Exhortations To The Sinner To Embrace This Peace With God Offered, In The Gospel 2/5

Second. Consider who it is that offers peace to thee—the great God.  It is hard to say which speaks the greatest wonder—for God to offer, or thee to de­ny what he offers.  We marvel not to see the undutiful child on his knee, labouring to soften his father’s heart with his tears, which he hath hardened against him with his rebellions; nor a condemned traitor prostrate at his prince’s foot, begging for his life, now forfeited to the justice of the law; but it is something strange to see the father become suppliant to his child, more, for the traitor to open his dungeon door and find his prince standing there, and that upon no other errand than to desire him to accept of a pardon. And yet self-love may be the great motive for this seeming self-denial.  The parent doth but love himself when he steps below his place to gain his child, that carries so much of its parent’s life about him. And such necessity of state there is sometimes, that great princes are forced to stoop to the meanest, yea worst of his subjects.  A prince’s safety may be so intimately concerned in a traitor’s life that he cannot cut off his head without imminent danger to the crown that stands upon his own.  But none of these straits forced God to take up thoughts of peace to his poor creature; no, they are the birth of free condescending love.  And now, think again, sinner, before the great God hath a denial from thee.  If a neighbour, the poorest in the town, and he one that hath done thee wrong, and not received it from thee, comes to thee and desires peace, shouldst thou reject the motion?  Would not thy conscience reproach thee to thy dying day?  How then wilt thou endure to look God or conscience in the face, if thou refusest peace at God’s hands that thou doth not treat, like men, when their sword is broke, and they cannot fight, but when he hath absolute power over thy life—which is ever in his hands—yea, a God that hath ever received the wrong—never did thee any—yea, should have done thee none, if he had long before this hanged thee up in chains of darkness among the damned.

           Third. Consider how God offers thee peace.

1. He offers peace sincerely.He covers not fraud under a treaty of peace.  Among men there hath been horrible juggling in this case.  The flag of peace is oft hung out at lip only, to draw them within the reach of their dagger, which is ready to smite them, as Joab did Abner, ‘under the fifth rib.’  In all the civil wars of France the poor Protestants found peace more costly to them than war; they beat the Papists in the field, when open enemies, but were betrayed by them in the chamber, when false friends.  But for thy com­fort know it is, ‘a God of truth’ thou treatest with.  Never did he shed the blood of war in peace, or give a soul to the sword of his wrath, after quarter taken and peace given.  ‘If we confess,....he is just and faithful to forgive.’  His promises are not ‘yea and nay,’ like the devil’s, who lays them so that he may have the credit both ways.  No, the very heart of God may be seen as through a crystal window in the promise; they are all ‘yea and amen’ in Christ, II Cor. 1:20.
2. He offers peace affectionately,his heart deep­ly engaged in the tenders of mercy to poor sinners; which will appear,