may be some remainders of it in the Soul which if not looked unto may break forth again And upon this accompt a Christian is to remember it that he may get strength against it Such use also David made of his sins being ever before him it putteth him upon seeking unto God that he would throwly wash him from his iniquity and cleanse him from his sin Psal. 51. 2. freeing him both from the guilt and power of it And that he would create in him a clean heart renewing a right spirit within him vers 10. And that he would establish him with his free Spirit vers 12. Thus are Christians to have a frequent eie upon their sins as Patients have upon their soars to see that they may not break forth again To these ends and purposes among others are Christians to be frequent in this exercise Which whilst they are it will be very beneficial to them and that diverse ways That is the second thing which I propounded to shew you What profit what benefit a Christian shall reap from this practise Much every way Were there no other than what I have made mention of already the attaining of that Four-fold end The knowing of the truth of their Repentance The renewing and increasing of it The getting of assurance of the pardon of their Sins And strength against them These were enough to answer and recompense all the Points that a Christian shall take in this way But besides these take we notice of Four more Four considerable benefits accruing from this practice It will be of great use unto a Christian to make him 1. Humble 2. Thankful 3. Watchful 4. Pitiful Humble in Himself Thankful to his God Watchful over his Sin and Pitiful towards Others All benefits of singular Excellency and Worth Touch upon them briefly Frequent remembrance of a mans own Sins will be of speciall Use to make and keep him Humble So it is that there is in the Heart of every man naturally an accursed root of Pride which is very apt to spring and sprout forth being watered as it were with all the common Favours and Blessings that God poureth out upon him of what kind soever they be Good things of Fortune as they were called of Nature of Grace I mean common Grace Birth Beauty Riches Honours gifts and endowments of the Mind any of these not being Sanctified are apt to puff up the Soul to breed a Tympany in it Now the frequent remembrance of Sins will be of special use to prevent it to make the Soul humble and keep it humble Such Use the Church tells us she had of it as Montanus and the Vulgar Latine render the word in that Text Lam. 3. 19 20. Remembring my Affliction and my misery saith our Translation my Affliction and my Rebellion my Transgression say they which sense the word in the Original will well bear as we find it rendred 1 Sam. 20. 30. the Wormwood and the Gall that is the bitterness of both my Soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me Incurvatur it is bowed down The soul of man naturally is Proud apt to be inordinately lift up in him Now the Remembrance as of former Afflictions which he hath lain under so of former Sins which he hath fallen into will be of special use to humble it to make it keep so This effect it had in and upon this our Apostle as you have heard The remembrance of his former Sins made him Vile in his own eyes This it was that made him think and speak so meanly of himself to account himself the least of the Apostles unworthy to be one of that number the least of Saints nay less than the least of them as the Text hath it Ephes. 3. 8. Because saith he I persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15. 9. Thus it was As the Buffetings of Satan of which he speaketh 2 Cor. 12. 7. those temptations wherewith he was exercised after his Conversion so the remembrance of his former Sins committed before his Conversion was to him of great use to keep him from being exalted above measure a thing which by reason of the many and great priviledges now conferred upon him he was subject to and in danger of Thus God sometimes suffers his Chosen Vessels those whom he purposeth to make some special use of and to confer some signal Favours upon to fall into some great Sin or sins haply in their Youth it may be Afterwards that so the Remembrance of them may be a means to keep their Spirits in a humble frame and temper from being inordinately lift up in them being to them as the Peacocks black Leggs are vulgarly conceived to be unto him which looking down upon he presently letteth fall his proud Plumes Here is the first of those Benefits which a Christian may reap from this reflecting upon his Sins A benefit of singular Use there being nothing more dangerous to the Soul than this spiritual Tympany 2dly As it will be of great Use to make men Humble so Thankful As Humble in themselves so Thankful to their God A fruit naturally growing upon this Branch Remembrance of former sins Repented of and Pardoned it calleth to mind two things Gods Goodness our own Unworthiness Gods goodness in sparing of us not taking us as the Scribes and Pharisees tell our Saviour that woman was whom they brought before him Iohn 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Act of sinne and so bringing us to answer as they did her before His Tribunal for those Sins which we wanted Grace and space to Repent of Nor yet onely sparing us giving us a time to Repent but also working that Repentance in us and upon our Repenting Pardoning them and instead of punishing us according to our deservings conferring many special Graces and Favours upon us of all which of the least of which we were altogether unworthy Both these the remembrance of former sins calleth to mind And so doing it cannot but be a special means to raise up the Heart to a Thankful apprehension and acknowledgment thereof Of such Use was it to this blessed Apostle as we may take notice from the 12. 13. verses in this Chapter where calling to mind his former sins he presently breaketh forth into blessing and magnifying of Iesus Christ for his rich Grace and Mercy towards him I thank Christ Iesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry who was before a Blasphemer a Persecutor Injurious but I obteined mercy So again vers 17. Having here confessed himself to be the chief of sinners and after declared what God had done for him how he had made him a Patern to all that should hereafter believe on him he thereupon in the next words breaketh forth into that affectionate Gratulation Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever
by all men so by all means So the former Translation here renders it This is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received And so Estius well explains it Dignum quod modis omnibus amplectemur worthy by all wayes and means to be received and imbraced Many wayes there are whereby a saying may be received It may be received into the Ear it may be received into the Head it may be received into the Heart Into the Ear when men hear what is said into the Head when they apprehend understand and believe what they hear Into the Heart when they are affected with it And all these wayes is this Saying this Doctrine worthy of Acceptation 1. Worthy to be received into the Ear by hearing of it hearkning and attending to it No Doctrine so worth the hearing as this Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ. No other Doctrine can make the hearers happy this can do it Blessed are your ears for they hear saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 13. 16. And what was it that they did hear why that which their forefathers desired to hear but could not Many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Verse 17. And what was that why even this saying here in the Text That Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners This the Fathers before Christ who waited for his coming would gladly have heard but they heard it not They indeed heard of his Coming that he should come and believing it they were made happy by it But the Disciples who saw Christ in the flesh they heard and saw that he was come And believing what they saw and heard this made their eyes and ears blessed and happy No Doctrine no Tidings as I said can make the hearer happy but only this And this can do it viz. when being let in by the Ear it is conveyed to the Heart Hereby the Spirit cometh to convey it self into the Soul by the hearing of this Doctrine This onely would I know saith Paul to his Galatians Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y the hearing of faith that is the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel Preached unto you heard by you The sum whereof is wrapped up in this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to savesinners A saying worthy to be received into the Ear by hearing of it hearkning to it 2. And as into the Ear so into the Head worthy to be studied that it may be rightly apprehended and clearly understood This being a great mystery as our Apostle calleth it cap. 3. verse last of this Epistle Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Mystery the true Cabala Among the Iews there were many Mysteries Doctrines which they received from their Fathers by way of Tradition These they called by that Name of Cabala which imports the same thing with this Greek word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying acceptio a receiving of a thing thereby meaning their Traditions such Doctrines as by word of mouth were conveyed unto them from their Forefathers And these Mysteries these Traditions were of high account among their Rabbies their Doctors and their followers even as others of like kind are at this day in the Church of Rome these they studied and were well versed in them But our Apostle willeth Christians to take notice what was the true Cabala the sure Tradition which he here holdeth forth to them as worthy of their study above all others even this great Mystery of Godliness That Chriâ—… Iesus is come into the world to save sinners This was a mystery which the Angels beheld not without admiration as it there followeth Seen of Angels i. e. cum admiratione maxima as Grotius rightly with the highest admiration as also with great satisfaction and contentment No Mystery so worthy the looking into as this So the Angels apprehended it who are said to look into it with an earnest desire Which things saith Saint Peter speaking of the Mysteries of the Gospel the Angells desire to look into 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they desire to prie and look narrowly into them as one that stoopeth and boweth down to look into a thing So do they look into this Mystery desiring still to look further into it it being an Object which they can never be weary of looking upon and into No mystery so worthy to be known as this This is Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellency of the knowledg of Iesus Christ as he calleth it Phil. 3. 8. No Doctrine so worthy to be known Nor any more worthy to be believed than this This being as you have heard a faithful saying and so deserving credit and belief at the hands of all Thus it is worthy to be received into the Head 3. And so 3dly to be received into the Heart Worthy to be imbraced to be intertained with great joy and gladness as also with gratitude and thankfulness With joy Thus were the Angels affected with it though not so properly concerned in it Seeing that Christ was come into the world upon this Errand how did they rejoyce at it a whole Quire an Host of them meeting together and singing that Heavenly Anthem that Hallelujah that we have Luk. 2. 14. Praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men How much more joyous then should these tidings be to the Sons of men for whose sake Christ is come into the world Great cause have they to rejoyce at the hearing of it So did Abraham the Father of the faithful by faith apprehending that Christ should come Seeing his day that is his coming in the flesh he rejoyced at it as that Text forecited tells us Iohn 8. 56. And the like ought all Christians being his Children to do Hearing of this blessed day that he is come they are to entertain this good tidings with spiritual joy rejoycing at it And as with joy so with gratitude and thankfulness Thus did Zacharias entertain these glad tidings as we find it in his Song Luke 1. 68. Where Prophesying of what he saw to be then nigh at hand the coming of Christ and setting forth this great Mystery of Salvation by Christ he breaks forth into that holy and affectionate Gratulation Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a Horn of Salvation i. e. a Mighty Saviour for us in the house of his Servant David c. And with like affection we find the blessed Virgin the Mother of our Lord entertaining these tidings Verse 46. of that Chapter where she breaks forth into her Magnificat My Soul doth
Amen Thus the reflecting upon our sins after that we have obteined Mercy it will be a means as to cause us to take shame to our selves so to give glory to God the Glory of his Grace and Mercy in sparing us in pardoning us and conferring so many undeserved favours upon us It will be of special use to make us thankful And 3dly as thankful so watchful watchful over those and the like sins The remembrance of dangers formerly escaped will make men the more warie they will take heed how they come nigh that fire in which they have before been burnt or scorched or that precipice from which once they fell or passing that way wherein they have fallen among Thieves Thus Christians having their sins in remembrance and mainteining in their Souls a sight and sense of them it will be of special use to them to make them more cautelous wary to take heed of all the occasions of them of coming near unto them As for the Soul that hath banished the sense and remembrance of it's sins it careth not what sins it rusheth upon and runs into Paul speaking of the Gentiles he saith of them that being past feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 postquam dedoluerunt as Beza renders it â—…aving cast away all sense of and sorrow for sin they then gave themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Ephes. 4. 19. The best way then to be kept from sin is to maintein the sense of it in the Soul To which end the frequent reflecting upon sins past will conduce much By this means it was that David kept himself from his iniquitie as he saith he did Psal. 18. 23. from the sin which he was most inclined to by having it frequently in his remembrance Fourthly and lastly The frequent reflecting upon our own sins will be a special means to make us more pittiful and charitable towards others Not to be so ready to espie their faults nor so harsh and rigid in censuring them for their failings and infirmities What is the cause why Hypocrites are so quick-sighted in espying and so forward in judging and censuring of others Surely it is the want of reflecting upon themselves They see the moâ—…e that is in their brothers eye but consider not the beam that is in their own eye as our Saviour saith of them Mat. 7. 3. Surely were men more busied at home more taken up with remembring and considering their own failings their own sins what they have been what they have done they would be more pittiful more tender-hearted towards others It is the Apostle's Argument which he putteth into Titus his mouth willing him to make use of it in disswading Christians from being too censorious towards their Brethren or any other whosoever but to induce them to deal tenderly and gently with them Tit. 3. 2 3. Put them in mind saith he to speak evil of no man that is wrongfully or causlesly whether by aspersing of them or detracting from them to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness unto all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men non tantum adversus fidei consortes sed etiam adversus contradictores as Grotius well explains it not only such as profess the same faith with themselves but such as are adversaries to it Even these he would have private Christians for of such he there speaketh not of Titus himself and the Ministers of Christ who yet as our new Annotator hath it are to do nothing in rage or passion but with a spirit of meekness shewing all meekâ—…ess unto all men Gentiles as well as Jews Enemies as well as Friends but of private Christians the word in the Original being of the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deal gently with not being too rigid in censuring them much less in wholly despairing of them But shew meekness all meekness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnem i. e. summam lenitatem Great meekness and gentleness towards them And why so For saith he we our selues were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts c. vers 3. Certainly the more a man reflects upon himself and the better acquainted he is with his own heart and life the more pittiful and tender-hearted the more compassionate he will be towards others To proceed no further These benefits may a Christian reap from the reflecting upon himself the frequent remembrance of his own sins Which let it induce every of us to exercise our selves herein Which yet let it be warily and rightly understood Not that I would have Christians to stand continually poring upon their sins so fixing their thoughts upon them that their hearts and spirits should be inordinately dejected and cast down in the remembrance of them This God requires not neither ought Christians to give way to it David was a man much in the remembrance of his sins yet he would not give way to such soul-dejections and disquietments for which we find him checking himself in those two Psalms 42. and 43. where we have the same Expostulation thrice repeated Why art thou cast down O my Soul Why art thou disquieted within me c Christians should not so look upon their sins as that they should give way to such dejections of Spirit as may render their condition uncomfortable to themselves and unserviceable to others In this case that of the Preacher takes place Eccles. 7. 17. Be not over-much wicked that is judicio tuo as Iunius expounds it in thine own apprehension and judgment In such a sense it is that in the verse there foregoing he biddeth us not to be over-righteous or over-wise Be not Righteous over-much neither make thy self over-wise that is do not think thy self so to be So here in this verse which is subjoyned as an Antitheton set in opposition to the former Be not over-much wicked viz. in thy own apprehension And let me applie it unto you I mean all and only such as are trulie penitent sinners Be not you in this sense wicked over-much stand not poreing too much upon your sins sorrowing over them as the Apostle saith the Heathen did over their dead 1 Thes. 4. 13. as haveing no hope Onely upon occasions call them to remembrance making use hereof to those ends and purposes which I have now spoken of And as we are to do this at other times so then more especially when God calleth us to the humbling of our Souls before him and to seek his Face for the removing or diverting of some judgment felt or feared Now at such a time to call to mind our sins is an excercise most fit and proper being now Opus diei in die suo a work done in season And this do we all of us now this day being a day of Solemn Humiliation so appointed to be by publick Authority wherein the whole Nation is required to seek God in a Solemn manner for the diverting and preventing as of such other Judgments
penitent Confessour whilest he maketh that general confession Thus was it with our Apostle here in the Text. His confession indeed runs in general tearms that he was the chief of sinners but it is with a reference and respect unto those particular sinnes which he had confessed and acknowledged by name but two verses before I was a Blasphemer a Persecutor c. This is the confession of a true penitent sinner though the tongue may utter that confession iâ—… general tearms yet the heart even at the same time particularizeth having an eye to some particular sinne or sinnes from which that confession immediately ariseth and without which it could not be a hearty confession The Maxim is true not more in Philosophy than in Divinitie Genera nec agunt nec patiuntur Generalities never throughly affect a man It must not be meerly a general notion of sinne but a distinct apprehension of some particular sinne or sinnes that will work upon the heart aright so as to draw from it a cordial and affectionate acknowledgment of sinne And such again is the confession of the true Penitent sinner Take that for a fourth Property a cordial and affectionate Acknowledgement not meerly Verbal and Formal Such is the Hypocrite's confession a Tongue-Confession an acknowledgement from the Teeth-outward meerly verbal and formal So may the Confessions of Papists for the most part be looked upon which they make to their Priests striking their hands upon their Breasts and crying out Mea culpa mea culpa My sinne my sinne whilst their Hearts it may be are not affected with what they make shew of And such and no better it is to be feared are the acknowledgements of some and not a few among us in the Confession of sinnes which they make in the publick Congregation Therein they draw nigh unto God with their Mouth and honour him with their Lips as the Lord saith of his people the Jewes Isa. 29. 13. Offering up the Calves of their lips unto him as the Prophet speaks Hos. 14. 2. in saying after the Minister repeating the words of the Confession But in the mean time their hearts are far removed and estranged from him being no wayes affected with what their Tongues utter and pronounce And even so is it in their private Confessions They make them but a Lip-labour It may be making use of some Set-form composed by themselves or others they only repeat the words in a Formal and Customary way but without any inward affection their Hearts not being touched with the sense and feeling of what their Tongues utter and confesse Now as for such Confessions being heartless Sacrifices they are odious and abominable unto God who as he 〈◊〉 cheth the Heart so he requireth It without it not regarding what ever Sacrifices can be offered up unto Him Thou desirest not sacrifice thou delightest not in burnt-offering saith the Psalmist not any service that is meerly external The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a heart kindly broken with the sense of Sin Psal. 51. 16 17. And such are the Sacrifices which are offered up by the Penitent Sinner to his God All his Prayers all his Confessions they come from a broken and a contrite Heart beâ—…ng hearty Confessions â—…affectionate Acknowledgements Such we shall find the confessions of this our Apostle which we so frequently meet with breathing forth a great deal of inward Affection expressing both sorrow and shame indignation and detestation And such are the acknowledgements of the True Penitent attended and accompanyed with Sorrow and Shame With sorrow I will declare mine iniquity saith David and I will be sorry for my sinne Psal. 38. 18. With Shame the Publican making his confession in the Temple he doth it with shame Standing afar off in some remote part of the outward Court of the Temple he would not so much as lift up his eyes unto Heaven being ashamed of himself Luke 18. 13. And so with Indignation and Detestation Thus Paul speaking of what he had done his forwardness in persecuting of the Saints Act. 26. 11. I was saith he exceedingly mad against the Saints A speech savouring of great Indignation against himself And thus Iob saith that he Abhorred himself and Repented in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. And Paul speaking of his Corinthians sheweth how they shewed themselves True Penitents by their Indignation and Revenge Indignation against their Sin and Revenge which they took upon themselves for it 2 Cor. 7. 11. And to these is ever joyned a serious resolution of abandoning the sinne confessed never more to return to it again but to forsake it Who so confesseth and for saketh his sinnes shall have mercy saith the Wiseman Prov. 28. 13. Such was that confession which good Shecaniah made unto Ezra in the name of the people Ezra 10. 2 3. We have trespassed against our God saith he and have taken strange Wives c. Now therefore let us make a new Covenant with our God to put away all these strange Wives c. And thus Elihu in Iob describeth the confession of a true Penitent Iob. 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou If I have done iniquitie I will do no more Such is the confession of the true Penitent Cordial and Affectionate Here is a fourth Property Take but one more and that briefly Being thus Cordial it is also Filial Such is the Confession which he maketh to his God not servile Such is the confession of the Hypocrite oft-times a servile a slavish confession the fruit not of love to God but of fear and that not of a Reverential but a Slavish fear Such was Balaams Confession which he maketh Numb 22. 31 34. when he saw the Angel stand before him with a drawn Sword then he cryeth out I have sinned And so it is with some wicked and ungodly wretches being in a strait as he was stopped in their course the Angel of the Lord meeting them as he did him with a drawn Sword some Judgment of God threatning them it may be Death it self staring them in the face so as they apprehend themselves ready to drop into Hell now they will confess and acknowledg their sinnes But this they do not out of any love to God or hatred of their sins but meerly out of a slavish fear It may be in a despairing way as Cain and Iudas did Now in this the acknowledgment of a true penitent sinner differs that is a filial acknowledgment Such was that of the Prodigal Son who cometh unto his Father as a Father making his Confession to him under that Notion Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight Luk. 15. 21. And thus the penitent sinner comes unto his God confessing his sinnes unto him not simply as to a Iudge from whom he expects nothing but severity of Justice as Achan did his sinne to Ioshua Josh.
7. 20. but as unto a Father with some apprehensions of mercy Thus are the confessions of a truly penitent sinner ordinarily attended and accompanied with some apprehension of mercy I say either with the present sense of it as Pauls confession here was to which he subjoynes But I obteined mercy Or with the hope of it So runs that confession which Shecaniah there maketh Ezra 10. 2. We have transgressed c. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing To proceed no further Put these together and hereby may the sincere confession and acknowledgment of the truly penitent sinner be discerned from that which is false and counterfeit And so you have both these Questions resolved That which now remains of this is the Application Which I shall direct as in the former Branch onely two wayes by way of Conviction Exhortation 1. By way of Conviction Is the true penitent such a Confessor so forward and ready in such a way to confesse and acknowledge his sinnes both to God and Man how many then from hence may be convinced that they are as yet none of this number that they are as yet in a state of impenitency that they are as yet in their sinnes lying under the guilt and power of them Diverse sorts there are who come within the verge and compass of this Conviction Let me take notice of some of them Which whilest I do let me desire you all of you to go along with me trying and examining your selves whether you be not of this number In the first place Some there are who do not as yet know themselves to be sinners they were never convinced of their sinnes never convinced of the sinfulness of their nature never convinced of any such remarkable evils whether in their hearts or lives as should need any such serious confession and acknowledgment So is it with some morall civil Iusticiaries whose lives not having been stained with such open such foul and scandalous sinnes as they see in others hereupon they are well opinionated of themselves They are not as other men are as the Pharisee said of himself Luk. 18. 11. no Swearers no Drunkards no Adulterers c. so as they scarce see wherein they are sinners much less great sinners Very far are they from making any such confession and acknowledgment of their sinnes as Paul here doth of his Now as for such let them know that not having as yet been convinced of their sinnes they must needs be in them lying under the power and under the guilt of them This is the first work that the Spirit of God worketh in the heart of a regenerate person It is to him a Spirit of Conviction when the comforter is come saith our Saviour he shall reprove or convince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of sin Joh 16. 8. This is the work of the Spirit and it is the first work Certainly the Soul which never yet knew what this work meant must needs be far from any such ingenuous acknowledgment as here we meet with in the Text. Paul before he came to make this confession that he was the chief of sinners he had seen a light from Heaven shining round about him and falling to the earth he heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me as we have the story Act. 9. 3 4. He had a strong a clear and powerful Conviction discovering to him and throughly convincing him of the evil of that course which he then took And thus must it be with every poor sinner Before ever he will be brought to an ingenuous confession and acknowledgment of his sinnes he must see a light from Heaven discovering them to him and he must hear a voice from Heaven convincing him of the sinfulness of them and he must be struck down to the earth humbled in the sense of his own Vilenesse before ever his heart will be brought to such a frame and temper as here we find in this our Apostle to be ready thus to confess and acknowledg his sinnes both to God and Man upon all occasions Certainly they who never yet knew what this Spirit of Conviction meant are as yet far from being ingenuous Confessours and consequently may conclude themselves to be in a state of impenitency In the second place Another sort there are who have been convinced of their sins which yet they will not be brought to confess and acknowledge Convinced I say they have been being guilty it may be of some foul open and scandalous sinnes whereof they have been convinced not onely by the light of the Word but even by the light of Nature which light is sufficient to make a discovery of some of many sinnes specially of those against the second Table This is the work of the Law written in the hearts of men as the Apostle saith of it Rom. 2. 15. which whilest it directs them to many Duties it cannot but convince them of many Sinnes Rectum est index sui obliqui Yet for all this they will not be brought to a confession and acknowledgment of what they cannot but be convinced of No though charged upon them by the Ministers of God again and again yet for all that they will not be brought to confess their sinnes no not so much as unto God Is it not the case of some of many profane wretches I wish there may be none of them within the hearing of it or if there be that it may sink into their hearts They are such as cannot but be convinced of their sinful wayes and courses being as the Apostle saith of obstinate Hereticks Tit. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned their own consciences bearing witness and their thoughts accusing them as he speaks of the Gentiles Rom. 2. 15. their sinnes being of a horrid nature staring them in the face as it were yet for all that the time is yet to come that ever they should go into the presence of God there to spread their sinnes before him as Hezekiah did Senacheribs blasphemous Letter Isa. 38. to humble themselves at his footstool by confessing and acknowledging their sinnes This is a course a practise which they are meer strangers to never yet knew what it meant And not confessing their sinnes unto God they are very farre from acknowledging them unto Men from whom their main care is to hide them as Achan did his Wedge of Gold and Babylonish Garment which he hid in his Tent Iosh. 7. 22 And if they be found out and charged upon them What do they then Why either deny them as Gehazi did his running after Naman to receive a reward from him which his Master Elisha had refused when his master asked him Whence comest thou he said Thy servant went no whither 2 King 5. 25. so adding sinne unto sinne Or else excuse it may be defend what they have done By no means they will be brought to take the blame and shame of Sinne
Law Behold we our own faces in that Glass Bring our lives thither bring our hearts thither comparing the one with the other laying both to that Rule that so by the straightness of the one we may discover the obliquity and crookedness of the other Thus did Paul he brought himself his heart and life to the Law and by that means he came not onely to attain the knowledge of sinne in a general way but to see his own sinfulness the sinfulness of his Nature and the sinfulness of his Life as his former sinnes acted before his Conversion so the Body of sinne which still remained in hiâ—… In the sense and apprehension whereof he so passionately cryeth out in the close of that Chapter Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death Thus seek we after such a Conviction which till we attain we will never be brought to a right confession and acknowledgment of sin Thence was it that Nathan taketh this course with David First convincing him of his sinne which he doth by propounding to him the Parable of the Ewe-Lamb and so by that means brings him to that Confession which there he made 2 Sam. 12. 3dly Being convinced of sinne then in the third place seek after some measure of Compunction and Contrition that so we may not onely have a sight but an inward sense and feeling of our sinnes and so be humbled in the sense of them Paul did not only see a light shining about him and hear a voice speaking unto him but he was also struck to the ground as you have heard And so must a poor sinner be before ever he will be brought to a right confession of his sinnes Seek we for this also in measure This it was that drew Iohn the Baptist's and Peters and Pauls hearers to those open confessions which they made they were pricked in the hearts for their sinnes 4thly Being thus humbled for sinne and feeling some measure of Compunction now labour in the next place to get some apprehensions of mercy to raise up the Soul if not in the sense yet with the hope of Mâ—…cy Till this be done our confession will never be such as it ought to be It will never be Voluntary and Ingenuous till it be Filial Fear slavish fear it straitneth the heart causeth the spirits to retire and run inward as it were Apprehensions of Mercy will melt and inlarge and dissolve it as it were and so draw forth the Soul to free and ingenuous confessions and acknowledgments 5thly In the fifth and last place seek we unto God for that his free Spirit as David calleth it Psal. 51. 12. that That may be in us a spirit of confession It is that which the Lord maketh promise of to his people Zach. 12. 10. I will poure upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplications His Spirit which is the gift of his Grace and therefore called the Spirit of Grace should so inwardly affect them with the sense of his Mercies as that they should freely poure out their Souls before Him in true penitent confessions of their own sinnes whereof formerly they had not been sensible And this Spirit seek we from God Even such a Spirit of Grace and Supplications which may put our hearts into such a confessing frame and temper as that they may be ready upon all occasions to break forth into humble and hearty confessions and acknowledgments of our sinnes both before God and Men. By this means it was that Paul was now become such a forward and ingenuous confessor of his own sinnes Which confessing he also censureth and that severely acknowledging himself not only a sinner but a great sinner yea the chief of sinners That is the third particular Branch of the general Observation to which I now come THe Penitent sinner as he is a frequent Remembrancer and a forward Confessour so also a severe Censurer severe in censuring of his own Sinnes and himself for them An Observation which I find the learned Grotius taking up from that parallel Text Luk. 5. 8. where Peter maketh the like Confession that Paul here doth Having seen that Miracle which Christ had wrought in blessing his labour beyond all expectation giving him such a draught of Fishes as the like he had never before seen or heard of he thereupon falleth down at his knees saying Depart from me I am a sinful man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peccatosus a sinner a great sinner So much that word as you have formerly heard imports as we may take notice from that Text of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4. 18. If the righteous scarsly be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the word sinner being opposed to a Righteous person it imports a wicked and ungodly person with whom it is there joyned an habituated sinner So we find it used by our Apostle in the ninth verse of this Chapter whereof the Text is part Where he saith that the Law was not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane Where by sinners we are to understand such as the rest there spoken of are wicked and ungodly unholy and prophane persons such as make a trade of sinne as Beza there expounds it Veluti aliquam peccandi artem exercentes such as the Poet Hesiod saith he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as made sinne their work habituated and notorious sinners Now what Was Peter such a one Nothing lesse he was then a truly pious and godly Man as appears by his Demeanure to his Lord and Master Christ his readiness to do what ever he should command him which he professeth and practiseth in the verses foregoing vers 5. 6. How was it then that he should passe so severe a Censure upon himself that he was a sinner such a sinner a sinful man Why thus it is none are more ready to pass censures upon themselves than those that deserve them least Probi animi vel maximum â—…st indicium severissimam in se censuram exercere saith that Author There is not a greater Evidence of a Pious and Gracious Soul than to be severe in Censuring of it self Such a one was this our Apostle Saint Paul as the same Author there taketh notice of it paralleling him with Peter in this confession which here he maketh Notwithstanding that before his Conversion he was morally blameless in his life and conversation and now an eminent Saint yet he passeth this Censure upon himself that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first the chief of Sinners And such Censurers shall we find other of the Saints of God to have been severe in censuring of themselves Hence is it that in their Confessions and Acknowledgements we shall find them aggravating their sinnes to the heighth indeavouring what they could to express and set
12. so of what they are by Nature to the beholding of the corruption of their hearts and the errours of their lives These they know Our transgressions are with us and our iniquities we know them saith the Church Isa. 59. 12. And so know them as they do not cannot know the sinnes of others In themselves as you heard before they take notice of the body of sinne the mass of sinful corruption which is in them which in others they see not but by reflecting upon themselves Thus they may see it Even 〈◊〉 in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man saith Solomon Prov. 27. 19. The face which a man seeth in the water or in a glass it is in all points like unto his own of the same feiture colour complexion Even such a similitude there is between the hearts of one man and another How ever Grace maketh a change making men new Creatures differing from themselves and so from others yet by nature there is no difference as the Apostle tells us Rom. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no difference or distinction all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God That is as some expound it and as we find these words the Glory of God used by the same Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 7. having all alike sinned in Adam they are alike deprived of the Image of God wherein man was at the first Created consisting in Holiness and Righteousnes and consequently all alike infected with Original Corruption which is the Image of Satan all alike disfigured and deformed So as a man reflecting upon himself he thereby cometh after a sort to see what is in another Ex suo ingenio aliorum ingenia aestimans measuring others by himself guessing at their Corruption by his own But this he seeth onely in a Glass by reflexion from his own heart and consequently his knowledg hereof is not so clear and certain as that which he hath of himself As for his own corruption that he is well acquainted with being sensible how indisposed he is to what ever is good how proâ—…e to all manner of evil And as he knoweth his own heart better than he doth the heart of any other so also his life as his inward Corruption which is the Fountain so his actual sinnes which are the Streams These he knoweth better than he doth the sinnes of any others Many sins he must take notice of in others but of more in himself Mine iniquities are more than the hairs of my head saith David Psal. 40. 12. This a man may say of himself rather than of another being as the Penitent sinner is a diligent and constant observer of himself observing his daily slips and infirmities his daily commissions and omissions which he cannot do in another In others he taketh notice onely of their open sinnes in himself of his secret sinnes which as they are more in number so they may be more heinous in nature than the open sinnes of others And besides observing his own sinnes he knoweth the nature and quality of them better than he can do of the sins of others In others he taketh notice of the outward Acts of such or such sinnes seeing them or hearing of them but in himself he taketh notice also of the circumstances accompanying his own sinnes which many times exceedingly do aggravate them So as whereas he doth but guess at the greatness of other mens sinnes judging them by the outward appearance he Weigheth his own Even as the Lord is said to weigh the wayes of men Isa. 26. 7. Thou most upright doest weigh the path of the just Pondering all their goings as the Wiseman saith of him Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Taking exact notice of all their Actions weighing them as Hannah hath it in her Song 1 Sam. 2. 3. The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him Actions are weighed And as their Actions so their Hearts and Spirits The Lord weigheth the Spirits saith the Wiseman Prov. 16. 2. repeated cap. 21. 2. Like as the Goldsmith that weigheth his Gold he taketh exact notice of every grain so doth God ponder and weigh all the actions words and thoughts of Men as their good works so their sinnes taking notice of every circumstance that may make them either lighter or heavier extenuate or aggravate them And thus doth the true penitent sinner desire to weigh and ponder his own sinnes considering not onely the sinnes themselves but the circumstances wherewith they are attended which oft-times are great aggravations And so by putting these grains into his own ballance which he cannot do in anothers his own sinnes in his apprehension come to weigh down the sinnes of others though haply in themselves not so heavy as others Thus is he better acquainted with himself than with others with his own heart and life with his own sinnes his own inward Corruption the pravity of his Nature the Rebellion of his own Will the Inordinacy of his own Affections as also with his own actual sinnes both as to the number and nature of them And hence is it that he cometh to be so censorious towards himself judging his own sinnes more and greater than the sinnes of others and so himself a greater sinner than others Besides this in the second place as he seeth and weigheth his own sinnes so he feeleth them Which he doth not the sinnes of others The sinnes of others he taketh notice of by the Eye or Ear either by hear-say or at the most being an eye-witness of them and so knoweth them onely by speculation but his own sinnes he feeleth them Feeling the Body of sinne stirring in him even as Rebecca selt the two twins stirring and striving in her Womb Gen. 25. 22. thus doth he feel Corruption striving and struggling with Grace of which Paul complains Rom. 7. Besides he feeleth his Actual sinnes which it may be lye heavy upon his Soul As David saith his sinnes did upon him Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities saith he have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up which may be understood not onely of the Judgements of God which then lay upon him whereof his sinnes were the cause but even of his sinnes themselves which lay heavy upon his Soul And so is it in measure with all true Penitent sinners they are such as either do feel or have felt the weight and burden of their sinnes being weary and heavy laden with them as our Saviour giveth a Character of them Mat. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as labour under the sense of sinne feeling it lying upon them as an intolerable burden And this again maketh them think their own sins greatest So it did Paul here as you have heard He saw and heard of the sinnes of others but they did not lie upon him as his own did and therefore he judgeth
to know it to be assured of it A. For Answer briefly Are we in measure such as Paul was Truly Penitent sinners such as have been throughly convinced of our sinnes such as have judged and condemned our selves for them such as see and feel the need we have of a Savâ—… our and such as are willing to receive Christ upon Gospel-tearms to take him not only as a Saviour but also as a Soveraign being as willing and desirous to be ruled and governed as to be saved by him Is it so that God hath thus revealed his Son to us and in us as Paul saith he had done to him Gal. 1. 16 If so now stand not to confer with flesh and blood as he there saith he did not Neither be we disobedient to this Heavenly Vision as he tells King Agrippa he was not Act. 26. 19. But hearken we to the command of God the Commandement as St. Iohn there calleth it 1 Iohn 3. 23. This is the Commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great Gospel-Command which is That we should beleeve on the Name of his Son In obedience to this Command now come we unto Iesus Christ and lay hold upon him beleeving on him for Life and Salvation being confidently assured that He came into the world to Save us And being assured hereof now despair not of obteining this Benefit by and through Him It matters not what our sinnes have been what for Number what for Nature though never so many never so great though we have been the chief of Sinners yet Despair not Such a one had Paul been yet Repenting and Beleeving on Jesus Christ he obteined Mercy Which he did as he saith in the words after the Text That in him Christ Iesus might shew forth all long-suffering for a Patern to them that should hereafter beleeve on him to everlasting Life And so let him herein be to every of us Onely see that we be changed as he was changed not onely in our Name as he was from Saul to Paul in our outward Profession but inwardly changed changed in our hearts and Lives that we may be able to say and make good what he there doth Gal. 2. 20. that we now live yet no longer we not what sometimes we were but made new Creatures finding Christ dwelling in our Hearts by Faith and working in us by his Spirit conforming us unto Himself in his Death and Resurrection so as we daily die to Sinne and rise to newness of Life Being such now what ever we have been yet comfort we our selves with the Remembrance of these words of the Apostle every of us saying after him This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Christ Iesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief And thus shall I now dismiss You and the Text in the Handling whereof I have by a Divine Providence found the Loaves multiplyed my Meditations much enlarged beyond expectation My desire now is and shall be that they may be sanctified and blessed unto my Self and You for those Ends for which they were intended For which let us Pray FINIS READER THere is lately Printed an Exposition on the Parable of the Rich Fool Luk. 12. 16 22. By Mr. Nehemiah Rogers The same Author that formerly hath written upon the Parable of the Lost-Son Lost-Sheep and Lost-Groat Luk. 15. Also upon the Parable of the Creditor and Debtor Luk. 7. And on the Parable of the Samaritane Luk. 10. And on the Parable of the Friend at Mid-Night Luk. 11. And on the Parable of the Figg-Tree Luk. 13. All which are to be sold by George Sawbridge at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill 1662. ERRATA PAge 43. line 12. for It is read Is it P. 45. l. 32. for the work he came which about r. the work which he came about December 29. 1661. Parts of the Text Doctrine Application The Dâ—… ctrine Commended Praefatiâ—… haec nobiâ—… sit instaâ—… Buccinâ—… sonâ—…ntis ad publicandum gratiae Christi prâ—…conium Calv. Com. 〈◊〉 Text. 1. From the Veritie of it The Doctrine of the Gospel the word of Truth Compased about with a cloud of witneses From the Dignity of it Quin potius in illorum cordibus â—…rat durities non in sermone Calv. Com. in loc 1. The Doctrine of the Gospel worthy of Acceptation Groecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat non tantum acceptionem vel acceptationem sed approbationem Corn a Lapide in Text. 2. Worthy of All Accepâ—…ation 1. To be received by all Men. 2. By all means Estius Com. in Text. Into the Ear worthy to be heard * Into the Head worthy to be studied and believed Cabala Hebâ—…aice idem est quod Acceptio i. e. accepta Doctrina traditio a radice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kibbet i. e. accepit c. Corn. a lapide in Text. q. d. Iudaei jactant suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Traditionem Cabalam sed nugosam et fabulosam ego veram et certam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Traditionem Cabalam a Christo ipso acceptam vâ—…bis trado c. a Lap. ibid. Into the Heart worthy to be entertained with Ioy. With Gratitude Application Divided into 2. Conclusions Christs Iourny Errand Christs Iourny touching which 4 particulars opened Q. 1. Who it was that came Q. 2. How he came Q. 3. From whence he came Q. 4. Whither he came 2. Christs Errand For what he came to be a Saviour For whom he came to save Sinners Some greater sinners than others Christ came to save the greatest of Penitent sinners Use 1. By way of Information 4. Doctrines deduced 1. Touching the two natures in Christ. In mundum venit exprimiâ—… duplicem naturam sc. Divinitatis in qua erat antequam in mundo appareret Humanitatis in qua apparuit Aquin. Com. in Text. 2. The invalidity of the Law Contra Iudaeos significat Legem Legis caeremonias inefficaces esse ad salutem illam enim attulit Christus Corn. a Lapide Com. in Text. 3. The hainous nature of sin Hine discimus enormitatem peccati Idem ibid. Augustine Serm. 9. de verbis Apostoli Cum audis Christum venisse in hunc mundum ut peccatores salvos faceret noli dormire in dulci strato peccati sed audi Paulum dicentem Surge qui dermis illuminabit te Christus Ibid. 4. The wonderful Grace of God to mankind 1. The Grace of God the Father in sending of Christ. Grotius Annot. in 1 Tim. 1. 1 Set forth in 3 Particulars 1. The Person sent his Son 2. For whom he was sent for sinners 3. The benefit to be procured by Him Salvation 2. The Grace of God the Son in coming upon such an Errand Homines desperate aegrotabant ipsa agritudine quia mentes perdiderant etiam medicum caedebant Ille autem etiam cum occideretur medicus erat c. August ubi supra Use 2. Consolation to all and only Penitent