condition in the Scripture denotes every thing of disconsolation and trouble To be then in darkness where yet there is some light some relief though darkness be predominant is sad and disconsolate but now not only to be but also to walk that is to continue a course in darkness and that with no light no discovery of help or relief this seems an overwhelming condition yet sinners in this estate are called to trust in the name of the Lord. I have shewed before that nothing but forgiveness or that which influenceth it and encourageth to an Expectation of it is of any use unto a sinner much more one in so great distress upon the account of sin yet is such an one here sent only to the NAME of the Lord wherein his gracious heart and nature is revealed That then is the very Fountain and Spring of forgiveness And this is that which John would work a sense of upon our souls where he tells us that God is Love 1 Ep. Chap. 4. 8. or one of an infinitely Gracious Tender Good Compassionate Loving Nature Infinite Goodness and Grace is the soyl wherein forgiveness grows It is impossible this flower should spring from any other root Unless this be revealed to the soul forgiveness is not revealed To consider pardon meerly as it is terminated on our selves not as it flows from God will bring neither profit to us nor Glory to God And this also which is our design in hand will make it appear That this discovery of forgiveness whereof we speak is indeed no common thing is a great discovery Let men come with a sense of the guilt of sin to have deep and serious thoughts of God they will find it no such easie and light matter to have their hearts truly and throughly apprehensive of this loving and gracious nature of God in reference unto pardon It is an easie matter to say so in common but the soul will not find it so easie to believe it for it self What hath been spoken before concerning the ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men about the Justice Holiness and severity of God will here take place Though men profess that God is Gracious yet that Aversation which they have unto him and communion with him doth abundantly manifest that they do not believe what they say and profess if they did they could not but delight and trust in him which they do not for they that know his name will put their trust in him So said the slothful servant in the Gospel I knew that thou wast austere and not for me to deal withal it may be he professed otherwise before but that lay in his heart when it came to the tryal But this I say is necessary to them unto whom this discovery is to be made even a spiritual apprehension of the gracious loving heart and nature of God This is the spring of all that follows And the fountain must needs be infinitely sweet from whence such streams do flow He that considers the glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth with the things in them contained must needs conclude that they were the product of infinite Wisdom and Power nothing less or under them could have brought forth such an effect And he that really considereth forgiveness and looks on it with a spiritual eye must conclude that it comes from infinite Goodness and Grace And this is that which the Hearts of sinners are exercised about when they come to deal for pardon Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness And Micah 7. 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity because he delighteth in Mercy And God encourageth them hereunto whereever he says that he forgives sins and blots out iniquities for his own sake or his names sake that is he will deal with sinners according to the Goodness of his own Gracious Nature So Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man Were there no more Mercy Grace Compassion to be shewed in this case than it is possible should be treasured up in the heart of a man it would be impossible that Ephraim should be spared But saith he I am God and not Man Consider the infinite largeness bounty and goodness of the heart of God and there is yet hope When a sinner is in good earnest seeking after forgiveness there is nothing he is more solicitous about than the heart of God towards him nothing that he more labours to have a discovery of There is nothing that Sin and Satan labour more to hide from him This he rolls in his mind and exercises his thoughts about and if ever that voyce of God Isa. 27. 4. Fury is not in me sound in his heart he is relieved from his great distresses And the fear of our hearts in this matter our Saviour seems to intend the prevention or a removal of John 16. 26 27. I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you They had good thoughts of the tender heart and care of Christ himself the Mediator towards them but what is the heart of the Father what acceptance shall they find with him Will Christ pray that they may find favour with him Why saith he as to the Love of his heart there is no need of it for the Father himself loveth you If this then belongeth to forgiveness as who ever hath sought for it knoweth that it doth it is certainly no common discovery to have it revealed unto us To have all the clouds and darkness that are raised by sin between us and the Throne of God dispelled to have the fire and storms and tempests that are kindled and stirred up about him by the Law removed to have his glorious face unvailed and his holy heart laid open and a view given of those infinite treasures and stores of Goodness Mercy Love and Kindness which have had an unchangeable habitation therein from all Eternity to have a discovery of these eternal springs of sorbearance and forgiveness is that which none but Christ can accomplish and bring about John 17. 6. Secondly This is not all This eternal Ocean that is infinitely satisfied with its own fulness and perfection doth not naturally yield forth streams for our refreshment Mercy and pardon do not come forth from God as Light doth from the Sun or Water from the Sea by a necessary consequence of their natures whether they will or no. It doth not necessarily follow that any one must be made partaker of forgiveness because God is infinitely Gracious For may he not do what he will with his own Who hath given first unto him that it should be recompenced unto him again Rom. 11. 35. All the fruits of Gods Goodness and Grace are in the sole keeping of
which I made with their Fathers in which Administration of the Covenant as far as it had respect unto Typical mercies much depended on their personal obedience But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws c. and I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Let then this way stand and the way of mans Wisdom and self Righteousness perish for ever 2. This is the way that above all others atends directly and immediately to the Glory of God God hath managed and ordered all things in this way of forgiveness so as no flesh should glory in his presence but that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 29. 31. Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law by the Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. It might be easily manifested that God hath so laid the design of saving Sinners by Forgiveness according to the Law of Faith that it is utterly impossible that any Soul should on any account whatever have the least Ground of Glorying or boasting in its self either absolutely or in comparison with them that perish If Abraham saith the same Apostle were justified by works he had whereof to glory but not before God Chap. 4. 2. The Obedience of works would have been so infinitely disproportionate to the Reward which was God himself that there had been no glorying before God but therein his Goodness and Grace must be acknowledged yet in comparison with others who yielded not the Obedience required he would have had wherein to glory But now this also is cast off by the way of forgiveness and no pretence is left for any to claim the least share in the Glory of it but God alone and herein lyes the excellency of Faith that it gives glory unto God Rom. 4. 20. the denyal whereof under various pretences is the issue of proud unbelief And this is that which God will bring all unto or they shall perish Namely that shame be ours and the whole Glory of our salvation be his alone So he expresseth his design Isa. 45. 22 23 24 25. v. 22. he proposeth himself as the only relief for Sinners Look unto me saith he and be saved all ye ends of the Earth But what if men take some other course and look well to themselves and so decline this way of meer Mercy and Grace whâ— saith he v. 23. I have sworn by my self the Word is gone out of my mouth in Righteousness and shall not return that unto me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear Look you unto that but I have sworn that you shall either do so or answer your disobedience at the day of Judgement whereunto Paul applyes those words Rom. 14. 11. what do the Saints hereupon v. 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and strength In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory They bring their hearts to accept of all Righteousness from him and to give all Glory unto him God at first placed Man in a blessed state and condition in such a dependance on himself as that he might have wrought out his Eternal happiness with a great Reputation of Glory unto himself Man being in this honour saith the Psalmist abode not God now fixes on another way as I said wherein all the Glory shall be his own as the Apostle at large sets it forth Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. Now neither the way from which Adam fell nor that wherein some of the Angels continued which for the substance were the same is to be compared with this of Forgiveness as to the bringing Glory unto God I hate curiosities and conjectures in the things of God Yet upon the account of the interposition of the blood of Christ I think I may boldly say there comes more glory to God by saving one sinner in this way of Forgiveness than in giving the reward of blessedness to all the Angels in Heaven So seems it to appear from that solemn Representation we have of the Ascription of Glory to God by the whole Creation Revel 5. 9. 10 11 12 13. All centers in the bringing forth Forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb. I insist the more on this because it lyes so directly against that cursed Principle of Unbelief which reigns in the hearts of the most and often disquiets the best That a poor ungodly sinner going to God with the guilt of all his sins upon him to receive Forgiveness at his hand doth bring more Glory unto him than the obedience of an Angel men are not over-ready to think nor can be prepared for it but by it self And the formal nature of that unbelief which worketh in Convinced Sinners lyes in a refusal to give unto God the whole glory of Salvation There are many hurtfull Controversies in Religion that are managed in the World with great noyse and clamour but this is the greatest and most pernicious of them all and it is for the most part silently transacted in the souls of men although under various forms and pretences It hath also broken forth in writings and disputations that is Whether God or man shall have the Glory of Salvation or whether it shall wholly be ascribed unto God or that man also on one account or other may come in for a share Now if this be the state and condition with any of you that you will rather perish than God should have his Glory what shall we say but Go ye cursed souls perish for ever without the least compassion from God or any that love him Angels or Men. If you shall say for your parts you are contented with this course let God have the glory so you may be forgiven and saved There is yet just cause to suspect lest this be a selfish contempt of God It is a great thing to give Glory unto God by believing in a due manner Such slight returns seem not to have the least relation unto it Take heed that instead of believing you be not found mockers and so your bands be made strong But a poor Convinced Sinner may here finde encouragement Thou wouldst willingly come to Acceptance with God and so attain Salvation Oh my soul longeth for it wouldst thou willingly take that course for the obtaining those ends which will bring most Glory unto God Surely it is meet and most equal that I should do so What now if one should come and tell thee from the Lord of a way whereby thou poor sinfull self condemned creature mightst bring as much Glory unto God as any Angel in Heaven is able to doe Oh if I might bring the least glory unto God I should rejoyce in it Behold then the way which himself hath fixed on for the exaltation of his Glory Even that thou shouldst come to him meerly upon the account of Grace in
sole foundation of all our expectations of a blessed portion in that which is to come it certainly requires the best and utmost of our endeavours as to look into the nature causes and effects of it so especially into the wayes and means whereby we may be made partakers of it and how that participation may be secured unto us unto our peace and consolation as also into that Love that Holiness that obedience that fruitfulness in good works which on the account of this Grace God expecteth from us and requireth at our hands An Explication of these things is that which I have designed to ensue and follow after in these discourses and that with a constant eye as on the one hand to the sole rule and Standard of Truth the Sacred Scriptures especially that part of it which is under peculiar consideration so on the other to the Experience and Service unto the edification of them that do believe whose spiritual benefit and advantage without any other consideration in the World is armed at in the publishing of them Imprimatur Octob. 12. 1668. Rob. Grove R. P. Humph. Dom. Episc. Lond. Ã sac Dom. AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX Psalm 130. OUt of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities A PARAPHRASE Verse 1 2. O Lord through my manifold sins and provocations I have brought my self into great distresses Mine Iniquities are alwayes before me and I am ready to be overwhelmed with them as with a flood of waters for they have brought me into depths wherein I am ready to be swallowed up But yet although my distress be great and perplexing I do not I dare not utterly despond and cast away all hopes of relief or recovery Nor do I seek unto any other remedy way or means of relief but I apply my self to thee Jehovah to thee alone And in this my Application unto thee the greatness and urgency of my troubles makes my soul urgent earnest and pressing in my supplications Whilst I have no rest I can give thee no rest Oh therefore attend and hearken unto the voyce of my crying and supplications Ver. 3. IT is true O Lord thou God great and terrible that if thou shouldst deal with me in this Condition with any man living with the best of thy Saints according to the strict and exact tenor of the Law which first represents it self to my guilty Conscience and troubled soul If thou shouldst take notice of observe and keep in Remembrance mine or their or the Iniquity of any one to the end that thou mightest deal with them and recompence unto them according to the sentence thereof there would be neither for me nor them any the least expectation of deliverance all flesh must fail before thee and the spirits which thou hast made and that to Eternity for who could stand before thee when thou shouldst so execute thy displeasure Ver. 4. BUt O Lord this is not absolutely and universally the state of things between thy Majesty and poor sinners Thou art in thy Nature infinitely Good and Gracious ready and free in the purposes of thy will to receive them And there is such a blessed way made for the exercise of the holy inclinations and purposes of thy heart towards them in the mediation and blood of thy dear Son That they have assured foundations of concluding and believing that there is pardon and forgiveness with thee for them and which in the way of thine appointments they may be partakers of This way therefore will I with all that fear thee persist in I will not give over leave thee or turn from thee through my fears discouragements and despondencies but will abide constantly in the observation of the worship which thou hast prescribed and the performance of the Obedience which thou dost require having great encouragements so to do Ver. 5. ANd herein upon the account of the forgiveness that is with thee O Lord do I wait with all patience quietness and perseverance In this work is my whole soul engaged even in an earnest expectation of thy approach unto me in a way of grace and mercy And for my encouragement therein hast thou given out unto me a blessed word of Grace a faithful word of promise wherein my hope is fixed Ver. 6. YEa in the performance and discharge of this duty my soul is intent upon thee and in its whole frame turned towards thee and that with such diligence and watchfulness in looking out after every way and means of thy appearance of thy manifestation of thy self and coming unto me that I excell therein those who with longing desire heedfulness and earnest expectation do wait and watch for the appearance of the morning and that either that they may rest from their night watches or have light for the duties of thy Worship in the Temple which they are most delighted in Ver. 7 8. HErein have I found that Rest peace and satisfaction unto my own soul that I cannot but invite and encourage others in the like Condition to take the same course with me Let then all the Israel of God all that fear him learn this of me and from my experience Be not hasty in your distresses despond not despair not turn not aside unto other remedies but hope in the Lord for I can now in an especial manner give testimony unto this that there is mercy with him suited unto your relief Yea whatever your distress be the Redemption that is with him is so bounteous plenteous and unsearchable that the undoubted issue of your performance of this duty will be that you shall be delivered from the guilt of all your sins and the perplexities of all your troubles General Scope of the whole Psalm THE design of the Holy Ghost in this Psalm is to express in the Experience of the Psalmist and the working of his faith the state and condition of a soul greatly in it self perplexed relieved on the account of Grace and acting it self towards God and his Saints suitably to the discovery of that Grace unto him A great design and full of great Instruction And this general Prospect gives us the parts and scope of the whole Psalm for 1. We have the state and condition of the soul therein represented with his deportment in and under that state and condition in ver 1 2. Out of the depths have I cryed
proceed at all in the farther opening of the words they having all of them respect unto the Proposition first laid down I shall explain and confirm the truth contained in it that so it may be understood what we say and whereof we do affirm in the whole process of our Discourse It is a sad Truth that we have proposed unto consideration He that hears it ought to tremble in himself that he may rest in the day of trouble It speaks out the Apostles advice Rom. 11. 20. Be not high minded but fear and that also 1 Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall When Peter had learned this truth by woful experience after all his boldness and forwardness he gives this Councel to all Saints that they would pass the time of their sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 14. Knowing how near in our greatest peace and serenity evil and danger may lye at the door Some few instances of the many that are left on record wherein this Truth is exemplified may be mentioned Gen. 6. 9. Noah was a just man perfect in his Generation and Noah walked with God He did so a long season and that in an evil time amidst all sorts of Temptations When all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth ver 12. This put an eminency upon his obedience and doubtless rendred the Communion which he had with God in walking before him most sweet and precious to him He was a gracious soul upon the redoubled Testimony of God himself But we know what befell this holy Person He that shall read the story that is recorded of him Gen. 9. 21. will easily grant that he was brought into inextricable distress on the account of sin His own drunkenness ver 21. with the consequent of it gives scandal unto and provokes the unnatural lust of his Son v. 22. and this leads him to the devoting of that Son and his Posterity unto Destruction v. 24 25. all which joyned with the sense of Gods just indignation from whom he had newly received that tremendously miraculous deliverance must needs overwhelm him with sorrow and anxiety of Spirit The matter is more clear in David Under the Old Testament none loved God more than he none was loved of God more than he The Paths of Faith and Love wherein he walked are unto the most of us like the way of an Eagle in the Air too high and hard for us Yet to this very day do the cryes of this Man after Gods own heart sound in our Ears Sometimes he complains of broken bones sometimes of drowning depths sometimes of waves and water-spouts sometimes of wounds and diseases sometimes of Wrath and the sorrows of Hell every where of his sins the burden and trouble of them Some of the occasions of his Depths Darkness Intanglements and Distresses we all know As no man had more Grace than he so none is a greater instance of the power of sin and the effects of its guilt upon the conscience than he But Instances of this kind are obvious and occurr to the thoughts of all so that they need not be repeated I shall then shew First What in particular is intended by the depths and intanglements on the account of sin whereinto gracious souls after much Communion with God may be cast Secondly Whence it comes to pass that so they may be and that oftentimes so they are First For the First some or all of these things following do concurr to the Depths here complained of First Loss of the wonted sense of the Love of God which the soul did formerly enjoy There is a twofold sense of the Love of God whereof Believers in this world may be made partakers There is the transient affecting of the heart by the Holy Ghost with ravishing unspeakable joyes in apprehension of Gods Love and our Relation unto him in Christ. This or the immediate effect of it is called joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. The Holy Ghost shining into the heart with a clear evidence of the souls interest in all Gospel Mercies causeth it to leap for joy to exult and triumph in the Lord as being for a season carried above all sense and thought of sin self temptation or trouble But as God gives the bread of his House unto all his Children so these dainties and high Cordials he reserveth only for the seasons and Persons wherein and to whom he knows them to be needful and useful Believers may be without this sense of Love and yet be in no depths A man may be strong and healthy who hath wholsom food though he never drink Spirits and Cordials Again There is an abiding dwelling sense of Gods Love upon the hearts of the most of those of whom we speak who have had long communion with God consisting in a prevailing Gospel perswasion that they are accepted with God in Christ. Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God I call it a prevailing perswasion denoting both the opposition that is made unto it by Satan and unbelief and its efficacy in the conquest thereof This is the root from whence all that peace and ordinary consolation which Believers in this world are made partakers of do spring and grow This is that which quickens and enlivens them unto Duty Psal. 116. 12 13. and is the salt that renders their Sacrifices and Performances savoury to God and refreshing to themselves This supports them under their tryals gives them peace hope and comfort in Life and Death Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk in the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me A sense of Gods Presence in Love is sufficient to rebuke all anxiety and fears in the worst and most dreadful condition And not only so but to give in the midst of them solid Consolation and Joy So the Prophet expresseth it Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blessom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And this is that sense of Love which the choicest Believers may lose on the account of sin This is one step into their depths They shall not retain any such Gospel apprehension of it as that it should give them rest peace or consolation that it should influence their souls with delight in Duty or supportment in tryal And the Nature hereof will be afterwards more fully explained Secondly Perplexed thoughtfulness about their great and wretched unkindness towards God are another part of the Depths of sin-intangled souls So David complains Psal. 77. 3. I remembred God saith he and was troubled How comes the Remembrance of God to be unto him a matter of trouble in other Places he
propitious and is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word composed of the same letters varied which is common in that Language signifying to cut off and destroy Now it is constantly applyed unto Sin and expresseth every thing that concurrs to its pardon or forgiveness As First It expresseth the Mind or Will of pardoning or Gods gracious readiness to forgive Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ready to forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benign and meek or sparing propitious Of a gracious merciful heart and nature So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art O God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiationum of propitiations or pardons or as we have rendered it ready to forgive a God of forgivenesses or all plenty of them is in thy gracious heart Isa. 55. 8. So that thou art alwayes ready to make out pardons to sinners The word is used again Dan. 9. 9. to the same purpose Secondly It regards the act of pardoning or actual forgiveness it self Psal. 103. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who forgiveth all thine iniquities actually dischargeth thee of them which place the Apostle respecting renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. 13. Having freely forgiven you for so much the word imports all your trespasses And this is the word that God useth in the Covenant in that great Promise of Grace and Pardon Jer. 31. 34. It is warrantable for us yea necessary to take the word in the utmost extent of its signification and use It is a word of favour and requires an interpretation tending towards the enlargement of it We see it may be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Grace and venia or pardon and may denote these three things First The gracious tender merciful Heart and Will of God who is the God of pardons and forgiveness or one ready to forgive to give out mercy to add to pardor Secondly A respect unto Jesus Christ the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation for sin as he is expresly called Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. And this is that which interposeth between the gracious heart of God and the actual pardon of sinners All forgiveness is founded on propitiation Thirdly It denotes condonation or actual forgiveness it self as we are made partakers of it comprizing it both actively as it is an Act of Grace in God and passively as terminated in our souls with the deliverance that attends it In this sense as it looks downwards and in its effects respects us it is of meer Grace as it looks upwards to its causes and respects the Lord Christ it is from propitiation or attonement And this is that pardon which is administred in the Covenant of Grace Now as to the place which these words enjoy in this Psalm and their Relation to the state and condition of the soul here mentioned this seems to be their importance O Lord although this must be granted that if thou shouldst mark iniquities according to the tenor of the Law every man living must perish and that for ever yet there is hope for my soul that even I who am in the depths of sin-entanglements may find acceptance with thee for whilst I am putting my mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope I find that there is an Attonement a propitiation made for sin on the account whereof thou sayest thou hast found a Ransome and wilt not deal with them that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy Justice but art gracious loving tender ready to forgive and pardon and dost so accordingly THERE IS FORGIVENESSE WITH THEE The following words therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared though in the Original free from all Ambiguity yet are so signally varyed by Interpreters that it may not be amiss to take notice of it in our passage The Targum hath it that thou mayst be seen This answers not the word but it doth the sense of the place well enough God in his displeasure is said to hide himself or his face Isaiah 8. 17. The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgiveness we obtain again the light of his countenance This dispels the darkness and clouds that are about him and gives us a comfortable prospect of his face and favour There is forgiveness with him that he may be seen Besides there is but one letter different in the Original words and that which is usually changed for the other The LXX render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy names sake or thy own sake that is freely without any respect unto any thing in us This also would admit of a fair and sound construction but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the places being corrupted For the Vulgar Latin which as to the Psalms was translated out of the LXX renders these words propter legem tuam for thy Laws sake which makes it evident that that Translator reads the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now we read Now though this hath in its self no proper sense for forgiveness is not bestowed for the Laws sake yet it discovers the original of the whole mistake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law differs but in one letter from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou maist be feared by a mistake whereof this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy Law sake crept into the Text. Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the novelty of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents as though this difference might arise from the LXX using a copy that had none that is before their invention which might occasion mistakes and differences for this difference is in a Letter as well as the Vowels and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit unless we say also that they had Copies of old with other Consonants than those we now enjoy Bellarmine in his Exposition of this place endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the Vulgar Latin for thy Laws sake affirming that by the Law here not the Law of our Obedience is intended but the Law or Order of Gods dealing with us that is his Mercy and Faithfulness which is a meer new Invention to countenance an old error which any tolerable ingenuity would have confessed rather than have justified by so sorry a pretence For neither is that expression or that word eyer used in the sense here by him faigned nor can it have any such signification Hierom renders these words utsis terribilis that thou maist be dreadful or terrible doubtless not according to the intendment of the place It is for the relieving of the soul and not for the increasing of its dread and terror that this observation is made there is forgiveness with thee But the words are clear and their sense is obvious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared
his own Soveraign Will and pleasure This is his great Glory Exod. 33. 18 19. Shew me thy glory saith Moses And he said I will make all my Goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and I will be Gracious to whom I will be Gracious Upon that proclamation of the name of God that he is merciful gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness some might conclude that it could not be otherwise with any but well he is such a one as that men need scarce be beholding to him for Mercy Nay saith he but this is my great glory that I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious There must be an interposition of a free Act of the Will of God to deal with us according to this his abundant goodness or we can have no interest therein This I call the purpose of his Grace or the good pleasure that he hath purposed in himself Ephes. 1. 9. or as it is termed v. 5 6. The good pleasure of his Will that he hath purposed to the praise of his glorious grace This free and gracious pleasure of God or purpose of his Will to act towards sinners according to his own abundant goodness is another thing that influences the forgiveness of which we treat Pardon flows immediately from a Soveraign Act of free Grace This free purpose of Gods will and Grace for the pardoning of sinners is indeed that which is principally intended when we say there is forgiveness with him That is he is pleased to forgive and so to do is agreeable unto his nature Now the Mysterie of this Grace is deep It is eternal and therefore incomprehensible Few there are whose hearts are raised to a contemplation of it Men rest and content themselves in a general notion of mercy which will not be advantagious to their souls freed they would be from punishment but what it is to be forgiven they enquire not So what they know of it they come easily by but will find in the issue it will stand them in little stead But these fountains of Gods actings are revealed that they may be the fountains of our comforts Now of this purpose of Gods Grace there are several Acts all of them relating unto Gospel forgiveness First There is his purpose of sending his Son to be the great means of procuring of purchasing forgiveness Though God be infinitely and incomprehensibly gracious though he purpose to exert his Grace and Goodness toward sinners yet he will so do it do it in such a way as shall not be prejudicial to his own Holiness and Righteousness His Justice must be satisfied and his holy indignation against sin made known Wherefore he purposeth to send his Son and hath sent him to make way for the exercise of Mercy so as no way to eclipse the glory of his Justice Holiness and hatred of sin Better we should all eternally come short of forgiveness than that God should lose any thing of his glory This we have Rom. 3. 25. God set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past The Remission of sins is the thing aimed at but this must be so brought about as that therein not only the mercy but the Righteousness of God may be declared and therefore must it be brought forth by a propitiation or making of an Attonement in the blood of Christ. So John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 9. Rom. 5. 8. This I say also lyes in the mysterie of that forgiveness that is administred in the Gospel It comes forth from this eternal purpose of making way by the blood of Christ to the dispensation of pardon And this greatly heightens the excellency of this discovery Men who have slight thoughts of God whose hearts were never awed with his dread or greatness who never seriously considered his purity and holiness may think it no great matter that God should pardon sin But do they consider the way whereby it was to be brought about even by the sending of his only Son and that to dye as we shall see afterwards Neither was there any other way whereby it might be done Let us now lay aside common thoughts Assent upon reports and tradition and rightly weigh this matter Doubtless we shall find it to be a great thing that forgiveness should be so with God as to be made out unto us we know somewhat what we are by sending his only Son to dye Oh how little is this really believed even by them who make a profession of it and what mean thoughts are entertained about it when men seek for pardon Immunity from Punishment is the utmost that lyes in the aims and desires of most and is all that they are exercised in the consideration of when they deal with God about sin Such men think and will do so that we have an easie task in hand namely to prove that there is forgiveness in God but this ease lyes in their own ignorance and darkness If ever they come to search after it indeed to enquire into the Nature Reasons Causes fountain and springs of it they will be able to give another account of these things Christ is the center of the mysterie of the Gospel and forgiveness is laid up in the heart of Christ from the love of the Father in him are all the Treasures of it hid And surely it is no small thing to have the heart of Christ revealed unto us When Believers deal about pardon their faith exercises it self about this that God with whom the soul hath to do hath sent the Lord Christ to dye for this end that it may be freely given out General notions of impunity they dwell not on they pass not for They have a closer converse with God than to be satisfied with such thoughts They enquire into the graciousness of his Nature and the good pleasure of his Will the purpose of his Grace they ponder and look into the mysterie of his Wisdom and Love in sending his Son If these springs be not clear unto them the streams will yield them but little refreshment It is not enough that we seek after salvation but we are to enquire and search diligently into the nature and manner of it These are the things that the Angels desire to bow down and look into 1 Pet. 1. 11 12 13. And some think if they have got a form of words about them they have gotten a sufficient comprehension of them It is doubtless one Reason why many who truly believe do yet so fluctuate about forgiveness all their dayes that they never exercised saith to look into the springs of it its eternal fountains but have meerly dwelt on actual condonation However I say these things lye utterly out of the consideration of the common pretenders to an acquaintance with the truth we have in hand Secondly There is another Soveraign Act of Gods Will to be considered in
the like kind But his Soveraignty Righteousness and Holiness how are they declared hereby either not at all or not in so evident a manner as is necessary that he might be fully glorified in them or for them What then doth he do leave them in darkness vailed undiscovered satisfying himself in the glory of those Properties which his work of Creation had made known Was there any Reason why he should do so designing to do all things for himself and for his own glory Wherefore he gives his holy Law as a Rule of Obedience unto men and Angels This plainly reveals his Soveraignty or Authority over them his Holiness and Righteousness in the Equity and Purity of things he required of them so that in and by these Properties also he may be glorified As he made all things for himself that is the manifestation of his Greatness Power Wisdom and Goodness so he gave the Law for himself that is the manifestation of his Authority Holiness and Righteousness But is this all Is there not Remunerative Justice in God in a way of Bounty Is there not Vindictive Justice in him in a way of severity There is so and in the pursuit of the design mentioned they also are to be manifested or God will not be glorified in them This therefore he did also in the Rewards and Punishments that he annexed unto the Law of Obedience that he had prescribed To manifest his Remunerative Justice he promised a Reward in a way of Bounty which the Angels that sinned not were made partakers of and in the penalty threatned which sinning Angels and Men incurred he revealed his Vindictive Justice in a way of severity So are all these Properties of God made known by their Effects and so is God glorified in them or on their account But after all this are there no other Properties of his Nature Divine Excellencies that cannot be separated from his Being which by none of these means are so much as once intimated to be in him It is evident that there are such are Mercy Grace Patience Long-suffering Compassion and the like concerning which observe 1. That where there are no Objects of them they cannot be declared or manifested or exercised As Gods Power or Wisdom could not be manifest if there were no Objects of them no more can his Grace or Mercy If never any stand in need of them they can never be exercised and consequently never be known Therefore were they not revealed neither by the Creation of all things nor by the Law or its Sanction nor by the Law written in our hearts For all these suppose no objects of Grace and Mercy For it is sinners only and such as have made themselves miserable by sin that they can be exercised about 2. There are no Excellencies of Gods nature that are more expressive of Divine Goodness Loveliness and Beauty than these are of Mercy Grace Long-suffering and Patience and therefore there is nothing that God so requireth our likeness unto him in our conformity unto his Image as in these namely Mercy Grace and readiness to forgive And the contrary frame in any he doth of all things most abhor They shall have judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy And therefore it is certain that God will be glorified in the manifestation of these Properties of his Nature 3. These Properties can be no otherwise exercised and consequently no other wayes known but only in and by the pardon of sin which puts it beyond all question that there is Forgiveness with God God will not lose the glory of these his Excellencies he will be revealed in them he will be known by them he will be glorified for them which he could not be if there were not forgiveness with him So that here comes in not only the Truth but the necessity of forgiveness also Forgiveness manifested in the sending of the Son of God to dye for sin And from the Obligation that is on us to forgive one another XII In the next place we shall proceed unto that Evidence which is the Center wherein all the lines of those foregoing do meet and rest The fountain of all those streams of Refreshment that are in them that which animates and gives life and efficacy unto them This lyes in Gods sending of his Son The consideration hereof will leave no pretence or excuse unto unbelief in this matter To make this Evidence more clear and legible as to what is intended in it we must consider 1. What was the Rise of this sending we speak of 2. Who it was that was sent 3. How or in what manner he was sent 4. Unto what end and purpose First the Rise and spring of it is to be considered It came forth from the Eternal mutual consent and counsel of the Father and the Son Zech. 6. 13. The Counsel of Peace shall be between them both It is of Christ the Branch of whom he speaks He shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And shall sit and rule upon his Throne and shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the Counsel of Peace shall be between them both That is between God the Father who sends him and himself There lay the Counsel of Peace making between God and Man in due time accomplished by him who is our Peace Eph. 2. 16. So he speaks Prov. 8. 30 31. Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of men They are the words of the Wisdom that is of the Son of God When was this done Then I was with him Why before the Mountains were setled whilst as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields That is before the creation of the world or from eternity v. 25 26. But how then could he rejoyce in the habitable parts of the Earth And how could his delight be with the Sons of men seeing as yet they were not I answer It was the Counsel of Peace towards them before mentioned in the pursuit whereof he was to be sent to converse amongst them on the earth He rejoyced in the fore-thoughts of his being sent to them and the work he had to do for them Then with his own consent and delight was he fore-ordained unto his work even before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. and received of the Father the Promise of eternal life even before the world began Tit. 1. 2. That is to be given unto sinners by way of Forgiveness through his blood So is this whole Counsel expressed Psalm 40. 7 8. Whence it is made use of by the Apostle Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Then said I lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O God Thy Law is in the midst of my heart There is the Will of the Father in
unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 2. His enquiry after relief and therein are two things that present themselves unto him the one whereof which first offers the consideration of its self to him in his distress he deprecates ver 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The other he closeth withal and finds relief in it and supportment by it ver 5. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Upon this his discovery and fixing on relief there is the acting of his Faith and the deportment of his whole Person 1. Towards God ver 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 2. Towards the Saints ver 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities All which parts and the various concernments of them must be opened severally And this also gives an account of what is my design from and upon the words of this Psalm namely to declare the perplexed intanglements which may befall a gracious soul such a one as this Psalmist was with the nature and proper workings of Faith in such a condition Principally aiming at what it is that gives a soul relief and supportment in and afterward deliverance from such a perplexed estate The Lord in Mercy dispose of these Meditations in such a way and manner as that both he that writes and they that read may be made partakers of the benefit relief and consolation intended for his Saints in this Psalm by the Holy Ghost The State and Condition of the soul represented in the Psalm The two first Verses opened The State and Condition of the soul here represented as the Basis on which the process of the Psalm is built with its deportment or the general acting of its Faith in that state is expressed in the two first Verses Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 1. The present state of the soul under consideration is included in that expression out of the Depths Some of the Antients as Chrysostom suppose this expression to relate unto the depths of the heart of the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from the mouth or tongue only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the depth and bottom of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the deepest recesses of the mind And indeed the word is used to express the depths of the hearts of Men but utterly in another sense Psal. 64. 6. The heart is deep But the obvious sense of the place and the constant use of the word will not admit of this Interpretation è Profund is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profundus fuit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Profunditates or depths It is commonly used for Vallies or any deep places whatever but especially of Waters Vallies and deep Places because of their Darkness and Solitariness are accounted places of horror helplesness and trouble Psal. 23. 4. When I walk in the Valley of the shadow of Death that is in the extremity of danger and trouble The Moral use of the word as expressing the state and condition of the souls of men is metaphorical These Depths then are difficulties or pressures attended with fear horror danger and trouble And they are of two sorts 1. Providential in respect of outward distresses Calamities and Afflictions Psal. 69. 1. Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul I stick in the mire of the deep and there is no standing I am come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the depths of waters and the flood overflows me It is trouble and the extremity of it that the Psalmist complains of and which he thus expresseth He was brought by it into a condition like unto a man ready to be drowned being cast into the bottom of deep and miry waters where he had no firm foundation to stand upon nor ability to come out as he farther explains himself ver 15. 2. There are internal Depths Depths of Conscience upon the account of sin Psal. 88. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps What he intends by this expression the Psalmist declares in the next words v. 7. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me Sense of Gods wrath upon his conscience upon the account of sin was the deep he was cast into So v. 15. speaking of the same matter saith he I suffer thy terrors and v. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me Which he calls water waves and deeps according to the Metaphor before opened And these are the deeps that are here principally intended Clamat sub molibus fluctibus iniquitatum suarum sayes Austin on the place He cryes out under the weight and waves of his sins This the ensuing Psalm makes evident Desiring to be delivered from these depths out of which he cryed he deals with God wholly about mercy and forgiveness and it is sin alone from which forgiveness is a Deliverance The Doctrine also that he preacheth upon his Delivery is that of Mercy Grace and Redemption as is manifest from the close of the Psalm And what we have deliverance by is most upon our hearts when we are delivered It is true indeed that these deeps do oftentimes concurr as David speaks Deep calleth upon deep Psal. 4. 2. 7. The deeps of Affliction awaken the Conscience to a deep sense of sin But sin is the Disease Affliction only a Symptome of it and in attending a Cure the disease it self is principally to be heeded the symptome will follow or depart of its self Many Interpreters think that this was now Davids condition by great trouble and distress he was greatly minded of sin and we must not therefore wholly pass over that intendment of the word though we are chiefly to respect that which he himself in this address unto God did principally regard This in general is the state and condition of the soul mannaged in this Psalm and is as the key to the ensuing discourse or the hinge on which it turns As to my intendment from the Psalm That which ariseth from hence may be comprized in these two Propositions 1. Gracious souls after much Communion with God may be brought into inextricable depths and intanglements on the account of sin For such the Psalmist here expresseth his own condition to have been and such he was 2. The inward root of outward distresses is principally to be attended in all pressing tryals sin in Afflictions Gracious souls may be brought into depths on the account of sin What those Depths are Before I
fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as to the prevailing apprehension of their minds And Sixthly God secretly sends his Arrows into the soul that wound and gall it adding pain trouble and disquietness to its disconsolation Psalm 38. 2. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Ever and anon in his walking God shot a sharp piercing arrow fixing it on his soul that galled wounded and perplexed him filling him with pain and grievous vexation These arrows are Gods rebukes Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity God speaks in his Word and by his Spirit in the Conscience things sharp and bitter to the soul fastning them so as it cannot shake them out These Job so mournfully complains of Chap. 6. 4. The Lord speaks words with that efficacy that they piecce the heart quite through and what the issue then is David declares Psal. 38 3. There is no soundness saith he in my flesh because of thine anger nor is there any rest in my bones because of my sin The whole person is brought under the power of them and all health and rest is taken away and Seventhly Unspiritedness and disability unto Duty in doing or suffering attend such a condition Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up His spiritual strength was worn away by sin so that he was not able to address himself unto any communion with God The soul now cannot pray with life and power cannot hear with joy and profit cannot do good and communicate with cheerfulness and freedom cannot meditate with delight and heavenly mindedness cannot act for God with zeal and liberty cannot think of suffering with boldness and resolution but is sick weak feeble and bowed down Now I say a gracious soul after much communion with God may on the account of sin by a sense of the guilt of it be brought into a state and condition wherein some more or all of these with other the like perplexities may be its portion And these make up the Depths whereof the Pfalmist here complains What are the sins or of what sorts that ordinarily cast the souls of Believers into these depths shall be afterwards declared I shall now shew both whence it is that Believers may fall into such a condition as also whence it is that oftentimes they actually do so Whence it is that Believers may be brought into depths on the account of sin Nature of the supplies of Grace given in the Covenant How far they extend Principles of the power of sin First The Nature of the Covenant wherein all Believers now walk with God and wherein all their whole provision for obedience is enwrapped leaves it possible for them to fall into these depths that have been mentioned Under the first Covenant there was no mercy or forgiveness provided for any sin It was necessary then that it should exhibit a sufficiency of Grace to preserve from every sin or it could have been of no use at all This the Rigteousness of God required and so it was To have made a Covenant wherein there was no provision at all of pardon and not a sufficiency of Grace to keep the Covenanters from need of pardon was not answerable to the Goodness and Righteousness of God But he made man upright who of his own accord sought out many inventions It is not so in the Covenant of Grace There is in it pardon provided in the blood of Christ It is not therefore of indispensible necessity that there should be administred in it Grace effectually preserving from every sin Yet is it on all accounts to be preferred before the other For besides the relief by pardon which the other knew nothing of there is in it also much provision against sin which was not in the other First There is provision made in it against all and every sin that would disannull the Covenant and make a final separation between God and a soul that hath been once taken into the bond thereof This provision is absolute God hath taken upon himself the making of this good and the establishing this Law of the Covenant that it shall not by any sin be disannulled Jor. 32. 40. I will saith God make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The security hereof depends not on any thing in our selves All that is in us is to be used as a means of the accomplishment of this Promise but the event or issue depends absolutely on the faithfulness of God And the whole certainty and stability of the Covenant depends on the efficacy of the Grace administred in it to preserve men from all such sins as would disanull it Secondly There is in this Covenant provision made for constant peace and consolation notwithstanding and against the guilt of such sins as through their infirmities and temptations believers are daily exposed unto Though they fall into sins every day yet they do not fall into depths every day In the tenour of this Covenant there is a consistency between a sense of sin unto humiliation and peace with strong consolation After the Apostle had described the whole conflict that Believers have with sin and the frequent wounds which they receive thereby which makes them cry out for deliverance Rom. 7. 24. He yet concludes Chap. 8. 1. that there is no condemnation unto them which is a sufficient and stable foundation of Peace So 1 John 2. 1. These things have I written unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Our great business and care ought to be that we sin not but yet when we have done our utmost if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves Chap. 1. 8. What then shall poor sinful guilty creatures do why let them go to the Father by their Advocate and they shall not fail of pardon and peace And saith Paul Heb 6. 17 18. God is abundantly willing that we might have strong consolation who fly for resuge to lay hold on the hope set before us What was his condition who fled of old to the City of refuge for safety from whence this expression is taken He was guilty of blood though shed at unawares and so as that he was to dye for it if he escaped not to the City of Refuge Though we may have the guilt of sins upon us that the Law pronounceth death unto yet flying to Christ for refuge God hath provided not only safety but strong consolation for us also Forgiveness in the blood of Christ doth not only take guilt from the soul but trouble also from the conscience And in this respect doth the Apostle at large set forth the Excellency of his Sacrifice Heb. 10. The Sacrifices of the Old Law he
tells us could not make perfect the worshippers v. 1. which he proves v. 2. because they did never take away throughly and really Conscience of sin that is depths or distresses of conscience about sin But now saith he Jesus Christ in the Covenant of Grace hath for ever perfected them that were sanctified v. 14. providing for them such stable peace and consolation as that they shall not need the renewing of Sacrifices every day v. 18. This is the great mysterie of the Gospel in the blood of Christ that those who sin every day should have peace with God all their dayes Provided their sins fall within the compass of those infirmities against which this consolation is provided Thirdly There is provision made of Grace to prevent and preserve the soul from great and enormous sins such as in their own nature are apt to wound conscience and cast the person into such depths and intanglements as wherein he shall have neither rest nor peace Of what sort these sins are shall be afterwards declared There is in this Covenant Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. and abundance of Grace administred from the All-fulness of Christ. Grace reigneth in it Rom. 6. 6. destroying and crucifying the body of sin But this Provision in the Covenant of Grace against peace-ruining soul-perplexing sins is not as to the administration of it absolute There are Covenant Commands and Exhortations on the attendance whereunto the administration of much Covenant-Grace doth depend To watch pray improve faith to stand on our guard continually to mortifie sin to fight against temptations with stedfastness diligence constancy are every where prescribed unto us and that in order unto the ensurance of the Grace mentioned These things are on our part the condition of the Administration of that abundant Grace which is to preserve us from soul-entangling sins So Peter informs us 2 Ep. 1. v. 3. The divine power of God hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness We have from it an habitual furnishment and provision for obedience at all times Also saith he v. 4. He bath given unto us great and pretious promises that by them we might be partakers of the Divine Nature What then is in this blessed estate and condition required of us that we may make a due improvement of the provision made for us and enjoy the comforting influence of those Promises that he prescribes unto us v. 5 6 7. Giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity That is carefully and diligently attend to the exercise of all the Graces of the Spirit and unto a conversation in all things becoming the Gospel What then shall be the issue if these things are attended unto v. 8. If these things be in you and abound ye shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not enough that these things be in you that you have the seed and root of them from and by the Holy Ghost but you are to take care that they flourish and abound without which though the root of the matter may be in you and so you be not wholly devoid of spiritual life yet you will be poor barren sapless withering creatures all your days But now suppose that these things do abound and we be made fruitful thereby Why then saith he v. 10. If you do these things ye shall never fall What never fall into sin Nay that is not in the Promise and he that sayes when he hath done all that he hath no sin he is a Lyar. Or is it never fall totally from God No the preservation of the Elect of whom he speaks from total Apostasie is not suspended on such conditions especially not on any degree of them such as their abounding imports But it is that they shall not fall into their old sins from which they were purged v. 9. Such Conscience wasting and defiling sins as they lived in in the time and state of their Unregeneracy Thus though there be in the Covenant of Grace through Jesus Christ Provision made of abundant supplies for the souls preservation from entangling sins yet their Administration hath respect unto our diligent attendance unto the means of receiving them appointed for us to walk in And here lyes the latitude of the New Covenant here lyes the exercise of renewed Free-will This is the field of free voluntary obedience under the Administration of Gospel Grace There are extreams which in respect of the event it is not concerned in To be wholly perfect to be free from every sin all failings all infirmities that is not provided for not promised in this Covenant It is a Covenant of mercy and pardon which supposeth a continuance of sin To fall utterly and finally from God that is absolutely provided against Between these two extreams of absolute perfection and total Apostasie lyes the large Field of Believers obedience and walking with God Many a sweet heavenly passage there is and many a dangerous depth in this field Some walk near to the one side some to the other yea the same person may sometimes press hard after Perfection sometimes be cast to the very border of destruction Now between these two lye many a soul-plunging sin against which no absolute provision is made and which for want of giving all diligence to put the means of preservation in practice Believers are oftentimes overtaken withal Fourthly There is not in the Covenant of Grace Provision made of ordinary and abiding consolation for any under the guilt of great sins or sins greatly aggravated which they fall into by a neglect of using and abiding in the forementioned conditions of abounding actual Grace Sins there are which either because in their own nature they wound and waste conscience or in their effects break forth into scandal causing the name of God and the Gospel to be evil spoken of or in some of their circumstances are full of unkindness against God do deprive the soul of its wonted consolation How by what means on what account such sins come to terrifie conscience to break the bones to darken the soul and to cast it into inextricable depths notwithstanding the relief that is provided of pardon in the blood of Christ I shall not now declare that they will do so and that Consolation is not of equal extent with safety we know Hence God assumes it to himself as an act of meer Soveraign Grace to speak peace and refreshment unto the souls of his Saints in their depths of sin entanglements Isa. 57. 18 19. And indeed if the Lord had not thus provided that great provocations should stand in need of special reliefs it might justly be feared that the negligence of Believers might possibly bring forth much bitter fruit Only this must be observed by the way that what
is spoken relates to the sense of sinners in their own souls and not to the nature of the thing it self There is in the Gospel consolation provided against the greatest as well as the least sins The difference ariseth from Gods Soveraign communication of it according to that tenor of the Covenants Administration which we have laid down Hence because under Moses's Law there was an exception made of some sins for which there was no Sacrifice appointed so that those who were guilty of them could no way be justified from them that is carnally as to their interest in the Judaical Church and Polity Paul tells the Jews Acts 13. 38 39. That through Jesus Christ was preached unto them the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses There is now no exception of any particular sins as to pardon and peace but what we have spoken relates unto the manner and way wherein God is pleased to administer consolation to the souls of sinning Believers And this is the Evidence which I shall offer to prove that the souls of Believers after much Gracious Communion with God may yet fall into inextricable depths on the account of sin whence it is that actually they oftentimes do so shall be farther declared The Principles of this Assertion are known I shall therefore only touch upon them First The nature of Indwelling-sin as it remains in the best of the Saints in this life being a little considered will evidence unto us from whence it is that they are sometimes surprized and plunged into the depths mentioned For First Though the strength of every sin be weakned by Grace yet the root of no sin is in this life wholly taken away Lust is like the stubborn Canaanites who after the general conquest of the Land would yet dwell in it still Judg. 17. 12. Indeed when Israel grew strong they brought them under tribute but they could not utterly expell them The Kingdom and Rule belongs to Grace and when it grows strong it brings sin much under but it will not wholly be driven out The Body of Death is not utterly to be done away but in and by the Death of the Body In the flesh of the best Saints there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 8. but the contrary is there that is the root of all evil The flesh lusteth against the Spirit as the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. As then there is an Universality in the actings of the Spirit in its opposing all evil so also there is an Universality in the actings of the flesh for the furtherance of it Secondly Some Lusts or branches of original corruption do obtain in some persons such advantages either from Nature Custom Employment Society or the like Circumstances that they become like the Canaanites that had iron Chariots it is a very difficult thing to subdue them Well it is if War be maintained constantly against them for they will almost alwayes be in actual Rebellion Thirdly Indwelling-Sin though weakned retaineth all its properties the properties of a thing follow its nature Where the nature of any thing is there are all its natural properties What are these properties of Indwelling Sin I should here declare but that I have handled the whole power and efficacy the nature and properties of it in a Treatise to that only purpose In brief they are such as it is no wonder that some Believers are by them cast into depths but it is indeed that any do escape them But hereof the Reader may see at large my Discourse on this particular subject Secondly Add hereunto the power and prevalency of temptation which because also I have already in a special Discourse to that purpose insisted on I shall not here farther lay open Thirdly The Soveraign pleasure of God in dealing with sinning Saints must also be considered Divine Love and Wisdom work not towards all in the same manner God is pleased to continue Peace unto some with a non-obstante for great provocations Love shall humble them and rebukes of kindness shall recover them from their wandrings Others he is pleased to bring into the depths we have been speaking of But yet I may say generally signal provocations meet with one of these two events from God First Those in whom they are are left unto some signal barrenness and fruitlesness in their Generations they shall wither grow barren worldly sapless and be much cast out of the hearts of the people of God Or Secondly They shall be exercised in these depths from whence their way of deliverance is laid down in this Psalm Thus I say God deals with his Saints in great variety Some shall have all their bones broken when others shall have only the gentle strokes of the rod. We are in the hand of Mercy and he may deal with us as seems good unto him but for our parts great sins ought to be attended with expectations of great depths and preplexities And this is the state of the soul proposed in this Psalm and by us unto consideration These are the depths wherein it is entangled these the wayes and means whereby it is brought into these depths It s deportment in and under this state and condition lyes next in our way But before I proceed thereunto I shall annex some few things unto what hath been delivered tending to the farther opening of the whole Case before us And they are 1. What are or of what sort those sins are which usually cast the souls of Believers into these depths and then 2. Insist on some Aggravations of them What sins usually bring Believers into great spiritual distresses Aggravations of those sins First Sins in their own nature wasting Conscience are of this sort Sins that rise in opposition unto all of God that is in us that is the light of Grace and Nature also Such are the sins that cast David into his depths Such are the sins enumerated 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived saith the Apostle neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind Nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Certain it is that Believers may fall into some of the sins here mentioned Some have done so as is left on record The Apostle says not those who have committed any of these sins but such sinners shall not inherit the Kingdom of God that is who live in these or any of these sins or any like unto them There is no provision of mercy made for such sinners These and the like are sins which in their own nature without the consideration of aggravating circumstances which yet indeed really in Believers they can never be without are able to plunge a soul into depths These sins cut the locks of mens spiritual strength and it is in vain for them to say
Providence causeth some special word in the Preaching of the Gospel or the Administration of some Ordinance thereof peculiarly suited to the state and condition of the soul by the wayes of rebuke or perswasion to come nigh and enter the inmost parts of the heart The soul cannot but take notice that God is nigh to him that he is dealing with him and caling on him to look to him for assistance And he seldom gives such warnings to his Saints but that he is nigh them in an eminent manner to give them relief and help if in answer unto his call they apply themselves unto him but if his care and kindness herein be neglected his following reproofs are usually more severe Seventhly Sins that bring scandal seldom suffer the soul to escape depths Even in great sins God in chastening takes more notice oft-times of the scandal than the sin as 2 Sam. 12. 14. Many professors take little notice of their worldliness their pride their passion their lavish tongues but the world doth and the Gospel is disadvantaged by it and no wonder if themselves find from the hand of the Lord the bitter fruits of them in the issue And many other such Aggravations of sins there are which heighten provocations in their own nature not of so dreadful an aspect as some others into a guilt plunging a soul into depths Those which have been named may suffice in the way of instance which is all that we have aimed at and therefore forbear enlargements on the several heads of them The consideration of some Aggravations of the guilt of these sins which bring the soul usually into the condition before laid down shall close this discourse First The soul is furnished with a Principle of Grace which is continually operative and working for its preservation from such sins The new Creature is living and active for its own growth increase and security according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace Gal. 5. 17. it lusteth against the flesh It is naturally active for its own preservation and increase as new born Children have a natural inclination to the food that will keep them alive and cause them to grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. The soul then cannot fall into these entangling sins but it must be with an high neglect of that very Principle which is bestowed upon it for quite contrary ends and purposes The labourings lustings desires crying of it are neglected Now it is from God and of God and is the Renovation of his Image in us that which God owneth and careth for the wounding of its vitals the stifling its operations the neglect of its endeavours for the souls preservation do alwayes attend sins of the importance spoken unto Secondly Whereas this new Creature this principle of life and obedience is not able of it self to preserve the soul from such sins as will bring it into depths there is full provision for continual supplies made for it and all its wants in Jesus Christ. There are treasures of relief in Christ whereunto the soul may at any time repair and find succour against the incursions of sin He sayes to the soul as David unto Abiathar when he fled from Doeg Abide with me fear not he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safety Sin is my Enemy no less than thine it seeketh the life of thy soul and it seeketh my life abide with me for with me thou shalt be in safety This the Apostle exhorts us unto Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need If ever it be a time of need with a soul it is so when it is under the assaults of provoking sins At such a time there is suitable and seasonable help in Christ for succour and relief The new Creature beggs with sighs and groans that the soul would apply it self unto him To neglect him with all his Provision of Grace whilst he stands calling unto us open unto me for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night to despise the sighing of the poor Prisoner the new Creature by sin appointed to dye cannot but be an high provocation May not God complain and say see these poor creatures they were once intrusted with a stock of Grace in themselves this they cast away and themselves into the utmost misery thereby That they might not utterly perish a second time their portion and stock is now laid up in another a safe Treasurer in him are their lives and comforts secured But see their wretched negligence they venture all rather than they will attend to him for succour And what think we is the heart of Christ when he sees his Children giving way to conscience wasting sins without that application unto him which the life and peace of their own souls calls upon them for These are not sins of daily infirmity which cannot be avoided but their guilt is alwayes attended with a neglect more or less of the relief provided in Christ against them The means of preservation from them is blessed ready nigh at hand the concernment of Christ in our preservation great of our souls unspeakable to neglect and despise means Christ souls peace and life must needs render guilt very guilty Thirdly Much to the same purpose may be spoken about that signal provision that is made against such sins as these in the Covenant of Grace as hath been already declared But I shall not farther carry on this discourse And this may suffice as to the state and condition of the soul in this Psalm represented We have seen what the depths are wherein it is intangled and by what wayes and means any one may come to be cast into them The next thing that offers it self unto our consideration is the deportment of a gracious soul in that state and condition or what course it steers towards a delivery The Duty and Actings of a Believer under distresses from a sense of sin His Application unto God To God alone Earnestness and intention of mind therein The words of these two first Verses declare also the deportment of the soul in the condition that we have described that is what it doth and what course it steers for relief I have cryed unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications There is in the words a General Application made in a tendency unto relief wherein is first to be considered to whom the Application is made and that is JEHOVAH I have cryed unto thee Jehovah God gave out that Name to his people to confirm their faith in the stability of his Promises Exod. 3. He who is BEING himself will assuredly give being and subsistance to his promises Being to deal with God about the promises of grace he makes his Application to him under this name I call upon thee Jehovah In
the Application it self may be observed First The Anthropopathy of the Expression He prayes that God would cause his ears to be attentive after the manner of men who seriously attend to what is spoken to them when they turn aside from that which they regard not Secondly The Earnestness of the soul in the work it hath in hand which is evident both from the Reduplication of his request Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to my voyce and the Emphaticalness of the words he maketh use of Let thine ears saith he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diligently Attentive The word signifies the most diligent heedfulness and close attention let thine ears be very attentive and unto what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the voice of my supplications deprecationum mearum generally say Interpreters of my Deprecations or earnest prayers for the averting of evil or punishment But the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiosus suit to be gracious or merciful so that it signifies properly supplications for grace Be attentive saith he O Lord unto my supplications for grace and mercy which according to my extream necessity I now address my self to make unto thee And in these words doth the Psalmist set forth in general the frame and working of a gracious soul being cast into depths and darkness by sin The foundation of what I shall farther thence pursue lyes in these two Propositions First The only attempt of a sinful entangled soul for relief lyes in an application to God alone To thee Jehovah have I cryed Lord hear Secondly Depths of sin intanglements will put a gracious soul on intense and earnest application unto God Lord hear Lord attend Dying men do not use to cry out slothfully for relief What may be thought necessary in general for the direction of a soul in the state and condition described shall briefly be spoken unto from these two Propositions First Trouble danger disquietment arguing not only things evil but a sense in the mind and soul of them will of themselves put those in whom they are upon seeking relief Every thing would naturally be at rest A drowning man needs no Exhortation to endeavour his own deliverance and safety And spiritual troubles will in like manner put men on attempts for relief To seek for no remedy is to be senslesly obdurate or wretchedly desperate as Cain and Judas We may suppose then that the principal business of every soul in depths is to endeavour deliverance They cannot rest in that condition wherein they have no rest In this endeavour what course a gracious soul steers is laid down in the first Proposition negatively and positively He applyes himself not to any thing but God he applyes himself unto God An eminent instance we have of it in both parts or both to the one side and the other Hos. 14. 3. Ashur say those poor distressed returning sinners shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy Their application unto God is attended with a renunciation of every other way of relief Several things there are that sinners are apt to apply themselves unto for relief in their perplexities which prove unto them as waters that fail How many things have the Romanists invented to deceive souls withal Saints and Angels the Blessed Virgin Wood of the Cross Confissions Rennances Masses Pilgrimages Dirges Purgatories Papal Pardons Works of Compensation and the like are made entrances for innumerable souls into everlasting ruine Did they know the terror of the Lord the nature of Sin and of the mediation of Christ they would be ashamed and confounded in themselves for these abominations they would not say unto these their Idols ye are our Gods come and save us How short do all their contrivances come of his that would fain be offering Rivers of Oyl yea the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul his first born for his transgression Mich. 6. 7. Who yet gains nothing but an Aggravation of his sin and misery thereby Yea the Heathen went beyond them in devotion and expence It is no new enquiry what course sin perplexed souls should take for relief From the foundation of the world the minds of far the greatest part of mankind have been exercised in it As was there light or darkness such was the course they took Among those who were ignorant of God this Enquiry brought forth all that Diabolical Superstition which spread it self over the face of the whole world Gentilism being destroyed by the power and Efficacy of the Gospel the same enquiry working in the minds of darkned men in conjunction with other lusts brought forth the Papacy When men had lost a spiritual acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace and Mysterie of the Gospel the design of eternal love the efficacy of the blood of Christ they betook themselves in part or in whole for relief under their entanglements unto the broken Cisterns mentioned They are of two sorts Self and other things For those other things which belong unto their false Worship being abominated by all the Saints of God I shall not need to make any farther mention of them That which relates unto self is not confined unto Popery but extends it self to the limits of Humane Nature and is predominate in all that are under the Law that is to seek for relief in sin distresses by self-endeavours self-righteousness Hence many poor souls in straights apply themselves to themselves They expect their cure from the same hand that wounded them This was the life of Judaism as the Apostle informs us Rom. 10. 3. And all men under the Law are still animated by the same principle They return but not unto the Lord. Finding themselves in depths in distresses about sin what course do they take This they will do that they will do no more this shall be their ordinary course and that they will do in an extraordinary manner as they have offended whence their trouble ariseth so they will amend and look that their peace should spring from thence as if God and they stood on equal terms In this way some spend all their dayes sinning and amending amending and sinning without once coming to repentance and peace This the souls of believers watch against They look on themselves as fatherless in thee the fatherless findeth mercy that is helpless without the least ground of hopes in themselves or expectation from themselves They know their repentance their amendment their supplications their humiliations their fastings their mortifications will not relieve them Repent they will and amend they will and pray and fast and humble their souls for they know these things to be their duty but they know that their goodness extends not to him with whom they have to do nor is he profited by their righteousness They will be in the performance of all duties but
they taught to value all the fruits of the blood of Jesus Christ of the enjoyment of many whereof they are at present cut short and deprived All which with other things of the like nature and importance make them very sensible of their concernments Secondly They remember what it cost them formerly to deal with God about sin and hence they know it is no ordinary matter they have in hand They must again to their old work take the old cup into their hands again A recovery from depths is as a new conversion Oft-times in it the whole work as to the souls apprehension is gone over afresh This the soul knows to have been a work of dread terror and trouble and trembles in it self at its new tryals And Thirdly The Holy Ghost gives unto such poor souls a fresh sense of their deep concernments on purpose that it may be a means to stir them up unto these earnest Applications unto God The whole work is his and he carries it on by means suited to the compassing of the end he aimeth at And by these means is a gracious soul brought into the frame mentioned Now there are sundry things that concur in and unto this frame First There is a continual thoughtfulness about the sad condition wherein the soul is in its depths Being deeply affected with their condition they are continually ruminating upon it and pondering it in their minds So David declares the case to have been with him Psal. 38. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore there is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sins for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me my wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down I go mourning all the day long I am feeble and sore broken I have roared for the disquietness of my heart Restlestness deep-thoughtfulness disquietness of heart continual heaviness of soul sorrow and anxiety of mind lye at the bottom of the Applications we speak of From these Principles their prayers flow out as David adds v. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee This way all his trouble wrought He prayed out of the abundance of his meditation and grief Thoughts of their state and condition lye down with such Persons and rise with them and accompany them all the day long As Reuben cryed The child is not and I whither shall I go So doth such a soul the Love of God is not Christ is not and I whither shall I cause my sorrow to go God is provoked death is nigh at hand relief is far away darkness is about me I have lost my peace my joy my Song in the night what do I think of duties Can two walk together unless they be agreed Can I walk with God in them whilst I have thus made him mine enemy What do I think of Ordinances Will it do me any good to be at Jerusalem and not see the face of the King to live under Ordinances and not to meet in them with the King of Saints May I not justly fear that the Lord will take his holy Spirit from me until I be left without remedy With such thoughts as these are sin-entangled souls exercised and they lye rolling in their minds in all their applications unto God Secondly We see the Application it self consists in and is made by the prayer of Faith or crying unto God now this is done with intenseness of mind which hath a twofold fruit or property 1. Importunity and 2. Constancy It is said of our blessed Saviour that when he was in his depths about our sins that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears Heb. 5. 7. Strong cryes and tears express the utmost intension of Spirit And David expresseth it by roaring as we have seen before as also by sighing groaning and panting A soul in such a condition lyes down before the Lord with sighs groans mourning cryes tears and roaring according to the various working of his heart and its being affected with the things that it hath to do and this produceth First Importunity The power of the importunity of Faith our Saviour hath marvelously set out Luke 11. 8 9 10. as also Chap. 18. 1. Importunate prayer is certainly prevailing And importunity is as it were made up of these two things frequency of interposition and variety of arguings You shall have a man that is importunate come unto you seven times a day about the same business and after all if any new thought come into his mind though he had resolved to the contrary he will come again And there is nothing that can be imagined to relate unto the business he hath in hand but he will make use of it and turn it to the furtherance of his plea. So is it in this case Men will use both frequency of interposition and variety of arguings Psal. 86. 1. I cry unto thee daily or rather all the day He had but that one business and he attended it to the purpose By this means we give God no rest Isa. 62. 7. which is the very character of importunity Such souls go to God and they are not satisfied with what they have done and they go again and somewhat abideth still with them and they go to him again and the heart is not yet emptied they 'l go again to him that he may have no rest What variety of arguments are pleaded with God in this case I could also manifest in the same David But it is known to all there is not any thing almost that he makes not a plea of the Faithfulness Righteousness Name Mercy Goodness and kindness of God in Jesus Christ the concernment of others in him both the friends and foes of God his own weakness and helplesness yea the greatness of sin it self Be merciful to my sin saith he for it is great Sometimes he begins with some Arguments of this kind and then being a little diverted by other considerations some new plea is suggested unto him by the Spirit ane he returns immediately to his first employment and design all arguing great intension of mind and spirit Secondly Constancy also flows from intenseness Such a soul will not give over untill it obtain what it aims at and looks for as we shall see in our process in opening this Psalm And this is in general the deportment of a gracious soul in the condition here represented unto us As poor creatures love their peace as they love their souls as they tender the glory of God they are not to be wanting in this duty What is the reason that controversies hang so long between God and your souls that it may be you scarce see a good day all your lives Is it not for the most part
the thoughts expressed in this third Verse and fixes the conclusion in his mind discoursed of before He finds now that he hath the Law afresh to deal withal Thence ariseth that sense and acknowledgement of sin that self-condemnation in the Justification of God whereof we now speak He grows not sullen stubborn displeased and so runs away from God he doth not utterly saint despond and give over he pleads not any thing in his own Justification or for the extenuation of his sin and guilt he quarrelleth not with he repineth not against the Holiness Severity and Righteousness of the Law of God but reflects wholly on himself his own unworthiness guilt and desert and in a sence of them lyes down at the foot of God in expectation of his word and sentence Three things in this condition we ascribe unto such a soul. First A sincere sense of sin There is a twofold sense of sin The one is general and notional whereby a man knows what sin is that himself is a sinner that he is guilty of this or that these or those sins only his heart is not affected proportionably to that discovery and knowledge which he hath of these things The other is active and efficacious The soul being acquainted with the nature of sin with its own guilt in reference unto sin in general as also to this or that sin is universally influenced by that apprehension unto suitable Affections and Operations Of both these we have an instance in the same person David before Nathans coming to him had the former afterwards he had the latter also It cannot be imagined but that before the coming of the Prophet he had a general knowledge and sense not only absolutely of the nature of sin but also that himself was a sinner and guilty of those very sins which afterwards he was reproved for To think otherwise is to suppose not only that he was un-sainted but un-manned also and turned into a Beast But yet this wrought not in him any one Affection suitable to his condition And the like may be said of most sinners in the world But now when Nathan comes to him and gives him the latter efficacious sense whereof we speak we know what effects it did produce It is the latter only that is under consideration and that also is twofold 1. Legal or Antecedaneous unto conversion 2 Evangelical and previous to the recovery from depths whereof we treat How these two differ and how they may be discerned one from the other being both of them in their kind sincere is not my business to declare Now this tast which we assign as the first duty work or acting of a returning soul is a deep and practical apprehension wrought in the mind and heart of a believing sinner by the Holy Ghost of sin and its evils in reference unto the Law and Love of God the Cross and blood of Christ the communion and consolation of the Spirit and all the fruits of Love Mercy or Grace that it hath been made partaker of or on Gospel grounds hoped for First The principal efficient cause of it is the Holy Ghost He it is who convinceth of sin John 16. 8. He works indeed by means He wrought it in David by the Ministry of Nathan and he wrought it in Peter by the look of Christ. But his work it is No man can work it upon his own soul. It will not spring out of mens rational considerations Though men may exercise their thoughts about such things as one would think were enough to break the hearts of stones yet if the Holy Ghost put not forth a peculiar efficacy of his own this sense of sin will not be wrought or produced As the waters at the Pool of Bethesda were not troubled but when an Angel descended and moved them no more will the Heart for sin without a saving elapse of the Holy Ghost Secondly It is a deep Apprehension of sin and the evils of it Sleight transient thoughts about them amount not to the sense of which we speak My sorrow saith David is continually before me Psal. 38. 17. It pressed him alwayes and greatly Hence he compares this sense of sin wrought by the Holy Ghost to arrows that stick in the flesh v. 2. They pain sorely and are alwayes perplexing Sin in this sense of it layes hold on the soul so that the sinner cannot look up Psal. 40. 12. And it abides with him making his sore run in the night without ceasing Psal. 77. 2. and depriveth the soul of rest my soul saith he refused to be comforted This Apprehension of sin lyes down and rises with him in whom it is Transient thoughts attended with infrequent sighs and ejaculations little become a returning soul. And Thirdly It is Practical It is not seated only in the speculative part of the mind hovering in general notions but it dwel's in the practical understanding which effectually influenceth the Will and Affections Such an Apprehension as from which sorrow and humiliation are inseparable The acts of the practical understanding do so necessarily produce together with them suitable acts of the Will and Affections that some have concluded that those are indeed proper acts of the Will which are usually ascribed to the Understanding It is so in the mind as that the whole soul is cast into the mould and likeness of it humiliation sorrow self-abhorrency do live and dye with it Fourthly It hath in the first place respect unto the Law of God There can be no due consideration of sin wherein the Law hath not its place The Law calls for the sinner and he willingly gives up his sin to be judged by it There he sees it to be exceeding sinful Rom. 7. 17. Though a Believer be less under the power of the Law than others yet he knows more of the Authority and nature of it than others He sees more of its spirituality and holiness And the more a man sees of the excellency of the Law the more he sees of the vileness of sin This is done by a soul in its first endeavour for a recovery from the entanglements of sin He labours throughly to know his disease that he may be cured It will do him no good he knows to be ignorant of his distemper or his danger He knows that if his wounds be not searched to the bottom they will stink and be corrupt To the Law then he brings himself and his sin By that he sees the vileness of the one and the danger of the other Most men lye still in their depths because they would willingly escape the first step of their rising From the bottom of their misery they would fain at once be at the top of their felicity The soul managed in this work by the Holy Ghost doth not so He converseth with the Law brings his sin unto it and fully hears the sentence of it When the sin is throughly condemned then he farther takes care of the sinner
As ever you desire to come to rest avoid not this entrance of your passage unto it Weigh well and attend unto what the Law speaks of your sin and its desert or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness As ever you would have your souls justified by Grace take care to have your sins judged by the Law Secondly There is a respect in it to the Love of God And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner Sorrow from the Law shuts it self up in the soul and strangleth it Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it and causseth it to flow forth Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God managed by the Holy Ghost what shall I say their effects in the heart are not to be expressed This made Ezra cry out O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this After what why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of Thoughts of love and sin laid together make the soul blush mourn be ashamed and confounded in its self So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good When shall they do so when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them and saith he then shall you loath your selves in your own sight The soul now calls to mind what Love what kindness what mercy what grace what patience hath been exercised towards it and whereof it hath been made partaker The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water Such Mercy such Communion such Priviledges such hopes of Glory such tastes of Heaven such Peace such Consolation such Joy such Communications of the Spirit all to a poor wretched cursed lost forlorn sinner and all this despised neglected the God of them all provoked forsaken Ah saith the soul Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go This fills him with shame and confusion of face makes him mourn in secret and sigh to the breaking of the loyns and then Thirdly The blood and Cross of Christ is also brought to remembrance by the Holy Ghost Ah saith the soul have I thus requited the wonderful astonishing Love of my Redeemer Is this the return the requital I have made unto him Are not Heaven and Earth astonished at the despising of that Love at which they are astonished This brake Peters heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ will in this condition sound in the ears of the soul. Did I love thee and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake Did I not think my life and all that was dear unto me too good for thee to save thee from the wrath to come Have I been a Wilderness unto thee or a land of darkness What could I have done more for thee when I had nothing left but my life blood and soul they went all for thee that thou mightest live by my death be washed in my blood and be saved through my souls being made an offering for thee And hast thou thus requited my love to prefer a lust before me the world before me or by meer sloth and folly to be turned away from me go unkind and unthankful soul and see if thou canst find another Redeemer This overwhelms the soul and even drowns it in tears and sorrow And then the bitterness also of the sufferings of Christ are brought to mind They look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12. 10. They remember his gall and wormwood his cryes and tears his agony and sweat his desertion and anguish his blood and death the sharpness of the Sword that was in his soul and the bitterness of the Cup that was put into his hand Such a soul now looks on Christ bleeding dying wrestling with wrath and curse for him and seeth his sin in the streams of blood that issued from his side And all this encreaseth that sense of sin whereof we speak Also Fourthly It relates to the communion and consolations of the Holy Ghost with all the priviledges and fruits of Love we are by him made partakers of The Spirit is given to Believers upon the promise of Christ to dwell in them He takes up their hearts to be his dwelling place to what ends and purposes that he may purifie and sanctifie them make them holy and dedicate them to God to furnish them with Graces and gifts to interest them in priviledges to guide lead direct comfort them to seal them unto the day of Redemption Now this Spirit is grieved by sin Ephes. 4. 30. and his dwelling place defiled thereby 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 3. 17. Thoughts hereof greatly sharpen the spiritual sense of sin in a recovering soul. He considers what Light what Love what Joy what Consolation what Priviledges it hath by him been made partaker of what motions warnings workings to keep it from sin it hath found from him and sayes within it self What have I done whom have I grieved whom have I provoked what if the Lord should now for my folly and ingratitude utterly take his holy Spirit from me What if I should have so grieved him that he will dwell in me no more delight in me no more What dismal darkness and disconsolation yea what utter ruine should I be left unto However what shame and confusion of face belongs to me for my wretched disingenuity and ingratitude towards him This is the first thing that appears in the returning souls actings and frame a sincere sense of sin on the accounts mentioned wrought in it by the Holy Ghost And this a soul in the depths described must come unto if ever it expect or look for deliverance and a recovery Let not such persons expect to have a renewed sense of mercy without a revived sense of sin Secondly From hence proceedeth an ingenious free gracious Acknowledgement of sin Men may have a sense of sin and yet suffer it to lye burning as a fire shut up in their bones to their continual disquietment and not be able to come off unto a free soul opening acknowledgement Yea confession may be made in general and mention therein of that very sin wherewith the soul is most intangled and yet the soul come short of a due performance of this Duty Consider how the case stood with David Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long How could David keep silence and yet roar all the day long What is that silence which is consistent with roaring It is a meer negation of that duty which is expressed v. 5. that is intended I acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquities I have not hid It was not a silence of submission and waiting on God that he intends That would not have produced a wasting of his spiritual strength as he complains
our abiding with God Both these are weakned by a conquering prevailing sense of sin without some relief from the discovery of forgiveness though at a distance And therefore our perplexed soul stayes not here but presseth on towards that discovery Secondly There is a resting on this frame that is noxious and hurtful also Some finding this sense of sin with those other things that attend it wrought in them in some measure begin to think that now all is well this is all that is of them required They will endeavour to make a life from such arguments of comfort as they can take from their trouble They think this a ground of peace that they have not peace Here some take up before conversion and it proves their ruine Because they are convinced of sin and troubled about it and burdened with it they think it shall be well with them But were not Cain Esau Saul Ahab Judas convinced of sin and burdened with it Did this profit them Did it interest them in the promises Did not the wrath of God overtake them notwithstanding So is it with many daily they think their conviction is conversion and that their sins are pardoned because they have been troubled This then is that which we reject which the soul in this condition doth carefully avoid so to satisfie it self with its humiliation as to make that a ground of supportment and consolation being thereby kept off from exercising faith for forgiveness For this is First A fruit of self-righteousness For a soul to place the spring of its peace or comfort in any thing of its own is to fall short of Christ and to take up in self We must not only be justified but glory in him also Isa. 45. 25. Men may make use of the evidence of their graces but only as mediums to a farther end not as the rest of the soul in the least And this deprives mens very humiliations of all Gospel humility True humility consists more in believing than in being sensible of sin That 's the souls great self-emptying and abasing this may consist with an obstinate resolution to scamble for something upon the account of self endeavours Secondly Though Evangelical sense of sin be a Grace yet it is not the uniting Grace it is not that which interests us in Christ not that which peculiarly and in its own nature exalts him There is in this sense of sin that which is natural and that which is spiritual or the matter of it and its spirituality The former consists in sorrow trouble self-abasement dejection and anxiety of mind with the like passions Of these I may say as the Apostle of Afflictions they are not joyous but grievous They are such as are accompanied with the aversation of the object which they are conversant about In their own nature they are no more but the souls retreat into it self with an abhorrency of the objects of its sorrow and grief When these Affections are spiritualized their nature is not changed The soul in and by them acts according to their nature and doth by them as such but retreat into it self with a dislike of that they are exercised about To take up here then must needs be to sit down short of Christ whether it be for life or consolation Let there be no mistake There can be no Evangelical sense of sin and humiliation where there is not Union with Christ Zech. 12. 10. Only in its self and in its own nature it is not availing Now Christ is the only rest of our souls in any thing for any end or purpose to take up short of him is to lose it It is not enough that we be prisoners of hope but we must turn to our strong hold Zech. 9. 12. not enough that we are weary and laden but we must come to him Matth. 11. 27 28. It will not suffice that we are weak and know we are weak but we must take hold on the strength of God Isa. 27. 4 5. Thirdly Indeed pressing after forgiveness is the very life and power of Evangelical humiliation How shall a man know that his humiliation is Evangelical that his sorrow is according to God Is it not from hence he may be resolved that he doth not in it as Cain did who cryed his sin was greater than he could bear and so departed from the presence of God nor as Judas did who repented and hanged himself nor as Felix did tremble for a while and then return to his lusts nor as the Jews did in the Prophet pine away under his iniquities because of vexation of heart nor doth he divert his thoughts to other things thereby to relieve his soul in his trouble nor fix upon a Righteousness of his own nor slothfully lye down under his perplexity but in the midst of it he plyes himself to God in Christ for pardon and mercy And it is the souls Application unto God for forgiveness and not its sense of sin that gives unto God the glory of his Grace Thus far then have we accompanied the soul in its depths it is now looking out for forgiveness which what it is and how we come to have an interest in it the principal matter in this discourse intended is nextly to be considered Verse 4. The Words explained and the design or scope of the Psalmist in them discovered THe state and condition of the soul making Application unto God in this Psalm is recounted v. 1. It was in the depths not only Providential depths of Trouble Affliction and perplexities thereon but also depths of conscience distress on the account of sin as in the opening of those words hath been declared The Application of this soul unto God with restless fervency and earnestness in that state and condition its consideration in the first place of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice in a proceedure thereon with the inevitable ruine of all sinners if God insist on that way of dealing with them have also been opened and manifested from the foregoing Verses Being in this estate perplexed in its self lost in and under the consideration of Gods marking iniquity according to the tenor of the Law that which it fixes on from whence any relief stay or supportment might be expected in such a condition is laid down in this Verse Ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared I shall first open the words as to their signisication and importance then shew the design of the Psalmist in them with reference to the soul whose condition is here represented and lastly propose the general Truths contained in them wherein all our concernments do lye There is forgiveness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXX and Hierom accordingly Propitiatio propitiation which is somewhat more than venia or pardon as by some it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condonatio ipsa forgiveness its self It is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spare to pardon to forgive to be
the thing it self They take it for granted that so it is and are never put seriously upon the enquiry how it comes to be so and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it How many thousands may we meet withall who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it and its consistency with his holiness and justice But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds They have been put upon an enquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ so that on a good and unquestionable foundation they can go to God and say there is forgiveness with thee They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness then by punishing of sin which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about If they may escape punishment whether God have any glory or no for the most part they are indifferent Secondly The first Apprehension ariseth without any tryal upon enquiry in the Consciences of them in whom it is They have not by the power of their convictions and distresses of Conscience been put to make enquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a perswasion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls It is not the result of a deep enquiry after peace and rest It is antecedent unto Tryal and Experience and so is not Faith but Opinion For although Faith be not Experience yet it is inseparable from it as is every practical habit Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this Opinion not removed The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon when indeed none can really on a Gospel account ordinarily have that perswasion but those who have been troubled for sin and that to the purpose So is it with them that make this discovery by faith They have had conflicts in their own spirits and being deprived of peace have accomplished a diligent search whether forgiveness were to be obtained or no. The perswasion they have of it be it more or less is the issue of a tryal they have had in their own souls of an enquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their Persons This is a vast difference the one sort might possibly have had trouble in their consciences about sin had it not been for their Opinion of forgiveness this hath prevented or stifled their convictions not healed their wounds which is the work of the Gospel but kept them from being wounded which is the work of security Yea here lyes the ruine of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the Gospel They have received the general notion of pardon it floats in their minds and presently presents it self to their relief on all occasions Doth God at any time in the dispensation of the Word under an Affliction upon some great sin against their ruling light begin to deal with their consciences before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection before it draw nigh to its perfect work they choak it and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon Many a man between the Assembly and his dwelling house is thus cured You may see them go away shaking their heads and striking on their breasts and before they come home be as whole as ever Well! God is merciful there is pardon hath wrought the cure The other sort have obtained their perswasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the Gospel upon a full conviction Tryals they have had and this is the issue Thirdly The one which we reject worketh no Love to God no Delight in him no Reverence of him but rather a contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with him There are none in the world that deal worse with God than those who have an ungrounded perswasion of forgiveness And if they do fear him or love him or obey him in any thing more or less it is on other motives and considerations which will not render any thing they do acceptable and not at all on this As he is good to the Creation they may love as he is great and powerful they may fear him but sense of pardon as to any such ends or purposes hath no power upon them Carnal boldness formality and despising of God are the common issues of such a notion and perswasion Indeed this is the generation of great sinners in the world men who have a general apprehension but not a sense of the special power of pardon openly or secretly in fleshly or spiritual sins are the great sinners among men Where faith makes a discovery of forgiveness all things are otherwise Great Love Fear and Reverence of God are its attendants Mary Magdalen loved much because much was forgiven Great Love will spring out of great forgiveness There is forgiveness with thee saith the Psalmist that thou maist be feared No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally know the truth of this inference But so it is when men fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 5. 1 say then where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended where faith makes a discovery of it to the soul it is endeared unto God and possessed of the great springs of Love Delight Fear and Reverence Psal. 116. 1 5 6 7. Fourthly This notional apprehension of the pardon of sin begets no serious through hatred and detestation of sin nor is prevalent to a relinquishment of it nay it rather secretly insinuates into the soul encouragements unto a continuance in it It is the nature of it to lessen and extenuate sin and to support the soul against its convictions So Jude tells us that some turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness v. 4. and sayes he they are ungodly men let them profess what they will they are ungodly men But how can they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness Is Grace capable of a conversion into Lust or Sin Will what was once Grace ever become Wantonness It is Objective not Subjective Grace the Doctrine not the real substance of Grace that is intended The Doctrine of forgiveness is this Grace of God which may be thus abused From hence do men who have only a general notion of it habitually draw secret encouragements to sin and folly Paul also lets us know that carnal men coming to a doctrinal acquaintance with Gospel Grace are very apt to make such conclusions Rom. 6. 1. And it will appear at the last day how unspeakably this glorious Grace hath been perverted in the world It would be well for many if they had never heard the name of forgiveness It is otherwise where this Revelation is received indeed in the soul by believing Rom. 6.
14. Our being under Grace under the power of the belief of forgiveness is our great preservative from our being under the power of sin Faith of forgiveness is the Principle of Gospel Obedience Titus 2. 11 12. Fifthly The general notion of forgiveness brings with it no sweetness no Rest to the soul. Flashes of joy it may abiding rest it doth not The truth of the Doctrine fluctuates to and fro in the minds of those that have it but their Wills and Affections have no solid delight nor rest by it Hence not withstanding all that profession that is made in the world of forgiveness the most of men ultimately resolve their peace and comfort into themselves As their apprehensions are of their own doing good or evil according to their ruling light whatever it be so as to peace and rest are they secretly tossed up and down Every one in his several way pleaseth himself with what he doth in answer unto his own convictions and is disquieted as to his state and condition according as he seems to himself to come short thereof To make a full life of contentation upon pardon they know not how to do it One duty yields them more true repose than many thoughts of forgiveness But faith finds sweetness and Rest in it being thereby apprehended it is the only harbour of the soul. It leads a man to God as Good to Christ as Rest. Fading evanid joyes do oft-times attend the one but solid delight with constant Obedience are the fruits only of the other Sixthly Those who have the former only take up their perswasion on false grounds though the thing it self be true and they cannot but use it unto false ends and purposes besides its natural and genuine tendency For their grounds they will be discovered when I come to treat of the true nature of Gospel forgiveness For the End it is used generally only to fill up what is wanting Self-righteousness is their bottom and when that is too short or narrow to cover them they piece it out by forgiveness Where conscience accuses this must supply the defect Faith layes it on its proper foundation of which afterwards also and it useth it to its proper End namely to be the sole and only ground of our Acceptation with God That is the proper use of forgiveness that all may be of Grace for when the foundation is pardon the whole superstructure must needs be Grace From what hath been spoken it is evident that notwithstanding the pretences to the contrary insinuated in the Objection now removed it is a great thing to have Gospel forgiveness discovered unto a soul in a saving manner The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness It s Relation to the Goodness Grace and Will of God To the blood of Christ. To the Promise of the Gospel The Considerations of Faith about it The difficulties that lye in the way of faiths discovery of forgiveness whence it appears to be a matter of greater weight and importance than it is commonly apprehended to be have been insisted on in the foregoing Discourse There is yet remaining another ground of the same Truth Now this is taken from the Nature and Greatness of the thing it self discovered that is of forgiveness To this end I shall shew what it is wherein it doth consist what it comprizes and relates unto according to the importance of the second Proposition before laid down I do not in this place take forgiveness strictly and precisely for the act of pardoning nor shall I dispute what that is and wherein it doth consist Consciences that come with sin entanglements unto God know nothing of such disputes Nor will this Expression there is forgiveness with God bear any such restriction as that it should regard only actual condonation or pardon That which I have to do is to enquire into the nature of that pardon which poor convinced troubled souls seek after and which the Scripture proposeth to them for their relief and rest And I shall not handle this absolutely neither but in Relation to the Truth under consideration namely that it is a great thing to attain unto a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness First As was shewed in the opening of the words the forgiveness enquired after hath Relation unto the Gracious Heart of the Father Two things I understand hereby 1. The Infinite Goodness and Graciousness of his Nature 2. The Soveraign purpose of his Will and Grace There is considerable in it the infinite Goodness of his nature Sin stands in a contrariety unto God It is a Rebellion against his Soveraignty an Opposition to his Holiness a Provocation to his Justice a Rejection of his yoke a casting off what lyes in the sinner of that dependance which a Creature hath on its Creator That God then should have pity and compassion on sinners in every one of whose sins there is all this evil and inconceivably more than we can comprehend it argues an infinitely Gracious Good and loving heart and nature in him For God doth nothing but suitably to the Properties of his Nature and from them All the Acts. of his Will are the Effects of his Nature Now what ever God proposeth as an encouragement for sinners to come to him that is of or hath a special influence into the Forgiveness that is with him For nothing can encourage a sinner as such but under this consideration that it is or it respects forgiveness That this Graciousness of Gods nature lyes at the head or spring and is the root from whence forgiveness doth grow is manifest from that solemn Proclamation which he made of old of his name and the Revelation of his nature therein for God assuredly is what by himself he is called Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniuity and transgression and sin His forgiving of iniquity flows from hence that in his nature he is merciful gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness Were he not so infinite in all these it were in vain to look for forgiveness from him Having made this known to be his Name and thereby declared his Nature he in many places proposeth it as a relief a refuge for sinners an encouragement to come unto him and to wait for mercy from him Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee It will encourage them so to do others have no foundation of their confidence but if this name of God be indeed made known unto us by the Holy Ghost what can hinder why we should not repair unto him and rest upon him So Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Not only sinners but sinners in great distress are here spoken unto Darkness of state or
this matter and that is his eternal designation of the persons who shall be made partakers of this mercy He hath not left this thing to hazard and uncertainties that it should as it were be unknown to him who should be pardoned and who not Nay none ever are made partakers of forgiveness but those whom he hath eternally and graciously designed thereunto So the Apostle declares it Eph. 1. 5 6 7. the rise is his eternal Predestination the end the glory of his Grace the means Redemption in the blood of Christ the thing it self forgiveness of sins None ever are or can be made partakers thereof but by vertue of this Act of Gods Will and Grace which thereupon hath a peculiar influence into it and is to be respected in the consideration of it I know this may be abused by pride profaneness and unbelief and so may the whole work of Gods Grace and so it is even the blood of Christ in an especial manner but in its proper place and use it hath a signal influence into the glory of God and the consolation of the souls of men There are also other Acts of this purpose of Gods Grace as of giving sinners unto Christ and giving sinners an interest in Christ which I shall not insist upon because the nature of them is sufficiently discovered in that one explained already Secondly Forgiveness hath respect unto the Propitiation made in and by the blood of Christ the Son of God This was declared in the opening of the words Indeed here lyes the knot and center of Gospel forgiveness It flows from the Cross and springs out of the Grave of Christ. Thus Elihu describes it Job 33. 24. God is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom The whole of what is aimed at lyes in these words 1. There is Gods gracious and merciful heart towards a sinner He is gracious unto him 2. There is Actual Condonation it self of which we shall treat afterward He saith deliver him from going down to the pit And 3. There is the center of the whole wherein Gods gracious heart and actual pardon do meet and that is the ransome the propitiation or attonement that is in the blood of Christ of which we speak I have found a ransome The same is expressed Isa. 53. 11. My rightoous servant shall justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Of the justification of sinners Absolution or pardon is the first part This ariseth from Christs bearing of their iniquities Therein he finished the transgression made an end of sin and made Reconciliation for iniquity Dan. 9. 24. Even all the Sacrifices and so consequently the whole worship of the Old Testament evinced this Relation between forgiveness and bloodshedding whence the Apostle concludes that without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. that is all pardon ariseth from bloodsheding even of the blood of the Son of God So that we are said in him to have Redemption even the forgiveness of sins Ephes. 1. 17. Our Redemption in his blood is our forgiveness not that we are all actually pardoned in the blood of his Cross for thereunto must be added Gospel condonation of which afterwards but thereby it is procured the grant of pardon is therein sealed and security given that it shall in due time be made out unto us To which purpose is that discourse of the Apostle Rom. 3. 24 25 26. The work there mentioned proceeds from Grace is managed to the interest of Righteousness is carryed on by the blood of Christ and issues in forgiveness now the blood of Christ relates variously to the pardon of sin First Pardon is purchased and procured by it Our Redemption is our forgiveness as the cause contains the effect No soul is pardoned but with respect unto the blood of Christ as the procuring cause of that pardon Hence he is said to have washed us in his blood Rev. 1. 5. In himself to have purged our sins Heb. 1. 3. by one offering to have taken away sin and for ever to have perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. to be the ransome and propitiation of our sins 1 John 2. 2. to have made an end of sin Dan. 9. 24. and to have made Reconciliation for the sins of his people Heb. 2. 17. God hath enclosed his rich stores of pardon and mercy in the blood of Jesus Secondly Because in his blood the Promise of pardon is ratified and confirmed so that nothing is wanting to our compleat forgiveness but our pleading the Promise by faith in him 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen that is faithfully and irrevocably and immutably established And therefore the Apostle having told us that this is the Covenant of God that he would be merciful to our sins and iniquities Heb. 8. 12. He informs us that in the undertaking of Christ this Covenant is become a Testament Chap. 9. 15 16 17. So ratified in his blood that mercy and forgiveness of sin is irrevocably confirmed unto us therein Thirdly Because he hath in his own Person as the Head of the Church received an acquitment for the whole body His Personal discharge upon the accomplishment of his work was a pledge of the discharge which was in due time to be given to his whole mystical body Peter tells us Acts 2. 24. That it was impossible he should be detained by death And why so because death being penally inflicted on him when he had paid the debt he was legally to be acquitted Now for whom and in whose name and stead he suffered for them and in their name and stead he received his acquitment Fourthly Because upon his death God the Father hath committed unto him the whole management of the business of forgiveness Acts 5. 31. He now gives repentance and the forgiveness of sins It is Christ that forgives us Col. 3. 13. All forgiveness is now at his disposal and he pardoneth whom he will even all that are given unto him of the Father not casting out any that come to God by him He is intrusted with all the stores of his Fathers purpose and his own purchase and thence tells us that all things that the Father hath are his John 16. 15. In all these respects doth forgiveness relate to the blood of Christ. Mercy Pardon and Grace could find no other way to issue forth from the heart of the Father but by the heart blood of the Son and so do they stream unto the heart of the sinner Two things are principally to be considered in the respect that forgiveness hath to the blood of Christ. 1. The way of its Procurement 2. The way of its Administration by him The first is deep mysterious dreadful It was by his blood the blood of the Cross the travel of his soul his undergoing wrath and curse 2. The other is gracious merciful and tender whence so many things
are spoken of his mercifulness and faithfulness to encourage us to expect forgiveness from him This also adds to the mysterious depths of forgiveness and makes its discovery a great matter The soul that looks after it in earnest must consider what it cost How light do most men make of pardon What an easie thing is it to be acquainted with it and no very hard matter to obtain it But to hold Communion with God in the blood of his Son is a thing of another nature than is once dreamed of by many who think they know well enough what it is to be pardoned God be merciful is a common saying and as common to desire he would be so for Christs sake Poor Creatures are cast into the mould of such expressions who know neither God nor Mercy nor Christ nor any thing of the mysterie of the Gospel Others look on the outside of the Cross to see into the mysterie of the Love of the Father working in the blood of the Mediator to consider by faith the great transaction of Divine Wisdom Justice and Mercy therein how few attain unto it To come unto God by Christ for forgiveness and therein to behold the Law issuing all its threats and curses in his blood and loosing its sting putting an end to its obligation unto punishment in the Cross to see all sins gathered up in the hand of Gods Justice and made to meet on the Mediator and eternal love springing forth triumphantly from his blood flourishing into Pardon Grace Mercy Forgiveness this the heart of a sinner can be enlarged unto only by the Spirit of God Thirdly There is in forgiveness free condonation discharge or pardon according to the tenor of the Gospel and this may be considered two wayes First As it lyes in the Promise it self and so it is Gods gracious declaration of pardon to sinners in and by the blood of Christ his Covenant to that end and purpose which is variously proposed according as he knew needful for all the ends and purposes of ingenerating faith and communicating that consolation which he intends therein This is the Law of his Grace the declaration of the mysterie of his love before insisted on Secondly There is the bringing home and Application of all this mercy to the soul of a sinner by the Holy Ghost wherein we are freely forgiven all our Trespasses Col. 2. 13. Gospel Forgiveness I say respects all these things these Principles they have all an influence into it And that which makes this more evident wherewith I shall close this consideration of the nature of it is that Faith in its Application of it self unto God about and for Forgiveness doth distinctly apply it self unto and close with sometimes one of these severally and singly sometimes another and sometimes jointly takes in the consideration of them all expresly Not that at any time it fixes on any or either of them exclusively to the others but that eminently it finds some special encouragement at some season and some peculiar attractive from some one of them more than from the rest and then that proves an inlet a door of entrance unto the treasures that are laid up in the rest of them Let us go over the severalls by Instances First Sometimes faith fixes upon the Name and infinite Goodness of the nature of God and draws out forgiveness from thence So doth the Psalmist Psal. 86. 6. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive He rolls himself in the pursuit and expectation of pardon on the infinite goodness of the nature of God So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God of pardons or ready to forgive of an infinite gracious loving nature not severe and wrathful And this is that which we are encouraged unto Isa. 50. 10. to stay on the name of God as in innumerable other places And thus Faith oftentimes finds a peculiar sweetness and encouragement in and from the consideration of Gods gracious nature Sometimes this is the first thing that it fixes on and sometimes the last that it rests in and oft-times it makes a stay here when it is driven from all other holds It can say however it be yet God is gracious and at least make that conclusion which we have from it Joel 2. 13 14. God is gracious and merciful who knoweth but he will return And when faith hath well laid hold on this consideration it will not easily be driven from its expectation of relief and forgiveness even from hence Secondly Sometimes the soul by saith addresseth it self in a peculiar manner to the Soveraignty of Gods Will whereby he is gracious to whom he will be gracious and merciful to whom he will be merciful which as was shewed is another considerable Spring or Principle of forgiveness This way Davids faith steared him in his great streight and perplexity 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do unto me as seemeth good unto him That which he hath in consideration is whether God have any delight in him or no that is whether God would graciously remit and pardon the great sin against which at that time he manifested his indignation Here he layes himself down before the Soveraign Grace of God and awaits patiently the discovery of the free Act of his Will concerning him and at this door as it were enters into the consideration of those other springs of pardon which Faith enquires after and closeth withal This sometimes is all the cloud that appears to a distressed soul which after a while fills the Heavens by the addition of the other considerations mentioned and yields plentifully refreshing showers And this condition is a sin entangled soul oft-times reduced unto in looking out for relief It can discover nothing but this that God is able and can if he graciously please relieve and acquit him All other supportments all springs of relief are shut up or hid from him The springs indeed may be nigh as that was to Hagar but their eyes are withheld that they cannot see them Wherefore they cast themselves on Gods Soveraign pleasure and say with Job though he slay us we will put our trust in him we will not let him go In our selves we are lost that is unquestionable how the Lord will deal with us we know not we see not our signs and tokens any more evidences of Gods Grace in us or of his Love and favour unto us are all out of sight To a present special interest in Christ we are strangers and we lye every moment at the door of Eternity what course shall we take what way shall we proceed If we abide at a distance from God we shall assuredly perish who ever hardned himself against him and prospered Nor is there the least relief to be had but from and by him for who can forgive sins but God
temporal dispensations that flow from them Now of this sort is the forgiveness that we are enquiring after It is not a property of the Nature of God but an Act of his Will and a Work of his Grace Although it hath its rise and spring in the infinite Goodness of his Nature yet it proceeds from him and is not exercised but by an absolute free and Soveraign Act of his Will Now there is nothing of God or with him of this sort that can be any wayes known but only by especial Revelation For 1. There is no inbred notion of the Acts of Gods Will in the heart of man which is the first way whereby we come to the knowledge of any thing of God Forgiveness is not revealed by the light of nature Flesh and blood which nature is declares it not By that means No man hath seen God at any time John 1. 8. that is as a God of mercy and pardon as the Son reveales him Adam had an intimate acquaintance according to the limited capacity of a creature with the properties and excellencies of the nature of God It was implanted in his heart as indispensibly necessary unto that natural worship which by the Law of his creation he was to perform But when he had sinned it is evident that he had not the least apprehension that there was forgiveness with God Such a thought would have laid a foundation of some further treaty with God about his condition But he had no other design but of flying and hiding himself Gen. 3. 10. so declaring that he was utterly ignorant of any such thing as pardoning mercy Such and no other are all the first or purely natural conceptions of sinners namely that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgement of God Rom. 1. 32. that sin is to be punished with death It is true these conceptions in many are stifled by Rumors Reports Traditions that it may be otherwise but all these are far enough from that Revelation of forgiveness which we are enquiring after 2. The consideration of the Works of Gods creation will not help a man to this knowledge that there is forgiveness with God The Apostle tells us Rom. 1. 20. what it is of God that his works reveal even his eternal power and Godhead or the Essential Properties of his nature but no more Not any of the purposes of his Grace not any of the free Acts of his Will not pardon and forgiveness Besides God made all things in such an estate and condition namely of Rectitude Integrity and Uprightness Eccles. 7. 29. that it was impossible they should have any respect unto sin which is the Corruption of all or to the Pardon of it which is their Restituion whereof they stood in no need There being no such thing in the world as sin nor any such thing supposed to be when all things were made of nothing how could any thing declare or reveal the forgiveness of it 3. No works of Gods Providence can make this discovery God hath indeed born Testimony to himself and his Goodness in all Ages from the foundation of the world in the works of his Providence So Acts 14. 15 16 17. We preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He left not himself without witness that is by the works of his Providence there recounted he thus far bare Testimony to himself that he is and is good and doth good and ruleth the world so that they were utterly inexcusable who taking no notice of these works of his nor the fruits of his goodness which they lived upon turned away after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain things as the Apostle there calls the Idols of the Gentiles But yet these things did not discover pardon and forgiveness For still God suffered them to go on in their own wayes and winked at their Ignorance So again Acts 17. 23 24 25 26 27. Whom you ignorantly worship him declare I unto you God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is the Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needeth any thing seeing he giveth unto all life and breath and all things and hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth where by the way there is an allusion to that of Gen. 11. 8. the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might seek after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us By Arguments taken from the works of God both of Creation and Providence the Apostle proves the Being and properties of God Yea he lets them know with whom he had to do that God designed by his works so far to reveal himself unto them as the true and living God the Maker and Governour of all things as that they ought to have enquired more diligently after him and not to look on him alone as the Unknown God who alone might be known all their Idols being vain and nothing But of the discovery of Pardon and forgiveness in God by these wayes and means he speaks not yea he plainly shews that this was not done thereby For the Great Call to saving Repentance is by the Revelation of forgiveness But now by these works of his Providence God called not the Gentiles to saving Repentance No saith he he suffered them to walk still in their own wayes Chap. 14. 16. and winked at the times of their ignorance but now that is by the Word of the Gospel commandeth them to Repent Chap. 17. 30. II. Whereas there had been one signal Act of Gods Providence about sin when man first fell into the snares of it It was so far from the revealing forgiveness in God that it rather severely intimated the contrary This was Gods dealing with sinning Angels The Angels were the first sinners and God dealt first with them about sin And what was his dealing with them the Holy Ghost tells us 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spared not the sinning Angels he spared them not It is the same word which he useth where he speaks of laying all our iniquities on Christ he undergoing the punishment due unto them Rom. 8. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spared him not that is he laid on him the full punishment that by the Curse and sanction of the Law was due unto sin So he dealt with the Angels
In the foregoing Verses he declares the various wayes that God used to bring men unto Repentance He did it by dreams ver 15 16. by Afflictions ver 19. by the preaching of the Word ver 23. What then doth God aim at in and by all these various wayes of teachings It is to cause man to say I have sinned and perverted that which was right It is to bring him to Repentance What now if he obtaine his end and man cometh to that which is aimed at Why then there is forgiveness for him as is declared ver 28. To improve this evidence I shall confirm by some few obvious considerations these two things 1. That the prescription of Repentance doth indeed evince that there is forgiveness with God 2. That every one in whom there is Repentance wrought towards God may certainly conclude that there is forgiveness with God for him 1. No Repentance is acceptable with God but what is built or leans on the faith of forgiveness We have a cloud of witnesses unto this Truth in the Scripture Many there have been many are recorded who have been convinced of sin perplexed about it sorry for it that have made open confession and acknowledgement of it that under the prâ—ssing sense of it have cryed out even to God for deliverance and yet have come short of mercy pardon and acceptance with God The cases of Cain Pharaoh Saul Ahab Judas and others might be insisted on What was wanting that made all that they did abominable Consider one instance for all It is said of Judas that he repented Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he repented himself but wherein did this repentance consist he was convinced of his sin in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he I have sinned ver 4. 2. He was sensible of the particular sin whereof he stood charged in conscience before God I have saith he betrayed innocent blood I am guilty of blood innocent blood and that in the vilest manner by treachery so that he comes 3. To a full and open confession of his sin 4. He makes Restitution of what he was advantaged by his sin he brought again the thirty pieces of silver v. 3. all testifying an hearty sorrow that spirited the whole Methinks now Judas his Repentance looks like the young mans Obedience who cryed out all these things have I done Is there any thing yet lacking Yea one thing was wanting to that young man he had no true faith nor love to God all this while which vitiated and spoyled all the rest of his performances One thing also is wanting to this Repentance of Judas he had no faith of forgiveness in God that he could not believe and therefore after all this sorrow instead of coming to him he bids him the utmost defiance and goes away and hangs himself Indeed saith of forgiveness as hath been shewed hath many degrees There is of them that which is indispensibly necessary to render Repentance acceptable What it is in particular I do not dispute It is not an Assurance of the Acceptance of our persons in general It is not that the particular sin wherewith it may be the soul is perplexed is forgiven A general so it be a Gospel discovery that there is forgiveness in God will suffice The Church expresseth it Hos. 14. 3. In thee the fatherless findeth mercy and Joel 2. 14. Who knows but he will return and repent I have this ground saith the soul God is in himself gracious and merciful the fatherless the destitute and helpless that come to him by Christ find mercy in him None in Heaven and earth can evince but that he may return to me also Now let a mans convictions be never so great sharp wounding his sorrow never so abundant overflowing abiding his confession never so full free or open if this one thing be wanting all is nothing but what tends to death 2. To prescribe Repentance as a duty unto sinners without a foundation of pardon and forgiveness in himself is inconsistent with the Wisdom Holiness Goodness Faithfulness and all other glorious Excellencies and Perfections of the nature of God for 1. The Apostle layes this as the great foundation of all consolation that God cannot lye or deceive Heb. 6. 18. And again he engageth the faithfulness and veracity of God to the same purpose Tit. 1. 2. God who cannot lye hath promised it Now there is a lye a deceit in Things as well as in Words He that doth a thing which in its own nature is apt to deceive them that consider it with an intention of deceiving them is no less a lyar than he which affirms that to be true which he knows to be false There is a lye in Actions as well as in Words The whole life of an hyocrite is a lye so saith the Prophet of Idolaters there is a lye in their right hand Isa. 44. 20. 2. The proposal of Repentance is a thing fitted and suited in its own nature to beget thoughts in the mind of a sinner that there is forgiveness with God Repenting is for sinners only I came not saith our Saviour to call the righteous but sinners to repentance It is for them and them only It was no duty for Adam in Eden it is none for the Angels in Heaven nor for the damned in Hell What then may be the language of this appointment O sinners come and deal with God by Repentance Doth it not openly speak forgiveness in God and if it were otherwise could men possibly be more frustrated or deceived would not the Institution of Repentance be a lye Such a delusion may proceed from Satan but not from him who is the fountain of Goodness Holiness and Truth His Call to Repentance is a full Demonstration of his readiness to forgive Acts 17. 30 31 32. It is true many do thus deceive themselves They raise themselves unto an expectation of immunity not on Gospel grounds and their disappointment is a great part of their punishment But God deceives none whoever comes to him on his proposal of Repentance shall find forgiveness It is said of some indeed that he will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. He will aggravate their misery by giving them to see what their pride and folly hath brought them unto But who are they only such as refuse his Call to Repentance with the Promises of Acceptation annexed 3. There is then no cause why those who are under a Call to Repentance should question whether there be forgiveness in God or no. This concerns my second Proposition Come saith the Lord unto the souls of men leave your sinful wayes turn unto me humble your selves with broken and contrite hearts Alas say poor convinced sinners we are poor dark and ignorant creatures or we are old in sin or great sinners or backsliders or have fallen often into the same sins can we expect there should be forgiveness for us Why you are under Gods
Invitation to Repentance and to disbelieve forgiveness is to call the Truth Holiness and Faithfulness of God into question If you will not believe forgiveness pretend what you please it is in truth because you hate Repentance You do but deceive your souls when you pretend you come not up to Repentance because you cannot believe forgiveness For in the very Institution of this duty God engageth all his Properties to make it good that he hath pardon and mercy for sinners 4. Much less cause is there to doubt of forgiveness where sincere Repentance is in any measure wrought No soul comes to Repentance but upon Gods call God calls none but whom he hath mercy for upon their coming And as for those who sin against the Holy Ghost as they shut themselves out from forgiveness so they are not called to Repentance 5. God expresly declares in the Scripture that the forgiveness that is with him is the foundation of his prescribing repentance unto man One instance may suffice Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perverse wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy and to our God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will multiply to pardon You see to whom he speaks to men perversely wicked and such as make a trade of sinning What doth he call them unto plainly to Repentance to the duty we have insisted on But what is the ground of such an invitation unto such profligate sinners Why the abundant forgiveness and pardon that is with him super-abounding unto what the worst of them can stand in need of as Rom. 5. 20. And this is another way whereby God hath revealed that there is forgiveness with him and an infallible bottom for saith to build upon in its approaches unto God it is Nor can the certainty of this Evidence be called into question but on such grounds as are derogatory to the Glory and Honour of God And this connexion of Repentance and forgiveness is that principle from whence God convinces a stubborn unbelieving people that all his wayes and dealings with sinners are just and equal Ezek. 18. 25. And should there be any failure in it they could not be so Every soul then that is under a call to Repentance whether out of his natural condition or from any back-sliding into folly after Conversion hath a sufficient foundation to rest on as to the pardon he enquires after God is ready to deal with him on terms of mercy if out of love to sin or the power of unbelief he refuse to close with him on these terms his condemnation is just And it will be well that this consideration be well imprinted on the minds of men I say notwithstanding the general presumptions that men seem to have of this matter yet these principles of it ought to be inculcated For 1. Such is the Atheism that lyes lurking in the hearts of men by nature that notwithstanding their pretences and professions we have need to be pressing upon them Evidences of the very Being and Essential Properties of God In so doing we have the assistance of inbred notions in their own minds which they cannot eject to help carry on the work How much more is this necessary in reference unto the free Acts of the Will of God which are to be known only by meer Revelation Our Word had need be line upon line And yet when we have done have cause enough to cry out as was said Lord who hath believed our report and to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. What was spoken before of the obstacles that lye in the way hindring souls from a saving reception of this Truth ought to be remembred Those who have no experience of them between God and their souls seem to be ignorant of the true nature of Conscience Law Gospel Grace Sin and Forgiveness 3. Many who are come to a saving perswasion of it yet having not received it upon clear and unquestionable grounds and so not knowing how to resolve their faith of it into its proper principles are not able to answer the Objections that lye against it in their own Consciences and so do miserably fluctuate about it all their dayes These had need to have these principles inculcated on them Were they pondred aright some might have cause to say with the Samaritans who first gave credit to the report of the woman John 4. They had but a report before but now they find all things to be according unto it yea to exceed it A little experience of a mans own unbelief with the Observation that may easily be made of the uncertain progresses and fluctuations of the spirits of others will be a sufficient conviction of the necessity of the work we are engaged in But it will yet be said that it is needless to multiply Arguments and Evidences in this case The Truth insisted on being granted as one of the fundamental principles of Religion As it is not then by any called in question so it doth not appear that so much time and pains is needful for the confirmation of it For what is granted and plain needs little confirmation But several things may be returned in Answer hereunto all which may at once be here pleaded for the multiplication of our Arguments in this matter That it is generally granted by all is no Argument that it is effectually believed by many Sundry things are taken for granted in point of opinion that are not so believed as to be improved in practice We have in part shewed before and shall afterwards undeniably evince that there are very few that believe this Truth with that faith that will interest them in it and give them the benefit of it And what will it avail any of us that there is forgiveness of sin with God if our own sins be not forgiven no more than that such or such a King is rich whilst we are poor and starving My aim is not to prove it as an opinion or a meer speculative Truth but so to evidence it in the principles of its Being and Revelation as that it may be believed whereon all our blessedness depends 2. It needs never the less confirmation because it is a plain fundamental Truth but rather the more and that because both of the Worth and Weight of it This is a faithful saying saith the Apostle worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners So say I of this which for the substance of it is the same with that It is worthy of all acceptation namely that there is forgiveness with God And therefore ought it to be fully confirmed Especially whilst we make use of no other demonstrations of it but those only which God hath furnished us withal to that purpose and this he would not have done but that he knew them
transgresseth the Law in any one point is guilty of the breach of the whole James 2. 10. What shall we now say Do we think that God hath forgiveness only for this or that individual person No man questions but that all these were pardoned Was it by vertue of any especial personal priviledge that was peculiar unto them Whence should any such priviledge arise seeing by nature they were no better than others nor would have been so personally had not they been delivered from sin and prepared for Obedience by Grace Mercy and Pardon Wherefore they all obtained forgiveness by vertue of the Covenant from the forgiveness which is with God And this is equally ready for others who come to God the same way that they did that is by faith and Repentance 2. Many of those concerning whom we have the Assurance mentioned were not only sinners but great sinners as was said which must be also insisted on to obviate another objection For some may say that although they were sinners yet they were not such sinners as we are And although they obtained forgiveness yet this is no Argument that we shall do so also who are guilty of other sins than they were and those attended with other Aggravations than theirs were To which I say that I delight not in aggravating no nor yet in Repeating the sins and faults of the Saints of God of old Not only the Grace of God but the sins of men have by some been turned into lasciviousness or been made a cloak for their lusts But yet for the ends and purposes for which they are recorded by the Holy Ghost we may make mention of them That they may warn us of our duty that we take heed lest we also fall that they may yield us a relief under our surprizals are they written So then where the mention of them tends to the advancement of Soveraign Grace and Mercy which is the case in hand we may insist on them I think then that without mention of particulars I may safely say that there is no sin no degree of sin no aggravating circumstance of sin no kind of continuance in sin the one only sin excepted but that there are those in Heaven who have been guilty of them It may be yet some will say that they have considered the sins and falls of Lot David Peter Paul and the Thief himself on the Cross and yet they find not their own condition Exemplified so as to conclude that they shall have the same success with them A. 1. I am not shewing that this or that man shall be pardoned but only demonstrating that there is forgiveness with God and that for all sorts of sins and sinners which these Instances do assuredly confirm And moreover they manifest that if other men are not pardoned it is meerly because they make not that Application for forgiveness which they did 2. Yet by the way to take off this Objection also consider what the Apostle says in particular concerning the several sorts of sinners that obtained mercy 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But you are washed but you are sanctified but you are justified Hell can scarce in no more words yield us a sadder Catalogue Yet some of all these sorts were justified and pardoned 3. Suppose this Enumeration of sins doth not reach the condition of the soul because of some especial Aggravation of its sin not expressed Let such a one add that of our Saviours Matth. 12. 31. I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost They are not they shall not be all actually remitted and pardoned unto all men but they are all pardonable unto those that seek to obtain pardon for them according unto the Gospel There is with God forgiveness for them all Now certainly there is no sin but only that excepted but it comes within the compass of all manner of sins and blasphemy and so consequently some that have been guilty of it are now in Heaven We take it for a good token and evidence of a vertuous healing water when without fraud or pretence we see the crutches of cured Criples and impotent persons hung about it as a memorial of its efficacy And it is a great demonstration of the skill and ability of a Physitian when many come to a sick person and tell him that we had the same distemper with you it had the same symptoms the same effects and by his skill and care we are cured Oh saith the sick man bring him unto me I will venture my life in his hand Now all the Saints of Heaven stand about a sin sick soul for in this matter we are compassed with a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12. 1. And what do they bear witness unto What say they unto a poor guilty sinner As thou art so were we so guilty so perplexed so obnoxious to wrath so fearing destruction from God And what way did you steer what course did you take to obtain the blessed condition wherein now you are Say they We went all to God through Christ for forgiveness and found plenty of Grace Mercy and Pardon in him for us all The rich man in the Parable thought it would be a great means of conversion if one should rise from the dead and preach But here we see that all the Saints departed and now in glory do jointly preach this fundamental Truth that there is forgiveness with God Poor souls are apt to think that all those whom they read or hear of to be gone to Heaven went thither because they were so good and so holy It is true many of them were eminently and exemplarily so in their generations All of them were so according to their degrees and measures for without holiness no man can see God And it is our duty to labour to be like unto them in Holiness if ever we intend to be so in Happiness and Glory But yet not one of them not any one that is now in Heaven Jesus Christ alone excepted did ever come thither any other way but by forgiveness of sin and that will also bring us thither though we come short of many of them in Holiness and Grace And this Evidence of forgiveness I the rather urge because I find the Apostle Paul doing of it eminently in his own person 1 Tim. 1. 12 13 14 15 16. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâ—w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting A great sinner saith he the chiefest of sinners I was which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin I was saith he a blasphemer the highest sin against God a Persecutor the highest sin against the Saints Injurious the highest wickednes towards mankind But saith he I obtained mercy I am pardoned and that with a blessed effect First That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant And what was the Reason what was the cause that he was thus dealt withal Why it was that he might be a pattern an Evidence an Argument that there was Grace Mercy Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting To conclude then this Evidence Every one who is now in Heaven hath his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are as it were hanged up in the Gospel they are all enrolled in the Promises thereof for the encouragement of them that stand in need of forgiveness to come and sue out theirs also Fear not then the Guilt of sin but the Love of it and the power of it If we love and like sin better than forgiveness we shall assuredly go without it If we had but rather be pardoned in Gods way than perish our condition is secure V. The same is evident from the Patience of God towards the world and the end of it For the clearing hereof we may observe 1. That upon the first entrance of sin and breach of that Covenant which God had made with mankind in Adam he might immediately have executed the Threatned Curse and have brought eternal death upon them that sinned Justice required that it should be so and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or a respite of vengeance And had God then sent sinning man with the Apostate Angels that induced him into sin immediately into eternal destruction he would have been glorified in his Righteousness and Severity by and among the Angels that sinned not or he could have created a new race of innocent creatures to have worshipped him and glorified him for his Righteous Judgement even as all the Elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men 2. God hath not taken this course He hath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth he hath watched over them with his Providence and exercised exceeding Patience forbearance and longsuffering towards them This the Apostle Paul at large discourseth on Acts 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. as also Rom. 2. 4. And it is open and manifest in their event The whole world is every day filled with tokens of the power and patience of God Every Nation every City every Family is filled with them 3. That there is a common Abuse of this patience of God visible in the world in all Generations So it was of old God saw it to be so and complained of it Gen. 6. 5 6. All the evil sin wickedness that hath been in the world which no heart can conceive no tongue can express hath been all an abuse of this patience of God This with the most is the consequent of Gods patience and forbearance Men count it a season to fulfill all the abominations that their evil hearts can suggest unto them or Satan draw them into a combination with himself in This the state of things in the world proclaims and every ones experience confirms 4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world enduring it in sin and wickedness for so long a season and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another Shall we think that God hath no other design in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all It is confessed that this is the Consequent the event of it with the most through their perverse wickedness with their love of sin and pleasure But is this the design of God his only design hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness Ignorance and Rebellion against him whose damnation is just and sleepeth not but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death God forbid yea such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature and which all his works manifest and declare Whatever therefore it be this cannot be the design of God in his patience towards the world It cannot be but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them 5. If this Patience of God hath any other Intention towards any any other effect upon some upon any that is to be reckoned the principal End of it and for the sake whereof it is evidently extended unto some others consiquentially unto all For those concerning whom God hath an especial design in his patience being to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof the patience which is extended unto them must also of necessity reach unto all in that variety wherein God is pleased to exercise it The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God and the fruits of it for the sake of some that are in it 6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience and what it teacheth us Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected unless there be forgiveness of sins with God Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath anger severity and a Resolution to destroy Now this is an abomination once to suppose and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God Let a Man but deal thus and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind and perverse as any can befall him Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults for no other end or with no other design but that he
and Jacob and the name Jehovah to Moses and the people so now by Jesus Christ and in him every particular Promise belongs unto all believers in all their occasions and every Name of God whatever is theirs also at all times to rest upon and put their trust in Thus the particular Promise made unto Joshuah at his entrance into Canaan to incourage and strengthen him in that great enterprize of conquering the Land is by the Apostle applyed unto all Believers in all their occasions whatever I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. So like wise doth every name of God belong now unto us as if it had in particular manner been engaged in Covenant unto us And that because the whole Covenant is ratified and confirmed unto us by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 6. 18. Chap. 7. 1. This then absolutely secures unto us an interest in the Name of God insisted on the God of forgiveness as if it had been given unto every one of us to assure us thereof 4. God takes this name the God of forgiveness to be his in a peculiar manner as that whereby he will be distinguished and known He appropriates it to himself as expressing that which the Power and Goodness of no other can extend unto There are Lords many and Gods many saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some that are called so such as some account so to be How is the true God distinguished from these Gods by Reputation He is so by this name He is the God of Pardons Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity This is his Prerogative herein none is equal to him like him or a sharer with him Who is a God like unto thee that may be called a God of Pardons The Vanities of the Nations cannot give them this rain they have no refreshing showers of mercy and Pardon in their power Neither Angels nor Saints nor Images nor Popes can Pardon Sin By this name doth he distinguish himself from them all 5. To be known by this name is the Great Glory of God in this world When Moses desired to see the Glory of God the Lord tells him that he could not see his face Exod. 33. 18 20. The face of God or the glorious Majesty of his Being his Essential Glory is not to be seen of any in this life We cannot see him as he is But the glorious manifestation of himself we may behold and contemplate This we may see as the back parts of God That shaddow of his excellencies which he casteth forth in his passing by us in his works and dispensations This Moses shall see And wherein did it consist Why in the Revelation and Declaration of this name of God Chap. 34. 6 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious long-suffering and Abundant in Goodness and in Truth keeping Mercy for thousands Forgiving Iniquity Transgressions and Sin To be known by this Name to be honoured feared believed as that declares him is the great glory of God And shall this fail us Can we be deceived trusting in it or expecting that we shall find him to be what his name declares God forbid Let us lay together these Considerations and we shall find that they will give us another stable foundation of the Truth insisted on and a great encouragement to poor sinful souls to draw nigh to God in Christ for Pardon God hath no Name but what he gives unto himself Nor is it lawful to know him or call him otherwise as he calls himself so is he What his Name imports so is his Nature Every name also of God is engaged in Jesus Christ in the Covenant and is proposed unto us to place our Trust and Confidence in Now this is his name and his memorial even the God of Forgiveness By this he distinguisheth himself from all others and expresseth it as the principal Title of his Honour or his peculiar Glory According to this name therefore all that believe shall assuredly find There is forgiveness with him XI The consideration of the Essential Properties of the Nature of God and what is required to the manifestation of them will afford us further Assurance hereof Let us to this end take in the ensuing Observations God being absolutely perfect and absolutely self-sufficient was eternally glorious and satisfied with and in his own holy Excellencies and Perfections before and without the creation of all or any thing by the putting forth or the exercise of his Almighty Power The making therefore of all things depends on a meer Soveraign Act of the Will and Pleasure of God So the whole Creation makes its acknowledgement Rev. 4. 11. Chap. 5. 12. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created God could have omitted all this great work without the least impeachment of his Glory Not one Holy Property of his Nature would have been diminished or abated in its Eternal Glory by that omission This then depended on a pure Act of his Will and Choice 2. On supposition that God would work ad extra by his Power produce any thing without himself it was absolutely necessary that himself should be the End of his so doing For as before the production of all things there was nothing that could be the end why any of them should be brought forth out of nothing or towards which they should be disposed So God being an infinite Agent in Wisdom and Understanding and Power he could have no End in his Actings but that also which is infinite It is therefore natural and necessary unto God to do all things for himself It is impossible he should have any other end and he hath done so accordingly Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself He aimed at himself in all that he did there being no other infinite Good for him to make his Object and his End but himself alone 3. This doing things all things for himself cannot intend an Addition or Acrewment thereby of any new real good unto himself His absolute Eternal Perfection and Al-sufficiency render this impossible God doth not become more Powerful Great Wise Just Holy Good or Gracious by any of his works by any thing that he doth He can add nothing to himself It must therefore be the Manifestation and Declaration of the Holy Properties of his Nature that he doth intend and design in his works And there are two things required hereunto 1. That he make them known that by wayes suited to his Infinite Wisdom he both declare that such Properties do belong unto him as also what is the nature of them according as the creature is able to apprehend So he doth things to make his power known to shew his power and to declare his name through the earth Rom. 9. 17 22. So it was said that by
in those other fundamental duties of the Gospel in self-denyal readiness for the Cross and forsaking the world is an Evidence if not how little sincerity there is in the World Yet at least it is of how little growing and thriving there is amongst Professors 3. That there is no Grace Vertue or Perfection in any man but what is as an Emanation from the Divine Goodness and Bounty so expressive of some Divine Excellencies or perfection somewhat that is in God in a way and manner Infinitely more Excellent We were created in the Image of God Whatever was good or comely in us was a part of that Image Especially the Ornaments of our Minds the perfections of our souls These things had in them a resemblance of and a correspondency unto some excellencies in God whereunto by the way of Analogie they may be reduced This being for the most part lost by sin a shadow of it only remaining in the faculties of our souls and that Dominion over the Creatures which is permitted unto men in the patience of God The recovery that we have by Grace is nothing but an initial Renovation of the Image of God in us Ephes. 4. 22. It is the implanting upon our natures those Graces which may render us again like unto him And nothing is Grace or Vertue but what so answers to somewhat in God So then whatever is in us of this kind is in God absolutely perfectly in a way and manner infinitely more excellent Let us now therefore put these things together God requires of us that there should be forgiveness in us for those that do offend us forgiveness without limitation and bounds The Grace hereof he bestoweth on his Saints sets an high price upon it and manifests many wayes that he accounts it among the most excellent of our endowments one of the most lovely and praise worthy qualifications of any person What then shall we now say Is there forgiveness with him or no He that made the Eye shall he not see He that planted the Ear shall he not hear He that thus prescribes forgiveness to us that bestows the Grace of it upon us is there not forgiveness with him It is all one as to say though we are good yet God is not though we are Benign and Bountiful yet he is not He that finds this Grace wrought in him in any measure and yet fears that he shall not find it in God for himself doth therein and so far prefer himself above God which is the natural Effect of cursed unbelief But the Truth is were there not forgiveness with God forgiveness in man would be no vertue with all those qualities that encline thereto such are meekness pity patience compassion and the like Which what were it but to set loose Humane Nature to rage and madness For as every Truth consists in its answerableness to the Prime and Eternal Verity So vertue consists not absolutely nor primarily in a conformity to a rule of Command but in a Correspondency unto the first absolute perfect Being and its perfections Properties of Forgiveness The Greatness and Freedom of it The Arguments and Demonstrations foregoing have we hope undeniably evinced the great Truth we have insisted on which is the life and soul of all our Hope Profession Religion and Worship The end of all this Discourse is to lay a firm foundation for faith to rest upon in its addresses unto God for the forgiveness of sins as also to give encouragements unto all sorts of persons so to do This End remains now to be explained and pressed which work yet before we directly close withall two things are further to be premised And the first is to propose some of those Adjuncts of and Considerations about this forgiveness as may both encourage and necessitate us to seek out after it and to mix the Testimonies given unto it and the Promises of it with faith unto our Benefit and Advantage The other is to shew how needfull all this endeavour is upon the account of that great Unbelief which is in the most in this matter As to the first of these then we may consider First That this forgiveness that is with God is such as becomes him such as is suitable to his Greatness Goodness and all other Excellencies of his Nature such as that therein he will be known to be God What he sayes concerning some of the works of his Providence be still and know that I am God may be much more said concerning this great Effect of his Grace Still your souls and know that he is God It is not like that narrow difficult halving and manacled forgiveness that is found amongst men when any such thing is found amongst them But it is full free boundless bottomless absolute such as becomes his Nature and Excellencies It is in a word forgiveness that is with God and by the exercise whereofhe will be known so to be And hence 1. God himself doth really separate and distinguish his forgiveness from any thing that our thoughts and imaginations can reach unto and that because it is his and like himself It is an object for faith alone which can rest in that which it cannot comprehend It is never safer than when it is as it were overwhelmed with infiniteness But set meer rational thoughts or the imaginations of our minds at work about such things and they fall unconceivably short of them They can neither conceive of them aright nor use them unto their proper end and purpose Were not forgiveness in God somewhat beyond what men could imagine no flesh could be saved This himself expresseth Isa. 55. 7 8 9. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are my wayes higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts They are as is plain in the context thoughts of forgiveness and wayes of Pardon whereof he speaks These our Apprehensions come short of we know little or nothing of the infinite largeness of his heart in this matter He that he speaks of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impiously wicked man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of deceit and perverse wickedness He whose design and course is nothing but a lye sin and iniquity Such an one as we would have little or no hopes of that we would scarce think it worth our while to deal withal about a hopeless Conversion or can scarce find in our hearts to pray for him but are ready to give him up as one profligate and desperate But let him turn to the Lord and he shall obtain forgiveness But how can this be Is it possible there should be mercy for such an one Yes For the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
the blood of Christ for pardon and forgiveness and the Lord strengthen thee to give up thy self thereunto 3. Consider That if this way of salvation be refused there is no other way for you We do not propose this way of forgiveness as the best and most pleasant but as the only way There is no other Name given but that of Christ no other way but this of Forgiveness Here lyes your choice take this path or perish for ever It is a shame indeed unto our cursed nature that there should be any need to use this Argument that we will neither submit to Gods Soveraignty nor delight in his Glory But seeing it must be used let it be so I intend neither to flatter men nor to frighten them but to tell them the truth as it is If you continue in your present state and condition if you rest on what you do or what you hope to do if you support your selves with general hopes of mercy mixed with your own endeavours and obedience if you come not up to a through Gospel-closure with this way of God if you make it not your All giving Glory to God therein perish you will and must and that to Eternity There remains no more sacrifice for your sins nor way of escape for your Souls You have not then only the excellency of this way to invite you but the absolute indispensable necessity of this way to enforce you And now let me adde that I am glad this Word is spoken is written unto you You and I must one day be accountable for this discourse That word that hath already been spoken if neglected will prove a sore Testimony against you It will not fare with you as with other men who have not heard the Joyfull sound All these words that shall be found consonant to the Gospel if they are not turned to Grace in your hearts here will turn into Torment unto your Souls hereafter Choose not any other way it will be in vain for you it will not profit you and take heed lest you suppose you Embrace this way when indeed you do not about which I have given Caution before 4. This way is free and open for and unto sinners He that fled to the City of Refuge might well have many perplexed thoughts whether he should finde the Gates of it opened unto him or no and whether the Avenger of blood might not overtake and slay him whilest he was calling for entrance Or if the Gates were alwayes open yet some crimes excluded men thence Numb 35. 24. It is not so here Acts 13. 38 39. This is the voyce of God even the Father come saith he to the Marriage for all things are prepared no fear of want of entertainment Matth. 22. 4. whence the Preachers of the Gospel are said in his stead to beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 18. And It is the voyce of the Son whosoever saith he cometh to God by me I will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. Who ere he be that comes shall assuredly find entertainment the same is his call and invitation in other places as Matth. 11. 28. John 7. 37. and This is the voyce of the Spirit and of the Church and of all Believers Revel 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely All center in this that sinners may come freely to the Grace of the Gospel And It is the known voyce of the Gospel it self as Isa. 55. 1 2 3. Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. And it is the voyce of all the Saints in Heaven and Earth who have been made partakers of Forgiveness they all testifie that they received it freely Some indeed endeavour to abuse this concurrent Testimony of God and Man What is spoken of the freedom of the Grace of God they would wrest to the power of the Will of man But the riches and freedom of Gods mercy do not in the least enterfere with the efficacy of his Grace Though he proclaim pardon in the blood of Christ indefinitely according to the fullness and excellency of it yet he giveth out his quickening Grace to enable men to receive it as he pleaseth for he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy But this lyes in the thing it self the way is open and prepared and it is not because men cannot enter but because they will not that they do not enter As our Saviour Christ tells the Pharisees Ye therefore hear not Gods Word because ye are not of God Joh. 8. 47. and Joh. 6. 44. So he doth Ye will not come unto me that you may have life Joh. 5. 40. In the neglect and inadvertency of the most excusable there is a positive Act of their Will put forth in the refusing of Christ and Grace by him And this is done by men under the preaching of the Gospel every day There is nothing that at the last day will tend more immediately to the advancement of the Glory of God in the inexcusableness of them who obey not the Gospel than this that Terms of Peace in the blessed way of Forgiveness were freely tendred unto them Some that hear or read this Word may perhaps have lived long under the dispensation of the Word of Grace and yet it may be have never once seriously pondered on this way of comeing to God by Forgiveness through the blood of Christ but think that going to Heaven is a thing of course that men need not much trouble themselves about do they know what they have done hitherto all their dayes they have positively refused the salvation that hath been freely tendred unto them in Jesus Christ. Not they they 'l say they never had such a thought nor would for all this World But be it known unto you in as much as you have not effectually received him you have refused him and whether your day and season be past or no the Lord only knows 5. This Way is safe No soul ever miscarried in it There is none in Heaven but will say it is a safe way There is none in Hell can say otherwise It is safe to all that venture on it so as to enter into it In the old way we were to preserve our selves and the way This preserves it self and us This will be made evident by the ensuing considerations 1. This is the Way which in the Wisdom Care and Love of God in Christ was provided in the room of another removed and taken out of the way for this cause and reason because it was not safe nor could bring us unto God Heb. 8. 7 8. For if the First Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the Second but finding fault with them he saith And 1. He tells us that the first Covenant was not faultless for if it had there would have been no need of
we may regularly found a Judgement concerning our selves and it is great folly to wave them all and put the issue of the matter upon one circumstance If a man have a tryal at law wherein he hath many evidences speaking for him only one circumstance is dubious and in question He will not cast the weight of his Cause on that disputed circumstance but will plead those Evidences that are more clear and testifie more fully in his behalf I will not deny but that this matter of the time of conversion is oftimes an important circumstance In the affirmative when it is known it is of great use tending to stability and consolation but yet it is still but a circumstance such as that the being of the thing it self doth not depend upon He that is alive may know that he was born though he know neither the place where nor the time when he was so And so may he that is spiritually alive and hath ground of evidence that he is so that he was born again though he knew neither when nor where nor how And this Case is usual in persons of quiet natural Tempers who have had the advantage of education under means of light and Grace God ofttimes in such persons begins and carries on the work of his Grace insensibly so that they come to good growth and maturity before they know that they are alive Such persons come at length to be satisfied in saying with the blind man in the Gospel How our eyes were opened we know not only one thing we know whereas we were blind by nature now we see 2. Even in this matter also we must it may be be content to live by faith and to believe as well what God hath done in us if it be the matter and subject of his promises as what he hath done for us the ground whereof also is the promise and nothing else Objections from the present state and Condition of the Soul Weakness and imperfection of Duty Opposition from Indwelling Sin 3. There is another Head of Objections against the souls receiving Consolation from an interest in forgiveness arising from the consideration of its present state and condition as to actual Holiness Duties and sins Souls complain when in Darkness and under Temptations that they cannot find that Holiness nor those fruits of it in themselves which they suppose an interest in pardoning mercy will produce Their hearts they find are weak and all their Duties worthless If they were weighed in the ballance they would be all found too light In the best of them there is such a mixture of Self Hypocrisie Unbelief vain Glory that they are even ashamed and confounded with the Remembrance of them These things fill them with discouragements so that they refuse to be comforted or to entertain any refreshing perswasion from the Truth insisted on but rather conclude that they are utter strangers from that forgiveness that is with God and so continue helpless in their depths According unto the method proposed and hitherto pursued I shall only lay down some such general Rules as may support a soul under the despondencies that are apt in such a condition to befall it that none of these things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold of forgiveness And First This is the proper place to put in execution our seventh Rule to take heed of heartless complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are expected at our hands If it be thus indeed why lye you on your faces why do you not rise and put out your selves to the utmost giving all diligence to add one Grace to another untill you find your selves in a better frame Supposing then the putting of that Rule into practice I add that 1. Known Holiness is apt to degenerate into self righteousness What God gives us on the account of Sanctification we are ready enough to reckon on the score of Justification It is a hard thing to feel Grace and to believe as if there were none We have so much of the Pharisee in us by nature that it is sometimes well that our Good is hid from us We are ready to take our Corn and Wine and bestow them on other Lovers Were there not in our hearts a spiritually sensible principle of corruption and in our duties a discernable mixture of self it would be impossible we should walk so humbly as is required of them who hold communion with God in a Covenant of Grace and pardoning mercy It is a good life which is attended with a faith of Rightcousness and a sense of corruption Whilest I know Christs Righteousness I shall the less care to know my own Holiness To be holy is necessary to know it sometimes a Temptation 2. Even Duties of Gods Appointment when turned into self-righteousness are Gods great abhorrency Isa. 66. 2 3. What hath a good Original may be vitiated by a bad End 3. Oftentimes Holiness in the heart is more known by the Opposition that is made there to it than by its own prevalent working The Spirits Operation is known by the flesh's opposition We find a mans strength by the burdens he carryes and not the pace that he goes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death is a better evidence of Grace and Holiness than God I thank thee I am not as other men a heart pressed grieved burdened not by the guilt of sin only which reflects with trouble on an awakened conscience but by the close adhering power of Indwelling sin tempting seducing soliciting hindring captivating conceiving restlesly disquieting may from thence have as clear an evidence of holiness as from a delightful fruit-bearing What is it that is troubled and grieved in thee What is it that seems to be almost killed and destroyed that crys out complains longs for deliverance is it not the new Creature is it not the principle of spiritual life whereof thou art partaker I speak not of trouble and disquietments for sin committed nor of fears and perturbations of mind left sin should break forth to loss shame ruine dishonour nor of the contending of a convinced Conscience lest Damnation should ensue but of the striving of the spirit against sin out of a hatred and a loathing of it upon all the mixt Considerations of Love Grace Mercy Fear the beauty of Holiness Excellency of communion with God that are proposed in the Gospel If thou seemest to thy self to be only passive in these things to do nothing but to endure the Assaults of sin Yet if thou art sensible and standest under the stroke of it as under the stroke of an Enemy there is the root of the matter And as it is thus as to the substance and Being of Holiness so it is also as to the degrees of it Degrees of Holiness are to be measured more by Opposition than self operation He may have more Grace than another who brings not forth so much fruit as the other
and the Son of man is but a worm Job 25. 6. And therefore sayes Job himself I have said to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my mother and my sister chap. 17. 14. His Affinity his Relation unto them is the nearest imaginable and he is no otherwise to be accounted of and there is nothing that God abhors more than an Elation of mind in the forgetfulness of our mean frail condition Thou sayest said he to the proud Prince of Tyrus that thou art a God but saith he wilt thou say thou art a God in the hands of him that slayes thee Ezek. 28. 9. That severe conviction did God provide for his pride Thou shalt be a man and no God in the hand of him that slayes thee And when Herod prided himself in the acclamations of the vain multitude the voice of God and not of a man The Angel of the Lord filled that God immediately with worms which slew him and devoured him Acts 12. 23. There is indeed nothing more effectual to abase the pride of the thoughts of men than a due remembrance that they are so Hence the Psalmist prayes Psal. 9. 20. Put them in fear O Lord that the Nations may know themselves to be but men so and no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poor miserable frail mortal man as the word signifies what is man what is his life what is his strength said one the dream of a shadow a meer nothing or as David much better Every man living in his best condition is altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. and James our life which is our best our all is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away chap. 4. 14. But enough hath been spoken by many on this subject And we that have seen so many thousands each week in one City carryed away to the grave have been taught the truth of our frailty even as with Thorns and Briers But I know not how it comes to pass there is not any thing we are more apt to forget than what we our selves are And this puts men on innumerable miscarriages towards God and one another Thou therefore that art exercised under the hand of God in any severe dispensation and art ready on all occasions to fill thy mouth with complaints sit down a little and take a right measure of thy self and see whether this frame and posture becomes thee It is the great God against whom thou repinest and thou art a man and that is a name of a worm a poor frail dying worm and it may be whilst thou art speaking thou art no more And wilt thou think it meet for such a one as thou art to magnifie thy self against the great possessor of Heaven and Earth Poor clay poor dust and ashes poor dying worm know thy state and condition and fall down quietly under the mighty hand of God Though thou wranglest with men about thy concernments let God alone The poâ—sheards may contend with the potsheards of the earth but wo unto him that striveth with his Maker 2. Consider that in this frail condition we have all greatly sinned against God So did Job chap. 7. 20. I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men If this consideration will not satisfie thy mind yet it will assuredly stop the mouths of all the Sons of men Though all the Curses of the Law should be executed upon us yet every mouth must be stopped because all the world is become guilty before God Rom. 3. 19. And why should a living man complain saith the Prophet Lament 3. 39. Why it may be it is because that his trouble is great and inexpressible and such as seldom or never befell any before him but what then saith he shall a man complain against the punishment of his sins If this living man be a sinful man as there is none that liveth and sinneth not whatever his state and condition be he hath no ground of murmuring or complaint For a sinful man to complain especially whilest he is yet a living man is most unreasonable For 1. Whatever hath befallen us It is just on the account that we are sinners before God and to repine against the judgements of God that are rendred evidently righteous upon the account of sin is to anticipate the Condition of the damned in hell a great part of whose misery it is that they alwayes repine against that sentence and punishment which they know to be most righteous and holy If this were now a place if that were now my design to treat of the sins of all professors how easie were it to stop the mouths of all men about their troubles But that is not my present business I speak unto particular persons and that not with an especial design to convince them of their sins but to humble their souls Another season may be taken to press that Consideration directly and prosessedly also At present let us only when our souls are ready to be entangled with the thoughts of any severe dispensation of God and our own particular pressures troubles miseries occasioned thereby turn into our selves and take a view every one of his own personal provocations And when we have done so see what we have to say to God what we have to Complain of let the man hold his tongue and let the sinner speak Is not God holy righteous wise in what he hath done and if he be why do we not subscribe unto his wayes and submit quietly unto his Will 2. But this is not all We are not only such sinners as to render these dispensations of God evidently holy these Judgements of his righteous but also to manifest that they are accompanied with unspeakable patience mercy and Grace To instance in one particular Is it the burning of our houses the spoiling of our Goods the ruine of our estates alone that our sins have deserved if God had made the temporary fire on earth to have been unto us a way of entrance into the Eternal fire of hell we had not had whereof righteously to complain May we not then see a mixture of unspeakable patience grace and mercy in every dispensation and shall we then repine against it Is it not better advice go and sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee for a sinner out of hell not to rest in the will of God not to humble himself under his mighty hand is to make himself guilty of the especial sin of hell Other sins deserve it but repining against God is principally yea only committed in it The Church comes to a blessed quieting resolution in this case Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him bear it quietly patiently and submit under his hand therein 3. Consider that of our selves we are not able to make a right judgement of what is good for us what evil unto us or what tends most directly unto our chiefest
iniquities that is of the Elect Israel and every individual amongst them But the word signifies trouble as well as sin especially that trouble or punishment that is for sin So Cain expresseth himself upon the denunciation of his sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my sin that is the punishment thou hast denounced against my sin is too great or heavy for me to bear Gen. 4. 13. There is a near affinity between sin and trouble noxam poena sequitur punishment is inseparable from iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the word here used signifies either sin with reference unto trouble due to it or trouble with respect unto sin whence it proceeds And both may here be well intended God shall redeem Israel from all his sins and troubles that have ensued thereon And this is the signification of the words which indeed are plain and obvious And these words close up the Psalm He who began with depths his own depths of sin and trouble out of which and about which he cryed out unto God is so incouraged by that prospect of grace and forgiveness with God which by faith he had obtained as to preach unto others and to support them in expectation of deliverance from all their sin and trouble also And such for the most part are all the exercises and trials of the children of God Their Entrance may be a strom but their close is a calm Their beginning is oftentimes trouble but their latter end is peace peace to themselves and advantage to the Church of God For men in all ages coming out of great trials of their own have been the most instrumental for the good of others For God doth not greatly exercise any of his but with some especial end for his own glory Secondly The sense and intendment of the Psalmist in these words is to be considered and that resolves it self into three general parts 1. An Exhortation or Admonition Israel hope in the Lord or expect Jehovah 2. A ground of Incouragement unto the performance of the Duty exhorted unto Because with the Lord there is much plenteous abundant precious Redemption 3. A gracious Promise of a blessed issue which shall be given unto the performance of this duty He shall redeem Israel from all his sins and out of all his troubles In the Exhortation there occurs 1. The persons exhorted that is Israel not Israel according to the flesh for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. But it is the Israel mentioned Psal. 73. 1. The whole Israel of God to whom he is good such as are of a clean heart that is all those who are interested in the Covenant and do inherit the promise of their forefathers who was first called by that name All Believers and the Psalmist treats them all in general in this matter 1. Because there is none of them but have their trials and intanglements about sin more or less As there is none that liveth and sinneth not so there is none sinneth and is not intangled and troubled Perhaps then they are not all of them in the same condition with him in the depths that he was plunged into Yet more or less all and every one of them is so far concerned in sin as to need his direction All the Saints of God either have been or are or may be in these depths It is a good saying of Austin on this place Valde sunt in profundo qui non clamant de profundo None so in the deep as they who do not cry and call out of the deep They are in a deep of security who are never sensible of a deep of sin 2. There is none of them whatever their present condition he but they may fall into the like depths with those of the Psalmist There is nothing absolutely in the Covenant nor in any Promise to secure them from it And what befalleth any one Believer may befall them all If any one Believer may fall totally away all may do so and not leave one in the world and so an end be put to the Kingdom of Christ which is no small evidence that they cannot so fall But they may fall into depths of sin that some of them have done so we have testimonies and instances beyond exception It is good then that all of them should be prepared for that duty which they may all stand in need of and a right discharge of it Besides the duty mentioned is not absolutely restrained to the condition before described But it is proper and accommodate unto other seasons also Therefore are all the Israel of God exhorted unto it 2. The duty it self is hoping in Jehovah with such an hope or trust as hath an expectation of relief joyned with it And there are two things included in this duty 1. The Renuntiation of any hopes in expectation of deliverance either from sin or trouble any other way hope in Jehovah this is frequently expressed where the performance of this duty is mentioned see Hos. 14. 3. Jer. 3. 22 23. And we have declared the nature of it in the exposition of the 1 and 2. verses 2. Expectation from him and this also hath been insisted on in the Observations from the verses immediately preceding wherein also the whole nature of this duty was explained and directions were given for the due performance of it Secondly The incouragement tendred unto this duty is the next thing in the words for with the Lord is plenteous Redemption wherein we may observe 1. What it is that he professeth as the great incouragement unto the duty mentioned and that is Redemption the Redemption that is with God upon the matter the same with the forgiveness before mentioned Mercy Pardon Benignity Bounty He doth not bid them hope in the Lord because they were the seed of Abraham the peculiar people of God made partakers of priviledges above all the people in the world much less because of their worthiness or that good that was in themselves but meerly upon the account of mercy in God of his Grace Goodness and Bounty The Mercy of God and the Redemption that is with him is the only ground unto sinners for hope and confidence in him 2. There are two great Concernments of this Grace the one expressed the other implied in the words The first is that it is much plenteous abundant That which principally discourageth distressed souls from a comfortable waiting on God is their fears lest they should not obtain mercy from him and that because their sins are so great and so many or attended with such circumstances and aggravations as that it is impossible they should find acceptance with God This ground of despondency and unbelief the Psalmist obviates by representing the fulness the plenty the boundless plenty of the mercy that is with God It is such as will suit the condition of the greatest sinners in their greatest depths the stores of its treasures are inexhaustible And the force of the
exhortation doth not lie so much in this that there is Redemption with God as that this Redemption is plenteous or abundant Secondly Here is an intimation in the Word it self of that Relation which the Goodness and Grace of God proposed hath to the blood of Christ whence it is called Redemption This as was shewed in the opening of the words hath respect unto a price the price whereby we are bought that is the blood of Christ. This is that whereby way is made for the exercise of mercy towards sinners Redemption which properly denotes actual deliverance is said to be with God or in him as the effect in the cause The causes of it are his own Grace and the blood of Christ. There are these prepared for the redeeming of Believers from sin and trouble unto his own glory And herein lyeth the incouragement that the Psalmist proposeth unto the performance of the duty exhorted unto namely to wait on God It is taken from God himself as all incouragements unto sinners to draw nigh unto him and to wait for him must be Nothing but himself can give us confidence to go unto him And it is suited unto the state and condition of the soul under consideration Redemption and Mercy are suited to give relief from sin and misery Thirdly The last verse contains a promise of the issue of the performance of this duty He shall redeem his people from all their iniquities Two things are observable in the words 1. The Certainty of the Issue or event of the duty mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall or he will redeem he will assuredly do so Now although this in the Psalmist is given out by Revelation and is a new promise of God yet as it relates to the condition of the soul here expressed and the discovery made by saith of forgiveness and Redemption with God the Certainty intended in this Assertion is built upon the principles before laid down Whence therefore doth it appear whence may we infallibly conclude that God will redeem his Israel from all their iniquities I answer 1. The Conclusion is drawn from the Nature of God There is forgiveness and Redemption with him and he will act towards his people suitably to his own nature There is Redemption with him and therefore he will redeem forgiveness with him and therefore he will forgive As the Conclusion is certain and infallible that wicked men ungodly men shall be destroyed because God is Righteous and holy his Righteousness and Holiness indispensibly requiring their destruction so is the Redemption and Salvation of all that believe certain on this account namely because there is forgiveness with him he is good and gracious and ready to forgive his Goodness and Grace requires their Salvation 2. The Conclusion is certain upon the account of Gods Faithfulness in his Promises He hath promised that those who wait on him shall not be ashamed that their expectation shall not be disappointed whence the Conclusion is certain that in his time and way they shall be redeemed 2. There is the Extent of this deliverance or Redemption shall redeem Israel from all their Iniquities It was shewed in the opening of the verse that this word denotes either sin procuring trouble or trouble procured by sin and there is a respect unto both sin and its punishment From both from all of both kind God will redeem his Israel Not this or that evil this or that sin but from all evil all sin He will take all sins from their souls and wipe all tears from their Eyes Now God is said to do this on many accounts 1. On the account of the Great Cause of all actual deliverance and Redemption the blood of Christ. He hath laid an assured foundation of the whole work the price of Redemption is paid and they shall in due time enjoy the Effects and fruits of it 2. Of the Actual Communication of the Effects of that Redemption unto them This is sure to all the Elect of God to his whole Israel They shall all be made partakers of them And this is the end of all the promises of God and of the grace and mercy promised in them namely that they should be means to exhibit and give out to Believers that Redemption which is purchased and prepared for them and this is done two wayes 1. Partially initially and gradually in this life Here God gives in unto them the pardon of their sins being justified freely by his grace and in his Sanctification of them through his spirit gives them delivery from the power and dominion of sin Many troubles also he delivers them from and from all as far as they are Poenal or have any mixture of the Curse in them 2. Compleatly Namely when he shall have freed them from sin and trouble and from all the effects and consequents of them by bringing them unto the enjoyment of himself in Glory 3. The Words being thus opened we may briefly in the next place consider what they express concerning the State Condition or Actings of the soul which are represented in this Psalm Having himself attained unto the State before described and being engaged resolvedly into the performance of that duty which would assuredly bring him into an haven of full rest and peace the Psalmist applyes himself unto the residue of the Israel of God to give them incouragement unto this duty with himself from the Experience that he had of a blessed success therein As if he had said unto them Ye are now in Affictions and under troubles and that upon the account of your sins and provocations A condition I Confess sad and deplorable but yet there is hope in Israel concerning these things For consider how it hath been with me and how the Lord hath dealt with me I was in depths inexpressible and saw for a while no way or means of delivery But God hath been pleased graciously to reveal himself unto me as God pardoning Iniquity transgression and sin and in the Consolation and supportment which I have received thereby I am waiting for a full participation of the fruits of his Love Let me therefore prevail with you who are in the like condition to steer the same course with me Only let your expectations be fixed in mercy and Soveraign Grace without any regard unto any priviledge or worth in your selves Rest in the plenteous redemption those stores of Grace which are with Jehovah and according to his faithfulness in his promises he will deliver you out of all perplexing troubles Having thus opened the Words I shall now only name the doctrinal Observations that are tendred from them and so put a close to these Discourses As Obs. 1. The Lord Jehovah is the only hope for sin-distressed souls Hope in the Lord This hath been sufficiently discovered and confirmed on sundry passages in the Psalm Obs. 2. The Ground of all hope and Expectation of relief in sinners is meer Grace Mercy and Redemption Hope in the Lord
for with him there is Redemption All other grounds of hope are false and deceiving Obs. 3. Inexhaustible stores of Mercy and Redemption are needful for the incouragement of sinners to rest and wait on God With him is plentiful Redemption Such is your misery so pressing are your fears and disconsolations that nothing less than boundless Grace can relieve or support you there are therefore such Treasures and stores in God as are suited hereunto With him is Plenteous Redemption Obs. 4. The Ground of all the dispensation of Mercy Goodness Grace and forgiveness which is in God to Sinners is laid in the blood of Christ. Hence it is here called Redemption Unto this also we have spoken at large before Obs. 5. All that wait on God on the account of Mercy and Grace shall have an undoubted Issue of peace He shall redeem Israel let him saith God lay hold of my Arm that he may have peace and he shall have peace Isa. 27. 3. Obs. 6. Mercy given to them that wait on God shall in the close and issue be every way full and satisfying He shall redeem his people from all their Iniquities And these Propositions do arise from the words as absolutely considered and in themselves If we mind their Relation unto the peculiar Condition of the soul represented in this Psalm they will yet afford us the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. They who out of depths have by faith and waiting obtained mercy or are supported in waiting for a sense of believed mercy and forgiveness are fitted and only they are fitted to Preach and declare Grace and mercy unto others This was the Case with the Psalmist Upon his emerging out of his own depths and streights he declares the mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered unto the whole Israel of God Obs. 2. A saving participation of Grace and forgiveness leaves a deep Impression of its fulness and excellency on the soul of a sinner So was it here with the Psalmist Having himself obtained Forgiveness he knows no bounds or measure as it were in the extolling of it There is with God Mercy Redemption Plenteous Redemption redeeming from all Iniquity I have found it so and so will every one do that shall believe it Now these Observations might all of them especially the two last receive an useful improvement But whereas what I principally intended from this Psalm hath been at large insisted on upon the first verses of it I shall not here further draw forth any Meditations upon them but content my self with the Exposition that hath been given of the design of the Psalmist and sense of his words in these last verses FINIS 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. 2. Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities General Scope of the whole Psalm The two first Verses opened Depths of trouble on the account of Sin Depths of Sin wherein they consist The Nature and Extent of supplies of Grace according to the Covenant The Power of Indwelling Sin Gods Soveraignty in dealing with Believers in their sins Sins occasioning great distresses Aggravations of sins causing distresses The second Verse opened Actings of a Believer under distress from sin False ways of relieving souls in distress Earnestness of a distressed soul in its Applications unto God Grounds of earnestness in Applications unto God Earnestness c. wherein it consisteth Verse 3. opened Propositions from Verse 3. Terror arising from a sense of the guilt of sin Gods marking sin and mans salvation inconsistent The souls actings towards a Recovery Sense of sin wherein it consists Nature and Causes of Gospel convictions of sin Acknowledgement of sin the true nature of it Self-condemnation wherein it consists Miscarriages in persons convinced of sin The fourth Verse opened Doctrinal Observations from V. 4. No approaching unto God without a discovery of forgiveness Forgiveness a great Mysterie Testimony of a natural consciscience against the forgiveness of sin Testimony of the Law against the forgiveness of sin False Presumptions of Forgiveness The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness Forgiveness as it relates to the Nature of God Forgiveness as it relates to the free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ. Forgiveness as it relates unto the Promise What faith respects in Forgiveness Forgiveness discovered to Faith alone Discovery of Forgiveness a great supportment Particular Assurance attainable Duty of Believers to endeavour Assurance Causes and Effects of Assurance Saving Faith where there is no Assurance Discovery of forgiveness a great supportment to intangled souls Effects of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Means whereby a Discovery of Forgiveness yields supportment Abiding with God wherein it consisteth Waiting on God from a Discovery of Forgiveness Discovery of Forgiveness prepares the soul to receive it Vain pretences of Faith discovered Essential properties of Gods nature how made known Free Acts of Gods Will how they may be known Forgiveness not revealed by the work of Providence about the first sin Forgiveness discovered in the first Promise Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgiveness Forgiveness with God manifested by his Prescription of Repentance Confirmation of the Truth of Forgiveness necessary Necessity of producing Arguments to prove forgiveness Some sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God Patience of God towards the World an evidence of forgiveness Experience of the Saints giveing Testimony to Forgiveness The Evidence that is in Spiritual Experience Religious Worship of sinners an Evidence of Forgiveness with God Especial Ordinances evidencing forgiveness Prayer for the Pardon of sin commanded Forgiveness manifested in the New Covenant Nature Use and End of the first Covenant Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant Forgiveness confirmed by the Oath of God Forgiveness confirmed by the Name of God 〈◊〉 of Gods Nature manifesting Forgiveness What it is to give Glory to God Glory arising to God by Forgiveness Forgiveness manifested in the Death of Christ. Our Obligation unto mutual forgiveness proves forgiveness in God Properties of Divine forgiveness Forgiveness believed by Few Exhortations unto Believing Terms of Peace with God Equal and Holy Certainty of the final Ruine of them who believe not Exhortation to Believing enforced Christ the only Judge of our spiritual condition Self-condemnation consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace Gospel Assurance wherein it consisteth Sense of sin consistent with Assurance Sorrow for sin consistent with Assurance Sense of the power of sin consistent with Assurance Fears and Temptations consistent with Assurance The Nature and Effects of Gospel Assurance Effects of Gospel Assurance in Believers Waiting necessary to obtain Peace Search of Sin necessary to consolation Unbelief and Jealousie distinguished Different Effects of Unbelief and Jealousie Differences between faith and spiritual sense Spiritual sense wherein it consists Foundation and Spiritual Building distinguished Complaints fruitless and heartless to be avoided Hasty Expressions concerning God to be avoided Judgement of mens states in the hand of Christ alone The least Appearances of Grace to be improved Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments Means of the Aggravation of Affliction Rules to be observed concerning Afflictions Objections against Believing from the State of the Soul Two different estates whereunto all men belong Saving Grace specifically distinct from common Grace Difference between the State of Grace and Nature discernable Believers may know themselves to be born of God Rules whereby men may judge of their Condition in respect of Inherent Grace Objections from weakness in Duty and the power of Sin V. 5 6. V. 5 6. opened Waiting the first fruit of Faith in a way of Duty Waiting on God wherein it consists God himself the Object of our Waiting Waiting on God whence so necessary Considerations of Gods Being and Attributes rendring Waiting necessary Considerations of Gods Righteousness in his Judgements Considerations of our own Condition tending to Humble us Supportment in trouble from the Word of Promise Psal. 130. v. 7 8. Exposition of vers 7 8.
〈◊〉 will multiply to pardon He hath forgiveness with him to outdo all the multiplied sins of any that turn unto him and seek for it But this is very hard very difficult for us to apprehend This is not the way and manner of men We deal not thus with profligate Offenders against us True saith God But your wayes are not my wayes I do not act in this matter like unto you nor as you are accustomed to do How then shall we apprehend it how shall we conceive of it You can never do it by your Reason or Imaginations For as the Heavens is above the Earth so are my thoughts in this matter above your thoughts This is an expression to set out the largest and most unconceivable distance that may be The creation will afford no more significant expression or representation of it The Heavens are inconceivably distant from the Earth and inconceivably glorious above it So are the Thoughts of God they are not only distant from ours but have a Glory in them also that we cannot rise up unto For the most part when we come to deal with God about forgiveness we hang in every bryar of disputing quarelsom unbelief This or that Circumstance or Aggravation this or that unparalleld particular bereaves us of our Confidence Want of a due Consideration of him with whom we have to do measuring him by that line of our own imaginations bringing him down unto our Thoughts and our Wayes is the cause of all our disquietments Because we find it hard to forgive our pence we think he cannot forgive Talents But he hath provided to obviate such thoughts in us Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I AM GOD AND NOT MAN Our satisfaction in this matter is to be taken from his Nature where he a man or as the Sons of men it were impossible that upon such and so many provocations he should turn away from the fierceness of his Anger But he is God This gives an Infiniteness and an inconceivable boundlesness to the forgiveness that is with him and exalts it above all our thoughts and wayes This is to be lamented Presumption which turns God into an Idol ascribes unto that Idol a greater largeness in forgiveness than faith is able to rise up unto when it deals with him as a God of infinite Excellencies and Perfections The reasons of it I confess are obvious But this is certain no presumption can falsly imagine that forgiveness to it self from the Idol of its heart as faith may in the way of God find in him and obtain from him For Secondly God engageth his infinite Excellencies to demonstrate the Greatness and Boundlesness of his forgiveness He proposeth them unto our Considerations to convince us that we shall find pardon with him suitable and answerable unto them See Isa. 40. 27 28 29 30 31. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the Everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fail but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not be faint The matter in question is whether Acceptance with God which is only by forgiveness is to be obtained or no This sinful Jacob either despairs of or at least desponds about But saith God My thoughts are not as your thoughts in this matter And what course doth he take to convince them of their mistake therein What Argument doth he make use of to free them from their unbelief and to rebuke their fears Plainly he calls them to the consideration of himself both Who and What he is with whom they had to do That they might expect acceptance and forgiveness such as did become him Minding them of his power his Immensity his Infinite Wisdom his Unchangableness all the Excellencies and Properties of his nature he demands of them whether they have not just ground to expect Forgiveness and Grace above all their thoughts and apprehensions because answering the infinite largeness of his heart from whence it doth proceed And Moses manageth this plea for the forgiveness of that people under an high provocation and a most severe threatning of their destruction thereon Numb 14. 17 18. He pleads for pardon in such a way and manner as may answer the great and glorious Properties of the Nature of God and which would manifest an infiniteness of Power and Al-sufficiency to be in him This I say is an encouragement in general unto Believers We have as I hope upon unquestionable grounds evinced that there is forgiveness with God which is the hinge on which turneth the issue of our eternal condition Now this is like himself such as becomes him that answers the infinite perfections of his nature that is exercised and given forth by him as God We are apt to narrow and streighten it by our unbelief and to render it unbecoming of him He less dishonours God or as little who being wholly under the power of the Law believes that there is no forgiveness with him none to be obtained from him or doth not believe it that so it is or is so to be obtained for which he hath the voice and sentence of the Law to countenance him then those who being convinced of the principles and grounds of it before mentioned and of the Truth of the Testimony given unto it do yet by streigthning and narrowing of it render it unworthy of him whose Excellencies are all infinite and whose wayes on that account are incomprehensible If then we resolve to rreat with God about this matter which is the business now in hand let us do it as it becomes his Greatness that is indeed as the wants of our souls do require Let us not entangle our own Spirits by limiting his Grace The Father of the Child possessed with a Devil being in a great Agony when he came to our Saviour cryes out If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us Mark 9. 22. He would fain be delivered but the matter was so great that he questioned whether the Lord Christ had either Compassion or Power enough for his relief And what did he obtain hereby nothing but the retarding of the Cure of his Child for a season For our Saviour holds him off untill he had instructed him in this matter saith he v. 23. If thou canst believe all things are possible unto him that believeth Mistake not if thy Child be not cured it is not for