punishment and this is fully taken away by pardon when God doth give remission of sin he doth take away all obligation to wrath death hell and damnation and this is properly the nature of forgivenesse of sin it is a gracious and a free act of God whereby he acquits a sinner from eternall guilt and eternall punishment that is due to all his sins in an eternall punishment God doth not acquit a pardoned man from externall punishments God may pardon thy sin yet hee may punish thee externally for thy sins but not eternally And thus much for the first particular Part. 2 The second particular is What kind of confession of sin is it that hath such a necessary 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 joined with it First it is a free and ingenuous confession not extorted by force not with sinful reserves but a free asul ingenuous confession that is the meaning of that phrase Psa 32.21 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth notiniquity and in whose spirit there is no guil 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 fully open himself confess 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 forgivenesse that are ingenuous and free Secondly that confession which hath pardon annexed to it is a penitentiall confession a confession that hath sorrow of heart mixt with it Psalm 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 clensed from his leprosie 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 Vnclean unclean is worth your notice he was to cry twice I am unclean I am unclean there was his 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 God must have brokennesse of heart and sorrow of heart joined 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 confesse 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 who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession is there joined with a forsaking of sin in case mercy be obtained One cals confession a spiritual vomit you know a man that is burdned in the stomach would be willingly rid of that load on his stomach that doth oppresse nature a man that doth confesse sin truly would as willingly 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 which hath pardon annexed with it is joined with unfained sorrow for sin Ezra 9. Neh. 9. Fifthly that confession that hath pardon annexed to it is joined with a holy aw and fear of running into the commission of those sins that we do confess to God Psal 38.18 compared with Ps 39.1 For I wil 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 Sixtly That confession that hath pardon annexed to it doth quicken the soul to strong and earnest supplication to prayer David confest sin and 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 whetstone 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 a 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 freenesse of Gods grace in pardoning of sin in placing a connexion between pardon and confession How doth this consist with the freeness of Gods grace in pardoning of sin For answer Answ 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 we doe place a connexion between confessing sin and pardon of sin yet we doe not place any merit in those confessions we do not place any worth any causality in those confessions that is my first answer Answ 2 Secondly The Scripture makes a faire 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 enjoin and command confession 2. In regard of the means that this is a way to procure pardon First In regard of the commmand 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
of sin to cloath his sins with all the aggravations that can be and this is a good Rule if you well follow it You have the like instance in the book of Daniel chap. 9. vers 5. Dan. 9.5 We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgements Vers 6. vers 6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the Land There are seven circumstances that Daniel useth in confessing of his sin to aggravate his sin how doth Daniel cloath his confession First We have sinned there is one Secondly We have committed iniquity Thirdly We have done wickedly Fourthly We have rebelled against thee Fifthly We have departed from thy precepts Sixthly We have not hearkened unto thy servants Seventhly Nor we nor our Princes nor all the people of the land there are seven aggravations which Daniel reckoneth up to his confession that is a third Rule about confession Rule 4 A fourth Rule in confession of sin is this In your confessions look not discouragingly on God as an angry Judge but hopefully as on a displeased Father to confesse sin to God as an angry Judge is to make you but condemned Malefactors in your confessions therefore make confession to God only as a displeased father converted men do confesse sin to God as a father whilest you have an eye of sorrow upon sin you are to have an eye of hope upon pardon thus Gods people did in their confessions To confesse sin to God as a Judge is to howle like dogs because you shall be beaten but to confesse sin to God as an angry Father is child-like with a fiduciall confidence of pardon Dan. 9.9 Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him And thus Shechaniah confesseth sin unto God Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Shecharâ—ah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Ellam answered and said unto Ezra We have trespassed against our God c. And thus the Prodigall in Luk. 18.18 Luke 18.18 I will arise and goe to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Though he was a prodigall yet he would go to God as to a father In confession you are to goe to God hopefully as to a displeased father confessions when they come to God as a Judge create fear horror 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 Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin unto God is this Content not your selves with slight and superficiall confessions of sin unto God but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin Psal 38.18 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 not ashamed to look up Leave not confessing of sin untill shame hath filled your face sorrow hath filled your heart it is a great fault in many people if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a generall 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 Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confessing of sin is this If thou findest thy heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee then labour to review and recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins This is a very usefull 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 wayes 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 Psal 51.3 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 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 recollect old sins this may lead him to despair but in case of barrennesse if any man wants matter in respect of present sins and finds his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himselfe and recollect sins of past years goe 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 freedome in confession of sin in secret before God then in publique before men To provoke you to practise this Rule consider two things 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 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 publique only and never in private thou art but a barren professor Again confider this that though we read of wicked men that have made great confessions 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 to Moses and unto Aaron Exod. 9.27 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. 15.24.30 1 Sam. 15.24 And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord c. Vers 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
1 The first Defect in confession of sin unto God is this that when men come to confesse sin to God they have such a barrennesse and confusion on their spirits that they cannot call to remembrance their particular sins to confesse them Hildersham hath a good note descanting on them words in 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Saith he If we say that we have no sin there is no man so grosse to say that he hath no sin for his own practise will belye his tongue but it is when we come to God we do as in effect say so when we do not know what sin to confesse to God we are so confused and heedlesse in observing our own wayes that we do not know what to confesse in prayer unto God and that the Apostle condemns This was the fault of Bellarmine when his Confessor came unto him Bellarmine did protest unto him that he did not know one sin that he was guilty of to confesse unto the Priest this was heedlesnesse in him for if he had observed his own wayes he would have found sins enough to have confest many are heedlesse that they doe not take notice of their own evils Beloved this is a common and an ordinary Defect there are many when they come to prayer though they have manifold sins in them yet they are so confused so indistinct in the knowledge of their own wayes that they have only generall confessions Lord we have sinned Lord we have done evill in thy sight but cannot call to mind any particular sin they have done Was it never thus with you that ye did not know what to bewail to God and what to lament of in his presence this is a Defect that godly men are often plunged into 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 naturall defect but he did not complain of a spirituall 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 which 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 here God put his finger upon the sore Moses complained of the peoples incredulity of his own naturall 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 goe here a good man would not confesse his slavish fear that he did fear death therefore he would not goe 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 sins but of an ordinary incussion 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 acknowledge 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 seldome 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 originall 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 actuall sin but not habituall sin but not originall 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 will keep it 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 naturall light of conscience can controll 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 empty of spirituall 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 evill 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 forbear sin because sin is a burning coal but we do not forbear to touch it because it is a defiling coal that is a Defect in many godly men to be found Defect 7 A seventh Defect in confession of sin 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 wayes to God but if men should tell thee of thy sins thou wouldst be angry with them this shewes 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 prodigal did that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father 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 sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his servants Defect 9 The ninth Defect in confession of sin to God is this to content your selves with slight ordinary and generall confession of sins to come into Gods presence and a say you are sinners this is a 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 a 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 do confesse sin but they know not what they do confesse You are to be humbled for these Defects that may be found in you in your confessing sin to God Def. 10 A tenth Defect in confession of sin to God is this that they are bold and adventurous to commit the sin again which they have confest they confesse passion and afterward are bold and adventurous 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 aske me But seeing these Defects are found amongst us then in confession of sin unto God what should we do to be helpt against these Defects For answer that ye may not be guilty of these Defects in confession of sin Rule 1 First Get a clear 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 naturall face in a glasse Vers 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was The looking-glasse will shew you the blemishes in the face which the eye cannot else discerne 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 do 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-lids look straight before thee Vers 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be stablished Look right before you and ponder the waies of your feet and that is the way to have you established and keep you from falling keep a distinct knowledg over your hearts and wayes 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 your 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 acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me He means the sin of Adultery 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 thy drunkennesse 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 years 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 mind the sins of his youth Psalm 19. When you see that your hearts grow barren of spirituall matter through heedlesnesse goe then and ransack your old wayes 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 spirituall 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 heedfull 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 fatlings 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 destroyed utterly Saul did there commit a farre lesse sin then Davids was to wit adultery
lesse externall glory Thirdly Though our sins can doe no injury to God to make God unholy or to make God unhappy yet sin doth great injury to your selves if thou beest sinfull what wilt thou doe against God why thou canst not bring God out of heaven though thou maist bring thy self into hell God receives no diminution of his holinesse of his wisdom of his glory by thy sinfulnesse yet thou shalt not have glory holinesse happinesse heaven nor eternall life thou shalt receive miseries by thine own sins And thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of this point to wit that there is a necessary connexion between mens confessing sin and Gods act 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 it be known whether God hath forgiven you your iniquities There are ten ways to discover this I shal divide them into this order there are six Concomitants that doe attend a person in a pardoned estate and four characters 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 we 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 practise 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 theâ—e 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 In allusion to this Christ doth hore promise pardon of sin which is meant by the white stone but what must be written on this stone there must be written on this white stone a new Name that is 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 do not boast of having your white stone if there be a blank 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 by 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 Thirdly Forgivenesse of sin is accompanied in Scripture with a cordiall confession of sin unto God I adknowledged my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 1 Joh. 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. â—1 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins There they are linckt together to give repentance and 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 his 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 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 will 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 play with their sins like Fencers which it may be give them a touch a slight blow but do not fight like warriers either to kill or be kill'd but godly men do not play with their sins but doe with their lusts as a warrier they do conflict with lusts on these terms that either we must kill them or they will kill us Many counterfeit Christians who do lay claim to reall pardon have but counterfeit mortifications I may sitly resemble such men as these to the Persians who had one Festivall annually where 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 self 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 and sin a pardoned man admires God because his grace is free and
of conscience from the apprehension of thine own guiltinesse it may be thou judgest thy selfe that thou art a damned undone Creature why remember that there is a Judgement to passe on thee besides thy own mistake and misapprehension Christ coming to Judgement should be a comfort to thee against thine owne Inward accusation because hee that is thy Jesus is thy Judge hee is thy Advocate to pleade thy cause when hee is thy Judge to judge thy cause Suppose thy conseience doth accuse thee and thou judgest thy selfe to Hell yet comfort thy selfe with this that thy Jesus will afterwards come to judge thee Fourthly Christs coming againe to judge the World it is a Doctrine of comfort in case of Oppression in Courts of Judicature What though Might overcometh Right any usurping hand which useth ways of Oppression and violence towards you it matters not For Christs coming to judgement shall be of great comfort to you Jerome saith that Christ shall come to judge things that are not judged in the World and CHRIST shall come to judge things that are judged amisse in the World Christ shall judge all Oppressions and violence which is done by an usurping hand here is matter of comfort that Christ cometh to judge them all over againe an excellent passage which Solomon hath Eccle. 3.16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there I said in my Heart God shall judge the Righteous and the Wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every Worke. That is I saw into Courts of Judicature and I saw wickednesse was there and I looked into the place of righteousnes and behold iniquity was there then I said in my heart surely God shall judge both the righteous and the wicked If there were no argument in all the Scripture to prove Christs coming againe why this Argument it will evince that Christ shall come to judge the World there must be a judging over againe there shall be a generall Judgement because there is so much perverting of judgement below and thus you have wherein or in what causes the doctrine of Christs coming it may serve for comfort I am now come to the Application of that poynt The use is of caution and cautions from this Doctrine of Christs coming againe there are Three First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe be 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 privileges when you make any Gospell point to be an inlet of comfort when you doe not make that very comfort to be a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1.7 So that yee 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 and by our gathering together unto him Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Iesus Christ. Now to speak distinctly to this caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is subservient and serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the World Iames 5.8 Bee yee also patient stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to be 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 Christ when hee comes hee will call you to an account for your hearing thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the Spirit saith Lord come Lord come but hee 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 gayned two other Talents besides them His Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast beene faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that hee will come to judge the World hee will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts well thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to be conscionable in your outward callings in your very callings in the World to be conscionable in them whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that I might have my desire that when Christ shall come that hee might find mee either Preaching or finde me Praying Labour then to be about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and finde thee in a stews when Christ comes and findes thee working of wickednesse O how unmeete art thee for CHRISTS coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should be a Spurre to you to a moderate use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4.15 Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luke 21.34 And take heed to your selves Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeitting and drunkennesse and cares of this Life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Pet. 4.7 But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer So that the Doctrine of Christs coming it seemes for to provoke you to be patient in suffering to profitablenesse under the use of Ordinances to faithfulnesse in your callings and to a moderation in the use of lawfull comforts Fifthly it should provoke you to Repentance Acts 17.30.31 And the times of this Ignorance God wincked at but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will Judge the World in righteousnesse by that Man whom hee hath ordained The Doctrine of Gods appoynting the day for the Man Christ to judge the World it should be a Spurre to the grace of Repâ—ntance that now every Man every where should repent Christs coming should be a Spurre to Repentance Sixtly Christs coming it should be a Spur to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this World Acts 24.15.16 And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be