Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 32
CHAP. 32. Five Ʋſes of the former Doctrine.
A Word, or two further for the Application of this (for ſomething hath been already done in the laſt Chapter) and then we paſs to another point.
Ʋſe. 1.
Here we ſee the infinite love of God, that he hath been pleaſed thus to think of us poor Creatures from everlaſting, to make it his worke to reconcile us to himſelf: and here is the foundation of the ſweetneſs, and comfort of al the mercies of God, to thoſe that are reconciled un…o him; that they are the fruits of eternal love of God to us. And here is the foundation likewiſe of the eſtabliſhment of the Saints; that their happineſs doth not depend ſo much upon the Covenant that God hath made between himſelf, and them, as the Covenant that God hath made betwixt himſelf & his Son. For the covenant is two fold; either between God, and Chriſt, or between Chriſt and us. Now, it is true, much doth depend upon our keeping Covenant with Chriſt; but our happineſs; and Salvation, and indeed al our good doth cheifely depend upon the Covenant between the Father, and the Son.
Uſe, 2.
Againe, Here we may ſee how to anſwer that queſtion of ſome Atheiſts; what God was doing before the world began? I remember it is ſaid, that when that queſtion was asked by ſome in the primitive times; the anſwer was. That God was makeing of Hel for ſuch curiouſe Inquiſitiors. But here we have a further, anſwer to give then that; namely; That God was exerciſed from al eternity in the buſineſs of Reconciling the world to himſelfe. God had (as it were) the idea, and the platform of all things before him; and ſaw man how he was made in his Innocency, and ſaw him fal, and ſaw how he ſhould riſe againe, and how he ſhould be converted, and glorified. Al the platform of al theſe things was before God from al eternity. As a work man when he goes to build an Houſe, or to build a ſhip, he hath the platform thereof in his head, before he ſtrikes a ſtrook. So the great work of our Election, of our Vocation, Juſtification, Reconciliation, adoption, ſanctification, and glorification, the Lord had the platforme of al before him; it was all in his Head as it were, and he was exerciſed about it before the world began: ſo that if thou art a Beleiver, it now comes to be knowen; that the Lord from al eternity was exerciſed about thee, and thy good and about the Contrivance of thy Salvation, and fore ſaw how thou wouldeſt fal from him, and be made a child of wrath, and an Heir of Hel. And then he ſaw a way how to recover thee out of that condition, and how to bring this to paſs; how he would caſt thy lot, to live in ſuch a place, and in ſuch an age of the world wherein the Goſpel, and the miſteries thereof ſhould be preached; and that thou ſhouldeſt come under ſuch a miniſtery; and that juſt at the preaching of ſuch a ſermon, ſuch a truth ſhould be darted into thy heart, and applied unto thee; and that then he would ſend his holy ſpirit to faſten that truth upon thy heart; the Lord plotted al this from eternity: and this is that which the Lord was buſied about (as we may ſpeak with reverence) before the world began.
Ʋſe 3.
Another Uſe is this. It is a good eſtabliſhment for us to help us to beleeve that eternal happineſs that is to come; that part of eternity that is a parte poſt; Beca…ſe we have God revealeing his love to us in that part of eternity that is a parte ante. God hath ſhewed, that from eternity he hath been plotting our good: Surely then it is no more for God to make us happy on the other ſide of eternity, then it was for him to be plotting our happineſs in the former part of eternity. So that a Beleever may ſee his happy condition in this. He is now injoying that peece of Gods love that is between two Oceans of eternity of love. As if there were a little River, and on each ſide there wer a mighty Ocean of Water: now the ſtreame of Gods love and mercy runs towards thee, & thou now doſt receive abundance of good from God; the Lord ſweetneth thy life, and now comforts, and refreſheth thy heart with his grace; art thou glad of this; and is this peece of the mercy of God ſweet unto thee? poor ſoul, look on this ſide, and look on the other ſide, and ſee thoſe Oceans of Eternal Love, on both ſides towards thee. Alas, this is a little that thou haſt now; but if thou lookeſt on one ſide; there thou ſhalt ſee that eternal love of God that was toward thee before the world was made. And if thou lookeſt on the other ſide, thou ſhalt ſee eternal life in al that glory which ſhal never have an end, which thou ſhalt actually be poſſeſſed of; and that which thou art for the preſent in the poſſeſſion of, is a little ſtream in compariſon of theſe two great Oceans of love that are from eternity, to eternity. And when thou heareſt that God intends to make thee happy for ever, and that thou ſhalt continue a glorious, and bleſſed creature as long as God himſelf ſhal live; and that thou ſhalt be happy as long as God ſhal be happy. Perhaps thou thinkeſt, how is this poſſible, is it poſſible for ſuch a poor fraile creature as I am to live to be happy as long as God himſelf ſhal be happy? Yes, do not doubt of it, though it be a great thing, for God hath had a love to thee from al eternity; therefore, though it is true there be many frailties, and many ſins of thine, yet that cannot hinder thee of that eternal mercy that God hath been plotting for thee. Methinks the Apoſtle argues after this manner Galla. 3.17. The Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Chriſt, the Law which four hundred, and thirty years after cannot diſanul, that it ſhould make the promiſe of none effect. Obſerve the Apoſtles argument; the (Law ſaith he) cannot diſanul the promiſe of Grace; Why? Becauſe it was four hundered, and thirty yeares after the promiſe was made, and that which came ſo long after cannot diſanul that which was before. We may make uſe of the argument thus. Surely if thou beeſt one that belongeſt to this tranſaction of God with his Son; the ſins that now thou falleſt into, cannot take away Gods love from thee, cannot hinder thee from being happy for ever; VVhy? Becauſe the Covenant of God with his Son for thy happineſs was not four hundred and thirty years ago, but hundred of millions of thouſands years ago, therefore that which is now done, cannot diſanul that which was from al eternity. …mfort thy ſelf with this, when thou heareſt that God was reconciling himſelf to the world, even before the world it ſelf was, yea, from al Eternity.
ƲSE. 4.
Again; It ſhould ſtir al to begin betimes to get grace and Reconciliation with God. You that are yong ones, and are now in the flower of your youth crowned with roſe buds. Conſider this: God, he was working for your good before the world; be you working for his glory as ſoon as you can. Shal not I give the begining of my years, my firſt fruits to God who loved me, and was working for me before ever I was borne; therefore it is fit he ſhould have as much of my time as can be,
ƲSE, 5.
Yea, this ſhould alſo be a mighty argument to put us al on to be conſtant in holy walking with God, becauſe the lord hath been working from Eternity, and wil be working to eternity for our good, and therfore that time which we have, we ſhould ſerve, and glorifie God in it. For ſuppoſe we ſhould live ten thouſand yeares, or ten thouſand millions of years in this world; Suppoſe God ſhould require us to live, and ſerve him in the way we do now, Eternally; we ſhould not think much of it, for we ſerve God but one peece of eternity, that is, that part of eternity which is comming; But God is merciful to us in both peeces of Eternity; his mercy is to us on both ſides from everlaſting to everlaſting; God is before hand with us in his mercy, and in his love; his love was from eternity, and ſhal Continue to eternity, and therefore we ſhould not think much to ſerve God, and to glorifie him in waies of holineſs al the time that we are appointed to live, and when we have don al we cannot com neer to thoſe workings which he hath been at for us. But I ſhal lea… his point the Lord ſeal it with his bleeſſing upon our ſpirits.