connexion with forgivenesse of sin I confest and thou forgavest For answer in the generall it is not every kind of confession that carries a connexion of pardon Saul confest his sin but God did not take away his sin but tooke away his Kingdom It is not every kind of confession that hath a connexion with forgivenesse of sin but that confession which hath connexion with pardon of sin it hath six concomitants joyned with it First it is a free and ingenuous confession not extorted by force not with sinfull reserves but a free a full and ingenuous confession that is the meaning of that Phrase Psal 32. 21. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit is no guile Guile is not there taken largely in opposition to Hypocrisie but for a sinfull reserve of sin when a man will not be free and open in confessing his sin unto God David would freely and fully open himselfe and confesse his evils unto God that confession that is a free and ingenuous confession it hath pardon of sin annexed to it the confessions of them that rowle sin under the tongue as a sweet morsell that they would not part with have not justification entailed on them those confessions onely are connected with forgiveness that are ingenuous and free Secondly that confession which hath pardon annexed to it is a penitential confession a confession that hath sorrow of heart mixt with it Ps 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin True confession of sin is rather a voice of mourning then a voice of words it hath ever a sorrow and grief of heart joined with it That prescription that God gave to the Leper in the Law that he should be cleansed from his leprosiâ— and in Levit. 13. 45. And the Leper in whom the plague is his clothes shall be rent and his head bare and hee shall put a covering upon his upper lip and shall cry unclean unclean is worth your notice he was to cry twice I am unclean Lam unclean there was this confession but what was joined with his confession before hee could be cleansed Two things he must do First he must rent his clothes to note that there must be brokennesse of heart and sorrow of heart joyned with confession of sin Secondly he must cover his lip to note shame that must be mingled with his sorrow to shew that to us that have an unclean leprosie of sin in us the crying I am unclean unclean is not enough but there must be the renting of the heart and shame of face these must be mingled with those confessions that have a connexion with forgivenesse Third Concomitant of confession that hath pardon annexed to it is this That there must be a voluntary and a free leaving of those sins which we doe confesse To confess sin yet to have a lothnesse in the spirit to part with it is no reall confessing of sin Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his sin shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession is there joyned to be with a forsaking of sin in case mercy be to be obtained One â—cals confession a spirituall vomit you know a man that is burdened in the stomack would be willingly rid of that load on his stomach that doth oppresse nature a man that doth confess sin truly would as willing be rid of sin on his Conscience as a man that is sick at his Stomach would be rid of that burden which doth oppresse it such a confession hath pardon annexed with it Fourthly that confession that hath pardon annexed to it is joyned with a holy aw and fear of running into the commission of those sins that we do confesse to God Psal 38. 18. compared with Psal 39. 1. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue Davids confessing sin did worke in him a holy awe and a holy care to take heed of those sins he had confest to confesse sin and to be bold and adventurous to run into sin hath not such a connexion with pardon Fifthly That confession that hath pardon annexed to it doth quicken the soul to strong earnest supplication to prayer David confest sin his confession quickened Prayer Daniel confest sin and confession quickened supplication Daniel 9. 20. And while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel c. Beloved when confessions of sin are to prayer as the whet-stone to the knife when you sharpen your affections and put a keen edge on your hearts in prayer this is an evident token that such confession hath a connexion with forgivenesse of sin So much for the second particular Part. 3 The third particular is to shew you how doth this connexion between confession of sin and forgivenesse of sin consist with the feernesse of Gods grace in pardoning of sin in placing a connexion between pardon and confession How doth this consist with the freenesse of of Gods grace in pardoning of sin For answer Ans 1 First if we should place a causality or a merit in confession of sin to procure pardon as the Papists doe this would overthrow the free Grace of God in forgiving sin though wee do place a connexion between confessing sin and pardon of sin yet wee do not place any merit in those confessions we do not place any worth any causality in those confessions that is my first answer Ans 2 Secondly The Scripture makes a fair consistency between mans confessing sin and Gods free Grace in forgiving sin the Scripture makes a double consistency First in regard of the Precept that doth enjoyn and command confession 2. In regard of the means that this is a way to procure pardon First In regard of the command God doth command us to confesse sin Now no command of God that he would have us doe can derogate from his free grace therefore surely this command can no way eclipse the freenesse of grace in what he will doe Secondly In regard of means as a way to get pardon God is the efficient cause and Christ is the meritorious cause of pardon but yet confession of sin is that cause which Logicians call causa sine quâ non without which pardon of sin shall never be obtained I confest and thou forgavest Answ 3 A third answer Though no man can be pardoned for his confession yet no man shall have pardon without confession Repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3. 19. No blotting out of sin without repentance there must be a sorrow bewailing of sin before it can be pardoned and that Christ was broken for sin it will no ways exempt you from being broken for sin though Christ was a man of sorrow all in a way of satisfaction yet you must shed teares for sin in a way of
and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Though he was a Prodigal yet he would goe to God as to a father In confession you are to go to God hopefully as to a displeased father confessions when they come to God as a Judge create fear horrour and amazement on the conscience but when confessions are mingled with hope and come to God as a Father they work a holy brokennesse of heart a holy tendernesse and remorse on the conscience We should confesse our sins to God as a Patient confesseth his disease and bodily distemper to his Physician in hope of Cure Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin unto God is this Content not your selves with slight and superficial confessions of sin unto God but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin Dan. 9. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee we blush and are ashamed to look up Leave not confessing of sin until shame hath filled your face and sorrow hath filled your heart it is a great fault in many people if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a general way they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession We should in this part of prayer imitate that holy Martyr Bradford who never gave over praying till his heart was somewhat affected and warmed in the duty Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confession of sin is this If thou findest thy heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee then labour to review recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins This is a very useful thing in a mans Christian course It may be a man or woman professing Christianity may not know the sins he or she hath done this last week for want of heedfulnesse and observation of their waies in that case let them recollect what they have done many years agoe recollect old sins when new sins do not come to remembrance and be humbled for them thus David did in Psal 51. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me It was meant his old sin of adultery that was his sin that he would now call to remembrance so when he found his heart dead he saith Lord remember not the sins of my youth he would go so far back as his youth I prescribe this rule not that a godly man who is under trouble of minde should take this course to collect old sins this may lead him to despair but in case of barrennesse if any man wants matter in respect of present sinnes and findes his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himself and recollect sins of past years go back as far as his youth and see what conscience will bring in to provoke him to make humble confession unto God in his secret retirements Rule 7 Lastly take this Rule take more freedom in confession of sin in secret before God then in publick before men To provoke you to practise this Rule consider two things 1. First it is not fit to confesse all the evils you have done before men and if there were no argument to prove secret prayer this were enough that it is not fit for a man to confesse all the sins of his life before men Zach. 12. 12. And the Land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart c. They are to go to God and confesse their sins apart Thou art a poor professor that dost confesse what thou confessest in publick onely and never in private thou art but a barren professor 2. Again consider this that though we read of wicked men that have made great confession of sin unto God yet we never read in the Scripture that wicked men ever made conscience to confesse sin to God in secret Pharaoh you know the story confest his sin unto Moses and unto Aaron but we never read that Pharaoh confest his sin unto God Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time c. Saul confest his sin unto Samuel but we never read of his confessing sin unto god 1 Sam. 15. 24. And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord c. Verse 30. Then he said I have sinned c. Judas confest his sin but to whom was it to the High Priest and to the Pharisees but Judas never went into a corner and in secret to bewail bloodshed wicked men have made publick confessions of sin but in secret between God and their own souls they never made acknowledgment and confession of their evils unto God thus much for the third Quere The fourth Quere is this Wherein appears the difference of a gody mans making confession of sin unto God and between those confessions of sin in wicked men and there are these eight differences First Holy confession in godly men makes the soul to be more active and inquisitive after cure remedy and pardon for sin holy confession makes the soul industrious I confesse sin but how shall I subdue sin I acknowledge sin but how shall I get pardon for sin It makes it enquire how to get cure and remedy for the evils which before were confest Job 7. 20. I have sinned What shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men c. I have sinned there is his confession Lord what shall I do there is his industry Thus the Jewes they were convinced by Peter of their great sin insomuch as they cryed out What shall we do to be saved But false confession leaves men idle and carelesse confesse they do but they are not inquisitive how to get pardon for those sins they do confesse Secondly Holy confession of sin unto God in godly men is attended with remorse of conscience and with grief of heart Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin there is confession and sorrow joyned together Hos 12. 4. Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him Whilest confessions are in the mouth there will be either tears in the eye or sorrow in the heart if confession be true The wicked confesse sin but tey never grieve for the sins they have committed they are not ashamed neither can they blush in the Prophets language Thirdly A godly man in confession of sin hath more freedom of spirit
have done evil in thy sight but cannot call to minde any particular sin they have done Was it never thus with you that ye did not know what to bewaile to God and what to lament of in his presence this is a Defect that godly men are often guilty of Defect 2 A second Defect in the confession of sin to God is this when men in prayer do confesse many sins to God yet do leave out their master and predominant sins many men are large in confession yet do leave out their master sins Moses though a good man yet was faulty in this regard God commanded him to go to Egypt to deliver his people but saith Moses I am not eloquent I am of a slow speech he did complain of a natural defect but he did not complain of a spiritual defect but God did answer all his pleas in Exod. 4. 19. And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian Go return into Egypt for all the men are dead that sought thy life Vers 20. And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an asse and he returned to the land of Egypt So that God here put his finger upon the sore Moses complained of the peoples incredulity of his own natural infirmity but Moses did not complain of his slavish fear that if he should go to Egypt there were men that would kill him till God did assure Moses that those men that sought to kill him were dead Moses would not go here a good man would not confesse his slavish fear that he did fear death therefore he would not go on Gods command Beloved this is a Defect that doth many times cleave to godly men to leave out their predominant sins and to confesse only those sins which are sins of infirmity and herein men do but dissemble with God and like the lapwing crie lowdest when farthest from the nest Defect 3 A third Defect in confession of sin to God is this to have the heart to hanker after the committing of those sins you do confesse Austin doth ingenuously acknowledg this of himself saith he I did often beg strength of God against the sin of incontinency yet had often an unwillingnesse in my heart that God should hear my prayers lest I should leave my sins Indeed conviction of conscience doth force to a confession of sin yet the strength of thy depraved affection doth make thee hanker after the sin and cause a lothnesse to leave it Defect 4 A fourth Defect in confession of sin to God is this to confesse to God the sins of your life but not the sins of your nature many men will be large in confessing the sins of their life but seldom or never bewail the sins of nature that vicious inclination in the heart to sin very few but David in the Old Testament and Paul in the New who did sufficiently confesse original sin David in the Old Testament Psal 51. there he begins to bewail the root of those sins which he was guilty of So Paul in Rom. 7. bewails the body of sin many men bewail actual sin but not habitual sin but not original sin many men bewail bad actions but never confesse unto God their vicious inclination This Defect good men many times are guilty of Defect 5 A fifth defect is this to confesse grosse and open sins but not to confesse small and secret evils we are commanded to keep the Law as the apple of our eye Prov. 7. 2. Keep my commandements and live and my Law as the apple of thine eye Now you know a man that keeps his eye will not only keep his eye from great blowes but from small motes which may put out the eye as well as a great blow men should not only take heed of great blowes great transgressions but they should take heed of lesser motes small sins Now beloved good men many times commit those sins that are infamous that the natural light of conscience can control them for why those evils are complained of and confest but secret evils wandring thoughts in duties vanity of minde the deadnesse of the heart emptinesse of spiritual meditations inward distrust these evils are seldome bewailed and confest this is many times a Defect found in good men good men are not so apt to confesse omission of good as commission of evil Defect 6 A sixt Defect in confession of sin to God is this to confesse sin more because of its guilt then of its spot my meaning is more because sin hath a damning power then a defiling nature more because sin damns thy soul then defiles thy conscience A child would touch a coal though it be smutty and soily but he forbears to touch it meerly because it is a burning coal we forbeare sin because sin is a burning coale but we doe not forbear to touch it because it is a defiling coal that is a defect in many godly men to be found But we should confesse sin and bewaile it not because it wil damn us but because it doth dishonour God Defect 7 A seventh defect in confession of sins to God is this to confesse those sins to God which if men should charge us with we should deny and be angry This holy Greenham doth take notice of in mens confession of sin thou wilt confesse thy pride to God but if a man should say that thou art proud thou wouldst be angry with him thou wilt confesse thy waies to God but if men should tell thee of thy sins thou wouldst be angry with them this shews there is much defect in your confession Defect 8 The eighth defect in confession of sin unto God is this not to have the heart sensibly affected with those sins that are confessed to God many confesse as if they were telling stories rather what other men did then what themselves did there are few that confesse sin as the Prodigall did that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father We should confesse sin as Daniel did Dan. 9. and as David did Psa 51. But many confesse sin like Pharaoh Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Vers 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder were ceased he sâ—nned yet more and hardned his heart 〈…〉 Defect 9 The ninth defect in confesâ—ion of sin to God is this to content your selves with slight ordinary and generall confessions of sins to come into Gods presence and say you are sinners just as 〈◊〉 the eleventh king of France who when he had blasphemed would take his Crucifix and kisse and cry God forgive me and then sweare again this is the fault which Christians many times are guilty of many men rest contented with a confused and a generall confession of sin when they doe not come to any distinct view of their particular sins there is a tumult in the
conscience some noyse they make in prayer but they know nothing distinctly but like Nebuchadnezzar in a dream he knew he dreamt but he forgot what his dream was many men doe confesse sin but they know not what they doe confesse You are to be humbled for these defects that may be found in youâ— in your confessing sin to God Defect 10 A tenth defect in confession of sin to God is this that they are bold to commit the sin again which they have confest they confesse passion and afterward are bold and adventrous to run into a rage and fury When a man shall confesse on his knees he hath done thus and thus and hath been thus and thus yet afterwards all the impressions of these confessions are defaced and he is bold to adventure on the commission of the sin again This is also a defect that may be found amongst good men in their confession of sin unto God Me thinks I hear you ask me But seeing these defects are found amongst us in confession of sin unto God what should we doe to be healpt against these defects For answer that ye may not be guilty of these defects in confession of sin Rule 1 First Get a cleare insight into Gods Law that it may discover sin to you by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Jam. 1. 23. For if any be a hearer of the Word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glasse Vers 24. For he beholdeth himse lf and goeth his way and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was The looking-glasse will shew you the blemishes in the face which the eye cannot else discern beloved get a knowledge of the spiritualnesse of Gods Law of the extent of Gods Law that the Law doth reach the inward man that Gods law reacheth to those very first motions of the soul those very inclinations to sin that are in thine heart be acquainted with the Law and by that thou wilt come to the knowledge of sin Physicians have used this remedy to their Patients In a Convulsion Fit they would wish them at that time to look their face in a glasse that when the Patient doth see what an ugly countenance he hath and what an ugly posture he is in at that time he might strive the more against it So doe you look your face in a looking-glasse to see those deformities that are within you this will make you confesse and this will bring you on your knees Secondly If you would confesse sin aright observe diligently your own waies and hearts Prov. 4. 25. Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lid look straight before thee Vers 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy waies be stablished Look right before you and ponder the waies of your feet and that is the way to have the heart so affected with the evil of your waies as you will particularly confesse your sins Thirdly Keep fresh in your remembrance some particular sin or other when you come to prayer it will help you in confession it is barrennesse as I told you that you do not see what matter you have to confesse that makes you so scanted in you confession would you but present some particular sin when you come to God you would be in better plight to confesse sin to God this the Psalmist doth 51. vers 3. For I acknowledg my transgessions and my sin is ever before me He means the sin of Adultetery When David came to prayer he would put before his eyes the sin of adultery now set thy sin before thee Art thou a drunkard set they drunkenesse before thee art thou an adulterer set thy uncleannesse before thee art thou an extortioner then set thy oppression before thee set sin before thine eyes when thou commest to prayer and that is the way to feed thy spirits with confessions to God in a prayer Fourthly Call to remembrance some old transgression of many yeares past before thy conversion and muster up these sins together that so thou mightest have matter of complaint and confession before God Suppose present guilt doth not come up before thee then recollect and review old transgressions sins of an old date this David did when he found his heart dull and sluggish he would call to minde the sins of his youth Psal 35. 9. When you see that your hearts grow barren of spiritual matter through heedlesnesse go then and ransack your old waies what did you 20 years agoe let conscience gawle you for that that so you may have matter enough to confesse unto God This rule doth not appertain to Christians under trouble of conscience but only to those Christians that are sluggish and barren of any spiritual complaints and confessions in Gods presence A word of Use further for direction If it be so that Justified persons are bound to make secret confessions unto God then First Christians keep a heedfulnesse over your hearts that you may not let sin go unconfest make conscience and be heedful that sin committed by you may not be unconfest a sin unconfest as to the apprehension may be unpardoned a sin unconfest cannot be mourned for cannot be actually repented of Observe that a lesse sin unrepented of may damn a man when a greater sin that is confest to God may be pardoned if you compare Saul and David together 1 Sam. 15. 9. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fallings and of the lambs and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them but every thing that was vile and refuse that they distroyed utterly Saul did there commit a farre lesse sin then Davids was to wit adultery Saul did only for his private use spare the fattest of his sheep and oxen it was little or nothing in comparison of Davids sin yet behold David was pardoned and Saul damned David had his sin pardoned and Saul not why David did confesse sin and Saul not Saul did delude the reproof of Samuel and told him the people did it and not I Sauls sin unconfest ruined him therefore take heed of letting sin go unconfest a lesse sin unconfest may damn a man when a greater sin that is confest may not damn him A second Direction is this Depend not upon the most inlarged and the most sensible confessions that ever you have made to God suppose thou hast poured out thy soul to God thou art never the better thou O man when thou doest confesse sin thou doest but like a begger shew God thy sores thy botches and scabs do not depend upon your confessions as you must not depend upon your righteousnesse so not upon confession of your sinfulnesse It is worth your observation Saul pursuing David like a Partridge over
in forgiving of sin I now come to the Use which is for triall to put you on a diligent enquiry how you may know whether God hath brought you into a pardoned estate and hath forgiven the iniquity of your sin how may 〈◊〉 known whether God hath forgiven you your iniquities There are ten wayes to discover this I shall divide them into this order there are six Concomitants that doe attend a person in a pardoned estate and four charactors laid downe in Scripture of a man whose sin is forgiven him First the Concomitants or those things in the Scripture which doe attend or accompany a person whose sin is forgiven First In Scripture wee find that remission of sin is accompanied with renovation of the heart if sin be remitted the heart is renewed they are both joined together Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Interpreters doe give this sense of that promise you read of two things a white Stone and a new name written in that stone the white stone it is an expression borrowed from the practice of the Gentiles who in their Judicature did use a white stone If a malefactour was condemned and had the sentence of death past upon him there was given him a black stone in token of condemnation but if a man had a white stone given him it was a token of absolution or pardon Hence the Heathens named these stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquitting or condemning stones And so the Poet In antient times with stones they did In judgement seat proceed By black the guilty were condemn'd The just by white were freed In allusion to this Christ doth here promise pardon of sin which is meant by the stone but what must be written on this white stone there must be written on this white stone a new Name that is a renovation the renewing of the heart so that if so be the nature of a man be not renewed the sin of a man is not pardoned therefore â—oe not boast of having your white stone if there beâ— blanck on that stone if there be nothing written on that stone if holinesse be not written on that stone pardon of sin hath renewing of nature to attend it A second Concomitant is this Remission and forgivenesse of sin is accompanied with endearednesse of love to Jesus Christ this is laid down in Luk. 7. 47. Wherefore I say unto thee her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much It is a Concomitant that did attend her pardon much was forgiven her therefore she loved much For not a cause but consequence of pardon Thirdly forgivenesse of sin is accompanied in Scripture with a cordiall confession of sin unto God I acknowledged my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 1 Job 1. 9. If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and Just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Fourthly forgivenesse of sin is accompanied in Scripture with a cordiall forgiving other men all the personall wrongs and injuries that they have done you Mat. 18. 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you if ye from your heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses It is in the Lords prayer annexed forgive us our trespasses Mat. 6. So that forgiving of other men is in Scripture as an Attendant or Concomitant of Gods forgiving us Put on as the Elect of God saith the Apostle bowels of mercy forbearing and forgiving one another A fifth Concomitant that attends forgivenesse of sin is repentance from dead works repentance for sin is a Concomitant that is ever joyned with the forgivenesse of sin Act 5. 31. Him hath God exalted with his Right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins There they are linckt together to give repentance remission of sin It is a Question among the Schoolemen Whether God by his absolute power can forgive a man his sin if a man doth not repent him of sin There are few of them that do incline to the affirmative because God hath expresly tied himself in the Word that pardon must have repentance for sin Wee are commanded to repent that wee may have pardon Sixtly Forgivenesse of sin is accompanied with holy endeavours for the mortification of sin he that hath the guilt of sin pardoned labours to have the power of sin destroyed therefore in Scripture pardoning mercy and subduing grace they are both joyned together Mic. 7. 19. He wiâ— turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea there is subduing grace as well as pardoning mercy Beloved if God pardon sin there are reall endeavours in a soul to have the power of sin taken away Indeed many men in the world do lay claim to pardon who never have endeavours and holy pursuits after mortification many have counterfeit mortification who playwith their sins like Fencers which it may be given them a touch a slight blow but do not fight like warriers either to kill or to be kill'd but godly men do not play with their sins but doe with their lusts as a warrier they doe conflict with lusts on these terms that either wee must kill them or they will kill us Many counterfeit Christians who do lay claim to reall pardon have but counterfeit mortifications I may fitly resemble such men as these to the Persians who had one Festival annually where in they used this custome that they laboured to finde out all their venomous creatures as Snakes Serpents and the like and one day in the year they would kill all which they found but afterwards they let them encrease Many men in some solemn performances to God will make great adoe of killing their lusts but afterwards they let them encrease and live again And thus much for the six-Concomitants that do attend a person in a pardoned state The next is the Characters to be given of a pardoned man of a man whose sin is forgiven I will name but four Characters of a pardoned sinner Char. 1 First this He who is brought into a pardoned estate doth greatly admire God and abase himself this is laid down in the 7. of Micah the Prophet brings in the Churches crying out in the extolling of God Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity transgression sin a pardoned man admires God because his grace is free his bounty is great and a pardoned man abaseth himself because he seeth sin exceeding sinfull see Ezra 9. 6. Char. 2 Secondly A pardoned man doth maintain a holy dread in his heart from committing that sin that he knoweth to be pardoned a pardoned sinner knoweth this that
First To all tempted and troubled by Satan this is the time of accomplishing that promise Rom. 16. he shall tread Satan under your feet shortly Secondly To all persecuted and opposed by men 2 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thirdly to all mercifull ones Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee tooke mee in c. 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy unto the house Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chain The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Fourthly to all that can lay a grounded claime of interest in Jesus Christ His coming againe will bee comfortable then 1 Iohn 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when hee shall appeare wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming Fifthly Christs coming againe will be comfortable to all that judge themselves 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if wee would judge our selves we should not be judged Sixthly to all them that watch and pray Luke 21 36. Watch yee therefore and pray alwaies that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Seventhly to all beleevers it will bee very comfortable 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more pretioâ—s then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and Honor and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ I now come to the Application of the point by way of caution there are four cautions that are to be noted First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe bee full of comfort yet take this caution that you are to looke on the Doctrine of Christs coming to judgement as a Doctrine to teach you duty as well as to give you comfort it is a great abuse of your priviledges when you make any Gospell-point to bee an inlet of comfort and do not make that very comfort to bee a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that ye come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 2. 1. Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee bee not soon shaken in your minds Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Jesus Christ Now to speak distinctly to the caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the world Iam. 5. 8. Be ye all patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to bee a spurre to the improving of your gifts under Ordinances not onely patient under afflictions but it should provoke you to improve your gifts under Ordinances 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that yee come behinde in no gifts waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ The waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ it should provoke you to a holy improvement of growth under Ordinances for Christ will call you to an account of your hearing Revel 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come Thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the spirit saith Lord come Lord come but he that groweth better by hearing hee will say Lord come Lord come a notable Text Mat. 25. 22. Hee also that had received two Talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst unto mee two Talents behold I have gained two other Talents besides them his Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that when hee will come to judge the world he will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts wel thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to bee conscionable in your outwards calling whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that when Christ shall come he might find mee either Preaching or Praying Labour then to bee about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and find thee in the stews and to finde thee working of wickednesse O how unmeet art thou for Christs coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should bee a spurre to you to moderate the the use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4. 15. Let your moderation bee known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luk. 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts bee over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Peter 4. 7. But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer Fifthly it should provoke you to repentance Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this Ignorance God winked 〈◊〉 but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom hee hath or The Doctrine of Gods appointing the day for the Man Christ to judge the world it should bee a spurre to the grace of Repentance that now every man every where should repent Christs coming should be a spur to repentance Sixthly Christs coming should bee a spurre to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this world Acts 24. 15 16. And hath hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the Death both of the just and the unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men The thoughts of Christs coming to judge the Quicke and the Dead should make you have thoughts to get a good conscience void of offence towards God and Man 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And thus much for the first caution that you are to looke on the coming of Christ as a Doctrine serviceable as well for duty as comfort The second caution is this take heed of