repentance and not be made the causes of despair or more sinning If thy sinnings had not been so high it had been better but being so thy remedy is not an addition of a worse sin or a continuance in the same sins but to pray unto the Lord to turn thee and to forgive thee Object Why I have prayed and yet I can get no mercy not I have prayed and yet can get no mercy see any hopes or appearance of mercy therefore surely God will not be so ready to shew me mercy Sol. This is a sore Objection and usually troubled Consciences are enthralled with it Answered and many times receive great discouragement because of the silence of mercy to their tears and prayers But let us see how we may instruct and support persons in this case 1. God is ready God is ready to hear prayer to hear prayer Psal 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayer Before they call I will answer and while they are speaking I will hear Isa 65. 2. Of all mens prayers he is most ready to hear the prayer of afflicted Most ready to hear the prayer of the afflâ—cted persons Psal 18. 27. Thou wilt save the afflicted Psal 22. 24. He hath not despised nor abhorred the afflictions of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from them but when he cried unto him he heard him Of all the Prayers which he is ready to hear there are none which he doth more feelingly and compassionately tender than the Prayers of afflicted people especially such as are inwardly afflicted in their souls and consciences for their sins No people are more apt to fear that the Lord doth not hear their Prayers and yet no Prayers doth God sooner hear than theirs for as much as the Lord doth exceedingly delight in the sacrifices of a broken spirit and he is full of pitifulness and bowels towards them I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 18. When Ephraim smote upon the thigh and was confounded and ashamed why you know the Lord could not contain his affections Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. David you find him much afflicted and distressed in his soul Psal 32. 3 4. he did no sooner acknowledge his sin but God did express his mercy v. 5. The like you may see of him in Psal 6. 1 2. compared with v. 8 9. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard my suplication the Lord hath received my Prayer So true is that of the Prophet Isa 30. 19. He will be very graâ—ious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee But then know we that there may be sometimes God doth not presently make known his Mercy Reasons of it on our parts some special Reasons why the Lord doth not presently make known his mercy to the troubled and seeking soul The Reasons may be either on their part or on Gods part 1. Quick mercy must first see quickned fervency Though God be ready to hear their Prayers yet there may be some reasons Quickned fervency may be wanting why he doth not presently give them sensible tokens that they are heard If you pray for pardoning mercy as Austin did for repentance if you pray with a careless dull flat formal neglecting sprit not esteeming of Gods mercy and favour as your lives nay above your lives if you seek not the Lord in this with all your hearts Pardoning mercy is the greatest mercy for the soul and must be desired with the greatest affections of the soul with cries with importunities If you do not mightily wrestle with him as David in Psal 6. and as Daniel in c. 9. No marvel that cold Suits have slow Answers though you be afflicted in your consciences yet if those inward afflictions cannot raise the price of mercy and set a stronger edge upon your affections if the burnings of your consciences do not kindle flames of affections for mercy you may wait for your answer 2. As it must be a quickned affection which must find quick mercy so it must be a pure affection I will that men pray every Or a pure affecction where lifting up pure hands 1 Tim. 2. 8. Art thou sure that no iniquity cleaves unto thee and is an impedit to thy suit for mercy Thou art troubled with the grossness of some one of thy sins but doest not thou connive at the shreds of the same sin the limbs of it afflict thee but do not the leaves and the twigs hang on still If we do not purely and entirely put off our sins why should we complain that God doth not let down his mercy If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psal 66. 18. If you favour your known sin in any part or the least degree of it where now hath God promised to shew thee favour or mercy Or suppose thou shakest off one crying sin and yet retain some other sin put off one servant and take another be troubled for one transgression and yet live in another is this repentance Thou doest not change thy course but thy sin and how then canst thou expect mercy But if thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards God and â—utst iniquity far from thee then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot said Zophar Job 11. 13 14. If thou thus return to the Almighty and putst away iniquity Job 22. 23. thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee v. 27. As your prayers must be servent so they must be the fervent prayers of a righteous man which do prevail much Not that he who prays must have no sin but that he must love and connive at none 3. Thy heart is troubled with the guilt of sin but doth it morn Doest thou mourn for the vileness and fithiness of thy sin for the viteness and filth of thy sin Thou seekest for a Cordial but doest thou pray for Salve too Vehement thou art for Mercy but what for Grace Where guilt onely troubles it may make me earnest for mercy to ease me that is involuntary would not be troubled but is troubled because he is troubled But where the filthiness of sin troubles me now I do not onely importune in prayer but mourn also and amas desirous of healing as I am of pardoning this is voluntary he would mourn and mourns because he can mourn no more If thou seekest the Lord with a mourning heart as well as with a troubled heart the fountain is set upon for transgressions and sins Zach. 13. 1. and if the fountain be opened for thee it cannot be long ere mercies will swim unto thee 4. And with what faith hast thou prayed Thy troubled Conscience With what faith
But when he saith Be grieved for what thou hast done do so no more onely acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God Jer. 3. 13. 4. It shall surely find mercy O pardoning mercy how necessary how sweet for a sinner But who shall have it He that It shall surely find mercy confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy Prov. 28. I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah Psal 32. 5. Nondum pronuntiat sed promittit se pronuntiaturum ille dimittit saith Saint Austin ibid. And again Vox nondum in ore erat sed auris Dei in corde erat So was it with the Prodigal he purposeth to confess and his Father seeth him a far off LUKE 15. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants These words contain in them a continuation of the Prodigals humble Confession he had in the former Verse acknowledged his sinfulness and in this he confesseth his unworthiness And am He confesseth his unworthiness no more worthy to be called thy Son 2. A modest supplication Make me as one of thy hired Servants There are three Propositions which these two parts do afford us viz. 1. That penitent persons are humble and lowly persons I am no more worthy 2. That unworthiness is no just prejudice to supplication I am not worthy yet make me c. 3. That penitent persons earnestly desire some relation to God Make me as one of thy hired Servants That penitent persons are humble and lowly persons I am no Doct. 1. Penitent persons are humble persons more worthy Look on every word almost in the Text and you shall see in it the blush of humility I am not worthy The language of Pride is I am not as other men the voice of Humility is I am not worthy what I have is of meer mercy what I crave is not of my merit God may give what he pleaseth and I may receive what he giveth but I am unworthy of both I dare not expostulate nor challenge I have sinned and what mercy can I then deserve No more worthy Was he ever worthy No. Why then no more worthy q. d. O Lord I deserve nothing no nothing at all so vile a wretch have I been that it 's singular mercy if thou look at all upon me To be thy Son A Son thy Son O it is a high Relation an high Digniâ—y for a Vassal of Wrath to be made a Vessel of Glory for a Slave to Sin to be translated to a Son of God! Who am I it is that which I want it is that though which is too great for me to ask I am not worthy to be thy Son nay not worthy to be called thy son the very title and name is too good for me that so debauched and luxurious a sinner as I should have that honour from thee to be mentioned or spoken of to be in any sort reputed among those of so singular Relation unto thee I who have sinned so much against thee that I should in any kind be owned as a Son by thee this is an eminency I am not worthy to be called thy Son Thus you see his humbleness in confession Not worthy utterly unworthy to be a Son nay to be called thy Son See some steps of it in his Petition Make me as one of thy hired servants A low request but it is the modest breath of a lowly spirit If I may be thy servant I shall be glad of that not thy onely servant but one of thy servants not the chiefest of thy servants but any one of thy servants thy hired servant And perhaps even that is too good for me to be a servant to be an hired servant to be one of them I shall count my self happy if I may be as one of the meanest servants if I may be but a servant to the meanest of thy servants that serve thee And Father I beg for this too make me as one of thy hired servants I am not worthy of the least place nor of the meanest Relation I challenge it not onely be thou pleased to bestow it upon me He is not worthy to desire the greatest and he doth modestly intreat for the lowest Relation both which shew the humbleness of his penitential spirit Thus was it with Paul after his conversion how he sinks his thoughts and estimation Paul of himself When he is to speak of his sins 1 Tim. 1. 15. then Primus peccatorum I am the chief of sinners Nemo prior none exceeded me nemo pejor I was worse then any And when he spake of Gods mercy to him then minimus Apostolorum I am the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 8. indignissimus not worthy to be called an Apostle Nay he falls lower than this Ephes 3. 8. Minimus sanctorum minor minimo less than the least of all Saints is this grace given c Do you not see this also in the penitential Publican He stood afar off and would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven but smote upon his Publican brest saying God be mercifull to me a sinner He judges those feet unworthy to carry him unto God which so often carried him from God and those eyes unworthy to look on his holiness which had been so frequently cast upon sinfulness and whereas the Pharisee spreads his hands abroad he turns them upon his brest his contrite brest and doth not boast of his righteousness but cries out of his sins and justifies not himself but humbly begs Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Thus was it with Mary Magdalene upon her repentance Luc. 7. 38. She stood at the feet of Jesus behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment Mark it all her service is lowly she stood she did not sit sitting was a posture of familarity standing of humility and she stood behind to look after Christ was enough to look upon him she was unworthy And then she stood at his feet the humblest posture and there all her work is acted Stood at his feet wept at his feet washed his feet wiped his feet kissed his feet anointed his feet But now for the opening of this Proposition I will briefly discuss 1. What this lowly humbleness is which accompanies true Repentance 2. The Causes why true Penitents are so humbly lowly 3. Some usefull Application of this Quest 1. What that humble lowliness is which is to be found in the true penitnnt What this lowly humbleness is Sol. It is not a promiscuous familiarity with every body such an humbleness becomes Solomon's fool nor is it an affected garb of complemental dissimulation that was Absalom's treacherous stirrup to mount up himself into the Throne nor is it a slavingly abasing
brests because we are empty that we would find any causes of good in our selves who at our best are unprofitable and unworthy 3. Because it is a very dangerous thing to stand upon our personal It is very dangerous to stand upon personal worthiness worthiness when we approach unto the Lord For Now we come without Christ we do sacrifice alone we take the Office of our high Priest out of his hands Nay we frustrate the worthiness of Christ for we cannot joyn our worthiness and his together if we plead in our own names we make void his As it is in the point of Justification if we stand to our own righteousness we make void the righteousness of Christ So is it in the matter of supplication if we stand to our own worthiness and will be heard for our own sake we exclude the merit of Christs intercession we may as well be our own redeemers as our own intercessours We meet with pure justice for if we stand upon personal dignity then our qualities and actions must necessarily have equality to justice God must dispence to us according to our own deserts when we stand upon our own worthiness then God deals with us in justice if we renounce it then room is made for the mercy-seat Quest But then you will demand how may we know that How we may know that we are truly sensible of our unworthiness we are rightly sensible of our unworthiness in our approaches unto God Sol. I conjecture thus 1. If you are sensible of your own Unworthiness when you pray unto the Lord Then Jesus Christ will be your greatest plea If Jesus Christ be our greatest Plea you will begin to move in his Name and you will urge and prosecute it in his Name and you will shut it up with an expectation in his Name Thou wilt not say I am now in an excellent soft temper and for its sake shall I prevail and I have carried the day through now with more affections and less distractions therefore for this shall I prevail As Leah said I have born my husband this son therefore my husband will love me But in all thy sacrifices and services thou wilt fly unto a Mediator and still plead his Title his Worth his Merit Lord help me to pray for Christ's sake Lord give me mercy and grace for Christ's sake Lord hear accept answer do me good for thy Christ's sake 2. Then the Covenant of Grace will put heart into you and draw If the Covenant of Grace put heart into you you on alone to your performances as the wind alone will stir the Mill or the tide alone will drive the Boat I assure you that if you be rightly sensible of your Unworthiness you will look after a Mercy-Seat and after a Throne of Grace you will be inquisitive upon what terms Grants of Mercy and of Grace are issued out of the Court of Heaven Nor will it seem a small thing in thine eyes that the Lord will do good to an unworthy sinner for his own sake yea that he hath affirmed as much and obliged himself thereto in a firm Covenant This will breed in thee Thankfulness it will be not onely a support to thy soul but a joy to thy heart thy case is yet hopefull for though thou be not worthy yet God will do thee good readily and freely And Vsefulness thou wilt be readily content to accept of mercy upon the terms of mercy A beggar ready to starve will be glad to take an Alms he will put out his hand to receive it and thank you too As the Servants of Benhadad catcht the word Thy servant c. so will you the word of promise Respect Lord for thy Covenant sake At this door of free Grace there you shall have the sinner sensible of his unworthiness standing night and day expecting when the Scepter shall be held out Gods own arguments and motives of doing good which are to be found onely in the Covenant of Grace they are such as you will accept of with all your hearts to plead with God The second Use is for Encouragement That though we be sensible of our Unworthiness either to approach unto God or to Vse 2. Encouragement to draw near to the Throne of Grace speak unto God and much more to deserve any thing from God yet not to be discouraged but humbly and confidently to draw near to the Throne of Grace expecting grace and mercy to help in time of need And to excite you thereto consider 1. It is not our merit but our duty that we must look unto 'T is not thousands of Rams or ten thousand Rivers of Oyl it is not It is not our merit but our duty we must look unto the Pearls of the Sea or the Treasures of the Earth or the Excellencies of Angels alas God puts us not to that to deserve his mercies to deserve his graces if so what one sinner should ever receive mercy or grace no flesh righteous can be justified in his sight and if he should mark what is amiss who should stand before him But the Lord puts us upon our duty Ask and you shall receive knock and it shall be opened unto you Ho every one that thirsts come drink of the water of life freely 2. It is not our worthiness that we must plead but Gods promise It is not our worthiness that we must plead but Gods promise when we pray unto him Remember the word upon which thou hast caused thy servant to hope said David Psal 119. Remember thy Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob said Moses Exod. 32. Thou saidst that thou wouldst do me good said Jacob Gen. 32. Mercies come to thee not for thy worthiness sake but for his promise sake not ex dignitate petentis but ex dignatione donantis 3. You can never be so worthy but that Justice may take exceptions You can never be so worthy but Justice may take exceptions against you nor yet so unworthy but mercy may fill your mouth with arguments Though I were righteous yet would I not answer thee but I would make supplication to my Judge saith Job chap. 9. 15. And Though I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinks upon me said David Psal 40. 17. The proudest Pharisee may find enough to stop his mouth and the humblest Publican may find enough to open it No not the most righteous can stand at the Bar of Justice and yet the most dejected sinner may humbly plead at the Throne of Mercy there are Arguments enough in mercy for any sinner to plead mercy 4. You are not to pray in pride but in faith And then what is We are not to pray in pride but in faith thy condition that Faith cannot deliver up to God through Christ Thou knowest that it is the office of Faith not to present thy worthiness but thy wants It looks on arguments for thee not how good thou art but how
hast thou prayed would trouble thee if thou didst not pray and therefore hast thou prayed to give it a little quiet as we do a crying child the brest to still it What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that you receive them and ye shall have them Hast thou and doest thou consider and ponder the promises of Gods mercy made over the penitent persons Hast thou considered of his mercifull nature tender love in and through Christ of his commands to broken and afflicted souls to come unto him for Balm and Oyl Hast thou found how proper his mercifull promises are to thy condition every way good and convenient and doest confess this word of promise a gracious and a good word and judgest him to be faithfull who hath promised and thy self unworthy of mercy and thereupon in the Name of the Lord Jesus hast bended thy heart and knees to the God of mercy trusting through him to find grace and mercy to help in time of need and those his promises to be Yea and Amen to thy soul through Christ Joh. 14. 13. Whatsoever ye ask in my Name that will Ido According to your faith said Christ to the blind men Matt. 9. 29. so be it unto you Alas thy prayers have not found the way to Gods Mercy-seat all this while because they have not had faith for their Guide if our Messenger lose their way no marvel if we stay long for an answer Lastly Why hast thou called home the Embassadors those prayers Hast thou not called home thy prayers of thine which were Leigers at Heaven In a fit of proud impatience and fruitless vexation and bold presumption thou hast limited the holy One of Israel to a day And if at such another prayer God did not sensibly answer thee thou wouldest and hast restrained seeking of him What doest thou mean to beg and yet to prescribe Alas that there should be so much pride yet in an heart which we would think humbled as low as Hell That it should profess it self to deserve a thousand damnations and yet quarrel with God for not being quick in a present expedition of mercy Thou art too quick with God Judge how these answer one the other O Lord I do not deserve the least mercy I deserve never to find mercy and yet if the Lord doth not presently shew me mercy I will not seek unto him any more As you must get humbled hearts so you must get humble hearts He hears the desires of the humble Your Prayers must be patient as well as â—ervent Mercy pardoning mercy is worth the waiting for It is the most excellent of mercies and most sure to the patient Petitioner Psal 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry Blessed are all that wait for it Isa 30. 18. Or there may be Reasons on Gods part why he doth a while Reasons on Gods part God suspends mercy To give us some taste what it is to provoke him suspend or hold up the demonstration of his mercy to a troubled soul and seeking 1. To give us some taste what it is to provoke him and sin against him Jer. 2. 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God As we have had years to bath our selves in the delights of sin so we must have some minutes to taste the proper fruits the bitterness of sin Thou wouldst not believe the Gall and the Wormwood c. Lam. 3. 2. To alienate or work off our affections wholly from sin which now is so To alienate our affections from sin deadly a sting so smart a wound so noisome a prison which fills us with such horrible terrours and costs us almost our lives to obtain pardon and mercy Thou wouldst not easily part with sin Who would love sin any more which 1. raiseth so great terrours 2. utterly depriveth of mercy 3. or hinders it and makes it slow to answer 3. To abase us more in our own eyes To abase us the more in our own eyes that we may exalt his mercy that so his mercy may exalt us and we may exalt his mercy to value the excellency of mercy to confess our unworthiness of mercy to enlarge our desires of mercy 4. Nay not onely to exalt his mercy but retain his mercy not easily forfeit the excellency and sweetness of mercy by any future sinning The That we may retain his mercy Church which had much adoe to find Christ she then caught him and would not let him go The pardoning mercies of God ordinarily yield us most sweetness and abide in their strength To make us an Instance of mercy and Instrument of comfort with us after deepest humiliations and difficultest fruitions of them 5. Perhaps the Lord will make thee a great Instance of mercy and a great Instrument to comfort others and therefore suffereth thee to lie a long time in darkness and silence and at length will relieve thee Object Yea but how shall a troubled soul be supported in the How shall not be supported in the interim the interims until mercy pardoning mercy doth come and prayers therein be answered fully Sol. I answer to this also 1. If thou canst not have comfort to feed on yet thou hast duty to work on If thou hast not comfort look to duty Every Christian may either find it an Autumn to gather fruit or else a Spring to set it It is a great mercy that thou art at the gates of Mercy it is a great mercy 1. to enjoy 2. to beg 3. to wait for mercy a comfort to have such an heart to come so near to mercy thou hast a time to search thy heart more and to review thy estate and to peruse thy prayers to mend and continue all All which are but thy improvements in grace and will eventually prove the enlargements of thy mercy and peace No man can make a better progress in his repentance but he doth thereby prepare for the greater for the sweeter for the longer mercies 2. Though you have not experience to support you yet you have faith Though thou hast not experience yet thou hast faith It is written and sealed though not delivered as yet Whosoever doth truly repent mourn for sin forsake it endeavour to walk with God c. though he have not the joy of his pardon in his conscience yet he hath the assurance of his pardon in the promise Now Gods Word should support us as much as Gods Testimony his Word should be as good to our faith as his Testimony is sweet to our sense and feeling 3. The dawnings of pardoning mercy The dawnings of pardoning mercy may support which are rising upon you may also support you Though you cannot read your Pardon under the Broad Seal yet you may find it passing
or Instrument of the Divine spirit for much good unto believing souls Among the rest it hath a singular virtue to breed assurance of Gods love and therefore it is called a Seal in Ro. 4. 11. In it Christ Jesus in whom God is reconciled is most distinctly represented in his Passion as making peace by his blood for our souls In it the same Christ Jesus is particularly offered and applyed unto us with all the benefits and efficacies of his person Take eat this is my body which was given for you 1 Cor. 11. 24. As if God should say As surely as I give thee this bread and wine so I give thee my Son and the purchase of his death even reconciliation and pardon and mercy A believing celebration of the Sacrament is a most admirable means to remove our doubts and to establish our hearts with an Fervent and patient Prayer assurance that God is reconciled unto us 3. Fervent and patient Prayer prizing the favour of God as David did Psal 63. 3. Hungring and thirsting after it as he hid Psal 106. 4 5. And thus continuing to seek with diligence being withall tenderly careful in our hearts and wayes to please the Lord we shall have the desires of our Souls crowned with the testimonies of his love here and with the full glory of his face and favour hereafter Luke 15. 21 22 23. 21. And the Son said unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son 22. But the Father said to his servants Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his hand and Shoes on his feet 23. And bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry These words contain in them 1. The real acting of a penitential intention The matter whereof in his humble and sad confession I have insisted on already when I touched on v. 18 19. Now I shall observe a little more from the circumstance and manner of it 2. The strange alteration of his condition The heart of man never alters from sin to its prejudice the best courses ever draw after them the best comforts While he was a prodigal he had neither bread to eat nor Rags to cloath him nor house to lodg him much less Jewels to adorn him and feasts to entertain him But now he becomes a penitent here is a Father to admit him into a house to put the best Robe on his back and the Ring on his finger and Shoes on his feet and likewise to provide meat even the choicest for his belly Before I touch on these distinctly and particularly there are some Propositions which I will briefly touch on v. g. Doct. That no not the kindest expressions of mercy do silence a The kindest expressions of mercy do not hinder an humble confession of sin truly penitential heart from an humble confession of sin Kindest mercies draw out humblest confessions The Father pities meets embraces kisseth this penitential Prodigal What doth he rise up and slight all that hath been evil Oh no! mercy melts him down and he confesseth with tears Father I have sinned c. q. d. What is this that thou shouldst so easily so freely so mâ—rcifully behold so sinful so unworthy a wretch as I have been As David when God declared unto him the intentions of his further mercies for him and his posterity He sate before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto So is it with the true penitent upon the Declaration of pardoning and accepting mercy Now O Lord God who am I I who have done so wickedly yet to be remembred so graciously The same you find in Paul who though he received a testimony of his pardon and acceptance by a messenger graciously dispatched from Jesus Christ himself Acts 9. 17. Yet he doth most frequently and humbly acknowledg and confess the kinds and greatness of his former transgressions There is for the time a twofold Confession 1. Antecedent There is a twofold Confession Antecedent Consequent which is that humbling way which God designs for the assecution of mercy See Prov. 28. 13. 1 Jo. 1. 9. To make us indite and condemn our selves that he may acquit and pardon us 2. Consequent which is that judging and self-condemning way after mercy is obtained The sight of mercy breeds four notable effects in a true penitent 1. Much Admiration Oh that God should look on me 2. Much Detestation Oh that God should ever pardon me 3. More contrition Oh that I should sin against such a God 4. More Confession I have sinned and done very foolishly to sin against a God much in mercy 2. This consequent confession which followes the expressions or Consequent confession hath these qualities It is an ac-â— knowledgment of sin with more compunction testimonies of pardoning mercy hath these qualities 1. It is an acknowledging of sin with more compunction of spirit Sight of pardon doth not only open our lips but our eyes and fetcheth forth not only words but tears the heart doth break out when mercy breaks forth The heart never confesseth sin with more filial grief then when it apprehends sin much sin discharged with a paternal love the wind breaks the clouds but the Sun melts them most into showers so c. 2. It is an acknowledging of sin with more indignation The greaâ—er mercy makes a penitent With more indignation to be the sharper Judg the more God is now pleased with him the more is he displeased with himself for sinning against him When God remembred his Covenant Ezek. 16. 60. then did the penitential Israelites remember their wayes with shame v. 61. And when he made it known to them that he was pacifyed towards them then were they confounded and never opened their mouths more v. 63. 3. It is an acknowledging of sin with more With more aggravation aggravation Servile confessions are usually more deceitful and partial as Adam did acknowledg his sin but puts it on Eve no coâ—fessions are so free and full as such which arise from the apprehension of mercies David got his pardon for a great transgression but then hoâ— exact is he in the distinct accusation of himself and humble acknowledgment of his sin in all the articles and circumstances of it Psal 51. 4. It is an acknowledgment of sin with more detestation Evidence of pardon produceth two With more detestation effects One is more ardent affection of love to God Another is which necessarily followes a deeper hatred of sin which opposed so gracious a goodness All that good which God mentions in the Covenant Ezek. 36. 25. to the end of v. 30. produced a better remembrance of former evils and also a deeper loathing of themselves for their iniquities v. 31. As Job upon Gods appearing to him and conferring with him now abhors
shame in the face and with acknowledgment That by reason of our sins there belongs nothing to us but â—hame and confusion Daniel 9. 5. It is mixt with some Faith not overcome with Despair If the And mixt with some Faith confession of sin be not mixed with some hope of pardon it is not penitential but desperate Cain in some measure confessed but fled into the Land of Nod and reputes his offence Unpardonable beyond the power or intention of Mercy to pardon him Judas likewise utters his sin in particular I have sinned in betraying innocent Blood But then he goos out and hangs himself But if the confession be truly penitential it acknowledgeth sin fully yet believingly not to a meer Judge who out of the mouth of the Confessor condemneth but to a father Father I have sinned saith our Prodigal who knows how to absolve and forgive him that knows how to accuse and condemn himself As you must in Confessions acknowledg O Lord my sins are very great so likewise must you relieve your selves O Lord thy mercies are exceeding many thus have I sinned but thou canst pardon I deserve wrath but thou canst freely shew me mercy I am a sinner yet Lord be merciful to me a sinner 6. It is Sincere and not fraudulent then is the Confession sincere not And Sincere only when the heart acts in it but when also it acts plainly and plenarily in it We are but Flesh and Blood it is my nature I cannot help it I am not the first that did so it was company that drew me I did eat said Adam but the woman gave it me to eat I did eat said the woman but the Devil tempted me I did offer Sacrifice said Saul but I was afraid of the Philistims These are fraudulent Confessions when either a part is knowingly and willingly kept back or if all comes forth it is extenuated as much as may be Not that any person is to accuse himself of more then he is guilty but that he is not to extenuate and mince any thing wherein he is faulty but therein to set out himself to the full Of whom I am chief said Paul And the Prodigal here I have sinned against heaven and before thee 7. It must be joyned with desire and endeavour of Reformation Therefore forsaking of sin at least in Voto conatu And joyned with desire and endeavour of Reformation is annext to confession Prov. 28. 13. Saul confessed his sinful injuries to David his Son in Law 2 Sam. 24. 16. Ch. 26. 2. and wept but then he pursued him again So did Pharaoh Exod. 9. 27 34. but then he hardned his heart and sinned yet more They loved ease but not cure but David desires medicine as much as quiet Grace to heal as well as Mercy to quiet he did not open his wounds and then make more but desires those which are made that they might be bound up and healed So did Shecaniah not only confess their trespasse in taking of strange wives Ezra 10. 2 3. but intends reformation Now therefore let us make a Covenant with God to put them all away These ingredients I do conjecture that they make up the very form and vitals of a penitential Confession But why should true penitents make confession of their sins to God Reasons of it There is a necessity so to do Ex patre Dei 1. There is a necessity so to do Necessitas ex parte Dei ex parte rei 1. Ex parte Dei God requireth you so to do Acknowledge thine Iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy wayes to the Strangers under every green tree Jer. 3. 13. So Hos 14. 1. Return to the Lord thy God Ver. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord and say unto him Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously 2. Ex parte Rei When the heart is penitentially Ex parte Reiâ— changed it cannot but confess sin will lye so heavy as when health comes in pain is felt There is such an abundant sense of sin that the heart cannot contain it self If the affection be full it must vent it self Joseph could not refrain So is the heart of a penitent overcharged with the iniquities of his Life and Indignity by him cast on God a gracious God 2. There is Vtility in so doing Though true confession of sin doth not at all merit yet it is a way or means to obtain three There is a Utility in so doing It is a means to obtaine Remission of sin singular things viz. 1. Remission of Sins This is a most sweet and surpassing mercy David accounts him Blessed whose iniquities are covered but Confession is the means for Remission which may evidently appear 1. By Gods direction of his people to take this course that so they might be pardoned Jer. 3. 12 13. 2. By his special Promise upon their true confession for to pardon them their sins Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 3. By frequent experience David said I will confess my Transgressions and thou for gavest the Iniquity of my sin Psal 32. 5. The Publican penitentially confessed and went home Justified Luk. 18. 13 14. 2. Power against sins By hearty confession to uncover Power against sin sins is a way not only to get God to cover them by Justification but also to cure them by Sanctification You must take off Vulnerati tegumentum if you will obtain Medici Emplastrum Austin as S. Austin alludes upon the Psa 32. When you open the wound then you make way for the healing Plaister and therefore S. John doth not only say If we confess our sins God is faithful to forgive us our sins but also addeth and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 3. Peace of Conscience You may Peace of Conscience see this manifestly in David who being distressed in spirit for sin is much disquieted and roars and his moisture is turned into the drought in Summer Psal 32. 3 4. His silence raised his Impatience and Trouble but as soon as he confessed his sins he recovered his peace ver 5. I acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah So Job 33. 27. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not Ver. 28. His life shall see the light It is one of the Windows to let in the beams of heavenly comfort 3. Lastly God is much Glorified when the penitent doth humbly and truly confess his sins David acknowledgeth his sins God is much Glorified by it That thou mightst be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest so Psal 51. 4. q. d. Lord
Why should I be so safety and the pledg of an happy eternity Why should I be so foolish to be miserably bad who in a moment may be assuredly blessed any wisdome will teach me to leave a wicked life for an holy and good which hath made me to know that mercy is beter then misery and that Heaven is better then Hell 3. Christian Courage If we will not act the wayes of Heaven till we see all difficulties removed and all dangers Christian courage secured we shall never enter into those wayes but when the love of Christ hath inflamed our hearts with a right zeal of his Glory assuredly we will be ding Modo magnificetur Christus I must bring some Glory to my God c. Luther feared not to go to the Diet at Worms had there been as many divels as tiles on the houses What do you tell S. Paul of bonds or speak to the couragious Christian of discouragements I have sworn and will perform it saith David that I will keep thy righteous statutes S. Jerom would not only renounce but throw off and trample upon father and mother for Christ What do you speak of poverty of disgraces of losses of want of self-denials in ease in pleasures c. He who will be good can lose nothing but that which will lose him and get that which he should never have gotten had he not been good indeed 4. A precious estimation and affection after Gods honour Ah! A precious estimation of Gods honour did we in any holy measure comprehend the height and bredth and depth of his favour in Christ would we not strive to enter in at the strait Gate should not the Kingdome of Heaven suffer violence What to sand upon a sinful pleasure or profit or way and to lose a good gracious bountiful God What sinful lust pleasure way would we stand upon What holy course or way would we set upon would we be slow to see the face of God and live would we not speedily set our selves in the wayes of his countenance Zacheus being desirous to see Christ upon his call made haste and came down Luke 19. 6. 5. A tender fear of God This also causeth a present execution of our purposes You read what it wrought in Josiah in Noah in others When the heart apprehends its way to be evil and the displeasure of God to hang over it and his threatnings all in armour c. Oh I dare not go on to offend any longer 6. A right belief in God Whether you take it in the threats as they of Niniveh believed the preaching of Jonah and A tender fear of God presently humbled and reformed themselves and wayes chap. 3. 5. Promises of sweetest mercy made unto real penitents that full free soon mercy shall be had Why if those be believed they will draw off the soul from a sinful course A right Belief in God unto a good course The Apostle therefore beseecheth the Romans by the mercies of God to be transformed Rom. 12. 1. O this that God offers and assures me of mercy and now I may have it if I will now reform a puts the soul to the present work To day I will hear his voice for to day is the day of mercy this is an acceptable season now I may be made happy for ever LUKE 15. 20 And he arose and came to his father But when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him These words contein in them two parts 1. The real practice of Repentance which consists not in a bare Resolution but in a sincere Execution I will arise said the Prodigal this was Motus volentis and he did arise this was opus penitentis I will go to my father and here He arose and came to his father 2. The comfortable issue of real Repentance But when he was yet a great way off c. Wherein you have considerable 1. The quick observation of this penitents Father His father saw him yea when he was yet a great way off Even in this sense God sees our thoughts afar off God many times is unwilling to see the sinner but he is at all times very willing to espy the penitent 2. His present commiseration His father saw him and had compassion on him Wicked men look on a penitent with derision penitent persons look on themselves with abomination but God looks on them with compassion he looks on the penitent sinner with a pitiful affection When Ephraim repented and turned My Bowels saith God are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him As soon as ever the Prodigal looks back mercy looks out q. d. Ah! is he returned indeed I pity him I will receive him I will forgive him 3. His gracious acceptation expressed in three particulars 1. One of speedy readiness The Father ran The Son doth go the Father ran Mercy hath not only a quick eye but foot also it posts it speeds it runs to embrace a penitent God is very slow to punish a sinner but he is very ready to relieve and accept of a returning sinner 2. A second Of wonderful tenderness The Father fell on his neck To have looked on him was it not enough to have given order for his usage had it not been well to have taken him by the hand had it not been too much but the Father did more then all this He fell on his neck Divine mercy will not only meet a penitent but embrace him That sinner whom the hands of justice would have everlastingly confounded if he be penitent the arms of mercy will lovingly clasp c. A third Of strong affectionateness And kissed him Here are eyes to behold the returning Son and an heart to pity him and feet to meet him and armes to embrace him and lips also to kiss him Naked mercies are not enough in Gods account for a true penitent he must have sealed mercies too God doth not think it enough that he is reconciled unto hm unless also he doth testifie and make it known that he is so There are many excellent Propositions observable out of these words v. g. That the very Initials of true Repentance are seen by God Doct. 1. The very Initials of true Repentance are seen by God The penitent Prodigal was in the way but yet it was a great way off and his Father saw him and had compassion I said I will confess my trangressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 32. 5. Vox nâ—ndum in ora erat Auris Dei in corda erat So. S. Austin in Locum Isai 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word Repentance may be considered in three degrees 1. In the Impression of it ANd this is when so much grace is implanted as to turn the heart 2.
one thing that was necessary and David he hath one thing to desire of the Lord and the penitent person he hath one needful request too O that God would be merciful to me a sinner so the Publicane 2. If God were not ready to shew mercy Else he might be swallowed up with Despaire to the penitent he might be swallowed up with despaire Isa 57. 16. I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwaies wroth lest the spirit should fail before me Do your know what belongs to a wounded Conscience to the sence of sin and the wrath of God how great how sharp how bitter Is it a small thing think you to dwell with everlasting burnings to see nothing but sin and Hell No No the Lord knows what the severity of his wrath is and he knows what the Impotency of the soul is and he knows what the terrour of a troubled conscience is how it sinks and cracks if no hope of mercy appears and therefore he is very ready to shew mercy to the penitent lest despair should overwhelm them despair is ready to rise in two cases One is when there is exceeding tenderness and sensibleness of sin Another is when there is a long absence and improbability of mercy for what hath the soul now to rest on and to support it Now off all persons living there are none so sensible of sin as true penitents we may say of other people as the Apostle did the rest are hardned and of all penitent people they are most tender in conscience and apprehensive of sin and fearfull about mercy who are newly converted from a sinful way O how hard is it to keep them above water to perswade them that any mercy belongs to them and therefore the Lord is ready to shew them mercy that their spirits might not fail before him nor be overwhelmed with despair Is the Lord so ready to shew all kind of mercy to the penitent Vse 1. Instruction Thence may we be instructed unto two things 1. To the approbation 2. To the application of our selves to a penitentiall Course 1. To the Approbation of a penitential Course Why are ye so To approve of a penitential course averse and accuse and condemn it They have a saying that Finis dat amabilitatem Mediis the end doth make the means lovely it doth give spirit and encouragement to the use of means Repentance is in it self a most excellent and peculiar grace a singular gift of God and therefore desirable But besides that Behold thy son liveth c. it brings the soul to partake of mercy of the choicest mercy in God pardoning mercy which is of most immediate concernment and influence to the everlasting salvation of man nay it brings mercy and salvation presently This day is salvation come unto thy house 'T is granted many persons do accuse a penitential course of much vexation and sadness and grief as if it were the grave of all delight whereas indeed it is only the sepulchre of our Lusts and of lustful pleasures And others cry out upon the difficulty of it as if it were an heavy yoke and an intolerable burden But judge not of duties by the opinion of ignorant and graceless men nor by the folly and error of your own sinful and inexperienced hearts No but judge of them by what the Word pronounceth of them in themselves and by their ends Is Salvation a desireable thing is mercy an excellent thing Why then Repentance must be an excellent thing which brings us unto mercy and unto Salvation Object But there must be brokenness of heart for sin and there must be a diligent endeavour to leave all sin and there must be strict care to walk with God Sol. And what of all this It is as if thou shouldest say O but I must not be wicked I must become a new man I must leave that which will damn me I must hink well of such a course as will bring me to find saving mercy with God there cannot be a worse estate and more fearful end then Impenitency and there cannot be a better and more soul-saving estate then Repentance 2. To the quick application of our selves to a Penitential course Apply your selves to a nitential course I beseech you at length if there be any understanding in you any sense in you any credence of a hell and heaven any belief of a God or happiness seriously consider with me that 1. You must perish for ever if you have not mercy If Mercy does not save you Justice must damn thee what shall become of thy soul if thy sins be not pardoned they cannot but be condemnation unto thee without gracious and merciful Remission Therefore new saith the Lord turn unto me c. Joel 3. 12. Heb. 3. 15. Whiles it is said to day harden not your hearts Repentance is a present duty Now God commands every one to repent Act. 17. 30. 2. Are you sinners or are you not if you be not sinners then I confess you need no pardoning mercy but if you be sinners then mercy must be your plea and anchor Save me for thy mercies sake and blot out my transgressions according to the multitude of thy mercies saith David Psal 6. 51. Ah wretches that we are we are sinners by Nature and sinners by Life who can say My heart is câ—eâ—n We lie down in our sins every moment so that we need mercy much mercy all mercy 3. Vnless you do practically repent .i. indeed for sake your sinful wayes and walk in newness of obedience you shall never have mercy Except you repent ye shall all likewise perish said Jesus Christ It is the unchangeable Decree of God and the revealed pleasure of God that no man shall have his mercy but the Penitent It were an unreasonable thing that he should have mercy to pardon sin who will not have an heart to leave sin I know very well that the Lord is very rich in measure and delights in mercy and is ready to shew mercy and is able to pardon abundantly God forbid that any should straighten the Mercy Seat at all But O thou vainly presumptious soul look over all the Bible read it often and tell me where doest thou find that God will be thus merciful to any one sinner but him who is truly penitent It is not to him who is civil but penitent it is not to him that saith he is a sinner but who doth forsake his sins this is he that shall find mercy 4. Yea and consider one thing more how utterly inexcusable you Thou art Inexcusable if thou do not Repent and before God and men if you doe not repent ah what a sad and shameful appearance wilt thou make before the Lord when he shall at the last day judg thee for all thy sinfulness when thou shalt be set in the presence of Christ and Angels and men and devils And the Lord shall say This is the person to
whom I have offered the saving blood of my son and all my pardoning mercies if that he would but have left his sinful wayes Thy own conscience will condemn thee for ever that ever thou shouldst exalt the lust of thy sin before the mercy of God yea the very Devils will cry shame of thee they may say If we had had such mercy offered we could not have been worse then have refused it thou hadst mercy offered to pardon thee and yet thou wouldest go on in thy sins Know O man thouart inexcusable before God thou canst make no apology at all Two things let them be for every ingraven in your brests One is that if mercy will not bring in your souls to repentance nothing will do it I affirm it that if you were in hell it self the toâ—ments of it woâ—ld not incline you to repent if the mercies of God now upon earth will not prevail with you Another if mercy do not lead you to repentance there remains nothing but a fearfull expectation of the fiery indignation of God thou art as sure to be damâ—ed as thou now livest if thou doest not repent thee of thy sins A second Use shall be of Caution Since the Lord is so ready to Vse 2 Cauâ—â—â— Kâ—â—p not 〈◊〉 from Repentance by despairing oâ— Mercy shew all mercy to the penitent therefore take heed that you keep not off from repentance by despairing of mercy There are three sorts of sinners Some whose hearts are hardâ—ed as the Adamant through an habitual itera ion by sin and 〈◊〉 inflâ—med affection unto sin who like that unjust Judg fearing neither God nor man so they are sensâ—ble neither of the vileness of sion nor of the goodness of mercy Some whose hearts are mollifyed graciously altered have seen the evil of their wayes and forsaken them and are turned unto the Lord seeking him with mourning and with supplication to whom the Scepter of Mercy hath been graciously stretched forth and they have effectually touched that Scepter with believing hearts and are returned with much peace and joy unspeakable Others there are twixt both these they are not so low as the first for their consciences are awaked and troubled nor yet so high as the last for they cannot believe any mercy will reach unto them their souls cannot discern any intention of mercy towards them and all the promises of mercy seem to them as restrictive nay as exclusive proclamations denying unto them though grantting unto others the priviledg of their Books and the Pâ—alm of mercy and so are apt to despair mercy seems to them a far off and slow and long a coming Therefore now to such persons who are awakned in their consciences to see the vileness of their sinful ways and their lost condition my advice is by no means to despair of mercy Reasons against despair Despair is a very heinous Sin Reasons why I thus advise are these 1. Despair is a very heinous sin It is one of the highest impeachments of Gods greatest glory and delight there is nothing wherein God doth more magnifie himself in the eyes of the world or more glory in then to sit upon his mercy-seat Now despair is not every diminution and eclipse of mercy but it is in its kind a very extinction of all the love and kindness and mercifulness in God it gives 1. The lye to the promises 2. Reproach to Gods nature and particularly to the attribute of mercy that it is not 1. Kind enough 2. Willing enough 3. Full enough 4. Free enough 2. It is a sore enemy to Repentance of no hope of mercy then no care to repent I can but be damned 2. And The most uncomfortable sin then it is the most uncomfortable sin Other sins afford some though ungrounded and poor contentment either in profit or pleasure But despair being the grave of mercy it is also the very night and funeral of all comfort and as S. Austin spake of an evil conscience that is true of despair It is its own torment for taking the soul off from all remedy it must necessarily afflict it with the most exquisite sense of fear and horrour 3. Satan is very apt to fall in with an awakened conscience and there to aggravate Satan is very apt to draw us to despair sin above all measure thereby to incline it to despair of mercy if he cannot make us dye in a senseless Caâ—m his next aim is to make us perish in an unquiet and despairing storm either to undervalue our sins and so to slay us with security or else to undervalue mercy and so sink us with distrust 4. Yea and no A newly awakned conscience is apt to it conscience is more propense to suspect divine â—avour and to credit false suggestions then a newly awakened conscience Indeed while our hearts are totally seared and past feeling much sin being not at all felt here is an easie ground to delude our selves that mercy will quickly bend unto us who do take our selves to be good enough and not much to need it but when many sins shall be laid to our charge and great ones too with that wrath which a just and holy God hath threatned and we feel the burnings of the wrath begun with us I assure you it will be most difficult to withhold that Soul from despairing of mercy which at once sees much guilt and feels much wrath 5. There is infinite There is infinite mercy in God mercy is God It is his nature and he can forgive iniquity transgression and sin Est in misericordia divina divina Omnipotentia Therefore this I say unto you any of you whose consciences God has awakned to the sight and sense of your sins whether by the Ministry of his Word or of his rod as you desire not utterly to cast dishonour extreemest dishonour to God and to draw the saddest and yet most fruitless anguish on your own spirits and yet again as you tender the welfare of your Souls your everlasting safety by repentance and faith do not despair of finding mercy with God but come in unto him by solid repentance and you shall find him even unto you a God ready to forgive iniquity transgression and sin Ob. Yea but though the Lord be merciful yet is he just he I but God will not clear the guilty will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. I have refused mercy I cannot pray I cannot be heard or answered How then can I I who have sinned so much now expect any mercy Sol. To this I answer briefly There are two kinds of sinners whom God will not clear One is Who do not see their sins yet love them Another Who do not see their sins and yet go on in them Answered Psal 11. 5. The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul doth hate And Psal 68. 21. He will wound the head of such as still go on in their wickedness If you be such
confession he is the man who abounds most with the thankful Lip the watchful Heart the fruitful Hand and tender Conscience Two things make us hardned and careless Forgetfulness of Mercies from God and of Sins against God But no more of this Assertion There is another implicit Observation from the carriage of the Father to this penitential Prodigal upon his Confession It is this As there is nothing in the Sons thoughts and expressions but his Sins so there is nothing in the Fathers Intentions and expressions but Kindness The Son he thinks of his sins intends to leave his sins and to confess them and so he doth The Father he thinks of mercies and compassions intends to accept and pardon him and when he comes he doth not speak a word of his sins but every expression is mercy and peace and kindness Fetch the best Robe put on the Ring c. Whence I conjecture this Proposition is observable That God takes no notice of our sins upon our true Repentance Doct. 2. God takes no notice of our sins upon Repentance but expresseth himself wholly in love and kindness God takes no notice of former sins There is Notitia Intuitiva Notitia Charitativa but wholly expresseth himself in love and kindness There are two Branches of this Assertion 1. One that God takes no notice of former sins upon our true Repentance There is a threefold notice of sin in respect of God 1. Notitia Intuitiva which is his all observing eye of Omniscience from which nothing can be hid but every Creature and operation of the Creature whether open or secret is visible and manifest unto God that distinction of known and unknown secret and open hath no place in God to whose eye all things are naked In this respect the former sins of a penitent fall within Gods notice for the goodness of Divine Mercy doth not blind-fold the eye of Divine Omniscience 2. Notitia Charitativa which is a notice of sins as a kind Creditor takes notice of Debts owing unto him and set down in his book his eye is on them and his Pen also to cross and dash them out And in this respect also God takes notice of former sins namely so as out of rich love and gracious favour to cross and forgive them unless we will fondly imagine that God forgives sins by hap-chance at an adventure never seeing and considering what he doth 3. Notitia Vindictiva which is a Judiciary notice as a Judge takes notice Notitia Vindictiva of the evil facts of a Malefactor to Condemn him or to trouble and vex him In this respect upon true Repentance God takes no notice of former sins .i. either to condemn the penitent person for them or to upbraid him and dishearten him by casting them into his dish or hitting of him in the teeth as we speak Proverbially Hence those phrases in the Scripture upon supposition of Repentance Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more Not that Repentance makes God forgetful for he is no capable of such a defect as Oblivion but that when men cease to sin God will cease to argue and speak with them after a Judicial manner for their sins So Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed ver 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him he means in any harsh judicial and cutting way More such phrases there are as that he will cover our sins cast them into the depths of the sea and cast them behind his back and though they be sought for yet they shall not be found The second Branch is that he expresseth himself wholly in He expresseth himself wholly in love and kindness love and kindness the which is most evident in Jer. 31. 19. when Ephraim repented and confessed his sin all the expressions now from God are full of tender Love Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child I do earnestly remember him still Ephraim thinks that I have forgotten him that I regard him not but there is no such matter my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him Hos 14. 2 3. Israel is repenting and confessing and praying and how doth God answer him See v. 4. I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Ver. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel Yet here we must distinguish 1. Twixt Gods expressions which Distinguish Twixâ— Gods expressions And the Penitents Apprehensions are alwayes very gracious gentle closing up comforting and reviving of the penitent And the penitents apprehensions which by reason of several principles in him are sometimes misplaced and mistaken God is just and he is a sinner he is a penitent sinner and God is merciful Now whiles the penitent apprehends his Sins only and not his Repentance or Gods Justice only and not his Mercy that tender graciousness and loving kindness is not so acquitted by him in his apprehensions Not that God is not really tender to him but that he through mistake and error apprehends it not so 2. Again you must distinguish Gods tender love and kindness as it is considerable in Divine promise and in Humane sense and Distinguish of Gods love as it is considerable 〈◊〉 Divâ—ne Proâ—â—â—es and Humane sense feeling You can no sooner repent but God is wholly in termes of tender love if you will behold his behaviour towards you in his Promises In them indeed you have the Idea as it were of his mind and affection they are the right glasse to behold the face of his mercifulness in through which if you look you shall not find any one harsh word or look or intention towards a penitent but all his thoughts in them are thoughts of peace and all his words in them are lips of peace Though the Samamaritan poured both Oile and Vinegar into the wound yet God through his promises pours out only the Oile of gladness But if you consult with his sense and feeling which is out of the roade of Faith then indeed this gracious tenderness is not so evident but we are apt through incredulous hastiness and ungrounded mis-judgings to exclaime with Zion But my God hath forgotten me or with David He hides away his face from me or with Job it was in the fits of impatience He writes bitter things against me 3. Thirdly You must distinguish of the penitent behaving himself Distinguish of the behaviour as a Penitent or as a Delinquent either ad modum penitentis as a penitent ad modum peccantis as a delinquent Let him repent and keep on in the wayes of repentance he shall meet with nothing from God but sweetness of love and mercy every step of righteousness is a path of peace and joy but if he step aside if he goes to a by-Lane he may quickly lose the sight
is to be diffusive as the nature of fire is to heat and of the Sun is to give light The love of Christ constraineth me saith Paul Doth he adorn his holy profession with an answerable conversation Why how can it be otherwise but that gracious habits should breed gracious acts and glorious qualities should breed glorious effects It is the nature of a Star to shine as it is the nature of dirt to defile and it is the nature of a Diamond to sparkle as it is of the earth to be bâ—ack c. 2. The peculiar disposition of Repentance Repentance in From the peculiar disposition of Repentance the proper nature produceth two effects 1. One in newness of life It is against the truth of Repentance for a man to live the same life to keep on the same course for this is impenitency not conversion but continuation not a regress but a progress not a change of life but a course of the same life But when Repentance comes change comes for what is repentance but the new purpose for a new life A man must be what he was not and do that which he never did and run an other course quite contrary to what he did put off the old conversation and put on a new Cease to do evil and learn to do well put off the service of unrighteousness and become the servant of holiness this is to be a penitent 2. Another is revenge you know the Apostle makes this one of the fruits of godly sorrow and repentance yea what revenge 2. Cor. 7. Now this revenge as it consists in many other things so in this especially that as we have imployed our soules and bodies in wicked acts to serve against the Lord to his dishonor so now we imploy and improve them in holy services to the proper glory of God now we busy them to know him to love him to obey him to honour him The penitent person is so sensible of the infinite dishonour which God hath had by his sinful life that if he had now a thousand souls and bodies and ten thousand lives all were little enough in all holiness of Conversation to redeem those dishonours and repair them 3. The peculiar intentions which God hath towards penitent persons The peculiar Intentions of God towards Penitent sinners He intends much Glory by them 1 He doth intend much glory to himself by them for these are the people whom he doth form for his glory and raise up to declare his praise as is evident in Paul and all other singular penitents they have been the great instruments of his glory but they cannot bring him glory unless they be enabled to live better lives then before If they be alienated from the life of God they necessarily are alienated from the glory of God Right believing and right living these are our methods to display the glory of God 2. He doth intend much peace and joy And much peaâ—e and joy unto them unto their Consciences a peace which passeth all understanding and a joy which passeth all expression even that which springs from his gracious favour and reconciliation with them in Christ which both pacifies the conscience and also quickens and revives it But this could not be unless he enabled them to new and better lives the life of holiness is the only path of peace that of wickedness is a way which knows not peace there is no peace unto wicked men nor unto wicked wayes And for Joy that only breeds joy in conscience which makes the conscience not to accuse but excuse not to torment but comfort only the new life is the properly joyful and comfortable life there are no spirits in the life which is not spiritual 3. He doth intend much outward mercy to them See how full the field of blessings is to the penitent but it And much outward mercy to them is upon this condition If his life be obedient as it were upon his good behaviour If ye consent and obey ye shall eat the good of the Land 4. He doth intend them Glory before men and Glory And Glory before men and with himself in Heaven with himself in heaven For the penitent he makes to be the excellent on earth his refined pieces of gold a choice people whom Nations shall honour and the people shall call blessed When a man leaves a sordid and ignominious course of sinning he then becomes honourable in the eyes of God and reputable in the eyes of men Now the spots of Leprosie fall off from Naoman and his flesh grows clear and fair but how should this Sun break out if the clouds still remaine Of necessity the life must alter if we would have the opinions of men to alter yea and to what purpose is it to imagine an eternal life hereafter unless we here first live an holy life without which no man shall see God Doth God inable the true penitent to a new and better life or Vse 1 walking then let us reflect on our wayes and lives How do we live What kind of life doâ—st thou live Dâ—ceive not thy self with the goodness of thy heart if thy life be bad What kind of life is that which we do now live Is it the life of a penitent or no Never talk that thy heart is as good to God-ward as any mans though thy life be vile thou deludest thy self if thy life be evil assuredly thy heart is not good The Tree sayes our Saviour is known by his fruits for a person to talk of a penitent heart and what terror he hath had for sin and in some particulars to makâ— a little semblance of godliness when yet all this while he goes on in a course of drunkenness or of uncleanness of riotousness or of lying or of pride or of covetousness or of injustice or of scoffing c. What a monstrous and wilful deceit is this of a mans soul Thou a penitent who art still a servant of Lust Thou a penitent who still walkest in darkness Thou a penitent whose very course of life is nothing but a confutation of repentance a trade in sin Knowest thou not O sinner that where the heart is changed the life will change If thou hast once put off thy corrupt nature thou wilt easily put off thy corrupt conversation Who doth as he did if he be not as he was No real repentance turns us and that is from the love of sin in the heart and from the course of sin in the life as it suffers thee not to be an hypocrite so it abhors that thou shouldst be profane if thy life be bad question it not thy heart is bad that filthy speech comes from thy filthy Nature that haughty look from thy proud Nature that griping hand from thy cruel Nature that fraudulent tongue from thy cousening Nature 2. As much are they deceived who go on gently and gravely in their old Nor with a cold formal negative
of a Father I am that Father in whose house there is bread enough and to spare Do but come back unto me and all shall be well Canst thou live without Bread canst thou live without my Mercy Mercy shall be thine if thou wilt return from thy lost and sinfull courses 4. By directing him into the way of coming back As 1. With mournfull confession of his sins By directing him into the way of Returning Hos 14. 2. Take with you words and return unto the Lord say unto him Take away iniquity and receive us graciously 2. With penitential reformation Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 3. With believing application Thou must go saith God to my Son for he is the way and the life and he came to seek and to save that which was lost Seventhly By laying hold upon him by his Almighty Grace and putting into him a returning heart Now notwithstanding all this the lost sinner is not perfectly found and therefore the Lord doth one thing more he doth with this lost sinner as the shepherd did with the lost sheep who took him on his shoulders and brought him home So the Lord lays hold on this poor lost soul by his Almighty Spirit of Grace and puts into him a returning heart an other heart and makes him willing and glad to leave his sinfull wayes and to return to himself and to implore his reconciled favour and acceptance in Jesus Christ Which being done now is the lost sinner found indeed for then and then onely is a lost sinner found when he in truth turns back to God and enjoys him as his reconciled God in Christ Jer. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding children Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Quest 3. Why doth God thus look after and find a lost sinner Why God doth thus find a lost sinner Sol. The Reasons may be these 1. Although the sinner be not worth the looking after yet the soul of a sinner is worth the looking after The sinner is the Devils creature but the soul is Tâ—e soul is worth the looking after Gods creature The soul that I have made saith God Isa 57. 16. The lost sheep was worth the looking after and so was the lost groat surely then a lost soul is worth the looking after which is at least of as much value as a lost Groat Christ saith Theophylact on Matth. 18. was the man who left the Ninety nine sheep and lookt after one lost sheep he left the the society of Angels in Heaven to find one lost Soul on Earth O the Soul of Man is a precious a valuable Substance made only by God and fit only to match and converse with God 2. As God knows God knows the loss of a soul the worth of a soul so God knows the loss of a Soul O Sirs we make little account of losing souls but verily no loss like the loss of a soul As Christ spake of the fall of that house The fall thereof was great that 's true of the loss of a soul the loss thereof is very great A man in the event loseth nothing though he loseth all the world if his soul be not lost But if the soul be lost all is lost all is lost to an eternity and therefore the Lord out of unspeakable pity looks after a lost sinner Christ hath â—aid down a price for souls 3. Jesus Christ hath laid down a price for some souls and Jesus Christ shall see of the travel of his soul he shall have his purchase to the full value 4. God will have some to magnifie the God will have some to magnifie the riches of his Grace riches of his glorious Grace and Love and Kindness and Mercy yea and to enjoy eternal Glory with himself therefore he will find some lost sinners For no sinner but a found sinner can either glorifie God or be glorified with him The first Use shall be for Examination of our selves Whether Vse 1. Examination Whether our lost souls be found our lost souls be found thus of God or no I will propound unto you 1. Some Arguments or Motives to put you upon this Trial. 2. Then the Trials or Characters of a person whom God in mercy hath found The Arguments which may move us to a serious Trial whether Motives to a serious Trial. we be found persons or no are these 1. Every man is lost but every man is not found All are lost but few are found Every man is lost but every man is not found the way of sin is general but the way of mercy is special Mat. 7. 13. Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat v. 14. But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and â—ew there be that â—ind it You read of a general complaint They are all gone out of the way but you read not of a general acclamation They are all returned into the way Take the way of finding a lost sinner and bringing him home to God either 1. by Repentance Why the number of sinners is exceeding large but the number of repenting sinners is very scant As he said once of an Army Here are many Men but few Souldiers so may it be said in this case Sinners are like the Sands in the sea very numerous but Penitent Sinners are like Pearâ—s in thesea very rare and precious 2. By Faith All are sinners but few very few are â—rue believers Historical Faith though it be a common faith yet it is not very common Who hath believed our report They are the â—ewest part of the world who do credere Christum believe that there is a Christ but how few even of these do credere in Christum believe in Christ And Men are never found till Faith be found in them 2. It is a very bad and a very sad condition not to be found It is a very sad condition not to be found out of but to be found still in a lost condition If it were no more but this That such a person cannot find himself under the clasp or compass of any saving mercy this were heavy To be in a Dâ—sert and not to know that ever he shall come alive out of it to be in the Ocean and not to know that ever he shall come safe to Land to be in a sinfull condition and not to know wheâ—her ever Divine Mercy will pull him out of this condition Yet this is the case of a lost sinner he cannot tell whether ever Divine Mercy will look after him or no perhaps it will perhaps it will not But besides this let 's consider what may find that lost sinner whom Divine Mercy hath not
comes out of the hand of love and kindness O Sirs even the ordinary mercies to a converted man have a sweet distinction in them they are so perfumed they are so distilled they are so carved they are all of them the kisses of a father the gifts of a gracious God Every bit of Bread thou eatest and every draught of Beer thou drinkest and every piece of Cloath thou wearest it is the special provision of thy most gracious God and thy loving Father If some one royal mercy in the Covenant be able sometimes to sweeten an Ocean to turn hell into heaven to wipe off all tears and put the soul almost into an extasie of joy what rivers of joy then can the whole Covenant afford If the lifting up of the light of Gods countenance upon the soul which is but one beam of the Covenant if his saving to a man Soul I am thy Salvation if one word Son be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee imprints a superlative comfort a joy unspeakable and full of glory if one drop be so sweet how sweet is the Fountain if one Grape what is the cluster of Grapes Now not only this or that mercy in the Covenant belongs to a converted man but every mercy the God of all mercies and all the mercies of God the God of all comforts and all the comforts of God 5. True Conversion It is the infallible fore-runner the It is the infallible forerunner of glory earnest the pawn of Glory the pledg which God leaves in hand the first fruits of thy eternal Glory in the highest heavens and is not this a cause of great joy if I look back and see a love from all eternity if forward and see a glory to all eternity Truly if I should never taste Honey on earth if all the Wells of a present comfort were stopped up if my Father should never smile on me in the way if all my Life were a sayling on brinish tears and my Ship were still to be tossed with troublesome waves yet if I were sure at length to put in at this Port to come safe to Heaven at length to appear before the God of Gods at the last to see him in Glory and enjoy his face and the pleasures at his right hand for evermore even this confidence and assurance were enough to make me to rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God Oh Christian besides all that joy which ariseth from converting grace which is it self a sweet Rose and besides all those Honey dewes which fall upon the soul in the exercise of grace in the way to Heaven Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy wayes Isai 64. 5. There is also reserved in the highest heavens that most perfect happiness that most perfect tranquillity that most perfect joy Oh I cannot express it I cannot comprehend it 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath begotten us again unto a lively hope v. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Ponder the words an inheritance the best of possessions incorruptible the best of inheritances undefiled the best of incorruptibles unfading the best of undefileds and reserved in heaven the best of unfadings Nothing is so surely kept as that which is kept in heaven for us and born unto all this and a lively hope of all this Oh what comfort Oh what joy comes out of all this If I had all the world and lookt up towards heaven but my heart should tell me that goodly Canaan will never fall to thy portion it would be now with me as once with Ahab who though he enjoyed a Kingdome yet was very sad because the heavens were as Brass to him But in the midst of all distresses to look up to Heaven to think of God and the future Beatifical Vision and upon infallible grounds to say that God is my Father that Heaven is my inheritance that place of Glory is my home there shall I be shortly there shall I be to eternity I have the earnest of it the pawn of it in my heart the first fruits c. 2. Secondly As to Christ The converted condition cannot As to Christ but be joyful because the converted person hath 1. A neer relation to Christ Bone of his Bone 2. A singular propriety in Christ my beloved is mine c. 3. An admirable revenue by Christ wonderful riches of and by Christ all are yours for ye are Christs 4. He is bought by Christ and reconciled by Christ and loved by Christ and discharged by Christ and owned by Christ and defended by Christ and kept by Christ and shall one day be saved by Christ 3. As to Conscience As a mans conscience is so is his comfort As to Conscience or discomfort so is his joy or sorrow One drop of an evil conscience saith Luther doth imbitter the whole Sea of worldly joy an evil conscience is an hell in the brest and in hell said Latimer there is no mirth and on the contrary a good conscience it is a kind of heaven one good word from it will sweeten all our miseries and cause us to rejoyce under all sorrows Solomon saith it is a continual feast it is the year of Jubilee conscience speaks the truest joy and the strongest joy and the highest joy and no man hath a good conscience but a good man Conscience cannot speak peace till a man be converted and when he is converted conscience hath then a commission and authority to look on the man and speak to the man as God doth When thou hearest of pardon of sins Oh saith conscience hearken and be of good cheer that 's thy portion when thou hearest of Jesus Christ and of his sufferings and of his satisfactions and merits hearken saith conscience and take hold for all this also is thy portion when thou hearest the Covenant of Grace graciously explained and all the glories in heaven Oh saith conscience all this also is thy portion when thou art about to pray and fears are intruding themselves do not fear â—aith conscience thou art speaking to thy Father when thou art about to dye and tremblings are upon thee do not doubt or tremble saith conscience thou art going to thy God when Satan suggests thou hast nothing to do with the mercy-seat what such a sinner thou hast saith conscience when unbelief suggests Christ will have nothing to do with thee he will saith conscience Now against all that hath been said it is objected That the assertion of joy for a converted person cannot be true Because 1. No persons are so exposed to afflictions and persecutions and infamies as converted persons They are appointed to them 1 Thes 3. And they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecutions how can that condition be so very joyful which may and oftentimes doth deprive a man of all his comforts 2. Conversion brings the person into
before true Grace but follows it Do you use to gather fruit before you plant or reap before ye sow 4. Then if ever you would have joy and live joyfull If you would have joy get converted hearts lives get converted hearts Every man desires joy and as the Bee hunts for honey so do men naturally hunt for delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut jucunde aut non omninò Let the thing or condition be what it will if we take no delight in it it is a burthen to us Heaven would not be Heaven to him who cannot find delight in it Now Conversion is the true path to true joy If God would be pleased once to convert thy soul his converting Grace would lick thy sores and pull out the stings in Conscience and sweeten the bitter Springs and clear the Heavens to thee it would make thy bed to be easie and thy bread to be sweet and thy condition to be a Paradise even the Wilderness should drop honey to thee and thy heart should sing for joy It is a witty passage of Bernards de bonis deferendis Be willing to sacrifice thy Isaac and thy Isaac shall live Isaac you know signifies laughter do but sacrifice thy sinfull pleasure and then thy true pleasure shall not die but live Caius gave unto Agrippa a Chain of Gold which was as heavy as the Chain of Iron that he endured in the Prison Sins do â—ut upon us a Chain of Iron which if we would forsake Conversion would put upon as a Chain of Gold thou shalt not lose but better thy pleasures by forsaking of thy sins and the pleasures of them O! that all the joys which you have heard attending a converted condition might allure all our hearts to become converted persons I observe five things about the converted condition in Scripture 1. The invitation unto it and there joy presents it self Turn and live turn and live hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Isa 55. 2. 2. The entrance into it and there joy embraceth the person As soon as the Prodigal Son returned his Father saw him a far off O how quick is Mercy to espy a Convert and had compassion O how tender is Mercy to yern over a Convert and ran O how swift is Mercy to receive a Convert and fell on his neck O how how out-stretching is Mercy to embrace a Convert and kissed him O how kind is Mercy to entertain a Convert 3. The motion or course of it and there joy attends the person I have rejoyced saith David Psal 119. 14. in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches When a converted man doth Mediate his meditation is stiled sweet Hear he hears With joy When they heard this they were glad Pray this is a sweet incense to David And I will make them joyfull in my house of prayer Isa 56. 7. Believe he doth believe and rejoice Mourn there is appointed the oyâ— of joy for mourning Isa 61. 3. Do the will of God it is his delight to do the will of God Suffer Rejoyce saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4 13. in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings 4. The conclusion or end of it why there also doth joy accompany him Psal 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace 5. The reward and recompence of it and there also joy doth clasp the converted person Enter into thy Masters joy saith Christ to the good servant Gaudium supra omne gaudium At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore said David Oâ— that all these things might so affect our hearts this day as to forsake our sins and turn back to God Pleasure is the great â—â—it which is laid forth to catch the soul of man Satan draws us to sin by pleasure and God draws us to grace by pleasure shall pleasure move thee to damn thy soul and shall not true pleasure move thee to save thy soul Our Aversion from God depends much upon pleasure and our Conversion unto God depends much upon pleasure me thinks that Gods promise should be more accounted then the Divels temptation is it not more probable to buy a better penniworth from heaven then from hell and is it not more reasonable to traffick at the gates of life for joy then to trade at the gates of death for comfort Return return O sinner yet yet come back to thy God and do not for lying vanities any longer forsake thine own mercies But God must perswade Japhet Try whether you are in a converted condition or no. There Vse 2. Try whether converted or no. Nine things shew a man is unconverted are two sorts of persons 1. Some plainly unconverted 2. Some deceiving themselves about it Nine things do shew that a man is as yet absolutely in an unconverted condition 1. Vnsensibleness God promiseth to take away the stony heart quanto insensibilior tanto pe jor This is the Stone upon the Grave 2. Love of sin Wicked men are described by this in ScriptuÌ„re 3. Walking in the path of sin It is his work his trade when a man chuseâ—h an evil way and sits in the Chair is a servant of unrighteousness walks in the way fo wicked men 4. Hating to be reformed It is an abomination to him to be good that will rather be damned then reformed breaks the Cords will not have Christ to reign 5. Despising of the means of Conversion The word of the Lord is a reproach to him his heart rageth when the word finds out his sins and would separate him and his lusts 6. Loathing of converted persons cannot endure the sight of grace his special dislikes are of the godly and disgraces and discountenancings of them he is exceedingly displeased and grieved at the estimations of godliness and rejoyceth in the cloudings and setting of it 7. In communion with God It is a note of a wicked man that God is not in all his thoughts and that he call not upon God but is a stranger to him the stil-born child is a dead child 8. Disvaluations of Jesus Christ and of all the precious seasons of grace and opportunities of mercy the Swine tramples upon the Pearl the dayes of the Son of man are of no account with him 9. An earthly rest and satisfaction When he is a man only for this life and for this present world sets up his staff on this side Jordan all his hopes are in this life Secondly Five things which do shew that a man flatters and Five things shew a man deceived about his conversion deceives himself about his condition that it is converted when yet it falls short thereof 1. Meer knowledg though a man knows never so much yet if he be but a knowing man he may be a learned man but he is not a converted man It is one thing to know controversies another thing to know
so for other duties 5. Spiritual joy will exceedingly It will exceddingly facilitate the way and work to heaven facilitate the way and work for heaven It is our facundus Comes which is pro Vehiculo As the fear of the Lord is our treasure Isa 33. 6. So the joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8. 10. An heavy dull sad spirit is a burden ofâ— it self and is very apt to make every thing else a burden Now spiritual joy it takes off dulness and deadness and enables us to run the way of Gods Commandments and to run the race that is set before us Amanti nihil difficile it makes our spiritual work to come off the Wheels run if oyled Quest This is true will some reply but what should converted What should converted persons do to walk joyfully persons do that they may walk joyfully Sol. There are two sorts of converted persons Incipientes who are newly called newly wrought on newly brought home and these ordinarily are full of fears of doubts of temptations of conflicts of heaviness Proficientes who are long standers in the wayes of grace Will you favour me to speak a few words to either of these 1. To persons newly converted I would humbly present Directions To persons newly converted these directions as proper means or Conduits of joy and comforts to their souls 1. Draw up your spiritual condition to some issue Do not live with a doubtful suspition perhaps you are converted perhaps Draw up your Spirituall condition to some Issue you are not converted As ignorance is an enemy to grace so doubtfulness is an enemy to comfort That man who is still in suit whether his Conversion be true will not dare to lay claim to the joyes which result from Conversion If I fear my grace I shall much more fear my comfort Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Therefore do this bring thy souls estate to the word that is the rule that is the fire that is the touchstone if the Word of God will approve and decide for thee bless God and maintain the truth of thy spiritual estate against all the suggestions of Satan and cavils of thine own heart when once that doth say truth of grace is in thee conscience will say truth of comfort belongs unto thee 2. Get a little more faith one dram more would turn the the scale and settle thine heart Faith trades with the Fountain Get a little more saith with the God of Comfort and of Peace and with Jesus Christ It is Faith that lets you into Christ and it is Faith which lets comfort into you The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. There are five priviledges of Faith It hath the first look of Mercy it hath the first kiss from Christ it hath the first news of acceptance unto Life it hath the first answer of Peace it hath the first draught of Joy Oh get a little more faith a little more faith would weaken the grounds of thy fears quell the motions of thy doubts clear thy way to the fountains of comfort imprint on thy heart a most joyful Communion with thy God and Christ no life of joy but that of faith 3 And Learn to live by faith and then you will have more Learne to live by faith joy and comfort Four things would make a mans life very joyfull and comfortable 1. If he were eased of all burthens 2. If he were secured from all prejudices 3. If what he had were good and enough 4. If he were assured that whatsoever good he should need of that he should not fail but be supplied with it in due time Now the life of faith 1. Easeth you of all your burthens There are but two burthens upon us 1. The sinfull Faith sees this taken off by Christ He bare our sins 2. The earthly of cares Faith sees Gods providence taking that off The Lord is a Sun c. Psal 84. I will never leave thee Heb. 13. Bread shall be given to him his waters shall be sure Isa 33. 16. Cast your care on him for he careth for you 1 Pet. 5. 7. 2. Secures you against all prejudices and hurts Faith finds us still in Gods hands and in a safe custody Though there be evils in the world yet they shall not come nigh you and his work goes on though ours do not God is with you who can be against you There 's a Deluge but Noah's in the Ark a storm but you are in an hiding place He holds you in his hand and covers you under his wings makes all things to work for good Faith sees the Trouble and the Sanctuary both Occurrences and Providence both ruling carrying on observing watching preserving If Earth won't keep you safe Heaven shall 3. It renders the present possession as good and enough Your portion is so For what is a Christians portion Is not God is not his favour And is not God enough is not his favour better then life He who cannot be contented with a God and a Christ and a Covenant of Grace and Heaven will be satisfied with nothing You have but little of Earth Aâ— but you have God and Christ If a man have but a little Garden yet if he have a large field c. A little of Earth and much of Heaven makes a fair Estate 4. It assures you of supplies universal and seasonable Vniversal I shall not want Psal 23. 1. No good thing will he withhold Psal 84. 11. No good for soul no good for body you have his Bonds for both and this is for life Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life Psal 23. Nay for everlastingness I will marry thee to my self for ever Hos 2. 19. 2. Seasonable In an acceptable time c. In the mount God will be seen 4. Get a little more understanding and judgment about your converted Get more understanding and judgment about your converted condition and gracious condition Shall I help thee a little with a few Considerations and Informations Know then 1. The great Fountain of thy Joy lies more in thy Justification then in thy Sanctification Thou hast not so much Holiness as another but thou hast of Christs Righteousness thou canst not apprehend so strongly but thou art apprehended as strongly Christ lays as fast hold of thee 2. That Grace and Weakness may dwell together It may be very true though very weak the smoaking flax and the bruised reed and the grain of mustard-seed A Father hath one Child in the Cradle and another in the Shop a Shepheard hath Lambs in the flock as well as Sheep the Gardiner hath Plants as well as Trees and Christ hath Babes as well as strong Men belonging to him 3. That the least Grace and the great Love of God do go together The little drop of Grace comes out of the Ocean of his great Love