Grace Mercy and Peace, Sermon 2
RECONCILIATION OF MAN to GOD.
By HENRY DENNE.
BEfore I enter to ſpeake of Mans reconciliation to God, It is neceſſary that I premiſe a diſtinction, and ſhew you a two-fold reconciliation, ſet out unto us in the Scriptures. 1. Originall, 2. Actuall. Beare with the termes, I confeſſe they are not altogether ſo fit as I could wiſh: But I therefore thought fit to uſe theſe termes, that I might paralell this diſtinction unto another, uſed by Divines of Originall and Actuall ſinne. Originall reconciliation is wrought without us by another perſon, yet for us: you may call it the reconciliation of our nature. Actual reconciliation is wrought within us, although not by our owne power. This you may call the reconciliation of our perſons or conſciences, the one being the reconciliation of our nature to God, the other the manifeſtation of that, and the premiſed reconciliation to our ſoules: That this is not an unneceſſary diſtinction you ſhall find by comparing ſome Scriptures together: the firſt is Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne. Againe, Eph. 2.16. That he might reconcile both unto God into one body by the Croſſe having ſlaine the enmity thereby, Col. 1.21.12. Thirdly, conſider what is written, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himſelfe by Ieſus Chriſt, and hath given unto us the miniſtery of reconciliation: To wit, That God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelfe, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them. Now compare wee theſe three places forementioned, with that which we find, 2 Cor. 5, 20. We are Ambaſſadors for Christ, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be yee reconciled unto God: In the former places the Apoſtle told us wee were reconciled; and in this place, he beſeecheth us to be reconciled. For to take up this difference, I ſay that in the former he ſpeaketh of our Originall reconciliation, wherein our nature was reconciled to God by Chriſt, in the ſecond I ſay, he ſpeaketh of our Actuall reconciliation, wherein our conſciences become reconciled to God, through the apprehenſion of the reconciliation which Chriſt hath wrought for us. Firſt of all I muſt ſpeak of our Originall reconciliation. And there I lay downe this propoſition, that we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne, without any previous conditions in us, or performed by us. You ſee it is the act of Chriſt upon the Croſſe, it was done by his death: The Lord Chriſt being a common perſon, taking our nature upon him, we are ſaid to doe that which he did, and to have that done upon us which was done upon him. As in the firſt Adam we all ſinned before we were, or bad committed any Actuall tranſgreſſion: ſo in the ſecond Adam we were reconciled. As by one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one, ſhall many be made righteous, Rom. 5.19. I ſay we are ſaid to doe that which he did, as to be buried with Chriſt, by baptiſme into death, Rom. 6.4. We are ſaid to be crucified with Chriſt, as our old man is crucified with him, Rom. 6.6. to be dead and alive with him. Reckon yee alſo your ſelves to be dead indeed unto ſinne, but alive unto God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6.11. We are ſaid to be riſen with him, Coloſſ. 3.1. which is elegantly ſet forth by the Prophet Hoſea, ſpeaking of the reſurrection of Chriſt. He ſpeaketh on this wiſe, After two dayes he will revive us, and the third day he will raiſe us up, and we ſhall live in his ſight, Hoſe. 6.2. Yet more, we are ſaid to be placed together in heavenly places with him, Eph. 2.5.6. This is that which I call Originall reconciliation. Whereby we ſee that not onelyonly God was reconciled unto us, but alſo that our nature was reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne, without any condition, or qualification wrought in us. Thus much for our Originall reconciliation. Now followes our Actuall reconciliation; to wit, the manifeſtation of Gods reconciliation to us, and of the reconciliation of our nature to God in Jeſus Chriſt. Here I lay downe this propoſition: Mans Actuall reconciliation to God requireth previous conditions and qualifications to be wrought in man by the ſpirit of God before man can be Actually reconciled to God, or Gods reconciliation manifeſted unto him. Althogh this propoſition need no proofe, in regard that the world ſo far doteth on conditions, that they will hardly admit God to be reconciled to man, without performances in man: Surely much leſſe will they thinke it poſſible that Man ſhould be reconciled unto God, without ſomething wrought in man; yet for our better underſtanding I will ſhew you the proofe of this by certaine texts. As Except a man be borne of water and of the ſpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God, Iohn 3.5. Except a man be borne againe he cannot ſee the kingdome of God, verſ. 3. To enter into, and to ſee the kingdome of God, is that which I call reconciliation to God: to know the favour and love of God towards us in Chriſt, requires you ſee the condition of being borne againe of water and of the ſpirit, which is (not to be baptized as the Papiſts would have it) but to have ſuch fruits and effects of Gods ſpirit wrought in us as purifie the heart, as water doth the body. Secondly, except yee eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you have no life in you, Iohn 6.53. Marke I pray you, he doth not ſay, that except yee eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, yee have no life in God, or in Chriſt; but yee have no life in you. Now you ſee we muſt eat the fleſh of Christ, and drinke his bloud, or elſe we can have no life in us. To eate his fleſh and to drink his bloud, is to beleeve in him, to have life in you, is to know Gods favour in Ieſus Chriſt, as much as if he ſhould ſay, except yee beleeve, yee cannot know Gods favour to you in Ieſus Chriſt. VntoUnto this we may adde in the third place: Except yee repent yee ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luke 13.3. And to this place we may alſo referre that place of which we had occaſion to ſpeake ſomewhat before; without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, Heb. 12.14. not onelyonly that holineſſe is concomitant or companion of our ſeeing of God, but that faith being a part of (yea the firſt fruits of holines) is that whereby the ſoule is brought to the ſight of God in Jeſus Chriſt. But I am not willing to ſpend time in larger proofe, though you cannot but perceive I might be very large herein, but I will for your better underſtanding, confine my ſelfe, and goe on to ſhew you in particular, what Conditions are required in us, before we can be reconciled to God. And here I have occaſion, for the better explaining of this, to commend unto you three ſorts of conditions,
1. Antecedent.
2. Preſent.
3. Conſequent.
Antecedent Conditions I call thoſe which are neceſſarily preſuppoſed in us before we can ſubmit unto God, or be reconciled unto him. They are ſuch conditions as may be ſeperated from reconciliation in time, yea they are ſuch conditions, as are, and may be in them which are not reconciled, nor yet ever ſhall be: ſo that they are proper, Omnibus ſed non ſolis electis, to all the elect, but not onelyonly to the elect. 2. Preſent conditions I call them, that goe before reconciliation, as the cauſe before the effect, yet are never ſeperated from reconciliation in time, but are indeed the very thing whereby the holy ſpirit of God doth reconcile man to God. 3. Conſequent conditions I call them, which doe alwayes follow reconciliation, as the effect the cauſe, although they are inſeperable in reſpect of time. And I therefore undertake to ſpeake of theſe (although the curious may thinke me blame-worthy for tranſgreſſing the rules of method) that we might be warned of a rock and ſhelfe; namely, that we doe not confound theſe conditions together, and to take thoſe for antecedent which are onelyonly conſequent: which to my knowledge hath made ſome ſouls to make ſhipwrack for a time, when as they would have in them before they beleeve, ſuch conditions as are onelyonly conſequents, and not antecedents of faith: Firſt, to ſpeake of Antecedent conditions, which neceſſarily goe before our reconciliation to God: They ſhall be referred unto two heads, the firſt is the knowledge of ſinne, with whatſoever is requiſite unto the knoweledge of ſinne. The ſecond is the knowledge of the depth of miſery by ſinne to be ſuch, as we can neither help our ſelves, neither is it in the power of any other creature for to helpe us: but that we are undone for ever in reſpect of whatſoever we can doe or any other for us; for untill the ſoule be brought to this, there is no hope of reconciling it unto God: for you muſt know, that it is meere neceſsity that drives us: we are by nature haters of God, and cannot be brought to come to God in love before we perceive God to love us; ſuch is the malignant nature of man, that if he could make any ſhift in the world, hee would not bee beholding to God for helpe: The prodigall ſonne will never returne to his father ſo long as he can get cloaths for his backe, and meate for his belly elſewhere; but when he is brought to that paſſe that he would fain have filled his belly with husks which the ſwine did eate, and no man gave unto him, Luke 15.16. Then he is contented, to thinke of ſubmitting to his father, but not before, if he could have got a living by keeping of Hogs, hee would not have returned. Thus is it with man ſo long as he is in any hope to eſcape miſery any other way, there is no hope of his returning to God. They that be whole need not the Phyſitian, but they that are ſick, Mat. 9.12.
The Phariſee thinketh himſelf able to eſtabliſh his owne righteouſneſſe: and therefore he will not ſubmit to the righteouſneſſe of God, Rom. 10.4. He cares not a pinne for Chriſt, he is whole; he cares not for the Phyſitian. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelfe and take up his croſſe daily and follow me, Luke 9.23. No man can follow Chriſt except he deny himſelfe, his own Righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, would you know a reaſon under the determinate counſell of God; why the Publicans and Harlots received Chriſt, but the holy Phariſees rejected him, (a true paterne of our dayes:) the Phariſees thought themſelves able to ſtand upon their owne legs; they were alive in their conceits, and for them to heare of righteouſneſſe in another, was too great a diſparagement unto them and their holineſſe; when the publicans and ſtrumpets, being convinced of ſinne, and having no righteouſneſſe of their owne, they are contented to accept it upon any terms. A rich man, he ſometimes ſcorneth a gift, and ſaith nay, but I will buy it, I will give ſatisfaction for it: but the poor naked man is glad to receive what he wanteth. Thus before the ſoule of man be brought to be reconciled unto God, it is neceſſary that it ſee it ſelfe a ſinfull creature; yea ſo ſinfull, That neither crying nor howling can waſh it away; yea ſo ſinfull, that no correction or amendment of life is able to make ſatisfaction.
Thus farre of the antecedent conditions: which as I ſaid before, are proper to all; but not onelyonly to them that are reconciled to God: for theſe that I have ſhewed hitherto, may be found in the not reconciled, even as in the reconciled: yea, in the reprobate, even as in the elect. The ſecond ſort of conditions are preſent, which go before reconciliation, as the cauſe before the effect; but is never ſeparated from it; as being the thing I ſay, whereby the holy Spirit of God doth actually reconcile the ſoule to God. Of this ſort I finde but one only condition; namely, of faith, or beleeving. Here are two things to be pondered. The firſt, That without beleeving, the ſoule (remaining in the body) cannot be reconciled unto God. The ſecond, That by beleeving, the ſoule is actually reconciled unto God. For the firſt, it is proved. He that beleeveth not the Sonne ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, Iohn 3.36. To be reconciled to God, is to ſee life, therefore he that beleeveth not, ſhall not be reconciled to God: but the apprehenſion of the wrath of God ſhall torment his wakened conſcience. He that beleeveth not, ſhall not ſee life; he ſhall ſee nothing but wrath. Secondly, He that beleeveth not God, hath made him a lyar, 1 Iohn 5.10. That is, hath accounted him a lyar. Now, who can finde in his heart to be reconciled to a lyar? Wherby it is plain, that without, or before faith, man cannot be reconciled unto God. For the ſecond, that by beleeving, the ſoule becomes to be reconſiled unto God: is proved; He that hath received his teſtimony, hath ſet to his ſeale that God is true. John 3.33. As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſonnes of God, even to them that beleeve on his name, Iohn 1.12. Whoſoever beleeveth, hath power to cry, Abba Father. And to this place, we refer that knowne text, Rom. 5.1. Therefore being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And this is the proper office of faith, (as it juſtifieth) to reconcile the ſoule and conſcience unto God, and to make us at peace with him, by aſſuring us of his favour and good will towards us, in Jeſus Chriſt, manifeſted, in that God gave his only Sonne to be a propitiation for our ſinnes, and to ſatisfie whatſoever the juſtice of God required at his hands. And this is our receiving of Chriſt, our putting on of Chriſt, and our living by faith (if we take faith for beleeving.) And thus much of the ſecond condition which is preſent: Now followes the third ſort of conditions, which are conſequent unto our reconciliation, and things that accompany our ſalvation. Theſe conditions are firſt, Ioy in the Holy Ghoſt. Secondly, Love to God and his Church. Thirdly, New obedience in newneſſe of ſpirit, and not in oldneſſe of the letter.
Firſt, Ioy in the Holy Ghoſt, is a neceſſary conſequent, and an inſeparble companion to our reconciliation by faith; as appears by that which hath been ſpoken before, touching joying in beleeving, with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. And indeed, how can it be that it ſhould be otherwiſe: can the men of this world hear of great poſſeſſions fallen unto them, without joyfulneſſe? How then is it poſſible, that the children of the living God, can come to the apprehenſion of the fatherly love of God in Chriſt, but they muſt needs ſing a new ſong, yea, break forth into ſinging, and cry aloud, with the bleſſed Virgin, ſaying, My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord, and my ſpirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour, Luke 1.46. If I could this day bring you happy tydings of reconciliation betweene King and Parliament, (which the God of heaven effect,) what joy would this work in the hearts of every man here preſent? How much more ſhall the tydings of eternall peace by Jeſus Chriſt, affect the ſoule with extraordinary comfort. Here what the Lord ſpeaks concerning the new Jeruſalem, God ſhal wipe away all teares from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, &c. Rev. 21.4. Let others think what they will; I firmely beleeve the new Ieruſalem, to be the glorious kingdome of Ieſus Chriſt, (which is righteouſneſſe, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghoſt) advanced in the conſcience: and hither alſo are to be referred thoſe glorious things that are ſpoken of the City of our God, by the Goſpell Prophet, in theſe words, The ranſomed of the Lord ſhall returne and come to Sion with ſongs, and everlaſting joy upon their heads: they ſhall obtaine joy and gladneſſe, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flye away, Iſay 35.10. This is the promiſe of our Saviour, Your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy, Iohn 16.20. This is the office of the Holy Ghoſt, To be the Comforter, to ſpeak peace and joy unto his people. And therefore amongſt the ſundry precious gifts, which are declared to be the fruits of Gods Spirit, joy, is not the leaſt, Gal. 5.22. This alſo is the lot and inheritance of the Saints of God: for wee reade not of any converts in the Scripture, but we alſo read of the joy of Gods Spirit repleniſhing their ſoules: They, (even they) who were pricked in their hearts, and knew not what to doe, doe not eat their meat with gladneſſe and ſingleneſſe of heart, Acts 2.46. The Eunuch returneth rejoycing, Acts 8.39. Samarias converſion cauſeth great joy in that City, Acts 8.8.
But why do I ſtay on particulars, let us heare the Apoſtle for all; We alſo joy in God through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the attonement, Rom. 5.11. We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God: And more, we glory in tribulation alſo, Verſe 2.3. Can the Sun be without her light? can the fire bee without heat? Then alſo may the called of God, the reconciled to the Father, be without joy and peace in beleeving. Can a man ſtop the ebbing or flowing of the water? then may the ſoules of the reconciled to God be deprived of thoſe flouds of comforts, which flow from fountaines of comforts, into the ſubject of comforts, the ſoules of the people reconciled to God. This is the firſt effect of reconciliation, joy, and peace. The ſecond followes; which is, Love to God: Love is alſo an inſeparable conſequent of mans reconciliation: can man behold the beauty of God, and the glory of his face in Jeſus Chriſt? And the ſoule not be raviſhed with love. See the love of the reconciled to God, in that garden of ſweet expreſſions, the Book of Canticles; Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am ſick with love, Cant. 2.5. The love of the reconciled to God, it is a great love: Many ſins are forgiven her, for ſhe loved much, Luke 7. A love taking great delight and contentment in the object beloved; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among ten thouſand. His head is as the moſt fine gold, his locks are buſhy, and black as a Raven, his mouth is moſt ſweet, he is altogether lovely' Cant. 5.10. &c. Againe, it is a reſtleſſe love, that canfind no content, can take no reſt (nonot in her bed) if ſhee may not enjoy the preſence of her beloved. By night on my bed I ſought him whom my ſoule loved, I ſought him, but I found him not, I will riſe now and goe about the City, &c. Cant. 3.1.2. That this love is an inſeperable conſequent, a daily companion of mans reconciliation to God, will bee plaine, when wee ſhall ſee how the Holy Ghoſt, deſcribing unto us the called of God, ſetteth them forth by this token of love unto Almighty God: Eye hath not ſeen, nor eare hath not heard, &c. the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, Rom. 8.28. This ornament of love is like the garment of divers colours, with which all the Kings daughters, which were Virgins, were apparrelled, 2 Sam. 13.18. If a Woman bee ſeen in the ſtreets without a party coloured garment, it is concluded, that ſhe is either none of the Kings daughters, or at leaſt no Virgin: ſo is this ornament of love (I ſay) that thing, wherewith all the people of God, reconciled to him, are adorned; if wee ſee a ſoule altogether ſtript of this ornament, we conclude, They are not in the number of Gods people; or at leaſt not reconciled. Therefore the Holy ghoſt concludes; He that loveth not, knoweth not God, 1 Ioh. 4.8. And as on the affirmative, pronounceth, Grace be on all them that love our Lord Jeſus Christ, in ſincerity, Eph. 6.24. So alſo on the negative, If any man love not the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha, 1 Cor. 16.22. Thus you ſee the conſequents of our reconciliation, inſeparably conjoyned together, ſo that no creature ſhall be able to put them aſunder: you have ſeene Peace to the brethren, and love, with faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Eph. 6.23. The third conſquent is new obedience in newnes of the ſpirit: As peace, and joy, and love follow, and attend upon faith, ſo is new obedience an attendant of love. This is the love of God, that wee keep his Commondements, 1 Joh. 5.3. If you love me keep my Commandements, Ioh. 14.15. If a man love me, he will keep my words, verſe 23. This is that which I had occaſion to ſpeake of before, that the holy Spirit of God doth not onelyonly cleanſe the conſcience, but in ſome meaſure the converſation alſo: This is that which I ſaid before, Without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, and drunkards ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God: I ſay again, that Chriſt entring into the ſoule, ſhall drive out whatſoever is prophane, and draw up the ſoule by the cords of love unto new obedience: And to this place we refer hatred of ſinne, love of vertue, a godly ſorrow for tranſgreſſion committed, revenge upon our ſelves, for the things that are paſt, and a jealous care for that which is to come. But of theſe particularly I cannot ſpeake; for as Rome was not built on a day, ſo neither can it be puld down in an houre (I mean the Doctrine of Rome.) And here I would have made an end of ſpeaking of the conſequents of our Reconciliation, but that I fear the timorous ſoule will be ready to ſay, In thus ſaying you have filled my heart with ſorrow: The conſequents of our reconciliation being layd downe, I confeſſe they are true; but alas, when I caſt an eye back upon mine owne ſoule, I find my joy & comfort little, my love to be leſſe than my joy, and my obedience to be leaſt of all. This, this puts my heart in feare, and makes my ſoule to tremble. I anſwer, what is it that thou feareſt, O thou of little faith? Thou anſwereſt, thou art afraid, that God is not thy God, that hee is not reconciled unto thee: See thy errour, theſe things cannot be ſignes that God is not reconciled unto thee; but they are ſignes, that thou art not fully reconciled unto God, but that thy faith is weake like the bulruſh, that thy joy is as little as thy faith, and that thy love and obedience is as imperfect as thy joy. Meaſure not the reconciliation of God to thy ſoule, by the perfection of thy obedience: for in ſo doing thou plungeſt thy ſoule into miferable doubts. But ſeeing the imperfection, not of Gods reconciliation to thee, but of thy reconciliation to God, cry thou unto the Throne of grace, Lord increaſe my faith, and make my love and obedience, my joy, and peace, to abound more and more, through the ſpirit of our God, and the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And thus have I now done with the Antecedent, the preſent, and conſequent conditions, of our reconciliation to God. The next thing that I intend is to make Application.
It hath been hitherto mine endeavour, to declare unto you the miſterie of ſalvation, and to imitate the skilfull Limbner, to give unto every Limbe and part, not onelyonly his due proportion, but alſo his due place, and not to ſet the head where the foot ſhould be, or the foot where the head: I may peradventure to many ſeem guilty, of that crime which was laid againſt the Apoſtle, to turne the world upſide downe, and to place that in the bottome, which others make the top of the building, and to ſet that upon the roofe, which others lay for a foundation: But I ſubmit my ſelfe to the judgement of the word: Conſider we what hath been ſpoken, of Gods reconciliation to us without all conditions; of our reconciliation to God, originall and actuall: and now let us ſee, if theſe dſtinctions be founded (as it is before proved) upon the holy Scriptures, of the Prophets and Apoſtles, whether they bee not blameworthy that make no difference at all between theſe two, but confounding heaven and earth together, the Creature with the Creator, doe moſt abſurdly apply thoſe things which are antecedents, or cauſes of our reconciliation unto God, to be cauſes of Gods reconciliation unto us, drawing a vaile before the free grace of God, and keeping the ſoule from ſetling upon a ſure foundation: The Lord complained of the Prophets of old (the falſe Prophets) that they pudled the waters with their feet.) When water is pudled, it is not water; but water and dirt mingled together: In a puddle no man can diſcern whether it be deep or ſhallow: water is Doctrine, pudling is confounding of things together, without diviſion or ſeparation: O that our dayes were free from this complaint! O yee Paſtours of the Lords flock, that feed his heritage; Be you contented to beare the word of admonition, from the meaneſt of the ſervants of God. Look back upon the waters, that yee have made the heritage of the Lord to drink: Conſider the paſtures, which you have ſet before them: have you not made the LORDS ſheep become a prey (ſometimes to preſumption, ſometimes to deſpaire) by your Doctrine? Have you not made the ſoules of the righteous ſad, and the ſoule of the wicked to rejoyce? Conſider your wayes I pray you: Have you not many a time confounded the conditions of our reconciliation to God, making that to be the caſe, which is the effect, and that to be the effect, which is the cauſe? Let me beſeech you to weigh theſe things, and to endeavour that your Doctrine may be the light of the World, that it may be cleare as the Chriſtall, proceeding from the throne of God, and of the Lamb, Rev. 22.1. You ſheep of the paſture of the Lord, the God of his inheritance, know, it your duty aptly to diſtinguiſh theſe things in your owne Conſciences, that you may enjoy the brightneſſe of the glory, of the grace of God, ſet up in your ſoules, if you ſearch into the reaſon of your many years bondage, of your miſerable doubting, you ſhall finde your diſeaſe, in that which hath been ſpoken, and I hope the remedy alſo: The Lord give you underſtanding.
The ſecond Application, may ſhew unto us the difference, between the reconciled, and the not reconciled: Although both may bee objects of the grace of God, both beloved of the everlaſting Father: yet ſhall you finde a vaſt difference, if you look either upon their Converſations, or their Conſciences. The difference of Conſcience is, the not reconciled, have a defiled, and polluted Conſcience. A Conſcience that is either ſeared, and fitted with Atheiſticall careleſneſſe, or at the beſt, ſitting in darkneſſe and the ſhadow of death, ſeeing no light, Matth. 4.16. when as the conſciences of the reconciled, doe enjoy the light of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus. Secondly, the converſation of the people not reconciled, is either a converſation polluted with Phariſaicall righteouſneſſe, and blind zeale, (for all zealous perſons are not reconciled to God) ſeeking to eſtabliſh its owne righteouſneſſe in the ſight of God: or elſe a converſation, according to the courſe of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the ayre; the ſpirit that worketh in the children of diſobedience; A converſation in the luſts of the fleſh, fulfilling the deſires of the fleſh, and of the mind, Eph. 2.2, 3.
The third Application, ſheweth us an open doore, for the eaſie underſtanding and plaine reconciliation of many places of Scripture, which ſeem ſo exceeding different, as if no way of reconciling could be found. Let us learne to diſtinguiſh, when God ſpeaketh of his reconciliation to us, and when hee ſpeaketh of our reconciliation to him. Let us learn to diſtinguiſh, between the thing, and the manifeſtation of the thing: the want of which diſtinction, breedeth an horrible confuſion in the interpretation of holy Scripture; To give an inſtance, it is written, Galat. 3.26. Yee are all the Children of God by faith in Jeſus Chriſt. It is written again, Gal. 4.6. Becauſe yee are ſonnes, God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his ſonne into your hearts, crying Abba Father. In this laſt place, the Holy ghoſt declares ſon-ſhip to be the cauſe of giving the Spirit, as alſo he declareth it to bee an eternall grace of God, communicated unto his people, Having predeſtinated us unto the Adoption of ſonnes, by Ieſus Chriſt, Eph. 1.5. But then if this be ſo, how are we ſaid to be ſons of God by faith, &c? I anſwer, the one ſpeaketh of the thing it ſelfe, or of Gods reconciliation to us; The other of the manifeſtation of the thing, or our reconciliation to God. Againe, if the grace of adoption be an eternall grace, how is it ſaid, wee are borne againe by the Word? 1 Pet. 1.23. and begotten by the Word? Iames 1.18. I anſwer, theſe places are to be underſtood of the manifeſtation of Adoption, not of the act of Adoption it ſelfe: And that this is ſo, is plaine, God hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope, by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead, 1 Pet. 1.3. A lively hope is the thing, unto which we are begotten. And that it is ordinary in Scripture, to call the manifeſtation of things, by the names of the things themſelves, will be plaine by two places, (I might bring two hundred) the firſt is Ierem. 1.10. I have this day ſet thee over the nations, and over the Kingdomes, to root out, to put downe, and to deſtroy, and to throw downe, and to build, and to plant. How doth poore Jeremy deſtroy Nations? Even by declaring the judgements of God in the overthrow of Nations. And thus doth he plant, by declaring the mercifull promiſes of God in the reſtauration of Nations.
The ſecond place is, Ioh. 20.23. Whoſe ſins ye remit, they are remitted, and whoſe ſins ye retaine, they are retained. How do the Apoſtles remit and retaine ſinnes, but by declaring Gods gracious remiſſion to every one that beleeveth, &c.
But ſome may object and ſay, why doth not the Lord ſpeak in plain terms? I anſwer who art thou that wilt correct the Lord, and teach him to ſpeak? I anſwer againe, in our Saviours words, when his Diſciples ask the queſtion, Why ſpeakeſt thou unto them in Parables? Mat. 13.10. His anſwer is, Becauſe it is given to you to know the myſteries of the kingdome of God, but to them it is not given. As if he ſhould have ſaid, in reſpect of you, that are my people, I need not to ſpeak more plaine; for you (being taught of God) are able to underſtand the miſteries of the kingdom. In reſpect of others: I will not ſpeak more plaine, becauſe to them it is not given to underſtand the myſteries of the kingdome. Thus far for the application: I now draw to an end: only I will give you the Skeleto or Map of that which hath beene delivered in a few words. Conſider we the cauſes of Gods reconciliation, as it ſtands manifeſted to us in Chriſt. Secondly, the cauſes of our reconciliation to God.
Gods reconciliation to us.
1 Efficient, Gods love.
2 Materiall, Chriſts righteouſneſſe.
3 Formall, Imputation of righteouſneſſe.
4 Finall, Gods glory, mans ſalvation.
Our recodciliation to God,
Efficient, Principall H. Ghoſt, inſtrumen. tall faith.
Materiall, Chriſts righteouſneſſe.
Formal, Apprehenſion of Chriſts righteouſneſs by faith.
Finall, Gods glory, & mans conſolation.
Conſider we the difference of theſe two in their cauſes. The finall cauſe of Gods reconciliation to us, is ſalvation; the finall cauſe of our reconciliation to God is, conſolation. The Lord fill you with his Spirit, that the apprehenſion of Gods ſalvation may fill you with eternall conſolation. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Denne, Grace Mercy and Peace (1645)