that would live by Faith he must not say in his heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ or an issue from above or who shall descend into the deep to bring up a Christ or an issue from the dead But the word is near thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart The Word of Faith the Word in the Gospel which we preach This Point because there are several things in it of special concernment for us I shall deduce and branch out to you in four Heads 1. That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant with the Word that they may know what is for them and suitable to their case there 2. That as really needy Saints will be much conversant with the Word so they will judge of things according to the Verdict of the Word 3. That to fix them in that Resolution to judge of things according to the Word they must fix this Principle That the Word is of Divine Authority 4. That having fixt this That the Word is of Divine Authority the Believer must send out his Faith to believe and his hope to look for all that he finds in so Divine and sure a Word For the first of these I say That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant in the Word that they may know what is for them there and suitable to their case This is clearly imported in the Text while he saith I hope in thy Word He must know what is in the Word to lean his Faith and Hope upon for except he know he cannot lean his Faith and Confidence on it Hence David a great liver by Faith was much conversant with the Scriptures they were his meditation his meat his delight the men of his counsels his guides as ye may read at length what his esteem of the Scriptures was in that 119 Psalm And this being so it will infer not only that really needy saints should attend upon the Word preached but more especially that they should and will be much at the privat serious reading of meditation on and perusal of the Scriptures a duty that in the first place I would prove to be a duty And 2dly press it on you 1. I say it is needful to prove that it is a duty that the Scriptures be read by all in opposition to that cursed Popish principle that will not allow any laick or privat person without a peculiar licence to read the Scriptures whereby they turn that in a priviledge and confer on some only which God hath imposed as a duty on all yea further so Tyrannical are they in this that though they permit some to read the vulgar Latin or Translations according to it as they have turned it in English where Protestants are lest if they shuld hinder them in the use of that they should read other Translations without their liberty yet in other places as Spain and Italy they are sparing of these Licenses This is a damnable error not only contrair to the way of the ancient Church wherein they glory so much wherin privat persons were so well acquaint with the Word that they would make it the subject of their discourse while they were about their ordinary callings but is clearly repugnant to Scripture and principles deduced therefrom both in the Old and New Testament I shall not insist on controversial things but lay down first some instances from Scripture to which I shall add some Scripture arguments for clearing that Truth For Scripture instances look to the Old Testament it is marked Acts 15.21 That in old time Moses had in every City them that preached him being read in the synagogues every sabbath day and not the Books of Moses only but the Prophets And therefore our Lord in his solemn Sermon Luke 4.17 Read out of the Prophecy of Isaiah that Book being delivered to him Beside publick reading of the Scriptures we find privat reading enjoyned Deut. 17.18 The King was to have a Copy of the Law in a Book out of that which was before the Priests and Levits to be with him and he was to read therein all the days of his life Josh 1.8 The Commander of the people was not to let the book of the Law depart out of his mouth but to meditat therein day and night It was also to be read by mean persons for Deut. 6.6 These words commanded to the Jews they were to teach them diligently to their children to talk of them when they sat in their houses when they did walk by the way when they did ly down and when they rose up and this they could not do in all the ages of their Church unless they read the Books of Moses when Moses was gone We find that Eunuch in returning from Jerusalem in his journey reading the Scripture Act. 8.30 We find Timothy from a child instructed in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 drinking it in with his milk and in a word Psal 1.2 We find the blest man in those days and in all ages of the Church to be that man who hath his delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night If again we turn to the New Testament we find that Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 We find the Bereans commended for comparing Christ Apostles Sermons with the Scripture searching the Scriptures whether these things were so Act. 17.11 We find it required That the word of Christ a well in us richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another Col. 3.16 which necessarily requires frequent reading of the Scriptures we find the Apostle supposing the Corinthians read them 2 Cor. 1.13 We wrote none other things to you than that you read and acknowledge and Eph. 3.4 Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge We find him commanding it Col. 4.16 When this Epistle is read amongst you cause also that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea 1 Thes 4.27 He charges them by the Lord that that epistle be read unto all the holy brethren and if the Apostle John Rev. 1.3 pronounces them blest who reads the words of that prophesie which is a dark obstruse Book It is not the purpose of the Spirit of God that other plain Scriptures should be shut up from people But 2. Unto these Scripture instances we shall add a few Scripture Arguments as 1. For what end were the Scriptures plainly and legibly written and at first in a known language if not to be made use of and read when the Vision is written and made plain upon Tables Habakkuk tells the end of that is That he may run that readeth it 2. If the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did not spare to preach their Doctrine in the audience of all it cannot be rationally thought but that we may
read the Scriptures that contains the sum of their Doctrine 3. The Scriptures are not only written to all but are recommended to all therefore they concern all and are to be read by all Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Epistles of Paul were directed to all the Saints John's 2d Epistle was written to an elect lady his 3d. Epistle to Gaius In his first he writes to fathers young men and children and how irrational is it to assert that that which is directed to all should be keep'd up from any concerned 4. The use that all have for the Scriptures do prove that they should be read by all they are the Rule by which we are to walk and therefore the man that would walk right must know the Rule They are the Charter of our Inheritance and that we be not cheated we would know it They are our elder Brothers Testament and therefore we ought to read it that we may know our Legacy All the Epithets given to the Scripture in relation to our need tell it is the will of God we should be conversant with them And Lastly There are many duties required of Christians that they cannot perform unless they be conversant with the Scriptures they are bidden try the spirits whither they be of God 1 Joh. 4.1 And how shall they try them but by the Touchstone of the Scriptures They are bidden prove all things 1 Thes 5.21 And how shal they do that unless they make use of the standard of the Scripture they are bidden add to their faith vertue and to their vertue knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 And how shal they increase in knowledge if the Scriptures be not conversed with nay more How shall ignorance be proven to be a sin if the Scripture the only Illuminator of the Understanding be not to be conversed with But I shall forbear further debating with Papists the imitators in this of other Hereticks whom Tertullian calls Lucifugae scripturarum who while they prohibit the promiscuous reading of Scripture proclaim how little kindness they expect of the Scripture It is with them as it is with a Tyrrant and his Subjects he dares not trust them with armslest they should rise against him so they will not let people read the Scriptures lest thereby they should soon discover their abominations and cheats therefore it is that they keep them in a mass of ignorance and please them with that That Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion But 2. To press this Duty upon you for I would not so much have us Disputants for this Truth as Practisers of this Duty I would not have men having Bibles in their Houses and yet as little acquaint with them as if they had none if this be a duty it would be followed forth in practice I shall not enter upon the way of reading Scripture here but in bearing home the practice of the duty I shall say this 1. Ye that have Children train them up at Schools a thing wherein the heat of persecution made the ancient Church very deficient they had no Schools to put their Children to But how made they up that loss by procuring Copies of the Scriptures they got in some to read to them whom they lodged with them or going far to hear them read by such as could read them And I might here instance Pambo who came to a Friend that he might read a Psalm to him and he beginning the 39 Psalm I said I will take heed to my way that I sin not with my tongue hold there said he till I learn that well and when he came again being asked why he tarried so long away O said he I think that one lesson of the Government of the Tongue shall suffice me all my life But this I leave as a digression But if these who wanted Schools were put to such pains and charges to supply that defect what a great defect is it in you that have Schools and yet there are so many of you in the place and Countrey about that can read none at all Is not this a great neglect of a special mean of Salvation and to find it in such a place where Religion has had countenance and where Learning might be had with ease that so many persons should be found not able to read the Scriptures O what a lamentable defect is it and I wish it may not be continued in in this generation And I shall add to this of putting your Children to read ye would beware of indulgence to them while they are learning This sinful indulgence of Children is an ill symptom for the generation to follow and more it is a sad presage that these your sinful indulged Children shall prove your greatest plague experience hath proven it and ye would look to it if the Children ye have indulged do skaith to Church or State readily ye may get the first draught of the Cup they will be your greatest cross But 2. I would recommend to you that ye that can read would make use of that gift that is a thing ye may do with little interruption to your lawful affairs and a thing ye have liberty to go about without hazard ye are not like Incodemites as many are called in other parts of the world wherein Inquisitions are so terrible to people that if they have a Bible or any portion of it they must hide it for fear of the Inquisition ye are not in that hazard and if ye refuse to make use of the Scripture when it is dadded on you and have liberty to be conversant with it it shall be righteousness with God to take that liberty from you and give you up to Inquisitions as a punishment for that dreadful neglect I see Bibles among you and bless God for it but it is not enough to have them go through them and seek to be acquaint with the mind of God held out to you in them But to press this duty a little more distinctly I would briefly point at four or five things which I would have you to consider 1. I would have the excellency of the Scripture considered ye know men of Spirits if they hear of an excellent Book written by a very learned person O how would they long for it be at pains to have it and read it how greedily will some seek after and peruse Histories and Romances who are little in reading the Scripture but I shall come nearer you If there came News to Scotland that there were a Book written by God in Spain or some other remote Countrey how would it be longed for how would ye be earnest to seek and peruse it and if so what a sin and a shame is it when that Book inspired by the Spirit of God written by infallible Instruments is among your hands and yet how many are there that neither in their Families nor in secret have
the Scriptures without the Testimony of the Church as well as they But I shall add 3dly If any should ask who gave them that warrand to determine concerning the Authority of the Scriptures If they should say to a Pagan that is the Word of God I say it and I have authority to declare it If the Pagan should say where is your evidence that ye have that authority if they cannot adduce any may not he justly alledge that they bear Witness of themselves All the evidence they afford to any is that the Church of Rome is infallible and when they are put to that they adduce these passages Mat. 16.18 Thou art Peter c. Luke 22.32 Joh. 21.15 well say I have these Testimonies Divine Authority to perswade men concerning the infallibility of the Church of Rome and must men believe that antecedently to their receiving their testimony concerning the Scriptures If so then not only themselves who testify but others who are to receive their testimony must be perswaded of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures antecedently to that testimony In a word when they would prove their Authority they run to the Scriptures and in proving the Authority of the Scriptures they recurr to their own testimony and so run in a circle I might add a 4th thing to discuss their Authority from their own principles for the clearing of which I shall hint at three words I hope they will grant that they who testify concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures must be Christians not Pagans Church-Officers not Laicks Now by their principles how can they satisfie the Christian world that their Pope is not an un-baptized Pagan or a meer privat person I shall not found my doubt upon Pope Leo the Tenth his Creed that said The Fable concerning Christ had been a gainful Fable but upon their making the real administration of the Sacraments to depend upon the real intention of the Priest that administrats them And so I reason it is impossible morally to know that the present Pope is a baptized Christian or a Church officer in regard we cannot know what were the intentions of him that baptized or ordained â—im and what a blind is it to cause the authority of the Scriptures depend upon such an uncertainty 2. Consider again their sin of Simony we find their Histories full especially in these dark times some while bâ—fore the Reformation of their Symoniacal Popes who by budds and bribes and one by faigning a Voice from Heaven to out his Predecessor did advance themselves into the Chaiâ— Now by their own Cannon Law Symony makes void the Election and nullifies all the Acts following thereon Now suppose a Pope get into the Châ—ir by Symoâ—y and â—â—eats Cardinals who elect his successor their Act his Election are null and it is impossible they can be capable of any Ecclesiastical Act particularly for testifying concerning the authority of the Scriptures 3. I would know how the Christian world should know the Popes declaring concerning the authority of the Scriptures since very few have access to him except we take the Testimony of humane Writings or some wandring Priest with his Papal Bulls and Lead affixt to them Shall we give credit to these Bulls carried by his Priests because they have the ordinar Characters of Papal Bulls and shall â—e not for all the Divine Characters that are found in the Scriptures creâ—â—t them to be the Word of God From all which ye would learn to look upon the Romish Religion as a Religion wherein ye have no ground of certainâ—y to go on and so that there is no Faith in the Romish Religion but that which is ultimatly a humane Faith for if they give us Scripture how know 〈◊〉 that it is Scripture They tell us their Church says so 〈◊〉 know we the certainty of the Churches Testimony 〈◊〉 Pope says so and for that we have but the testimony of his humane Writings and of his Priests Bulls and suppose we should go to Rome we should not get easie access to him and though we should get access to him we know not what he is whether a baptized Christian or an unbaptized Pagan and the Priest that baptized him had not the due intention so that ultimatly all the Faith in the Romish Religion result into an humane report but if the Lord will I shall in the afternoon let you see other evidences of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures that we shall not need to go to Rome for their Testimony Take the Bible seek that Spirit that dictated the Bible look on the Scripture as a true History look oâ— it with that credit ye look on Titus Livius Quintus Curtius Buchannan or any other humane writing and they will prove their own Divinity This I say if the Lord will I shall follow forth more distinctly in the afternoon and therefore I leave it and speak a word to profane Cavillers at the Scriptures authority There is a word Christ hath in assorting the Divine Authority of Hâ— Doctrine which ye would notice Job 7.10 My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me if any man will do his will be shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self The meaning whereof is not that folks must first obey ere they know the Divinity of his Doctrine nor is it that the Word needs the charity of well disposed persons but this is it that he must be in a good frame that would take up the Divine Authority of the Word I mark it for this end because there are so many Atheists Anti-scripturists mockers of Scripture denyers of the Being of Spirits immortality of the Soul and of Rewards and Punishments after this Life and it is to little or no purpose to discourse to them of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures It is with them as with that man who said non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris although thou convince me thou shalt not perswade me they have done with their part of happiness if the Scriptures be of Divine Authority and therefore they will not be perswaded that it is so for these I shall leave them to these two words one is Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth They that will not see God in his Bible shall see and find him in the execution of his Judgments upon them The other word is Zech. 1. when verse 4. he has spoken of their Fathers who when they were bidden turn would not hear nor hearken he says verse 6. But my words and my statutes did they not take hold of your fathers and they returned and said as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways and according to our doings so hath he dealt with us I leave these malitious and desperat men who are hardned in their impiety to have the Scripture verified on them but a man that does the will of God that walks humbly
but as the Scripture is most distinct and clear in its Predictions and in the circumstances of things foretold So there is an exact answerableness in the event as in that of Genes 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from betwixt his feet until Shiloh come How exactly was it accomplisht at the birth of Christ and these Predictions and their exact accomplishments do evince that these Prophesies could come from none but the supream God who is Omniscient and has a Dominion over the Universe and who because He purposed these things foretold brought them to pass But 4. Take a look of the success and efficacy of Scriptures and Scripture Doctrine and that will tell it is of God I know not well where to begin or close in laying open this Consideration only I shall deduce it shortly in these four steps 1. The Doctrine of the Scriptures proves it self to be of God by its prevalency in the World among men and its prevalency when it had nothing extrinsick to back it it hath come in on men when they read it and hath been the ministration of death and terror when all things were going well with them and hath raised them out of the pit of despair when all things spoke sadness to them It hath had a singular power in it to terrifie and humble the mind of men and then to give them peace and comfort that they have been perswaded notwithstanding long fix in contrary perswasions to relinquish their former way with great joy and to imbrace the greatest misery in the world as their greatest happiness and that it should make such a conquest on men and bring in such fresh sweetness in the greatest bitterness it proves it to be Divine To this secondly add the universality of this conquest in so short a time Paul carried the Doctrine of the Gospel from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum Rom. 15.19 and within 200 years or thereby after Christ it came the length of Scotland and with whom did it prevail not with a few of the meaner but with many Learned Philosophers such as Dionysius the Areopagite Justin Martyr many who used curious Arts who brought their books together and burned them before all men Acts 19 â—9 with great men Kings and Princes Constantine the Great and his successors not with moderat persons only but with enemies with Judges that sat upon Benches and condemned the Saints it made them come down from the Benches and go with the Christians to the Stakes was not that a proof that the Doctrine was of God And I shall thirdly add that the Scripture and the Doctrine thereof was thus successful when it had nothing extrinâ—ck to commend it but was every where opposed Pagan Religion flourishes but where it hath the Authority of Princes to back it The Mahumetan Religion also prevailed at first because it promises liberty from subjection to Superiors The satisfaction of mens lusts and pleasures while they live and a Paradise of pleasures when they are dead but after its first prevailing it hath not spread but where the sword made way for it but Christianity a Sect every where spoken against Act. 8.22 yet prevailing doth evidence it is of God Consider again the men that carried this Doctrine poor men insignificant persons that were more ready to beget contempt of it than reception of it men that set not themselves to seek mens interests but pressed them to deny all ungodliness and fleshly lusts They held out no worldly encouragement to men to imbrace their Doctrine but on the contrary told them that upon the reception of their Doctrine they behoved to undergo the hardest of lots and evil usage in the world whereof themselves were visible samplaâ—s and yet Christianity prevailed and the Doctrine of the Gospel had success which proves it to be of God 4. This Religion and Doctrine had such an impression that whosoever embraced it there was no parting of them and it men might take their estates and lives from them but could not part them and the Doctrine of the Gospel and these were not fools but men that in other things evidenced themselves to be intelligent sober understanding persons but when it came to the matter of their Religion no torments devised by men could move them to relinquish it but they did run to the Stakes and offered themselves willingly to the Fires to the beheading Sword and other cruel deaths and how could they have done this if not supported by the efficacy of the Doctrine they had embraced which proves it to be of God In the 5. and last place consider the Adjuncts of this Doctrine of the Scriptures the great miracles whereby it was confirmed wonders may be wrought by the power of second causes but miracles are only of God being above if not contrary to the course of nature How clear and convincing were these miracles wrought by Moses in Egypt by Christ and his Apostles so in that forecited place Act. 4 16. The Rulers confess that indeed a notable miracle had been done by these men is manifest to all c. Their miracles were so clear so infallible and many for kind that it were blasphemous to think or say God would afford them to confirm any Doctrine but his own And to this I shall add the providence of God in preserving the Scriptures and the Church cleaving to the Doctrine thereof against all the malice of Satan and wicked men bended against both How long is it since they sought to root out Israel and yet she is to the fore How long since Antiochus made search for all Copies of the Scripture destroyed some and sought to destroy the rest and yet it is preserved and hath spread How long since crouds of Errors and Hereticks have sought to adulterat and corrupt the Scriptures since the days of Christ and his Apostles and yet the providence of God hath so vigilantly watched over it that it is kept pure and uncorrupt and so transmitted to us at this day in thâ— primitive language from the Church of Rome which no doubt would have done with the Scriptures as they did with other Writings of the ancient Fathers had they known that use would have been made of them against them And to this I may add the providence of God against the Enemies of the Scriptures and the Church professing them Antiochus fell without hand the Babylonian Monarchy no sooner medled with the Church of the Jews but it came to an end and in all ages the providence of God hath been eminently seen in the judgments of God upon these that opposed the Scriptures and the Professors thereof These are some evidences that the Scriptures are of God and of Divine Authority In the 3d place I told you that beside the Historical verity of the Scriptures supposed and the Divine Authority of them proposed there is need of the Spirit to discern these things I shall not trouble you with the quirks
in the right order needs not keep thee back thy desire to come and repent and seek pardon tells that thou art not guilty of that unpardonable sin and therefore stand not a back for scarlet and crimson coloured sins nor for relapsing in these sins There is forgivenness with God for those iniquities and that ye may grip the better to this when it is intimate that God is such a pardoner of sin ye would look to the infinit price of the Son of God whereby he purchased pardon and upon which pardon of sin is founded and ye would look to that infinite and superabounding grace in God inclining him to pardon and when these two are laid together well considered all thy doubts about pardon will amount to this whether thy iniquities or Christ's death thy abounding sin or Gods superabounding Grace will carry it And reason will determine it in favours of Christs purchase and the super-aboundant Grace of God 2. Let me leave this as a Witness against slighters of this offer of pardon I believe there are many engadged as the Jews were Jer. 2.25 Who said There is no hope no for we have loved strangers and after them we will go The matter is past redding There is little appearance that ever we will do well and therefore we mind not to do well But here is a Witness laid at thy door whatever thy condition be God and thou art yet in trysting terms and thou hast the offer of Pardon upon Repentance and turning to him art thou as mad as the man that had the legion of Devils Mark 5.9 will thou employ Christ he can cure thee Though thou were like Mary Magdalen out of whom Christ cast seven devils Luk. 8.2 He can cast them out and set thee down a worshipper of him at his feet Thy scarlet and crimson coloured sins he can make white as the snow or wool Thy scattered affections as the wind he can fix upon the nail fastened upon the sure place if thou wilt come and reason with him thou shalt find him as good as his Word and shall not this be a Witness against slighters of pardoning Grace that such profligat wretches runnaways and backsliders are within the reach of pardoning mercy and there is a Royal Proclamation made of it wherein it is offered unto them and yet they slighted it All the wrath of Sinai shall not be so terrible to such as this will be one day that in the Name of Christ we proclaimed pardon to you providing ye seek it in the right order and look how ye will answer the Lamb sitting down on his tribunal of Majesty I thought to have spoken to the persons who they are that are pardoned and that they may call God Father who seek pardon and how that it secluds not the vilest of sinners upon repentance and how it makes against the Novatian error that thrusts repentance out of the Church And to that case of godly men their relapsing in sins they have repented of and whether such be pardonable but the time having cut me short I shall forbear to break in upon these for the time The Lord blesse for Christs sake what ye have been hearing SERMON IX Psalm 130. Verse 4. But there is forgivenness with thee that thou mayest be feared I Have now broken in a litle upon this great Article of of our Creed the remission of sins The great Gospel-news the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace to them that are in the Psalmist's posture in the third verse that there is no standing before God marking iniquity in strict justice according to the Covenant of Works I am as yet detained on the first head that I proposed to be spoken to on this Subject that is the consideration of that which is pardoned it is iniquity as in the preceeding verse sin or transgression let it be called by whatsoever name it will and as to this I spake to these things 1. That all have sin 2. That sin is a Debt and Burden which they who take a right look of will see great cause will desire to be rid of it That sin being such a debt or burden the unpardoned man if he get a right look of his own condition he will find himself in a wofull plight and 4. That sin being such a debt as can only be done a way by pardon and such a burden as puts the unpardoned man in a woful plight It follows that it is good news the best of all news to a sensible sinner That there is pardon for iniquity in God When a man hath said verse 3. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity who can stand that he may add verse 4. But there is forgivenness with thee And here ye may remember that it was cleared how the least sins needed a pardon As also how the greatest sins for nature number or other circumstances are pardonable that sensible sinners needed not be troubled with that sin against the holy Ghost seing their very flying to the remedy of sin in Christ is a sufficient evidence that it was not in them I was the last day cutshort by time from speaking a word to these persons whose sins are pardonable And this I wold now speak to before I go to the other Heads I proposed to be spoken to And the ground of that which I would say of them whose sins are pardonable I shall take it from that pattern of Prayer Mat. 6.9 12 Father forgive us our debts They are Children who may come to God for pardon of sin and to open this a litle I shal speak to these three from it 1. It would be remembred that these who are not Children must come and become children in the due order that they may attain to the priviledge of pardon when Children only are allowed to beg pardon of sin it secludes none who are unpardoned from coming to God through the elder brother Jesus Christ that they may be put among the Children by Adoption for Isai 55.7 Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto Lord and he will have mercy vpon him and to our God for he will aboundantly pardon or multiply to pardon and Ezek. 33.15.16 When the wicked man restores the pledge gives again that which he had robbed doth walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity he shall surely live he shall not die none of the sins he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him There shal be no more word of them which as I said the last day when I spake from these words leaves a sad check and ground of dittay at the doors of Rebels to whom the Fountain for Sin and Uncleanness is keeped open and they have pardon in their offer but will not follow the right method of obtaining mercy and pardon They will not come and be children but continue rebels still And it leaves also a caution and a check to many who if
any thing be hinted at of their faults will claim to pardon and yet they will not give up themselves to be Children they would live Rebels and yet be pardoned But ye would come to be made Children who in Faith would pray Forgive us our sins A 2d Word which I would say from this is That as Children are dayly falling in sin so their dayly sins are pardonable There were many dangerous and damnable errors in the ancient Church concerning the sins of Church-members that come here to be reproved Some who looked upon the sins of Church-members as the old Gnosticks the Progenitors of the Libertines did they held that sins in godly persons consisted only in opinion that regenerat men do what they would if they should commit the most vile and abominable Acts they were not sins in them This is nothing but corrupt principled monstruous prophaniâ—y or monstruous prophanity rooted in a corrupt principle and those that would hold themselves out of that fearful gulf they would beware of the Antinomian principles as that God sees no sin in Believers that his Law is not to be the Rule of their walk that they need not repent c. For Libertinisme is but a new Edition of Antinomianism in Folio Others again acknowledged sin to be in the godly but they slighted repentance and therefore when scandals fell out in the church they did not require any acknowledgment of their Offence who had fallen in these scandals but while they were reiking in these abominations they entertained Church-communion and fellowship with them This was a turning of the Grace of God into lasciviousness and it is the result in part of that Antinomian principle of the remission of sins from all Eternity so that according to their opinion Repentance was not required inorder to pardon of sin but for intimation of pardon And there were a 3d. sort such as the Novatians who looked so on gross sins after Baptism as though they would seclude them from pardon on repentance nor would they seclude such sinners from making profession of their Repentance yet they would not absolve them nor admit them to Church Communion and fellowship particularly in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but left them to God to make of them what he pleased Now in opposition to all these is the truth I am upon we confess sins after the receipt of Great mercies are very hainous Ezra 9.14 Should we again break thy commands and joyn in affinity with the people of these abominations wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us Judges 10.13 Ye have forsaken me and served other gods therefore I will deliver you no more And sin in particular after regeneration is so much the more hainous that God hath been gracious therefore the Apostle having spoken of the abounding grace of God where sin had abounded Rom. 5. At the close he begins the next Chapter with these words What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein He abominats that after regeneration there should be a relapsing in sin yet the Text here intimats thereis forgivenness with God for the iniquities of Godly men and the Pattern of Prayer Mat. 6. Tells the Children that they may go to God and seek the forgivenness of sins which sayes they would be dayly sinning and God would allow dayly pardon on them in the due order and consequently it was horrid cruelty in the Novatians to seclude such as fall in sins after Baptism from Absolution and Church-fellowship and they would not pardon where God did pardon which made Constantine at the Council of Nice to say to Aclesus their Bishop I see no other of it but ye would make a Ladder to go to Heaven your alone and would have one with you I confess the godly are not to be hugged under their failings but their failings are rather to be aggredged yet upright Walkers as they are most tender in their Conversation so are they most charitable in passing Judgment upon others though they have their failings But there is a 3d. word I would say from this and that is to clear whether all sorts of sins in the godly are pardonable This is a case that hath troubled the Learned and may trouble tender Consciences whether when a man hath repented a sin and found the bitterness of it and hath found God's favour and pardon intimat upon his repentance he may again fall into that sin and get it pardoned over again A case I say that some who are tender may be troubled with when they have fallen in sin and thereafter have found it bitter and have been at God confessed it and believed pardon and yet they have been over-hailed in the same sin over again This I confess before I say any thing to it is a sad case it 's sad to see folks after regeneration and tasting of the Grace of God falling in the same Sins again and it 's yet sadder to see a person after he hath been smarting for it running back to that very folly particularly if it be an out-breaking Sin and the Learned could hardly find an instance in Scripture of that relapsing in Sin in the Godly it 's true Peter did thrice deny his Master and Lot was twice drunken and twice fell in Incest but none of these were after Repentance and intimation of Pardon for Peter was keeped in the hurry of the Temptation till his Sin was thrice out with him and so it was with Loâ— yet I shall give two words for clearing the case 1. That 〈◊〉 regeneration makes not the Saints perfect so neither do I see a ground that a Saint his repenting for a particular fault should keep him from a relapsing in that fault and needing of pardon It is true Psal 85.8 God's speaking of peace to his people is with a caution That they turn not ogaîn to folly But to say if Repentance be true a man will not fall in that folly he hath repented it is not Scriptural Regeneration is our initial Repentance and if that do not prevent falling in Sin it is no wonder that a particular Act of renewed Repentance do it not all the Repentance grief or sorrow that a person hath attained to for Sin is but a creature that except God concurr cannot keep him from falling in sin and God hath not made an absolute promise so to concur with a penitent that he shall not again fall in the same Sin How often doth a penitent when he hath repented to day of his passion pride wandering of mind in duty c. fall in the same Sins to morrow and if he may notwithstanding of Repentance fall into lesser faults why may he not after Repentance fall in grosser we find also godly men after their repenting for their failings falling in grosser out-breakings David after he had repented his falling in trouble and his
an hundred times and his days be prolonged yet surely I knovv that it shall be well with them that fear God How will ye prove that because he fears before him but it shall not be vvell with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days which are as a shaddow because he feareth not before God No approbation lyes in the bosom of forbearance Another Scripture that gives a dreadful refutation to them that take forbearance for pardon is that Psal 50.21 These things thou hast done and I kept silence thou thought that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this all ye that forget God lest I tear you in peices and there be none to deliver There is a refutation of all the wicked mans dreams anent God and his forbearance And if ye would have a third Scripture take the forecited place Rom. 2.4 5. Thou despisest the riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering not knowing that it leadeth thee to Repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath Thou may treasure up other things as thou will for thy advantage but thou shalt find thou treasurest up wrath to thy ruine thou may think because thou prospers in Sin God approves of thee as the saying is prosperum faelix scelus virtus vocatur Wickedness is called a virtue because it thrives yet remember that forbearance is no Pardon 4. In taking up the nature of pardon negatively Consider That God's pardoning of particular Sinners whereby he restores them in favour is not to be confounded with National Pardons which God gives to Nations This pardon is many times spoken of in Scripture though by analogy we may draw them to a particular pardon So the scope of that place Num. 14.19 runs another way than to particular Persons and respects a National Pardon Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people sayes Moses according to the greatness of thy mercy as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even untill now I have pardoned according to thy word sayes the Lord but truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. I have pardoned but yet I will punish and vindicat mine honour So that passage Psal 78.38 But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not when they deserved That was a pardon of the Nation or a National Pardon Now a National Pardon amounts only to this when the Lord forbears to root out a Nation as the Lord threaten â—o Moses that he would root out Israel in that forecited place Num. 14.12 That he would Dis-inherit them and make of him a greater Nation and a Mightier than they when he keeps them in their own Land as he did Israel and does not root them out or when he continues with them the priviledge of a Church though he plague them and weed out a godless generation from among them as he did out of Israel that in the space of 38 years time there was not a man of them left that were 20 years old and upwards when they came out of Egypt save Caleh and Joshua So the Lord may pardon a Nation and yet punish them he may by his Judgments weed out the generality of a Generation and send them to the Pit which may consist with a National pardon when he doth not cut off the Nation or suffers them to enjoy the priviledges of a Church But the pardon of a particular Sinner is when he sits down at God's Footstool and Judges himself and closes with Christ for righteousness and that 's another thing And 5. In taking up the nature of pardon Negatively We must beware of confounding the pardon of Sin with the removal of Sin the prosecution whereof would lead me to speak Positively wherein pardon of Sin consists to the guilt and pollution of Sin and the different acts of God about both but because that will give the rise to other Questions I shall remit it to another occasion only here ye shall distinguish these three The filth of Sin the power of Sin and the guilt of Sin The filth of Sin is the foul stain that Sin leaves behind it The guilt of Sin is the Offence done to God and the Obligation to punishment resulting thereupon the power of Sin is the Tyrrany that Sin exercises over the Sinner Now when I say we are not to confound the pardon of Sin with the removal of Sin ye would understand it aright I grant that God strikes at the guilt of Sin and the power of Sin both at once which is this in plain languege that a pardoned sin must not be a reigning sin where the vertue of the blood is applyed for pardon the power of the blood will also be applyed for the subjugating of sin and putting it from the Throne and therefore in the by ye may take it as a noble evidence of pardon when sin is subdued or if it be not subdued yet ye are engadged against your own sinful disposition that it prevails not with your consent but for the filthiness of sin though it be stricken at as soon as any of the former Regeneration layes the Ax to the Root of that Tree yet it remains in the Saints till death make the separation Paul Rom. 7. Hath a Law in his members rebelling against the Law in his his mind till Death but the pardon of sin is attainable before death and given in Justification and afterward upon the justified persons Repentance for particular faults and therefore consequently it is not to be confounded with the removal of sin sin may be pardoned and pardon of sin is consistent with the sight of the filthiness of sin for which the soul is abased before God dayly after Regeneration though sin doth not reign and that 's it wherein the pardon of sin consists even in the taking away of the guilt of sin and the souls obligation to wrath though the filth of sin remain SERMON XI Psalm 130. Verse 4. But there is forgivenness with thee I Am now insisting upon the refuge to which the man abased with the conscience of sin betaketh himself who when he hath reflected upon Gods proceedings in strict Justice according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works with sinners and who when he hath found that if God should thus mark iniquity none even the most godly should be able to stand he subjoyns this as a blest aftergain in mans deplorable case But forgivenness is with thee In prosecution of this great truth that there is pardoning-mercy with God to be a relief for Self-condemned sinners I have spoken to two of the five heads that I proposed to be spoken to upon it 1. I have spoken to the Consideration of that which is pardoned that is Iniquity Sin or Transgression or call it by what name ye will 2. I
sin God remits culpam but not paenam That is he remits the fault or guilt so as not only he may chasten which we grant but as he reserves a punishment by way of satisfaction for sin to be undergone by the pardoned sinner They distinguish in this betwixt mortal and venial Sins for mortal sins they grant that the free Grace of God turns eternal punishment into a temporal which the sinner must undergo for venial sins which they say deserves not eternal punishment but temporal all that temporal punishment they will have the pardoned man to sustain it Hence is their Doctrine of Pennances in this life and of Purgatory after death when Pennances are not undergone here where they will have pardoned sinners to make satisfaction of sin for this Doctrine it would be but troublesome to you to hear all that might be said against it though we should but touch on it and therefore passing that groundless distinction of mortal and venial sins ye shall notice these five anent that their Doctrine 1. That as the bulk of Popish Religion is nothing but a well contrived Policy or Interest of State so this Doctrine of Pennance and Purgatory is nothing else but a Politick Device to make gain for maintaining their Kitchin Pomp Pride and Luxury which as I told you the last day Caesar Borgia the Son of Alexander the sixth makes to appear who while he had lost 100000 at the Dice past it in a sport saying These are the sins of the Germans meaning that thereby they had purchased remission of Sins for here the policy lies Once perswade folk that they must do Pennances to satisfie for sin or to go to Purgatory what will they not do while they are alive or their Friends for them when they are dead to mitigat that satisfaction that is their Market and then pay well and come to Heaven without either Pennance or Purgatory so that their Doctrine in this is a perfect cheat 2. In this their Doctrine they corrupt the Doctrine of the antient Church which was not so very sound for 〈◊〉 they have a trick of retaining antient Names of things under which they bring in new Errors so in this particular of Pennances and Indulgences used by the antient Church who while they were a distinct Society were very strict and severe in requiring publick Pennance and Satisfaction for Scandals some they held many years in making their Repentance some they held all their life but afterward when the World came in to the Church and the Emperors imbraced Christianity and they with other great Ones were too thin-skin'd and would not submit to Discipline the Church did degenerat from their strictness and shortned their Indulgences but the antient Church their Pennances were not to satisfie God for sin but the Church they were not for privat and secret sins but for publick and scandalous offences And the Church willing to gratifie great persons did mitigat these severities to many But the Papists retaining the Name they will have these Pennances a satisfaction to God for sin and their Indulgences to assoil folk in the Court of Heaven A 3d thing to be considered in that their Doctrine which is very unhansom for them to maintain these Pennances which they call satisfaction what are they They are their Fastings their Ave Marias and Pater-nosters their Pilgrimages and Peregrinations their Charity to the poor or for a Religious use their Self-scourgings and Whippings now I enquire what are these They are either Commanded Duties or not If they be not Commanded Duties how can they be satisfaction for sin for will God be satisfied with that which he doth not require Who required these things at your hand If they be Commanded Duties how can they make a punishment of them that is a dreadful Solecism in their Religion that Commanded Duties that should be the joy and rejoicing of folks hearts should be turned to Punishments and except they be punishments they cannot be satisfaction so that they have a bad impression of these things which they look upon as Duties while they make Commanded Duties punishments for sin And a 4th Word I say to that their Doctrine is this That to admit of satisfaction for sin either as to temporal or eternal punishment for it is a blasphemous imputation on Christ's Satisfaction as if any thing needed to be added to the Ocean of his Merit who hath satisfied the Justice of God both as to the Temporal and Eternal Curse due to his own Elect for their sins And a 5th I shall say to their Doctrine is That it is contradictory to it self for what is the guilt of sin as contra-distinct to the stain of sin that is removed It is not the potential guilt the desert of sin for that is inseparable from sin it is only the actual ordination to punishment Now to say God remits the guilt and retains the punishment of sin it is to say that he remits and retains that he pardons and doth not pardon that he takes away actual ordination to punishment that he craves the debt which he hath forgiven This is sufficient to refute the Papists on the one hand in what they hold anent the pardon of sin Upon the other hand the Antinomians run on another extream and say that pardoned justified persons fall not so much as under chastisement let be a proper punishment for sin And they will have all Afflictions that come upon the Godly to be meer tryals of their Faith and no more and think that it is a legal Spirit that teacheth folk while they are under the Rod to search out sin and to be humbled for it all that a man is called to do in that case say they is to maintain his Faith in adhering to the Love of God in Christ for whatever Affliction come it is not for sin and it is no wonder they maintain the Saints cannot fall under affliction for sin or chastisement for sin seing they maintain God sees no sin in them To clear the mind of God in this particular There are some things that must be granted as truths and there are some other things to be cautioned against as error The truths that are to be granted may be reduced to these four words 1. That justified persons never meet with condemnation what temporal lots soever they meet with and though they be not secured against the cross yet they are secured from condemnation 2. That a pardoned and justified child of God doth never come under the wrath of God though justified persons may come under Gods Fatherly displeasure yet they are never more objects of divine wrath as others though they may often meet with Fatherly and Divine displeasure as children they come not under wrath as enemies 3. That pardoned and justified sinners never fall under proper punishments for sin or afflictions to satisfie for their faults though for other ends they may as to invite them to repentance and to be humbled for
wait on him It is beyond all peradventure that a waiting people on God in difficult times are a blest people Their lot may seem accursed but their waiting on God proves that the curse is taken out of it Blest is the man and woman that wearies not that frets not under difficult lots Why because they are at their duty Thrice blest are they as I may if the Lord will handle in the progress that love their duty for it self with an eye to Divine approbation whatever may be the issue of it But I shall add three Evidences of Blessedness that attends waiting on God 1. A waiter on God is blest because by waiting he keeps more than trouble can take from him ye have a very Emphatick word for this Luke 21.19 In your patience possess ye your souls Sharp Tryals long continued may dispossess you of all other things liberty wealth reputation or whatever is dear to you but says he if ye continue patient ye shall have this blessing ye shall possess your selves an impatient man is a sort of mad-man he is not at himself he possesses not himself because that Time or Instruments in Time have done him a prejudice he will do himself a worse because they have taken this or that away from him he will cast a sweet frame and mind away after it and that is to do himself a worse turn than the world can do to him in so doing he casts more away than the World can take from him So on that account the waiter on God is blessed even on that because of the sweet frame he is keeped in Cast the waiter on God where you will still he will fall on his feet and on that account Blest are all they that wait on God But again 2. Blessed is the waiter on God upon the account that the through-bearing that attends waiting on God will attend him till he get a good issue O! to see the desperat shifts that impatient fretful thoughts will put folk to in difficulties they go like mad-men as the Word is Isai 51.20 They are like wild bulls in a net full of the fury of the Lord O! how do they dash themselves on snares and run themselves on Rocks to their ruine The foul slips of fretful bodies are many though they be dear to God that temper will bring them halting home But would ye see the Blessedness of the waiter on God read at your leisure Isai 40.29 He gives power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength He desires none of your furniture to serve him with in a waiting posture and in the by if ye think ye have much furniture he will empty you and ye must be in a fainting posture ere he give power and be having no might ere he increase strength and then even the youths Bahurim selected ones shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fail but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not be faint one would think yoke youths with the faint and them that have no might it were easie to determine who would carry the Prize But here the faint the feckless waiting on God carry it when the youths are laid by How many a great Spirit hath Tryals broken When thou art a weak feeble body and yet has keeped up thine heart and held on the way How many a gallant have got a dash when thou a crasy crauling creature are kept to the fore and made to renew thy strength through waiting on God And 3. Reverencing Providence that I have been detained on this Subject They are necessarly blessed who are waiters on God on the account of the out-gate The waiter on God shall have an out-gate from all his difficulties Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender Mercy I dare assure you that Song abides waiters on God which ye have Isai 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God and we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation It is not a God wrapped up in a Promise it is not a God covered with a cloud of whom the World said Where is their God Mic. 7.10 But lo there he is whom we waited for and the additional word is We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation It shall be seen and said then Blest are they that wait for the Lord Canst thou not then wait and watch for one hour when thou knowest not but in the hour that thou gives over he may come Therefore wait on the account of the blessed out-gate Psal 40.1 I waited patiently on the Lord and he inclined his ear unto me and heard my cry he brought me also out of a horrible pit and miry clay and set my foot on a rock and establisht my goings and he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God A new Song is the result of waiting on God Believers and the Church may hing their harps on the Willows and they may weep when they remember Zion and say How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange Land Psal 137. But a new Song in Gods good time shall be put in the mouths of all that are waiters on God And if I might insist to add a word further I would lead you to uncipher that Text I cited before Isai 8.9 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you I shall not determine the scope of the place but the time comes when his waiting shall be seen to be gracious that waiters on him shall be convinced he took the fittest opportunity to manifest himself gracious and if such had come sooner there should no such Grace have been seen in it Flesh under difficulties thinks that he waits to be cruel but look again and thou will find he waits to be gracious and not only so but he will be exalted that he may have mercy on his on-waiters he will make it out that if he be an exalted God he will be a merciful God and so as his people that wait on him shall acknowledge him to be an exalted God in that and shall sing Who is a God like unto thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders And whereas thou may think there is little regard to be had to thy fighting pingling life in waiting on him he will make it out that he is a God of Judgment pondering their condition he hath to do with as Physitians consider the condition of their Patients and weigh their Doses conform and will not add a grain more than what is needful so will he deal with them that wait on him he will be seen to
use to speak ye will find him in another tune Psal 116 10. I believed therefore have I spoken Not only esteeming of faith for his own use but a man that dare commend it to others as Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. All that I shall draw from this Head shal be first to recommend to the people of God who have hard pulls in time to assay this Trade of trusting in God and hoping in him it hath not an enemy but an ignorant one that 's a stranger to it that knows not the worth that is in it the rich advantages that follow it were it more tryed it would have more to commend it therefore let it be more your study and thou that would set about the Trade of believing and hoping in God must not take the report concerning faith and hope from every fit of a temptation thou must lay thy account to meet with many a fiery dart and with many a reproach cast upon thy confidence and to have thy self counted a fool for cleaving to that way but hold at it and the more thou do so thou shalt like it the better not only wilt thou not need any to commend it unto thee but thou wilt commend it to all that will take thy advice and counsel And 2. They that have been essaying faith and hope and have gotten good of it they would be afraid in any after-assault they may be put to to bring up an ill report upon the way of faith and hope thou may let these that never got good of it suspect it but thou that hast been helped to believe and wait on God and hast seen an end of the Lord and found the good of believing that can with the Psalmist Psal 28.7 say My heart trusted in him and I am helped How guilty must thou be if thy faith and hope be to seek in a new strait If after thou hast found the good of believing thou be put out concerning it in a new trial when that Song is cast up Psal 107.1 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever who-ever let that Note ly by the second Verse tells thee Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy Who ever have a slender opinion of faith and hope it ill becomes thee to have it who has tryed it and has found the good of it or to be to seek in esteeming of it in a new trial But now I proceed to the 4th thing I proposed to be spoken to from this Exhortation that is the consideration of the persons who they are to whom this hope in God is recommended Let Israel hope in the Lord saith he Hope in God is not an Anchor that will be budded on every one It 's true none are secluded from coming to seek a right to hope in the right method and due order but there is an hope of the hypocrite that will perish that will be like the giving up of the Ghost and that hope is only for fair weather and for little to do but this hope of the Saints is the peculiar allowance of the Saints at all times Now for what is mean'd by Israel here I shall not deny but in the first place we are to understand that Nation of Israel a peculiar people to God who in various Ages while they continued a Church and Nation were meeting with work for their hope and with many rich advantages and proofs of the good of hoping in God and in the latter days when as it is Rom. 11.26 All Israel shall be saved they shall find this made out to them that they may hope in God But it is not to be restricted to them only since their off casting there is an Israel come in their place as the Apostle tells us Rom. 9.6 That they are not all Israel which are of Israel all that Nation were not true Israelits in Gods account So Phil. 3.3 There is a circumcision even among the Gentiles who do worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh And Gal. 6.16 he tells There is an Israel of God Gods peculiar people of whatsoever Nation upon whom walking according to the Rule of the new Creature given them there shall be peace and mercy Again we may consider Israel either Collectively or Distributively Consider Israel Collectively for the Church of God correspondent to the ancient Nation of Israel Then by Israel we are to understand the invisible Church the society of Gods converted Elect through the World yet not excluding particular visible Churches who partake of the priviledges of the true Israel of God according to their purity and the number of true Israelites that are among them Again Israel taken Distributively takes in every Child of God who in his own place according to the tenor of the promises made to Israel hath no less ground to hope in God than Israel taken Collectively hath In the prosecution of this Head three things occurr to be spoken to 1. That Israel is a Society that is allowed to hope in God 2. That this hope is the common allowance of all and every one that is indeed an Israelite as well as of the Body of Israel in general And 3. That it concerns every one that would claim to hope in God in all exigencies to make it sure that they are true Israelites indeed and may put their names in those passages and promises wherein Israels priviledges are contained For the first Israel are a people that however matters go have ground to hope in God however things fare in the world or whatever may be said of the desperat case of others Israel is a Society that may still hope in God Hence when Ezra Chap. 9 is laid by with mourning for that generation that had mingled with the abominable Heathen a godly man Chap. 10.2 comes and tells him It 's true we are guilty yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Had such a thing fallen forth among others it had been a presage of dreadful news but in Israel there is hope of pardon hope of redress hope of making up this breach in Israel things otherwise desperate are not hopeless Jer. 31.15 17. Though in Israel there be a Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are not She looks upon it as needless to offer to comfort her when her Children are gone yet even when they are not and she thinks that rationally she refused to be comforted Verse 17. There is hope in thy end saith the Lord that thy children shall come again to their own border It 's Israels priviledge that she can say that none else can say It 's Israels Song Psal 129. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up may Israel now say She might
this I would on the one hand commend to you that Passage to be pondered concerning that blasphemous lord 2 King 7.2 who when Elisha Prophesied of incredible plenty in Samaria said If the Lord would make windows in heaven might this thing be It shall be saith the Prophet and thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eat thereof and it was so he was a Grandee on whose hand the King leaned and thought if there were any fores to be had he should have a share the King giving him the charge of the Gate the people trode upon him and he died And on the other hand ponder that comfortable Song that believers sing Isai 25.9 Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is our God we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation O that Saints would think that such a turn of providence may come their way that will make them say and sing I trusted in him in a strait when not only he was invisible as he is always in himself but wrapt up in a cloud of mysterious dispensations O! that ye would think that such a song is possible and sweet but if that be a sweet song what bitter youling will it put them to or may they have who when God appears must say Lo there he is but we waited not for him so soon as he went out of our sight we tint all hope we knew not what it was to wait for him who hid his face from the house of Jacob we knew not what it was to bear his indignation till he should arise and plead our cause and execute judgment for us and believe that he should bring us out to the light to behold his righteousness Thus ye see what an important matter it is that we put forth Faith keep it in exercise for the accomplishment of what is in with God for his people which is the third Direction A 4th Direction which I give and leave this Note and that is That ye would wisely consider what the Lord means when he puts his people to the exercise of their Faith so much about that which he will do He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities and yet he putteth Israel to believe it What means the Lord I say in holding them at that task of believing here without offering to encroach upon the depth of the wisdom knowledge of God in his Providence the people of God have somewhat to look to without about them somewhat to look to within them if they look to somewhat without or about them God has more ado in the world than a particular saint or even a particular Church to satisfie O! the deep contexture of Providence how unsearchable are his counsels and his ways past finding out That what is very unsatisfactory to one or one Society God may have holy ends for it in the world But to come nearer What have Believers to look to in the world without them Take it in that word which the Lord has to Abraham when he is making the Covenant with him Gen. 15.16 When he has told him that though his seed should go down to Egypt yet in the fourth generation they should come hither again If Abraham should ask Why should they stay there so long He answers The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full God holds his people at the task of believing while the enemies cup is a filling might I insist upon this I might tell you That the enemies cup is often very long in filling but longer without the Church than within the Church four hundred years to the Amorites was long yet they being a people without the Church they took all that time to fill their cup but elsewhere their enemies ripe faster their cup is sooner filled and I might add a cup that is long a filling is ordinarly a very bitter cup when it is holden to the head of enemies when the cup of the Amorites is full utter extermination rooting out and offcutting comes upon them Lord save them whom folks wish well unto from a long fristed plague a long brewing storm is more dread sulthan hand payment And therefore it would not stumble folk to see wicked men for born but if it were rightly looked on every days forbearance would be an argument of pity for a cup that is long a filling is most bitter when it is held to the head But that which I am upon is that the people of God when they are at the trade of believing have something to look to without them and particularly to the cup of enemies that is a filling But again when they are holden at the task of believing they would also look to something within them and among them What means it that God hath given many rich and precious Promises to Believers and yet they get no more in hand but Faith to believe them if they can win to that where are his former loving kindnesses which he hath sworn to David For looking within you and among you ponder that word which ye have Isai 10.12 When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and Jerusalem he will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks and compare it with the Verses preceeding there ye will find the Assyrians desperatly blaspheming he says Are not my princes altogether Kings as my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria Shall I not as I have done unto Samaria and her idols so do to Jerusalem and her idols What nation hath been delivered out of my hand that the God of Israel should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand One would think now were he a God in Heaven he would sit no more vvith a blasphemous atheist he vvill suffer him no more to blaspheme and reproach vvith an high contempt of him and his authority he vvill novv be knovvn by the judgment which he shall execute but at leisure he will make himself knovvn but not till he have done his vvhole vvork on Mount Sion and on Jerusalem for all the haste his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem is the greatest haste he will let the Assyrian blaspheme on and trode down all before him till that be done his great work is to do good by the Assyrians within his Church and among his people and when his work is done there he will reckon with him and be known by the judgment which he executes upon him And if ye ask what this may be within the Church and among the people of God that he will have them minding when he puts them to send by Faith on the Promises I dare not offer to give you an exact account of it but only to cast some ground for work to your hand if ye mind practically to improve such