape from it. That thou who hast received all this, should use God thus, what base ingratitude is it ? Well, and yet further, when thou hast come into him again and again (for this is not the first or second time that thou hast served him so), and when thou didst expect nothing but frowns, if not rejection by him, lo, he hath fallen upon thy neck ere thou hast spoke out thy requests to him with trembling heart and
lips ; and lo, he fell upon thy neck and kissed thee, and wept love, eternal
love, and the blood of his dearest love, into thy bosom, faster than thou
couldst pour tears into his. And instantly he bid fetch the best robe in
all his wardrobe, that never yet was put upon angels backs, woven by his
Son, and appointed by himself, and told thee he had reserved it by him for
thee from everlasting, and that all were friends again, and it would be so
for ever. And he left only this kind sting behind, that he told thee that thou wouldst yet sin again as thou hadst done before ; and so thou hast. And hath not, doth not this yet more melt thee, and cause the tide of godly
* Qu. c hauled ? ED.
CHAP. IV.] IN OUR SALVATION. 145
sorrow to swell yet higher, as it did in Peter ? A good look of Christ made him go out, and weep bitterly. And when God hath used thee thus
kindly, only bid thee take heed of returning to folly any more, didst thou,
after that, fear his goodness more than ever thou didst his anger ? Weepest thou if others do see thee, or thou seest others sin ? Do, or have rivers of
tears fallen down thine eyes, because men keep not his law ? as David
speaks, Ps. cxix. But how remote are such dispositions as these from the
hearts of the most of men, even of those who yet profess themselves as
great and good friends to God as any ? And if for want of such or like
dispositions to these, so many will be found enemies (for Christ hath said
it, He that is not with me is against me ), where shall you that are opposers of God and goodness, and mockers of holiness ; you that are secret
maintainers and flatterers of bosom-sins, of uncleanness and worldliness
in your own hearts, strangers from God and the life of God ; not sub
ject to the law of God, and to the multitude of duties he requireth ; not
calling upon God (as the psalmist speaks), where will you appear? I have ransacked your hearts ; let me now prosecute my begun exhortation
afresh. I beseech, therefore, all those that shall have the least beam of
light darted into their hearts by these considerations, to consider with themselves what to do.
For consider how nearly it concerns you to be reconciled to God. For know that he is angry with you every day, Ps. vii. 11, though he
says nothing. And if thou turn not he will whet his sword, and prepare instruments of death. Unheard of tortures are a-preparing ; therefore it behoves us to inquire in what terms we stand with God. That king in the
parable, Luke xiv. 31, hearing that a foreign prince, provoked, was making war against him, sat down and considered whether he were able to encounter him. And I beseech you so to do. Who ever went on against him and
prospered ? Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? are we stronger than he ? 1 Cor. x. 22. * If I speak of strength. saith Job, there is no deal
* What is weakness in God is stronger than the strength of men, 1 Cor. i. 25. What
ing with him, submitting to him, for he is strong, Job ix. 19.
is weaker than a man s breath, which can scarce blow away a straw? And
yet by the breath of his countenance we are consumed, Job iv. 9. It was but a word, but a breath, that made the world ; and we are but as the dust of the balance, Isa. xl. 15, soon blown away. He is wise and also
strong; so Job saith. And therefore consider withal, that there is no way of escaping, but by sending out for conditions of peace. So in the parable, Luke xiv. 32. That was the issue of that king s consultations, that when he found that his enemy had prepared against him, and would be too hard
for him, he sends out his conditions of peace. And withal let me tell you this for your comfort, have any of you a mind to make peace with him ? Then be assured he will be at peace with you. The text, 2 Cor. v. 18,
brings the news of it : God was in Christ (hath made it his business) re
conciling the world. And contrary to the use and custom, sends em-
* All
bassages to us to be reconciled unto him. And lo, his earnestness :
things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself. If ever God was
earnest or serious in all or anything, he is in this : Isa. xxvii. 4, 5, Fury
is not in me : who would set the briars and thorns against me in battle ? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me ; and he shall make peace with me. Though he be strong, yet as it is there, let a man take hold of his strength. Take hold of that arm which is lifted up in fury, VOL. VI. K
146 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK III.
all the whole creation cannot stay or rule it. And he shall make peace with me, says God. Yea, all the power which is in him shall be turned
for you, and shewn in pardoning you. Only let the briars and thorns, Heb. vi., sinners that go on in their sins, and set themselves in battle
* I will go through them
array against him, let them look to themselves, for
(says God), and burn them together, ver. 4. And therefore take Amos his counsel, Amos. iv. 12, that seeing he will
* prepare to meet thy God, \ as
surely do thus unto thee unless thou turn,
that king did in the parable, and as Abigail did when she heard that David was coming on in fury. Throw away your weapons,
* cast away your
transgressions, why will you die ? Do as Shimei to David : seeing he
will overcome, go forth to meet him, and put yourselves into his hands : 2 Sam. xix. 20, Thy servant knows (saith he) that I have sinned ; so I am come to meet the lord my king. This overcame David, though egged on
by servants for to kill him. David was overcome by it, being an ingenuous man ; much more it will prevail with God, a God of all mercy. The truth
is, he desires but to be acknowledged to be God both in damning and
saving; to overcome and to be justified, when he is judged, which he is when he is submitted unto. Do I not know that I am king this day ? saith David,
giving a reason why he pardoned him, ver. 20. Thus also, when Benhadad was in Ahab s power, 1 Kings xx., his servants advised him to send
messengers unto him with ropes about their necks, and to put on sack
cloth, thereby to acknowledge he might hang them up if he pleased, for
they and their king were in his power, if so it pleased him to deal with them. Only they knew the kings of Israel were merciful kings, and so
they came and put themselves into his hands, and humbly sought him,
running by his chariot-side, waiting if any word of hope and encourage ment might fall from him. And thus they obtain, not of a David, but 01 an Ahab, a hard-hearted Ahab. And if this king of Israel (the worst o1
them) were thus merciful, what is the God of Israel ? the God and Father
of mercies ! Go home therefore, and fall down upon thy knees, and with a hearl broken and dissolved to water, acknowledge thy treasons, rebellions, and
injuries against him who never did thee hurt ; yea, who hath never ceased
to do thee good; yea, who hath striven with an unwearied patience to
soften and overcome this strong and stout rebellion. Lay open all thy sins, and spread all thy bold and bloody transgressions as a scroll before him ; set over each their accents and aggravations. Point every confession with
tears and sighs ; rip up thy heart and life ; say it is thou who hast polluted the earth, sinned against heaven and him that sits therein, and art alto
gether unworthy of the name, much more of the privilege, of a son ; thai thou hast forfeited thy creation, and deservest not to be called a creature.
Acknowledge thy crime, with self-loathing and self-condemnation, as with a rope put about, and ready fitted to thy neck by thine own hand, as Benhadad s servants did. Say to God, that if he will destroy thee he may and if he doth he shall need no other judge to condemn thee but thyself , no other indictment than this thy free confession, made of thine own accord And to shew that he needeth not to send for thee, and hale thee to execu
tion, say, Thou freely presentest thyself to him. And referring thyself to
him, say, as David did, 2 Sam. xv. 26, If thou hast not pleasure in me do with me as seemeth good to thee. Yet withal, bemoan thyself to him
* perverted thai which is right, and it hath not profited thee at all ; that thou hast wearied
as Ephraim is said to do, Jer. xxxi. Confess thou hast
CHAP. IV.] IN OUR SALVATION. 147
thyself in the ways of sin, and hast run away from him days without num
ber, who is thy fountain of life ; and that it was never well with thee since thou didst forsake him. Yea, that thou hast destroyed thyself to do him
injury, in whom alone thy help is to be found. And falling down yet lower, tell him that now thy life depends upon his breath, that he is that
lawgiver who alone is able to save thee or condemn thee. A word of his
saves thee, and it may condemn thee. And above all, get thy heart to melt for thy unkindness to him. Say, that though thou hadst never been the better for the goodness that is in him, or shouldst never hope to be, yet to wrong him, who is a God that is so great, and yet withal so good, that hath infinite glory joined with holiness, riches of grace, mercy with so much
power, that is so able to destroy, and so willing to forgive, is that most
grieves thee. That thou shouldst kick against him in whom thou livest, and niovest, and hast thy being ; at whose expense and charges it hath been that thou hast hitherto been maintained ; and yet to no other end but to sin against him ; say to him, that it is this thought which wounds
thy soul. Acknowledge that thou hast already spent him millions of riches of patience and long-suffering, and all to no other fruit or purpose but to offend him ; and of all which thou canst give him no other account but millions of sins and injuries returned against him. And besides this vast
expense of the common stock of mercy, common to others with thee, thou hast neglected and despised the offer of as much mercy as were sufficient to save all the devils (if they were capable of it) ; and if he yet pardon thee, thou must cost him yet much more than thou hast already spent him, the mercies of eternity, the soul-blood of his Son, which blood and mercy is what thou
art now a-suing for. And after all this thou must be beholden to that free
grace thou hast all this while been sinning against and despising, or thou
art undone. And none but everlasting, unchangeable, and sure mercies
will serve thy turn. Thy transgressions, and rebellions, and corruptions are of that extent, that less mercy will not reach or hold out to pardon thee, but fall short of what thou owest ; which mercies, if yet thou obtainest not,
it is not for want of good will in God, but from hardness of heart in thee to
him, yea, to thyself. And let this consideration further make thy heart
to gush and bleed, and strike thee down into the deepest confusion, never
to look up again but with shame and sorrow ; but yet tell him, that if thou couldst yet find in thy heart truly to turn to him, he can find enough and
enough (to an overflowing) in his heart to be at peace with thee. Thus go and take words unto thyself, as he himself directs thee in Hosea xiv. 2. He will be sought to, and he loves to be entreated. It is
melody in his ears to hear a poor soul bemoan itself unto him. Soft words
pacify wrath, Prov. xv. 1, much more stirs bowels of mercy. His heart cannot hold out against such volleys of tears and cries from a heart that is broken. Turn all thou hast heard or read about reconciliation on his part into motives and arguments to move him to shew mercy unto thee. Tell him it is true, it is in his power to shew his justice on thee if he will, and that thou art freely come to present thy naked breast to him as a butt that deserves to be shot at, and he might spend his arrows on thy hateful soul, or sheath his sword in it ; only desire him to remember, before he doth it, that it is the same sword which he once thrust into his Son s bowels, when
it pleased him to put him to grief, and make his soul an offering for sin. And when thou hast said it, shut thine eyes and trust him. And oh ! wash, bathe, and plunge thy soul in that fountain which he then opened. Beseech him to consider that he himself found out a way to pacify himself for sin,
148 THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK III.
such a way as thou and all the angels should have trembled to have thought
of, and couldst not have believed, but that himself hath done it and revealed
it ; yea, and that he himself, unbespoken to by thee, or any of us of man
kind, sought to his Son to be mediator, when thou hadst no being. And
say to him, Lord, wilt thou not now accept it, when he hath performed it
at thine own request, and when it is sought for at thy hands ? Further
tell him, that as the motion came first from himself to his Son, so from himself first to thee ; that thou shouldst never have had the face, or heart, or will, to have sought him thus ; but that he first set thee a-work, spake to thy hard heart, won and allured thy soul to trust, by what thou hearest of his love, which hath so taken thy heart, that now thou canst never part with it. He doth beseech thee by us to be reconciled to him, and though he doth it by us, yet he would have come himself, but that he is to appear in heaven to intercede. Urge him that there are but a few in the world that do seek to be reconciled to him, and if he should turn any away that
do, he would have fewer. Who would fear him, if there were not mercy in him, and plenteous redemption ? And thou mayest wax yet bolder,
according to what you heard out of Job xxxiii. and other scriptures. Thou hast heard by his messengers, those who have been sent to thee by himself, of an infinite and all-sufficient righteousness in his Son, laid up in him also by his own procurement, and betrusted with him for the bestowing of it upon those that should come to him for it. Whereupon he hath said, ver.
26, I will render to man his righteousness. Put this in suit, for it is but as in trust committed to him, and plead that he received it to that very end to give it forth to them that sue for it. And he hath therefore said that when any one soul draws nigh unto the grave (as thine doth now) and a
messenger from him shews to him, and gives him this righteousness, Job
xxxiii. 23, and that thereupon if he pray unto him, he will be favourable, and he shall see his face with joy ; and that he will say, Deliver him, I have found a ransom ; for he will render to man his righteousness, ver. 26. Go sue for it therefore as thine ; pray, and plead thou thus, and he cannot deny thee.
But if it be objected against thee, that it is true these things are in him, but thou art a sinner, an enemy ; say thou then that if this objection stand
good, his Son must be in heaven alone, and none of mankind must be there with him ; no man must stand in his sight. Say, Thou hast heard that to take away sins was the main design of the covenant of grace, and had it not been that he meant to save sinners, he needed not have pitched on the course of saving men by his Son, for he might have created new friends
cheaper ; but that he knew the saving an enemy would shew more love. If the greatness of thy sins be urged upon thy conscience, say, All fulness dwells in his Son ; a fulness, and all fulness of merit above what thy sins can reach to. If that these sins have been continued in by thee these many years, urge that this fulness dwells in his Son, and hath done so, longer than sin hath done in thee. But if he say, Yea, but those I do save, believed and repented ; ask him, Who gave them that repentance and that
faith ? Didst not thou, Lord ? By grace ye are saved, through faith, Eph. ii. 8. And that faith is not of ourselves neither, it is the gift of God ; which beseech him therefore to work in thee. Come thus with a true heart to him, for thou must draw near to him, as with confidence of being accepted, so with a true heart, for both are joined together, Heb. x. 22. Wherefore I take the meaning to be (in opposition to a false, disloyal, and traitorous heart) to signify such a heart as for the
CHAP. IV.] IN OUR SALVATION. 149
future resolves to be true to him, even as one friend would or ought to be
to another, or as thou would st be to thyself; a heart truly loving him,
resolving to keep thyself chaste and true to him alone. Even as the spouse that had played the whore with many lovers in former times, and now returns wooing and suing to her husband, not only for to pardon her, but
to love her, and to receive her again with a conjugal love, and to let her
enjoy communion and fellowship with him, as a wife doth with a husband, from whom she had been so long time estranged. Do thou seriously and
truly resolve to let go all whorish and carnal friendship, with other lovers, as the world and all things therein, which hath enticed thy heart away from God. Come also with a true heart, resolving to be loyal and faithful to
him, as a subject to a lawful prince ; submitting to all his laws for ever, hating and standing out against every sin as an utter enemy ; being for him and for his glory ; having respect to him in all your actions (as you would have such a regard to one you love more dearly than yourselves, whom it grieves you to displease, and in comparison of holding whose
friendship you count not your life precious or dear unto you) ; fully sub
mitting to his commanding and condemning will ; standing out in nothing, resolving to give up thyself in the deepest services of doing or suffering whatsoever he shall set thee about ; resolving to be nothing for thyself, but to be all to him, and true to him as thou wouldst be to thyself. All this, I take it, is meant by a true heart ; and this it is to be reconciled. Now sue thus, and continue suing, and all the saints in heaven must yet be con demned if ever thou art, for they came thither no other way than thus. But without this, though not for this (for God accepts freely), an husband would never accept his adulterous wife (though she slubbered never so much) except he saw she resolved to live now true and chaste to him. No more will God receive, except he sees in thee such holy resolutions. And
though man may be deceived, yet God searcheth the hearts, and cannot be deceived.
Only in the last place, as the conclusion of all, see thou dost this presently, and not defer it a whit ; and this the nature of reconciliation requires of
thee. For that reconciliation which shall be accepted must proceed out of
good will to God, as hath been spoken. So as when a man returns, he mourns that he hath stood out, and been an enemy so long, and that he came in no sooner. And therefore if thou sayest now, after all this urging, that thou wilt reconcile thyself hereafter, it argues thou intendest not to do it in truth of heart, so as God should accept thee. For if thou after wards comest out of necessity, though thou suest (as Esau did) with tears,
yet thou shalt not be accepted, as he was not. If a bare submission would
serve thy turn, though unfeigned, thou mightst defer and make thy peace afterwards ; but it being to be reconciliation, it requires absolutely the
present time. No time so fit as now ; deferring argues enmity. An enemy will submit to an enemy when he is cast into a strait, as Shimei did, but a
friend will return of himself.
And besides, secondly, let this thought move you, Shall God and Christ have busied themselves about your reconciliation from everlasting, and
spent an eternity of thoughts upon it ; and will you defer to think of it till the hour of death or sickness ? Hath God made this his first work and
master-piece ? And do you make repentance to be your refuse work, to be done at your castaway leisure ? Hath it took up the delights of the
great God, hath he been so forward in it ; and must you be haled and forced to it ? And if that will not move you, consider the danger of delays.
150 THE "WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST [BOOK III.
4 Agree with thine adversary (says Christ) while thou art in the way. God now in this life offers to deal with thee upon terms of friendship, but
if once thou comest before the judge (as Christ says), and so before God
as a judge, will he regard any ransom ? Will he then come to any com
position ? No ; he will not rest content (as Solomon saith) though thou
givest him many gifts. Or if thou shouldst then obtain thy peace, yet it would be upon harder conditions than now ten thousand times. Learn wisdom of him in the parable, Luke xiv. 31, who when he saw he was not
able to encounter with his enemy, he sent to him for conditions of peace, whilst he was yet afar off (the text says) ; for he knew that if he deferred
till the enemy came nigher, with his armies of thy sins and his wrath, and
sat down before the walls, he would hardly be brought to remove his siege ; and if so, yet upon harder conditions, if at all. Now his coming against thee may be nigher than thou art aware. This night (it may be)
* The
judge stands at the door, says James. Yet suppose judgment be deferred and the judge to be afar off, yet it is the safest way to send out speedily, and to sue for conditions of peace. For when God s wrath hath begirt thee round about at the day of death or sickness, it would be more difficult by
far, if at all thou dost obtain it.
;. God may shoot at thee suddenly, and at one shoot, at one blow, kill thee
as he did the sons of Eli, and cut thee oft ere thou hast time even to do
that which thou thinkest will serve the turn, which yet will not. For it is not bare submission, but reconciliation ; not necessitated, but free and
voluntary, proceeding out of good will, that must be the condition of thy
peace. Observe Shimei s policy, and follow his example ; who, when he heard that David was settled in his kingdom, and so knew he had power to crush him, he being conscious of his rebellion, came in voluntarily, and was the first of the rebels that submitted, and soon got his peace. So do thou ; do it now, and be glad and thankful if God will yet, after this long time of rebellion, accept thee again.
CHAP. I.] IN OUR SALVATION. 151