be encouraged by it to use it unto the end and purpose for which it is exercised towards us You that are yet in doubt of your condition consider that the patience of God was extended unto you this day this very day that you might use it for the obtaining of the remission of your sins Lose not this day not one day more as you love your souls For wosul will be their condition who shall perish for despising or abusing of the patience of God VI. The faith and experience of the Saints in this world give in testimony unto this truth and we know that their Record in this matter is true Let us then ask of them what they believe what they have found what they have Experience of as to the forgiveness of sin This God himself directs and leads us unto by appealing unto our own experience whence he shews us that we may take relief and supportment in our distresses Isa. 40. 28. Hast thou not heard hast not thou known Hast not thou thy self who now cryest out that thou art lost and undone because God hath forsaken thee sound and known by experience the contrary from his former dealings with thee And if our own Experiences may confirm us against the workings of our unbelief so may those of others also And this is that which Eliphas directs Job unto Chap. 6. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou look It is not a supplication to them for help that is intended but an enquiry after the Experience in the case in hand wherein he wrongfully thought they could not justifie Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which of the Saints on the right hand or left wilt thou have regard in this matter Some would foolishly hence seek to confirm the Invocation of the Saints departed when indeed if they were intended it is rather forbidden and discountenanced than directed unto But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 16. 2. The Saints that are in the Earth whose experiences Job is directed to enquire into and after David makes it a great encouragement unto waiting upon God as a God hearing prayers that others had done so and found success Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed unto the Lord and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles If he did so and had that blessed Issue why should not we do so also The experiences of one are often proposed for the confirmation and establishment of others so the same David Come saith he and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. He contents not himself to mind them of the Word Promises and Providence of God which he doth most frequently but he will give them the encouragement and supportment also of his own Experience So Paul tells us that he was comforted of God in all his tribulation that he might be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. That is that he might be able to communicate unto them his own experience of Gods dealing with him and the satisfaction and Assurance that he found therein So also he proposeth the example of Gods dealing with him in the pardon of his sins as a great motive unto others to believe 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. And this mutual communication of satisfying experiences in the things of God or of our spiritual sense and evidence of the Power Efficacy and Reality of Gospel Truths being rightly managed is of singular use to all sorts of Believers So the same Great Apostle acquaints us in his own Example Rom. 1. 11 12. I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established that is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me He longed not only to be instructing of them in the pursuit of the work of the Ministry committed unto him but to confer also with them about their mutual faith and what Experiences of the peace of God in Believing they had attained We have in our case called in the Testimony of the Saints in Heaven with whom these on earth do make up one family even that one family in Heaven and Earth which is called after the name of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 14 15. And they all agree in their Testimonie as becomes the Family and Children of God But these below we may deal personally with whereas we gather the Witness of the other only from what is left upon record concerning them And for the clearing of this Evidence sundry things are to be observed As 1. Men living under the profession of Religion and not experiencing the power vertue and efficacy of it in their hearts are whatever they profess very near to Atheism or at least exposed to great temptations thereunto If they profess they know God but in works deny him they are abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 16. Let such men lay aside Tradition and Custome let them give up themselves to a free and a rational consideration of things and they will quickly find that all their profession is but a miserable self-deceiving and that indeed they believe not one word of the Religion which they profess For of what their Religion affirms to be in themselves they find not any thing true or real And what Reason have they then to believe that the things which it speaks of that are without them are one jot better If they have no Experience of what it affirms to be within them what confidence can they have of the Reality of what it reveals to be without them John tells us that he who saith he loves God whom he hath not seen and doth not love his Brother whom he hath seen is a lyar Men who do not things of an equal concernment unto them wherein they may be tryed are not to be believed in what they profess about greater things whereof no tryal can be had So he that believes not who experienceth not the power of that which the Religion he professeth affirms to be in him if he sayes that he doth believe other things which he can have no Experience of he is a lyar For instance he that professeth the Gospel avows that the death of Christ doth crucifie sin that faith purifieth the heart that the Holy Ghost quickens and enables the soul unto duty that God is good and gracious unto all that come unto him that there is precious Communion to be obtained with him by Christ that there is great Joy in believing These things are plainly openly frequently insisted on in the Gospel Hence the Apostle presseth men unto Obedience on the account of them and as it were leaves them at liberty from it if
they were not so Phil. 2. 11. Now if men have lived long in the profession of these things saying that they are so but indeed find nothing of Truth Reality or Power in them have no experience of the effects of them in their own hearts or souls what stable ground have they of believing any thing else in the Gospel whereof they cannot have experience A man professeth that the death of Christ will mortifie sin and subdue corruption Why doth he believe it because it is so affirmed in the Gospel How then doth he find it to be so Hath it this effect upon his soul in his own heart not at all he finds no such thing in him How then can this man believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God because it is affirmed in the Gospel seeing that he finds no real truth of that which it affirms to be in himself So our Saviour argues John 3. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things If you believe not the doctrine of Regeneration which you ought to have experience of as a thing that is wrought in the hearts of men on the earth how can you assent unto those heavenly mysteries of the Gospel which at first are to be received by a pure Act of faith without any present sense or experience Of all dangers therefore in profession let professors take heed of this namely of a customary traditional or doctrinal owning such truths as ought to have their effects and accomplishment in themselves whilst they have no experience of the reality and efficacy of them This is plainly to have a form of godliness and to deny the power thereof And of this sort of men do we see many turning Atheists Scoffers and open Apostates they find in themselves that their profession was a lye and that in truth they had none of those things which they talked of And to what end should they continue longer in the avowing of that which is not Besides finding these things which they have professed to be in them not to be so they think that what they have believed of the things that are without them are of no other nature and so reject them alltogether You will say then What shall a man do who cannot find or obtain an experience in himself of what is affirmed in the Word he cannot find the death of Christ crucifying sin in him and he cannot find the Holy Ghost sanctifying his nature or obtain Joy in believing What shall he then do Shall he not believe or profess those things to be so because he cannot obtaine a blessed Experience of them I answer Our Saviour hath perfectly given direction in this case John 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self Continue in following after the things revealed in the Doctrine of the Gospel and you shall have a satisfactory experience that they are true and that they are of God cease not to act faith on them and you shall find their effects for then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hoseah 6. 3. Experience will ensue upon permanency in faith and obedience Yea the first Act of sincere believing will be accompanied with such a taste will give the soul so much experience as to produce a firm adherence unto the things believed And this is the way to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God which is revealed unto us Rom. 12. 2. 2. Where there is an inward spiritual Experience of the power reality and efficacy of any supernatural truth It gives great satisfaction stability and Assurance unto the soul. It puts the soul out of danger or suspicion of being deceived and gives it to have the Testimony of God in it self So the Apostle tells us He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 John 5. 9. He had discoursed of the manifold testimony that is given in Heaven by all the holy Persons of the Trinity and on earth by Grace and Ordinances unto the forgiveness of sin and eternal life to be obtained by Jesus Christ. And this Record is true firm and stable an abiding foundation for souls to rest upon that will never deceive them But yet all this while it is without us It is that which we have no Experience of in our selves Only we rest upon it because of the Authority and faithfulness of them that give it But now he that actually believeth he hath the Testimony in himself he hath by experience a real evidence and assurance of the things testified unto namely that God hath given us eternal life And that this life is in the Son v. 12. Let us then a little consider wherein this evidence consisteth and from whence this Assurance ariseth To this end some few things must be considered As 1. That there is a great Answerableness and Correspondency between the heart of a Believer and the truth that he doth believe As the Word is in the Gospel so is Grace in the heart yea they are the same thing variously expressed Rom. 6. 17. You have obeyed from the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of Doctrine delivered unto you As our Translation doth not so I know not how in so few words to express that which is emphatically here insinuated by the Holy Ghost The meaning is that the Doctrine of the Gospel begets the form figure image or likeness of it self in the hearts of them that believe So they are cast into the mould of it As is the one so is the other The principle of Grace in the heart and that in the Word are as children of the same Parent compleatly resembling and representing one another Grace is a living Word and the Word is figured limned Grace As is Regeneration so is a Regenerate heart As is the Doctrine of faith so is a Believer And this gives great Evidence unto and Assurance of the things that are believed As we have heard so we have seen and found it such a soul can produce the duplicate of the Word and so adjust all things thereby 2. That the first Original Expression of Divine Truth is not in the Word no not as given out from the infinite Abysse of Divine Wisdom and Veracity but it is first hid laid up and expressed in the Person of Christ. He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first pattern of truth which from him is expressed in the Word and from and by the Word impressed on the hearts of Believers so that as it hath pleased God that all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge should be in him dwell in him have their principal residence in him Col. 2. 3. So the whole Word is but a Revelation of the Truth in Christ or an expression of his Image and likeness to the Sons of men Thus we
external thing whereof a soul can have no inward sense or relish Notions there are many about it and endless contentions but what more why let a gracious soul in simplicity and sincerity of Spirit give up himself to walk with Christ according to his Appointment and he shall quickly find such a taste and relish in the fellowship of the Gospel in the Communion of Saints and of Christ amongst them as that he shall come up to such Riches of Assurance in the Understanding and Acknowledgement of the wayes of the Lord as others by their disputing can never attain unto What is so High Glorious and Mysterious as the Doctrine of the ever blessed Trinity Some wise men have thought meet to keep it veiled from ordinary Christians And some have delivered it in such terms as that they can understand nothing by them But take a Believer who hath tasted how gracious the Lord is in the Eternal Love of the Father the great Undertaking of the Son in the work of Mediation and Redemption with the Almighty work of the Spirit creating Grace and comfort in the soul and hath had an experience of the Love Holiness and Power of God in them all and he will with more firm confidence adhere to this mysterious Truth being lead into it and confirmed in it by some few plain Testimonies of the Word than a thousand Disputers shall do who only have the notion of it in their minds Let a real Tryal come and this will appear Few will be found to sacrifice their lives on bare speculations Experience will give Assurance and Stability We have thus cleared the credit of the Testimony now to be improved It is evident on these grounds that there is a great certainty in those Truths whereof Believers have experience Where they communicate their power unto the heart they give an unquestionable Assurance of their Truths And when that is once realized in the soul all disputes about it are put to silence These things being so let us enquire into the faith and experience of the Saints on the Earth as to what they know of the Truth proposed unto confirmation namely that there is forgiveness with God Let us go to some poor soul that now walks comfortably under the Light of Gods countenance and say unto him Did we not know you some while since to be full of sadness and great anxiety of Spirit yea sorrowful almost to death and bitter in soul Answ. Yes saith he so it was indeed my dayes were consumed with mourning and my life with sorrow and I walked heavily in fear and bitterness of Spirit all the day long Why what ayled you what was the matter with you seeing as to the outward things you were in Peace Answ. The Law of God had laid hold upon me and slain me I found my self thereby a woful sinner yea overwhelmed with the guilt of sin Every moment I expected Tribulation and wrath from the hand of God My sore ran in the night and ceased not and my soul refused comfort How is it then that you are thus delivered that you are no more sad Where have you found ease and peace have you been by any means delivered or did your trouble wear off and depart of its own accord Answ. Alas no had I not met with an effectual Remedy I had sunk and everlastingly perished What course did you take Answ. I went unto him by Jesus Christ against whom I have sinned and have found him better unto me than I could expect or ever should have believed had not he overpowred my heart by his Spirit Instead of wrath which I feared and that justly because I had deserved it he said unto me in Christ fury is not in me For a long time I could not believe it I thought it impossible that there should be mercy and pardon for me or such a one as I. But he still supported me sometimes by one means sometimes by another untill taking my soul near to himself he caused me to see the folly of my unbelieving heart and the vileness of the hard thoughts I had of him and that indeed there is with him forgiveness and plenteous Redemption This hath taken away all my sorrows and given me quietness with Rest and Assurance But are you sure now that this is so may you not possibly be deceived Answ. Sayes the soul I have not the least suspicion of any such matter and if at any time ought doth arise to that purpose it is quickly overcome But how are you confirmed in this perswasion Answ. That sense of it which I have in my heart that sweetness and rest which I have experience of that influence it hath upon my soul that Obligation I find laid upon me by it unto all thankful Obedience that Relief Supportment and Consolation that it hath afforded me in tryals and troubles in the mouth of the Grave and Entrances of Eternity all answering what is declared concerning these things in the Word will not suffer me to be deceived I could not indeed receive it untill God was pleased to speak it unto me But now let Satan do his utmost I shall never cease to bear this Testimony that there is mercy and forgiveness with him How many thousands may we find of these in the world who have had such a seal of this Truth in their hearts as they cannot only securely lay down their lives in the confirmation of it if called thereunto but also do chearfully and triumphantly venture their Eternal Concernments upon it Yea this is the rise of all that peace serenity of mind and strong consolation which in this world they are made partakers of Now this is to me on the principles before laid down an evidence great and important God hath not manifested this Truth unto the Saints thus copied it out of his word and exemplified it in their souls to leave them under any possibility of being deceived Institution of Religious Worship an Evidence of Forgiveness 6. Gods Institution of Religious Worship and Honor therein to be rendred unto him by sinners is another Evidence that there is forgivenesswith him I have instanced before in one particular of Worship to this purpose namely in that of Sacrifices But therein we intended only their particular nature and signification how they declared and manifested Reconciliation Attonement and Pardon That now aimed at is to shew how all the Worship that God hath appointed unto us and all the Honour which we give unto his holy Majesty thereby is built upon the same foundation namely a supposition of forgiveness and is appointed to teach it and to ascertain us of it which shall briefly be declared To this end observe 1. That the General End of all Divine and Religious Worship is to raise unto God a Revenue of glory out of the creation Such is Gods infinite natural self-sufficiency that he stands in need of no such Glory and Honour He was in himself no less infinitely and eternally
of us This is that which gives life unto our duties without which the best of our works are but dead works and renders them acceptable unto the Living God It is not my business at large to pursue and declare these things I only mention them that persons who are kept back from a participation of the Consolation tendred from the forgiveness that is with God because they cannot comfortably conclude that they are born again as knowing that it is unto such persons alone unto whom these Consolations do truly and really belong may know how to make a right judgement of themselves Let such persons then not fluctuate up and down in Generals and Uncertainties with heartless complaints which is the ruine of the peace of their souls but let them really put things to the trial by the examination of the Causes and Effects of the work they enquire after It is by the use of such means whereby God will be pleased to give them all the Assurance and Establishment concerning their State and Condition which is needfull for them and which may give them incouragement in their course of obedience But supposing all that hath been spoken what if a man by the utmost search and enquiry that he is able to make cannot attain any satisfactory perswasion that indeed this great work of Gods Grace hath passed upon his soul is this a sufficient ground to keep him off from accepting of supportment and consolation from this Truth that there is forgiveness with God which is the design of the Objection laid down before I say therefore further that 1. Regeneration doth not in Order of time precede the souls interest in the forgiveness that is with God or its being made partaker of the pardon of sin I say no more but that it doth not precede it in order of time not determining which hath precedency in order of nature That I confess which the method of the Gospel leads unto is that Absolution Acquitment or the pardon of sin is the foundation of the communication of all saving Grace unto the soul and so precedeth all Grace in the sinner whatever But because this Absolution or pardon of sin is to be received by faith whereby the soul is really made partaker of it and all the benefits belonging thereunto and that faith also is the radical grace which we receive in our Regeneration for it is by faith that our hearts are purified as an Instrument in the hand of the great purifier the Spirit of God I place these two together and shall not dispute as to their priority in nature but in time the one doth not precede the other 2. It is hence evident that an Assurance of being Regenerate is no way previously necessary unto the believing of an interest in forgiveness so that although a man have not the former it is or may be his duty to endeavour the latter When convinced persons cryed out What shall we do to be saved the answer was believe and you shall be so Believe in Christ and in the remission of sin by his blood is the first thing that convinced sinners are called unto They are not directed first to secure their souls that they are born again and then afterwards to believe But they are first to believe that the Remission of sin is tendred unto them in the blood of Christ and that by him they may be justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law Nor upon this proposition is it the duty of men to question whether they have faith or no but actually to believe And faith in its operation will evidence it self See Acts 13. 38 39. Suppose then that you do not know that you are Regenerate that you are born of God that you have no prevailing refreshing constant evidence or perswasion thereof should this hinder you should this discourage you from believing forgiveness from closing with the promises and thereby obtaining in your selves an interest in that forgiveness that is with God Not at all Nay this ought exceedingly to excite and stir you up unto your duty herein For 1. Suppose that it is otherwise that indeed you are yet in the state of sin and are only brought under the power of Light and Conviction this is the way for a translation into an estate of spiritual life and Grace If you will forbear the acting of faith upon and for forgiveness until you are Regenerate you may and probably you will come short both of Forgiveness and Regeneration also Here lay your foundation and then your building will go on This will open the door unto you and give you an entrance into the Kingdom of God Christ is the door do not think to climb up over the wall enter by him or you will be kept out 2. Suppose that you are born again but yet know it not as is the condition of many This is a way whereby you may receive an evidence thereof It is good embracing of all signs tokens and pledges of our spiritual condition and it is so to improve them But the best course is to follow the genuine natural actings of faith which will lead us into the most setled apprehensions concerning our Relation unto God and acceptance with him Believe first the forgiveness of sin as the effect of meer grace and mercy in Christ. Let the faith hereof be nourished and strengthened in your souls This will insensibly influence your hearts into a comforting Gospel perswasion of your state and condition towards God which will be accompanied with assured rest and peace To winde up this discourse remember that that which hath been spoken with reference unto the state of Regeneration in General may be applyed unto every particular objection or cause of fear or discouragement that may be reduced to that head Such are all Objections that arise from particular sins from Aggravations of sin by their greatness or circumstances or relapses into them The way that the consideration of these things prevail upon the mind unto fears is by begetting an apprehension in men that they are not Regenerate for if they were they suppose they could not be so overtaken or entangled The Rules therefore laid down are suited to the streights of the souls of sinners in all such particular cases Lastly There was somewhat in particular added in the close of the Objection which although it be not directly in our way nor of any great importance in it self yet having been mentioned it is not unmeet to remove it out of the way that it may not leave intanglement upon the minds of any Now this is that some know not nor can give an account of the Time of their conversion unto God and therefore cannot be satisfied that the saving work of his grace hath passed upon them This is usually and ordinarily spoken unto And I shall therefore briefly give an account concerning it 1. It hath been shewed that in this matter there are many things whereon
unto us that is wanting in this matter For 1. There is forgiveness with God and this manifested revealed declared This manifestation of it is that which makes it the Object of our faith We believe things to be in God and with him not meerly and formally because they are so but because he hath manifested and revealed them so to be 1 John 1. 2. What he so declares it is our duty to believe or we frustrate the end of his Revelation 2. We are expresly commanded to believe and that upon the highest Promises and under the greatest penalties This Command is that which makes believing formally a duty Faith is a Grace as it is freely wrought in us by the Holy Ghost the root of all Obedience and duties as it is radically fixed in the heart But as it is commanded it is a duty and these Commands you know are several wayes expressed by Invitations Exhortations Propositions which all have in them the nature of Commands which take up a great part of the Books of the New Testament 3. It is a duty as we have shewed of the greatest concernment unto the Glory of God 4. Of the greatest importance unto our souls here and hereafter And these things were necessary to be added to bottom our ensuing Exhortations upon Evidences that most men do not believe Forgiveness That which should now ensue is the peculiar improvement of this Truth all along aimed at namely to give Exhortations and encouragements unto believing But I can take few steps in this work wherein methinks I do hear some saying Surely all this is needless Who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose I shall therefore before I perswade any unto it endeavour to shew that they do it not already Many I say the most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel do wofully deceive their own souls in this matter They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe and what they think they believe Men talk of fundamental Errors this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into and the most pernitious It is made up of these two parts 1. They do not indeed believe forgiveness 2. They suppose they do believe it which keeps them from seeking after their only remedy Both these mistakes are in the foundation and do ruine the souls of them that live and die in them I shall then by a brief enquiry put this matter to a tryal By some plain Rules and Principles may this important Question whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no be answered and decided But to the Resolution intended I shall premise two Observations 1. Men in this case are very apt to deceive themselves Self-love vain Hopes liking of Lust common false Principles sloth unwillingness unto self-examination Reputation with the World and it may be in the Church all vigorously concurr unto mens self-deceivings in this matter It is no easie thing for a soul to break through all these and all self-reasonings that rise from them to come unto a clear judgement of its own acting in dealing with God about forgiveness Men also find a Common Presumption of this Truth and its being an easie relief against gripings of Conscience and disturbing thoughts about sin which they daily meet withall Aiming therefore only at the removal of trouble and finding their present Imagination of it sufficient thereunto they never bring their perswasion to the tryal 2. As men are apt to do thus so they actually do so they do deceive themselves and know not that they do so The last day will make this evident if men will no sooner be convinced of their folly When our Saviour told his Disciples that one of them twelve should betray him though it were but one of twelve that was in danger yet every one of the twelve made a particular enquiry about himself I will not say that one in each twelve is here mistaken But I am sure the Truth tells us That many are called and but few are chosen they are but few who do really believe forgiveness Is it not then incumbent on every one to be enquiring in what number he is likely to be found at the last day Whilst men put this enquiry off from themselves and think or say it may be the Concernment of others it is not mine they perish and that without remedy Remember what poor Jacob said when he had lost one Child and was afraid of the loss of another Gen. 43. 14. If I be bereaved of my Children I am bereaved As if he should have said if I lose my Children I have no more to lose they are my all Nothing worse can befall me in this world Comfort Joy yea Life and all go with them How much more may men say in this Case If we are deceived here we are deceived all is lost hope and life and soul all must perish and that for ever There is no help or relief for them who deceive themselves in this matter They have found out a way to go quietly down into the pit Now these things are premised only that they may be incentives unto self-examination in this matter and so render the ensuing Considerations usefull Let us then address our selves unto them 1. In General This is a Gospel Truth yea the great fundamental and most important Truth of the Gospel It is the turning point of the two Covenants as God himself declares Heb. 7. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Now a very easie Consideration of the wayes and walkings of men will satisfie us as to this Enquiry whether they do indeed believe the Gospel the Covenant of Grace and the fundamental Principles of it Certainly their Ignorance Darkness Blindness their Corrupt Affections and Worldly Conversations their Earthly-mindedness and open disavowing of the Spirit Wayes and Yoke of Christ speak no such language Shall we think that proud heady worldly self-seckers haters of the people of God and his wayes despisers of the Spirit of Grace and his work Sacrificers to their own lusts and such like do believe the Covenant of Grace or Remission of sins God forbid we should entertain any one thought of so great dishonour to the Gospel Where ever that is received or believed it produceth other effects Tit. 2. 11 12. Isa. 11 6 7 8 9. It teacheth men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts It changeth their hearts natures and wayes It is not such a barren impotent and fruitless thing as such an Apprehension would represent it 2. They that really believe forgiveness in God do thereby obtain forgiveness Believing gives an interest in it it brings it home to the soul concerned This is the inviolable Law of the Gospel Believing and forgiveness are inseparably conjoyned Among the Evidences that we may have of any one being interested in forgiveness I shall only name one They prize and value
nature of this conviction of sin which you say you have Is it not made up of these two ingredients 1. A general notion that you are sinners as all men also are 2. Particular troublesome reflections upon your selves when on any eruption of sin Conscience accuses rebukes condemns You will say yes what would you require more This is not the Conviction we are enquiring after That is a work of the Spirit by the Word this you speak of a meer Natural work which you can no more be without than you can cease to be men This will give no Assistance unto the receiving of forgiveness But it may be you will say you have proceeded farther than so and these things have had an improvement in you Let us then a little try whether your process have been according to the mind of God And so whether this invincible barr in your way be removed or no. For although every convinced person do not believe forgiveness yet no one who is not convinced doth so Have you then been made sensible of your condition by Nature what it is to be alienated from the life of God and to be obnoxious to his wrath Have you been convinced of the Universal Enmity that is in your hearts to the mind of God and what it is to be at Enmity against God Hath the unspeakable multitude of the sins of your lives been set in order by the Law before you And have you considered what it is for sinners such sinners as you are to have to deal with a Righteous and a holy God Hath the Holy Ghost wrought a serious Recognition in your hearts of all these things and caused them to abide with you and upon you If you will answer truly you must say many of you that indeed you have not been so exercised You have heard of these things many times but to say that you have gone through with this work and have had Experience of them that you cannot do Then I say you are strangers to forgiveness because you are strangers unto sin But and if you shall say that you have had thoughts to this purpose and are perswaded that you have been throughly convinced of sin I shall yet ask you one Question more what Effects hath your Conviction produced in your hearts and lives Have you been filled with perplexities and consternation of Spirit thereupon Have you had fears dreads or terrors to wrestle withall It may be you will say No Nor will I insist upon that enquiry but this I deal with you in Hath it filled you with self-loathing and Abhorrency with self-condemnation and abasement If it will do any thing this it will do If you come short here it is justly to be feared that all your other pretences are of no value Now where there is no work of conviction there is no faith of forgiveness whatever is pretended And how many vain boasters this sword will cut off is evident 7. We have yet a greater evidence than all these Men live in sin and therefore they do not believe forgiveness of sin Faith in general purifies the heart Acts 15. 19. Our souls are purified in obeying the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 22. and the life is made fruitful by it James 2. 22. Faith worketh by works and makes it self perfect by them And the Doctrine concerning forgiveness hath a special influence into all Holiness Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny all unrighteousness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that is the Grace whereof we speak No man can then believe forgiveness of sin without a detestation and relinquishment of it The ground of this might be farther manifested and the way of the Efficacy of faith of forgiveness unto a forsaking of sin if need were But all that own the Gospel must acknowledge this principle The real belief of the Pardon of sin is prevalent with men not to live longer in sin But now what are the greatest number of those who pretend to receive this Truth Are their hearts purified by it Are their consciences purged Are their lives changed Do they deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Doth forgiveness teach them so to do Have they found it effectual to these purposes Whence is it then that there is such a bleating and bellowing to the contrary amongst them Some of you are Drunkards some of you Swearers some of you unclean persons some of you lyars some of you worldly some of you haters of all the wayes of Christ and all his concernments upon the Earth proud covetous boasters self-seekers envious wrathful backbiters malitious praters slanderers and the like And shall we think that such as these believe forgiveness of sin God forbid Again Some of you are dark ignorant blind utterly unacquainted with the mysterie of the Gospel nor do at all make it your business to enquire into it Either you hear it not at all or negligently slothfully customarily to no purpose Let not such persons deceive their own souls to live in sin and yet to believe the forgiveness of sin is utterly impossible Christ will not be a Minister of sin nor give his Gospel to be a Doctrine of licentiousness for your sakes Nor shall you be forgiven that you may be delivered to do more Abominations God forbid If any shall say that they thank God they are no such Publicans as those mentioned they are no drunkards no swearers no unclean persons nor the like so that they are not concerned in this consideration Their lives and their duties give another account of them then yet consider further That the Pharisees were all that you say of your selves and yet the greatest despisers of forgiveness that ever were in the world and that because they hated the light on this account that their deeds were evil And for your duties you mention what I pray is the root and spring of them are they influenced from this Faith of forgiveness you boast of or no May it not be feared that it is utterly otherwise you do not perform them because you love the Gospel but because you fear the Law If the truth were known I doubt it would appear that you get nothing by your believing of pardon but an encouragement unto sin Your Goodness such as it is springs from another root It may be also that you ward your selves by it against the strokes of Conscience or the guilt of particular sins this is as bad as the other It is as good be encouraged unto sin to commit it as be encouraged under sin so as to be kept from humiliation for it None under Heaven are more remote from the belief of Grace and Pardon than such persons are All their Righteousness is from the Law and their Sin in a great measure from the Gospel 8. They that believe forgiveness in a due manner believe it for the Ends and Purposes for which it is revealed of God
because he hath more opposition more Temptation Isa. 41. 17. And sense of the want of all is a great sign of somewhat in the soul. 2. As to what was alledged to the nothingness the selfishness of Duty I say It is certain whilest we are in the flesh our duties will taste of the vessel whence they proceed Weakness defilements treachery hypocrisie will attend them To this purpose whatever some pretend to the contrary is the Complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 6. The Chaffe oftentimes is so mixed with the Wheat that Corn can scarce be discerned And this know that the more spiritual any man is the more be sees of his unspiritualness in his spiritual Duties An outside performance will satisfie an outside Christian. Job abhorred himself most when he knew himself best The clearer discoveries we have had of God the viler will every thing of self appear Nay further duties and performances are oftentimes very ill measured by us and those seem to be first which indeed are last and those to be last which indeed are first I do not doubt but a man when he hath had distractions to wrestle withall no outward advantage to further him no extraordinary provocations of hope fear or sorrow on a natural account in his duty may rise from his knees with thoughts that he hath done nothing in his duty but provoked God when there hath been more workings of Grace in contending with the deadness cast on the soul by the condition that it is in than when by a concurrence of moved natural affections and outward provocations a frame hath been raised that hath to the party himself seemed to reach to Heaven so that it may be this perplexity about duties is nothing but what is common to the people of God and which ought to be no obstruction to peace and settlement 2. As to the pretence of Hypocrisie you know what is usually answered it is one thing to do a thing in hypocrisie another not to do it without a mixture of hypocrisie Hypocrisie in its long extent is every thing that for matter or manner comes short of sincerity Now our sincerity is no more perfect than our other graces so that in its measure it abides with us and adheres to all we do In like manner it is one thing to do a thing for vain glory and to be seen of men another not to be able wholly to keep off the subtle insinuations of self and vain glory He that doth a thing in hypocrisie and for vain glory is satisfied with some corrupt end obtained though he be sensible that he sought such an end He that doth a thing with a mixture of hypocrisie that is with some breaches upon the degrees of his sincerity with some insensible advancements in performance on outward considerations is not satisfied with a self end attained and is dissatisfied with the defect of his sincerity In a word wouldst thou yet be sincere and dost endeavour so to be in private duties and in publick performances in praying hearing giving alms zealous actings for Gods glory and the Love of the Saints though these duties are not it may be sometimes done without sensible hypocrisie I mean as traced to its most subtle insinuations of self and vain glory yet are they not done in hypocrisie nor do not denominate the persons by whom they are performed hypocrites Yet I say of this as of all that is spoken before it is of use to relieve us under a troubled condition of none to support us or incourage us unto an abode in it 3. Know that God despiseth not small things he takes notice of the least breathings of our hearts after him when we our selves can see nor perceive no such thing He knows the mind of the spirit in those workings which are never formed to that height that we can reflect upon them with our observation Every thing that is of him is noted in his Book though not in ours He took notice that when Sarah was acting unbelief towards him yet that she shewed respect and regard to her Husband calling him Lord Gen. 18. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. And even whilst his people are sinning he can find something in their hearts words or waies that pleaseth him much more in their duties He is a skilfull refiner that can find much Gold in that Ore where we see nothing but Lead or Clay He remembers the duties which we forget and forgets the sins which we remember He justifies our persons though ungodly and will also our duties though not perfectly godly 4. To give a little further support in reference unto our wretched miserable duties and to them that are in perplexities on that account know that Jesus Christ takes out whatever is evil and unsavoury out of them and makes them acceptable When an unskilfull servant gathers many herbs flowers and weeds in a Garden you gather them out that are usefull and cast the rest out of sight Christ deals so with our performances All the ingredients of self that are in them on any account he takes away and adds Incense to what remains and presents it to God Exod. 28. 36. This is the cause that the Saints at the last day when they meet their own duties and performances they know them not they are so changed from what they were when they went of their hand Lord when saw we thee naked or hungry so that God accepts a little and Christ makes our little a great deal 5. Is this an Argument to keep thee from believing The Reason why thou art no more Holy is because thou hast no more faith If thou hast no holiness it is because thou hast no saith Holiness is the purifying of the heart by faith or our Obedience unto the Truth And the reason why thou art no more in duty is because thou art no more in believing the reason why thy duties are weak and imperfect is because thy faith is weak and imperfect Hast thou no holiness believe that thou maist have hast thou but a little or that which is imperceptible be stedfast in believing that thou maist abound in Obedience Do not resolve not to eat thy meat until thou art strong when thou hast no means of being strong but by eating thy bread which strengthens the heart of man Object 4. The powerfull tumulating of indwelling sin or corruption is another cause of the same kind of trouble and despondency They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof But we find say some several corruptions working effectually in our hearts carrying us captive to the Law of sin They disquiet with their power as well as with their guilt Had we been made partakers of the Law of the Spirit of Life we had ere this been more set free from the Law of sin and death Had sin been pardoned fully it would have been subdued more effectually There are three Considerations which make the actings of indwelling sin to be so perplexing to
are is known Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing of the Word Dispensation of the Sacraments they are all appointed to this purpose they are all means of communicating Love and Grace to the soul. Be not then heartless or slothfull up and be doing attend with diligence to the Word of Grace be fervent in prayer assiduous in the use of all Ordinances of the Church in one or other of thern at one time or other thou wilt meet with him whom thy soul loveth and God through him will speak peace unto thee Thirdly There is Expectation in it which lyes in a direct opposition to all the actings of unbelief in this matter and is the very life and soul of the duty under consideration So the Psalmist declares it Psal. 62. 5. My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is only from him The soul will not cannot in a due manner wait on God unless it hath Expectations from him unless as James speaks he looks to receive somewhat from him chap. 1. 7. The soul in this condition regards forgiveness not only as by its self it is desired but principally as it is by God promised Thence they expect it This is expressed in the fourth Proposition before laid down namely that sin-distressed souls wait for God with earnestness intention of mind and expectation As this ariseth from the redoubling of the Expression so principally from the nature of the Comparison that he makes of himself in his waiting with them that watch for the morning Those that watch for the morning do not only desire it and prepare for it but they expect it and know assuredly that it will come Though darkness may for a time be troublesome and continue longer than they would desire yet they know that the morning hath its appointed time of return beyond which it will not tarry and therefore they look out for its Appearance on all occasions so it is with the soul in this matter So sayes David Psal. 5. 3. I will direct my prayer unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and look up So we the words before are defective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the morning or rather every morning I will order unto thee We restrain this unto prayer I will direct my peayer unto thee But this was expressed directly in the words foregoing In the morning thou shalt hear my voice that is the voice of my prayer and supplications as it is often supplied And although the Psalmist doth sometime repeat the same thing in different Expressions yet here he seemeth not so to do but rather proceeds to declare the general frame of his spirit in walking with God I will saith he order all things towards God so as that I may wait upon him in the waies of his appoinment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will look up It seems in our Translation to express his posture in his prayer But the Word is of another importance It is diligently to look out after that which is coming towards us a looking out after the Accomplishment of our Expectation This is a part of our waiting for God yea as was said the life of it that which is principally intended in it The Prophet calls it his standing upon his watch tower and watching to see what God would speak unto him Hab. 2. 3. namely in answer unto that prayer which he put up in his trouble He is now waiting in Expectation of an answer from God And this is that which poor weak trembling sinners are so encouraged unto Isa. 53. 3 4. Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be strong fear not behold your God will come Weakness and discouragements are the effects of Unbelief These he would have removed with an Expectation of the coming of God unto the soul according to the Promise And this I say belongs unto the waiting of the soul in the condition described Such a one doth expect and hope that God will in his season manifest himself and his Love unto him and give him an experimental sense of a blessed interest in forgiveness And the accomplishment of this purpose and promise of God it looks out after continually It will not despond and be heartless but stir up and strengthen it self unto a full expectation to have the desires of his soul satisfied in due time as we find David doing in places almost innumerable This is the duty that in the first place is recommended unto the soul who is perswaded that there is forgiveness with God but sees not its own interest therein Wait on or for the Lord. And it hath two properties when it is performed in a due manner namely patience and perseverance By the one men are kept to the length of Gods time by the other they are preserved in a due length of their own duty And this is that which was laid down in the first Proposition drawn from the words namely that continuance in watching until God appears unto the soul is necessary as that without which we cannot attain what we look after and prevailing as that wherein we shall never fail God is not to be limited nor his times prescribed unto him We know our way and the end of our Journey but our stations of especial rest we must wait for at his mouth as the people did in the wilderness When David comes to deal with God in his great distress he sayes unto him O Lord thou art my God my times are in thine hand Psal. 31. 14 15. His times of trouble and of peace of darkness and of light he acknowledged to be in the hand and at the disposal of God so that it was his duty to wait his time and season for his share and portion in them During this state the soul meets with many Oppositions difficulties and perplexities especially if its darkness be of long continuance as with some it abides many years with some all the daies of their lives Their hope being hereby deferred makes their hearts sick and their spirit oftentimes to faint and this fainting is a defect in waiting for want of perseverance and continuance which frustrates the End of it So David Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord. Had I not received supportment by faith I had fainted And wherein doth that consist what was the fainting which he had been overtaken withall without the supportment mentioned it was a relinquishment of waiting on God as he manifests by the Exhortation which he gives to himself and others v. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Wait with courage and resolution that thou faint not And the Apostle puts the blessed Event of Faith and Obedience upon the avoidance of this evil Gal. 6. 9. We shall reap if we faint not Hence we have both encouragements given against it and promises that in the
as to a sense and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Christ procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the Attonement It flourisheth not without his sealing witnessing establishing and shedding abroad the Love of God in our hearts See Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. And what Believer ought not to long for and press after the enjoyment of these things Nay to read of these things in the Gospel not experiencing them in our own hearts and yet to sit down quietly on this side of them without continual pressing after them is to despise the blood of Christ the Spirit of Grace and the whole work of Gods Love If there are no such things the Gospel is not true if there are and we press not after them we are despisers of the Gospel Surely he hath not the Spirit who would not have more of him all of him that is promised by Christ. These things are the hundred fold that Christ hath left us in this world to counterpoise our sorrows troubles and losses And shall we be so foolish as to neglect our only abiding riches and treasures In particular it is the product of an exercised vigorous active faith That our faith should be such alwayes in every state and condition I suppose it our duty to endeavour Not only our comforts but our Obedience also depends upon it The more faith that is true and of the right kind the more obedience For all our obedience is the obedience of faith 2. For its own fruit and what it produceth they are the choicest actings of our souls towards God as Love delight rejoycing in the Lord Peace Joy and Consolation in our selves readiness to do or suffer chearfulness in so doing If they grow not from this root yet their flourishing wholly depends upon it So that surely it is the duty of every Believer to break through all difficulties in pressing after this particular Assurance The Objections that persons raise against themselves in this case may afterwards be considered 2. In ordinary dispensations of God towards us and dealings with us it is mostly our own negligence and sloth that we come short of this Assurance It is true it depends in a peculiar manner on the Soveraignty of God He is as absolute in giving Peace to believers as in giving Grace to sinners This takes place and may be proposed as a relief in times of tryals and distress He createth light and causeth darkness as he pleaseth But yet considering what Promises are made unto us What encouragements are given us what love and tenderness there is in God to receive us I cannot but conclude that ordinarily the cause of our coming short of this Assurance is where I have fixed it And this is the first thing that is supposed in the foregoing Assertion Secondly It is supposed that there is or may be a saving perswasion or discovery of forgiveness in God Where there is no Assurance of any particular interest therein or that our own sins in particular are pardoned This is that which hath a Promise of gracious Acceptance with God and is therefore saving Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is the fear of the Lord and Obedience with a blessed encouragement to rest in God and his Alsufficiency yet no Assurance nor light but darkness and that walked in or continued in for a long season For he cannot walk in darkness meet with nothing but darkness without any beam or ray of Light as the words signifie who is perswaded of the Love of God in the pardon of his sins And yet the faith of such an one and his Obedience springing from it have this Gracious Promise of Acceptance with God And innumerable testimonies to this purpose might be produced and instances in great plenty I shall only tender a little Evidence unto it in one Observation concerning the nature of faith and one more about the proposal of the thing to be believed or forgiveness And 1. Faith is called and is a cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4. 4. Ye that did cleave or adhere unto the Lord that is who did believe Josh. 23. 8. cleave or adhere unto the Lord your God The same word is used also in the New Testament Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord or continue stedfast in believing It is also often expressed by trusting in the Lord rolling our burden or casting our care upon him by committing our selves or our wayes unto him Now all this goes no further than the souls Resignation of it self unto God to be dealt withall by him according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace ratified in the blood of Christ. This a soul cannot do without a discovery of forgiveness in God But this a soul may do without a special Assurance of his own interest therein This faith that thus adheres to God that cleaves to him will carry men to conclude that it is their Duty and their Wisdom to give up the disposal of their souls unto God and to cleave and adhere unto him as revealed in Christ waiting the pleasure of his Will It enables them to make Christ their choice and will carry men to Heaven safely though it may be at some seasons not very comfortably 2. The Revelation and discovery of forgiveness that is made in the Gospel evidenceth the same truth The first proposal of it or concerning it is not to any man that his sins are forgiven No but it is only that there is Redemption and forgiveness of sins in Christ. So the Apostle layes it down Acts 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses All this may be believed without a mans Assurance of his own personal interest in the things mentioned Now where they are believed with the faith the Gospel requires that faith is saving and the root of Gospel acceptable Obedience The Ransome I say the Attonement by Christ the fulness of the Redemption that is in him and so Forgiveness in his blood for Believers from the Good Will Grace and Love of the Father is the first Gospel discovery that a sinner in a saving manner closeth withal Particular Assurance ariseth or may arise afterwards and this also is supposed in the Assertion 2. That which is affirmed in it is That a discovery of forgiveness in God without any particular Assurance of personal interest therein is a great supportment to a sin entangled soul. And let no man despise the day of this small thing small in the eyes of some and those good men also as
of the soul. 1. A Resolution to abide with God and to commit all unto him This the word as was observed teaches us There is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared Because this I found this I am perswaded of therefore I will abide with him in the way of his Fear and Worship This our Saviour calls unto John 15. 4. Abide in me except you do so ye can hear no fruit So the Lord representing his taking of the Church unto himself under the Type of the Prophets taking an Adulteress in vision doth it on these terms Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee Now this abiding with God intimates two things 1. Oppositions Solicitations and Temptations unto the contrary 2. Forbearing to make any other choice as unto that end for which we abide with God 1. It argues Oppositions To abide to be stable and permanent is to be so against Oppositions Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it In Fears especially that it shall not hold out that it shall be rejected at last that all is nought and â—ypocritical with it that it shall not be forgiven that God indeed regards it not and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes which seem often as the giving up of the Ghost will assault it Again Oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin contrary to the Life of faith And these often proceed to an high degree of prevalency so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy I shall one day perish by these means saith the soul if I am not already lost But now where faith hath made this discovery of forgiveness the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and Oppositions It will not leave him it will not give over waiting for him So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself Psal. 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt and v. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain but yet after all his conflicts this at last he comes unto v. 26. Though my flesh and my heart faileth yet v. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto God I will yet abide with God I will not let go his fear nor my profession Although I walk weakly lamely unevenly yet I will still follow after him As it was with the Disciples when many upon a strong temptation went back from Christ and walked no more with him Jesus said unto them will ye go away also to which Peter replyes in the name of the rest of them Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life John 6. 66 67 68. It is thus and thus with me saith the soul I am tossed and afflicted and not comforted little life little strength real guilt many sins and much disconsolation What then faith God by his word Wilt thou go away also no saith the soul there is forgiveness with thee thou hast the words of Eternal Life and therefore I will abide with thee 2. This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice Whilst the soul is in this condition having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness Many Lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter The former tenders it self as exceeding useful to give the soul some Help Assistance and supportment in its condition Samuel doth not come saith Saul and the Philistins invade me I will venture and offer Sacrifice my self contrary to the Law The Promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief it hath no evidence as to an especial interest in forgiveness Temptation invades the mind try thy self sayes it to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing And this is to play the harlot from God To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises it self like the Wise of Jeroboam when she went to the Prophet Sometimes it appears as duty sometimes as signs and tokens but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness it will not give ear to these solicitations No saith it I see such a Beauty such an Excellency such a desireableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition in that forgiveness that is with God that I am resolved to abide in the Gospel desire and expectation of it all the dayes of my life here my choice is fixed and I will not alter And this Resolution gives glory to the Grace of God When the soul without an evidence of an interest in it yet prefers it above that which with many reasonings and pretences offers it self as a present relief unto it Hereby is God glorified and Christ exalted and the spiritual life of the soul secured 2. This discovery of forgiveness in God with the effects of it before mentioned will produce a Resolution of waiting on God for peace and consolation in his own time and way He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. not make haste to what not to the enjoyment of the thing believed Haste argues precipitation and impatience this the soul that hath this discovery is freed from resolving to wait the time of Gods appointment for peace and consolation God speaking of his accomplishment of his Promises sayes I the Lord will hasten it Isa. 60. 22. Well then if God will hasten it may not we hasten to it nay saith he I will hasten it but in its time All oppositions and impediments considered it shall be hastned but in its time its due time its appointed time And this the soul is to wait for and so it will As when Jacob had seen the beauty of Rachel and loved her he was contented to wait seven years for the enjoyment of her to be his wife and thought no time long no toyle too hard that he might obtain her so the soul having discovered the beauty and excellency of forgiveness as it is with God as it is in his gracious Heart in his eternal purpose in the Blood of Christ in the Promise of the Gospel is resolved to wait quietly and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up unto it it s own personal interest therein Even one experimental embracement of it even at the hour of death doth well deserve the waiting and obedience of the whole course of a mans life And this the Psalmist manifests to have been the Effect produced in his heart and spirit For upon this discovery of forgiveness in God he resolveth both to wait upon him himself and encourageth others so to do 3. This prepares
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâ—w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting A great sinner saith he the chiefest of sinners I was which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin I was saith he a blasphemer the highest sin against God a Persecutor the highest sin against the Saints Injurious the highest wickednes towards mankind But saith he I obtained mercy I am pardoned and that with a blessed effect First That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant And what was the Reason what was the cause that he was thus dealt withal Why it was that he might be a pattern an Evidence an Argument that there was Grace Mercy Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting To conclude then this Evidence Every one who is now in Heaven hath his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are as it were hanged up in the Gospel they are all enrolled in the Promises thereof for the encouragement of them that stand in need of forgiveness to come and sue out theirs also Fear not then the Guilt of sin but the Love of it and the power of it If we love and like sin better than forgiveness we shall assuredly go without it If we had but rather be pardoned in Gods way than perish our condition is secure V. The same is evident from the Patience of God towards the world and the end of it For the clearing hereof we may observe 1. That upon the first entrance of sin and breach of that Covenant which God had made with mankind in Adam he might immediately have executed the Threatned Curse and have brought eternal death upon them that sinned Justice required that it should be so and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or a respite of vengeance And had God then sent sinning man with the Apostate Angels that induced him into sin immediately into eternal destruction he would have been glorified in his Righteousness and Severity by and among the Angels that sinned not or he could have created a new race of innocent creatures to have worshipped him and glorified him for his Righteous Judgement even as all the Elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men 2. God hath not taken this course He hath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth he hath watched over them with his Providence and exercised exceeding Patience forbearance and longsuffering towards them This the Apostle Paul at large discourseth on Acts 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. as also Rom. 2. 4. And it is open and manifest in their event The whole world is every day filled with tokens of the power and patience of God Every Nation every City every Family is filled with them 3. That there is a common Abuse of this patience of God visible in the world in all Generations So it was of old God saw it to be so and complained of it Gen. 6. 5 6. All the evil sin wickedness that hath been in the world which no heart can conceive no tongue can express hath been all an abuse of this patience of God This with the most is the consequent of Gods patience and forbearance Men count it a season to fulfill all the abominations that their evil hearts can suggest unto them or Satan draw them into a combination with himself in This the state of things in the world proclaims and every ones experience confirms 4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world enduring it in sin and wickedness for so long a season and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another Shall we think that God hath no other design in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all It is confessed that this is the Consequent the event of it with the most through their perverse wickedness with their love of sin and pleasure But is this the design of God his only design hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness Ignorance and Rebellion against him whose damnation is just and sleepeth not but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death God forbid yea such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature and which all his works manifest and declare Whatever therefore it be this cannot be the design of God in his patience towards the world It cannot be but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them 5. If this Patience of God hath any other Intention towards any any other effect upon some upon any that is to be reckoned the principal End of it and for the sake whereof it is evidently extended unto some others consiquentially unto all For those concerning whom God hath an especial design in his patience being to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof the patience which is extended unto them must also of necessity reach unto all in that variety wherein God is pleased to exercise it The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God and the fruits of it for the sake of some that are in it 6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience and what it teacheth us Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected unless there be forgiveness of sins with God Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath anger severity and a Resolution to destroy Now this is an abomination once to suppose and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God Let a Man but deal thus and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind and perverse as any can befall him Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults for no other end or with no other design but that he
are said to learn the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4. 21. It is in Jesus originally and from really and from him it is communicated unto us by the Word We are thereby taught and do learn it for thereby as the Apostle proceeds we are renued in the Spirit of our mind and do put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness ver 23 24. First the Truth is in Jesus then it is expressed in the Word this Word learned and believed becomes Grace in the heart every way answering unto the Lord Christ his Image from whom this transforming Truth did thus proceed Nay this is carried by the Apostle yet higher namely unto God the Father himself whose Image Christ is and Believers his through the Word 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord whereunto add Chap. 4. 6. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The first pattern or example of all Truth and Holiness is God himself hereof Christ is the Image ver 4. Christ is the Image of God The brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1. 3. The Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. Hence we are said to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ because he being his Image the Love Grace and Truth of the Father are represented and made conspicuous in him For we are said to behold it in his face because of the open and illustrious manifestation of the glory of God in him And how do we behold this glory in a Glass as in a glass that is in the Gospel which hath the Image and likeness of Christ who is the Image of God reflected upon it and communicated unto it So have we traced Truth and Grace from the Person of the Father unto the Son as Mediator and thence transfused into the Word In the Father it is Essentially in Jesus Christ originally and exemplarily and in the Word as in a transcript or Copy But doth it abide there No God by the Word of the Gospel shines into our hearts Chap. 4 6. He irradiates our minds with a saving light into it and apprehension of it And what thence ensues the soul of a believer is changed into the same Image by the effectual working of the Holy Ghost Chap. 3. 18. that is the likeness of Christ implanted on the Word is impressed on the soul it self whereby it is renewed into the Image of God whereunto it was at first created This brings all into a perfect Harmony There is not where Gospel Truth is effectually received and experienced in the soul only a consonancy meerly between the soul and the Word but between the soul and Christ by the Word and the soul and God by Christ. And this gives assured establishment unto the soul in the things that it doth believe Divine Truth so conveyed unto us is firm stable and immoveable And we can say of it in a spiritual sense that which we have heard that which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life we know to be true Yea a Believer is a Testimony to the certainty of truth in what he is much beyond what he is in all that he saith Words may be pretended Real effects have their Testimony inseparably annexed unto them 3. Hence it appears that there must needs be great Assurance of those Truths which are thus received and believed For hereby are the senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 15. 14. Where there is a spiritual sense of Truth of the Good and Evil that is in Doctrines from an inward experience of what is so good and from thence an Aversation unto the contrary and this obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of an habit or an habitual frame of heart there is strength there is stedfasiness and Assurance This is the teaching of the Unction which will not which cannot deceive Hence many of old and of late that could not dispute could yet dye for the truth He that came to another and went about to prove by Sophistical reasonings that there was no such thing as motion had only this return from him who either was not able to answer his cavilling or unwilling to put himself to trouble about it he arose and walking up and down gave him a real confutation of his Sophystrie It is so in this case when a soul hath a real experience of the Grace of God of the Pardon of sins of the Vertue and Efficacy of the death of Christ of Justification by his blood and peace with God by believing let men or Devils or Angels from Heaven oppose these things if it cannot answer their Sophisms yet he can rise up and walk he can with all holy confidence and Assurance oppose his own satisfying experience unto all their arguings and suggestions A man will not be disputed out of what he sees and feels And a Believer will abide as firmly by his spiritual sense as any man can by his natural This is the meaning of that Prayer of the Apostle Col. 2. 2. That your hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all riches of the full Assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ. Understanding in the mysteries of the Gospel they had but he prayes that by a farther experience of it they might come to the Assurance of understanding To be true is the property of the Doctrine it self to be certain or assured is the property of our minds Now this experience doth so unite the mind and truth that we say such a Truth is most certain whereas certainty is indeed the property of our minds or their knowledge and not of the truth known It is certain unto us that is we have an assured knowledge of it by the Experience we have of it This is the Assurance of Understanding here mentioned And he further prayes that we may come to the Riches of this Assurance that is to an abundant plentiful Assurance And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the acknowledgement of the Mysterie of God owning it from a sense and experience of its excellency and worth And this is in the Nature of all Gospel Truths they are fitted and suited to be experienced by a believing soul. There is nothing in them so sublime and high nothing so mysterious nothing so seemingly low and outwardly contemptible but that a gracious soul hath experience of an Excellency Reality Power and Efficacy in it all For instance look on that which concerns the Order and Worship of the Gospel This seems to many to be a meer
Son in this manner to testifie it And he did it because it could no other way be brought about as hath been declared Do we doubt whether there be forgiveness with God or no or whether we shall obtain it if we address our selves unto him for to be made partakers of it Consider the Condition of his Son in the world review his Afflictions Poverty Temptation Sorrows Sufferings Then ask our souls To what end was all this And if we can find any other design in it any other Reason Cause or Necessity of it but only and meerly to testifie and declare that there is forgiveness with God and to purchase and procure the Communication of it unto us let us abide in and perish under our fears But if this be so we have sufficient warranty to assure our souls in the expectation of it 4. Besides all this there ensues upon what went before that great and wonderfull Issue in the death of the Son of God This thing was great and marvellous and we may a little enquire into what it was that was designed therein And hereof the Scripture gives us a full account As 1. That he dyed to make Attonement for Sin or Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. He gave his life a ransom for the sins of many Matth. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. He was in it made sin that others might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 20. Rom. 8. 3. Therein he bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. This was the state of this matter Notwithstanding all the Love Grace and condescention before mentioned yet our sins were of that nature and so directly opposite unto the Justice and Holiness of God that unless Attonement were made and a Price of Redemption paid there could be no Pardon no forgiveness obtained This therefore he undertook to do and that by the Sacrifice of himself answering all that was prefigured by and represented in the Sacrifices of old as the Apostle largely declares Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And herein is the forgiveness that is in God copied out and exemplified so clearly and evidently that he that cannot read it will be cursed unto Eternity Yea and let him be accursed for what can be more required to justifie God in his eternal destruction He that will not believe his Grace as testified and exemplified in the Blood of his Son let him perish without remedy Yea but 2. The Curse and Sentence of the Law lyes on record against sinners It puts in its Demands against our acquittance and layes an obligation upon us unto punishment And God will not reject nor destroy his Law unless it be answered there is no acceptance for sinners This therefore in the next place his death was designed unto As he satisfied and made Attonement by it unto Justice that was the fountain spring and cause of the Law so he fulfilled and answered the demands of the Law as it was an Effect of the Justice of God So Rom. 8. 13. He suffered in the likeness of sinful flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled and answered He answered the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And so became as to the Obedience of the Law the end of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 3 4. And as to the penalty that it threatned he bore it removed it and took it out of the way So hath he made way for forgiveness through the very heart of the Law it hath not one word to speak against the pardon of them that do believe But 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan he layes a claim unto them and by what means shall they be rescued from his interest and dominion This also his death was designed to accomplish For as he was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. So by death he destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. That is to despoil him of his Power to destroy his Dominion to take away his plea unto sinners that believe as we have at large elsewhere declared And by all these things with many other concernments of his death that might be instanced in we are abundantly secured of the forgiveness that is with God And of his willingness that we should be made partakers thereof 5. Is this all Did his Work cease in his death Did he no more for the securing of the forgiveness of sins unto us but only that he dyed for them Yes he lives also after death for the same end and purpose This Son of God in that nature which he assumed to expiate sin by death lives again after death to secure unto us and to compleat the forgiveness of sins And this he doth two wayes 1. Being raised from that death which he underwent to make Attonement for sin by the Power and Good Will of God he evidenceth and testifieth unto us that he hath fully performed the work he undertook and that in our behalf and for us he hath received a discharge Had he not answered the guilt of sin by his death he had never been raised from it 2. He lives after death a Mediatory Life to make intercession for us that we may receive the forgiveness of sin as also himself to give it out unto us which things are frequently made use of to encourage the souls of men to believe and therefore shall not at present be further insisted on Thus then stands this matter that Mercy might have a way to exercise it self in forgiveness with a consistency unto the Honour of the Righteousness and Law of God was the Son of God so sent for the ends and purposes mentioned Now herein consisteth the greatest Work that God did ever perform or ever will It was the most eminent product of Infinite Wisdom Goodness Grace and Power And herein do all the Excellencies of God shine forth more gloriously than in all the works of his hands Let us then wisely ponder and consider this matter let us bring our own souls with their Objections unto this Evidence and see what exception we have to lay against it I know nothing will satisfie unbelief the design of it is to make the soul find that to be Iso hereafter which it would perswade it of here namely that there is no forgiveness in God And Satan who makes use of this Engine knows full well that there is none for them who believe there is none or rather will not believe that there is any For it will at the last day be unto men according unto their faith or unbelief He that believeth aright and he that believeth not that forgiveness is with God as to their own particulars shall neither of them be deceived But what is it that can be reasonably excepted against this evidence this foundation of our faith in this matter God hath not sent his Son in vain which
in those other fundamental duties of the Gospel in self-denyal readiness for the Cross and forsaking the world is an Evidence if not how little sincerity there is in the World Yet at least it is of how little growing and thriving there is amongst Professors 3. That there is no Grace Vertue or Perfection in any man but what is as an Emanation from the Divine Goodness and Bounty so expressive of some Divine Excellencies or perfection somewhat that is in God in a way and manner Infinitely more Excellent We were created in the Image of God Whatever was good or comely in us was a part of that Image Especially the Ornaments of our Minds the perfections of our souls These things had in them a resemblance of and a correspondency unto some excellencies in God whereunto by the way of Analogie they may be reduced This being for the most part lost by sin a shadow of it only remaining in the faculties of our souls and that Dominion over the Creatures which is permitted unto men in the patience of God The recovery that we have by Grace is nothing but an initial Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 22. It is the implanting upon our natures those Graces which may render us again like unto him And nothing is Grace or Vertue but what so answers to somewhat in God So then whatever is in us of this kind is in God absolutely perfectly in a way and manner infinitely more excellent Let us now therefore put these things together God requires of us that there should be forgiveness in us for those that do offend us forgiveness without limitation and bounds The Grace hereof he bestoweth on his Saints sets an high price upon it and manifests many wayes that he accounts it among the most excellent of our endowments one of the most lovely and praise worthy qualifications of any person What then shall we now say Is there forgiveness with him or no He that made the Eye shall he not see He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that thus prescribes forgiveness to us that bestows the Grace of it upon us is there not forgiveness with him It is all one as to say though we are good yet God is not though we are Benign and Bountiful yet he is not He that finds this Grace wrought in him in any measure and yet fears that he shall not find it in God for himself doth therein and so far prefer himself above God which is the natural Effect of cursed unbelief But the Truth is were there not forgiveness with God forgiveness in man would be no vertue with all those qualities that encline thereto such are meekness pity patience compassion and the like Which what were it but to set loose Humane Nature to rage and madness For as every Truth consists in its answerableness to the Prime and Eternal Verity So vertue consists not absolutely nor primarily in a conformity to a rule of Command but in a Correspondency unto the first absolute perfect Being and its perfections Properties of Forgiveness The Greatness and Freedom of it The Arguments and Demonstrations foregoing have we hope undeniably evinced the great Truth we have insisted on which is the life and soul of all our Hope Profession Religion and Worship The end of all this Discourse is to lay a firm foundation for faith to rest upon in its addresses unto God for the forgiveness of sins as also to give encouragements unto all sorts of persons so to do This End remains now to be explained and pressed which work yet before we directly close withall two things are further to be premised And the first is to propose some of those Adjuncts of and Considerations about this forgiveness as may both encourage and necessitate us to seek out after it and to mix the Testimonies given unto it and the Promises of it with faith unto our Benefit and Advantage The other is to shew how needfull all this endeavour is upon the account of that great Unbelief which is in the most in this matter As to the first of these then we may consider First That this forgiveness that is with God is such as becomes him such as is suitable to his Greatness Goodness and all other Excellencies of his Nature such as that therein he will be known to be God What he sayes concerning some of the works of his Providence be still and know that I am God may be much more said concerning this great Effect of his Grace Still your souls and know that he is God It is not like that narrow difficult halving and manacled forgiveness that is found amongst men when any such thing is found amongst them But it is full free boundless bottomless absolute such as becomes his Nature and Excellencies It is in a word forgiveness that is with God and by the exercise whereofhe will be known so to be And hence 1. God himself doth really separate and distinguish his forgiveness from any thing that our thoughts and imaginations can reach unto and that because it is his and like himself It is an object for faith alone which can rest in that which it cannot comprehend It is never safer than when it is as it were overwhelmed with infiniteness But set meer rational thoughts or the imaginations of our minds at work about such things and they fall unconceivably short of them They can neither conceive of them aright nor use them unto their proper end and purpose Were not forgiveness in God somewhat beyond what men could imagine no flesh could be saved This himself expresseth Isa. 55. 7 8 9. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts They are as is plain in the context thoughts of forgiveness and wayes of Pardon whereof he speaks These our Apprehensions come short of we know little or nothing of the infinite largeness of his heart in this matter He that he speaks of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impiously wicked man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of deceit and perverse wickedness He whose design and course is nothing but a lye sin and iniquity Such an one as we would have little or no hopes of that we would scarce think it worth our while to deal withal about a hopeless Conversion or can scarce find in our hearts to pray for him but are ready to give him up as one profligate and desperate But let him turn to the Lord and he shall obtain forgiveness But how can this be Is it possible there should be mercy for such an one Yes For the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
holy God whom ye have provoked all your dayes and whom you yet continue to provoke who hath not the least need of you or your salvation who can when he pleaseth eternally glorifie himself in your destruction should of his own accord send unto you to let you know that he is willing to be at peace with you on the terms he had prepared The Enmity began on your part the danger is on your part only and he might justly expect that the message for peace should begin on your part also But he begins with you and shall he be rejected The Prophet well expresseth this Isa. 30. 15. Thus saith the Lord God the holy One of Israel in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength and you would not The Love and Condescention that is in these words on the one hand on the part of God and the folly and ingratitude mentioned in them on the other hand is inexpressible They are fearfull words But you would not Remember this against another day As our Saviour sayes in the like manner to the Jewes You will not come unto me that ye may have life Whatever is pretended it is will and stubbornness that lye at the bottom of this refusal Wherefore that either You may obtain Advantage by it or that the way of the Lord may be prepared for the Glorifying of himself upon you I shall leave this word before all them that hear or read it as the Testimony which God requires to be given unto his Grace There are terms of peace with God provided for you and tendred unto you It is yet called to day harden not your hearts like them of old who could not enter into the Rest of God by reason of unbelief Heb. 3. 19. Some of you it may be are old in sins and unacquainted with God some of you it may be have been great sinners scandalous sinners and some of you it may be have reason to apprehend your selves neer the grave and so also to hell some of you it may be have your Consciences disquieted and galled and it may be some of you are under some outward Troubles and Perplexities that cause you a little to look about you and some of you it may be are in the madness of your natural strength and lusts your breasts are full of milk and your bones of marrow and your hearts of sin pride and contempt of the wayes of God All is one This word is unto you all And I shall only mind you That it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God You hear the voyce or read the words of a poor worm but the Message is the Message and the Word is the Word of him who shaketh Heaven and Earth Consider then well what you have to do and what answer you will return unto him who will not be mocked But you will say Why what great matter is there that you have in hand why is it urged with so much earnestness We have heard the same words an hundred times over The last Lords day such a one or such a one preached to the same purpose And what need it be insisted on now again with so much importunity But is it so indeed that you have thus frequently been dealt withall and do yet continue in an Estate of irreconciliation my heart is pained for you to think of your wofull and almost remediless condition If he that being often reproved and yet stiffeneth his neck shall perish suddenly and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. how much more will he do so who being often invited unto Peace with God yet hardeneth his heart and refuseth to treat with him Methinks I hear his voyce concerning you Those mine enemies they shall not taste of the Supper that I have prepared Be it then that the word in hand is a common word unto you you set no value upon it then take your way and course in sin stumble fall and perish It is not so slight a matter to poor convinced sinners that tremble at the Word of God These will prize it and improve it We shall follow then that counsel Prov. 31. 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of an heavy heart We shall tender this New Wine of the Gospel to poor sad hearted conscience distressed sinners sinners that are ready to perish to them it will be pleasant they will drink of it and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more It shall take away all their sorrow and sadness when you shall be drunk with the fruit of your lusts and spue and lie down and not rise again But now if any of you shall begin to say in your hearts that you would willingly treat with God oh that the day were come wherein we might approach unto him let him speak what he pleaseth and propose what terms he pleaseth we are ready to hear Then consider Secondly That the Terms provided for you and proposed unto you are equal holy righteous yea pleasant and easie This being another General Head of our work in hand before I proceed to the further explication and confirmation of it I shall educe one or two Observations from what hath been delivered on the first As 1. See here on what foundation we preach the Gospel Many disputes there are whether Christ died for all individuals of Mankinde or no if we say No but only for the Elect who are some of all sorts some then tell us we cannot invite all men promiscuously to believe But why so we invite not men as all men no man as one of all men but all men as Sinners And we know that Christ died for Sinners But is this the first thing that we are in the dispensation of the Gospel to propose to the Soul of a sinner under the Law That Christ dyed for him in particular Is that the beginning of our Message unto him were not this a ready way to induce him to conclude Let me then continue in sin that Grace may abound No but this is in order of Nature our first work even that which we have had in hand This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the voyce of one crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. There is a way of Reconciliation provided God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself There is a way of acceptance there is Forgiveness with him to be obtained At this Threshold of the Lords house doth the greatest part of men to whom the Gospel is preached fall and perish never looking in to see the Treasures that are in the house it self never coming into any such state and condition wherein they have any ground or bottom to enquire whether Christ dyed for them in particular or no. They believe not this report nor take any serious notice of it This was the Ministry of the Baptist
into Eternity leads to the Glory of God the honour of Christ in the Gospel and your own comfortable account at the last day This encourageth the soul to labour to Trade to endeavour all things now looking forward and unto his advantage 4. Find you not in your selves an impotency a disability unto the dutyes of Obedience as to their performance unto God in an acceptable manner It may be you are not so sensible hereof as you ought to be For respecting only or principally the outward part and performance of dutyes you have not Experience of your own Weakness How to enliven and fill up Duties with Faith Love and Delight you know not and are therefore unacquainted with your own insufficiency in this matter yet if you have any Light any Convictions and to such I speak at present you cannot but perceive and understand that you are not able in your Obedience to answer what you aim at you have not strength or power for it Now it is this faith of Forgiveness alone that will furnish you with the Ability whereof you stand in need Pardon comes not to the Soul alone or rather Christ comes not to the Soul with pardon only It is that which he opens the door and enters by but he comes with a Spirit of life and Power And as without him we can do nothing so through his enabling us we may do all things Receiving of Gospel Forgiveness engageth all the grace of the Gospel unto our assistance This is the summe of what hath been spoken the obedience that you perform under your convictions is burdensome and unpleasant unto you it is altogether unacceptable to God You lose all you do and all that you hope to do hereafter if the foundation be not layd in the receiving of pardon in the blood of Christ. It is high time to cast down all that vain and Imaginary fabrick which you have been erecting and to go about the laying of a new Foundation which you may safely and chearfully build upon a building that will abide for ever Again It is such a way so excellent so pretious so neer the heart of God so relating to the blood of Christ that the neglect of it will assuredly be sorely revenged of the Lord. Let not men think that they shall despise the Wisdom and Love of the Father the blood of the Son and the Promises of the Gospel at an easie rate Let us in a very few words take a view of what the Holy Ghost speaks to this purpose There are Three wayes whereby the Vengeance due to the neglect of closing with forgiveness or Gospel Grace is expressed 1. That is done Positively He that believeth not shall be DAMNED Mark 16. 16. That 's a hard word many men cannot endure to hear of it They would not have it named by their good wills and are ready to fly in the face of him from whose mouth it proceeds But let not men deceive themselves this is the softest word that Mercy and Love it self that Christ that the Gospel speaks to despisers of forgiveness It is Christ who is this legal terrifying Preacher it is he that cryes out if you believe not you shall be Damned and will come himself in flaming fire to take vengeance of them that obey not the Gospel 2 Thess. 2. 8. This is the end of the disobedient if God if Christ if the Gospel may be believed 2. Comparatively in reference unto the Vengeance due to the breach of the Law 2 Cor. 2. 16. We are in the preaching of forgiveness by Christ unto them that perish a savour of death unto death a deep death a sore Condemnation so Heb. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye he shall be thought worthy Sorer than ever was threatned by the Law or inflicted for the breach of it not as to the Kind of punishment but as to the degrees of it Hence ariseth the addition of many stripes 3. By the way of Admiration at the unexpressibleness and unavoidableness of the punishment due unto such sinners Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Surely there is no way for men to escape they shall unavoidably perish who neglect so great salvation So the Holy Ghost sayes 1 Pet. 4. 11. What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel What understanding can reach to an apprehension of their miserable and wofull condition None can saith the Holy Ghost nor can it be spoken to their capacity ah what shall their end be There remains nothing but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation that shall consume the Adversaries Heb. 10. 27. A certain fearfull expectation of astonishable things that cannot be comprehended And these are the Enforcements of the Exhortation in hand which I shall insist upon On these foundations on the consideration of these Principles let us now a little conferre together with the words of Truth and Sobriety I speak to such poor souls as having deceived themselves or neglected utterly their Eternal Condition are not as yet really and in Truth made partakers of this forgiveness Your present state is sad and deplorable There is nothing but the wofull uncertainty of a dying life between you and Eternal ruine That perswasion you have of forgiveness is Good for nothing but to harden you and destroy you It is not the Forgiveness that is with God Nor have you taken it up on Gospel grounds or Evidences You have stollen painted beads and take your selves to be lawfull possessors of Pearls and Jewels As you are then any way concerned in your own Eternal Condition which you are entring into and how soon you shall be ingaged in it you know not prevail with your selves to attend a little unto the Exhortation that lyes before you it is your own business that you are entreated to have regard unto 1. Consider seriously what it is you bottom your hopes and expectation upon as to Eternity Great men and in other things wise are here very apt to deceive themselves They suppose they think and believe much otherwise than indeed they think and believe as their cry at the last day will manifest Put your souls a little unto it Do you at all seriously think of these things Or are you so under the power of your Lusts Ignorance and Darkness that you neglect and despise them Or do you rise up and lye down and perform some duties or neglect them with a great Coldness Remisness and Indifferency of Spirit like Gallio not much caring for these things Or do you relieve your selves with hopes of future amendment purposing that if you live you will be other persons than you are when such and such things are brought about and accomplished Or do you not hope well in Generall upon the account of what you have done and will doe If any of these express your condition it is unspeakably miserable You lye down and rise up under the
and obstructions by his own blood bringing forth unto beauty and Glory this Redemption or Forgiveness of sin as the price of it And let the Glory of the Gospel which alone makes this discovery of Forgiveness in God dwell in your hearts Let your minds be exercised about these things You will find effects from them above all that hath as yet been brought forth in your souls What for the most part have you hitherto been conversant about when you have risen above the turmoyling of lusts and corruptions in your hearts the entanglements of your Callings business and affairs what have you been able to raise your hearts unto perplexing fears about your Condition General hopes without savour or relish yielding you no refreshment Legal Commands Bondage-duties distracted Consciences broken Purposes and Promises which you have been tossed up and down withall without any certain rest And what Effects have these thoughts produced have they made you more holy and more humble have they given you delight in God and strength unto new obedience Not at all Where you were there you still are without the least progress But now bring your Souls unto these Springs and try the Lord if from that day you be not blessed with spiritual stores 8. If the Lord be pleased to carry on your Souls thus far then stirr up your selves to choose and close with the way of forgiveness that hath been revealed Choose it only choose it in comparison with and opposition unto all others Say you will be for Christ and not for another and be so accordingly Here venture here repose here rest your Souls It is a way of peace safety Holyness beauty strength power liberty and glory you have the Nature the Name the Love the Purposes the Promises the Covenant the Oath of God the Love Life Death or Blood the Mediation or Oblation and Intercession of Jesus Christ The Power and Efficacy of the Spirit and Gospel Grace by him administred to give you Assurance of the excellency the oneness the safety of the Way whereunto you are engaging If now the Lord shall be pleased to perswade your hearts and souls to enter upon the path marked out before you and shall carry you on through the various exercises of it unto this closure of Faith God will have the Glory the Gospel will be Exalted and your own Souls shall reap the Eternal benefit of this Exhortation But now if not withstanding all that hath been spoken all the Invitations you have had and Incouragements that have been held out unto you you shall continue to despise this so great salvation you will live and dye in the state and condition wherein you are why then as the Prophet said to the Wife of Jeroboam Come neer for I am sent unto you with heavy Tydings I say then 9. If you resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation and shall do so accordingly Then Cursed be you of the Lord with all the Curses that are written in the Law and all the Curses that are denounced against Despisers of the Gospel Yea be you Anathema Maranatha Cursed in this World alwayes untill the comeing of the Lord and when the Lord comes be ye cursed from his presence into Everlasting destruction Yea Curse them all ye holy Angels of God as the obstinate Enemies of your King and Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Curse them all ye Churches of Christ as despisers of that Love and Mercy which is your portion your Life your Inheritance Let all the Saints of God all that love the Lord curse them and rejoyce to see the Lord comeing forth mightily and prevailing against them to their everlasting ruine Why should any one have a thought of compassion towards them who despise the compassion of God or of mercy towards them who trample on the blood of Christ Whilest there is yet hope we desire to have continual sorrow for you and to travail in soul for your conversion to God but if you be hardened in your way shall we joyn with you against him shall we preferre you above his Glory shall we desire your salvation with the despoyling God of his honour Nay God forbid We hope to rejoyce in seeing all that vengeance and indignation that is in the right hand of God poured out unto Eternity upon your Souls Prov. 1. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Rules to be observed by them who would come to stability in Obedience The first Rule Christ the only infallible Judge of our spiritual condition How he judgeth by his Word and Spirit That which remaineth to be further carried on upon the Principles laid down is to perswade with Souls more or less intangled in the depths of sin to close with this Forgiveness by Believing unto their Peace and Consolation And because such persons are full of pleas and objections against themselves I shall chiefly in what I have to say endeavour to obviate these Objections so to encourage them unto believing and bring them unto settlement And herein whatever I have to offer flowes naturally from the Doctrine at large laid down and asserted Yet I shall not in all particulars apply my self thereunto but in Generall fix on those things that may tend to the Establishment and Consolation of both distressed and doubting Souls And I shall do what I purpose these two wayes First I shall lay down such General Rules as are necessary to be observed by all those who intend to come to Gospel peace and Comfort And then Secondly shall consider some such Objections as seem to be most comprehensive of those special reasonings where with distressed persons do usually intangle themselves I shall begin with General Rules which through the Grace of Christ and Supplyes of his Spirit may be of use unto Believers in the condition under consideration RULE I. Be not Judges of your own Condition but let Christ judge You are invited to take the comfort of this Gospel Truth That there is Forgiveness with God You say not for you so said Jacob My way is hid from the Lord Isa. 40. 27. and Sion said so too chap. 49. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But did they make a right Judgement of themselves We find in those places that God was otherwise minded This false Judgement made by Souls in their intanglements of their own Condition is oft-times a most unconquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it They fill themselves with thoughts of their own about it and on them they dwell instead of looking out after a Remedy Misgiving thoughts of their distempers are commonly a great part of some mens sickness Many diseases are apt to cloud the thoughts and to cause misapprehensions concerning their own nature and danger And these delusions are a real part of the persons sickness Nature is no less impaired and weakened by them the Efficacy of Remedies no less obstructed than by any other reall distemper In such
in themselves from them they draw conclusions arguing from one thing unto another and in the end oft-times either deceive themselves or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and Examination A mans judgement upon his own reasonings is seldom true more seldom permanent I speak not of self-examination with a due discussion of Graces and Actions but of the final sentence as to state and condition wherein the soul is to acquiesce This belongs unto Christ. Now there are Two wayes whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter 1. By his Word He determines in the Word of the Gospel of the state and condition of all men indefinitely Each Individual coming to that Word receives his own sentence and doom He told the Jews that Moses accused them John 5. 45. His Law accused and condemned the transgressors of it And so doth the acquit every one that is discharged by the Word of the Gospel And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his Sentence in the Word His process herein we have recorded Joh 33. 22 23. His soul that is of the sinner draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers This seems to be his state it is so indeed he is at the very brink of the grave and hell What then why if there be with him or stand over him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel interpreting or the Angel of the Covenant who alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one of a thousand what shall he doe He shall shew unto him his uprightness He shall give in unto him a right determination of his interest in God and of the state and frame of his heart towards God whereupon God shall speak peace unto his Soul and deliver him from his entanglements v. 24. Jesus Christ hath in the Word of the Gospel stated the condition of every man He tells us that sinners of what sort soever they are that believe are accepted with him and shall receive forgiveness from God that none shall be refused or cast off that come unto God by him The Soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty Objections it hath in and against its self why it should not come why it shall not be accepted Our Lord Jesus the Wisdom of God foresaw all these Objections he foreknew what could be said in the case and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared In General mens arguings against themselves arise from Sin and the Law Christ knowes what is in them both He tryed them to the uttermost as to their penalties and yet he hath so determined as we have shewed Their particular Objections are from particular considerations of sin their Greatness their Number their Aggravations Christ knows all these also And yet stands to his firmer determination Upon the whole matter then it is meet his Word should stand I know when a Soul brings it self to be judged by the Word of the Gospel it doth not alwayes in a like manner receive and rest in the sentence given But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men they shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and be concluded by it Let the Soul then that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sence of forgiveness lay it self down before the Word of Christ in the Gospel Let him attend to what he speaks and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart let him wait a season and light shall arise unto him out of darkness Christ will give in his sentence into his Conscience with that power and efficacy as he shall finde rest and peace in it 2. Christ also judgeth by his Spirit not only in making this sentence of the Gospel to be received effectually in the Soul but in and by peculiar Actings of his upon the heart and soul of a Believer 1. Cor. 2. 11. We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The Spirit of Christ acquaints the Soul that this and that Grace is from him that this or that duty was performed in his strength He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by himself to give them supportment and relief in the times of depths and darkness And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the Soul at any time by the Holy Ghost that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truely saving The Comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and Temptations 2. He also by his Spirit bears witness with our Spirits as to our state and condition Of this I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall now pass it by This then is our first General Rule and Direction Selfdeterminations concerning mens spiritual state and condition because their minds are usually influenced by their distempers are seldom right and according to Rule Mistakes in such determinations are exceedingly prejudicial to a Soul seeking out after relief and sence of Forgiveness let Christ then be the Judge in this Case by his Word and Spirit as hath been directed RULE II. Self-condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace The nature of Gospel-Assurance what is consistent with it What are the Effects of it Self-Condemnation and Abhorrency do very well consist with Gospel-Justification and Peace Some men have no peace because they have that without which it is impossible they should have peace Because they cannot but condemn themselves they cannot entertain a sence that God doth acquit them But this is the mystery of the Gospel which unbelief is a stranger unto Nothing but faith can give a real subsistence unto these things in the same Soul at the same time It is easie to learn the notion of it but it is not easie to experience the power of it For a man to have a sight of that within him which would condemn him for which he is troubled and at the same time to have a discovery of that without him which will justifie him and to rejoyce therein is that which he is not lead unto but by Faith in the mystery of the Gospel We are now under a Law for Justification which excludes all boasting Rom. 3. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another yet we may have we alwayes have sufficient cause of humiliation in our selves The Gospel will teach a man to feel sin and believe Righteousness at the same time Faith will carry Heaven in one hand and Hell in the other shewing the one deserved the other purchased A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring Gehennam è Coelo a Hell of wrath out of Heaven and yet see Christ bring Coelum ex inferno a Heaven of blessedness out of an
this spiritual sense which you must learn to distinguish faith from and to know that true faith interesting the soul in forgiveness may be without it that so you may not conclude unto a real want of pardon from the want of the refreshing sense of it Grace in general may be referred unto two heads 1. Our Acceptation with God through Christ the same upon the matter with the forgiveness of sin that we are treating of And 2. Grace of Sanctification from God in Christ Of each of these there is a spiritual sense or Experience to be obtained in both distinguished from faith that gives us a real Interest in forgiveness Of the first or the spiritual sense that we have of Acceptance with God there are sundry parts or degrees As first hereunto belongs peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God This peace is the Rest and composure of the soul emerging out of troubles upon the account of the Reconciliation and friendship made for it by the blood of Christ. And it hath as all peace hath two parts First a freedom from war trouble and distress and Secondly Rest Satisfaction and Contentment in the condition attained And this at least the second part of it belongs unto the spiritual sense that we enquire after Again there is in it Joy in the holy Ghost called joy unspeakeable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. as also glorying in the Lord upon the account of his Grace Esa. 45. 26. with many the like Effects preceding from a shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. Yea you say these are the things you aim at these are the things you would attain and be filled withall It is this Peace this Joy this glorying in the Lord that you would alwaies be in the possession of I say you do well to desire them to seek and labour after them They are purchased by Christ for Believers but you will do well to consider under what notion you do desire them If you look on these things as belonging to the Essence of Faith without which you can have no real interest in forgiveness or acceptance with God you greatly deceive your own souls and put your selves out of the way of obtaining of them These these things are not believing nor adequate effects of it so as immediately to be produced where ever faith is But they are such consequents of it as may or may not ensue upon it according to the Will of God Faith is a seed that contains them virtually and out of which they may be in due time educed by the working of the Word and Spirit And the way for any soul to be made partaker of them is to wait on the Soveraignty of God's Grace who createth peace in the exercise of faith upon the promises He then that would place believing in these things and will not be perswaded that he doth believe until he is possessed of them he doth both lose the benefit advantage and comfort of what he hath and neglecting the due acting of faith puts himself out of the way of attaining what he aimeth at These things therefore are not needfull to give you a real saving interest in forgiveness as it is tendered in the promise of the Gospel by the blood of Christ. And it may be it is not the Will of God that ever you should be entrusted with them It may be it would not be for your good and advantage so to be Some servants that are ill husbands must have their wages kept for them to the years end or it will do them no good It may be some would be such spendthrifts of satisfying peace and joy and be so diverted by them from attending unto some necessary duties as of humiliation mortification and self-abasament without which their souls cannot live that it would not be much to their advantage to be entrusted with them It is from the same Care and Love that Peace and Joy are detained from some Believers and granted unto others You are therefore to receive forgiveness by a pure Act of believing in the way and manner before at large described And do not think that it is not in you unless you have constantly a spiritual sense of it in your hearts See in the mean time that your Faith bringeth forth Obedience and God in due time will cause it to bring forth Peace The like may be said concerning the other head of Grace though it be not so direct unto our purpose yet tending also to the relief of the soul in its depths This is the Grace that we have from God in Christ for our sanctification When the soul cannot find this in himself when he hath not a spiritual sense and experience of its in being and power when it cannot evidently distinguish it from that which is not right or genuine It is filled with fears and perplexities and thinks it is yet in its sin He is so indeed who hath no Grace in him but not he alwaies who can find none in him But these are different things A man may have Grace and yet not have it at some times much acting he may have Grace for life when he hath it not for fruitfulness and comfort though it be his duty so to have it Rev. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 6. And a man may have Grace acting in him and yet not know not be sensible that he hath acting Grace We see persons frequently under great temptations of apprehension that they have no Grace at all and yet at the same time to the clearest conviction of all who are able to discern spiritual things sweetly and genuinely to act Faith Love Submission unto God and that in an high and eminent manner Psa. 88. Heman complains that he was free among the dead a man of no strength vers 4 5. as one that had no spiritual life no Grace This afflicted his mind and almost distracted him vers 15. and yet there can be no greater expressions of Faith and Love to God than are mixed with his complaints These things I say then are not to be judged of by spiritual sense but we are to live by faith about them And no soul ought to conclude that because it hath not the one it hath not the other that because it hath not Joy and Peace it hath no interest in pardon and forgiveness RULE VII The seventh Rule Mix not foundation and building work together The eighth spend no time in heartless complaints c. Mix not too much foundation and building work together Our foundation in dealing with God is Christ alone meer Grace and Pardon in him Our Building is in and by Holiness and Obedience as the fruits of that faith by which we have received the Attonemont And great mistakes there are in this matter which bring great intanglements on the souls of men Some are all their daies laying of the foundation and are never able to
we may regularly found a Judgement concerning our selves and it is great folly to wave them all and put the issue of the matter upon one circumstance If a man have a tryal at law wherein he hath many evidences speaking for him only one circumstance is dubious and in question He will not cast the weight of his Cause on that disputed circumstance but will plead those Evidences that are more clear and testifie more fully in his behalf I will not deny but that this matter of the time of conversion is oftimes an important circumstance In the affirmative when it is known it is of great use tending to stability and consolation but yet it is still but a circumstance such as that the being of the thing it self doth not depend upon He that is alive may know that he was born though he know neither the place where nor the time when he was so And so may he that is spiritually alive and hath ground of evidence that he is so that he was born again though he knew neither when nor where nor how And this Case is usual in persons of quiet natural Tempers who have had the advantage of education under means of light and Grace God ofttimes in such persons begins and carries on the work of his Grace insensibly so that they come to good growth and maturity before they know that they are alive Such persons come at length to be satisfied in saying with the blind man in the Gospel How our eyes were opened we know not only one thing we know whereas we were blind by nature now we see 2. Even in this matter also we must it may be be content to live by faith and to believe as well what God hath done in us if it be the matter and subject of his promises as what he hath done for us the ground whereof also is the promise and nothing else Objections from the present state and Condition of the Soul Weakness and imperfection of Duty Opposition from Indwelling Sin 3. There is another Head of Objections against the souls receiving Consolation from an interest in forgiveness arising from the consideration of its present state and condition as to actual Holiness Duties and sins Souls complain when in Darkness and under Temptations that they cannot find that Holiness nor those fruits of it in themselves which they suppose an interest in pardoning mercy will produce Their hearts they find are weak and all their Duties worthless If they were weighed in the ballance they would be all found too light In the best of them there is such a mixture of Self Hypocrisie Unbelief vain Glory that they are even ashamed and confounded with the Remembrance of them These things fill them with discouragements so that they refuse to be comforted or to entertain any refreshing perswasion from the Truth insisted on but rather conclude that they are utter strangers from that forgiveness that is with God and so continue helpless in their depths According unto the method proposed and hitherto pursued I shall only lay down some such general Rules as may support a soul under the despondencies that are apt in such a condition to befall it that none of these things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold of forgiveness And First This is the proper place to put in execution our seventh Rule to take heed of heartless complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are expected at our hands If it be thus indeed why lye you on your faces why do you not rise and put out your selves to the utmost giving all diligence to add one Grace to another untill you find your selves in a better frame Supposing then the putting of that Rule into practice I add that 1. Known Holiness is apt to degenerate into self righteousness What God gives us on the account of Sanctification we are ready enough to reckon on the score of Justification It is a hard thing to feel Grace and to believe as if there were none We have so much of the Pharisee in us by nature that it is sometimes well that our Good is hid from us We are ready to take our Corn and Wine and bestow them on other Lovers Were there not in our hearts a spiritually sensible principle of corruption and in our duties a discernable mixture of self it would be impossible we should walk so humbly as is required of them who hold communion with God in a Covenant of Grace and pardoning mercy It is a good life which is attended with a faith of Rightcousness and a sense of corruption Whilest I know Christs Righteousness I shall the less care to know my own Holiness To be holy is necessary to know it sometimes a Temptation 2. Even Duties of Gods Appointment when turned into self-righteousness are Gods great abhorrency Isa. 66. 2 3. What hath a good Original may be vitiated by a bad End 3. Oftentimes Holiness in the heart is more known by the Opposition that is made there to it than by its own prevalent working The Spirits Operation is known by the flesh's opposition We find a mans strength by the burdens he carryes and not the pace that he goes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death is a better evidence of Grace and Holiness than God I thank thee I am not as other men a heart pressed grieved burdened not by the guilt of sin only which reflects with trouble on an awakened conscience but by the close adhering power of Indwelling sin tempting seducing soliciting hindring captivating conceiving restlesly disquieting may from thence have as clear an evidence of holiness as from a delightful fruit-bearing What is it that is troubled and grieved in thee What is it that seems to be almost killed and destroyed that crys out complains longs for deliverance is it not the new Creature is it not the principle of spiritual life whereof thou art partaker I speak not of trouble and disquietments for sin committed nor of fears and perturbations of mind left sin should break forth to loss shame ruine dishonour nor of the contending of a convinced Conscience lest Damnation should ensue but of the striving of the spirit against sin out of a hatred and a loathing of it upon all the mixt Considerations of Love Grace Mercy Fear the beauty of Holiness Excellency of communion with God that are proposed in the Gospel If thou seemest to thy self to be only passive in these things to do nothing but to endure the Assaults of sin Yet if thou art sensible and standest under the stroke of it as under the stroke of an Enemy there is the root of the matter And as it is thus as to the substance and Being of Holiness so it is also as to the degrees of it Degrees of Holiness are to be measured more by Opposition than self operation He may have more Grace than another who brings not forth so much fruit as the other
may he not do what he will with his own Shall we call him unto an account Is not what he doth good and holy because he doth it do any repining thoughts against the works of God arise in our hearts are any Complaints ready to break out of our mouths let us lay our hands on our hearts and our mouths in the dust with thoughts of his Greatness and absolute Soveraignty and it will work our whole souls into a better frame And this extends it self unto the manners Times and seasons of all things whatever As in earthly things If God will bring a dreadful Judgement of fire upon a people a Nation ah why must it be London If on London why so terrible raging and unconquerable Why the City not the Suburbs Why my house not my neighbours Why had such one help and I none all these things are wholly to be referred to Gods Soveraign pleasure There alone can the soul of Man find rest and peace It is so in spiritual dispensations also Thus Aaron upon the suddain death of his two eldest Sons being minded by Moses of Gods Soverainty and Holiness immediatly held his peace or quietly humbled himself under his mighty hand Levit. 10. 3 4. And David when things were brought into extream confusion by the Rebellion of Absolom followed by the Ungodly multitude of the whole Nation relinquisheth all other Arguments and Pleas and le ts goe complaints in a resignation of himself and all his Concernments unto the absolute pleasure of God 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. And this in all our extremities must we bring our souls unto before we can attain any rest or peace or the least comfortable perswasion that we may not yet fall under greater severities in the just Indignation of God against us 2. The Wisdom of God is also to be Considered and submitted unto Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart who hath hardened himself against him and prospered This the Prophet joyns with his Greatness and Soveraignty Isa. 40. 12 13 14. There is no searching of his understanding v. 28. And the Apostle winds up all his Considerations of the works of God in an holy Admiration of his Knowledge and Wisdom whence his Judgement becomes unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33 34. He seeth and knoweth all things in all their Causes Effects consequences and circumstances in their utmost reach and tendency in their correspondencies one unto another and suitableness unto his own Glory and so alone judgeth aright of all things The wisest of men as David speaks walk in a shade We see little we know little and that but of a very few things and in an imperfect manner and that of their present appearances abstracted from their Issues Successes Ends and Relations unto other things And if we would be further wise in the works of God we shall be found to be like the wild Asses Colt What is good for us or the Church of God what is evil to it or us we know not at all but all things are open and naked unto God The day will come indeed wherein we shall have such a prospect of the works of God see one thing so set against another as to find Goodness Beauty and Order in them all that they were all done in number weight and measure that nothing could have been otherwise without an abridgement of his glory and disadvantage of them that believe in him But for the present all our wisdom consists in referring all unto him He who doth these things is infinitely wise he knows what he doth and why and what will be the end of all We are apt it may be to think that at such seasons all things will go to wrack with our selves with the Church or with the whole world how can this breach be repaired this loss made up this ruine recovered peace is gone trade is gone our substance is gone the Church is gone all is gone confusion and utter desolation lye at the door But if a man who is unskilled and unexperienced should be at Sea it may be every time the vessel wherein he is seems to decline on either side he would be apt to conceive they should be all cast away but yet if he be not childishly timerous when the Master shall tell him that there is no danger bid him trust to his skill and it shall be well with him it will yield quietness and satisfaction We are indeed in a storm the whole earth seems to reel and stagger like à drunken man but yet our souls may rest in the infinite skill and wisdom of the great Pilot of the whole Creation who stears all things according to the Counsel of his Will His works are manifold in Wisdom hath he made all these things Psal. 104. 24. And in the same wisdom doth he dispose of them All these things come forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfully in counsel and excellent in working Isa. 28. 29. What is good meet usefull for us for ours for the Churches for the City for the Land of our Nativity he knows and of Creatures not one This infinite Wisdom of God also are we therefore to resign and submit our selves unto His hand in all his works is guided by Infinite Wisdom In thoughts thereof in humbling our selves thereunto shall we find rest and peace and this in all our pressures will work us to a waiting for him 3. The Righteousness of God is also to be considered in this matter That name in the Scripture is used to denote many Excellencies of God all which are reducible unto the infinite Rectitude of his Nature I intend that at present which is called Justitia Regiminis his Righteousness in Rule or Government This is remembred by Abraham Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right And by the Apostle Is God unjust who taketh vengeance God forbid This our souls are to own in all the works of God They are all righteous all his who will do no iniquity whose Throne is established in Judgement However they may be dreadfull grievous and seem severe yet they are all righteous It is true he will sometimes rise up and do strange acts strange works Isa. 28. 21. Such as he will not do often nor ordinarily such as shall fill the world with dread and amazement He will answer his people in terrible things But yet all shall be in Righteousness And to complain of that which is righteous to repine against it is the highest unrighteousness that may be Faith then fixing the soul on the Righteousness of God is an effectual means to humble it under his mighty hand And to help us herein we may consider 1. That God judgeth not as man judgeth We judge by the seeing of the Eye and hearing of the Ear according to outward appearances and evidences But God searcheth the heart We judge upon what is between man and man God principally upon what is between
end Psalm 39. 6. surely man walketh in ajvain shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an Image full of false representations of things in the midst of vain appearances that he knows not what to choose or do aright and therefore spends the most of his time and strength about things that are of no use or purpose unto him Surely they are disquieted in vain And hereof he gives one especial Instance he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather which is but one Example of the manifold frustrations that men meet withall in the whole course of their lives as not knowing what is good for them We all profess to aym at one chief and principal end namely the enjoyment of God in Christ as our eternal reward and in order thereunto to be carryed on in the use of the means of faith and obedience tending to that end Now if this be so the suitableness or unsuitableness of all other things being good or evil unto us is to be measured by their tendency unto this end And what know we hereof As unto the things of this life do we know whether it will be best for us to be rich or poor to have houses or to be harbourless to abound or to want to leave wealth and inheritances unto our Children or to leave them naked unto the providence of God do we know what state what condition will most further our Obedience best obviate our temptations or call most on us to mortifie our Corruptions and if we know nothing at all of these things as indeed we do not were it not best for us to leave them quietly unto Gods disposal I doubt not but it will appear at the last day that a world of evil in the hearts of men was stifled by the destruction of their outward concernments more by their inward troubles That many were delivered from tèmptations by it who otherwise would have been overtaken to their ruine and scandal of the Gospel that many a secret Imposthume hath been lanced and cured by a stroke for God doth not send Judgements on his own for Judgements sake for punishment sake but alwayes to accomplish some blessed design of Grace towards them And there is no one soul in particular which shall rightly search it self and Consider its state and Condition but will be able to see wisdom grace and care towards it self in all dispensations of God And if I would here enter upon the benefits that through the sanctifying hand of God do redound unto believers by Afflictions Calamities troubles distresses temptations and the like Effects of Gods visitations it would be of use unto the souls of men in this Case But this subject hath been so often and so well spoken unto that I shall not insist upon it I desire only that we would seriously consider how utterly Ignorant we are of what is good for us or usefull unto us in these outward things and so leave them quietly unto Gods disposal 4. We may Consider that all these things about which we are troubled fall directly within the compass of that good word of Gods grace that he will make all things work together for the good of them that love him Rom. 8. 28. All things that we enjoy all things that we are deprived of all that we do all that we suffer our losses troubles miseries distresses in which the Apostle instanceth in the following verses they shall all work together for good together with one another and all with and in subordination unto the power grace and wisdom of God It may be we see not how or by what means it may be Effected but he is infinitely wise and powerful who hath undertaken it and we know little or nothing of his ways There is nothing that we have or enjoy or desire but it hath turned unto some unto their hurt Riches have been kept for men unto their hurt Wisdom and high places have been the ruine of many Liberty and plenty are to most a snare Prosperity slayes the foolish And we are not of our selves in any measure able to secure our selves from the hurt and poison that is in any of these things but that they may be our ruine also as they have already been and every day are unto multitudes of the Children of men It is enough to fill the soul of any man with horrour and amazement to consider the wayes and ends of most of them that are entrusted with this worlds goods Is it not evident that all their lives they seem industriously to take care that they may perish eternally Luxury riot oppression Intemperance and of late especially blasphemy and Atheism they usually give up themselves unto And this is the fruit of their abundance and security What now if God should deprive us of all these things Can any one certainly say that he is worsted thereby might they not have turned unto his everlasting perdition as well as they do so of thousands as good by nature and who have had advantages to be as wise as we and shall we complain of Gods dispensations about them And what shall we say when he himself hath undertaken to make all things that he guides unto us to work together for our good Anxieties of mind and perplexities of heart about our losses is not that which we are called unto in our troubles but this is that which is our duty let us Consider whether we Love God or no whether we are called according to his purpose if so all things are well in his hand who can order them for our good and advantage I hope many a poor foul will from hence under all their trouble be able to say with him that was banished from his Countrey and found better entertainment elsewhere My Friends I had perished if I had not perished had I not been undone by Fire it may be I had been ruined in Eternal Fire God hath made all to work for my good The end of all these discourses is to evince the reasonableness of the duty of waiting on God which we are pressing from the Psalmist Ignorance of God and our selves is the great principle and cause of all our disquietments And this ariseth mostly not from want of light and instruction but for want of Consideration and Application The notions insisted on concerning God are obvious and known unto all so are these concerning our selves but by whom almost are they employed and improved as they ought the frame of our spirits is as though we stood upon equal terms with God and did think with Jonah that we might do well to be angry with what he doth did we rightly consider him did we stand in awe of him as we ought It had certainly been otherwise with us Influence of the Promises into the souls waiting in time of trouble The nature of them Having therefore laid down these Considerations from the second Observation taken from the Words namely That Jehovah himself is the proper object of the
the like kind But his Soveraignty Righteousness and Holiness how are they declared hereby either not at all or not in so evident a manner as is necessary that he might be fully glorified in them or for them What then doth he do leave them in darkness vailed undiscovered satisfying himself in the glory of those Properties which his work of Creation had made known Was there any Reason why he should do so designing to do all things for himself and for his own glory Wherefore he gives his holy Law as a Rule of Obedience unto men and Angels This plainly reveals his Soveraignty or Authority over them his Holiness and Righteousness in the Equity and Purity of things he required of them so that in and by these Properties also he may be glorified As he made all things for himself that is the manifestation of his Greatness Power Wisdom and Goodness so he gave the Law for himself that is the manifestation of his Authority Holiness and Righteousness But is this all Is there not Remunerative Justice in God in a way of Bounty Is there not Vindictive Justice in him in a way of severity There is so and in the pursuit of the design mentioned they also are to be manifested or God will not be glorified in them This therefore he did also in the Rewards and Punishments that he annexed unto the Law of Obedience that he had prescribed To manifest his Remunerative Justice he promised a Reward in a way of Bounty which the Angels that sinned not were made partakers of and in the penalty threatned which sinning Angels and Men incurred he revealed his Vindictive Justice in a way of severity So are all these Properties of God made known by their Effects and so is God glorified in them or on their account But after all this are there no other Properties of his Nature Divine Excellencies that cannot be separated from his Being which by none of these means are so much as once intimated to be in him It is evident that there are such are Mercy Grace Patience Long-suffering Compassion and the like concerning which observe 1. That where there are no Objects of them they cannot be declared or manifested or exercised As Gods Power or Wisdom could not be manifest if there were no Objects of them no more can his Grace or Mercy If never any stand in need of them they can never be exercised and consequently never be known Therefore were they not revealed neither by the Creation of all things nor by the Law or its Sanction nor by the Law written in our hearts For all these suppose no objects of Grace and Mercy For it is sinners only and such as have made themselves miserable by sin that they can be exercised about 2. There are no Excellencies of Gods nature that are more expressive of Divine Goodness Loveliness and Beauty than these are of Mercy Grace Long-suffering and Patience and therefore there is nothing that God so requireth our likeness unto him in our conformity unto his Image as in these namely Mercy Grace and readiness to forgive And the contrary frame in any he doth of all things most abhor They shall have judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy And therefore it is certain that God will be glorified in the manifestation of these Properties of his Nature 3. These Properties can be no otherwise exercised and consequently no other wayes known but only in and by the pardon of sin which puts it beyond all question that there is Forgiveness with God God will not lose the glory of these his Excellencies he will be revealed in them he will be known by them he will be glorified for them which he could not be if there were not forgiveness with him So that here comes in not only the Truth but the necessity of forgiveness also Forgiveness manifested in the sending of the Son of God to dye for sin And from the Obligation that is on us to forgive one another XII In the next place we shall proceed unto that Evidence which is the Center wherein all the lines of those foregoing do meet and rest The fountain of all those streams of Refreshment that are in them that which animates and gives life and efficacy unto them This lyes in Gods sending of his Son The consideration hereof will leave no pretence or excuse unto unbelief in this matter To make this Evidence more clear and legible as to what is intended in it we must consider 1. What was the Rise of this sending we speak of 2. Who it was that was sent 3. How or in what manner he was sent 4. Unto what end and purpose First the Rise and spring of it is to be considered It came forth from the Eternal mutual consent and counsel of the Father and the Son Zech. 6. 13. The Counsel of Peace shall be between them both It is of Christ the Branch of whom he speaks He shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And shall sit and rule upon his Throne and shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the Counsel of Peace shall be between them both That is between God the Father who sends him and himself There lay the Counsel of Peace making between God and Man in due time accomplished by him who is our Peace Eph. 2. 16. So he speaks Prov. 8. 30 31. Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of men They are the words of the Wisdom that is of the Son of God When was this done Then I was with him Why before the Mountains were setled whilst as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields That is before the creation of the world or from eternity v. 25 26. But how then could he rejoyce in the habitable parts of the Earth And how could his delight be with the Sons of men seeing as yet they were not I answer It was the Counsel of Peace towards them before mentioned in the pursuit whereof he was to be sent to converse amongst them on the earth He rejoyced in the fore-thoughts of his being sent to them and the work he had to do for them Then with his own consent and delight was he fore-ordained unto his work even before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. and received of the Father the Promise of eternal life even before the world began Tit. 1. 2. That is to be given unto sinners by way of Forgiveness through his blood So is this whole Counsel expressed Psalm 40. 7 8. Whence it is made use of by the Apostle Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Then said I lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O God Thy Law is in the midst of my heart There is the Will of the Father in
this matter and the Law of its performance And there is the Will of the Son in answer thereunto and his delight in fulfilling that Law which was prescribed unto him Let us now consider to what purpose was this Eternal Counsel of Peace This Agreement of the Father and Son from Eternity about the State and Condition of Mankind If God would have left them all to perish under the guilt of their sins there had been no need at all of any such thoughts design or Counsel God had given unto them a Law Righteous and Holy which if they transgressed he had threatned them with eternal destruction Under the Rule disposal and power of this Law he might have righteously left them to stand or fall according to the verdict and sentence thereof But now he assures us he reveals unto us that he had other thoughts in this matter that there were other Counsels between the Father and the Son concerning us And these such as the Son was delighted in the prospect of his Accomplishment of them What can these thoughts and counsels be but about a way for their deliverance which could no otherwise be but by the forgiveness of sins For whatever else be done yet if God mark iniquities there is none can stand Hearken therefore poor sinner and have hope God is consulting about thy deliverance and freedom And what cannot the Wisdom and Grace of the Father and Son effect and accomplish And to this end was the Son sent into the world which is the second thing proposed to Consideration 2. Whom did God send about this business The Scripture layes great weight and Emphasis on this consideration faith must do so also John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son So 1 John 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him And again v. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiations of our sins And who is this that is thus sent and called the only begotten Son of God Take a double description of him one out of the Old Testament and another from the new The first from Isa. 9. 6. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace The other from Heb. 1. 2 3. God hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high This is he who was sent in Nature he was glorious even over all God blessed for ever In Answerableness unto the Father the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his person possessed of all the same essential Properties with him So that what we find in him we may be assured of in the Father also for he that hath seen him hath seen the Father who is in him In Power Omnipotent for he made all things and upholding all things with an unspeakable facility by the Word of his power In Office exalted over all sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high In Name the Mighty God the Everlasting Father so that whatever he came about he will assuredly accomplish and fulfill for what should hinder or let this Mighty One from perfecting his design Now this consideration raiseth our Evidence to that height as to give us an unquestionable Assurance in this matter Here is a near and a particular Object for faith to be exercised about and to rest in Wherefore did this glorious Son of God come and Tabernacle amongst poor sinners We beheld the glory of the Eternal Word the glory of the only begotten of the Father and he was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and pitched his Tabernacle amongst us John 1. 14. To what end It was no other but to work out and accomplish the Eternal Counsel of Peace towards sinners before mentioned to procure for them and to declare unto them the forgiveness of sin And what greater evidence what greater Assurance can we have that there is forgiveness with God for us he himself hath given it as a Rule that what is done by giving an only begotten or an only beloved Son gives assured Testimony of reality and sincerity in the thing that is confirmed by it So he sayes unto Abraham Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God seeing that thou hast not withheld thy Son thy only Son from me This way it may be known or no way And they are blessed Conclusions that faith may make from this consideration now I know that there is forgiveness with God seeing he hath not withheld his Son his only Son that he might accomplish it To this purpose the Apostle teacheth us to reason Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things What further can any soul desire What ground remains for unbelief to stand upon in this matter Is there any thing more to be done herein It was to manifest that there is forgiveness with him and to make way for the exercise of it that God sent his Son that the Son of God came into the world as will afterwards more fully appear 3. To this sending of the Son of God to this purpose there is evidence and security added from the Manner wherein he was sent How was this Not in Glory not in Power not in an open discovery of his Eternal Power and Godhead Had it been so we might have thought that he had come meerly to manifest and glorifie himself in the world And this he might have done without thoughts of mercy or Pardon towards us But he came quite in another manner He was seen in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8 3. In the form of a servant Phil. 2. 10. Being made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. What he endured suffered underwent in that state and condition is in some measure known unto us all All this could not be meerly and firstly for himself All that he expected at the close of it was to be glorified with that glory which he had with the Father before the world was John 17. 5. It must then be for our sakes and for what to save and deliver us from that condition of wrath at present and future expectation of Vengeance which we had cast our selves into by sin that is to procure for us the forgiveness of sin Had not God designed Pardon for sin he would never have sent his