A s E R M 0 N On HE B. X. 4, 5, ,, 7· For it it not poJ!ible, that the blood of B'lf.lJt and Goatt fhou/d tak! away ftn. Wherefore, when he cometh .into the World, he faith, Sacrifice and Burnt Offeringr thou wou!dfl not, but a Body hafl thou prepared me. In Burnt ·offeringr, and Sacrificet for ftn, thou haft no pieafore. ThenJaid I, Lo I come (in the Volume of thy Boo~ it is written of me) to do thy wi/J, 0 God. THE ApofilePauJ,in 2 C~r.).18,•9,and zothVerfes, does fummarilytell us, what is the Argument (as I may fo fpeal>) of that great Myftery of the Gofpel. The Theme it dilates upon, is Rfco1Jciliation; To wit (fays he) that God was i11 Chrifl, ruonciti11g thf World. And therefore the Title he gives the Dod:rine of it is this, 'lht Miniftryof Reconciliation. And fo the foot of the Angels Song, Luke z. 1 4· was Rec011• cilwtio11, which confifts of two parts, Peace andGoodwill, The full fcope of the words you may conceive as caft into tlus frame; and withal, what is the fum of all I have to deliver to you about it. '· The World, the whole World of Mankind being created in an eftate of amity and friend!hip with God, as the word ,...,• .,,_~ym, Reconcile, implies. To make friends again, argues former friend!hip. 2, And then, This whole lump of Men, being trcacheroully fallen off from God into a deep Rebellion again£!: him, and become of the Devil's Seed and Fa– ction. S• God, who is infinite in Love, and rich in Mercy,, bearing everlaflingand fecret Good will to fome of thefe Rebels in all Ages, bath alwa.ies mai~ramed certain Lieger Embalfadors in the World, (as verfe 20. Implies) to treat wtth this rebellious Rout, and conclude a Peace betwixt them and him. 4• And that his Agents and Dealers for him, whom in this Bufioefs he hath and doth employ, might be fully enabled to conclude it, he hath furmfl1ed them (as all other Embalfadors ufe to be) with a large and gracious Commi!Tion ; the Title of which, is the Miwflry of' Reco11cilia1Jo11, v. 1 S. J-latb givm to tu, ~c. Which includes in it Two things. Fir!l,
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