wanting to relieve a people so that must needs be a well ordered Covenant where there is nothing wanting to govern poor souls or to relieve poor souls or to save poor souls and such a Covenant is the Covenant of grace And sure the Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant Jer. 31.31 33 35 36 37. Psal 19.7 Rev. 3.14 Isa 54.10 Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God or the God of Amen which keepeth Covenant with them that love him Psal 89.33 My Covenant will I not break Hebrew I will not prophane nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips All God's precepts all God's predictions all God's menaces and all God's promises are the issue of a most just faithful and righteous will God can neither dye nor lye Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began There are three things that God can't do 1. He can't dye Nor 2. He can't lye Nor 3. He can't deny himself Josh 23.14 And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof O Sirs the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love John 13.1 upon Gods unchangable love upon God's free love whom God loves once he loves for ever Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love God can as well cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into Covenant with himself And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love so 't is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the immutable counsel of God so it is bottomed upon the free purpose of God 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of God's election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the free purpose of God so 't is bottomed upon the glorious power of God The power of God is an infinite power Isa 33.11 Isa 41.2 Mal. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.25 it is a supream power a power that overtops the power of all mortals What 's the stubble to the flames the chaff to the whirlwind no more is all created power to the power of God The weakness of God is stronger than men and did not Pharaoh find it so and Haman find it so and Sennacherib find it so and Nebuchadnezzar find it so and Belshazzar find it so and Herod find it so In all the ages of the world the power of God hath bore down all before it the power of God is an independant power a matchless power an incomparable power an enduring power an eternal power And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the power of God Heb. 6.17 18 Psal 89.34 35. so it is bottomed upon the oath of God Luke 1.72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Ver. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham To think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intollerable blasphemy Once more give me leave to say the Covenant of grace is bottomed not only upon the oath of God but also upon the precious blood of Christ The blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the fiâ—st Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is called a Covenant and a Testament 1. A Covenant in respect of God and a Testament in respect of Christ 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming Jesus Christ died as a Testator and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of Life and Salvation Now the Covenant of grace being thus gloriously bottomed as you seâ— it must roundly and undeniably follow that thâ— Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant For this is all my salvation and all my desire i. e. This is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world This everlasting Covenant this sure Covenant is the great Charter of Charters that I have to shew for eternal bliss David was drawing neer to his eternal home and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heavens happiness were bright and shining or blotted and clouded I shall not at this time stand to enquire it is enough that he stayes his soul upon the Covenant of grace and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the Covenant of grace And O that all Christians when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted or else sparkling and shining that they would frequently eye these three royal Forts viz. 1. The free-grace and favour of God 2. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ 3. The Covenant of grace Now that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal Forts and to delight in these royal Forts and to prize these royal Forts and to improve these royal Forts Give me leave to offer these three things briefly to your consideration First Our best graces and performances are not commensurate and square payment in the eyes of pure justice all of them as inherent in us and acted by us are but imperfect excellencies No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do Every particular grace though it be of an heavenly and divine original yet it is like the Stars twinkling though placed in the heavens so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person even the righteousness that is in him Psal 143.2 Job 14.3 4. Rom. 3.20 would not be safety and defence unto him for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little humility and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we
earth Rom. 7.22 23. do carry about with them a body of sin and death they have in them a fountain of original corruption and from this fountain sin will still be arising bubling and a boyling up as the scum in a pot over the fire but mark as in wine or honey or water though scum and filth may arise yet the wine the honey the water will be still a purging and purifying it self and a working and casting it out so though sin though corruption though spiritual filth may and too often doth arise in a gracious heart yet there is a spring of grace a spring of living water in him John 4.14 All resistance of sin in a Scripture phrase is called conquest for in the resistance of it there is as much love shew'd to God as in the conquest of it though there be not so much power seen there is a holy cleansing and purifying disposition in a regenerate person that will still be a working and casting it out But now mark in men of impure hearts and lives the scum doth not only arise but it seeths and boyls in Ezek. 24.12 She wearied her self with lyes and her great scum went nâ—t f râ—h out of her notwithstanding all the threatnings of God and all the judgments of God upon her yet her scum and filthiness boyled in though God boyled Jerusâ—lem in the pot of his judgments yet her scum and filth stuck to every side of her wicked mens scum and filth doth not only arise but it also seeths and boyls in and mingles together with their spirits but so doth not the scum and filth that rises in a gracious heart a Sheep may fall into the mire but a Swine delights to wallow in the mire But Fourteenthly A godly man may argue thus Such as sin hath not a dominion over are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 But sin hath not a domiâ—ion over me therefore I am not under the Law but under grace Sin may rebel in a Saint but it shall never reign in a Saint Look as those beasts in that Dan. 7.12 had their dominion taken away though their lives were spared and prolonged for a season and a time so when Christ and grace enters into the soul they take away the dominion of sin though they do for a time spare the life of sin To prevent mistakes premise with me briefly these few things First Rom. 7. that in every regenerate man there are two men an old man and a new man or if you please flesh and spirit Secondly The old man the fleshly part will incline the soul and byass the soul as well to sins against the Gospel as to sins against the Law and to great sins as well as to small sins witness Noah's drunkenness Lot's incest Assur's oppression David's murder and adultery Solomon's idolatry and Peters blasphemy Thirdly The old man the fleshly part is as much in the will as in any other part of the regenerate man and therefore when he falls into hainous sins he may fall into them with consent delight and willingness so far as his will is unrenewed 1 Thes 5 22. Though a real Christian be chang'd in every part yet 't is but in part and imperfect Fourthly The old man the fleshly part is in a regenerate mans members as well as in his will and therefore they may be exercised and imployed in and about those sins they have consented unto Fifthly High sinnings do waste and wound the conscience of a regenerate man and lay him open to the sore rebukes of God and call for great repentance and fresh and frequent applications of the bloud of Christ These things being premised a Question may be propounded viz. Quest What does the dominion of sin import and wherein does it consist Now to this considerable question I shall give these eight following Answers First Sin is in dominion when it hath the absolute and soveraign commaâ—â— of the soul when it hath an uncontradicted power when it hath such an authority in the soul to command it as a King doth his subjects or as the Centurion did his servants Mat. 8.9 For I am a man under authority having soldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it Now when sin has such a universal and easie authority and command over the whole man body and soul as that it can use them in the service of sin when and where and how it pleaseth then sin is in dominion where there is a peaceable Eph. 2.2 3. uncontrouled willing universal subjection of the whole man unto the commands of sin there sin reigns But Secondly Sin is in dominion when in a course when ordinarily there is a quiet free willing and total yielding of subjection to the authority Law and command of sin Mark 't is a full possession a plenary delight and a constant content in sin Rom. 6.13 14 15 16. that speaks out the reign and dominion of sin Dominion of sin imports a compleat and universal resignation of the whole will and man to the obedience of it That man that is wholly addicted and devoted to the wayes of sin that man is under the reign of sin that man whose whole heart is universally married to his lusts that man is under the dominion of his lusts when a man does as freely cheerfully universally and readily obey his lusts Eph. 2.3 1 King 21.25 Micah 7.3 A man may be subjects as a captive in this or that particular tyranny of sin who is not obedient as a servant to all the government of sin for that takes iâ— the whole will and an adequate submission thereof to the peaceable and uncontrouled power of sin Rom. 7.15 19 23 as a child does his father or a wife her husband or a servant his Master or a subject his Prince then sin is in dominion when a man sins with greediness when with Ahab he sells himself to work wickedness when he commits wickedness with both hands when he gives himself up or over to all uncleanness and filthiness when he freely and voluntarily resigns and surrenders up his body and soul to the obedience of sin then sin reigns then it keeps the throne where the dominion of sin is erected there it sits in the heart as a King in his Throne and gives forth its Laws and commands to the soul and body and those commands are listned and consented to approved and delighted in c. A subject can't in a course more freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his Prince than a sinner doth in a course freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his lasts and where ever this sad temper of spirit is there is sin in dominion But now mark The Apostle as Chrysostom and Theodoret observe on Rom. 6.12 doth not say Let not sin tyrannize for
A graceless heart is more abundantly willing to be freed from punishment the effect of sin than 't is willing to be freed from sin the cause of punishment A gracious heart sees more filthiness in sin than in Frogs and had rather be rid of his sins than of all the Frogs or Toads that be in the World See what a sad spirit was upon the children of Israel in that Numb 21.6 7. Heb. Burning Serpents thus they are called from the effect of their biting which caused a mortal burning and consequently such an excessive thirst as killed them And the Lord sent Fiery Serpents among the people and they bite the people and much people of Israel dyed Therefore the people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray unto the Lord that he take away the Serpents from us Now mark in the fifth verse you have them murmuring against God and Moses and divine dispensations and nauseating of the Wheat of Heaven as light meat because they came lightly by it they distrust the Providence of God they let fly at God their spirit swels against the holy one of Israel and they scorn deride revile and contumeliously and despitefully speak against Moses and though they had often smarted for these sins yet they are at them again upon this God sends an Army of Fiery Serpents among them and they bite and devour many of them And now they run to Moses who but a little before they had despised and are very importunate with him to pray to the Lord to take away the Serpents from them They do not desire Moses to improve his interest in Heaven that God would take away their proud hearts their distrustful hearts their murmuring hearts c. but that God would take away the Serpents they were much more desirous to be rid of their Serpents than they were to be rid of their sins So those in Jer. 30.15 Why cryest thou for thine affliction thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity because thy sins were encreased I have done these things unto thee They do not cry out of their sins but they cry out of their afflictions Why cryest thou for thine affliction unsound hearts are more ready and willing to be rid of their afflictions than they are willing to have their Souls bettered or their lives mended or their lusts subdued by them Pilate was unwilling to condemn Jesus witness his seeking to release him and his washing his hands and his pleading his innocency c. Matth. 27.17 18 22 23 24. but yet the prevailing part of his will carryed him forth to deliver up Jesus to be scourged and Crucified v. 26. So Herod was unwilling to behead John Baptist witness that word The King was exceeding sorry Mark 6.26 But yet the prevailing part of his will carried him forth to cut off John's head v. 27. whose head was more worth than Herods Kingdom So Darius was very unwilling to cast Daniel into the Lyons Den witness his being sore displeased with himself and witness his setting his heart on Daniel to deliver him and witness his great unquietness of spirit for he could neither eat nor drink nor sleep the night after he was cast into the Lyons Den and witness his great joy at Daniels safety Dan. 6.14 18 19 20. All which did clearly argue a very great unwillingness that Daniel should suffer and yet the prevailing part of Darius his will carried him forth to sacrifice Daniel to the Lyons yea to that which was worse viz. the lusts of his enemies v. 16 17. By all these instances 't is most evident that the prevalent part of a wicked mans will stands most strongly byafs'd towards sin But now the prevalent part of a Christians will is to be rid of sin If the Lord should say to a gracious Christian Ask what thou wilt O Christian and it shall be granted to thee the Answer would be Lord rid me of my sins Lord take away mine iniquities Lord mortify my corruptions Lord whoever lives let these lust dye Lord drown these Egyptians in the Sea of thy Sons blood who have so violently and unweariedly pursued after the Blood of my precious Soul Lord kill and crucify all these sinful evils that have killed and Crucified the Lord of life and glory Psal 5.2 7. Lord wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Lord purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Lord carnal reason and flesh and bloud would fain have such and such pleasurable sins and such and such profitable sins indulged and spared but Lord the earnest the ardent desires of my soul are that I may be rid of them and that Justice to the heighth may be done upon them Lord be but the death of my sins and my soul shall say My lot is fallen in a pleasant place and verily I have a goodly heritage Lord cleanse me but from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and I shall cry Hâ—sanna to thee Matth. 21.9 Psal 16.6 2 Cor. 7.1 Lord let me but out live my lusts and follow them to the Grave before others follow me to my Grave and I shall say it is enough And thus every gracious Soul is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to keep his sins A Porter cannot be more willing to be rid of his burden nor a sick man to be rid of his disease nor a Beggar of his nasty louzy rags nor a Prisoner of his chains than a gracious Soul is willing to be rid of his lusts c. Fourthly That Soul that does not nor through Grace assisting will not allow himself or indulge himself in a course of sin or in the common practise of any known sin that Soul is certainly a gracious soul The evil that I do Rom. 7.15 I allow not So Psal 119.1 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord they also do no iniquity that is they allow not themselves in the practice of any iniquity Blessed souls live not in the service of sin they live not in an ordinary practice of any iniquity 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God He that has the seed of God the seed of Grace and Regeneration in him he cannot allow himself in away of sin he cannot give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin he cannot make a Trade of sin So Prov. 16.17 The highway of the upripht is to depart from evil that is it is the ordinary usual constant course of an upright man to depart from evâ—l An honest Traveller may step out of the Kings Highway into a house a Wood a Close but his work his business is to go on in the Kings Highway So the business the work
A gracious heart that is weary of sin will certainly and habitually fall a striving against it Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh for these two are contrary the one to the other Now contraries are naturally expulsive each of other Such a pair as a Jacob and an Esau such Twins as an Isaac and an Ishmael cannot lye quietly together in the same womb no nor live quietly together in the same house but there will be a mutual prosecuting and persecuting each of other Fire and Water may as well agree in the same Vessel as grace and sin in the same heart True Grace hath a real repugnancy and contrariety to all sin and remember this once for all that saving Grace is not contrary to sin because it is open and manifest nor to sin because it is private and secret nor to sin because it is of this or that consequence but to sin as sin whether publick or private because both the one and the other are contrary to the Law of God the will of God the glory of God the nature of God the designs of God c. As it is with true light though it be but a beam yet it is universally opposite to all darkness or as it is with heat though there be but one degree of it yet it is opposite to all cold So true Grace it is opposite to all sin it cannot comply with any known sin Look as sin and Grace were never born together and as sin and Grace shall never dye together so sin and Grace can never be reconciled together There is a natural contrariety between sin and Grace and therefore you can never reconcile them in the heart The opposition that Grace makes against sin is inward as well as outward 't is against sin wheresoever it is Nothing will satisfy a gracious soul but the destruction of sin Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is Crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred destroyed signifies weakned and the strength of it broken and made idle fruitless and uneffectual So Psal 51.2 Wash me throughly or multiply to wash me or play the Fuller upon me from mine iniquity David looked upon his sin his stain to be so inveterate so ingrained that it would hardly be ever gotten out till the cloth were almost rub'd to pieces and cleanse me from my sin David was as desirous to be cleansed of the Leprosy of sin as ever any poor Leper was willing to be cleansed of his Leprosy under the Law And so ver 7. Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow All the Sacrifices of expiation of sin in the old Law were done by blood and that blood was sprinkled upon the people by a bunch of Hyssop so called from the Hebrew word Ezob by reason of the nearness of the sound In the legal sprinklings made with Hyssop was shadowed out the washing away of sin through the blood of Christ Rev. 1.14 Job 9.30 The Brides garments are made white in the blood of the lamb and not by any washings in Snow water When a gracious Soul looks upon sin he cries out Lord raze it raze it down to the ground Lord let not one stone be left upon another In every gracious Soul there is such a detestation and such an indignation against sin that neither Mountains of Gold nor Rocks of Pearl nor honour nor applause nor favour on the one hand nor frowns nor threats nor neglects nor scorns nor contempt on the other hand 〈◊〉 win the Soul over to sin or make the Soul one with sin Look how it was between the Lord and Amalek so it is between a gracious soul and his sins Now if you turn to that Exod. 17.16 you shall find how it was between the Lord and Amalek Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from Generation to Generation Or as the Hebrew has it The hand upon the throne of the Lord Gods hand is laâ—d upon his own Throne as swearing to root out Amalek or because Amaleks hand is lifted up against Gods Throne that is the Church so called in Jer. 4.21 and Crown of Glory Isa 62.3 therefore God will have perpetual wars with Amalek God could as soon be reconciled to Amalek as a gracious Christian can be reconciled to his sins Others sense the words thus that Moses had a solemn Oath as it were laying his hand upon Gods Throne for asseveration and assurance that he and the people will have an irreconcilable war with the posterity of Amalek And so every gracious soul is resolved to make an irreconcileable war with sin But now where there is only common Grace there a man deals by his sins as David did by his son Absolom banish him his Court for a time and afterwards receive him into full favour and court him as much or more than before An unsound heart may fall out with his sin and be very angry with its sin for the consequence of it for the shame it brings upon his person for the blot it leaves upon his name and for the stinging guilt and convulsion fits which it causeth in his Conscience and yet this very person be in a very close and strict league with sin and his heart inwardly and strongly adhering unto sin But a gracious heart will be still a restraining of sin a curbing of sin a crossing of sin a making head against sin and a withstanding it in all its workings Anger may be reconciled but hatred cannot Eightly Where the very prevailings of sin are ordinarily made serviceable to high and holy to gracious and spiritual ends Ezek. 16.61 63. Ephes 2.7 6 7. there certainly is a saving work of God upon that mans soul As when they produce more Soul-loathing Soul-humiliation Self-judging Self-abasement Self-abhorring or when they fill the Soul with a grea◠〈◊〉 admiration of the freeness and riches of Grace or when they keep down pride and prevent the despising of others or produce holy shame or when they make the blood of Christ more precious and dear to the Soul or when they engage a Christian so much the more to watch and pray and pray and watch that he may either be kept from the hour of temptation or in the hour of temptation or when every fall makes sin more bitter to the soul than ever and Christ more sweet to the Soul than ever and all the means of Grace more delightful to the Soul than ever and heaven more desirable to the Soul than ever or when sin is made the prevention of sin or when sin through the over-ruling hand of Grace is made an occasion of more Grace as that good man said As I get hurt by my Graces So I get good by my sins You know all the
Oppressor no Defrauder c. A formal Professors obedience to Divine Commands does principally lye in negatives he considers not so much what the Command requires as what it prohibits and he pleases himself rather in abstaining from evil than in doing of good in being outwardly reformed than in being inwardly renewed he thinks it enough that he turns from sin though he makes no Conscience of turning to God If you ask him concerning affirmative Commands there you will find him speechless Ask him art thou holy art thou humble art thou heavenly art thou sincere art thou a Believer dost thou set up God as the great object o thy fear dost thou love God with a superlative love is the Sabbath of the Lord a delight unto thee c. Now here you strike him dumb he looks upon the neglect of these things as no sins Isa 8.13 Psal 18.1 Isa 58 1â— because they are not such scandalous sins as the others are Remember Sirs sinful omissions many times leads to sinful commissions as you may see in the Angels thaâ— fell from Heaven to Hell and as you may see in Adam who fell from his highest glory into a woful gulf of sin and misery But Fourthly If your obedience spring from Faith then you will endeavour to obey God in the Spirit of the Command as well as in the letter of the Command In every Command of God there is an intra and an extra one part of Christs Law binds the Flesh and another part binds the Spirit Thou shalt do no Murther Matth. 5.21.22 Verse 27 28. there is the letter of the Command Thou shalt not be angry with thy Brother without a cause there is the Spirit of the Command Thou shalt not commit Adultery there is the letter of the Command Thou shalt not look upon a Woman to lust after her there is the Spirit of the Command The Pharisees of old did not look to the Spiritâ—ality of the Law but only to the Letter of the Law they rested wholly upon an outward conformity to the Law when their hearts were full of Hellish lusts they were all for the outside of the Law they regarded not the inside of the Law they were all for washing of Platters and Cups and for beautifying of Tombs like an Adulteress Matth. 23.23 Phil. 3.6 Rom. 7.9 Could a man come up to all affirmative and negative Precepts in his outward conversation yet if he were not spiritual in all these his obedience would be but as a body without a Soul The Pharisees rise high in their outward obedience and yet Christ clearly and fully convinces them that they were wretched Adulterers and Murderers though they were not guilty of any such outward crimes c. whose care is to paint and set a fair face upon a foul matter they were all for paying Tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin but they regarded not the inside of the Law they omitted the weightier matters of the Law viz. Judgment Mercy and Faith While Paul walked by the letter of the Command he was blameless in his own account but when he came to walk by the Spirit of the Command then sin revived and he dyed Friends there are the more general duties of Religion as Hearing Praying Reading Receiving Fasting Repeating Discoursing c. Now these all lye in the very letter of the Command and there are the more inward and spiritual duties of Religion as the exercise of Faith fear love hope joy patience contentation humble submission and chusing of God and cleaving to God and delighting in God and admiring of God and exalting of God and following hard after God and holy Meditation and Self-examination c. Now all these lye in the very spirit of the Command Now in the exercise of these more spiritual duties our fellowship and communion with God mainly lyes In the more general duties of Religion an hypocrite may manifest the excellency of his gifts but in the more spiritual duties of Religion a sincere Christian doth manifest both the excellency and efficacy of grace Mark an unsound heart looks no further than to the bare letter of the command to bare hearing and bare praying and bare preaching and bare fasting and bare giving and bare receiving and bare suffering he looks no further than to that part of the command which only binds the flesh or outward man and if he does but observe that in the gross he thinks he hath done marvellous well like a melancholy man that matters not what melody and harmony he makes so he does but touch the strings of the instrument But now a found a sincere Christian he looks to the Spirit of the command and if he does not come up to that in sincere desires in gracious purposes in fixed resolutions and in cordial endeavours he can have no peace no rest no quiet no comfort O Sirs as ever you would see God and enjoy God another day you must labour not only to obey the letter of the command but also to bring your hearts to the sincere obedience of the Spirit of the command This is a very close piercing distinguishing and discovering sign But Fifthly If your obedience springs from faith then you will labour not only to obey God in the matter but also in the manner of the command not only in the substance of the command but also in the circumstance of the command God requires the manner as well as the matter and God looks upon that work as not done that is not done in a right manner Did not the Lord command sacrifice and did not Cain offer sacrifice Gen. 4.5 and yet God had no respect to him nor to his offering because his sacrifice was not offered up in a right manner his offering was not offered up by a hand of faith he offered his offering but because he did not offer himself as an offering to God his offering was rejected by God A work may be materially good Luther that is not formally and eventually good and this was Cain's curse How frequently did God command the Jews to pray Isa 1.15 and yet he plainly tells them When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not hear He commanded them to sacrifice and yet he saith To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices Verse 11. and all because they did not manage their prayers nor sacrifices in a right manner their hands were full of bloud and their hearts were full of sins and their lives were full of lewdness and therefore all their services were vain oblations yea an abomination to God An unfound heart looks no further than to the substance of the command if he has heard and prayed and fasted and read and repeated and given alms and received the Lord's Supper he strokes himself and blesses himself and hugs himself and thinks all is well and so he looks no further But now a sound
haughty some hasty and the like or as in every mans body there is a seed and principle of death yet some are more prone to die of a Fever than of a Dropsie and others are more prone to die of a Dropsie than of a Fever c. So though original sin hath spread it self over all our noble and ignoble parts yet every man hath his particular inclinations to one kind of sin rather than another and this may properly be called a mans own sin his own evil way Now mark a gracious heart makes most head most opposition against his darling sin against his complexion sin against those sins that were once as dear to him as his right hand or as his right eye or as Dalilah was to Sampson Herodias to Herod Isaac to Abraham and Joseph to Jacob Psal 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquâ—ty That is from my darling sin whereunto I was most inclined and addicted what this bosom sin was that he kept himself from In that 1 Sam. 21.2 8. he tells three or four round lyes and the like he did in that 1 Sam. 27.8 10. is hard to say Some suppose his darling sin was lying dissembling for it is certain he often fell into this sin Psal 119.29 Remove from me the way of lying others suppose it to be some secret iniquity which was only known to God and his own conscience others say it was uncleanness and that therefore he prayed that God would turn away his eyes from beholding vanity Psal 119.37 Others juge it to be that sin of disloyalty which Saul and his Courtiers falsly charged upon him Well be it this or that it is enough for our purpose that his heart did rise against that very sin that either by custom or complexion or some strong inclination he was most naturally apt ready and prone to fall into This is the laying of the ax to the root of the Tree and by this practise David gives a clear proof of the integrity of his heart Jer. 17.1 2. Hos 2. â— Isa 31.6 7. 44.9 c. Idolatry was the darling sin of the people of Israel they called their Idols delectable or desirable things they did dearly affect and greatly delight in their Idols But when the Lord in the day of his power wrought savingly and gloriously upon their hearts Oh! how did their hatred and indignation against their Idols rise as you may see Isa 30.22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornament of thy moiten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth thou shaâ—t say unto it get thee hence They were so delighted and enamouâ—ed with their Idols that they would lavish gold out of the bag or they waste or spend riotously as the Hebrew runs that they might richly deck them up Isa 46.6 After the return of the Jews out of Babylon they so hated and abhorted Idols that in the times of the Romans they chose rather to die than to suffâ—r the Eagle which was the imperial arms to be set up in their Temple and set them forth in the greatest glory and bravery O but when the Lord should make a glorious turn upon their spirits then they should readily and roundly deface defile and disgrace their Idols then they should hate and abhor them then they should so detest and loath them that in a holy indignation they should cast them away as a menstrous cloth and say unto them get ye hence pack be gone I will never have any more to do with you And so in that Isa 2.20 In that day that is in the day of his people vers 17. A man shall cast his idols of silver and hâ—s idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the Moles and to the Bats In the day when God should exalt himself in the souls of his people and before the eyes of his people they should express such disdain and indignation against their Idols that they should not take only those made of Trees and Stones but even their most precious and costly Idols those that were made of silver and gold and cast them to the Moles and to the Bats that is they should cast them into such blind holes and into such dark filthy nasty and dusty corners as Moles make under ground and as Bats roust in So when Christ and grace and holiness comes to be set up in mens hearts and lives then all their darling sins their bosom lusts which are their Idols of silver and their Idols of gold these are with a holy indignation cast to the Moles and to the Bats they are so loathed abhorred abandoned and cashiered that they desire they may be for ever buried in oblivion and never see the light more Idols were Ephraim's bosom sin Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned or glewed as the word signifies to Idols let him alone But when the dew of grace fell upon Ephraim as it did in Chap. 14.5 6 7. Then saith Ephraim What have I any more to do with Idols ver 8. Now Ephraim loaths his Idols as much or more than before he loved them he now abandons and abominates them though before he was as closly glewed to them as the wanton is glewed to his Dalilah or as the enchanter is glewed to the Devil from whom by no means he is able to stir as the words in the fountain imports When it was the day of the Lords power upon Ephraim then Ephraim cryes out What have I any more to do with Idols O I have had to do with them too long and too much already O how doth my foul now rise against them how do I detest and abhor them Deut. 13.6 7 8 9. Surely I will never have more to do with them The Scripture tells us That if father or mother or brother or sister or kinsman or friend should go about to draw a man from God his hand should be first upon him to put him to death Now bosom sins complexion sins they seek to draw a mans heart from God and therefore a gracious soul can't but rise up against them Gen. 27.41 and do his best to stone them and to be the death of them The dayes of mourning for my father are at hand saith bloudy Esau then will I slay my brother Jacob 't is a bloudy speech of a vindictive spirit whom nothing would satisfie but innocent bloud So saith the gracious soul The dayes of mourning for the death of my dear Saviour are now at hand and therefore I will slay my bosom lusts my constitution sins now will I be revenged on them for all the dishonours that they have done to God and for all the wounds that they have made in my conscience and for all the mercies that they have imbittered and for all the favours that they have prevented and for all the afflictions that they have procured and
for all the duties that they have hindered Judg. 16.28 Sampson pleads hard with God that he might be avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes and so doth the gracious soul plead hard with God that he may be avenged on his bosom lusts on his complexion sins which have put out his two eyes which have so blinded him that he has not for a long time been able to see God or Christ or the things that belong to his external internal or eternal peace The next of kin in the Law was alwayes the avenger of bloud and to him it appertained to hunt after the murderer to bring upon his head the innocent bloud that he had shed if therefore we will shew our selves brethren or sisters of Christ or any thing of kin unto him we must even be the avengers of his bloud upon bosom sins upon complexion sins for for them as well as others was his bloud shed O Sirs what bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a burning in hell for or worth a shutting out of heaven for surely none This a gracious soul seriously weighs and accordingly he sets himself against the Toad in his bosom against his darling sins against his complexion sins But now unsound hearts are very favourable to bosom sins to complexion sins they say of them as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19.20 Is it not a little one and my soul shall live And as David once said concerning Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom beware that none touch the young man Absalom Ver. 12. And the King said is the young man Absalom safe Ver. 29. An unsound heart is as fond of his bosom sins 2 King 5.18 of his complexion sins as Jacob was of his Benjamin or as Jeha was of his calves or as Naaman was of his Idol Rimmon or as Judas was of bearing the bag or as Herod was of his Herodias Acts 19. or as Demetrius was of his Diana or as the Pharisees were of devouring widows houses Mat. 23. and of having the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and of being saluted in the market places with those glorious titles Rabbi Rabbi The besotted sinner is most engaged to his bosom sins his complexion sins and therefore 't is as bitter a thing as death for him to part with them Mich. 6.6 7. he had rather part with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old he had rather part with thousands of Rams and with ten thousand Rivers of oyl yea he had rather part with his first-born than with his bosom sin Job 20.12 13. he is ready to give the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul Let God frown or smile stroke or strike lift up or cast down promise or threaten yet he will hide and hold fast his bosom sin let God set life and death heaven and hell glory and misery before him yet will he not part with his bosom sins let God wound his conscience blow upon his estate leave a blot upon his name crack his credit afflict his body Jer. 20.3 4. write death upon his relations and be a Magor-missabib a terror to his soul yet will he not let go his darling sins An unsound heart will rather let God go and Christ go and heaven go and all go than he will let his darling lusts go But now a sound Christian a throuhgout Christian he sets himself most against the Dalilah in his bosom against the Benjamin the son the sin of his right hand A sincere Christian looks upon bosom sins upon complexion sins as the most God-provoking sins there are no sins so provoking to Gods jealousies and justice as bosom sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins a the most dangerous sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as the worst thing in all the world he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as more ugly and horrid than the devil himself or than hell it self he looks upon bosom sins as the great make-bates between God and his soul and between his conscience and his comfort Isa 59.1 2. Lamen 3.8 44. he looks upon bosom sins as those enemies that have provoked God often to turn a deaf ear to all his prayers he looks upon his bosom sins as so many Judas's that have often betrayed him into the hands of the devil he looks upon his bosom sins as the waters of Marah that has imbittered all his mercies he looks upon his bosom sins as the only things that have often clouded the face of God he looks upon his bosom sins as dead flies in the box of precious ointment that spoyls all and accordingly with all his might he sets himself against them 1. He fights most against these 2. He weeps most over these 3. He watches and aâ—ms most against these 4. He prayes most against these 5. He resolves most against these And 6. He layes the axe of repentance most to these c. But pray Sir before you close up this Chapter lay down some sure and infallible evidences of the goodness graciousness and happiness of their estates and conditions who are but weak in grace who are but babes of grace that so they may have their portion satisfaction support and consolation as well as others Ans I shall endeavour to do it and therefore thus Sixthly True desires of grace is grace true desires after Christ and grace and holiness is grace he who does sincerely desire to believe he does really believe and he that does sincerely desire to repent he does really repent and he that does sincerely desire to obey the Lord 1 Pet. 2.3 4. 2 Chron. 30.18 19 Mat. 7.8 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 c. and to fear the Lord and to serve the Lord he does really obey the Lord and fear the Lord and serve the Lord. It is the first step to grace for a man to see his heart void of grace and it is the first degree of grace for a man to desire grace Mark all true desires of grace have the very nature and truth of grace in them As there is true fire in a spark as well as in a flame and true water in a drop as well as in a stream and true light in a beam as well as in the Sun and true gold in the very filings of gold as well as in the whole wedge of gold the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole Isa 55.1 2. 65. 1. John 7.37 True desires of grace argues a state of grace and salvation Psal 38.9 Lord thou knowest all my desire my groanings is not hid from thee Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled or as the Greek runs after the participle of the present tense they that are hungering and thirsting intimating that where ever this is the present disposition of mens souls they are blessed
Hebrew runs Any way of pain or of grief or of provocation that is any course of sin that is grievous or provoking to the eyes of divine glory A real Saint can neither allow of sin nor wallow in sin nor be transformed into the image of sin nor mix it self with sin 'T is possible for a sincere Christian to step into a sinful path or to touch upon sinful facts Gal. 6.1 Prov. 16.17 and now and then in an hour of temptation to slide to trip and to be overtaken unawares but his main way his principle work is to depart from iniquity As a true traveller may now and then step a few steps out of his way who yet for the main keeps his way keeps the road or as a Bee may now and then light upon a thistle but her main work is to be gathering at the flowers or as a Sheep may now and then slip into the dirt or into a slow but its main work is to be grazing upon the mountains Certainly O soul if sin be now thy greatest burden it shall never hereafter prove thy eternal bane God never yet sent any man to hell for sin to whom sin has commonly been the greatest hell in this world God has but one hell and that is for those to whom sin has been commonly a heaven in this world That man that hates sin and that daily enters his protest against sin that man shall never be made miserable by sin Sin in a wicked man is like poyson in a serpent it is in its natural place it is delightful to a sinner but sin in a Saint is like poyson in a man's body it is offensive and the heart rises against it and is carried forth to the use of all divine Antidotes whereby it may be expelled and destroyed nothing will satisfie a gracious soul but the heart bloud of his lusts Now he shall never be damned for his sins whose heart is set upon killing his sins Seventeenthly Such a poor soul that dares not say that God is his God or that Christ is his Redeemer or that he has a work of grace upon his heart yet can say with some integrity of heart before the Lord that if God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness were offered to him on the one hand and all the honours pleasures profits delights and carnal contents of the world were offered him on the other hand he had infinitely rather ten thousand thousand times chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness than the contrary Certainly such a soul has true grace in him and a saving work past upon him for none can freely seriously habitually resolutely chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness as their summum bonum chiefest good but such who are really good 1 John 4.19 Deut. 7.6 7 8 9. 26.17 18 19. Look as our love to God is but an effect of his love to us We love him because he first loved us so our chusing of God for our God is but an effect of God's chusing us for his people we chuse him because he first chose us Such who in their serious choice set up God and Christ above all other persons and things such God will certainly make happy and blessed for ever God never did nor never will reject those or damn those who really chuse him for their God and for their great all The greatest part of the world chuse their lusts rather than God and the creatures rather than Christ Luke 12.21 they chuse rather to be great than gracious to be rich in this world than to be rich towards God to be outwardly happy than to be inwardly holy Mat. 10.42 to have a heaven on earth than to have a heaven after death and so they miscarry for ever That soul that with Mary has chosen the better part that soul with Mary shall be happy for ever every man must stand or fall for ever as his choice has been But Eighteeenthly Canst thou truly say in the presence of the great and glorious God that is the searcher of all hearts Psal 139.23 24. that thou hast given up thy heart and life to the rule authority and government of Jesus Christ and that thou hast chosen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King and art truly willing to submit to his dominion as the only precious and righteous government and as the only holy and heavenly sweeâ— and pleasant profitable and comfortable safe and best dominion in all the world and to resign up thy heart thy will thy affections thy life thy all really to Christ wholly to Christ Isa 26.13 and only to Christ Canst thou O poor soul look up to heaven and truly say O dear Lord Jesus other Lords viz. the world the flesh and the devil have had dominion too long over me but now these Lords I do heartily renounce Isa 33.22 I do utterly renounce I do for ever renounce and do give up my self to thee as my only Lord beseeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever O Lord though sin rages and Satan roars and the world sometimes frowns and sometimes fawns yet I am resolved to own thee as my only Lord and to serve thee as my only Lord and my greatest fear by divine assistance shall be of offending thee and my chiefest care shall be to please thee and my only joy shall be to be a praise a name and an honour to thee O Lord I can appeal to thee in the sincerity of my heart Psal 65.3 Rom. 7.23 that though I have many invincible sins weaknesses and infirmities that hang upon me and though I am often worsted by my sins and overcome in an hour of temptation yet thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts thou dost know that I have given up my heart and life to the obedience of Jesus Christ and do daily give them up to his rule and government and 't is the earnest desire of my soul above all things in this world that Jesus Christ may still set up his Laws in my heart and exercise his dominion over me Now certainly there is not the weakest Christian in all the world but can venture himself upon such an appeal to God as this is and without all peradventure where such a frame and temper of spirit is there the dominion of Jesus Christ is set up and where the dominion of Christ is set up there sin has no dominion for the dominion of sin and the dominion of Christ are inconsistent and therefore such a soul is happy and will be happy to all eternity But Cant. 8.5 Acts 11.21 22 23 Psal 71.16 Isa 61.10 Nineteenthly That man that will venture his soul upon Christ and that will lean upon Christ and cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart and that will cleave to his bloud and cleave to his righteousness and cleave to his merits and satisfaction in
condemnation works unsound hearts to mourn but 't is the sight of a bleeding dying Saviour that sets ingenious gracious souls a mourning Eighthly and lastly Godly sorrow grief or mourning may be known by the inseparable concomitants or companions that attend it and wait on it 2 Cor. 7.11 and they are these seven First What carefulness or study 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Concomitant of godly sorrow the word notes the serious intention of the mind and the diligence and dexterity of the soul in shunning and avoiding sin and arming of the soul against all occasions and temptations thereunto The great care of the repenting soul is to leave all sin to shake off all sin to avoid all sin and to weaken and subdue and bring under all sin O! the care the caution the circumspection the vigilancy the strivings and the strugglings of the repenting soul against temptations and corruptions 2. Concomitant of godly sorrow Secondly Yea what clearing of your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apology or defence which is not done either by denying of sin or by excusing of sin committed but by confession of sin As the child makes his defence and apology to his father not by denying or defending his faults but by confessing and disclaiming of them so does the penitent soul carry it towards God and disliking of sin and bewailing of sin and by walking quite cross and contrary to the sin confessed disliked and bewailed as Zacheus did Luke 19.8 and as the Jailor did Acts 16.33 The true penitent has no ways to cleer himself but by arraigning judging and condemning of himself 1 Cor. 11.31 For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged When men judge themselves and condemn themselves God is prevented and the Devil defeated as having nothing to say against them but what they have said before ☞ when men acknowledge their sins and aggravate their sins and pass the sentence of condemnation upon themselves for their sins they shall find their acquittance from them fairly drawn in the bloud of Christ Repentance for sin takes off the guilt of sin and sin bewailed is as if it had never been committed and this becomes the soul's Apology Ezek. 18.21 22. 3. Concomitant of godly sorrow Thirdly Yea what indignation or stomack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrath unto grief it notes the very rising of the stomack with rage and a being angry unto fretting fuming and sickness Again it notes the very heighth of anger and rage The true penitent is not so exceeding angry with himself for any thing as he is angry with himself for his sins Indignation here imports the turning of all the passions of the soul wholly against sin There are no men in the world so hot and angry against themselves for their sins Isa 2.20 as penitents are witness those that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed Isa 30.22 witness David Psal 73.22 witness Ephraim Hosea 14.8 and witness Paul Rom. 7.22 23. There are none that fret and fume and chafe at themselves for sin as penitent souls do there are none that loath themselves that abhor themselves and that are weary of themselves upon the account of their sins like penitent souls 'T is not this thing nor that nor this enemy nor that nor this party nor that nor this design nor that but sin that is the main the grand object of a penitents hatred scorn wrath rage reproach disgrace and contempt c. He that would be angry and sin not must be angry at nothing but sin If some men would but spend more of their anger and indignation against their sins they would not be so angry as they are with their brethren that in disputable things differ from them Fourthly Yea what fear of God's displeasure 4. Concomitant of godly sorrow and of doing any more so wickedly before the Lord. Penitent souls are of all souls the most trembling souls the most timerous souls Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes The penitent Christian has still a jealous eye upon his own heart words and wayes he is very apt to suspect a snake under every flower and to fear a snare in every creature-comfort The burnt child dreads the fire he that has been once stung hates a snake he that has been in danger of drowning trembles at the thoughts of going by water and he that has once broke his leg rides and walks with a fear of diligence and vigilancy all his life after I have read of the Dove that she is afraid of every feather that hath grown upon a Hawk the very sight of any of the Hawks feathers brings as much terror upon her as if she saw the Hawk her self such a native dread is it seems implanted in her that it detests and abhors the very sight of any such feather In every penitent God implants such a holy fear such a filial fear such a reverential fear such a fear of diligence and vigilancy that the penitent Christians heart rises detests and abhors not only gross sins but the least motions inclinations and temptations to sin They that have paid dear for past guilt that have known what an aking heart a wounded conscience and a bleeding soul means that have experienced what the frowns of God the threatnings of God and the wrath of God means will certainly beware of sin watch and war against it and fear to fall into it 5. Concomitant of godly sorrow Fifthly Yea what vehement desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies such a desire of fervency that can admit of no delay it notes such a desire as produces diligence activity and industry The true penitent is full of fervent and vehement desires to be rid of his sins Rachel was never more vehement and fervent in her desires after children nor David after the water of the well Bethlehem nor the hunted Hart after the water-brooks nor the betrothed Virgin for her marriage day nor the Apprentice for his freedom nor the Captive for his ransom nor the Soldier for the conquest nor the sick Man for his cure nor the condemned Man for his pardon than the true penitent is vehement and fervent in his desires to have his lusts subdued Rom. 7.22 23 24 mortified and destroyed Many a day have I sought death with tears said blessed Cowper not out of distrust impatience or perturbation but because I am weary of sin and fearful of falling into it If you ask the penitent why do you hear pray read and apply your self so seriously so frequently so unweariedly and so constantly to all sin-subduing administrations he will tell you 't is out of a vehement and fervent desire that he has to he rid of his sins If you ask him again why he is so much in complaining against sin in mourning over sin and in warring against sin c. he will tell you out of a vehement and earnest desire that he has to be fully and finally
produce a hundred other Scriptures to prove that repenting sinners are confessing sinners but let these suffice c. Secondly If you please to cast your eyes upon other Scriptures you shall find these penitent confessing sinners to be expresly under the promises of the forgiveness of sins Confessing penitents are under the promises of forgiveness c. Turn to that Job 33.27 28. and ponder upon it Prov. 28.13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy c. 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Psal 22.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and then forgavest the iniquity of my sin Seâ—ah Levit. 26.40 41 42. If they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their trespass which then trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me and that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their enemies if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity This will I remember my covenant with Jacob and also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember Jer. 3.12 13. Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord only acknowledge thine iniquity And observable is that prayer of Solomon 1 King 8 47-50 If they shall bethink themselves and repent and make supplications to thee saying we have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness then hear thou their prayer and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Ans They are these eight that follow First 'T is free 't is voluntary not forc'd not extorted Nehemiah Ezra Job David Daniel Paul Acts 26.10 11. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Daniel 9. Psal 5. Job 49.4 5. c. were free and voluntary in the confession of their sins as all know that have but read the Scripture The true penitent confesses his sins with much candour ingenuity and freedom of spirit he is as free in his confession of sin as he has been free in the commission of sin his confessions are like water which runs out of a spring with a voluntary freeness but the confessions of wicked men are like water that is forced out of a still with fire their confessions are forced and extracted meerly from sence of pain and smart or from fear of punishments c. Pharaoh never confest his sin till God brought him to the rack Exod. 10.16 1 Sam. 15.24 Num. 22 23-35 Mat. 27.3 4 5. nor Saul till he was in danger of losing his Crown and Kingdom nor Balaam till he sees the Angel stand with his drawn sword ready to slay him nor Judas till horror of conscience and the pangs of hell had surprized him and taken fast hold on him Wicked men cast out their sins by confession as Mariners do their wares in a storm wishing for them again in a calm the confessions of wicked men are commonly extorted or squeezed out either by some outward trouble or by some inward distress but penitential confession is free and ingenuous arising from an inward detestation of sin and from the contrariety of the heart to sin and therefore were there no rod no rack ho wrath no hell the true penitent would very freely and readily confess his sins when God is most free in bestowing of mercies then are they most free in confessing their iniquities Hos 14.1 2 3 4. Look as that is the best wine that flows from the grape with least pressing and as that is the best honey which drops from the honey-comb without crushing so those are the best confessions that flow that drop freely voluntarily from the soul c. Secondly True penitential confession is full as well as free That confession is not sincere that is not full Lam. 1.18 19. God loves neither halting nor mincing confessions These undid the Pharisee Luke 18.11 As penitential confessions are not extorted so they are not straitned sin must be confest in its particular species and parts all known sins must be confest fully plainly particularly as you may see by turning to these Scriptures Lev. 26.40 41 42. 19.21 Judg. 10.10 Psal 51. 1 Sam. 12.19 1 Tim. 1.13 Acts 26.10 11. Dan. 9.5 6 7 8-17 Lev. 16.21 22 c. Some there be that deny their sins with the Harlot Prov. 30.20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have done no wickedness And others there be that father their sins on others as Adam did Gen. 3.12 and as Eve did ver 13. and as Aaron did Exod. 32.22 and as Saul did 1 Sam. 15.22 And many there are that hide their wickedness that conceal their wickedness as that proud Pharisee did Luk. 18.11 12. That expression of the Prophet Hosea Hosea 10.13 You have plowed wickedness is rendred by the Septuagint You have concealed wickedness and indeed there is nothing more common to a wicked heart than to keep closs his sin than to cover and hide his transgressions And certainly this is that sore disease that our first parents were sick to death of almost six thousand years ago and therefore 't is no wonder if we are all infected with it Job 31.33 We are but flesh and bloud sayes one it is my nature sayes a second I cannot help it sayes a third I am not the first sayes a fourth 't was bad company drew me sayes a fifth if it be a sin I am sorry for it says a sixth if it be naught I cry God mercy sayes a seventh And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confessions as they are in their professions c. Man by nature is a vain glorious creature apt to boast and brag of the sins that he is free of but unwilling to confess the sins that he is guilty of There are no men so prone to conceal their own wickedness as those that are most forward to proclaim their own goodness There are many that are not ashamed to act sin who yet are ashamed to confess sin but certainly of all shame that is the most shameful shame that leads a man to hide his sins But now the true penitent he makes conscience of confessing small sins as well as great sins secret sins as well as open sins Psal 90.8 Psal 19.12 David confesses not only his great sins of murder and adultery but he confesses also his self-revenge intended against Nabal and of his knife being so neer Sauls throat when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment A true Penitent is much in confessing and lamenting over that secret pride that
secret fleshliness that secret worldliness that secret hypocrisie that secret vain glory c. that is only obvious to God and his own soul But 't is quite otherwise with wicked men for they confess their grosser sins but never observe their lesser sins they confess their open sins but never lay open their secret sins Cain confesses his murdering of his brother but never confesses his secret enmity that put him upon washing his hands in his brother's bloud Pharoah confesses his oppression of the children of Israel but he does not confess the pride of his heart nor the hardness of his heart Judas confesses his betraying of innocent blood but he never confesses his covetousness that put him upon betraying of the Lord of glory And others have confest their Apostacy who have never confest their hypocrisie that hath led them to Apostacy c. Well this is certain that those little sins those secret sins that never break a sinners sleep do often break a believers heart Thirdly As true penitential confession is full so 't is sincere 't is cordial 't is not a feigned nor a formal nor a meer verbal confession but an affectionate confession 't is a confession that has the mind the heart the soul as well as the lip in it Psal 51.31 Jer. 18.19 20. Isa 26.8 9. Ezra 9.6 Psal 38.4 Job 42.6 Luke 18.13 The penitent man's confession springs from inward impressions of grace upon his soul he heels what he confesses and his affections go along with his confessions The poor Publican smote upon his breast and confessed Look as the sick man opens his disease to his Physician feelingly affectionately and as the Client opens his case to his Lawyer feelingly affectionately so the penitent opens his case his heart to God feelingly affectionately cold careless verbal formal customary confessions are no small abominations in the eye of God Jer. 12.2 Such mens confessions will be their condemnations at last their tongues will one day cut their throats though confession to men is a work of the voice yet confession to God must be the voice of the heart Sometimes the heart alone is sufficient without the voice as you may see in Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 14 15. but the voice is never sufficient without the heart as you may see in that Isa 29.13 Such who make confession of sin to be only a lip-labour such instead of offering the calves of their lips as the Prophet requires Hosea 14.2 do but offer the lips of calves Heart-confessions without words shall be effectual with God and carry the day in heaven when all formal verbal confessions though they are never so eloquent or excellent shall be cast as dung in sinners faces Isa 1 12-16 Mary Magdalen weeps and sighs and sobs Luke 7.38 but speaks neveâ— a word and yet by her heart-confessions she carries it with Christ as is evident by his answer to her Luke 7.48 Hâ— said unto her thy sins are forgiven thee Penitent souls confess sin feelingly but wicked mens confessions make no impressions upon them their confessions run through them as wateâ— runs through a pipe without leaving any impression at al upon the pipe Wicked men do no more taste nor relish the evil of sin the poyson of sin the bitterness of sin in any of their confessions than the pipe does taste or relish the water that runs through it Such who confess sin formally or rhetorically and yet love sin dearly heartily shall never get good by their confessions certainly such confessions will never reach the heart of God that do not reach our own hearts nor such confessions will never affect the heart of God thâ—t do not first affect our own hearts Such as speak very ill of sin with their tongues and yet secretly wish well to sin in their hearts will be found at last of all men the most miserablest But Fourthly As penitential confession is sincere and cordial Ezra 10.3 so 't is distinct and not confused The true penitent has his particular and special bills of indictment he knows his sins of omission and his sins of commission he remembers the sins that he hath most rejoyced and delighted in he can't forget the sins that have had most of his eye his ear his head his hand his heart the by-paths in which he has most walked and the transgressions by which God has been most dishonoured his conscience most wounded and his corrupt nature most pleased gratified Psal 51.3 are always before him An implicite confession is almost as bad as an implicite faith wicked men câ—mmonly confess their sins by whole-sale we are all sinners but the true penitent confesses his sins by retail Though it cant't be denied but that in some cases a general confession may be penitent Luke 18.13 as you see in the Publican God be merciful to me a sinner yet it must be granted that a true penitent can't content nor satisfie himself with a general confession And therefore David confesses his particular sins of adultery and bloud-guiltiness 1 Tim. 1.13 and Paul particularizeth his sins of blasphemy and persecution and injuriousness against the Saints And more you have of this in that Act. 26.10 11. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them and I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities So Judg. 10.10 And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying we have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also served Balaam We have sinned there is their general confession we have forsaken our God and also served Balaam there is their distinct and particular confession both of their Apostacy and Idolatry And so 1 Sam. 12.19 And all the people said unto Samuel pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we dye not for we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask us a King They were discontented with that government that the Lord had set over them and they would need be governed by a King after the mode of other Nations and this sin they confess distinctly and particularly before the Lord and Samuel And so David in that 1 Chron. 21.17 And David said unto God is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed but as for these sheep what have they done Thus that princely Prophet confesses that particular sin that he then lay under the guilt of And so Zacheus makes a particular confession he does as it were point with his finger at that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord half my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation
sin not to swear and whore and curse and be drunk and prophane Sabbaths and dispise Ordinances yea there are many that are so far from being ashamed of their abominations that they even glory in them like those in that Phil. 3.19 They shew their sins as Sodom they make both a sport of acting and a jest of confessing their sins Thus Austin confesseth that it was sometimes with himself before the Lord wrought upon him I was stricken with such blindness as that I thought it a shame unto me to be less vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boast of their leudness and glory so much the more by how much they were the more filthy therefore saith he lest I should be of no account I was the more vicious and when I could not otherwise match others I would feign that I had done those things which I never did lest I should seem so much the more abject by how much I was the more innocent and so much the more vile by how much I was the more chast But for a close remember this The true penitent knows that the more God has been displeased with the blackness of sin the better he will be pleased with the blushing of the sinner and therefore he can't but blush when either he looks upon sin within him or God above him But Seventhly Penitential confession 't is believing and fiducial 't is mixt with some faith Hosea 14. â— though not alwayes with a strong faith 't is not like the confession of a Malefactor to the Judge but like the confession of a child to his father or like the confession of a sick man to his Physician As a penitent man has one eye of sorrow upon his sin so he has another eye of hope upon pardoning grace Thus David Psal 51. though he had sinned greatly yet he hangs upon free mercy and begs his pardon believingly Thus Daniel Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Thus Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Sechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra we have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing If it were not for hope the heart would break there was hope among them that Israel would repent and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance And the same spirit was working in the Prodigal I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luke 18.18 Though he was a Prodigal yet he would go to God as to a father who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child When confessions of sin are mingled with hopes of mercy and the soul draws neer to God as a father then the heart breaks most and melts and mourns most That confession of sin that is not mixt with some hope of pardon and with some faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but desperate Cain in some sort confesses Gen. 4.16 but then he flies into the Land of Nod and there he falls a building and planting partly in contempt of the dreadful doom God had past upon him and partly to drown the noise of his conscience and despairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world 2 Cor. 5.1 2. or enjoying a house not made with hands in another world Judas likewise confesses his most hainous sin I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud but having no hope of pardon Mat. 27.3 4. no faith in that innocent blood he had shed he goes out and hangs himself Judas had no faith to mingle with his confession he confesses despairingly not believingly and so goes forth and strangles himself Since Adam fell in paradise there has not been one wicked man in the world continuing in that state that has ever mixt faith with his sorrows believing with his confessing 't is only the penitent man that confesseth sin believingly and that is pardoned graciously The confessing penitent reasons thus with God Lord though I am a sinful creature yet thou art a merciful God though I am unworthy of mercy yet thou forgivest sins freely though my sins reach as high as heaven yet thy mercies teach above the heavens I am here ready and willing to accuse and condemn my self and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to absolve me and forgive me O Lord though my sins are very many yet thy mercies are exceeding more though I have multiplied my sins yet thou canst multiply thy pardons though I am a sinner a very great sinner yet there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared and loved served and trusted and therefore in the face of all my sins provocations and unworthiness I will look up for mercy and wait for mercy But Eighthly and lastly True penitential confession is joyned with reformation That confession of sin that carries forgivness of sin with it Psal 51.10 is attended with serious desires and earnest endeavours of reformation therefore forsaking of sin is annext to confession of sin Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin or all 's lost God will never cross the book he will never draw the red lines of Christ's bloud over the black lines of our transgressions except confessing and forsaking go hand in hand He that does not â—orsake his sin as well as confess it forsakes the benefit of his confession And indeed there is no real confession of sin where there is no real forsaking of sin 't is not enough for us to confess the sins we have committed but we must peremptorily resolve against the committing again the sins we have confest we must desire as freely to forgo our sins as we do desire God to forgive us our sins Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit now you know a man that is burdened in his stomack is heartily willing to be rid of that â—oad on his stomack that doth oppress nature and so a man that is real in his confession of sin is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin that lyes as a loâ—d upon his conscience as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his stomack The penitential confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins This is observable in the confession of good Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 3. We have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives of the people of the Land Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them
of Refuge But The second Royal Fort that Christians should have their eys their hearts fixed upon Imputed righteousness seem◠to be prefigured by the skins wherewith the Lord after the full cloathed our first parents The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice the skins to put them in mind that their own righteousness was like the fig-leaves imperfect that therefore they must be justified another way whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine or are clouded and obscured is the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Beloved there is a twofold righteousness in Christ First there is his essential and personal righteousness as God Now this essential personal righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to us But then there is Secondly his Mediatory righteousness that is that righteousness which he wrought for us as Mediator whereby he did subject himself to the preceptt to the penalties commands curses answering both Gods vindictive and rewarding justice This is communicated to us and made ours by virtue of which we stand recti in curia justified in God's sight The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification Now this Mediatory righteousness of Christ includes First the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities Secondly the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the Law and by his passive obedience his voluntary sufferings he satisfied the penalty and commination of the Law for transgressions Mark that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatsoever it requires either in way of punishing for sin or obedience to the Law made by the Lord Jesus Christ God and Man the Mediator of the new Covenant Osiander was of opinion that men were justified by the essential righteousness of Christ as God which opinion is largely confuted by Calvin in his Institutions as a common head representing all those whom the Father hath given to him and made over unto them that believe in him This is that righteousness that is imputed to us in justification No other righteousness can justifie us before the throne of God Look as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us as the Scripture clearly evidences 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Jer. 23.6 The Lord our righteousness A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness would not have this sentence The Lord our righteousness blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness c. And pray how is Christ made righteousness to the believer Not by way of infusion but imputation not by putting righteousness into him but by putting a righteousness upon him even his own righteousness by the imputing his merit his satisfaction his obedience unto them through which they are accepted as righteous unto eternal life Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ's righteousness is his in respect of inhesion but it is ours in respect of imputation his righteousness is his personally but ours meritoriously Look as there is a true and real union between us and Christ so there is a real imputation of Christ's righteousness to us And a gracious soul triumphs more in the righteousness of Christ imputed than he would have done if he could have stood in the righteousness in which he was created This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul that he stands righteous before a judgment-seat in that full exact perfect compleat matchless spotless pearless and most acceptable righteousness of Christ which is imputed to him The righteousness of Christ is therefore called the righteousness of God Rom. 3.21 22. Rom. 10.3 Phil. 3.9 because it is it which God hath designed and which God doth accept for us in our justification and for and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of justice Luthers great fear was that when he was dead this glorious doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ would be sent packing out of the world That we are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us is the very Basis foundation and state of Christian Religion whereby it is distinguished from all other Religions whatsoever Jews Turks Pagans and Papists explode an imputed righteousness yea Papists jeer it calling it a putative righteousness Well Sirs remember this once for all viz. That the Mediatory righteousness of Christ is the life of your souls and will afford you these most admirable comforts First In this righteousness there is enough to satisfie the justice of God to the utmost farthing The Mediatory righteousness of Christ is so perfect so full so exact so compleat and so fully satisfactory to the justice of God as that divine justice cryes out I have enough and I require no more I have found a ransom and I am fully pacified towards you Ezek. 16.62 63. But Secondly This Mediatory righteousness of Christ takes away all our unrighteousness it cancels every bond it takes away all iniquity and answers for all our sins Lord Isa 53. Col. 2.12 13 14 15. here are my sins of omission and here are my sins of commission but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all here are my sins against the Law and here are my sins against the Gospel and here are my sins against the offers of grace the tenders of grace the strivings of grace the bowels of grace but the righteousness of Christ hath answered for them all When a cordial was offered to one that was sick O said he the cordial of cordials which I daily take is this The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins O Sirs 1 Joh. 1.7 it would be high blasphemy for any to imagine that there should be more demerit in sin Rom. 8.1 33 34 35. in any sin in all sin to condemn a believer than there is merit in Christ's righteousness to absolve him to justifie him But Thirdly This righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God It is that pure fine white linnen garment whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God And to her was granted that is to the Lambs wife that she should be arrayed in fine linnen Rev. 19.8 clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of Saints or the righteousnesses or justifications of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greek is plural Some by righteousnesses understand the righteousness of Christ imputed and the righteousness of Christ imparted but I rather close