154 Book IV. Mat.n. 18. were deathtodrawnigh? of whom art tbou~fraid? Is God (Ome down ~mong!tmen and ranrt thou not fee him, lefl thou die and perifl1? Oh look or.re more, and be no; difcouraged! See, God is nor come down in fire, God is not defcended in the Ar– mour of Juflireand everla!hngburnings; no, no, he is cloathed widnJ.eGarmenrs of flelh, he fweetiy ddires to. converfe wirh ,thee after ti1ine own form; he is come down to befeech thee, to fee With thme own eyes thy erernal happinefs, q. d. Come poor foul, come, put in thy h~11ds, and feel my heart how it beats in love toward,· thee. 0 the wonder of heaven! lt IS the cry of fome poor fouls, Oh that I might fee G'od J loe ltere God is come down in the likenefs of man, he walks in our own fl1apc arrionglt us. ic-is the cry of ?thers, 0 that I might have my heart united to G'od! why he i; come down on tillS very purpofe, a"d barb united our nature unto himfelf. Surely God harh left all the world wirhout excufe: Oh that ever there flJotdd be an heart of unbelief, after thefe fen!ible demonthations of divine Glory and Love? why foul wilt thou now !land off? tell me, whar would(! rhou have God do more? can he ma~ nifelt himfelf in a more taking, .alluring, futab1e way to thy condition? Is rhere any th!ng below llefl1 wherein the great God can humble himfelf for rhy good? come, thmk of another, and a better way, or elfe for ever believe, Methinks it ir fad to fe~ Believers fhy in their approachs to God, or doubtful of rheir acceptance with God, when God himfelfll:oops firll:, and is fo in love wirh our acquaintance, that he will be of thefamenaturethat we are. Olet not fuch a Rock of ltrengrh l>e fleighred , but every day entertain fweet and precious thoughts of Chriltbeing incarn1re; enure thy bean to a way of believing on this Jefus, as he carries on the gt eat work of thy falvation at his firll: coming or incarnation. ' 3· From the Gofpel-tenders and offers of this bielfed ol>je<'! to our fouls As Chrilt is come in our nature to farisfie, fo he comes in the Gofpel freely and fully to offer rhee terms of love; therein are fetout the moll: rich and alluring ex, reffions that pofllbly can be; therein is fet out thar this Incarnation of Chrift was. Gods own a<'!ing, out of hi~ · own Love and Grace, and Glory; therein is fer our the birth, and life, and death of Chrilt; and this he could not do, but he mull: be incarnate: God rakes our llefiJ, and he ufeth rhat as an Organ, or Inltrumenr whereby to a<'! ; he was Aeth to fuffer, as he was Spirit ro fati>fie for our fins. Merhinks I might challenge Unbelief, and bid it come forrh ; Ier it appear if it dare befo,·e this confideration: what is not God incar– nate enough to farislie thy Confcience ? Come nigh poor foul ! hear the voice of Chri!l inviting, Comeu,1fo me all)" th~t • .re weary and heavy laden with fin; aqd 0 let thefe rich and glorious open;ngs of the heart of Chrift overcome thy bean: Suppofe the cafe rhus; what if God ll10uld have done no morethan this? Had.he only looked down from heaven, and he~ring finners cry our., 0 wo, wo unto tu for ever ! we h~'V~ brok§ G'•ds Law, incurr'd the penalty, damned our own fads ; 0 who fhall deliver m ? whq will Jave "" from the wrath to come? who will k§ep "" om of Hell, our deferved Dun– geon, wher_e the fury of the gret:Jt [1tdge burns in a fiery .Brimftone and ht1 revenge boyls in a fiery torrent limitle(s and unq11enchable. 'In this cafe, if God hearing !inner> thus crying out; had he, I fay, only looked down and tOld them in fweet Llnguage, Poor fouls, I willpa>"donyo•sr fins by my own prerogative, I made the Law, and I w•l/ di– fpenfe with it; fear not, I have the Keyes of Life and death, aiJd ~<pon my word }o" fha/1 not periflJ; What foul would not have been raifed up even from .the bottom of H~U at thi• very voice? I know a poor foul would have fcrupled at thts, and hove fa~d, what then fhall belome of.infinite 'juf/ice_? fha/1 eh_at b~ dijho•ourcdto f <ve my Soil/.' this would have been a fcruple mdeed, efpectally conhdermg rhat great controverfie (as we have heard) of Mercy andTrmh, and Righteoufnefi and peace: but tor.emove all comrover– fies God bath not only fpoken from heaven by himfelf, but he lumfelf ts come down fro~ heaven to earth to fpeak unto us: 0 fee this Miracle of Mercy! God is come down in flefl1, he is come as a price; he himfelf wil I pay himfelf according to all the de– mands of hi• jultice and righteoufnef> before our eyes; and all this done, now he offers and tenders himfelf unto thy foul. Oh my foul, why lhoul.defl rhou fear ro call thy felf upon thy God? I know thy objeCl:ion of. vtlenefs ; notwlthltand!llg all thy vdenefs, God himfelf offers himfelf to lead thee by the hand; and to remove all doubts , God himfel( hath puc a price fufficient in "rhe hands of Jullice to !top her mourh: or if yec thou fearelt to come to God,why comethen to thy own flelh;go tO Clmft, as having thy ow~ narure; it is he that calls thee: how ? ~o tO flefl1? go to thyow~ Nature ? what can be [aid more to draw on thy rrembhng heart ? If God lumfeltd, . ~ '•
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