fion published in the Gospel, in the feveral difpenfations and adminiftrations thereof: this is called the Kingdom of Heaven, for this motive, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, is fet and ufed here in oppofition unto the motives that was ufed among the Jewes: when the Jewes were Ex cited, and put upon any duty, they were ftirred up ther unto upon fuch motives as thefe: for the Kingdom of Ca naan is at hand; if you do fo aud fo, God will bring you into the Land of Canaan, and give you that Land. Now under the Gospel, here are other motives, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: Not like thofe Jewish motives, The kingdom of Canaan is at hand, or the Kingdom of the Jebu fites is at hand; Chriftians are not only or efpecially to be ftir'd up by fuch motives as thefe, but by higher, and greater motives, Repent, for the Kingdom of Hes ven is at band; and may carry an Hebraifme with it, The Kingdome of Heaven: that is, a heavenly Kingdom: as the Law is called the Law of fire, in the Hebrew, a fiery Law. The Jews expected the Meffiah, and dream'd of an our ward, glorious, and pompous Kingdom: Now faies John the Bap tift, The Meffiah is come, his Kindome is come; but it is not an outward, glorious, and pompous Kingdom; bactis an heavenly Kingdom, and therefore Repent, and prepare your felves for the receiving of it, make your way plaine, for the Kingdom of Heaven, an heavenly Kingdom is now at hand Is at band] we read it; but according to the original rather thus, The Kingdom of Heaven hath approached, Appro pinquavit: As if he fhould fay thus, Do you turn to God, becaufe God hath torned to you: do you draw neer to God, becaufe the kingdom of grace,and free remiffion bath drawn neer to you. There are Two Notes that lie here before us, that I fhall commend unto your confideration. The Firft is this, That the Kingdom of Heaven, of Grace Mercy, and of free-remiffion does approach unto us before we do come unto it. And And Secondly, That the appropinquation, or drawing neer of the Kingdom of Heaven is the higheft, and greatest argument, and motive in the world unto true repentance . The Kingdom of heaven, (I say) the Kingdom of Grace, Mercy, and free remiffion of fin, does approach to us, before we draw neer to it, Repent, turn ye; for the Kingdom of Heaven hath approached, or it hath come to you, and therfore do you come to it. Thus it lies in the words: And thus you will find it alla-long. Thus God hath promifed: Thus Chrift hath parabled: Thus God fulfilled. Thus God hath promifed. Thou shalt bear a voice behind thee: What voice is that? but the voice of n and the voice of grace, and of free remiffion. mercy Thou shalt bear a voice behind thee: When thou art going a way from God, and when thou haft thy back upon God chou shalt hear a voice of mercy behind thee; it fhal follow after thee before thou dost come to it. And thus you have a cleer Parable for it, which you may reade, fully speaking this truth in Luke 14. 16, 17, 18. and foon, A certain man made a great fupper, and bad many; And Jent bis fervant at fupper-time, to Jay to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one confent began to make excufes: So that the Servant came (at the 21. verf.) and fkewed bis Lord these things. Then the Master of the boufe being angry, faid to bis Servant, Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City, and bring in bither the poor, and the maimed, and the balt, and the blind. (Mark) here are invitations of mercy fent out to thofe that never thought of it. And the Servant faid, Lord, it is done as thou bast commanded and yet there is room. And the Lord faid unto the Servant (again at the 23. verf.) Go out into the hirb-wayes, and hedges. and compel them to come in, that my houfe may be filled. See I pray, how the kingdom of Grace, and Mercy, and Free remiffion Job.3.16 Gen.3.15 remiffion is brought neer unto a people, before ever they did make after it. And this (I fay) you fhall find fulfilled. So God hath dealt by the World. So by particular Kingdoms, and Na tions in the World. So by particular Towns and Countries in a Kingdom. So by particular Families in a Town. And fo by particular Perfons in a Family. Thus God hath dealt with the World, He hath brought neer the Kingdom of Grace, and Mercy, and Free-remiffion to the World, before ever the World did make after it. When the whol World had finned in the Fall, and lay in wickedness, and never thought of returning unto God; God fo loved the World, that be fent his only begotten Son to them. When Adan did not think of Chrift nor the world in him; the Lord gives out a Promife, The Seed of the Woman fall break the Serpents Head. Thus Mercy, and Grace made it approach towards the world, before ever the world did feck after it. So in regard of a Nation, in regard of a Kingdom in he World: Go (faies our Lord and Savior Chrift unto his Dif ciples) and teach all Nations. The Nations did not come to Chrift and fay, Lord, the Jews have refufed the Gol pel, and therefore we beleech thee that the Cofpel may be preached unto us, and we will receive it: No, but before ever they fent any fuch meffage to have the Gospel come down to them, the Gofpel is fent to them, Go (faies our Savior) Go preach to all Nations. But Lord (they might say) Suppofe that in thofe Nations we meet with fuch a man as Herod, fuch a man as Pilate fhall we preach the Gofpel, and Free-remiffion of fins then to fuch one? Go (faies Chrift) I make no exceptions; Go, and preach to all Na tions. But fuppofe that a Judas come in when we are prea ching the Gospel. Saies Chritt, I make no exceptions, if a Judas will come and fubmit, Go, preach to all, Go preach the Gospel, Go preach to all Nations. And was it not thus with the Nation of the Jews, as ye reade in the 16. Chapter of the Prophefie of Ezekiel, when they they were first taken into Gods Love? None eye pitied thee (at) the 5. verfe) to do any of thefe unto thee, to bave compaffion on thee. Verfe the 6. When 1 paffed by thee, and faw thee polluted in thine own blood, I faid unto thee when thou waft in thy Blood, Live: yea, I faid unto thee when thou waft in thy blood, Live. And fo it will be with this people the jews again, when they fhall be converted in the latter daies of the world: The Lord fpeaks fo concerning them by the Prophet Efay: Iwas found of thofe that fught me not. And in the 66. Chapter of Efay, and the 7. verfe, 'tis faid concerning the Jews Ifa. 65.1 that are yet to be called, and the preventing love of God towards them: Before she travailed, fhe brought forth: before ber pain came, fhe was delivered of a man child. Thus it is alfo with particular Towns in a Kingdom, or in a Nation: the Kingdom of Grace, of Heaven is brought neer to them before they do feek it. The Apoftles went and preach't unto feveral Towns; Iconium, and Derbe, and Lyftra, before thofe Towns did call for the Gofpel. And if you look into the fourth Chapter of Matthew, you find, That our Saviour Chrift came and dwelt in Capernaum (at the 13. verfe) which is upon the Sea coaft, in the borders of Zabulon and Naph tali: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Efsins the Prophet, Saying, The Land of Zabulon, and the Land of Nephtha li, by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which fate in darkness, faw great light and to them which fate in the Region and shadow of death, light is fprung up. While they were fitting till in their fins, and in the very fhadow of death, Chrift goes among them, and caufes a glorious light to fhine upon them: they did not go out to the light, but the light did come out to them firft. So is alfo in regard of a particular Family in a Town: 'tis faid concerning the Jailors Family, that they were all baptized, they all beleeved, but how did the Jaylors Family come and feek after the Kingdom of Heaven, before the Kingdom of Heaven was brought unto them? No, The Apoftles were brought into Prifon, God works a miracle the Kingdom of Heaven, Grace, and Free remiffion is brought brought to the prifon, and is brought to the Jaylors family, before ever the Jailor did ftir after it. And fo ye know it was with the family of Zacheus: Zs cheus (faies our Saviour) This day is faluation come to thine boufe. Pray confider it a little, did Zachem's houfe go to feek for falvation ; or rather, did not falvation come and seek for Zacheus's houfe? Indeed Zacheus out of a curiofity ran and got up into a tree that he (might fee the out fide of Jefus Chrift: but our Lord and Saviour Chrift, cals him down, Zacheus faies he) 1 must dine with thee: invites him felf, he carries falvation unto his family. Thus God deals by Families: He deals thus by the World He deals hus by Nations, he deals thus by Towns, He deals thus by Families. And he deal thus by particular Perfons allo: Was it not thus with Matthew the Publican? He fate (ye know) in his Cuftome houfe, and Chrift came and found him out there; he did not fi.it go and feck after Christ, but Chrift came 1 Tim.1. firft unto him, and found him out in his trade, and faid 13. unto him, follow me. And was it no thus with Paul? Saies Paul, I was a blafphemer, and a perfecutor: But I obtained mercy. I was breathing out threatenings against the Saint, and again the Difciples of Jefus Chrit: but as was breathing out threa enings against them, the holy Ghot breath'd upon my heart, and met me in the way, and unhorf't me, and showed me mercy: the Kingdom of Hea ven did approach unto Paul, before ever Paul fought after it. And as 'tis with a particular Perfon in regard of his first Converfion, and firft Repentance: So in regard of his After Repentance: Peter fins, and before ever Peter repentes, Chrift looks back upon him? that is the first, then Peter wept bit terly. Jonah fiu'd and fin'd greatly in running away from God: before ever Jonah could find in his heart, for to feek nnto God, God works a miracle: provides a chamber of prefervation, even in the belly of destruction, in the Whales belly for him. God brought neer his pardoning mercy |