118 A SERMON on FiTlt, Not by bare word of mouth, but you have his hand for it· he bath left his mind in writing, this Book, which is dropt from Heaven, the 'ritle of it is Th~wordof Reconciliation. 2 Cor: i • 19. the main Argument of it beingRecon~ ciliation; and ifthere be any truth in it, then certainly in this Dotl:rine of Re– conCiltatton. In this Book we find Proclamation fent forth after Proclamation Book aft&r Book, Line after Line; all written to this end, that we might hav~ hope and ltrong confolation, as the Apoltle witneflcth. Secondly, He bath added the Seals of the Sacraments, and an Oath to it alfo. and that was not made or flipt from him at unawares, as Oaths from men ufe t~ do; but advifedly, with the greatelt earnellnefs and deliberation that might be Heb.6. 17. Godwilli11g, (the·Text fays,) mort abtmdantly, to mrmijejlth 1 ; hJS mtmt, and the lmmutabtltty of thiS hu Cotmftl of reconeili11g the World to him(tlf through Chrijl, (which is the Promife mentioned in the former verfes made to Abraham,) confirmed that Pron11{~ wtth an Oath, that 6y twoimmu– ta61t thi11gs, (his Word and Oath,) we might have ltrong confolation and hope. Thirdly, He hath pawned Heaven and Earth, the Covenant of Day and Night, in Mortgage, toforgiv~ !11iquitv thro11gh his Sons 'Drath, Jer. l' · 34 3i, 36. attdChap. B· 20. This is my CovmrJnt, ( fays God there,) that I wtlt jorg:vttheir lmqwf)•, a11d rem~mbtr theirfins no more, ver, H· a11d ver. 36: Ij thojt Ordinrmces depart of Su1< andMoo11,(~c. ver, H. And zlyo11 call break th~ Covma111 of 'Day and Nzght. ver. 20. of 3l• Chap. Then may this Covmant ofmi11t 6e broken, Day and Night, we fee, continue llill; and therefore this Covenant holds good !till. Sixthly and Lafily, If all this will not perfwade Men of this his willingnefs to be reconciled to them, and fhew them Mercy, manifclled fo ferioufly, fo many ways, (wherein it is impoffible for him to ly, as the Apollle fpeaks,) yet at lalt, let his Atl:ions and Gourfes which he hath taken from the beginning ofthe World fpeak for all the rell. He hath been Reconci!i11g the World in that fenfe; that is, he hath been bringing friends and pardoning many, in all Ages from the b~ginning of the World. As Firll, .Adam anti E'ilt, the Ringleaders, the heads of the Rebellion; who drew all the refiof the World into that Enmity, were yet reconciled. Kings ufually hnog up the Heads and Chiefs in Treafon,for examples of their Jultiee, tho' they pardon others; yet them did God reconcile to himfelf, as examples of his Mercy, to all that lhould come of them. Andit isobfervable, that the firlt thing he did, after the World was fal!.en, was Preaching this Gof· pel, and !hewing of Mercy in Pardoning them : He began to do that foon, he meant to be always doing that to the end of the World, which he delighted in. His heart appears to be moll in this work,when he began it fo foon. What fhould I reckon up the rell that followed that? Abraham, 'David, ~c. the time would fail me. The Romaus were Enemies, and they were reconciled, Rom, i· 8, 10, The Ephefians, Ephef. 2. 12, 14 The Coloj]ians were fomerimes Enemies, yet now reconciled, ver. 21. yea, (and God be blelfed,) Chrill is yet according to his own Promlfe, 1hat he would6t with m to the end of the World,) reconcilmg the World to himfelf llill. God bath fome true friends now in the World, that are truly reconciled to him, that walk in the llreets by you, live amongll you; and he will have Thoufands when you are gone. And what are thefe but as Flags and Patterns of Mercy and Reconciliation, hang'd out by God, to toll others in ? Ephef,2. 7· And yet, becaufe notwithllanding all this a/furance of God's willingnefs to be reconciled ; there are certain tacite objetl:ions and !tumbling blocks, which ly in poor dillre/fed Souls minds, which block up their aecefs to God for ~his peace! I will therefore remove fome d.feouragements which are apt to anfemMens mmds when they hear this news of peace a11dgood will: For as when God would fpeak peacttohis Peopl~, 57· lfai. and 6rmg them mto the La11d of Canaan agam : he biduhem ( ver, 14.) Cajl up, and talu away the jlumbling 6/ocks. So when we
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