Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5. Twelve Bleſſed Conſequencs of our Reconciliation.
But now that which I ſpecially intended, ſhould have been to have ſhewed you ſome Conſequences of this peace. And therein I ſhould have ſhewed you, the excellency of the Reconciliation. I will give you the particulars thereof very briefly.
The firſt Conſequence.
Firſt, hence followeth peace with al the Creatures in the world; whereas before, not only God was an enemy, but all the Creatures were enemies: the good Creatures, the ill Creatures, thy Companions whom thou thoughteſt to be thy friends; the Heavens, the earth, the Beaſts in the field, the Stones in thy Houſe, they were all thy enemies, not the leaſt Creature in the world but was one of the Hoſt of God ready preſſed to avenge the quarrell of God upon thee. You are afraid of ſouldiers, why have you not all this while been afraid of the Hoſt of the Almighty God? God hath Souldiers enough, even in your own houſe which he can raiſe up againſt you; he can raiſe the very dog that is in your family to tear out your throat if he once give him a Commiſſion; for there is an enmity between every Creature, and a ſinful ſoul, and it muſt be ſo. If there be an enmity againſt the Generall, and Commander in chief of the Army, there muſt needs be then the like enmity againſt the ſouldiers. Thou that art a ſinful ſoul, thou walkeſt up and down in the midſt of Gods Hoſt that are ready every moment to deſtroy thee, and that ſtands waiting for a Commiſſion from God, the Lord of Hoſt to revenge his quarrell upon thee. But now being once reconciled unto God, all this Hoſt, all the whol Creation is reconciled unto thee. All the good Creatures, the Angels they are now for thy good, whereas before they ſtood ready waiting for a Commiſſion from God to ſtrike thee to the heart, for the Angels do wait when God wil give them a command to execute upon thoſe that offend him, and they are gone peſently to put the ſame in execution; and ſo it is with every other Creature. But now being reconciled, theſe Angels are become miniſtring ſpirits unto thee. It is a great matter to have the Angels reconciled: by being at peace with God they come to be Reconciled alſo unto thee, and inſtead of being thy enemies, they are as ſo many fair chariots to guard thee from whatſoever may hurt thee. The ſame I may ſay of all evil Creatures too, they are al ſo far reconciled to thee, as that they ſhal do thee no hurt or prejudice. But
The Second Conſequence
Secondly: A Second fruit that follows, is, Peace of Conſcience, whereas before thy Conſcience terrified thee, ſtruck fear, and dread in thy heart, & continually accuſed thee before God, and was as Gods Officer to fill thy Soul with poyſoned Arrows, and to rend and tear thee. But now thou being at peace with God, thy Conſcience is at peace too, Rom. 5.1. Being juſtified by faith we have peace with God through Jeſus Chriſt; then follows thoſe moſt ſweet, and com…ortable effects which we are afterwards to treat of: But this is the fruit of Reconciliation, Peace of Conſcience, which is worth ten thouſand worlds. For one to have his Conſcience his enemy, to have his Conſcience continually to terrifie him, it is a greater judgment, than to have al the wild Beaſts in the world, to come and tear and rent his fleſh.
Third Conſequence.
Thirdly, there is in the ſoul a Peace in all other faculties. As thus: Before the work of Reconciliation between God and man was done, the Scripture ſaith, there is no Peace to the wicked in regard of tumultuous workings of the many luſts that are in their hearts, the one continally fighting againſt the other: the Conſcience telling one thing, and the will of a man that oppoſeth Conſcience; and the affections they are all in a tumult one againſt another; one luſt oppoſeth another, fighteth againſt another; there is a diſorder, and a confuſion, and a tumult in the heart of a wicked man, he goes againſt the light, and the light againſt him, and there is nothing but warring, and combuſtion in his heart: Your luſts (ſaith the Apoſtle) war one againſt another within you; and you may eaſily find it to be ſo if you obſerve your ſelves, that when your luſts are once up, they breed ſuch a woful diſturbance in your heart, that you are like the Sea that caſts up nothing but mire and dirt. Take a wicked man that hath but ſome darting in of any light, telling him what the mind of God is, his heart fights againſt this light, and the light fights againſt his heart; ſo that there are nothing but woful diſturbances in his Soul, and he is never at Peace; No, not when he ſeems to be moſt ſerene and quiet. But now when we come to be at Peace wih God there is a bleſſed calme comes into the Spirit of a man, the Conſcience, the wil, and the affections are brought into a ſweet, and Comly order, and things are in a great meaſure more quiet than ever they were.
The fourth Conſequence.
4. The fourth fruit is, Joy in the Holy Ghoſt: for God being at Peace with a ſoul, the Holy Spirit comes, and ſheddeth abroad the love of God. It is true, ſomtimes we are not ſenſible of this joy, but when once we come to know that we are Reconciled unto God, then we come to feele the joy of the Holy Spirit ſhed abroad in our hearts. This you have in Rom. 5. Having Peace with God, we rejoyce in tribulation. And more eſpecially in Rom. 14.17. The Kingdom of God is nor meat, and drink, but Righteouſneſs and Peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit: Joy in the Holy Spirit followes our Peace, or our Reconciliation with God. That is a fourth particular.
The fift Conſequence.
5. There is likewiſe this fruit of it. Hence the ſoul comes to have free acceſs into Gods preſence with boldneſs. Indeed when I look upon God as an enemy unto me, and upon my ſelf as an enemy unto God, how can I come into Gods preſence with boldneſs. But being Reconciled, I come to have acceſs to God. Adam could not ſtand in Gods preſence when once he had broken his Peace with God, but our Peace being made through Jeſus Chriſt, we may come into the preſence of God, and comfortably look upon his face, and ſee no hatred, no revenging wrath in it.
The ſixt Conſequence.
6. Hence there may be a ſweet, and bleſſed trade between Heaven and Earth, between God, and the ſoul Reconciled. As in Countries that are at Warr one with another, there cannot be any traffique, or trading between thoſe Countries. But if once there come to be a League and a Peace made up between the one and the other, then trade is open. So it is between God, and the ſoul. And the truth is, there is no free trade made between Heaven and us, till Peace be made, we cannot trade to Heaven, and fetch Commodities from thence, we may ſpeak to Heaven, and Cry, and ſay our Prayers (as the phraſe is) but to fetch from thence the rich Commodities that are in that Country, we cannot til there be a Peace Concluded. Indeed a gracious heart that is Reconciled to God, never ſends up a prayer unto God, but he doth as a rich man that ſendeth a Ship to the Indies, nay, it is far more & better, for you may looſe your Ship, and your adventure that you ſend may miſcarry: But when a gracious ſoul trades with God, and ſendeth his Ship of prayer to Heaven, he never fails of having a ſweet and rich return.
The ſeventh Conſequence.
7. Now we come to injoy all the good we have in this world as upon a new right, it is ſetled upon us, and comes to us upon a new account, through a new right, and ſo it is far more Comfortable than before; for before we had forſeited all that we had, becauſe we had taken up Arms againſt God: and you know, when there is once a taking up of Arms, that very act occaſions preſently a forfeiting of an eſtate. So, we having taken up Arms againſt the God of Heaven, we have forfeited al our Comforts, and injoyments, and we have cauſe to wonder that God doth not ſend ſome arreſt upon our eſtates, and ſeize upon all that we have. But now peace being made between God, and us, all is reſtored againe. And ſo thoſe who are reconciled unto God, they may injoy Comfort in what they do poſſeſs, they may look upon their Houſes, upon their Trade, upon their meat, and upon their drink, as all fruits of their Peace with God.
The eight Conſequence.
8. Hence follows likewiſe the protection of God over us, and over all we have, ſo that we may injoy al ſecurely. I do not affirm but God may ſend the Adverſary, and he may take away our goods when he ſees it may make for our good: But certainly we are under Gods protection, and there ſhal not one hair fal from our heads without leave and Commiſſion from God, the enemy cannot take away one hair, or one farthing token without Commiſſion from God, under whoſe protection we are, you ſhal not loſe ſo much as one farthing, but ſo, as if you knew all, you would be willing to loſe it. You wil ſay, Would any one be willing to be plundred? Truly, if you knew that there were the work of Gods wiſdom in it to you, and how it doth accompliſh his end, and work his glory, if you loved God, you would willingly give up your ſelves, and your eſtates unto him, and ſay, it is better for me to give up al that I have when it may be for the glory of God, though I cannot tel the particular way, yet I know God wil have his glory by it, than it is for me ſtil to retain the poſſeſſion thereof. Therefore the Saints of God have nothing taken away from them, but what is by warrant from God; and from God that is my friend, and remains my friend. We do not underſtand the vaſtneſs of Gods love, if we do not think that Gods intire love can ſtand with ſuch a work, as taking away ſome of our eſtate: Gods love is ſo vaſt, as it can ſtand with a thouſand ſuch things as that is. Al theſe troubles, and afflictions falling into the infinite Sea of Gods love, makes no alteration therein.
The ninth Conſequence.
9. Upon this Reconciliation with God, God, and you come to have Common friends and Common enemies. Doth God come into a league with you, and are you Reconciled unto God? hence forward ſaith God, all your enimies ſhal be my enemies, and all your friends ſhal be my friends, and ſo it ſhal be with you, you ſhal look upon al my enemies, as your enemies, and upon al my friends, as your friends.
The tenth Conſequence.
10. Now you come to be in as good a Condition as ever you were before there was any ſin committed in the world: we were at Peace with God in Adam, and it is broken. I do not ſay this which we have now is Peace ſo properly, as it is Reconciliation, it is a recovering of Peace, and thou being received into this Peace, thou art in as good a condition, in as happy an eſtate as Adam was in Innocency, yea, and happyer too; for though there was a Peace between God and him then, yet there was a poſſibility for Adam to turne an enemy to God. But it is not ſo with thee, now thou art therefore ſafer. Gods heart is as much towards thee, as ever it was towards Adam, yea more, for thou art in a better Covenant now, in regard thou art in a Covenant of grace, though no thank to ſin, but God hath ſo ordered it, and turned it, that as they ſay of a bone that is broken, if it be wel ſett, it is ſtronger than it was before: So when the heart is true, and wel ſet in this Reconciliation with God, it is more firme with God, it is in a better Condition than it was before the Breach was made. This is that which may be abundance of joy to the heart of a man. When a man hath been at a difference with a great man, at whoſe diſpoſed lyes his life, and al that he hath, what a joyful thing is it to that man when there comes in one to Reconcile them both, and ſo to R…concile them, that he ſhal be in a better Condition than ever he was, that he ſhal have the great man to be a ſurer friend to him than ever he was. Wel, Chriſtians, go together and rejoyce in this bleſſed goodneſs of God, in this happy Reconciliation which Chriſt is come to make between God and man.
The eleventh Conſequence.
11. That by our Peace, and with our Peace, whatſoever wrath of God, whatſoever Judgments of God comes abroad, or are executed in the world, we come to be freed from the evil of them, ſo that none of that wrath ſhal befal us, not in any revenging way, as it doth befal wicked and ungodly men, but we ſhal Certainly be delivered from all the evil of it. When judgments are ſent from heaven abroad into the world, there is a protection unto al thoſe that are Reconciled unto God, though there be darkneſs every where elſe, yet there is light in their hearts, they are alwaies in Goſhan, though God be never ſo terrible in his judgments unto others, yet this terror of God is taken from them. If you ſhould hear the noiſe of Trumpets, and Drums, the neighing of Horſes, the roaring of Cannons, and ſhooting of Muskets, and all the dreadful ſound of warlike inſtruments: peradventure at the firſt it may ſtrike ſome feare and terror into you, but when you come to hear, that al comes from your friend, it takes away the terror of al theſe things. If a man comes to a houſe where there are a Company of fierce maſtive Dogs that are barking as if they would come preſenly and tear out his throat, he may happily be in ſome fear; but if the maſter of the houſe be his friend, and if he ſtand by, he need not then fear that any hurt ſhal come to him by them. It is true indeed, if he be an enemy, or if he be a Thief, that comes to ſteal, and deſtroy he may fear theſe maſtives. So, the Troubles of the world, may come with open mouth, as if they would devour us, but if we be Gods friends, if he ſtand by, we need not fear what they can do to us, for we have a quietus eſt, we have a protection from God from all the evils that are in the world. Though the devouring Angel ſhal come to deſtroy, yet (if the blood of Chriſt who is our Peace be ſprinkled upon the poſts of the doors of our hearts) this Angel ſhall paſs away from us. This is another fruit of our Peace with God; namely, protection from the wrath of God when it ſpreads abroad as Lightning in the world.
The twelfth Conſequence.
12. Again: Hence all that is in Gods word ſpeaks Peace to us, both the Law, and the Goſpel; the very Law it ſelf comes to ſpeak Peace to us becauſe it is now fully ſatisfied; there is nothing in the word of God, but is at Peace with thoſe that are at Peace with him. The threats that are in the word of God bring no evill at all to him that is reconciled to God, every part of Gods word doth do good to them that walk uprightly, according to that in Mic. 2.7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? When thou readeſt any part of the word of God though never ſo terrible, if thou art Reconciled to God, thou mayeſt read it with comfort. Many people dare not read ſomwhat of Gods word; they ſcarce dare come to hear ſomwhat of Gods word, but if thou beeſt at peace with God, thou needeſt not fear the reading, or the hearing of any part of Gods word. What is the Reaſon that many people when there is an argument preached that hath any terror in it, they will come no more to hear it? It is, whatſoevever their pretences be, a ſign that there is ſome guilt in their hearts, they look upon the word of God as if it were their enemy; and it is a ſad thing for a man to look upon any part of Gods word as his enemy; Certainly if any part of Gods word be thy enemy, God is thy enemy, for there is no part of the word of God, but there is Gods mind, and Gods heart in it, and therefore if thou beeſt at peace with God, there is nothing in that word of God which is thine enemy. Indeed, a man that is on the Sea, if ſtorms, and Tempeſts ariſe: he may peradventure be afraid to look out, he may not dare to ſtir out of his Cabbin: But if he be on ſhore, he can ſtand, and look upon all the waves of the Sea, and upon all the boyſterouſneſſe of it without any trouble to him. So, when men are in their natural Condition, when they are not converted unto God; then when they come to hear of the terrors of the Law, alas they cannot enter into Conſideration of that wrath of God which the Law threatneth, and which they apprehend is due unto them becauſe of ſin, but their very hearts ſhake, & they do even ſhut their eyes againſt thoſe truths. But when they are once got upon the ſhore, when there is a Peace made between God and them, then they may look upon al the terrors of the Law, and upon al that wrath that is threatned therein, with joy and Comfort, and bleſs the name of God for ever that they are freed and delivered from them. Theſe are the bleſſed, and happy fruits of our Peace, and Reconciliation with God. And now before we go any further, we muſt abide a while in the Application of what hath been thus far opened unto you concerning the excellencies, and glorious fruits of this Peace and Reconciliation.