that sinned he spared them not but inflicted on them the punishment due to sin shutting them up under chains of darkness for the Judgement of the great Day Hitherto then God keeps all thoughts of forgiveness in his own Eternal Bosom There is not so much as the least dawning of it upon the world And this was at first no small prejudice against any thoughts of forgiveness The world is made sin enters by the most glorious part of the Creation whose recovery by pardon might seem to be most desirable but not the least appearance of it is discovered Thus it was hid in God from the foundation of the world Eph. 3. 9. III. God gave unto Man a Law of Obedience immediately upon his Creation Yea for the main of it he implanted it in him by and in his Creation This Law it was supposed that man might transgress The very nature of a Law prescribed unto free Agents attended with Threatnings and Promises of Reward requires that supposition Now there was not annexed unto this Law or revealed with it the least intimation of pardon to be obtained if Transgression should ensue Gen. 2. 17. we have this Law In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely dye dying thou shalt dye or bring upon thy self assuredly the guilt of death temporal and eternal There God leaves the sinner under the power of that commination Of forgiveness or pardoning mercy there is not the least intimation To this very day that Law which was then the whole Rule of life and Acceptance with God knows no such thing Dying thou shalt dye O sinner is the precise and final voyce of it From these previous considerations added to what was formerly spoken some things preparatory to the ensuing discourse may be inferred as 1. That it is a great and rare thing to have forgiveness in God discovered unto a sinful soul. A thing it is that as hath been shewed Conscience and Law with the inbred Notions that are in the heart of man about Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice do lye against A matter whereof we have no natural presumption whereof there is no common notion in the mind of man A thing which no consideration of the Works of God either of Creation or Providence will reveal and which the great Instance of Gods dealing with sinning Angels renders deep admirable and mysterious Men who have common and slight thoughts of God of themselves of Sin of Obedience of the Judgement to come of Eternity that feed upon the ashes of rumors reports hearsayes traditions without looking into the reality of things may and do take this to be an ordinary and acknowledged truth easie to be entertained which upon the matter no man disbelieves But convinced sinners who make a tryal of these things as running into Eternity have other thoughts of them And as to that which it is pretended every one believes we have great cause to cry out Lord who hath believed our report to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. That the discovery of forgiveness in God being a matter of so great difficulty is a thing precious and excellent as being the foundation of all our Communion with God here and of all undeceiving Expectation of our enjoyment of him hereafter It is a pure Gospel truth that hath neither shaddow footstep nor intimation elsewhere the whole creation hath not the least obscure impression of it left thereon so that 3. It is undoubtedly greatly incumbent on us to enquire diligently as the Prophets did of old into this Salvation to consider what sure Evidences faith hath of it such as will not as cannot fail us To be slight and common in this matter to take it up at random is an Argument of an unsound rotten heart He that is not serious in his enquiry into the Revelation of this matter is serious in nothing wherein God or his soul is concerned The Holy Ghost knows what our frame of heart is and how slow we are to receive this blessed truth in a gracious saving manner Therefore doth he confirm it unto us with such weighty considerations as Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation It is of forgiveness of sin that the Apostle treats as hath been made evident by the description of it before given Now to give evidence hereunto and to beget a belief of it in us he first engages a Property of Gods Nature in that business He with whom we deal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tit. 1. 2. The God that cannot lye that cannot deceive or be deceived It is impossible it should be so with him Now as this extends it self in general to all the Words and Works of God so there is peculiarly in this whereof he treats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an especial immutability of his counsel Men may think that although there be words spoken about forgiveness yet it is possible it may be otherwise no saith the Apostle it is spoken by God and it is impossible he should lye Yea but upon the manifold provocations of sinners he may change his mind and thoughts therein no saith the Apostle there is a peculiar immutability in his counsel concerning the execution of this thing there can be no change in it But how doth this appear that indeed this is the counsel of his will Why saith he he hath declared it by his Word and that given in a way of promise which as in its own nature it is suited to raise an expectation in him or them to whom it is made or given so it requires exact faithfulness in the discharge and performance of it which God on his part will assuredly answer But neither is this all but that no place might be left for any cavilling Objection in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he interposed himself by an oath Thus we have this Truth deduced from the veracity of Gods nature one of his Essential Excellencies established in the immutable purpose of his Will brought forth by a word of promise and confirmed by Gods interposing himself against all occasions of exception so to put an end unto all strife about it by an Oath swearing by himself that so it should be I have mentioned this only to shew what weight the Holy Ghost layes upon the delivery of this great Truth and thence how deeply it concerns us to enquire diligently into it and after the grounds and evidences which may be tendred of it which among others are these that follow Discovery of Forgiveness in the first Promise The Evidence of the Truth that lyes therein And by the Institution of Sacrifices Their Use and End Also by the prescription of Repentance unto sinners The first Discovery of forgiveness in God and which I place as the first Evidence of it
of the soul. 1. A Resolution to abide with God and to commit all unto him This the word as was observed teaches us There is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared Because this I found this I am perswaded of therefore I will abide with him in the way of his Fear and Worship This our Saviour calls unto John 15. 4. Abide in me except you do so ye can hear no fruit So the Lord representing his taking of the Church unto himself under the Type of the Prophets taking an Adulteress in vision doth it on these terms Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee Now this abiding with God intimates two things 1. Oppositions Solicitations and Temptations unto the contrary 2. Forbearing to make any other choice as unto that end for which we abide with God 1. It argues Oppositions To abide to be stable and permanent is to be so against Oppositions Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it In Fears especially that it shall not hold out that it shall be rejected at last that all is nought and â—ypocritical with it that it shall not be forgiven that God indeed regards it not and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes which seem often as the giving up of the Ghost will assault it Again Oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin contrary to the Life of faith And these often proceed to an high degree of prevalency so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy I shall one day perish by these means saith the soul if I am not already lost But now where faith hath made this discovery of forgiveness the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and Oppositions It will not leave him it will not give over waiting for him So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself Psal. 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt and v. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain but yet after all his conflicts this at last he comes unto v. 26. Though my flesh and my heart faileth yet v. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto God I will yet abide with God I will not let go his fear nor my profession Although I walk weakly lamely unevenly yet I will still follow after him As it was with the Disciples when many upon a strong temptation went back from Christ and walked no more with him Jesus said unto them will ye go away also to which Peter replyes in the name of the rest of them Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life John 6. 66 67 68. It is thus and thus with me saith the soul I am tossed and afflicted and not comforted little life little strength real guilt many sins and much disconsolation What then faith God by his word Wilt thou go away also no saith the soul there is forgiveness with thee thou hast the words of Eternal Life and therefore I will abide with thee 2. This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice Whilst the soul is in this condition having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness Many Lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter The former tenders it self as exceeding useful to give the soul some Help Assistance and supportment in its condition Samuel doth not come saith Saul and the Philistins invade me I will venture and offer Sacrifice my self contrary to the Law The Promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief it hath no evidence as to an especial interest in forgiveness Temptation invades the mind try thy self sayes it to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing And this is to play the harlot from God To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises it self like the Wise of Jeroboam when she went to the Prophet Sometimes it appears as duty sometimes as signs and tokens but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness it will not give ear to these solicitations No saith it I see such a Beauty such an Excellency such a desireableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition in that forgiveness that is with God that I am resolved to abide in the Gospel desire and expectation of it all the dayes of my life here my choice is fixed and I will not alter And this Resolution gives glory to the Grace of God When the soul without an evidence of an interest in it yet prefers it above that which with many reasonings and pretences offers it self as a present relief unto it Hereby is God glorified and Christ exalted and the spiritual life of the soul secured 2. This discovery of forgiveness in God with the effects of it before mentioned will produce a Resolution of waiting on God for peace and consolation in his own time and way He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. not make haste to what not to the enjoyment of the thing believed Haste argues precipitation and impatience this the soul that hath this discovery is freed from resolving to wait the time of Gods appointment for peace and consolation God speaking of his accomplishment of his Promises sayes I the Lord will hasten it Isa. 60. 22. Well then if God will hasten it may not we hasten to it nay saith he I will hasten it but in its time All oppositions and impediments considered it shall be hastned but in its time its due time its appointed time And this the soul is to wait for and so it will As when Jacob had seen the beauty of Rachel and loved her he was contented to wait seven years for the enjoyment of her to be his wife and thought no time long no toyle too hard that he might obtain her so the soul having discovered the beauty and excellency of forgiveness as it is with God as it is in his gracious Heart in his eternal purpose in the Blood of Christ in the Promise of the Gospel is resolved to wait quietly and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up unto it it s own personal interest therein Even one experimental embracement of it even at the hour of death doth well deserve the waiting and obedience of the whole course of a mans life And this the Psalmist manifests to have been the Effect produced in his heart and spirit For upon this discovery of forgiveness in God he resolveth both to wait upon him himself and encourageth others so to do 3. This prepares
It is only this a Saviour is born a way of escape is provided and further they do not proceed Yet this they say is a matter of great joy as it was indeed It is so to every burdned convinced sinner a matter of unspeakable joy and rejoycing Oh blessed words a Saviour is born This gives life to a sinner and opens a door of hope in the valley of Achor The first rescue of a sin distressed soul. Upon the matter it was all that the Saints for many Ages had to live upon and that not in the enjoyment but only the expectation They lived on that Word the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head that is a way of deliverance is provided for sinners This with all diligence they enquired into 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12. and improved it to their eternal advantage As of old Jacob when he saw the Waggons that his Son Joseph had sent to bring him unto him it is said his Spirit revived So did they upon their obscure discovery of a way of forgiveness They looked upon the Promise of it as that which God had sent to bring them unto him and they saw the day of the coming of Christ in it and rejoyced How much more have Sinners now Reason so to do when the substance of the Promise is exhibited and the news of his Comeing proclaimed unto them This then is a great matter namely that terms of Peace and Reconciliation are proposed in that it is made known that there is forgiveness with God Upon these Considerations then we pursue that Exhortation which we have in hand If any of you were justly condemned to a cruel and shamefull death and lay trembling in the expectation of the execution of it and a man designed for that purpose should come unto him and tell him that there were terms propounded on which his life might be spared only he came away like Ahimaaz before he heard the particulars would it not be a reviving unto him would he not cry out Pray enquire what they are for there is not any thing so difficult which I will not undergoe to free my self from this miserable condition Would it not change the whole frame of the spirit of such a man and as it were put new life into him But now if instead hereof he should be froward stubborn and obstinate take no notice of the Messenger or say Let the Judge keep his terms to himself without inquiring what they are that he would have nothing to do with them would not such a person be deemed to perish deservedly doth he not bring a double destruction upon himself first of deserving death by his crimes and then by refusing the honest and good way of delivery tendred unto him I confess it often times falls out that men may come to enquire after these terms of Peace which when they are revealed they like them not but with the young man in the Gospel they go away sorrowfull The cursed wickedness and misery of which condition which befalls many convinced persons shall be spoken unto afterwards At present I speak unto them who never yet attended in sincerity unto these terms nor seriously enquired after them Think you what you please of your Condition and of your selves or choose whether you will think of it or no pass your time in a full regardlesness of your present and future Estate Yet indeed thus it is with you as to your eternal concerns you lye under the sentence of a bitter shamefull and everlasting death you have done so in the midst of all your jollity ever since you came into this world And you are in the hand of him who can in the twinkling of an eye destroy both body and soul in Hell fire In this state and condition men are sent on purpose to let you know that there are terms of Peace there is yet a way of escape for you And that you may not avoid the issue aimed at they tell you that God that cannot lye hath commanded them to tell you so if you question the truth of what they say they are ready to produce their warrant under Gods own hand and seal here then is no room for tergiversation or excuses Certainly if you have any care of your eternal estate if you have any drop of tender blood running in your veins towards your own souls if you have any rational considerations dwelling in your minds if all be not defaced and obliterated through the power of lust and love of sin you cannot but take your selves to be unspeakably concerned in this proposal But now if instead hereof you give up your selves unto the power of unbelief the will of Sathan the love of your lusts and this present world so as to take no notice of this errand or message from God nor once seriously to enquire after the nature and importance of the terms proposed Can you escape shall you be delivered will your latter end be peace The Lord knows it will be otherwise with you and that unto Eternity So the Apostle assures us 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them If you receive not this word if it be bid from you it is from the power and efficacy of Sathan upon your minds And what will be the end Perish you must and shall and that for ever Remember the Parable of our Saviour Luke 14. 31 32. What King going to make warre against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with Ten Thousand to meet him that cometh against him with Twenty Thousand or else while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Ambassage and desireth conditions of Peace That which he teacheth in this Parable is the necessity that lyes on us of making peace with God whom we have provoked and justly made to be our Enemy as also our utter impotency to resist and withstand him when he shall come forth in a way of Judgement and Vengeance against us But here lyes a difference in this matter such as is allowed in all similitudes Amongst men at variance it is not his part who is the stronger and secure of success to send to the weaker whom he hath in his Power to accept of terms of Peace Here it is otherwise God who is infinitely powerfull justly provoked and able to destroy poor sinners in a moment when now he is not very farre off but at the very door sends himself an Ambassage with Conditions of Peace And shall he be refused by you will you yet neglect his offers How great then will be your destruction Hear then once more poor sin-hardened sensless souls ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness Is it nothing unto you that the great and
professeth that it was all his relief and supportment How comes it to be an occasion of his trouble All had not been well between God and him and whereas formerly in his Remembrance of God his thoughts were chiefly exercised about his Love and Kindness now they were wholly possest with his own sin and unkindness This causeth his trouble Herein lyes a share of the intanglements occasioned by sin Saith such a soul in its self foolish creature hast thou thus requited the Lord Is this the return that thou hast made unto him for all his love his kindness his consolations mercies Is this thy kindness for him thy love to him Is this thy kindness to thy Friend Is this thy boasting of him that thou hadst found so much Goodness and Excellency in him and his Love that though all men should forsake him thou never wouldst do so Are all thy Promises all thy Engagements which thou madest unto God in times of distress upon prevailing obligations and mighty impressions of his Good Spirit upon thy soul now come to this that thou shouldst so foolishly forget neglect despise cast him off Well! now he is gone he is withdrawn from thee and what wilt thou do Art thou not even ashamed to desire him to return They were thoughts of this nature that cut Peter to the heart upon his fall The soul finds them cruel as Death and strong as the Grave It is bound in the chains of them and cannot be comforted Psalm 38. 3 4 5 6. And herein consists a great part of the depths enquired after For this consideration excites and puts an edge upon all grieving straightning perplexing Affections which are the only means whereby the soul of a man may be inwardly troubled or trouble it self such are sorrow and shame with that self-displicency and Revenge wherewith they are attended And as their Reason and Object in this case do transcend all other occasions of them so on no other account do they cause such severe and perplexing reflections on the soul as on this Thirdly A revived sense of justly deserved wrath belongs also to these depths This is as the opening of old wounds When men have passed through a sense of wrath and have obtained deliverance and rest through the blood of Christ to come to their old thoughts again to be trading afresh with Hell Curse Law and Wrath it is a depth indeed And this often befalls gracious souls on the account of sin Psalm 88. 7. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me saith Heman It pressed and crushed him sorely There is a self-judging as to the desert of wrath which is consistent with a comforting perswasion of an Interest in Christ. This the soul finds sweetness in as it lyes in a subserviency to the exaltation of Grace But in this case the soul is left under it without that relief It plungeth it self into the Curse of the Law and flames of Hell without any cheering supportment from the blood of Christ. This is walking in the valley of the shadow of death The soul converseth with death and what seems to lye in a tendency thereunto The Lord also to increase his perplexities puts new life and spirit into the Law gives it a fresh Commission as it were to take such a one into its Custody and the Law will never in this world be wanting unto its Duty Fourthly Oppressing Apprehensions of temporal Judgements concurr herein also for God will Judge his People And Judgement often begins at the House of God Though God saith such a one should not cast me off for ever though he should pardon my iniquities yet he may so take vengeance of my inventions as to make me feed on gall and wormwood all my dayes Psal. 119. 120. faith David My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgements He knows not what the great God may bring upon him and being full of a sense of the guilt of sin which is the bottom of this whole condition every Judgement of God is full of terror unto him Sometimes he thinks God may lay open the filth of his heart and make him a scandal and a reproach in the world Psal. 39. 8. Oh saith he make me not a reproach to the foolish Sometimes he trembles lest God should strike him suddainly with some signal Judgement and take him out of the world in darkness and sorrow so saith David take me not away in thy wrath Sometimes he fears lest he shall be like Jonah and raise a storm in his Family in the Church whereof he is a Member or in the whole Nation Let them not be ashamed for my sake These things make his heart soft as Job speaks and to melt within him When any Afflâ—ction or publick Judgement of God is fastned to a quick living sense of sin in the Conscience it overwhelms the soul whether it be only justly feared or be actually inflicted as was the case of Joseph's Brethren in Aegypt The soul is then rolled from one deep to another Sense of sin casts it on the consideration of its Affliction and Affliction turns it back on a sense of sin So deep calleth unto deep and all Gods billows go over the soul. And they do each of them make the soul tender and sharpen its sense unto the other Affliction â—â—â—â—ens the soul so that the sense of sin cuts the deeper and makes the larger wounds and the sense of sin weakens the soul and makes Affliction sit the heavier and so encreaseth its burden In this case that Affliction which a man in his usual state of spiritual peace could have embraced as a sweet pledge of Love is as goads and thorns in his side depriving him of all rest and quietness God makes it as thorns and briars wherewith he will teach stubborn souls their duty as Gideon did the Man of Succoth Fifthly There may be added hereunto prevailing fears for a season of being utterly rejected by God of being found a Reprobate at the last day Jonah seems to conclude so Chap. 3. 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight I am lost for ever God will own me no more And Heman Psalm 88. 4 5. I am counted with them that go down into the pit Free among the dead like the slain that lye in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand This may reach the soul until the sorrows of Hell encompass it and lay hold upon it untill it be deprived of comfort peace rest untill it be a terror to its self and be ready to choose strangling rather than life This may befall a gracious soul on the account of sin But yet because this fights directly against the Life of Faith God doth not unless it be in extraordinary cases suffer any of his to lye long in this horrible pit where there is no water no refreshment But this often falls out that even the Saints themselves are left for a season to a
the soul for the receiving of that consolation and deliverance out of its pressures by an evidence of a special interest in forgiveness which it waiteth for 1. For this makes men to hearken after it It makes the soul like the Merchant who hath great Riches all his wealth in a far Country which he is endeavouring to bring home safe unto him If they come he is well provided for if they miscarry he is lost and undone This makes him hearken after tydings that they are safe there and as Solomon sayes Good news in this case from a far Countrey is as cold water to a thirsty soul Prov. 25. 25. full of refreshment Though he cannot look upon them as his own yet absolutely because he hath them not in possession he is glad they are safe there So is it with the soul These Riches that it so values are as to its apprehensions in a far Country So is the Promise that he shall behold the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 17. He is glad to hear newes that they are safe to hear forgiveness preached and the Promises insisted on though he cannot as yet look upon them as his own The Merchant resis not here but he hearkeneth with much solicitousness after the things that should bring home his riches especially if they have in them his All. Hence such Ships are called Ships of desire Job 9. 26. Such a man greatly desires the speeding of them to their Port. He considers the Wind and the Weather all the occasions and inconveniences and danger of the way And blame him not his All is at stake The soul doth so in like manner it hearkneth after all the wayes and means whereby this forgiveness may be particularly brought home unto it is afraid of sin and of Temptation glad to find a fresh Gale of the Spirit of Grace hoping that it may bring in his Return from the Land of Promise This prepares the heart for a spiritual sense of it when it is revealed Secondly It so prepares the soul by giving it a due Valuation of the Grace and Mercy desired The Merchantman in the Gospel was not prepared to enjoy the Pearl himself until it was discovered to him to be of great price then he knew how to purchase it procure it and keep it The soul having by this acting of faith upon the discovery of forgiveness insisted on come to find that the pearl hid in the field is indeed precious is both stirred up to seek after possession of it and to give it its due Saith such a soul How excellent how precious is this forgiveness that is with God Blessed yea ever blessed are they who are made partakers of it What a life of Joy Rest Peace and Consolation do they lead Had I but their Evidence of an interest in it and the spiritual consolation that ensues thereon How would I despise the world and all the temptations of Satan and rejoyce in the Lord in every condition And this Apprehension of Grace also exceedingly prepares and fits the soul for a receiving of a blessed sense of it so as that God may have glory thereby 3. It fits the soul by giving a Right Understanding of it of its Nature its Causes and Effects At the first the soul goes no further but to look after impunity or freedom from punishment any way What shall I do to be saved is the utmost it aims at Who shall deliver me how shall I escape And it would be contented to escape any way by the Law or the Gospel all is one so it may escape But upon this discovery of forgiveness treated of which is made by faith of Adherence unto God a man plainly sees the nature of it and that it is so excellent that it is to be desired for its own sake Indeed when a soul is brought under trouble for sin it knows not well what it would have It hath an uneasiness or disquietment that it would be freed from a dread of some evil condition that it would avoid But now the soul can tell what it desires what it aims at as well as what it would be freed from It would have an interest in Eternal Love have the gracious kindness of the heart of God turned towards it self a sense of the everlasting purpose of his Will shed abroad in his heart have an especial interest in the precious blood of the Son of God whereby Attonement is made for him and that all these things be testified unto his Conscience in a word of promise mixed with faith These things he comes for this way alone he would be saved and no other It sees such a Glory of Wisdom Love and Grace in forgiveness such an Exaltation of the Love of Christ in all his Offices in all his undertaking especially in his Death Sacrifice and bloodshedding whereby he procured or made Reconciliation for us that it exceedingly longs after the participation of them All these things in their several degrees will this discovery of forgiveness in God without an evidence of an especial interest therein produce And these will assuredly maintain the spiritual life of the soul and keep it up unto such an obedience as shall be accepted of God in Christ. Darkness sorrow storms they in whom it is may meet withal but their eternal condition is secured in the Covenant of God their souls are bound up in the bundle of life From what hath been spoken we may make some Inferences in our passage concerning the true notion of believing For 1. These Effects ascribed to this faith of forgiveness in God and alwayes produced by it make it evident that the most of them who pretend unto it who pretend to believe that there is forgiveness with God do indeed believe no such thing Although I shall on set purpose afterwards evince this yet I cannot here utterly pass it by I shall then only demand of them who are so forward in the profession of this faith that they think it almost impossible that any one should not believe it what Effects it hath produced in them and whether they have been by it enabled to the performance of the duties before mentioned I fear with many things on the account of their pretended faith are quite otherwise They love sin the more for it and God never the better supposing that a few barren words will issue the controversie about their sins they become insensibly to have slight thoughts of sin and of God also This perswasion is not of him that calls us Poor souls your faith is the Devils greatest Engine for your ruine the highest contempt of God and Christ and forgiveness also that you can be guilty of a means to let you down quietly into Hell the Pharisees Moses trusted in and will condemn you As none is saved but by faith so you if it were not for your faith as you call it might possibly be saved If a mans Gold prove counterfeit his Jewels painted Glass
needful for us And for the plainness of this Truth it is well if it be so unto us This I know nothing but the Spirit of God can make it so Men may please themselves and others sometimes with curious notions and make them seem to be things of great search and attainment which when they are well examined it may be they are not true or if they are are yet of a very little consequence or importance It is these fundamental Truths that have the mysteries of the Wisdom and Grace of God in wrapped in them which who so can unfold aright will shew himself a workman that needs not be ashamed These still waters are deep and the farther we dive into them the greater discovery shall we make of their depths And many other Sacred Truths there are whose mention is common but whose depths are little searched and whose efficacy is little known 3. We multiply these Evidences because they are multitudes that are concerned in them All that do believe and all that do not believe are so Those that do believe that they may be established and those that do not believe that they may be encouraged so to do Among both these sorts some evidences may be more profitable and useful one to one some to another It may be amongst all all will be gathered up that no fragments be lost They are all I hope instruments provided by the Holy Ghost for this end and by this Ordinance do we endeavour to put them into his hand to be made effectual as he will One may reach one soul another another according to his pleasure One may be of use to establishment another to consolation a third of encouragement according as the necessities of poor souls do require However God who hath provided them knows them all to be needful 4. They are so also upon the account of the various conditions wherein the Spirits of Believers themselves may be One may give help to the same soul at one season another at another one may secure the soul against a temptation another stir it up to Thankfulness and Obedience These things have I spoken that you may not think we dwell too long on this consideration And I pray God that your Consolation and Establishment may abound in the reading of these Meditations as I hope they have not been altogether without their fruit in their preparation Further Evidences of Forgiveness with God Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners The Patience of God towards the world an evidence of Forgiveness Experience of the Saints of God to the same purpose IV. Let us then in the fourth place as a fourth Evidence of this truth consider those both under the Old Testament and the New concerning whom we have the greatest Assurance that God was well pleased with them and that they are now in the enjoyment of him And this Argument unto this purpose the Apostle insists upon and presseth from sundry instances Heb. 11. How many doth he there reckon up who of old obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God ver 2. 5. All these inherited the Promises through believing that is obtained the forgiveness of sin For whereas by nature they were children of wrath and under the Curse as well as others obtaining an infallible interest in the favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him it could no otherwise be For without this on a just account every one of them would have continued in the state wherein Adam was when he heard the voyce of God and was afraid Wherefore it being evident that some persons in all Generations have enjoyed the friendship love and favour of God in this world and at their departure out of it have entred into Glory it makes it evident that there is forgiveness of sin with him without which these things could not be Let us after the example of the Apostle mention some particular instances in this matter Look unto Abraham He was the friend of God and walked with God God made a solemn Covenant with him and takes it for his memorial throughout all generations that he is the God of Abraham And he is doubtless now at rest with God Our Saviour calls the place or condition whereinto blessed souls are gathered Abrahams Bosom He is at rest with whom others are at rest The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They also are Heaven being alive unto and with God Our Saviour proves it from the tenour of the Covenant I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. They are yet alive alive unto God and with him by vertue of the Covenant or after their death God would not be said to be their God This is the force of our Saviours Argument in that place that after their death God was still their God Then death had not reached their whole persons They were still alive with God in Heaven and their bodies by vertue of the same Covenant were to be recovered out of the dust The same is the state with David He was a man after Gods own heart that did all his Will and fulfilled all his pleasure And although he dyed and his body saw corruption yet he is not lost he is with God in Heaven Hence he ended his dayes triumphantly in a full apprehension of Eternal Rest beyond what could in this world be attained and that by vertue of the Covenant For these are the last words of David Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ascertaining unto him sure and eternal mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5 Peter also is in Heaven Christ prayed for him that his faith should not fail and in his death he glorified God John 21. 19. So is Paul He also is in Heaven he knew that when he wis dissolved he should be with Christ. Here then we are encompassed about with a cloud of witnesses For 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners They were all so by nature for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men And personally they were sinners also They confessed so of themselves and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record Yea some of them were great sinners or guilty of great and signal miscarriages Some before their Conversion as Abraham who was an Idolater Josh. 24. 2 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer Some after their Conversion Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience as David and some in sins of Profession against saith as Peter Nothing then is more evident than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness Had they never been guilty of any one sin but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ yet they could be saved no other way For he that
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâ—w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting A great sinner saith he the chiefest of sinners I was which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin I was saith he a blasphemer the highest sin against God a Persecutor the highest sin against the Saints Injurious the highest wickednes towards mankind But saith he I obtained mercy I am pardoned and that with a blessed effect First That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant And what was the Reason what was the cause that he was thus dealt withal Why it was that he might be a pattern an Evidence an Argument that there was Grace Mercy Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting To conclude then this Evidence Every one who is now in Heaven hath his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are as it were hanged up in the Gospel they are all enrolled in the Promises thereof for the encouragement of them that stand in need of forgiveness to come and sue out theirs also Fear not then the Guilt of sin but the Love of it and the power of it If we love and like sin better than forgiveness we shall assuredly go without it If we had but rather be pardoned in Gods way than perish our condition is secure V. The same is evident from the Patience of God towards the world and the end of it For the clearing hereof we may observe 1. That upon the first entrance of sin and breach of that Covenant which God had made with mankind in Adam he might immediately have executed the Threatned Curse and have brought eternal death upon them that sinned Justice required that it should be so and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or a respite of vengeance And had God then sent sinning man with the Apostate Angels that induced him into sin immediately into eternal destruction he would have been glorified in his Righteousness and Severity by and among the Angels that sinned not or he could have created a new race of innocent creatures to have worshipped him and glorified him for his Righteous Judgement even as all the Elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men 2. God hath not taken this course He hath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth he hath watched over them with his Providence and exercised exceeding Patience forbearance and longsuffering towards them This the Apostle Paul at large discourseth on Acts 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. as also Rom. 2. 4. And it is open and manifest in their event The whole world is every day filled with tokens of the power and patience of God Every Nation every City every Family is filled with them 3. That there is a common Abuse of this patience of God visible in the world in all Generations So it was of old God saw it to be so and complained of it Gen. 6. 5 6. All the evil sin wickedness that hath been in the world which no heart can conceive no tongue can express hath been all an abuse of this patience of God This with the most is the consequent of Gods patience and forbearance Men count it a season to fulfill all the abominations that their evil hearts can suggest unto them or Satan draw them into a combination with himself in This the state of things in the world proclaims and every ones experience confirms 4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world enduring it in sin and wickedness for so long a season and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another Shall we think that God hath no other design in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all It is confessed that this is the Consequent the event of it with the most through their perverse wickedness with their love of sin and pleasure But is this the design of God his only design hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness Ignorance and Rebellion against him whose damnation is just and sleepeth not but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death God forbid yea such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature and which all his works manifest and declare Whatever therefore it be this cannot be the design of God in his patience towards the world It cannot be but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them 5. If this Patience of God hath any other Intention towards any any other effect upon some upon any that is to be reckoned the principal End of it and for the sake whereof it is evidently extended unto some others consiquentially unto all For those concerning whom God hath an especial design in his patience being to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof the patience which is extended unto them must also of necessity reach unto all in that variety wherein God is pleased to exercise it The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God and the fruits of it for the sake of some that are in it 6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience and what it teacheth us Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected unless there be forgiveness of sins with God Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath anger severity and a Resolution to destroy Now this is an abomination once to suppose and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God Let a Man but deal thus and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind and perverse as any can befall him Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults for no other end or with no other design but that he
external thing whereof a soul can have no inward sense or relish Notions there are many about it and endless contentions but what more why let a gracious soul in simplicity and sincerity of Spirit give up himself to walk with Christ according to his Appointment and he shall quickly find such a taste and relish in the fellowship of the Gospel in the Communion of Saints and of Christ amongst them as that he shall come up to such Riches of Assurance in the Understanding and Acknowledgement of the wayes of the Lord as others by their disputing can never attain unto What is so High Glorious and Mysterious as the Doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity Some wise men have thought meet to keep it veiled from ordinary Christians And some have delivered it in such terms as that they can understand nothing by them But take a Believer who hath tasted how gracious the Lord is in the Eternal Love of the Father the great Undertaking of the Son in the work of Mediation and Redemption with the Almighty work of the Spirit creating Grace and comfort in the soul and hath had an experience of the Love Holiness and Power of God in them all and he will with more firm confidence adhere to this mysterious Truth being lead into it and confirmed in it by some few plain Testimonies of the Word than a thousand Disputers shall do who only have the notion of it in their minds Let a real Tryal come and this will appear Few will be found to sacrifice their lives on bare speculations Experience will give Assurance and Stability We have thus cleared the credit of the Testimony now to be improved It is evident on these grounds that there is a great certainty in those Truths whereof Believers have experience Where they communicate their power unto the heart they give an unquestionable Assurance of their Truths And when that is once realized in the soul all disputes about it are put to silence These things being so let us enquire into the faith and experience of the Saints on the Earth as to what they know of the Truth proposed unto confirmation namely that there is forgiveness with God Let us go to some poor soul that now walks comfortably under the Light of Gods countenance and say unto him Did we not know you some while since to be full of sadness and great anxiety of Spirit yea sorrowful almost to death and bitter in soul Answ. Yes saith he so it was indeed my dayes were consumed with mourning and my life with sorrow and I walked heavily in fear and bitterness of Spirit all the day long Why what ayled you what was the matter with you seeing as to the outward things you were in Peace Answ. The Law of God had laid hold upon me and slain me I found my self thereby a woful sinner yea overwhelmed with the guilt of sin Every moment I expected Tribulation and wrath from the hand of God My sore ran in the night and ceased not and my soul refused comfort How is it then that you are thus delivered that you are no more sad Where have you found ease and peace have you been by any means delivered or did your trouble wear off and depart of its own accord Answ. Alas no had I not met with an effectual Remedy I had sunk and everlastingly perished What course did you take Answ. I went unto him by Jesus Christ against whom I have sinned and have found him better unto me than I could expect or ever should have believed had not he overpowred my heart by his Spirit Instead of wrath which I feared and that justly because I had deserved it he said unto me in Christ fury is not in me For a long time I could not believe it I thought it impossible that there should be mercy and pardon for me or such a one as I. But he still supported me sometimes by one means sometimes by another untill taking my soul near to himself he caused me to see the folly of my unbelieving heart and the vileness of the hard thoughts I had of him and that indeed there is with him forgiveness and plenteous Redemption This hath taken away all my sorrows and given me quietness with Rest and Assurance But are you sure now that this is so may you not possibly be deceived Answ. Sayes the soul I have not the least suspicion of any such matter and if at any time ought doth arise to that purpose it is quickly overcome But how are you confirmed in this perswasion Answ. That sense of it which I have in my heart that sweetness and rest which I have experience of that influence it hath upon my soul that Obligation I find laid upon me by it unto all thankful Obedience that Relief Supportment and Consolation that it hath afforded me in tryals and troubles in the mouth of the Grave and Entrances of Eternity all answering what is declared concerning these things in the Word will not suffer me to be deceived I could not indeed receive it untill God was pleased to speak it unto me But now let Satan do his utmost I shall never cease to bear this Testimony that there is mercy and forgiveness with him How many thousands may we find of these in the world who have had such a seal of this Truth in their hearts as they cannot only securely lay down their lives in the confirmation of it if called thereunto but also do chearfully and triumphantly venture their Eternal Concernments upon it Yea this is the rise of all that peace serenity of mind and strong consolation which in this world they are made partakers of Now this is to me on the principles before laid down an evidence great and important God hath not manifested this Truth unto the Saints thus copied it out of his word and exemplified it in their souls to leave them under any possibility of being deceived Institution of Religious Worship an Evidence of Forgiveness 6. Gods Institution of Religious Worship and Honor therein to be rendred unto him by sinners is another Evidence that there is forgivenesswith him I have instanced before in one particular of Worship to this purpose namely in that of Sacrifices But therein we intended only their particular nature and signification how they declared and manifested Reconciliation Attonement and Pardon That now aimed at is to shew how all the Worship that God hath appointed unto us and all the Honour which we give unto his holy Majesty thereby is built upon the same foundation namely a supposition of forgiveness and is appointed to teach it and to ascertain us of it which shall briefly be declared To this end observe 1. That the General End of all Divine and Religious Worship is to raise unto God a Revenue of glory out of the creation Such is Gods infinite natural self-sufficiency that he stands in need of no such Glory and Honour He was in himself no less infinitely and eternally
Son in this manner to testifie it And he did it because it could no other way be brought about as hath been declared Do we doubt whether there be forgiveness with God or no or whether we shall obtain it if we address our selves unto him for to be made partakers of it Consider the Condition of his Son in the world review his Afflictions Poverty Temptation Sorrows Sufferings Then ask our souls To what end was all this And if we can find any other design in it any other Reason Cause or Necessity of it but only and meerly to testifie and declare that there is forgiveness with God and to purchase and procure the Communication of it unto us let us abide in and perish under our fears But if this be so we have sufficient warranty to assure our souls in the expectation of it 4. Besides all this there ensues upon what went before that great and wonderfull Issue in the death of the Son of God This thing was great and marvellous and we may a little enquire into what it was that was designed therein And hereof the Scripture gives us a full account As 1. That he dyed to make Attonement for Sin or Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. He gave his life a ransom for the sins of many Matth. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. He was in it made sin that others might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 20. Rom. 8. 3. Therein he bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. This was the state of this matter Notwithstanding all the Love Grace and condescention before mentioned yet our sins were of that nature and so directly opposite unto the Justice and Holiness of God that unless Attonement were made and a Price of Redemption paid there could be no Pardon no forgiveness obtained This therefore he undertook to do and that by the Sacrifice of himself answering all that was prefigured by and represented in the Sacrifices of old as the Apostle largely declares Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And herein is the forgiveness that is in God copied out and exemplified so clearly and evidently that he that cannot read it will be cursed unto Eternity Yea and let him be accursed for what can be more required to justifie God in his eternal destruction He that will not believe his Grace as testified and exemplified in the Blood of his Son let him perish without remedy Yea but 2. The Curse and Sentence of the Law lyes on record against sinners It puts in its Demands against our acquittance and layes an obligation upon us unto punishment And God will not reject nor destroy his Law unless it be answered there is no acceptance for sinners This therefore in the next place his death was designed unto As he satisfied and made Attonement by it unto Justice that was the fountain spring and cause of the Law so he fulfilled and answered the demands of the Law as it was an Effect of the Justice of God So Rom. 8. 13. He suffered in the likeness of sinful flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled and answered He answered the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And so became as to the Obedience of the Law the end of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 3 4. And as to the penalty that it threatned he bore it removed it and took it out of the way So hath he made way for forgiveness through the very heart of the Law it hath not one word to speak against the pardon of them that do believe But 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan he layes a claim unto them and by what means shall they be rescued from his interest and dominion This also his death was designed to accomplish For as he was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. So by death he destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. That is to despoil him of his Power to destroy his Dominion to take away his plea unto sinners that believe as we have at large elsewhere declared And by all these things with many other concernments of his death that might be instanced in we are abundantly secured of the forgiveness that is with God And of his willingness that we should be made partakers thereof 5. Is this all Did his Work cease in his death Did he no more for the securing of the forgiveness of sins unto us but only that he dyed for them Yes he lives also after death for the same end and purpose This Son of God in that nature which he assumed to expiate sin by death lives again after death to secure unto us and to compleat the forgiveness of sins And this he doth two wayes 1. Being raised from that death which he underwent to make Attonement for sin by the Power and Good Will of God he evidenceth and testifieth unto us that he hath fully performed the work he undertook and that in our behalf and for us he hath received a discharge Had he not answered the guilt of sin by his death he had never been raised from it 2. He lives after death a Mediatory Life to make intercession for us that we may receive the forgiveness of sin as also himself to give it out unto us which things are frequently made use of to encourage the souls of men to believe and therefore shall not at present be further insisted on Thus then stands this matter that Mercy might have a way to exercise it self in forgiveness with a consistency unto the Honour of the Righteousness and Law of God was the Son of God so sent for the ends and purposes mentioned Now herein consisteth the greatest Work that God did ever perform or ever will It was the most eminent product of Infinite Wisdom Goodness Grace and Power And herein do all the Excellencies of God shine forth more gloriously than in all the works of his hands Let us then wisely ponder and consider this matter let us bring our own souls with their Objections unto this Evidence and see what exception we have to lay against it I know nothing will satisfie unbelief the design of it is to make the soul find that to be Iso hereafter which it would perswade it of here namely that there is no forgiveness in God And Satan who makes use of this Engine knows full well that there is none for them who believe there is none or rather will not believe that there is any For it will at the last day be unto men according unto their faith or unbelief He that believeth aright and he that believeth not that forgiveness is with God as to their own particulars shall neither of them be deceived But what is it that can be reasonably excepted against this evidence this foundation of our faith in this matter God hath not sent his Son in vain which
their Lusts and sins that they will yield them as much satisfaction and contentment as they shall need to desire Alas they will ruine them and bring forth nothing but death Is it in the World it will deceive them the figure of it passeth away Is it in their Duties and Righteousness they will not relieve them for did they follow the Law of Righteousness they could not obtain the Righteousness of the Law Is it in the continuance of their lives Alas it is but a shadow a vapour that appeareth for a little while Is it in a future Amendment and Repentance Hell is full of souls perishing under such Resolutions Only this way of pardon remains and yet of all others is most despised But yet I have one consideration more to adde before I further enforce the Exhortation 6. Consider that this is the only Way and means to enable you unto obedience and to render what you do therein acceptable unto God It may be that some of you are under the power of Convictions and have made Engagements unto God to live unto him to keep your selves from fin and to follow after holiness It may be you have done so in Afflictions dangers sicknesses or upon the receipt of mercies but yet you find that you cannot come unto stability or constancy in your course you break with God and your own Souls which fills you with new disquietments or else hardens you and makes you secure and negligent so that you return unto your purposes no oftner than your Convictions or Afflictions befall you anew This condition is ruinous and pernitious which nothing can deliver you from but this closing with forgiveness For 1. All that you do without this however it may please your minds or ease your Consciences is not at all accepted with God Unless this foundation be laid all that you do is lost All your Prayers all your Duties all your amendments are an abomination unto the Lord. Untill peace is made with him they are but the Acts of Enemies which he despiseth and abhorreth You run it may be earnestly but you run out of the way you strive but not lawfully and shall never receive the Crown True Gospel-obedience is the fruit of the Faith of Forgiveness Whatever you do without it is but a building without a foundation a Castle in the ayre You may see the order of Gospel Obedience Eph. 2. 7 8 9 10. The foundation must be laid in Grace Riches of Grace by Christ in the free pardon and forgiveness of sin From hence must the works of obedience proceed if you would have them to be of Gods appointment or finde acceptance with him Without this God will say of all your Services Worship Obedience as he did to the Israelites of old Amos 5. 21 22 23 24 25. I despise all reject it all it is not to him nor to his Glory Now if you are under convictions of any sort there is nothing you more value nothing you more place your confidence in than your Duties your Repentance your Amendment what you do and what in good time you will be Is it nothing unto you to lose all your hopes and all your Expectations which you have from hence To have no other Reception with God than if all this while you had been wallowing in your sins and lusts Yet thus it is with you if you have not begun with God on his own Terms if you have not received the Atonement in the Blood of his Son if you are not made partakers of Forgiveness if your persons are not pardoned all your Duties are accursed 2. This alone will give you such Motives and Encouragements unto Obedience as will give you Life Alacrity and Delight in it You perform Duties abstain from sins but with heaviness fear and in bondage Could you do as well without them as with them would Conscience be quiet and hope of Eternity hold out you would omit them for ever This makes all your Obedience burdensome and you cry out in your thoughts with him in the Prophet behold what a weariness it is the service of God is the only drudgery of your lives which you dare not omit and delight not to perform From this wretched and cursed frame there is nothing can deliver you but this closing with forgiveness This will give you such motives such encouragements as will greatly influence your hearts and souls It will give you freedom liberty delight and chearfulness in all duties of Gospel Obedience You will finde a constraining power in the love of Christ therein a freedom from bondage when the Son truely hath made you free Faith and love will work genuinely and naturally in your spirits and that which was your greatest burden will become your chiefest joy 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thoughts of the Love of God of the Blood of Christ or the Covenant of Grace and sence of pardon in them will enlarge your hearts and sweeten all your duties You will find a new life a new pleasure a new satisfaction in all that you doe Have you yet ever understood that of the Wiseman Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of Wisdom are pleasantness and her paths are peace Have the wayes of Holyness of Obedience of Duties been so unto you Whatever you pretend they are not they cannot be so whilst you are strangers unto that which alone can render them so unto you I speak unto them that are under the Law Would you be free from that bondage that galling yoke in dutyes of Obedience Would you have all that you do towards God a delight and pleasantness unto you this and this alone will effect it for you 3. This will place all your Obedience upon a sure foot of account in your own Souls and Consciences even the same that is fixed on in the Gospell For the present all that you do is indeed but to compound with God for your sin you hope by what you do for him and to him to buy off what you have done against him that you may not fall into the hands of his Wrath and Vengeance This makes all you doe to be irksom As a man that labours all his dayes to pay an old debt and brings in nothing to lay up for himself how tedious and wearisome is his work and labour to him It is odds but that at one time or other he will give over and run away from his Creditor So it is in this case men who have secret reserves of recompensing God by their Obedience every day find their debt growing upon them and have every day less hopes of making a satisfactory payment This makes them weary and for the most part they faint under their discouragements and at length they fly wholly from God This way alone will state things otherwise in your Consciences It will give you to see that all your debts are paid by Christ and freely forgiven unto you by God So that what you doe is of Gratitude or thankfulness hath an influence
cases we perswade men to acquiesce in the Judgement of their skilfull Physitian not alwayes to be wasting themselves in and by their own tainted imaginations and so despond upon their own mistakes but to rest in what is informed them by him who is acquainted with the causes and tendency of their indisposition better than themselves It is oft-times one part of the Souls depths to have false apprehensions of its Condition Sin is a madness Eccles. 9. 3. so far as any one is under the power of it he is under the power of madness Madness doth not sooner nor more effectually discover it self in any way or thing than in possessing them in whom it is with strange conceits and apprehensions of themselves So doth this madness of sin according unto its degrees and prevalency Hence some cry Peace peace when suddain destruction is at hand 1 Thess. 5. 3. It is that madness under whose power they are which gives them such groundless Imaginations of themselves and their own Condition And some say they are lost for ever when God is with them Do you then your duty and let Christ judge of your state Your Concernment is too great to make it a reasonable demand to commit the Judgement of your condition to any other When Eternal welfare or woe are at the stake for a man to renounce his own thoughts to give up himself implicitly to the Judgement of men fallible and lyars like himself is stupidity But there is no danger of being deceived by the sentence of Christ. The truth is whether we will or no he will Judge and according as he determines so shall things be found at the last day Joh. 5. 22. The Father judgeth no man that is immediately and in his own Person but hath committed all judgement unto the Son All Judgment that respects Eternity whether it be to be passed in this World or in that to come is committed unto him Accordingly in that place 〈◊〉 judgeth both of Things and Persons Things he determines upon v. 24. He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Let men say what they please This sentence shall stand Faith and eternal life are inseparably conjoyned And so of Persons v. 38. You have not saith he to the Pharisees who were much otherwise minded the Word of God abiding in you Take not then the Office and Prerogative of Christ out of his hand by making a Judgement upon your own Reasonings and Conclusions and Deductions of your state and Condition You will find that he often-times both on the one hand and on the other determines quite contrary to what men judge of themselves As also to what others judge of them Some he judgeth to be in an evil condition who are very confident that it is well with them and who please themselves in the thoughts of many to the same purpose And he judgeth the state of some to be Good who are diffident in themselves and it may be despised by others We may single out an Example or two in each kind 1. Laodicea's Judgement of her self and her spiritual state we have Revel 3. 17. I am rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing A fair state it seems a blessed Condition She wants nothing that may contribute to her rest peace and reputation she is Orthodox and Numerous and Flourishing makes a fair profession and all is well within So she belives so she reports of her self wherein there is a secret reflexion also upon others whom she despiseth Let them shift as they list I am thus as I say But was it so with her indeed was that her true Condition whereof she was so perswaded as to profess it unto all Let Jesus Christ be heard to speak in this cause let him come and judge I will do so saith he v. 14. Thus saith the Amen the faithfull and true Witness Coming to give sentence in a case of this importance he gives himself this Title that we may know his Word is to be acquiesced in Every man saith he is a Lyar Their Testimony is of no value let them pronounce what they will of themselves or of one another I am the Amen and I will see whose Word shall stand mine or theirs What then saith he of Laodicea Thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked O wofull and sad disappointment O dreadfull surprizall Ah how many Laodicean Churches have we in the World How many Professors are members of these Chruches Not to mention the generality of men that live under the means of Grace all which have Good hopes of their Eternal Condition whilest they are despised and abhorred by the only Judge Among Professors themselves it is dreadfull to think how many will be found light when they come to be weighed in this ballance 2. Again he Judgeth some to be in a good condition be they themselves never so diffident Revel 2. 9. saith he to the Church of Smyrna I know thy poverty Smyrna was complaining that she was a poor contemptible Congregation not fit for him to take any notice of Well saith he fear not I know thy poverty whereof thou complainest but thou art Rich That is my Judgement Testimony and Sentence concerning thee and thy condition Such will be his Judgement at the last day when both those on the one hand and the other shall be suprized with his sentence the one with Joy at the riches of his Grace The other with terror at the severity of his Justice Math. 25 37 38 39. and 44 45. This case is directly stated in both the places mentioned in the entrance of this discourse as in that for instance Isa. 49. 14. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me That is Zions judgement of her self and her state and condition a sad report and conclusion But doth Christ agree with Zion in this sentence The next verse gives us his Resolution of this matter Can saith he a Woman forget her sucking Childe that she should not have compassion on the Son of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee The state of things in Truth is as much otherwise as can possibly be thought or imagined To what purpose is it for men to be passing a Judgement upon themselves when there is no manner of certainty in their determinations and when their proceeding thereon will probably lead them to further entanglements if not to eternal ruine The Judging of Souls as to their spiritual state and condition is the work of Jesus Christ especially as to the End now under Enquiry Men may men do take many wayes to make a Judgement of themselves Some do it on slight and trivial conjectures some on bold and wicked presumptions some on desperate Atheistical notions as Deut. 29. 17. some with more sobriety and sence of Eternity lay down principles it may be good and true
its principle it is from a spirit of bondage Rom. 18. 15. We have not again received the spirit of bondage unto fear It is not such a fear as makes an occasional incursion upon the mind or soul such as I se xcited and occasioned by incident darkness and Temptation such as the best and persons of the highest assurance are liable and obnoxious unto but it is such as hath a compleat abiding principle in the soul even a spirit of bondage a prevailing frame constantly inclining it to fear or dreadful apprehensions of God and its own condition Secondly That it tends to bondage it brings the soul into bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. He dyed to deliver them who by fear of death were in bondage all their daies Fear of death as penal as it lyes in the curse which is that fear that proceeds from a spirit of bondage brings the persons in whom it is into bondage that is it adds weariness trouble and anxiety of mind unto fear and puts them upon all waies and means imaginable unduly and disorderly to seek for a remedy or relief Thirdly It hath torment fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. It gives no rest no quietness unto the mind now this is so cast out by Gospel Assurance of forgiveness that though it may assault the soul it shall not possess it though it make incursions upon it it shall not dwell abide and prevail in it 3. It gives the soul an hope and expectation of the Glory that shall be revealed and secretly stirs it up and enlivens it unto a supportment in sufferings tryals and Temptations This is the hope which makes not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. and that because it will never expose the soul unto disappointment Where ever there is the root of Assurance there will be this fruit of hope The proper object of it is things absent invisible eternal the promised reward in all the notions respects and concernments of it This hope goes out unto in distresses temptations failings and under a sense of the guilt and power of sin Hence ariseth a spring of secret relief in the soul something that calms the heart and quiets the spirit in the midst of many a storm Now as where ever Assurance is there will be this hope so where ever this secret relieving hope is it grows on no other root but a living perswasion of a personal interest in the things hoped for 4. As it will do many other things so that I may give one comprehensive instance it will carry them out in whom it is to dye for Christ. Death unto men who saw not one step beyond it was esteemed of all things most terrible The way and means of its approach add unto its terrour But this is nothing in comparison of what it is unto them who look through it as a passage into ensuing Eternity For a man then to chuse death rather than life in the most terrible manner of its approach expecting an Eternity to ensue it argues a comfortable perswasion of a Good State and Condition after death Now I am perswaded that there are hundreds who upon Gospel saving accounts would embrace a stake for the Testimony of Jesus who yet know not at all that they have the Assurance we speak of and yet nothing else would enable them thereunto But these things being besides the main of my Intendment I shall pursue them no further only the Rule is of use Let the soul be sure to be well acquainted with the nature of that which it seeks after and confesseth a sense of the want of RULE III. Continuance in waiting necessary unto Peace and Consolation The fourth Rule Remove the Hinderances of Believing by a searching out of sin Rules and Directions for that Duty Whatever your Condition be and your Apprehension of it yet continue waiting for a better issue and give not over through weariness or impatience This Rule contains the summ of the Great Example given us in this Psalm Forgiveness in God being discovered though no sense of a particular interest therein as yet obtained that which the soul applies it self unto is diligent carefull constant persevering waiting which is variously expressed in the 5 and 6 verses The Holy Ghost tells us that light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97. 11. Light and Gladness are the things now enquired after Deliverance from darkness misapprehensions of God hard and misgiving thoughts of his own condition is that which a soul in its depths reacheth towards Now saith the Holy Ghost These things are sown for the Righteous Doth the Husbandman after he casts his seed into the Earth immediately the next day the next week expect that it will be harvest doth he think to reap so soon as he hath sown or doth he immediately say I have laboured in vain here is no return I will pull up the hedge of this field and lay it waste or I see a little grass in the blade but no corn I will give it to the beasts to devour it No his God as the Prophet speaks instructs him unto discretion and teacheth him namely what he must do and how he must look for things in their season And shall not we be instructed by him behold the Husbandman saith James waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and the latter rain Jam. 5. 7. And is Light sown for them that are in darkness and shall they stifle the seed under the clods or spoil the tender blade that is springing up or refuse to wait for the watering and dews of the Spirit that may bring it forth to perfection Waiting is the only way to Establishment and Assurance we cannot speed by our haste yea nothing puts the end so far away as making too much haste and speed in our Journey The ground hereof is that a sense of a special interest in forgiveness and acceptance is given into the soul by a meer act of Soveraignty It is not it will not be obtained by or upon any rational conclusions or deductions that we can make All that we can do is but to apply our selves to the removal of hinderances For the Peace and Rest sought for come from meer prerogative When he giveth quietness who can give trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him Job 34. 29. Now what is the way to receive that which comes from meer Soveraignty and prerogative doth not the nature of the thing require humble waiting If then either Impatience cast the soul into frowardness or weariness make it slothfull which are the two waies whereby waiting is ruined Let not such an one expect any comfortable Islue of his contending for deliverance out of his depths And let not any think to make out their difficulties any other way their own Reasonings will not bring them to any establishing conclusions for they may lay down propositions and have no
of Sin and of Righteousness by Christ every man in the world belongs unto one of these states or condition This the Scripture so abounds in that it seems to be the first principal thing that we are taught in it It is as clear that there are two different states in this world as that there are so in that to come Yea all our Faith and our Obedience depend on this Truth And not only so but the Covenant of God the Mediation of Christ and all the Promises and Threats of the Law and Gospel are built on this supposition And this lays naked unto a spiritual eye that abounding Atheism that is in the world Men are not only like Nicodemus ignorant of these things and wonder how they can be but they scorn them despise them scoff at them To make mention of being regenerate is exposed to reproach in the world But whether men will or no unto one of these conditions they must belong 2. As these two estates differ morally in themselves and Physically in the causes constitutive of that difference so there is a specifical difference between the things that place men in the one condition and in the other Whatever there is of Goodness Virtue Duty Grace in an Unregenerate person there is in him that is Regenerate somewhat of another kind that is not in the other at all For the difference of these states themselves it is plain in Scripture The one is a state of Death the other of Life the one of Darkness the other of Light the one of Enmity against God the other of Reconciliation with him And that the one state is constituted by that of Grace which is of a peculiar kind and which is not in the other I shall briefly declare 1. The Grace of Regeneration proceedeth from an especial spring and fountain which emptieth much of its living waters into it no one drop whereof falls on them that are not Regenerate This is Electing Love it is given out in the pursuit of the Decree of Election God hath chosen us that we should be holy Ephes. 1. 4. Our Holiness whose only spring is our Regeneration is an effect of our Election That which God works in our souls in the pursuit of his eternal purpose of Love and good will towards us So again saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 2. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit God having designed us unto salvation as the End hath also appointed the sanctification of the Spirit to be the Means to bring us orderly unto the attainment of that End But the best of common Grace or Gifts that may be in men Unregenerate are but products of the Providence of God ordering all things in general unto his own Glory and the good of them that shall be heirs of salvation They are not fruits of Electing Eternal Love nor designed means for the insiallible attaining of Eternal Salvation Secondly The Graces of those that are Regenerate have a manifold Respect or Relation to the Lord Christ that the common Graces of others have not I shall name one or two of these Respects First They have an especial moral Relation to the Mediatory Acts of Christ in his Oblation and Intercession Especial Grace is an especial part of the purchase of Christ by his death and blood-shedding He made a double purchase of his Elect of their persons to be his of especial Grace to be theirs He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes. 5. 26 27. The design of Christ in giving himself for his Church was to procure for it that Especial Grace whereby through the use of Means it might be regenerate sanctified and purified So Titus 2. 14. He gave himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Real purification in Grace and Holiness hath this Especial Relation unto the Death of Christ that he designed therein to procure it for them for whom he dyed And in the pursuit of his Purchase or Acquisition of it his purpose was really to bestow it upon them or effectually to work it in them Moreover it hath an Especial Relation unto his Intercession and that in a distinguishing manner from any other Gifts or common Graces that other men may receive Giving us the Rule and Pattern of his intercession Joh. 17. He tells us that he so prayes not for the world but for his Elect those which the Father had given him because they were his v. 9. And what is it that he prayes for them in distinction from all other men whatever Amongst others this is one principal thing that he insists on v. 17. Sanctifie them through thy Truth Their Sanctification and Holiness is granted upon that Prayer and Intercession of Christ which is peculiar unto them with an exclusion of all others I pray for them I pray not for the world Now the common Grace of unregenerate persons whereby they are distinguished from other men whatever it be it hath not this Especial Relation to the Oblation and Intercession of Christ. Common Grace is not the procurement of Especial Intercession Secondly They have a Real Relation unto Christ as he is the living Quickning-Head of the Church for he is so even the living spiritual fountain of the spiritual life of it and of all vital Acts whatever Christ is our life and our life is hid with him in God Col. 3. 2 3. That Eternal Life which consists in the Knowledge of the Father and the Son Joh. 17. 3. is in him as the cause head spring and fountain of it In him it is in its fulness and from thence it is derived unto all that believe who receive from his fulness Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. All â—â—ue saving sanctifying Grace all spiritual life and every thing that belongs thereunto is derived directly from Christ as the living Head of his Church and fountain of all spiritual life unto them This the Apostle expresseth Ephes. 4. 15 16. Speaking the truth in love grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love To the same purpose he again expresseth the same matter Col. 2. 19. All Grace in the whole body comes from the Head Christ Jesus and there is no growth or furtherance of it but by his Effectual working in every part to bring it unto the measure designed unto it Nothing then no not the least of this Grace can be obtained but by virtue of our Union