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Sermons Volume 2 · Thomas Manton

Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 39

SERMON XXXIX.

2 Cor. 5.20.

Now then we are Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be reconciled to God.

DOct. The great business of the Ministers of the Gospel is to perswade men to reconciliation with God.

VSE. Let me enter upon this work now;

1. To sinners.

2. To those reconciled already; as these were: to whom he wrote: He presseth them further to reconcile themselves to God.

1. To sinners.

Will you be reconciled to God sinners? Here I shall shew you,

1. The necessity of reconciliation.

2. Gods condescension in this business.

3. The value, and worth of the priviledge.

4. The great dishonour we do to God in refusing it.

1. Motive is the necessity of being reconciled, by reason of the enmity between God and us, Col. 1.21. And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. We are enemies to God, and God is an enemy to us. I shall prove both: The one to convince, the other to excite, and rowse us up. By sin man is an enemy to God, and hateth him: As to the punishment, God is an enemy to man, and will avenge himself upon him. What greater sin, than to be enemies to God? What greater misery, than that God should be an enemy to us? Surely where both these are joyned, it should awaken us, and we should get out of this Condition as fast as we can.

1. We are enemies and rebels to God: In our natural estate, we are all so: We will not own this, and are ready to defy any, that should say we are Gods enemies, or haters of God; we count him to be a most profligate and forlorn wretch, that should profess himself to be so: That little spark of Conscience, that is left in corrupt nat re, will not suffer men openly to own themselves to be so: They are ready to say as Hazael, Is thy Servant a Dog, that I should do this thing? Yet the matter is clear, we are in our natural estate enemies to God.

1. 'Tis possible that humane nature may be so far forsaken, as that among men there should be found haters of God, and enemies to him, Rom. 1.30. foreign, Haters of God. And Psa. 139.21. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? There are an opposite party to God in the World, some that hate him, as well as some that love him, some that walk contrary to him, that oppose his interest, oppress his Servants, Psa. 83.2. They that hate thee are risen up against us without a cause. The thing is possible then; all the business is to find who they are.

2. There are open enemies to God, and secret enemies: The open enemies are such as bid defiance to him, Blaspheming his name, and breaking his Laws, opposing his interests, and oppressing his Servants: The open enmity is declared, the secret is carryed on under a pretence of friendship, by their living in the Church, and having a form of Godliness, and a blind zeal, John 16.2. Not only Turks, and Infidels, and Apostates, but also prophane Wretches, though they live within the verge of the Church, yet if they go on still in their trespasses, (Psa. 68.21. But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of all those that go on in their trespasses.) If they oppose whatsoever of God is …et a …oot in their days, they are foreign, Acts 5.39. Fighters against God. And Acts 23.9. Let us not fight against God: Or if they oppose his Servants, if they be not lovers of those which are good, 2 Tim. 3.3. foreign, despisers of those which are good. God and his people have one Common Interest. Those that malign his Servants hate him; for they hate his Image, Pro. 29.27. The upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked. There is a secret rising of heart against those that are stricter, and have more of the Image of God then they: There is an old enmity between the seeds, as between the Raven and the Dove, the Wolf and the Lamb; now this is enmity against God.

3. There are enemies to God directly, and formally; and implicitely, and by Interpretation: Directly and formally, where there is a positive enmity against God whether secret, or open: The expressions of the open enmity against God have been already mentioned: An hatred of his ways, and a rage against his Servants: The secret positive enmity is seen in the effect of slavish fear, which only apprehendeth God, as an avenger of sin: And so men hate those whom they fear: We have wronged God exceedingly, and know that he will call us to an account, and being sensible of a Revenge, we hate him: All that are afraid of God, with such a fear as hath torment in it, aut extinctum Deum cupiunt, aut exarmatum: 'Tis a pleasing thought to them if no God, Psal. 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. As the Devils tremble at their own thoughts of God, it would be welcome news to them, if there were none: These are enemies directly, and formally: But now by Interpretation, that will make us more work: Certainly there is such a thing as hatred by Interpretation: As appeareth, Pro. 8.36. He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul: All that hate me love Death. So where 'tis said, He that spareth the Rod hateth his Son, Pro. 18.24. His fault is fond indulgence, but a wrong love is an Interpretative hatred: Now apply it to the case between us and God, and those that pretend no such thing can be charged upon them, may yet hate God. Three ways we may be guilty of this Interpretative hatred, and enmity.

1. If we love not God at all: For not to love is to hate; in things worthy to be loved there is no medium: For he that is not with God is against him, Matth. 12.30. And he that loveth him not hateth him. To be a neuter is to be a Rebel: And you speak all manner of misery to that man, of whom you may say, that he loveth not God. So Christ brandeth his enemies, Joh. 5.42. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you They pleaded zeal for the Sabbath, and opposed Christ for working a miracle on that day. Men are in a woful Condition, if they be void of the true love of God, love being the Fountain of desiring Communion with God, and the Root of all sound obedience to him: And certainly if men love not God, being so deeply ingaged, and God so deserving their love, they hate him, and are enemies to him; there being no neutral or middle estate, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 'Tis danger enough not to love him, though we break not out into open opposition against his ways.

2dly. If we love him not so much as we ought to do, or not so much as we love some other thing; for a lesser love is hatred in the sacred dialect, as we see in the Law of the hated wife, not that the one was not loved at all, or absolutely hated, but not loved so much as the others, Deut. 21.15, 16. So in that Proverb, Pro. 14.20. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour, but the Rich hath many friends. There hatred is taken for slighting, or a less degree of love: So in this case between us and God, Matth. 10.37. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me, is not worthy of me, in Luke 'tis said, Luke 14.26. If any man hate not Father and Mother, and Brother, and Sisters, he cannot be my Disciple. Here to love less is to hate. So Matth. 6.24. No man can serve two Masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other; ye cannot serve God and Mammon. God is of that excellent nature, that to esteem any thing above him, or equal with him, is to hate him: Now because men love the World, and the things of the World as well, yea more then God, they hate him, and are enemies to him. Now all carnal men are guilty of this, 2 Tim. 3.4. Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God; foreign; and therefore 'tis positively said, Jam. 4.4. That the friendship of the World is enmity with God: And whosoever is a friend of the World is an enemy to God. Oh! That men would look upon things as the Scripture expresseth them; That the love of the World is the highest contempt, and affront, which can be offered to God: In comparison of our love to him, all the pleasures and contentments of the World should be hated, rather then loved: So far as we set our Hearts upon these things, so far, they are deadned, and estranged from God, and God is easily parted with for the Worlds sake. If a Father should come to a Child, and say, if you love such a young man, or woman, you cannot love me, and I shall take you for my utter enemy: Would not any Ingenuous Child, rather then be an enemy to his Father, part with his vain and inticing company?

3dly. By Interpretation still we are said to hate God, and to be enemies to him, if we Rebel against his Laws, and love what God hateth: So, The carnal mind is said to be enmity to God, because it is not subject to the Law of God, Rom. 8.7. Love is determined by obedience, 1 Joh. 5.3. And hatred by disobedience: That hate me, and keep not my Commandments: We apprehend God s…andeth in the way of our desires, because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security, as we might otherwise, were it not for his Law: We hate God because he Commandeth that which we cannot, and will not do. Therefore an impenitent person, and an enemy to God, are equivalent expressions.

4thly. There is a twofold hatred: Odium abominationis, and odium inimicitiae: The hatred of Abomination, and the hatred of Enmity: The one is opposite to the love of goodwill, the other to the love of Complacency, Pro. 29.27. The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous: He hateth not his Neighbour with the hatred of Enmity, so as to seek his destruction, but with the hatred of offence, so as not to delight in him as wicked: In opposition to the love of complacency, we may hate ou… sinful neighbour, as we must our selves much more; but in opposition to the love of benevolence, we must neither hate our Neighbour, nor our Enemy, nor our selves: Apply this now to the case between God and us, 'twill be hard to excuse any carnal men from either hatred, certainly not from the hatred of Offence, or Abomination, there being such an unsuitableness, and dissimilitude, between God and them: In pure nature, we were created after his Image, and then we delighted in him, but when we lost our first nature, we lost our first love, for love is grounded upon likeness: foreign; we love those that have like affections, especially in a good thing: Now there being such a dissimilitude between God and us, we love what he hateth, and hate what he loveth; therefore how can there choose but be hatred between us? How can we delight in a Holy God, and a God of pure Eyes delight in filthy Creatures? What can carnal man see lovely in God? Zech. 11.8. My Soul loathed them, and their Soul abhorred me. and therefore from this hatred of Loathing, Offence, and Abomination, none can excuse them; till they come to hate what God hateth, and love what God loveth, there is still the hatred of Offence, Pro. 8.13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, &c. And for the hatred of enmity, which is an endeavour to do mischief, and seeketh the destruction of the thing hated, we cannot excuse the wicked from that neither, for there is a secret positive enmity as you have heard before.

5thly. Gods enemies carry on a twofold war against God: Offensive, and defensive.

1. The offensive war is, when men Rebel against Gods Laws, and seek to beat down his interest in the World, and employ their faculties, mercies, and comforts, as weapons of unrighteousness, against God, Rom. 6.13. Yield not your members as Instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; foreign, or weapons, but yield your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as weapons of Righteousness unto God. Our Faculties, Talents, Interests, are employed either as armour of light for God, or as weapons of unrighteousness against God. And warring Satans warfare I call the offensive war against God: The defensive war is when we slight his Word, and resist the motions of his Spirit, Acts 7.51. When God bringeth his Spiritual Artillery to batter down all that lifteth up it self against the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. He layeth seige to their Hearts, and battereth them daily by the rebukes, and the motions of his Spirit, yet men will not yield the fortress, but stand it out to the last, and delight to go on in their natural corruption, and will not have Christ to Reign over them; and so they increase their enmity, and double their misery, by a resistance of grace: So that they are Rebels not only against the Law, but the Gospel, and stand out against their own mercies: As they are enemies to an earthly Prince, that not only molest him with continual Inroads, and Incursions; but those also that keep his Towns against him. Well then, all this that is said sheweth, that though men do not break out into open acts of hostility against God, yet they may hate him, be enemies to him: Though they may not be profest Infidels, yet secret enemies, under a shew of respect to his Religion: Enemies by Interpretation, as they love him not, or love him less, or impenitently continue in a course of disobedience: If they seek not the destruction of Gods interest in the world, yet their Soul loatheth God; the thoughts of his being are a trouble to them: And they do not walk in his ways, nor will not be reclaimed from their folly, by any of his intreaties.

2dly. Now let me prove, that God is an enemy to a carnal man, or man defiled with sin. He is so, though he doth not stir up all his wrath, though he bestoweth many favours upon us, in the blessings of this life: he is so, though he useth much patience towards us: He is so, though he vouchsafeth us many tenders of grace to reclaim us: All these things may consist with the Wrath of God: He is so, whatever purposes of grace, or secret good will he may bear to any of us from everlasting; for our Condition is to be determined by the sentence of his Law, and there we are Children of wrath even as others, Eph. 6.3. Liable to the stroak of his Eternal Vengeance, Psa. 5.5. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity. They can look upon themselves as only objects of his wrath and hatred. Now this hatred and enmity of God is seen, Partly as all commerce is cut off between God and them, Isa. 59 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. So that he will not hold Communion with us in the Spirit. Partly in that he doth often declare his displeasure against our sins, Rom. 1.18. For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. And Heb. 2.2. Every transgression, and every disobedience received a just recompence of reward. Every Commandment hath its Trophies, to shew that God hath gotten the best of sinners; some are smitten because they love not God, and put not their trust in him; some for false worship; some for blaspheming his name, and profaning his day: Sometimes he maketh inquisition for blood, sometimes for disobedience to Parents and Governours: By these instances God sheweth, that he is at war with sinners: It may be the greatest expression of Gods anger, if he doth not check us, and suffer us to go on in our sins, Hosea 4.17. Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone. Word, Providence, Conscience, let him alone, Psa. 81.12. So I gave them up to their own hearts lus…s, and they walked in their own Counsels. 'Tis the greatest misery of all to be left to our own choices: But however it be, whether God strike, or forbear, the Lord is already in Battle aray, proclaiming the war against us, Psal. 7.11, 12. God is angry with the wicked every day; if he turn not, he will whet his Sword; he hath bent his bow, & will make it ready▪ He hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death. He hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors. God's Justice though it doth for a while spare the wicked, yet it doth not lye idle: Every day they are a preparing and a fatring: As all things work together for good to them that love God; so all things are working for the final perdition of the obstinately impenitent: God can deal with them, eminus, at a distance: He hath his Arrows: Cominus hand to hand: He hath his Sword: He is bending his bow, whetting his Sword. Now when God falleth upon us what shall we do? Can we come and make good our party against him? Alas, how soon is a poor Creature overwhelmed, if the Lord of Hosts arm the humours of our own bodies, or our thoughts against us? If a spark of his wrath light into the Conscience, how soon is a man made a burden and a terrour to himself? God will surely be too hard for us, Job 9.4. Who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered? What can we get by contending with the Lord? One frown of his is enough to undo us to all eternity. Can Satan benefit you? The Devil that giveth you Counsel against God, can he secure you against the stroaks of his vengeance? No, he himself is faln under the weight of Gods displeasure, and holden in chains of darkness, unto the Judgment of the great day: Therefore think of it while God is but bending his bow, and whetting his Sword: The Arrows are not yet shot out of the terrible bow, the Sword is but yet a whetting, 'tis not brandished against us: After these fair, and treatable warnings, we are undone for ever, if we turn not speed…ly: 'Tis no time to dally with God: We read, Luke 14 31. Of a King that had but ten thousand and another coming against him with twenty thousand: What doth he do? While he is yet a great way off, he sendeth an Embassy, and desireth Conditions of peace. You are no match for God; 'tis no time to dally or tarry, till the Judgment tread upon our heels, or the storm and tempest of his wrath break out upon us: The time of his patience will not always last, and we are every day a step nearer to Eternity: How can a man sleep in his sins, that is upon the very brink of Hell, and everlasting destruction? Certainly a change must come, and in the ordinary course of nature, we have but a little time to spend in the World: Therefore since the avenger of Blood is at our heels, let us take sanctuary at the Lords Grace, and run for refuge to the hope of the Gospel. Heb. 6.18. And make our peace ere it be too late: Cry, Quarter as to one that is ready to strike. Isa. 27.5. Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me.

This is the first motive.

2dly. Gods condescension in this business.

1. That he being so glorious, the person offended, who hath no need of us, should seek Reconciliation: 'Tis such a wonder for God to offer, that it should be the more shame for us to deny: For us to sue for reconciliation, or ask Conditions of peace, that's no wonder, no more then it is for a condemned malefactor to beg a pardon: But for God to begin, there is the wonder: If God hath been in Christ, reconciling the World to himself; Then, we may pray you to be reconciled: And surely you should not refuse the motion: We did the wrong, and God is our Superiour, and hath no need of us. Men will submit, when their interest leadeth them to it, Acts 12.20. They desired peace, because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country. We should make the motion, for we cannot subsist without him; what is there in man, that God should reguard his enmity, or seek his friendship? He suffereth no loss by the faln Creature, Angels, or men: Why then is there so much ado about us? He was happy enough before there was any Creature, and would still be happy without them: Surely thy enmity, or amity is nothing to God; Surely for us to be cross, and not to mind this, is a strange obstinacy. Men treat when their force is broken, when they can carry out their opposition no longer, but God, who is so powerful, so little concerned in what we do, he prayeth you to be reconciled.

2dly. In that he would lay the foundation of this treaty in the death of his Son, Col. 1.21. He hath reconciled us in the body of his flesh, through Death. Therefore, we pray you to be reconciled. God, to secure his own Honour, to make it more comfortable to us, would not be appeased without Satisfaction: Though his nature inclined him to mercy, yet he would nor hear of it till his Justice were answered; that we might have nothing to perplex our Consolation, and that we might have an incomparable demonstration of his hatred against sin, and so an help to sanctification; He would have our satisfaction and debt paid by him, who could not but pay it with overplus: Since he hath not spared his only Son, we know how much he loveth us, and hateth sin. Oh! Wo unto us if now, after God hath been at such a great deal of cost, we should slight the motion: Angels wonder at what you slight, 1 Pet. 1.12. Shall the Blood of Christ run a wasting? Mind the business I pray you. God hath laid out all his wisdom upon it, and will not you take it into your thoughts? Gods Heart was much set upon it, or else he would never have given his Son to bring it about. 'Tis the folly of man, to part with things of worth for trifles: As Esau sold his Birth-Right for a mess of Pottage, Lysimachus his Kingdom, for a Draught of Water: Surely we cannot imagine this of the wise God; when he hath been at such expense, 'tis not for a matter of nothing: Therefore we should the more regard it.

3dly. In that he hath appointed a Ministry of Reconciliation, and authorized some as solemn Messengers to tender this grace to us, in his name. Therefore, we as Embassadors for Christ, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. God might have contented himself, with putting his thoughts into Scripture, and given us the word and doctrine of Reconciliation only, and truly that's a great mercy: Heathens, are left to the puzzle and distraction of their own thoughts, and know not how God shall be appeased: But because that Blessed Book, may possibly lye by as a neglected thing, he will have some that shall put us in mind daily, of his design of saving the World by Christ. If he would send Messengers, he might have sent Heraulds to proclaim War, but he hath sent Embassadors of peace. Surely upon this account we should be welcome to you, Isa. 52.7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth Salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God Reigneth! How dirty soever their feet be with the Journey. Our Message is not to require satisfaction for the wrongs done to the Crown of Heaven, or to denounce War, but a matter of peace: Not only to beg a correspondency of Traffick, but a treaty about Marriage, and so to enter into the strictest-amity with God; Even that you may be married unto Christ, to bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7.4. Yet farther, 4thly. These messengers are under a charge to manage Gods message with all wisdom and faithfulness, and diligence, Mark 16.15, 16. To preach the Gospel to every creature, to Rich, and Poor, Learned and Unlearned: And woe be to them if they be not diligent, warning every Man, and teaching every Man, that they may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus, Col. 1.28. Christ hath conjured them by all their love to his person to do it.Joh. 21.15, 16 Feed my sheep, Feed my Lambs. If we have any respect to our Lord, we must be diligent, in offering peace to all that are willing to repent, and believe. This work is seriously commended to us; yet profess to be my Servants, and therefore by all the love you have to me I conjure you. I shall not take it that you love me, if you have not a care of my sheep and my Lambs. You know the temptations, prejudices and hatred of those you have to do with. Therefore pray them to be reconciled. And 5thly. Consider the terms which God requireth. Which are only that we should render our selves capable of his favour, by entring into covenant with him. On Gods part all things are ready. Now we pray you to be reconciled. That is, do you enter into covenant with him. God in the covenant is our Friend. Abraham is called the Friend of God, James 2.23. 2. Chro 20.7. Thou gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy Friend for ever. Isa. 41.8. The seed of Abraham my Friend. Abraham was Gods Confederate, and they loved intirely, as one Friend doth another. In the covenant you take God for your God, and God taketh you for his people; you enter into a League Offensive, and Defensive, to hate what God hateth, and to love what God loveth, God promiseth and ingageth to bless, and you to obey.

3dly. The value of this priviledge; 'tis worth the having. What do we plead with you about, but the favour of God, and reconciliation with him by Christ? God found out the way, Christ purchased it. The Angels first published it, Luk. 2.14. I here are many priviledges depend upon it. As, 1. Sanctifying Grace. God being propitiated in Christ giveth us the first grace, and causeth us to repent and believe in Christ. For on the behalf of Christ, 'tis given us to believe, Phil. 1.29. And the regenerating Spirit is Shed upon us by Christ. Now when we repent and believe, we are made capable of more of the sanctifying Spirit, Acts. 2.38. The holy Ghost is given to them that obey, Acts 3.32. And we are witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy-Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. And a farther measure of grace upon our actual reconciliation, Gal. 4.6. And because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father. 2dly. The pardon of sins. When we are Regenerated, our sins are actually pardoned, Acts 26.18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and Inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Heb. 8.10, 11, 12. We are released from the eternal punishment, and God quits his controversy against us. 3dly. Communion with God. Favour, Image, and Fellowship, go still together. They were lost together. Before we could not look God in the face, or lift up the Head to him, or think of him without Trembling: There is a God, but he is my enemy. Every Prayer revived our guilt. But now we have access with boldness, and confidence of welcom, and audience, when ever we have occasion to make use of God, Heb. 4.16. When David heard, that Saul was pacified towards him, he was in his presence as in times past, 1 Sam. 19.7. The flaming Sword which kept the way to the Tree of life, is removed. In our falls, in our distresses, in our dangers, in our wants, in death its self we have a God to go to, to move for relief; to whom to commit our Souls. 4thly. We have solid Consolation▪ Rest, and Peace, in our selves. For the chief cause of our fear and sorrow, is done away. Our sin is pardoned, and subdued, and the eternal punishment released. 'Till this be, you can never have any rest for your Souls, 'till you are at peace with God, and submit to the course prescribed by him, for your reconciliation, Matth. 11.28, 29. One great fault of man is, that he doth not take a right course to quiet his Soul. God complaineth of his people, by the Prophet, That they had forgotten their resting place, Jer. 50.6. That is, they had forgotten God their only trust: Men seek peace where 'tis not to be found, in this creature, and that, but still meet with vanity and vexation of Spirit, like feavorish Persons who seek ease in the change of their Beds. 5thly. The fruition of God. Be reconciled to him and in time you shall be admitted to see his face. This is the end of all. For this end Christ died, for this end, we are sanctified, and Justified, and adopted into Gods family, and for this end we believe and hope, and labour, and suffer, and deny our selves, and renounce the World. 'Tis Christs end, Col. 1.21, 22. And 'tis our end, 1 Pet 1.9. And will certainly be the fruit of our Reconciliation, Rom. 5.11. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life

4thly. The Fourth Motive is, the great dishonour we do to God in refusing it. You despise two things, which men cannot endure should be despised; their anger, and love. For anger Nebuchadnezzar is an instance, who commanded to heat the furnace seven times hotter, Dan. 3.19. For love David, when Nabal despised his courteous message. Now you despise the love, and wrath of God, as if they were inconsiderable things not to be stood upon. 1. The terrour of his wrath, as if not to be stood upon. But do you know the power of his anger, and what a dreadful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God? Can you think of an eternity of misery without horrour? One that hath been a little scorched in the flames of Gods wrath dareth not have slight thoughts of it. Oh! Christians, as you would escape this blackness of darkness, eternal Fire, and the Horrible Tempest which is reserved for the wicked, flee from wrath to come. 2dly. His Love. Thou despisest his Christ, as if his purchase were nothing worth; thou despisest his Institutions, which are ordered with such care for thy good. Oh! What Horrible contempt of God is this, that thou refusest to be friends with him, after all his intreaties and condescension! How will you answer it at the last day? In Hell thy heart will reproach thee for it.

2dly. To those that have been reconciled with God before. Be yet more reconciled to God; get more testimonies of his favour, lay aside more of your enmity. I have Four things to press upon them.

1. To renew your covenant with God by going over the first work of Faith, and Repentance, again and again, from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.17. Not questioning your estate, but bewailing, your offences, Joh 13.10. And renewing your dedication to God. The covenant is the covenant of Gods peace, Isa. 54.10. This covenant needeth to be renewed; Partly because of our frequent breaches. Tis not a work that must be once done, and no more, but often. We have hearts that love to wander, and need Tye upon Tye. Therefore renew the Oath of your Allegiance unto God. We are apt to break with him every day. Partly, That you may give Christ a new and hearty welcom into your Souls. We are Baptized but once, but we receive the Lord's supper often, foreign implyeth foreign, That's our Business there, to make the bond of our duty more strong, and to tie it the faster upon our Souls.

2dly. To increase your love to God. That's reconciliation on our part, Mat. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy Soul, and all thy mind, Luke 10.27. With all thy strength, some add, might. Now we grow up into this by degrees. Love with all thy mind. The mind and thoughts are more taken up with God. Of the wicked 'tis said, Psa. 10.4. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God, God is not in all his thoughts. And Job 21.14. They say unto God, Depart from us: For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Now it must be otherwise with you, Psa. 104.34. My meditation of him shall be sweet. I will be glad in the Lord. You must still be remembring God. Love with all the heart. Let will and affections be more carried out to God; that your desires may be after him, your delights in him, and valuing the light of his countenance more then all things, Psa. 46.7. Prizing communion with him. An Hypocrite doth not delight himself in God, but a sincere Christian will, Psa. 27.4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the House of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple, Psal. 37.4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart. And testify it by conversing much with him, and thirsting after him, when they cannot injoy him, Psa. 63.1, 2. O Lord thou art my God, early will I seek thee; my Soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee. In a dry and thirsty land where no Water is. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary. With all thy strength. That is, you are to glorify him, and serve him, with all the power and capacities that you have, with Body, Time, Estate, Tongue, Pleading for him, acting for him, not begrudging pains and labours, not serving him without cost.

3dly. A third thing is keeping covenant. The Scriptures that speak of making covenant speak also of keeping covenant, Psal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord, are mercy and truth to such as keep his …nant and his Testimonies. And Psal. 103.17, 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his Righteousness to Childrens Children, to such as keep his Covenant, and to those that remember his Commandments to do them.

4thly. A thankful sense of the love of God in our reconciliation, glorying in grace, admiring of grace. To preserve this is the great duty of a Christian. This keepeth alive his love, and obedience, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God, Rom. 5.8. God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.