willing mind to take believers into it; partly by uniting our nature in one perfon with the divine nature; partly by preaching the good tidings of the covenant with his own mouth; partly by paying the price of redemption on the cross; and partly by dealing ftill with the people, from the beginning to this day, to draw in, and to hold in the redeemed in this Covenant. Thirdly, God hath made a gift of Chrift, as a Leader to the people, to bring us through all difficulties, all afflictions and tentations, unto life, by this covenant: And he it is, and no other, who doth indeed lead his own unto the covenant; and, in the covenant, all the way on unto falvation, 1. By the direction of his word and fpirit. 2. By the example of his own life, in faith and obedience, even to the death of the crofs. 3. By his powerful working, bearing his redeemed ones in his arms, and causing them to lean on him, while they go up through the wilderness. Fourthly, God hath made a gift of Chrift unto his people, as a Commander; which office he faithfully exercifeth, by giving to his kirk and people, laws and ordinances, paftors and governors, and all neceffary officers; by keeping courts and affemblies among them, to fee that his laws be obeyed fubduing, by his word, fpirit and difcipline, his peoples corruptions; and, by his wifdom and power, guarding them againft all their enemies whatfoever. Hence he, who hath slofed bargain with God, may ftrengthen his faith, by reafoning after this manner; "Whofoever doth heartily receive the offer of free grace, "made here to finners, thirsting for righteousness and falvation; unto him, by an everlafting covenant, belongeth "Chrift,the true David, with all his fure and faving mercies. "But I may the weak believer fay) do heartily receive "the offer of free grace made here to finners, thirfting for " righteoufnefs and falvation. "Therefore unto me, by an everlasting covenant, be "longeth Chrift Jefus, with all his fure and faving mercies." The The fecond warrant and fpecial motive to embrace Chrift, and believe in him, is the earneft Request that God maketh to us to be reconciled to him in Chrift, holden forth, 2 Cor. v. Verfes 14, 19, 20, 21. OD was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himself "Gnot imputing their trefpaffes unto them, and hath com "mitted unto us the word of reconciliation. verfe, 20. Now "then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as tho' God did be feech you by us; we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye re"conciled to God. verfe. 21. For he hath made him to be fin "for us, who knew no fin, that we might be made the righ teoufnefs of God in him. L Wherein the apoftle teacheth us thefe nine doctrines; First, That the elect world, or world of redeemed fouls, are by nature in the eftate of enmity against Gods this is prefuppofed in the word Reconciliation; for reconciliation, or renewing of friendship: cannot be, except betwixt those that have been at enmity. Second, That in all time by paft, fince the fall of Adam, Chrift Jefus, the eternal Son of God, as Mediator, and the Father in him, hath been about the making friendship (by his word and fpirit) betwixt himself and the elect world; God,(faith he) was in Chrift reconciling the world to himself. Third, That the way of reconciliation was in all ages, one and the fame in fubftance. viz. by forgiving the fins of them,who do acknowledge their fins and their enmity against God, and do feek reconciliation and remiffion of Sins in Chrift; For God(faith he) was in Chrift reconciling the world to himself, by way of not imputing their trespasses unto them. Fourth, that the end and fcope of the gospel, and whole Word of God, is threefold; 1. It ferveth to make people fenfible of their fins, and of their enmity against God, and of their danger, if they fhould ftand out, and not fear God's Difpleafure. 2. The word of God ferveth to make men acquainted with the courfe, which God hath prepared, for Dd making 1 making friendship with him through Christ, viz. That if men fhall acknowledge the enmity, and fhall be content to enter into a covenant of friendship with God, thro' Christ, then God will be content to be reconciled with them freely. 3. The word of God ferveth to teach men how to carry themTelves towards God, as friends, after they are reconciled to him, viz. to be loth to fin against him, and to strive heartily to obey his commandments: And therefore the word of God here is called the word of Reconciliation,because it teach eth us what need we have af Reconciliation,and how to make it, and how to keep the Reconciliation or friendship, being made with God through Chrift. Fifth, That albeit the hearing, believing and obeying of this word, doth belong to all thofe to whom this gofpel. doth come; yet the office of preaching of it, with authority, belongeth to none, but to fuch only as God doth call to his miniftry, and fendeth out with commiffion for this work. This the Apoftle holdeth forth, Verfe 18. In these words, He hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation. Sixth, That the minifters of the gospel, should behave themfelves as Chrift's meffengers, and fhould clofly follow their commission fet down in the word. Mat. xxviii. 19, 20. and, when they do fo, they fhould be received by the people as ambaffadors from God; for here the apoftle, in all their Names, faith, We are ambaffadors for Chrift, as tho' God did beseech you by us. Seventh, That minifters in all earneftnefs of affections fhould deal with people, to acknowledge their fins and their natural enmity against God, more and more seriously; and to confent to the covenant of grace and embaffage of Chrift more and more heartily; and to evidence more and more. clearly their reconciliation, by a holy carriage before God. This he holdeth forth, when he faith,We pray you be reconciled to God. Eight, That in the minifters affectionate dealing with the people, the people fhould confider that they have to do with God and Chrift requesting them by the ministers to be reconciled: Now, there cannot be a greater inducement to break a finner's hard heart, than God's making request to him for friendship, for when it became us, who have done fo many wrongs to God, to feek friendship of God, he preventeth us: And And (O wonder of wonders !) he requefteth us to be content to be reconciled to him; and therefore most fearful wrath must abide them who do fet light by this requeft, and do not yield when they hear minifters with commiffion, faying, We are Ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us; we pray you, in Christ's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. Ninth, To make it appear, how it cometh to pafs that the covenant of reconciliation fhould be fo easily made up betwixt God and a humble finner fleeing to Chrift, the apoftle leads us unto the cause of it, holden forth in the covenant of redemption, the fum whereof is this; It is agreed betwixt 6 God and the Mediator Jefus Chrift the Son of God, furety "for the redeemed,as parties-contracters, that the fins of the redeemed fhould be imputed to innocent Chrift, and he, both condemned and put to death for them, upon this very condition, that whofover heartily confents unto the covenant of reconciliation offered through Chrift, fhall, by the imputation of his obedience unto them, be juftified and holden righteous, before God; For God hath made Chrift, • who knew no fin, to be fin for us (faith the apostle) that we might be made the righteoufness of God in him 6 Hence may a weak believer ftrengthen his faith,by reafoning from this ground after this manner; 'He that upon the loving requeft of God and Chrift, made. to him by the mouth of minifters having commiffion to that effect) hath embraced the offer of perpetual reconciliation through Christ, and doth purpose by God's grace, < as a reconciled perfon, to ftrive against fin, and to ferve God to his power conftantly, may be as fure to have righteoufnefs and eternal life given to him, for the obedience of • Chrift imputed to him,as it is fure that Chrift was condemned and put to death for the fins of the redeemed imputed to • him. But I (may the weak believer fay) upon the loving requeft of God and Chrift, made to me by the mouth of his ministers, have embraced the offer of perpetual reconciliation through Christ, and do purpofe by God's grace, as a reconciled perfon, to ftrive against fin, and to ferve God to my power constantly. Therefore I may be as fure to have righteoufness and eternal life given to me, for the obedience of Chrift im Dd 3 puted puted to me, as it is fure that Chrift was condemned and "put to death for the fins of the redeemed imputed to him.” The third warrant and fpecial motive to believe in Chrift, is the ftrait and awful command of God, charging all the hearers of the Gospel to approach to Chrift, in the order fet down. by him, and to believe in him; holden forth, 1 John iii. 23, HIS is his commandment, that we fhould believe in. the name of his Son Jefus Chrift,and love one another as he gave us commandment. Wherein the apoftle giveth us to understand thefe five doctrines; 1. That ifany man fhall not be taken with the fweet invitation of God, nor with the humble and loving request of God, made to him to be reconciled, he fhall find he hath to do with the fovereign authority of the highest majesty; for this is his commandment, that we believe in him, faith he. 2. That if any man look upon this commandment,as he hath looked heretofore upon the neglected commandments of the law; he muft confider that this is a command of the gospel, pofterior to the law, given for making ufe of the remedy. of all fins; which if it be difobeyed, there is no other. command to follow but this, "Go, ye curfed, into the ever"lafting fire of hell for this is his commandment." the obedience of which is most pleasant in his fight, v. 22. and without which it is impoffible to please him, Heb. xi. 6, 3. That every one, who heareth the Gofpel, must make confcience of the duty of lively Faith in Chrift; the weak believer must not think it prefumption to do what is commanded; the Perfon inclined to defperation must take up. himfelf, and think upon obedience unto this fweet and faving command; The strong believer muft dip yet more in the fenfe of his need he hath of Jefus Chrift, and more and more. grow in the obedience of this command; yea, the most impenitent, profane and wicked perfon must not thruft out, himself, or be thrust out by others, from orderly aiming at |