Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Augustin Where there are sincere desires of grace there are the seeds of grace the conception of grace the buds of grace Sincere desires of grace are those holy seeds those divine beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace springs and grows up to its measure and perfection O Sirs look as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire and yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it And why it is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself hath there wrought let no man say I have no faith no repentance no love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of those things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all things in the world and would be willing as it were to buy even with a whole world the least measure or dram or drop only of such grace Now let me ask him who is it that hath wrought this desire in him Not the Devil for he would rather quench it than kindle it in him not his own corruption for that is naturally averse to every thing that is good it must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and who pronounceth all them blessed that thus desire after grace Kemnitius Ursini Catechis When I have a good desire saith one though it doth scarcely shew it self in some little slender sigh I must be assured that the Spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Wicked men do not desire the grace of the holy Spirit whereby they may resist sin and therefore they are justly deprived of it for he that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it already because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the Spirit Taffnies Book of the marks of Gods children Our faith saith another may be so small and weak as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be lively felt in us but if they which feel themselves in such an estate desire to have these feelings namely of God's favour and love if they ask them of God's hands by prayer this desire and prayer are testimonies that the Spirit of God is in them and that they have faith already for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the Spirit it is of the holy Spirit who bringeth it forth only in such as he dwells in c. Then those holy desires and prayers being the motions of the holy Ghost in us are testimonies of our faith although they seem to us small and weak As the woman that feeleth the moving of a child in her body though very weak assureth her self that she hath conceived and that she goeth with a live child So if we have these motions these holy affections and desires before mentioned let us not doubt but that we have the holy Ghost who is the Author of them dwelling in us and consequently that we have also faith Again saith the same Author 1. If thou hast begun to hate and flie sin 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and corruptions 3. If having offended God thou findest a grief and a sorrow for it 4. If thou desire to abstain from sin 5. If thou avoidest the occasions of sin 6. If thou doest thy endeavours against sin 7. If thou prayest to God to give thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other than from the Spirit of God Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 8.10 12. ought to be as so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee It is as impossible for us naturally to do the least good or to desire the least grace as 't is for a Toad to spit Cordials Sincere desires after God and Christ and Grace is sometimes the all that the people of God find in themselves This was all that Nehemiah could say of himself and the rest of his brethren Neh. 1.11 That they did desire to fear God's name And so the Church Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thy holiness And vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night So the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 3. So David Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 They must needs be sure of grace that have an unfeigned desire of it This is a Maxim that we must live and die with viz. That no man can truly desire grace but he that hath already grace certainly he that desireth grace hath grace to desire it It is an infallible sign that that man hath already some measure of grace that doth seriously desire to have it he would never seriously desire to fear God who stands not in some awe of him already nor he would never seriously desire to love God who has not in him some love to God already nor he would never seriously desire to believe who has not in him some faith already nor he would never seriously desire to repent that hath not repented already nor he would never seriously desire sanctifying grace whose heart in some measure is not already sanctified by the spirit of grace It is the very essence of righteousness saith one of the Ancients for a man to be willing to be righteous Angustine Pars magna bonitatis est vellâ— fieri boâ—um Sen. Ep. 34. And the poor Heathen could say It is a principal part of goodness for a man to be willing to be good It is natural for every one to desire his own natural good but to desire spiritual grace holiness sound sanctification faith unfeigned the true fear of God serious repentance c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do No man did ever desire to eat which had not eaten before nor no man did ever desire to believe that did not believe before all true desires after faith spring from faith as the root of them Certainly wicked men don't nor can't so much as desire saving grace Job 21.14 Isa 53.2 and that First Because grace is above the reach of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The water riseth no higher than the springs from whence it came so natural men can ascend no
right hand doth Chap. 6.3 and therefore I shall not provoke you by sounding a Trumpet Ezek. 1.8 10.8 The Angels have their hands under their wings they do much good and yet make no noise There are some in the world that are like to them the Violet grows low and covers it self with its own leaves and yet of all flowers yields the most fragrant smell to others There are some charitable Christians that resemble this sweet flower Gentlemen and Ladies your respects and undeserved favours that have been many wayes manifested unto me hath emboldned me to Dedicate and present to you this Treatise as a real Testimony of my unfeigned love service gratitude and desires to promote the internal and eternal welfare of all your precious and immortal souls And wherein could I or any body else be more truly serviceable to you than in endeavouring to promote your assurance of eternal salvation which is the grand Design and Project of this Book 1 Pet. 5 1â— Now the God of all grace fill all your hearts with all the fruits of righteousness and holiness Gal. 5.22 23. unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding Heb. 10.22 and of faith and hope in this Life and at last crown you all and all yours with ineffable glory in the life to come To the everlasting arms of his protection and to the perpetual influences of his grace and mercy in Christ he commends you all who is to you all Your much obliged and affectionate friend and souls servant in our dear Lord Jesus THO. BROOKS The CONTENTS A Of the appearance of sin EIght Arguments to arm us against the appearances of sin 114 to Page 126 Of Assurance The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 That Christians may more easily attain to a comfortable assurance of their gracious estate than many I than mâ—st do apprehend or believe This is strongly and fully made good Page 25 to Page 57 There is a threefold Assurance Page 27 Perfection of Assurance in respect of degrees not attainable in this life Page 57 58 Assurance is not to be expected by any extraordinary way of Revelation Page 58 59 60 Assurance excludes not all fears doubts conflicts c. Page 351 352 B About Babes in grace The generality of Christians are but Babes in grace Page 339 340 C About changing a mans condition A godly man won't change his condition with men of this world for ten thousand worlds Page 200 201 About chusing Mo man can chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness as their chiefest good but such who are really good Page 202 203 Of the commands of God He that hath a respect to all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Page 27 28 See O of Obedience About heart-condemning He whose heart does not condemn him in six things may have confidence towards God Page 29 30 About confession of sin The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin Page 234 235 236 There are eight properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Page 236 to 255 Of the Covenant of grace When a Christian casts his eye upon his gracious evidences he must remember that he has to do with God in a Covenant of grace Page 83 84 85 86 87 The Covenant of grace is a Christians Fort Royal Page 363 364 In the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give what ever he requires which is evidenced by an induction of twelve particulars Page 364 to 369 The Covenant is everlasting in two respects Page 370 373 374 The Covenant is a sure Covenant Page 370 371 372 About delighting in God Five Arguments to prove that no Hypocrite can delight himself in God Page 322 323 D Of desires That true desires of grace is grace proved by six Arguments Page 170 to 178 No man can sincerely desire grace for grace sake but he that has true grace Page 178 179 180 181 No man can sincerely desire every grace but he that has grace Page 181 182 No man can sincerely and graciously desire grace for gracious ends and purposes but he that has true grace in his soul Page 182 183 No man can sincerely desire and earnestly endeavour after the highest pitches of grace but he that has grace Page 183 to 186 No man can alwayes desire grace but he that has true grace Page 186 187 No man can sincerely desire to abound to abound and excel most in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular sins which his natural temper constitution complexion c. does most expose him and incline him to Page 187 188 189 About the dominion of sin He over whom presumptious sins have no dominion is upright Page 29 Eight wayes for a man to know whether he be under the dominion of sin or no. Page 39 to 48 Against trusting in our own duties Three Arguments against trusting in our own duties Page 374 375 376 377 c. E Of Evidences Sound â—â—id Evidences are the best way to prevent delusions Page 4 5 Two special Rules are still to be seriously minded in propounding of Evidences for men to try their spiritual and eternal estates by Page 6 7. Seven Reasons why many men cry down Marks and Signs and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification Page 337 338 339 340 341 342 'T is lawful and useful to make use of gracious evidences Page 342 343 Such Saints as are now triumphing in glory have made use of their gracious evidences c. Page 343 344 345 346 He that can find but one gracious evidence in his soul he may safely conclude that all the rest are there Page 347 What a Christian should do when his evidences are so clouded and blotted that he cannot read them Page 352 353 354 355 356 When a Christians evidences shine brightest his heart and the eye of his faith is to be most firmly fixed upon three Royal Forts Page 356 357 358 374 375 376 377 c. F Of Christians folly Eight Arguments to shew the folly of such sincere Christians who make their condition worse than ' t is Page 51 to 57 Of forsaking of sin There is a fourfold forsaking of sin Page 28 Of Free-grace When a Christians evidences are either clear or blotted it highly concern him to be still a living upon free-grace Page 356 357 358 359 G Of Grace and Graces Where there is any one grace in truth there is every grace in truth Page 7 8 9 The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 Probabilities of grace may be a great stay support and comfort to poor Christians that want assurance probabilities of grace are mercies more worth than ten thousand worlds
sin not to swear and whore and curse and be drunk and prophane Sabbaths and dispise Ordinances yea there are many that are so far from being ashamed of their abominations that they even glory in them like those in that Phil. 3.19 They shew their sins as Sodom they make both a sport of acting and a jest of confessing their sins Thus Austin confesseth that it was sometimes with himself before the Lord wrought upon him I was stricken with such blindness as that I thought it a shame unto me to be less vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boast of their leudness and glory so much the more by how much they were the more filthy therefore saith he lest I should be of no account I was the more vicious and when I could not otherwise match others I would feign that I had done those things which I never did lest I should seem so much the more abject by how much I was the more innocent and so much the more vile by how much I was the more chast But for a close remember this The true penitent knows that the more God has been displeased with the blackness of sin the better he will be pleased with the blushing of the sinner and therefore he can't but blush when either he looks upon sin within him or God above him But Seventhly Penitential confession 't is believing and fiducial 't is mixt with some faith Hosea 14. â— though not alwayes with a strong faith 't is not like the confession of a Malefactor to the Judge but like the confession of a child to his father or like the confession of a sick man to his Physician As a penitent man has one eye of sorrow upon his sin so he has another eye of hope upon pardoning grace Thus David Psal 51. though he had sinned greatly yet he hangs upon free mercy and begs his pardon believingly Thus Daniel Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Thus Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Sechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra we have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing If it were not for hope the heart would break there was hope among them that Israel would repent and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance And the same spirit was working in the Prodigal I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luke 18.18 Though he was a Prodigal yet he would go to God as to a father who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child When confessions of sin are mingled with hopes of mercy and the soul draws neer to God as a father then the heart breaks most and melts and mourns most That confession of sin that is not mixt with some hope of pardon and with some faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but desperate Cain in some sort confesses Gen. 4.16 but then he flies into the Land of Nod and there he falls a building and planting partly in contempt of the dreadful doom God had past upon him and partly to drown the noise of his conscience and despairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world 2 Cor. 5.1 2. or enjoying a house not made with hands in another world Judas likewise confesses his most hainous sin I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud but having no hope of pardon Mat. 27.3 4. no faith in that innocent blood he had shed he goes out and hangs himself Judas had no faith to mingle with his confession he confesses despairingly not believingly and so goes forth and strangles himself Since Adam fell in paradise there has not been one wicked man in the world continuing in that state that has ever mixt faith with his sorrows believing with his confessing 't is only the penitent man that confesseth sin believingly and that is pardoned graciously The confessing penitent reasons thus with God Lord though I am a sinful creature yet thou art a merciful God though I am unworthy of mercy yet thou forgivest sins freely though my sins reach as high as heaven yet thy mercies teach above the heavens I am here ready and willing to accuse and condemn my self and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to absolve me and forgive me O Lord though my sins are very many yet thy mercies are exceeding more though I have multiplied my sins yet thou canst multiply thy pardons though I am a sinner a very great sinner yet there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared and loved served and trusted and therefore in the face of all my sins provocations and unworthiness I will look up for mercy and wait for mercy But Eighthly and lastly True penitential confession is joyned with reformation That confession of sin that carries forgivness of sin with it Psal 51.10 is attended with serious desires and earnest endeavours of reformation therefore forsaking of sin is annext to confession of sin Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin or all 's lost God will never cross the book he will never draw the red lines of Christ's bloud over the black lines of our transgressions except confessing and forsaking go hand in hand He that does not â—orsake his sin as well as confess it forsakes the benefit of his confession And indeed there is no real confession of sin where there is no real forsaking of sin 't is not enough for us to confess the sins we have committed but we must peremptorily resolve against the committing again the sins we have confest we must desire as freely to forgo our sins as we do desire God to forgive us our sins Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit now you know a man that is burdened in his stomack is heartily willing to be rid of that â—oad on his stomack that doth oppress nature and so a man that is real in his confession of sin is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin that lyes as a loâ—d upon his conscience as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his stomack The penitential confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins This is observable in the confession of good Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 3. We have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives of the people of the Land Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them
Men of publick spirits shall never die as Jehoram did undesired and unlamented Men of publick spirits lye most open to snares temptations and oppositions c. This all sober Christians well understand and therefore they can't but pray hard for such The names the lives the liberties the estates and all the concernments of men of publick spirits alwayes lye nearest their hearts who lye neerest to the heart of Christ Men of the greatest name and of the greatest renown and that have had the greatest stock of prayers going for them all the world over have been men of publick spirits But Sixthly and lastly When Christians of publick spirits come to dye their publick spiritedness and general usefulness will be no small comfort and cordial to them Nehemiah was a man of a publick spirit and accordingly he pleads it with God Think upon me Neh. 5. ult See Chap. 13.22 O my God for good according to all that I have done for this people This was that which sweetned death to Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord to remember now how I have walked before thee in truth 2 King 20.3 Acts 13.36 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And when David had served his generation he fell asleep Sleep is not more welcom and sweet to a labouring man than death is to him who has made it his business his work sincerely and faithfully to serve his generation Such Magistrates 2 Tim. 4.7 8 9. John 17. Ministers and Christians who have made it their business according to their different measures faithfully to serve their generation have found the King of terrors to be but the King of desires to them when death to men of narrow selfish spirits hath been like the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. very terrible Many score Instances might be produced out of History to evidence this Take one for all Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Wâ—nchester and Chancellour of England a man swallowed up in self interest in the Reign of Henry the Sixth when he perceived that he must dye Acts and Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy O! how terrible was death to him and O! how did he murmur and fret and vex at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For saith he wherefore should I die being so rich if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie upon death saith he will not death be hired will money do nothing I might instance in men of a higher rank but then I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle The second sort of men that my self and all others are bound 1. Highly to prize 2. Cordially to love And 3. Greatly to honour Are men of charitable spirits men of merciful spirits men of tender and compassionate spirits The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful to note that the godly man is the merciful man and the merciful man is the godly man Loving kindness is an ingredient unto godliness The godly man is frequently called Chasid gracious or merciful it notes one that hath obtained mercy goodness grace piety and benignity from the Lord and that is pious kind The Italian form of begging is Do good to your selves gracious and merciful to others Though charity bounty is the most compendious way to plenty and giving to getting and scattering to encreasing and layings out to layings up Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth Ver. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Yet how few in our dayes do honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 how few look a this as a duty to consecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord or of their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Most men now carry it as if God himself had last his propriety and as if there were no rent-penny due to his poor But yet some there are who have liberal hearts and open hands Deut. 15.11 some there are who do open their hands wide to the poor and needy Now here give me leave to say Mat. 25. Prov. 31.8 9. That these 1. Discharge their consciences in the duty of charity 2. These rightly improve the talents of mercy with which they are intrusted 3. These treasure up a stock of prayers Job 29.13 2 Tim. 1.16 both for themselves and theirs the blessing and the prayers of them that were ready to perish will come upon them and theirs 4. These evidence the liveliness of their faith James 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Ver. 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 5. These take the surest way the readiest course to assure their own souls of Gods eternal favours and mercies to them 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this world Ver. 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Ver. 19. Aeterna vitae vera vlta Aug. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Charitable Christians are as wife Merchants happy Usurers parting with that which they cannot keep that they may gain that which they cannot lose 6. These take the surest way to draw down more outward mercies upon themselves The fountain is not diminished Pedagog 3. c. 7 Clemens Alex. but augmented by giving water to the thirsty The widows oyl did increase by running we do not lose but increase our mercies by imparting of them for God's honour and the comfort and benefit of others Luk. 6.38 Give saith Christ and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom The Jews more large and loose garments so that they could bear away much in their bosoms Hence this expression into your bosom The meaning is That the Lord will largely reward the beneficence of his people yea that he will so reward them that they shall perceive that they are rewarded Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 10. so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine God will certainly bless their substance who honour him with their substance The Jews at this day Godw Heb. â—ntiq 27.7 though they are not in their own Countrey and though they have not a Levitical Priesthood yet those who will be reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase to the
couragious and be valiant or sons of valour as the Hebrew runs And so a Christian must lay the command of God before him as his highest encouragement to do what God requires of him c. Fifthly and lastly Our obedience must be bottomed and grounded upon the commands of God to difference and distinguish our selves from all hypocrites formalists superstitious and prophane persons whose obedience is sometimes bottomed upon the Traditions of men and sometimes upon the commandments of men 'T was the sin of the Ten Tribes that they complyed with the command of Jeroboam and his Princes Isa 29.13 14. Mat. 15.1 to 10. Mark 7.8 to 10. Hos 5.11 12. to worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel and for this the wrath of the Lord fell heavy upon them Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandment And sometimes their obedience is bottomed upon the examples of men sometimes their obedience is bottomed upon the examples of their forefathers and ancestors Jer. 44 17 18 c. Joh. 7.48 49. Jer. 10.3 The customs of the people are vain c. and sometimes upon the examples of great men This was that which the Pharisees objected against believing on Christ Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him but this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed And sometimes they bottom their obedience upon the example of the multitude This was Demetrius his argument against Paul Acts 19.26 27. on the behalf of Diana that all Asia and the world did worship her and therefore the doctrine of Paul that they be no Gods which are made with hands was falfe and not to be suffered This hath alwayes been and is still the common plea of many We do but as the most do and sure a great many eyes can see more than one or two And hereupon they exclaim against others for their singularity because they won't do as the rest of their neighbours do But Thirdly That obedience that springs from faith is a growing obedience 't is an abounding obedience such a man's desires will study and labour is to get up to the highest pitch of obedience to get up to the highest round in Jacob's ladder Rev. 2.19 I know thy work and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first The Angel of the Church of Thyatira 'T is not every believers happiness always to make a progress in grace Solomon and Asa and others run retrograde Saints have their winter seasons they have their decaying times and withering times as well as their thriving times their flourishing times Rev. 2.4 is commended First for his love 2. For his charity 3. For his faith And 4. For his patience And in the general course of his life he daily became more excellent for his latter works were more than the first that is they were more manifest proofs of his constancy and more worthy of praise than the first This faithful Pastor is commended for his holy progress in grace and holiness So Paul Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Ver. 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Ver. 14. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth emphatically import a pressing with an eager pursuit after the mark It is the same word that signifies to persecute because the earnestness of his spirit in pressing toward the mark now is the same that it was in the persecution of those that pressed toward the mark before Look as good runners when they come near unto the mark stretch out their heads and hands and whole bodies to take hold of them that run with them or of the mark that is before them so he in his whole race so laboured unto that which was before as if he were still stretching out his arms to take hold of it If such a man might have his choice he would be the most humble the most holy the most heavenly the most mortified the most patient the most contented the most thankful the most fruitful the most active the most zealous and the most self-denying Christian in the world 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Mat. 5. if he might have his choice he would be holy as God is holy and perfect as his heavenly father is perfect he would do the will of God on earth as those Princes of glory the Angels do it now in heaven viz. freely readily cheerfully delightfully universally reverentially and unweariedly c. if he might have his choice Eccl. 9.10 he would exercise every grace and perform every duty with all his might he sees so much excellency and beauty in God and Christ that he can't be at rest till he be swallowed up in the enjoyment of them he sees so much excellency in grace that nothing but perfection of grace will satisfie him he makes perfection not only his utmost end but he also labours after perfection with his utmost strength and endeavours When God is made the one of a mans desires the one of a mans affections the one of a mans life and comfort then will he be the one of a mans endeavours too That obedience that springs from faith when 't is not winter-time with a Christian is a fruitful obedience 't is an abounding obedience 't is a progressive obedience Look as the mercy and favour of God to a believer is not stinted nor limited so the obedience of a believer to God is not stinted or limited but now the obedience of hypocrites is alwayes stinted and limited this command they will obey but not that this duty they will do but not that this work they will attend but not that c. Fourthly That obedience that springs from faith is the obedience of a son not of a slave 't is a free voluntary evangelical obedience and not a legal servil and forced obedience Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness in the Hebrew 't is willingness in the plural number to shew their exceeding great willingnesses Psal 27.8 When thou saidest seek ye my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek By face is meant 1. God himself Exod. 20.3 Before my face that is before me 2. His favour Jer. 18.17 I will shew them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity Now no sooner had God given forth a word of command for the Psalmist to seek himself and to seek his favour but presently his heart did eccho to that command Thy face Lord will I seek So Jer.
according to the counsel of my Lord and those that tremble at the commandement of our God and let it be done according to the Law And this was the former practise of the children of Israel who joyned reformation with their confession as you may see in that Judg. 10.15 We have sinned Ver. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel That Job 34.31 32. is observable Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more And the same spirit you may find working in those that were once given up to sorcery and witchcraft Act. 18. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds Ver. 19. Many also of them which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men Penitential confession leaves a holy awe and dread on the soul to take heed of committing sins confest Though a godly man may in an hour of temptation or in a day of desertion or in a season of God's with-holding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his soul commit a sin which he has seriously confest and sadly bewailed yet he retains in his course and practise such a holy fear and awe upon his heart as in some measure proves armour of proof against future commissions of sin But now wicked men are very ready bold and venturous to commit the same sins they have confest as you may see in Saul one while you shall have him confessing his sinful injuries against David with tears and soon after you shall find him pursuing of him in the wilderness of Zaph with three thousand chosen men at his heels Compare 1 Sam. 24.16 17. with Chap. 26.2 3 4 Exod. 9 27 34. The same evil spirit was predominant in Pharaoh one day you shall have him confessing his sin and promising to let Israel go and the next day you shall find his heart hardned and he peremptorily resolved that Israel shall not go And so the Harlot made the confession of her sin Prov. 7.14 to be but a provocation to more sin The wicked sometimes confess their sins but they never forsake their sins 2 Pet. 2. ult after confeâ—sion they commonly return with the dog to his vomit as Fulgentius Fulgent de Rem peccat l. 1. c. 12. hath worthily observed Many saith he being pricked in conscience confess that they have done ill and yet put no end to their ill deeds they humbly accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which oppress them and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heap up those sins whereof they accuse themselves The very pardon which they beg with mournful-sighs they impede with their wicked actions they ask help of the Physician and still minister matter to the disease thus in vain indeavouring to appease him with penitent words whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent course Well remember this real confession of sin is alwayes attended with real endeavours of turning from sin Look as the Patient layes open his diseases to the Physician for this very purpose that he may be cured and healed so the penitent soul confesses his sins to the Physician of souls on purpose to be cured and healed The daily language of the penitent soul is this Lord when wilt thou heal the maladies of my soul when wilt thou heal my unâ—elief and heal my pride and heal my vain glory and heal my hypocrisie and heal my impurity and heal my hard heartedness and heal my carnalness and heal my worldliness and heal my selfishness c. Lord I do as earnestly beg grace to heal my soul as I do mercy to pardon my soul And let thus much suffice for the second part of true Evangelical repentance The third part of true Repentanceâ— lyes in turning from all sin to God That great and precious promise of forgiveness of sin is made over to repenting and â—â—â—â—ning from sin all who truly repent of their sins and turn from their sins shall receive the forgiveness of their sins pardon of sin is for that man and that man is for pardon of sin who truly repents and returns from his sin Four things speak out this c. First Scripture exhortations to repent that so our sins may be forgiven Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Secondly Express promises that our sins shall be forgiven upon our repentance 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people shall turn from their evil way then will I forgive their sin Prov. 28.13 Whose confesseth and fâ—rsaketh his sin shall find mercy Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Ver. 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Thirdly A most certain assurance of the forgiveness of sins upon repentance though they have been never so great and hainous Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be reâ— like crimson they shall be as wool Fourthly Express records and instances of forgiveness unto such as have repented and turned from their sins 2 Sam. 12.13 And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord and Nathan said to David the Lord hath also put away thy sin Jer. 31.18 19 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I sâ—ote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my dear son â—s he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Luke 7.38 And shee stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment Ver. 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven Chap. 15.18 19 20. I will arise and go to my father and will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son And he arose and came to his