harden themselves against Reproof hate him that deals plainly with them because he shews them the Sin which they will not leave are Enemies to him that tells them the Truth hate him that rebuketh in the Gate and abhorre him that speaks uprightly Amos 5.10 Such men are so far from obtaining Pardon that they fall into Judas his Curse of adding Iniquity to Iniquity and never come into God's Righteousness Psal 69.27 4. That Sin may be forgiven the chiefest Qualification of all must not be omitted Faith in the Lord Jesus who though he knew no Sin yet was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This is the tenour of the Gospel as Christ himself instructed his Apostles that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations Luk. 24.47 And accordingly S. Peter saith to Cornelius Act. 10.43 To Christ give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins And S. Paul Act. 13.38 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the Forgiveness of Sin And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses He was delivered for our Offences and raised for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.3 He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all Isa 53.5 6. His own self bare our Sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 These and many more places in Holy Scripture do evince that it is by the Death of Christ that our Sins are remitted And the Apostle Heb. 10.12 tells us that after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins he sate down for ever at the right hand of God and Heb. 9.24 that he is entred into heaven with his bloud to appear for us in the presence of God and Heb. 10.14 that by one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified And therefore they that reject that Sacrifice and stick to the Law and its Priesthood miss of Forgiveness of Sins It is impossible now without Faith in Christ his Death Resurrection and Intercession at God's right Hand to be free from Condemnation and to obtain Forgiveness But Faith is sufficient without the Figment of the unbloudy Propitiatory Sacrifice offered by a Priest in the Mass to expiate Sin and to obtain Remission Whosoever therefore believes not that Christ is he that was to come that doth not believe and trust to his Bloud and Intercession for Forgiveness with God that trusts in the Sacrifice of the Mass the Milk of the Virgin Mary the Mediation of Saints or any other thing besides Christ's Death and Intercession that man forfeits his interest in God's Pardoning Grace 5. That Sin may be forgiven there must be a Turning to the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon saith the Prophet Isa 55.7 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sins saith Jeremy Lament 3.39 and directs him the best course Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord vers 40. And that is to be done 1. By humble Supplication Ibid. v. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens by Praying for it Matth. 6.12 by justifying God condemning our selves taking Shame to our selves and acquitting God from all blame deprecating his Severity imploring his Mercy for his Son's sake whom God sending in the likeness of sinfull flesh hath condemned Sin in the flesh and therefore there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 3. 2. But then must be added the second thing wherein we turn to God to wit Newness of life There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Wash ye make ye clean put away the Evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe evil learn to doe well seek Judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widows and then saith God Come now and let us reason together Though your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Isa 1.16 17 18. It is not the plea of Innocency that prevails with God but the earnest Supplication for Mercy not the Tale of a vain-glorious Pharisee but the feeling Prayer of a broken-hearted Publican that obtains Forgiveness Nor will he that hath escaped the Pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ be safe if with the Dog he return to his vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire He that sins again sins more dangerously as he that falls into a Relapse is more desperately sick New Obedience is necessary to assure the Forgiveness of old Sins 6. There is yet another Qualification necessary to the Forgiveness of our own Sins that we forgive other mens Sins against our selves Our Saviour puts it into the Lord's Prayer that we should profess to God our Forgiveness of them that are indebted to us as a Reason why we expect Forgiveness of him when we pray him to forgive us Yea he allows us not to ask Forgiveness of God but according as we forgive others If you forgive men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses Matth. 6.14 15. Yea in the close of that Parable Matth. 18.35 he tells us that our heavenly Father will exact our Debts cast us into Prison deliver us to the Tormentours if we from our hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses He that bears a Grudge that reserves a purpose of Revenge in his breast that saies he will forgive but not forget that passeth not an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion of his Brother's Injuries doth but delude God play the Hypocrite with him when he prays the Lord's Prayer shews himself to be unlike to God of a venomous Toad-like Viper-like nature malicious like Satan and so doth the more provoke and enrage God against him as being an unthankfull virulent Devillish Wretch that deals so unworthily with him and abuseth him to his face And this ushers in the last thing I am to consider to wit IV. Why there is Forgiveness with God Of many Reasons I shall name one or two besides that in my Text. 1. From
man's Portion in the next You that give your minds to rise at Court or to be Rich in the City to build fair Houses to fill them with costly Furniture to store them with the most dainty Provision to goe in the bravest Attire and to mind your Ease and Delight bethink your selves how sutable this is with the Divine Contrivance and the Affections of Saints I deny not but an Abraham may be rich and yet blessed a David may be great and yet happy God may and I doubt not doth chuse some though not many Rich and Great in this world to be Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath prepared for them that love him But then it must be so that they love not their Riches nor their Greatness but God that they be as Abraham was ready to leave all for God to obey God in the harshest Commands to wait upon God with Patience for his Help They must have as Moses had a Will resolved to suffer Affliction with God's People rather then to injoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season to esteem the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Egypt They must be as Christ was not of the World though in the World not from beneath but from above having God's Glory in their Eye Christ's Example as their Loadstone seeking the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and directing all their Motions and Affections towards Heaven and Heavenly things I press you not to sell all that you have and give to the Poor as Christ did the young man whom he loved nor to sell your Lands as the Primitive Christians did and lay them down at the Apostles feet Yet I must tell you that if you will follow Christ you must in praeparatione Animi in the purpose of your Heart doe these things and more too even hate your own Lives if the Command of God the Glory of God the Kingdom of Christ the Good of God's Church shall require it or stand in competition therewith I do account of the Friers Vows of voluntary Poverty perpetuall Continency and regular Obedience so far from true Sanctity that they are rather mere Snares and like those Services of which God said by the Prophet Quis quaesivit haec de manibus vestris Who hath required these things at your hands they being neither undertaken by God's Command nor having any Promise of his Blessing or Acceptance Those Princes therefore that have laid down their Scepters and thrust themselves into Cloisters have been befooled by superstitious Priests and have found cause of Repentance for that their ill-grounded Devotion But yet this you must doe if you will love God you must not love the World nor the things thereof you must devote all to God relinquish all at his Appointment you must use the World as not abusing it knowing that the Fashion of this World passeth away You must be as Pilgrims on Earth lay up your Treasures in Heaven and have your Heart there seek your Rest with God in Christ and in the mean time walk with God use all for him and be content to be at his Disposing in Life and Death as Abraham was and then you shall sit down with Abraham in the Kingdom of Heaven Which the Lord grant c. Amen LAVS DEO IN AETERNVM THE END A MEDITATION on GOD'S MERCY being the Subject of most of the SERMONS herein contained WHEN we seek after God we consult with his Works but when we study to know what he is we have recourse unto those Notions which are above his Works The Creature helps us to find him out but his Power Infinity and Mercy instruct us to understand him Neither do these Attributes equally acquaint us with him His Power informs us that he is God but his Mercy much more For by his Power he onely conquered that Difficulty which Nature presented him with in her first Principle Nothing but by his Mercy he overcomes Himself It sometimes reverseth the Sentence past against a Nation and so it makes him incurre the imputation of Mutability Sometimes it pulls back the stretched-out Arm and like the Angel that laid hold on Abraham violently detains the execution of his Fury and so it upbraideth him with Impotency It is not then enough to say that it exceeds all his Works unless we adde it is that also whereby he is subdued unto Himself As God who is our utmost Aim having placed himself at the Journey 's end is All Mercy so are the Ways that lead unto him His Ways are Mercy and Truth And as he is onely found by those that seek him so is he onely sought for truly by those that travell in this Way The Mercifull and they onely shall find Mercy The Light communicates its Glory unto that Eye alone which hath a native Light and Splendour to entertain it even so doth God reach out his Mercy unto that Soul which is before made capable by an innate Tenderness and Compassion To forgive and to have Compassion are the peculiar Affects of Mercy If I forgive mine Enemy I have Mercy on my self for to him that forgiveth much also shall be forgiven But if I have Compassion on the Distressed I have pity on my Saviour for 't is him I feed I cloath in the persons of the Hungry and of the Naked God hath given unto men a Nature which inclineth them unto Pity and therefore Cruelty is a Vice of the Will 's begetting Since then Nature hath no Inclination bad enough out of which it may spawn so vile a Brood I will not be at so much pains as to force the Soil that a Weed may grow nor love that Sin which will not be entertained unless I disclaim my Nature God once commanded Sacrifices that he might have Mercy upon Men and yet he was willing to have spared them that if they would have spared one another I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice was his demand of old but now much more for since he hath taken away the Law of Sacrifices it remains that we imploy all our Obedience in the observance of that Law which is left behind which is the Law of Charity God hath abated something of his own Worship that we might have more leisure to perform those Duties which respect one another If we would have God commune with us as once he did with the Jews from his Mercy-seat it will be first required of us that like the Cherubins there placed we carry our Faces one towards another not turning aside from the Distressed nor obliquely glancing upon any as averse from Peace God seems to instruct us by that Fabrick in the Ark that he then makes his Approach to us from his Mercy-seat when we turn face to face that is when we are alike minded one towards another God that he might reconcile his Justice to his Mercy and so save the delinquent Creature became severe to himself so much he loved us that he seemed to
your unmercifull and unrighteous dealings in your Closets regarding Pass-times more then holy Sermons reading in your Chambers rather wanton Comedies or light Poems then the Bible and Holy Writings Yea let me ask the devoutest of you whether at any time you do weep for your Sins of daily incursion Are you sensible of your too much Formality too little Fervency in your Prayers Do you weep for your vain Thoughts proud Imaginations inordinate Desires your Ignorance Forgetfulness of many Duties Slothfulness Passionateness Omissions of many Duties you should doe Uncharitableness Unthankfulness and many other Sins of Errour and secret Sins which God knows though men do not Sure a sincere Christian is a weeping Christian if God keep him from greater Enormities yet he will find cause enough to mourn for his daily Aberrations if he do as a true Penitent doth take notice of the Naughtiness of his own deceitfull Heart If you say daily the Lord's Prayer and be not sensible of your daily Sins do you not mock God when you say Forgive us our Sins Sure Christ when he directed the use of that Prayer appointed you to be examining and judging your selves every day to confess your Sins to bemoan them to ask Pardon for them to resolve and vow against them every day And Oh that God would give you a Heart of Flesh in stead of a Heart of Stone you that are guilty of more hainous Crimes such as I have named or any other your own Consciences can inform you of to imitate S. Peter to goe out immediately after this Sermon is ended and weep bitterly to break off your Sins by Righteousness as Daniel advised Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.27 And you that though unblamable towards Men yet are conscious of offending God by any privy Transgressions yea all of you who have any remainders of sinfull Corruption in you Oh that you would not defer but this day yea every day imitate holy David in his holy vocall penitential Weeping which hath been this day described to you And let every Affliction you feel or fear specially the thought of your Death bring you to a daily practice of Repentance and Supplication unto God that your Iniquities may not be your Ruine but that your Tranquillity may be lengthned here and you may be blessed for ever in the world to come Amen LAVS DEO THE PENITENT's PRAYER The Fourth SERMON PSALM li. 1 2. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy Loving-kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin WE find in this Text a Sinner struck with the sense of his Sins and pleading at the Mercy-seat of God for the Remission and Forgiveness of them If the Greatness of his Person or the Sacredness of his Function had been Antidote enough against Temptation Armour of proof against the fiery darts of Satan we had not this day heard of David a Sinner for he was a King and he was a Prophet and a man after God's own heart But since neither his Profession nor his Royalty could protect him from being a Sinner and that in so foul and crimson Crimes as Adultery and Murther which occasioned the penning of this Psalm 't is happy that we yet find him here a Penitent and a complaining one for we have him here a Supplicant at his Prayers on his knees with a Miserere mei Deus Have mercy on me O God c. What S. Paul said of himself that his Fall and Recovery was a Pattern to all that should believe in Christ may be as rightly said of David The Lord permitted him to sin that no man might presume but the strongest Saint might take heed lest he fall that none might be high-minded but fear and the Lord also recovered him by Repentance and hath left his Confession and Absolution upon record that none might despair but that his Example might direct them to return to God after their Wandrings and erect and keep up their spirits from sinking by the assurance of his Mercy so remarkably vouchsafed to so great a Transgressour And therefore if there be any Soul that hears me this day struck with a deep sense and horrour of his Sins lying groaning and trembling under the heavy pressure and burthen of them let him not despair of Pardon either by reason of the Quality or Quantity of them for here are Loving-kindnesses or kind Mercies a Multitude of tender Mercies well expressed by Zachary Luk. 1.78 the Bowells of Compassion of our God such as are in a Woman or rather exceeding the Compassion of a Woman on the Son of her womb Isa 49.15 Loving-kindness of God against Unkindness of Man Bowells of Mercy towards him who had no Compassion on himself mercifull Remembrance of him who forgat his God and himself awakening and saving him who in his insensible Lethargy of Impenitence would have destroyed himself Whoever thou art know that the Holy Ghost hath recorded this Story for thy Consolation not onely set David's Fall before thee but likewise the means of his Recovery the many and tender Mercies of his God As the Prophet Nathan was sent to David so David himself is sent to thee He extends and reaches out to thee the same Physick that he took himself And therefore distrust not thy Cure but come and hear David bitterly bewailing his Condition and with him bewail sadly thine own See him weeping and weep thou as fast Hear his Voice and Cry piercing the Clouds and be not thou dumb but as loud as he till thou hast awakened the Compassion of thy God Observe all this and say with him Have mercy upon me O God c. Which words are the main Petition of this Holy Supplicant in behalf of himself for pardoning Grace out of the deep sense of his great Sins and apprehension of God's great Mercies And they exhibit to us 1. David's Malady the Disease which pained him to the heart which made him groan cry out and be instant with the great Physician of Souls for Cure which is expressed with Aggravation in three words 1. Transgression a word that notes sometimes Rebellion or Revolt from God 2. Iniquity or Perverseness importing his Unrighteousness to Vriah his Wife Himself his Child by her his whole House and People who all tasted of the bitterness of his eating that forbidden fruit 3. Sin or Errour intimating the great Folly which he now deprehended in yielding so to his Lust as to erre from God's Command and for a little Pleasure to draw on himself the Wrath of God and the Horrour of Conscience now upon him He useth not mincing or diminutive terms as those that love their Sins as fond Parents do their Children and call their Monstrosities small Blemishes but paints out his Sins in their most ugly Deformity to shew his Hatred of them to the utmost and to justifie God fully Yea he useth those very terms to express his Sins by
which God himself used in his most blessed Declaration of himself when he proclaimed of himself Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin To which it is very likely he had an eye and that he made that Proclamation the rise of his Hope That though his Sins were great yet they were not any other then God had proclaimed of old he did forgive and after in his New Covenant he more fully assured the Condonation of them Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.12 2. The thing David requesteth of God and that is full Remission expressed in three terms 1. Of Blotting out his Transgressions a phrase used by the Prophet Isa 43.25 and 44.22 And it intimates that his Sins were written by God in his Remembrance as in a Book of Records in the sense that Job said 13.26 and 14.17 God did write bitter things against him and sealed up his Iniquity And the blotting it out is the putting it out of his Remembrance so as not to charge it upon him nor condemn him for it as it is explained Isa 43.25 2. Of Washing him throughly from his Iniquity a term noting frequent or abundant washing that is Absolution meant by Ablution 1 Cor. 6.11 where it comprehends Justification as well as Sanctification And so it is said Revel 1.5 Christ hath washed us from our Sins in his own bloud alluding 't is likely to the cleansing of men from their Leprosy and other Legall Pollutions in the Mosaicall Law 3. The third term is Cleanse me from my Sin by Emundation meaning Emendation purifying his Heart from the love of his Sin and his Life from the practice of it any more as it is expressed Isa 1.16 17. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe evil learn to doe well 3. The Third thing considerable in David's Petition which is indeed the Hindge on which all turns is the Loving-kindness or Benignity of God the Multitude of his tender Mercies such as are in the Womb or Bowells of a tender Mother towards her Child And this Loving-kindness and Multitude of tender Mercies is urged by David as the Motive the impulsive Cause or sole Reason of granting his Request of blotting out his Transgressions washing him throughly from his Iniquity and cleansing him from his Sin In the same manner as Moses pleaded with God for Israel Num. 14.17 18 19. after whose Copy this Petition seems to be framed and is an exact Pattern according to which a Penitent Supplicant is to address himself to God for Ease from under the pressure of his Sins teaching us these Points 1. That the Remembrance of his Sin is the greatest Grievance to a Penitent Sinner David complains not of other Evils incident to him and his but his own Sin 2. That a Penitent Sinner doth not mince or lessen his Sin but setteth it out or confesseth it to God in its greatest Aggravations in variety of odious Appellations when he betakes himself to God for Redress 3. That the Blotting out of our Transgressions the Washing throughly from our Iniquity the cleansing from our Sin is to be sought from God 4. That we are to beg earnestly not onely for Blotting out our Transgressions but also for through Washing and Cleansing from Iniquity and Sin not onely by Condonation of them but also by Emendation and Amendment of life 5. That it is Loving-kindness and multitude of tender Mercies which is the Motive whereupon God blotteth out Transgressions washeth throughly the guilty Sinner from Iniquity and cleanseth him from his Sin 6. That the onely way to obtain these things is to beg them of God upon this consideration and no other You see a large field and copious matter is before us in which I might exspatiate far and prosecute a long time but I will endeavour to abbreviate and end with the time I. OBSERVATION That the Remembrance of his Sin is the greatest Grievance to a Penitent Sinner This is evident from their penitential Complaints In the many mournfull Elegies of David the great Pressure of his spirit lay in the Remembrance of his Sin Psal 38.3 4 5. There is no rest in my bones because of my Sin For mine Iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me My Wounds stink and are corrupt because of my Foolishness And again Psal 40.12 Innumerable Evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me It is true Afflictions are hard to be born Poverty and Disgrace and Imprisonment and Pains of body are very heavy upon many persons Discontents and Fears of trouble Griefs and Sorrows for loss of Friends Wife Children do often quench mens spirits and sink them into the Grave Nor is it to be denied but that many times they cause men to prefer death before life and to chuse strangling before breathing Job 7.15 But upon the sense of Sin when the Conscience feels the weight of it when God shoots his Arrows into a man and haeret lateri lethalis Arundo the deadly Arrow sticks in his side then the Venome thereof drinks up his spirit is as the stinging of a Scorpion or fiery flying Serpent it tortures like Hell and is more bitter and terrible then Death it self The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity saith Solomon Prov. 18.14 but a wounded spirit who can bear In other Afflictions there is some Remedy from Reason or Faith if not to comfort yet to quiet the Soul but in the sense of Sin committed till Pardon thereof be apprehended no Argument can be fastned but will be rejected Men in these Wounds of Conscience doe like persons in extreme Anguish who tear off their Plaisters that should ease or cure them so do wounded Consciences reject all Allegations of Scripture brought to allay their Anguish as if they belong'd not to them as Spira and others have done And that which is the Sting of Sin that most of all makes it deadly poisonous is the apprehension of God as angry as an Enemy unappeasable till it be acknowledged to be what it is an evil and bitter thing that we have sinned against the Lord and that his fear is not in us as the Prophet speaks Jer. 2.19 Which leads me to the II. OBSERVATION That a Penitent Sinner doth not mince or lessen his Sin but sets it out or confesseth it to God in its greatest Aggravations in variety of odious Appellations when he betakes himself to God for Redress So David besides the variety of terms he here paints out the Deformity of his Sins by adds also vers 3 4. I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before me Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this Evil in thy sight
And to set out his Sin as the more venomous he derives it from his originall innate Pravity Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my mother conceive me vers 5. And S. Paul acknowledged himself the chiefest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 The Reasons hereof are 1. Because otherwise the Heart loves and favours the Sin and the Repentance and Humiliation will appear to be but feigned True Hatred of Sin will cause us to confess and abandon it with all our might Odium est Appetitus amovendi it will stir up a desire to remove it it will cause Detestation Clearing Revenge Indignation Zeal Fear as it is said of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.11 The poor Publican durst not lift up his eyes to heaven but smote on his breast saying God be mercifull to me a Sinner Luk. 18.13 2. By this means he justifies God in his Sentence against his Sin in his Punishment acknowledgeth his own Desert which is the Reason here That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest vers 4. The more we aggravate our Sins the more we magnify the Justice of God's Law and his dealing with us 3. It also tends to the magnifying of God's Grace in Pardoning that where Sin abounds there Grace over-abounds Rom. 5.20 It is rich Grace that forgives great and many Sins They that make their Sins venial and speak of them as small matters do shew they take themselves little beholden to God to pardon them and that they owe little thanks for it To whom much is forgiven he loveth much to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Luk. 7.47 4. This is the way to obtain Pardon He that hideth his Sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 Stultorum incurata Pudor malus Vlcera celat They are foolish persons that when they are to make use of a Physician conceal their Disease and tell not the worst of it for thereby they disable the Physicran from Curing them and are Authours of their own death But a wise Patient will relate all the Symptoms of his Disease and declare the worst of it that so there may be a through and not a palliated Cure So it is with a true Penitent he declares his Sin to God with the greatest Shame to himself in all its evil Circumstances that he may dispose God to forgive him it being God's way to justify them that condemn themselves as the poor Publican that with a dejected heart and look craved mercy to him a Sinner Which brings us to the III. OBSERVATION That the Blotting out of our Transgressions the Washing throughly from our Iniquity the Cleansing from our Sin is to be sought from God This was the course which David took and Manasseh 2 Chron. 33.12 13. When he was in Affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his Supplication No such Prayer to be found in Scripture as is in the Office of the Romanists Mary Mother of Grace Mother of Mercy defend us from the Enemy grant Pardon to the guilty Christ directs us to say Our Father which art in Heaven forgive us our Trespasses And good Reason for 1. Our Sins are against him and therefore are to be pardoned by him Against thee have I sinned saith David therefore do thou blot out my Transgressions He must cancel the Bond who is the Creditor I will say to my Father saith the Prodigall son Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 2. It is he onely that hath power to forgive Sins Who can forgive Sins but God onely Mark 2.7 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14.4 It is God's Prerogative which he challengeth Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy Sins It is true the Son of man had power on earth to forgive Sins but he was also the Son of God It is true the Apostles had power to remit Sins by a peculiar delegation from Christ or as the Apostle S. Paul speaks in the person of Christ 2 Cor. 2.10 Nor is it to be denied that Ministers of the Gospel ministerially by preaching the Gospell may be said to forgive Sins declaratively and instrumentally by bringing men to Repentance and Faith on which Forgiveness and Cleansing from Sin follow but not as the Pope pretends to forgive Sins by his Indulgences authoritatively or as the Popish Priests by their Absolution certainly and immediately Men may forgive Sins by the assuring of Pardon to the truly Penitent and Believing And the Absolution of the Minister is of great moment to quiet the guilty Conscience if he doe it Clave non errante when he is skilfull in Binding and losing and the Penitent freely confesseth and sincerely believeth in Christ and unfeignedly purposeth to amend without which the Absolution is invalid And therefore which was the IV. OBSERVATION The Penitent Sinner is to beg earnestly not onely for Blotting out his Transgressions but also for through Washing and Cleansing from Iniquity and Sin not onely by Condonation of them but also by Emendation or Amendment of life So David Psal 51.9 10. Hide thy face from my Sins and blot out all mïne Iniquities Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me These are to be conjoyned As the Guilt of Sin is to be pardoned and the Stain of Sin to be washed away so is the Conscience to be purged from dead works that we may serve the living God the Heart is to be sprinkled from an evil Conscience and the Body to be washed with pure water as the expressions are Heb. 9.14 and 10.22 allusively to the Legall Purifying with bloud and water to which answers the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 which is thus expressed by S. Paul Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life And this is a principal part of true Repentance to have a renewed Heart and to lead a new Life And therefore S. John Baptist when the multitude came to him to be baptized of him for the Remission of Sins chargeth them to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance Luk. 3.7 8. letting them to understand that every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire And our Saviour when he found the impotent man who was healed by him at the Pool of Bethesda told him Joh. 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee For as Christ saith if after the unclean Spirit is gone out of a man he
return again and findeth the house empty swept and garnished that is after the Sinner in some sort hath repented and his Conscience hath been quieted and his former Courses relinquished for a time he grow secure and loose in his Conversation the unclean Spirit taketh with him seven other Spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first Matth. 12.43 44 45. Satan doth make such a person more sinfull then before and his Condition is worse then it was before his seeming Repentance Most truly doth S. Peter tell us 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. If after persons have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them But it happens to them according to the true Proverb The Dog is returned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire As it is with men who relapse into a Fever which was for a time abated their Disease grows worse and mortal so is it with them that after some imperfect Change and Peace acquired do fall back into the same or other Sins become secure and heedless of Temptations they commonly become more notorious Sinners and more hardned therein to their perdition None likely make a mock of Sin and sport themselves in Evil more then they who once seemed to be humbled penitent and reformed And therefore there is as great a necessity of begging for effectuall Renovation as Condonation from God Sanctification throughout in Body Soul and Spirit as well as Justification from all our Transgressions To which the onely Motive is God's Loving-kindness and the multitude of his tender Mercies according to the next Observation V. OBSERVATION That it is Loving-kindness and multitude of tender Mercies which is the Motive whereupon God blots out Transgressions washeth throughly the guilty Sinner from his Iniquity and cleanseth him from his Sin As God said of the people of Israel that it was not for their Excellency Multitude Righteousness or Vprightness of heart that he took them to be his People Deut. 7.7 and 9.5 but out of his own Compassion Ezek. 16.5 8 9. speaks of them under the Similitude of an unpitied outcast infant till he pitied loved washed and cloathed them so it is true concerning every person that is saved that is justified and sanctified that he is before unclean till the Loving-kindness of God towards him appears Not by Works of Righteousness which he hath done but according to his Mercy God our Saviour saves him by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost That being justified by his Grace he may be made Heir according to the hope of eternall life Tit. 3.4 5 7. And indeed all that is done by us before God pardons and cleanseth us from Sin provokes God against us nor is there so much as a thought in us of returning to God after our departure from his waies nor any help in our selves to deliver our own Souls till he pities us and saves us O Israel saith God Hosea 13.9 thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help He blotteth out our Transgressions for his own Name 's sake and out of his abundant Mercy through Christ It is through the Bloud of Christ as a Price of answerable value that he redeems us and yet it is mere Mercy that procures this for the payment of our Debt So that full Satisfaction to his Justice and free Remission do well consist together notwithstanding the exceptions of Socinians And we must still acknowledge that it is not for our sakes but for his holy Name 's sake that he cleanseth us from our Iniquities and upon this consideration he will be inquired of by repenting Sinners to doe it for them as it is said Ezek. 36.22 33 37. Which brings us to the last or VI. OBSERVATION That the onely way to obtain Deletion of Transgressions and Cleansing from Sin is to beg them of God upon consideration of the multitude of his Mercies and his Love in and through Christ So did the poor Publican obtain Justification by his crying Peccavi and supplicating thus God be mercifull to me a Sinner whom Christ propounds as an Example of a prospering Penitent excluding the self-justifying Pharisee from attaining Righteousness This is the Gospell-way to address our selves to the Throne of Grace to confess our Sins to trust onely to the bloud of Christ for cleansing us from all Sin to make use of him as our Advocate with the Father and the Propitiation for our Sins In him we have Redemption through his bloud the Forgiveness of Sins according to the riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 This is the way whereby God will be glorified and we shall be saved And therefore still our Litany must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord have mercy on us or with David Lord be mercifull unto me heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee APPLICATION And now it behoves you that have heard David's Petition opened unto you to apply his Case to your own Souls You have sinned as David did if not in the same kind yet in Sins enough to sink you into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Can any of you say My Heart is clean I am pure from my Sin Can any of you deny that you were shapen in Iniquity and that in Sin your Mother conceived you Will not your own Conscience if you heed it inform you of many unholy and unrighteous Thoughts Words and Deeds If there should be any self-boasting Pharisee any ignorant Papist that imagines he can keep the Law of God and merit Heaven by his Works any deluded Quaker or other Fanatick that conceives himself perfect without Sin If there should be any Protestant Justitiary that conceives so well of his Innocence that he thinks God should wrong him if he should damn him so well of his Good deeds Prayers Alms Religious performances at Church or in private as to expect Heaven as wages due to them in exact Justice let him consider that he prefers himself before holy David S. Paul and such other holy Saints as have gone before us to Heaven Christ hath told us he is the Way the Truth and the Life and that no man cometh to the Father but by him Joh. 14.6 And S. Peter tells us Act. 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other but Christ for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved And therefore as it was said once to a Novatian by the Emperour Thou that thinkest thy self perfect set up thy Ladder and climb up to Heaven by thy self if thou canst so may I say to
our Spirituall Voiage towards Heaven and our Christian Warfare The Presence of God is All in all without God's Presence we can doe nothing though we should have all the furniture of wit strength wealth and the assistence of men yet should we not be able to goe one step forward in the way to Happiness we of our selves should not be sufficient to think any thing as of our selves for all our Sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Yea our Adversary the Devil would easily devour us if the Lord should depart from us On the other side If God be for us who can be against us Neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall prevail against us The auxiliary force of God's Presence makes a Believer in Tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness peril sword to be more then a Conquerour even to triumph and to glory in the Lord as knowing that his Riches exceed Croesus his wealth his Glory Solomon's glory and that he may truly say without Thrasonicall vaunting Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come All are mine I being Christ's and Christ God's 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Thus did the Psalmist express his apprehensions of the benefit of God's Presence in relation to his Safety Comfort and Happiness That he restored his Soul and led him in the paths of Righteousness for his Name 's sake Yea though he did walk through the valley of the shadow of death he would fear no evil for God was with him his Rod and his Staff did comfort him Psal 23.3 4. That his Goodness and Mercy should follow him all the days of his life vers 6. That he would shew him the path of Life in his Presence was fulness of Joy at his right hand Pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 As to be near such a King as Solomon was counted so great a Happiness that the blessedness of Solomon's Courtiers was magnified with admiration by the Queen of Sheba so much more blessed are they that are acquainted with God and are near to him In his Favour is their life Psal 30.5 The light of his Countenance is better then life it self Man being Animal sociabile a sociable Living creature needs Society it is most joyous for him to be with them whom he loves and who love him and can help him But such is none now in comparison of God and therefore no Company to a Holy heart like to God's David's Soul thirsted for God panted after him to come and appear before him But his Tears were his meat day and night in his absence from God and it was as a Sword in his bones to be reproached with this demand Where is thy God When God hid his face he was troubled Which comes to pass by our departing from God and that brings me to the II. OBSERVATION That the committing of great and enormous Sins endangers the Privation of God's Presence It is true that God sometimes to try his most upright Servants doth withdraw from them the light of his Countenance not out of Indignation against them for any great Transgression committed by them Thus he dealt with Job when he exercised his Patience which made him expostulate the matter with God Job 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine Enemy vers 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my youth And Heman the Ezrahite Psal 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my Soul why hidest thou thy Face from me But this casting off and hiding God's Face is but for a time and not in wrath but like a Father's dealing with his Child when he for a little while sequesters himself to make experiment of his Child's Affection and to excite him thereby to seek him the more earnestly Nevertheless even this also tends to bring them to the acknowledgment of their Sins therefore the Prophet Hosea 5.15 brings in God thus saying I will goe away and return to my place till they acknowledge their Offence and seek my Face in their Affliction they will seek me early Even Job wanted God's Presence till he confessed himself vile and repented abhorring himself in dust and ashes Job 42.6 But there is a more direfull Casting out of God's Presence with utter Forsaking so as to cast a people or person out of his sight for ever by leaving them to be a Prey to those who waste and oppress them as when he threatned Jerem. 7.15 to cast the Jews out of his sight as he had cast out all their brethren the whole seed of Ephraim which he accomplished in the Babylonish Captivity as it is Jerem. 52.3 Through the Anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah that God cast them out of his Presence especially because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall 2 King 23.26 And indeed though Manasseh repenting was not utterly and for ever cast out of God's Presence yet by reason of the hainousness of his Sins the Lord brought upon him and his people the Captains of the hoast of the King of Assyria which took him among the thorns and bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon 2 Chron. 33.11 And David himself when he had by his great Transgressions provoked the Lord to Anger in the matter of Vriah the Hittite found God's favourable Presence so removed from him that in his House he suffered by his Children great Calamities which were inflicted by God to shew his Indignation so that though he were not Filius Irae a Child of Wrath cast away with utter Dereliction as a Reprobate yet he was Filius sub Ira a Child under Wrath for that present which made him dread his Danger and to be thus importunate with God not to cast him out of his Presence And indeed in case of great Sins committed presumptuously against Warning or Conscience enlightned and continued in with Impenitency it is inconsistent with God's Holiness and Honour to afford his Presence it being contrary to his Nature and Glory to countenance Evil who is not a God that hath pleasure in Wickedness neither shall Evil dwell with him The foolish shall not stand in his sight he hateth all workers of Iniquity Psal 5.4 5. He is of purer eyes then to behold Evil and cannot look on Iniquity Hab. 1.13 As it is with a gallant Prince who cannot brook a base Coward or a neat and cleanly Nobleman who cannot endure in his company a sordid and nasty Sloven but will thrust or keep such out of his presence so it is with God When a Man or Nation have defiled themselves with such odious Iniquities as God abhors till they be washed with true Repentance and new cloathed by putting on the Lord Jesus there is no hope of finding God ready to admit them near to him Wherefore
Conscience exagitate him when he went out from the Presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod as a Renegado from God and one that was pursued by his own Bloud-guiltiness Nor is the Case of Judas less pregnant to demonstrate how furious and inevitable is the pursuit of a guilty Conscience He had sold his Master the Lord of Glory for thirty pieces of Silver but his Mony was as Fire in his Bosome the remembrance of his devillish Act did so envenome his Spirit that he could find no Rest till he had disgorged his Money and rid himself of his Life too So that of him was verified what Zophar spake of others who sin in like manner Job 20.12 13 14 15 16. Though Wickedness be sweet in the Mouth though a man hide it under his Tongue Though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his Mouth Yet his Meat in his Bowells is turned it is the Gall of Asps within him He hath swallowed down Riches and he shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his Belly He shall suck the poison of Asps the Viper's tongue shall slay him How many Myriads of men have there been in the Ages of the world who have ventured upon Sin without Fear have blessed themselves in the Success of their unrighteous Projects have delightfully for a season satiated themselves with the enjoyment of their prohibited Lusts yet in the conclusion the Remembrance thereof hath been as a Fire in their Bones as a heavy Burthen that neither their own strength nor the help of other men could support them under And the Reason hereof is Because to them that obey Vnrighteousness there is Indignation and Wrath from God and consequently Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doeth evil Rom. 2.8 9. And this is that which makes the Heart to be affected as Belshazzar's was When he saw the finger of a man's hand writing over against the Candlestick and upon the plaister of the Wall of the King's Palace his Countenance was changed and his Thoughts troubled him so that the Joynts of his Loyns were loosed and his Knees smote one against another How shall thy hands be strong saith God to the Jews Ezek. 22.14 when I shall deal with thee The Sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Therefore the Lord saith I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the Spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Isa 57.16 Which leads us to that which is intimated OBSERVATION That though the Spirit of man when it is wounded with worldly Sorrows or with Conscience of Sin cannot sustain it self from sinking yet the Lord can and doth support it This is verified by experience in holy Job then whom none was ever more sorely handled except our Lord Christ when he bare our Sins in his Body on the Tree insomuch that he complained Job 6.4 For the Arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my Spirit the Terrours of God do set themselves in array against me yet did the Consolations of God so support him that he could allege Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on high Job 16.19 so as that he could never be drawn to disclaim his own Uprightness or God's Righteousness Holy Paul though he were abundant in Sufferings so that he had the sentence of death in himself yet he would not relinquish his Trust in God whom he found the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort so as that with the abounding of his Sufferings he had also abounding Consolation After the like sort was it with Christ Jesus who though he was in great Agony in the Garden so that his Soul was heavy unto death in the days of his flesh he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong Crying and Tears unto him that was able to save him from death yet he was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 David after he had committed that Sin against Vriah the Hittite when Nathan had discovered the Evil thereof His Bones waxed old through his Roaring all the day long Day and night the Hand of God was heavy upon him His moisture was turned into the drought of Summer His Bones his Soul were sore vexed Innumerable Evils compassed him about His Iniquities took hold upon him so that he was not able to look up therefore his heart failed him yet God restored unto him the Joy of his Salvation upheld him with his free Spirit took away his Sackcloath and girded him with Gladness The waies that God takes to sustain the Spirits of men in their Infirmities are various Sometimes by allaying the Sharpness of their Afflictions sometimes by a mixture of outward or inward Refreshings sometimes by moderating their Temptations not suffering them to be tempted above that they are able but with the Temptation making a way to escape that they may be able to bear it making it short though it be sharp But the chief way whereby the Lord supports the Spirit when it sinks of it self is by giving to some the tongue of the learned that they may know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Isa 50.4 whose business it is first to humble to search the Wound and then to pour in Oil first to discover the Malady and then to apply the Medicine This method is described at large by Elihu Job 33. from vers 15. to v. 29. When God hath spoken to man in sleep and otherwise to open his ears to seal his Instruction to withdraw him from his purposes to hide Pride from man He chasteneth him upon his Bed and the multitude of his Bones with strong pains so that his Soul draweth near unto the Grave and his Life to the Destroyers Yet if there be a Messenger with him an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his Vprightness to make known to him the Atonement which is made by the Bloud of the everlasting Covenant when he washeth himself with penitentiall Tears and sprinkles his Conscience with the Bloud of Christ by Faith Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the Pit I have found a Ransome He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with Joy for he will render unto man his Righteousness If when God looks upon men they say We have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited us not He will deliver their Soul from going into the Pit and their Life shall see the Light Thus did Hezekiah find it as he acknowledgeth Isa 38.16 17. O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my Spirit that is by God's undertaking for him vers 14. so wilt
In like manner their Obsecrations are by the Mercies of God Rom. 12.1 as of all things most dear to them and their Prayers are still enforced by minding God of his Mercies So in the Penitentiall Psalms Psal 6.2 Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak vers 4. Return O Lord deliver my Soul O save me for thy Mercy 's sake Psal 51.1 Have Mercy upon me O God according to thy Loving-kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions and so in the rest There is scarce a Psalm of Petition or Thanksgiving or Narration of God's Acts but there is some if not frequent mention of God's Mercy and tender Compassion as the Source of all the Help his people have and the Ground of their Hope for what they want And the Reasons hereof are 1. Because without God's Mercy there would be no Forgiveness of Sin and without Forgiveness of Sin there would be no Deliverance from Evil. Where the Holy Scripture mentions Redemption from Evil it ascribes it to the Forgiveness of Sin The Redemption in Christ is in the Forgiveness of Sins Eph. 1.7 Forgiving of Sins and Healing Diseases are conjoyned Psal 103.3 And Forgiving of Sins is derived from Mercy He pardoneth Iniquity because he delighteth in Mercy Mich. 7.18 Of his own Mercy he saved us Tit. 3.5 Therefore à primo ad ultimum those follow one another Redemption from Evil follows Forgiveness of Sins and Forgiveness of Sins God's tender Mercies And therefore it is God's tender Mercy that Evils are removed as taking away the Cause whereupon the Effect ceaseth 2. But farther All Influx of Good is from God's tender Mercy There is nothing that doth or can make God a Debtor to any but his tender Mercy Man is a poor helpless thing of himself the best of men in their estate antecedent to God's Help are more destitute of power to help themselves then the very Brutes whether in respect of Naturals or Spiritualls As we are born into the world we are as God said of the Israelites Ezek. 16.6 as a young Child exposed polluted in our own bloud without the Mercy of God teaching strengthening and providing for us certain to perish There is none eye that pities us to doe us any good without God It is his Mercy that the Sun shineth on us that the Air refresheth us our Food nourisheth us our Cloaths warm us that we have Strength to act Wisedom to direct us It is his Mercy that our Parents take care of us that our Friends comfort us our Enemies pity us Devils are curbed from hurting us Ministers preach to us the way of Life the Holy Angels assist us the Spirit of God guides us and which is the Mercy of Mercies that the Son of God is given for us and to us and with him all things and so he crowns us with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies In a word all the Safety and Benefits we enjoy which are innumerable are Fruits springing from the tender Mercies of God as the Root Mercy is the Principle which sets God on work to doe all the good he doeth This is evidenced from the III. OBSERVATION He makes the low Condition of Supplicants his Season of ministring Help This is acknowledged Psal 136.23 Who remembred us in our low estate for his Mercy endureth for ever In another Psalm 107. throughout this way of God's Providence is exemplified in his dealing with Pilgrims Prisoners Captives Diseased persons Mariners oppressed Subjects to all which and all other sorts of dejected and disconsolate persons when their Case is deplorable when they are destitute of all other Remedies when all things are dark and cloudy about them when they are reduced to extremities and are at their wits end God steps in and by some way unthought of unexpected ministers seasonable supply timely Succour and Relief The Scripture is full of Instances in the case of Jacob David Jonah Paul and many others Besides the famous Instances of old of Rain sent to Antoninus his Army upon the Prayers of the Christians of Help to Constantine against Maxentius to Theodosius against Eugenius and of late our own great Deliverances from the Spanish Invasion in Eighty eight of the King and Parliament from the Gunpowder-Treason and which is most apposite to the present state of things the Deliverance of our Metropolis from the sweeping Pestilence in the memory of many of us These and innumerable more Experiences of which no considerate Christian that hath been at Death's door or under Agony of Spirit or in any other low Estate wants Instances do abundantly prove this Truth That Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity And the Reason is Because then Mercy appears to be Mercy God is then manifested to be what he is styled to be the Father of Mercies and the God of all Consolation 2 Cor. 1.3 As the Devil then appears to be a Devil when he takes advantage of our Weakness to hurt us so God appears to be God by making our Infirmity the Reason of his Help Thereby he encourageth us to trust in him engageth us to Thankfulness and to Obedience That is the Harvest-time when God reaps most Glory and we carry home with Joy after our Mourning our Sheaves of Assurance of his Salvation S. Paul therefore tells us that in his Trouble in Asia he was pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that he despaired even of life had the sentence of death in himself to this end that he should not trust in himself but in God which raiseth the dead and then God delivered him from so great a death and did still deliver him and therefore he trusted that he would yet deliver him 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. Such seasonable Help in Extremities God would therefore have observed and kept upon Record and always acknowledged The Israelites were commanded to present their basket of First-fruits and to make this Confession solemnly Deut. 26.5 c. A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a Nation great mighty and populous And the Egyptians evil intreated us and afflicted us and laid upon us hard Burthens And when we cried unto the Lord God of our Fathers the Lord heard our voice and looked on our Affliction and our Labour and our Oppression and brought us thence into this place Such Providences of God he requires us to observe that we may understand his Loving-kindness Psal 107.43 that we may be excited to cry unto the Lord in our Trouble who delivereth us out of our Distress Which brings us to the IV. OBSERVATION That Bewailing of Sins and humble and instant Supplication are the proper and effectuall Remedies against the Calamities incumbent on God's people Hereunto we are directed Lament 3.40 41 42. Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens We have transgressed
and Power of God in his proceedings concerning it S. Paul in this Epistle written to the greatest and most intelligent People of the Gentiles declares both the extreme Corruptions of the whole World and the Wrath of God impendent on them for that reason as also the unparallel'd Longanimity of God in bearing with such a provoking Generation whom Hell had long waited for and especially the incomprehensible Philanthropy or Loving-kindness of God towards men whom though Enemies though weak to resist him he not onely spareth but also reconcileth to himself by the Bloud of his own Son and proclaimeth his free Pardon to all that receive him by his Apostles But lest Mercy abused should inflame the Wrath of God so much the more lest the sweetest Meat undigested through a Surfeit should be putrefied in the Stomach and turn to the most deadly Poison he in this and the following Chapters warns us of the ill Inference which men may make from so great Goodness and he begins at the words now read unto you What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound God forbid In which words are two Questions the former whereof is onely a form of Transition propounding it to the consideration of those to whom he writes that they with him should bethink themselves what Determination to make upon his former Declaration What shall we say then If this be the state of affairs between God and us it concerns us to heed what thereupon we resolve to doe The other Question is more particular Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound Shall this be the Inference we make from it The Answer is negative Absit God forbid Let no so absurd so unworthy an Abuse of so rich Mercy be yielded to though it be never so plausibly urged by our carnal Reason and our corrupt Affections would incline us to embrace the Motion In this passage of Scripture these following Conclusions are couched 1. That God's dealing with Sinners according to the Gospel of Christ is out of his abundant Grace 2. That the corrupt Heart of man is apt thereupon to harden it self by Continuance in Sin 3. That such a Determination is a most foolish and pernicious Abuse of God's superabundant Grace Of these in their order I. OBSERVATION That God's dealing with Sinners according to the Gospel of Christ is out of his abundant Grace That abundant Grace which is here supposed is the same with that which he speaks of Rom. 5.20 21. Moreover the Law entred that the Offence might abound but where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound That as Sin hath reigned unto Death even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Which elsewhere Ephes 1.7 he terms the Riches of his Grace In whom we have Redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of Sins according to the Riches of his Grace And Eph. 2.4 5 7. God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickened us together with Christ That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his Kindness towards us through Christ Jesus And Eph. 3.8 it is termed the unsearchable Riches of Christ All which Expressions are true without an Excess of speech if we consider either the State of mankind antecedent to the exhibition of this Grace or the Effects thereof or the Means of exhibiting it For what more deplorable Condition except that of Devils could the World be in then it was in before the exhibiting of the Divine Evangelical Grace of Christ to the sons of men They had all sinned and came short of the Glory of God they were concluded as Malefactours condemned under Sin under the Curse of the Law dead in Trespasses and Sins they were alienated from the Life that is in God Enemies in their minds by wicked works foolish disobedient serving divers Lusts hatefull and hating one another children of Disobedience of Darkness who walked after the course of the Prince of the power of the Air they were carried away after dumb Idols were Vassals of Satan and children of Wrath by nature And yet even to such did the Loving-kindness of God towards Man appear so as to reconcile the world unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them He made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made his Righteousness in him and committed the Ministry of Reconciliation to chosen Vessels which might bear his Name to the Gentiles and bring Light and Salvation to such persons It was no small Testimony of his Goodness that even then when they were such when they walked in their own ways he gave them Rain from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness that he caused his Sun to shine upon such unjust people as were both Jews and Gentiles The former of which were degenerated from the Integrity of Abraham and though claiming the privilege of his Children yet in reality were of their Father the Devil whose works they did except a few names that waited for the Consolation of Israel the rest of them were a Generation of Vipers full of Hypocrisie and Cruelty Unpeaceable Ambitious seeking the Praise of men not the Honour that cometh of God such as would compass sea and land to make one Proselyte and having wone him to them made him twofold more the child of Hell then themselves The other were filled with all Vnrighteousness Fornication Wickedness Covetousness Maliciousness full of Envy Murther Debate Deceit Malignity Whisperers Backbiters Haters of God despightfull proud Boasters Inventers of evil things disobedient to Parents without Vnderstanding Covenant-breakers without natural Affection implacable unmercifull Rom. 1.29 30 31. Yet even such as these he washed he sanctified he justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by his Spirit It might rather have been expected that he should have repented that he had made them and have executed his Wrath on them as he did on the world of the ungodly in Noah's time by a Deluge of water to wash away from the Earth that Dunghill and filth of evil Imaginations and wicked Works that had polluted the whole Earth or should have rained Fire and brimstone from Heaven to burn up and so to take away those unclean Sodomites those brutish Dogs and Swine which filled the World He might justly have caused the Earth to open its mouth and swallow up the Inhabitants of the world so as that they should go down quick into Hell as it did the Families of Korah Dathan and Abiram He might have sworn in his Wrath as he did concerning the Rebellious Israelites that they should never enter into his Rest They and we in all Generations succeeding might have expected to suffer the Vengeance of eternal fire But O Altitudo O the depth of the riches both of the Wisedom and Knowledge and Love of God! how
unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Even in this desperate State when Iniquity was at the height when the Sins of men were ripe the Harvest come to its full growth when they lay weltring in their own bloud he said unto such out-cast helpless sons of Adam Live he hath swaddled washed nourished decked married to his Son such forlorn Creatures done the greatest Good to the worst of men he so loved the World that he gave his onely-begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have Life eternal Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners even the chiefest though it was foreseen which is next to be considered II. OBSERVATION That corrupt Hearts will be apt upon this gracious dealing of God to harden themselves by continuance in Sin The Apostle Jude in his Epistle vers 4. tells us of some ungodly men in his time who turned the Grace of God into Lasciviousness But it is an Abuse not peculiar to those onely it is a Disease which is hereditary How many are there who presume on God's Mercy though they persist in their Impenitency Is it not a frequent thing with many that profane the Name of God by an hourly Abuse of it in vain Swearing that spend a great part of their lives in Debauchery so as to become more like Beasts then Men to live more Pecudum or more Ferarum as Sensualists rather then Religious persons as Devils rather then Saints yet to feed themselves with imaginations of God's Grace as if God would be mercifull to such Christ died for All God would damn None to bolster up themselves in Sin deluding themselves with Conceits of Pardon if at last Gasp they can but cry Peccavi when they love their Sin as much as they did and grieve onely that they cannot still commit it or that God awards Hell to the Actours of it and cry God mercy in a faint Miserere mei God be mercifull to me when they have neither acquaintance with his Promise nor any lively sense of his Love in Christ How great a part of the sons of men expose themselves to Temptations and give way to sinfull Compliance in Errour or unrighteous Practices out of a fond hope of future Repentance and easie Pardon Not onely notorious ungodly persons who walk in the Stubbornness of their heart adding drunkenness to thirst say in their heart they shall have Peace when God saith he will not spare them Deut. 29.19 bless themselves when God curseth them but also others who have a Form of Godliness without the Power shelter themselves from Wrath upon a mistake of God's abundant Grace Yea somewhat of this Leaven is hidden even in Good mens Hearts which is apt to sour their Spirits to puff them up with high conceits of their Happiness and Interest in God so as to make them secure in some goings astray Which is a foolish and pernicious Abuse of God's superabundant Grace to be next considered III. OBSERVATION That it is a foolish Conceit that we may securely continue in Sin and expect Favour from God because of his superabundant Grace in Christ This is manifest because it is a groundless and vain Presumption there being no Promise or other Declaration of God which assures his Grace to such persons Promise of Pardon of Sin is made onely to the Penitent Mercy to him that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin Onely a working Faith that is in Christ operative by Love avails with God to the Justification of a Sinner New Obedience is requisite to the Continuance of our Peace with God a holy Life to eternal Life We reade of David's Forgiveness and we reade also of David's Confession he acknowledgeth his Sin before Nathan tells him The Lord hath put away thy Sin We reade of God's Mercy to Manasseh but the same Story tells us of his humbling himself first Saint Paul was saved though the chief of Sinners but not till he was converted and thereby made a real Saint Were it so that Grace were bestowed on hardned Sinners it would be in effect a cherishing of Rebellion When a Prince pardons a Traitour he will first have him an humble Supplicant lay down his Weapons and fall prostrate at his feet Else he should maintain Enemies not secure his Dominion he should in the event destroy himself by saving his Foe such Pity to them would prove Cruelty to himself It is so in God's Royall Government Should he shew himself facil and forward in bestowing his most beneficial Grace on open Sinners that persist in their Provocations or on secret Hypocrites that are false-hearted he should in stead of upholding his Kingdom ruine it in stead of gaining good Subjects nourish Vipers in his bosome It is a Maxim with him in his Holy Polity That when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his Trespass that he hath trespassed and in his Sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die Ezek. 18.24 This is the way of God which he counts as it is indeed most equall it being altogether incongruous to God's Holiness to abett Evil. For that would foster such Conceits in men as those were in him of whom God saith Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self Then which there is nothing more opposite to his pure Nature nothing being more repugnant to him then Sin Such Imputations therefore are the greatest Disparagements of God the foulest Reproaches the most hainous Injuries the most monstrous Indignities that can be cast on the Divine Majesty it being all one as to metamorphose him into a Devil All Sin is from the Devil and therefore for God to bestow his Grace on him that continues in Sin were to countenance the Devil's Actings to breed up his Brats in stead of destroying the works of the Devil such Indulgence would promote them God should be an egregious Dissembler he should in word forbid Sin in deed command it he should take to himself the name of a Righteous God and act as the Authour of Sin he should threaten Sinners as if he were in jest not in earnest give liberty and allowance to a dissembling Hypocrite to mock him to his face while he makes a shew of honouring God when he sues for his Grace and yet in Heart derides the Word of the living God The Intention of God in exhibiting his surpassing Grace is to draw the Hearts of men by the Chords of love to him the more abundantly that as it is said of that woman Luk. 7.47 that her Sins which were many were forgiven for she loved much much Love might be the fruit of much Grace Whereas the Continuance in Sin out of the fancy of superabundant Grace is indeed to abuse the Love of God to the increase of Hatred against him Spider-like to suck Poison out of that Flower
God's Mercy is the practice and delight of them that have a Spirit of Holiness in all Generations They write Ex dono Dei on all they have they ascribe all they doe to Mercy all their Prosperity Victory Success they account as Mercies from God When they cast up the Inventory of their Good things they have enjoyed all that they possess the Summe totall is innumerable Mercies How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them If I should count them they are more in number then the Sand Psalm 139.17 18. The Law of Gratitude then which none is more equal ties every one to magnify God's Mercy What hath any which he hath not received 1 Cor. 4.7 And who can look upon his Receipts as due Wages and not rather pure Alms Who hath not received loads of Benefits from God and all out of pure Mercy Our Forming in the womb is a prime Mercy our Birth our Education our Instruction our Preservation our Salvation That I be not infinite in this Account Our Life Breath and all our Ways all our natural Parts and Abilities all our Motions and Proceedings all our Escapes from Dangers from Sicknesses from Death and most of all from being a Prey to the Devil and our Deliverance from Hell are Evidences of transcendent Mercy in God which all God's people are sensible of And this leads us to the VI. OBSERVATION That the apprehension of God's great Mercy encourageth his People to hope and wait on God for a Consummation of their Welfare The greatness of God's Mercies encouraged David to cast himself into God's hand rather then to fall into the hands of men 2 Sam. 24.14 And Holy Daniel in that effectual fervent Prayer Dan. 9.8 9. to appeal to God's Mercy O Lord to us belongeth Confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because we have sinned against thee To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Vers 18. We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousnesses but for thy great Mercies Psalm 138.8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me Thy Mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Isa 63.15 Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory where is thy Zeal and thy Strength the sounding of thy Bowells and of thy Mercies towards me are they restrained Psal 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is Mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption Not one of all the Holy Saints in all the Bible hath ever dared to utter such Expressions to God or men as if they could challenge the least Relief in Trouble the least Abatement of Sufferings much less eternall Life and Reward in Heaven upon account of their own Merit as Pharisaicall Self-Justitiaries have presumed to doe Holy Jacob on the contrary Gen. 32.10 tells God I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant And Nehemiah when he allegeth his Actings for God Neh. 13.22 thus bespeaks him Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy Mercy This is the Plea of all upright humble Souls this is the Anchora sacra the sure Anchour upon which their Spirits are stayed in all their Fluctuations this is that Gale of wind which carries them on comfortably in all their Voiages They have learned from the Psalmist Psal 33.18 Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and that hope in his Mercy and therefore they say vers 22. Let thy Mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee They have found this Address to God always prosperous and therefore they joyn with the Holy Prophet in the words of my Text and the two following verses It is of the Lord's Mercies that we are not consumed because his Compassions fail not They are new every morning great is thy Faithfulness The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him APPLICATION And now what is more necessary more just more meet for us to doe then to joyn in consort with the Holy Prophet in this passage Surely we may each of us say that it hath been of the Lord's Mercies that we have not been consumed in this most deadly Pestilence which hath swept away in our great City and the neighbouring places not many short of an Hundred thousand and yet we have hitherto been preserved alive to be Monuments of his Mercy Have not his Mercies been new to us every morning when we have heard either the dolefull Knells or the hideous voice of Carr-men Bring out your Dead or the Reports of the Weekly Bills of Mortality so many Hundreds in such a Parish so many Thousands in the whole dead of the Plague and yet we alive It was thought by God no small Mercy to Baruch when the common Calamity added Grief to his Sorrow when he fainted in his Sighing and found no Rest to give him his Life Behold I will bring Evill upon all flesh saith the Lord but thy Life will I give unto thee for a Prey in all places whither thou goest Jer. 45.5 And should you not count it a great Mercy to you that in this common and sore Judgment in which perhaps you have lost Wives Husbands Children Friends Neighbours Goods in which you have been filled with Fears oppressed with Griefs that yet you are not consumed that yet the whole City the whole Land is not consumed that yet our King our Nobles our Teachers our Government our Glory is not buried in perpetual Oblivion It is true it is a heavy Calamity but we have deserved worse It is true we have lost our Friends but our Lives are not lost our Souls are not lost unless our Unthankfulness our future Disobedience our Murmuring provoke God to bring a worse Misery the casting of Soul and body into Hell-fire which our Sins have merited Oh then let us still all our impatient Complaints let us quiet our Spirits in the present estate we are in let us be thankfull to God that we are not in Hell let us confess our Unworthiness let us be humbled for the great Depravedness of our former sinfull ways let us justify God in his inflicting Vengeance on us and our Land let us forsake those Sins which we have been guilty of that we have reason to conceive added fewell to this Fire that hath burnt so fiercely and wasted so extremely Let every one of us bewail the Plague of his own Heart let us lay to heart and mourn for the Sins of the City and the whole Nation their Pride Uncleanness Riot Oppression Unrighteousness Profaneness and the iterated Rebellions first open and hostile secondly more secret in Non-Conformity to Laws and Government and this maintained even against the unparallel'd Goodness
and Mercy of a most Gracious Prince All these and what-ever Sins we have committed let us for time to come fear to commit again either the same or the like Sins Let us dread God's Indignation which we have found so intolerable let us hope in his Mercy which we have found so helpfull Let us love God who hath done us good so freely let us be studious to please him who hath remembred us in our low estate And as we have our Lives as it were restored so let us dedicate our Lives to him consecrate our Souls to him present our Bodies a living Sacrifice to him in our reasonable Service and devote our selves wholly to serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the daies of our life Considering seriously that though we have now escaped this Judgment yet without sound Repentance and thorough Amendment of life though we have avoided this first Death hitherto yet shall we not escape the second though with the Sodomites we be delivered from the Sword yet Fire from Heaven will consume us we are reserved to the Vengeance of eternall Fire But if the Mercy of God lead us to Repentance make us more obedient more cleaving to God in Dependence on him this Deliverance will be a Mercy indeed a Pledge of more Mercies yea an eternall Mercy So that we shall have cause to joyn with all the Holy Saints in that Temple-Song O give thanks unto the God of Heaven for his Mercy endureth for ever Amen LAVS DEO DAVID's Thankfull Commemoration Part I. The Fifteenth SERMON PSAL. lvi 13. For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death wilt thou not deliver my Feet from Falling that I may walk before God in the Light of the living THE Title of this Psalm tells us the Occasion to wit David's Apprehension by the Philistines in Gath And that points us to one of the two Times in which he was fain to make his Escape out of the Land of Israel to the King of Gath's Court to avoid Saul's Persecution Most likely it was the former of the two when he was alone for the second time he was accompanied with 600 men 1 Sam. 27.2 and not so liable to be taken as now And therefore it is more likely it was upon his Danger 1 Sam. 21. when being warned by Jonathan of his Father's evil Intendments towards him he got Provision from Ahimelech and Goliah's Sword and fled to Achish King of Gath where hearing what the King's Servants said of him he was afraid and changed his behaviour and now like a frantick person in shew but an inspired person in truth he indites this Psalm expressing therein his Supplication for Deliverance his Confidence in God his Enemies Practices his assurance of their Disappointment his Vows to God his acknowledgment of God's Preservation with his future Hopes and the End of all in the words read to you For thou hast delivered my Soul from death wilt thou not deliver c In which words we have 1. A Commemoration of what God had done for him Thou hast delivered my Soul from death 2. A Postulation expressing his Hope of what God would yet doe farther for him Wilt thou not deliver my Feet from falling 3. The End designed in both That I may walk before God in the light of the living Of these in their order and I. His Commemoration which is of a Deliverance and that from Death and that of Himself and that by God All Deliverances are memorable things As the Evil escaped is grievous so the Evasion is joyous Whence it is that men love to tell of their Preservations from Dangers and to keep Memorials of them and express their Gratitude towards the Means whereby they avoid them Navita securus narrare pericula gaudet The Mariner preserved from Shipwreck loves to tell of his Dangers the Souldier that is safe after Fight to talk of his Encounters And the greater the Danger hath been the more freely do they discourse of it especially if the Deliverance be compleat For then there are likely Festivities to make others partakers of their Joy Monuments or Records to prevent Oblivion and if they have any sense of God's Hand any smack of Religion Vows and Offerings are made and performed to God Thus did the affrighted Mariners when upon Jonah's being thrown over-board the Seaceased from her raging they feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a Sacrifice unto the Lord and made Vows Jonah 1.15 16. And this was David's practice here and elsewhere He had fled from one Enemy but was fallen into the hands of more He was as if a man did fly from a Lion and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Saul hated him out of fear lest he should supplant him the Philistines who had found him a terrible Enemy could not but hate him because he had been the instrument of destroying them In this great Streight his onely Refuge is in his God In God have I put my trust saith he vers 11. I will not be afraid what Man can doe unto me And being assured of his Preservation he adds Thy Vows are upon me O God I will render Praises unto thee vers 12. The reason of which is in my Text For thou hast delivered my Soul from death Whence you may perceive this Conclusion to flow naturally OBSERVATION That God's Deliverance of our Souls or Lives from death should engage us to perform our Vows made to God in our Danger and to render Praises to him for our Deliverance This was David's practice in all his Dangers to make Supplication to God in the time of his Distress to make Vows to God for the enforcing of his Prayers and then to perform his Vows and praise his Deliverer when he was escaped The 116. Psalm is very full to this purpose There he tells us of his Danger vers 3. The Sorrows of Death compassed me and the Pains of Hell gat hold upon me In this Extremity he applies himself to his sacred Anchour Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul vers 4. The Event is he was brought low and God helped him vers 6. he called upon the Lord and he heard him Therefore he bespeaks his Soul Return unto thy Rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee vers 7. Therefore he loves the Lord consults what he may render to the Lord for all his Benefits towards him chiefly for delivering his Soul from death and he resolves to take the Cup of Salvation and to call upon the Name of the Lord to pay his Vows in the presence of all his people vers 13 14. to offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving vers 17. to tell of all God's works with gladness and to make others to be partakers of his Joy He invites the Godly to hear the Narrative of God's Mercies towards him Psal 66.16 Come and hear
him and hide him from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his Wrath is come and who is able to stand Rev. 6.16 17. Now then Deliverance from Death must needs deserve Praise and Thanksgiving Deliverance from the greatest Evil should be received with the greatest Gratitude Deliverance from natural Death causeth Holy persons to bless God but Deliverance from Sin the cause of Death from the Wrath to come eternal Death much more This makes the Deliverance most compleat and the Thankfulness should be most ample To which is to be added 2. That the Deliverance is by God it is He that delivers the Soul from Death Now what comes from God's hand is most acceptable to them that love God A Deliverance from Death by a man doth ingage our Affections to him we think our selves obliged to him while we live who hath preserved our Life especially if he be a person of great Quality To have our Lives saved by the King whom we had provoked to be pardoned our Treason exceedingly heightens our valuation of the Benefit There is much more cause to magnifie the Goodness of God who saves his people from Death by pardoning of their Sins by advancing them to Nearness with himself who so saves from Death temporal as to give Life eternal Behold saith Hezekiah Isa 38.17 for Peace I had great Bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back The Forgiveness of Sins which occasioned Death is a greater Benefit then the prolonging of Life And then it is Happiness accumulated to the height when there is not onely length of days on Earth but eternal Life in Heaven conferred upon the saved Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David Psal 103.1 2 3 4. and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Who forgiveth all thy Sins and healeth all thy Diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies All which Mercies are the more joyfull to the believing Soul because they are not so much the fruit of our Prayers as of God's free Grace in Christ The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so loved the World the sinfull World even when they were Enemies to him that he gave his onely-begotten Son to death even the death of the Cross that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life This Deliverance from Death proceeding from God's special Love that great Love wherewith he loved us when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins quickening us together with Christ saving us by Grace is that which makes it incomprehensibly welcome and encourageth the Soul to expect farther Preservation as David doth here which brings me to the Second Part of my Text now to be handled viz. II. David's Postulation Wilt thou not deliver my Feet from falling The Expression seems to be expostulatory but is to be conceived to include a Petition He demands of God Wilt thou not c not as one that challenged it as his due desert but as assured of the Continuance of God's Goodness He deprehends in God a Fountain of Love which is still running over flowing down in farther Streams of saving Mercy We have an exact and ample Paraphrase upon the words of my Text in that passage Psal 36. from vers 5. to the end where having set out the Wickedness of men and his own Danger he breaks forth in extolling God's Goodness in an assurance of a constant Current of Mercies and then is instant with God for the Continuance of his Preservation This part of my Text is a most precious passage of great Use for your Meditation in times of Danger by reason of Pestilence or War and it shews this to be the customary practice of Holy persons to gather Arguments of Assurance of future Help from God from their experience of his former gracious Deliverances So did David 1 Sam. 17.37 when he was to fight wïth Goliah he argued thus The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine And after him S. Paul 2 Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God that raiseth the dead Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver In his former Deliverance he perceived the Power of God that he could deliver from Death he deprehends his watchfulness over him in the Continuance of his Deliverance his Love to him and Care of him which confirms him in the expectation of farther Help for the future As they say all Vertues are concatenate in Prudence so all Mercies are linked together in God's Love and Care of his Servants And indeed so the Apostle inferrs 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 He that preserves our Lives will keep our Feet Thou hast delivered my Soul from Death wilt thou not also deliver my Feet from falling Surely thou wilt But then this Deliverance must be sought for at his hands which is also implied in this Expression When Christ cured the lame Cripple he bade him take up his bed and walk God when he saves our Life from death expects that we should walk before him Our Life is a Pilgrimage we walk from one Stage of it to another as the Sun runs its course so doth Man The Emanations of our Minds the Actions of our Members are our Steps If we walk not uprightly if we heed not what we think what we speak what we act our Feet will quickly fall first into Sin and then into Mischief The Psalmist Psal 73.2 tells us out of his experience of himself that his Feet were almost gone his Steps had well-nigh slipt He had stumbled at the Stumbling-stone to wit the Prosperity of the Wicked This begat Envy in him and that drew him on to a kind of Affection to their ways to a condemning of his own Course and offending against the generation of God's Children And had not God mercifully caught him when he was falling by directing him to the Sanctuary of God where he might see the End of the wicked that however they stood on smooth yet they were but slippery places they walked on Ice which would suddenly break under them and then they would sink for ever he had certainly perished Therefore he recovers himself and applies himself to God vers 23 24. and stays himself on the Manutenentia Divina Thou hast holden me by my right hand Thou wilt guide me with thy Counsel and after receive me to Glory As for me saith he in another Psalm 41.12 thou upholdest