ly owes them a fpite, that undermine his government in the world.

Infer. 3. Hence it follows, That it nearly concerns all Chrift's ambaffadors, to fee that they be in a state of reconciliation with God themselves.

Shall we ftand in Chrift's ftead by office, and yet not be in Chrift by union? Shall we entreat men to be reconciled to God, and yet be at enmity with him.ourfelves? O let us take heed, "Left after we have preached to others, we ourselves should be "caft-a-ways," 1 Cor. ix. 27. Of all men living we are the most miferable, if we be Chriftlefs and graceless: our confciences will make more terrible applications of our doctrine to us in hell, than ever we made to the vileft of finners on earth. O it is far easier to study and prefs a thoufand truths upon others, than to feel the power of one truth upon our own hearts; to teach others facienda quam faciendo: duties to be done, than duties by doing them.

They are fad dilemma's with which a learned writer pofes fuch graceless minifters; If fin be evil, why do ye live in it? If it be not, why do you diffuade men from it? If it be dangerous, how dare you venture on it? If it be not, why do you tell men fo? If God's threatnings be true why do you not fear them? If they be falfe, why do you trouble men needlessly with them, and put them into fuch frights without a caufe?

Take heed to yourselves, left you should cry down fin, and not overcome it; left while you feek to bring it down in others, you bow to it, and become its flaves yourselves: it is easier to chide at fin than to overcome it. That is a smart question Rom. ii. 21. "Thou that teacheth another, teachest thou not thyself?" A profane minifter was converted by reading that text once, but how many have read it as well he, who never trembled at the confideration of it as he did!

2. Ufe for Conviction.

Is this the method God ufes to reconcile men to himself? O then examine yourfelves, whether yet the preaching of the gofpel hath reconciled you to God. It is too manifeft that many among us are in the state of enmity unto this day. We may

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fay with the prophet, Ifa. liii. 1. Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" We offer you peace upon gofpel-terms and articles, but our peace returns to us again; enemies you were to God, and enemies you ftill continue. The evidence is undeniable; for,

Gildas Salv. p. 15, 16,

SERM. III. 1. Evidence. Many of you were never convinced, to this day, of your state of enmity against God; and without conviction of this, reconciliation is impoffible; without repentance, there can be no reconciliation, and without conviction, there can be no repentance. When we repent, we lay down our weapons, Ifa. xxvii. 4, 5. But how few have been brought to this? Alas! if a few poor, cold, heartlefs, ineffectual confeflions of fin, may pafs for a due conviction, and serious repentance, then have we been convinced, then have we repented; but you will find, if ever the Lord intend to reconcile you to himself, your convictions and humiliations for fin, will be other manner of things; and will cost you more than a few cheap words against fin, 2 Cor. vii. 11. " In that ye forrowed after a godly fort, what "carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourfelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge?"

2. Evidence. Many of us never treated ferioufly with the Lord about peace, and how then are we reconciled to him? What, a peace without a treaty? Reconciliation without any confideration about it? It can never be. When was the time, and where was the place, that you were found in fecret upon your knees, mourning over the fin of your nature, and the evils of your ways? Certainly you must be brought to this; you must, with a broken heart, bewail your fin and nifery.

Friend, That ftony heart of thine muft feel remorse and anguifh for fin, it will coft thee fome fad days, and forrowful nights, or ever thou canft have peace with God: it will coft thee many a groan, many a tear, many a hearty cry to heaven: If ever peace be made betwixt God and thee, thou must "take "with thee words, and turn to the Lord, faying, Take away all

iniquity, and receive me gracioufly." O for one fmile, one token of love, one hint of favour! The child of peace is not born without pangs, and agonies of foul.

3. Evidence. Many of us are not reconciled to the dutics of religion, and ways of holiness, and how then is it poffible we fhould be reconciled to God? What, reconciled to God, and unreconciled to the ways of God? By reconciliation we are made nigh in duties of communion we draw nigk, and can we be made nigh to God, and have no heart to draw nigh to God? it can never be.

Examine your hearts, and fay, Is not the way of strictnefs bondage to you? Had you not rather be at liberty to fulfil the defires of the flesh, and of the mind? Could you not with that the fcriptures had not made fome things elfe your fins, and

other things your duties: do you delight in the law of God after the inner man, and efteem his judgments, concerning all things to be right? Do you love fecret prayer, and delight in duties of communion with God; or rather, are they not an ungrateful burden, and irkfom impofition? Give confcience leave to fpeak plain.

4. Evidence. Many of us are not enemies to fin, and how then are we reconciled to God? What, friends with God, and our lufts too? It cannot be. Pfl. xcvii. 10. “Ye that love the "Lord hate evil :" The fame hour our reconciliation is made with God, there is an everlasting breach made with fin: this is one of the articles or conditions of our peace with God, Ifa, lv. "Let the wicked forfake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn to the Lord, and he will "have mercy on him; and to our God, and he will abundantly "pardon."

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But it is manifeft in many of us, that we are no enemies to fin, we fecretly indulge it, what bad names foever we call it : We will commit ten fins to cover one we cannot fendure the moft ferious, faithful, feasonable, private, tender, and neceffary reproofs for fin, but our hearts fwell and rife at it; fure we are not reconciled to God, whilft we embrace his enemy in our bofoms.

5. Evidence. We love not the children of God, nor are reconciled to them that bear his image, and how then can we be reconciled to God? 1 John v. I. "He that loveth him that begat, loveth them alfo that are begotten: What, at peace with the Father, and at war with the children: it cannot be : Do not fome that hope they have made their peace with God, hate, revile, and perfecute the children of God? Surely, in that day we are reconciled to the Lord, we are reconciled to all his people we shall then love a Chriftian, as a Christian, and by this we know that we are paffed from death to life.

6. Evidence. Lastly, How can any man think himfelf to be reconciled to God, who never clofed heartily with Jefus Christ by faith, who is the only days-man, and peace-maker: the alone Mediator of reconciliation betwixt God and man.

This is a fure truth, that all whom God accepts into favour, are made accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. If any man will make peace with God, he must take hold of his strength, accept and clofe with Chrift, who is the power of God, or he can never make peace, Ifa. xxvii. He must be made " nigh by "the blood of Chrift," Eph. ii. 13. But alas, both Chrift

and faith are strangers to many fouls, who yet perfuade themfelves they are at peace with God: O fatal mistake!

3. Ufe of Exhortation.

Lastly, This point deferves a clofe, vigorous application in a threefold exhortation.

First, To Chrift's ambassadors, who treat with fouls in order to their reconciliation with God.

Secondly, To those that are yet in their enmity, and unreconciled ftate.

Thirdly, To thofe that have embraced the terms of peace, and fubmitted to the gospel-overtures.

First, To the ambassadors of reconciliation. God hath put a great deal of honour upon you in this high and noble employment: great is the dignity of your office, to fome you are "the "favour of death unto death, and to others a favour of life un-` "to life; and who is fufficient for these things?" 2 Cor. ii. 16. But yet the duty is no less than the dignity. O what manner of men fhould we be for judgment, ferioufnefs, affections, patience, and exemplary holiness, to whom the management of fo great a concern betwixt God and man is committed!

Firft, For judgment and prudence, how neceffary are thefe in fo weighty and difficult a business as this! He had need be a man of wisdom, that is to inform the ignorant of the nature and neceffity of this great work, and win over their hearts to confent to the articles of peace propounded in the gofpel; that hath fo many fubtle temptations to anfwer, and fo many intri-1 cate cafes of confcience to refolve: there are many ftrong holds of Satan to be battered, and many stout and obftinate refiftances made by the hearts of finners, which must be overcome; and he had need be no novice in religion, to whom fo difficult a province is committed.

Secondly, Let us be ferious in our work as well as judicious. Remember, O ye ambaffadors of Chrift, you bring a meffage from the God of heaven, of everlasting confequence to the fouls of men. The eternal decrees are executed upon them in your miniftry to fome you are "the favour of life unto life, and to "fome the favour of death unto death," 2 Cor. ii. 16. Heaven and hell are matters of most awful and folemn confideration. O what an account have we also shortly to give unto him that fent us!

These are matters of fuch deep concernment, as should fwal low up our very fpirits; the leaft they can do, is to compofe our hearts unto ferioufnefs in the management of them.

Thirdly, Be filled with tender affections toward the fouls of men, with whom you treat for reconciliation: you had need be men of bowels, as well as men of brains * : you fee a multitude of poor fouls upon the brink of eternal mifery, and they know it not, but promise themselves peace, and fill themselves with vain hopes of heaven and is there a more moving, melting fpectacle in the world, than this! O think with what bowels of commiferation Mofes and Paul were filled, when the one defired rather to be blotted out of God's book, and the other to be accurfed from Chrift, than that Ifrael fhould not be faved, Exod. xxxii. 33. and Rom. ix. 3. Think how the bowels of Chrift yearned over Jerufalem, Mat. xxiii. 37. And over the multitude, Mat. ix. 36. "Let the fame mind be in you, which "alfo was in Chrift Jesus."

Fourthly, Be patient and long-fuffering toward finners: fuch is the value of one foul, that it is worth waiting all our days to fave it at laft: "The fervant of the Lord must not strive, but "be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness

inftructing them that oppose themselves, if God peradventure "will give them repentance," 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25. The Lord waits with patience upon finners, and well may you. Confider yourselves, how long was God treating with you, ere you were won to him? Be not difcouraged, if your success presently anfwer not your expectation.

Fifthly, and laftly, Be fure to back your exhortations with drawing examples; elfe you may preach out your last breath before you gain one foul to God. The devil, and the carnal hearts of your hearers, will put hinderances enough in the way of your labours; do not you put the greatest of all yourselves. O ftudy not only to preach exactly, but to live exactly; let the mifplacing of one action in your lives, trouble you more than the mifplacing of words in your difcourfes: this is the way to fucceed in your embassy, and give up your account with joy.

Secondly, The exhortation speaks to all those that are yet in a ftate of enmity, and unreconciled to God unto this day. that my words might prevail, and that you would now be entreated to be reconciled to God! The ambasadors of peace are yet with you, the treaty is not yet ended, the Mafter of the house is not yet rifen up, nor the door of mercy and hope finally fhut: hitherto God hath waited to be gracious; O that the long-fuffering of God might be your falvation: a day is hafting when