this tend those expressions of Moses He is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he and of David he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him and again Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Indeed the Gods of the Heathen were such as had been impure filthy men and therefore as one of themselves argueth no Gods but the true God cannot be charged with any iniquity nay as Carthusian enlargeth it because it may be said of the Angels that stand and the Saints that are glorified they have no darkness of sin at all in them in God there is not so much as a defectibility or mutability which yet is in the Creatures if considered in themselves because of their dependency though the reducing of it into act is impossible in regard of their plenary confirmation in the state of bliss God then as Aquinas excellently is a pure a most pure act without the least potentialitie and so this in the highest sense agreeth to him and to him onely he is light and in him is no darkness at all 2. These words are true of God not onely formally but causally in himself but in regard of his influence and that in both the clauses 1. God is light that is according to St. Iames expression The Father of lights so that whatever light there is in any Creature it is but a ray a beam of his excellency That distinction of a threefold kinde of light is very considerable to this purpose there is lux light Illuminata non illuminans enlightned and not enlightning to wit the air Illuminata illuminans enlightned and enlightning such is the moon Illuminans non illuminata enlightning but not enlightned and this is the Sun It is that which may fitly be applyed here all Christians are lights as the air Ministers are lights as the moon but onely God is light as the Sun to wit receiving no light from any other and communicating to others what light they have and this exposition Zanchy conceiveth most sutable to the Apostles meaning in this place making the paralell to run thus Look as the lâ—ght where it ariseth and displayeth its beams expels darkness with all the effects of it and maketh all to be clear and lightsome so doth God to all them who have fellowship with him impart the light of his grace so that they can no longer walk in the darkness of sin and though I conceive that the Apostles aim is chiefly to describe the purity of Gods nature in himselfe and thereby the repugnancy of walking in darknesse and consonancy of walking in the light to him both because this carrieth in it a full sense correspondent to the Apostles intention and also because the phrases of no darkness in him and afterwards his being in the light do intimate that these words are to be understood rather subjectivè then effectivè of what God is in himself then what he doth to us yet withall I cannot but acknowledge this construction to be both pious and ingenuous 2. And accordingly the sense of the other clause in him is no darkness at all amounts to this that he is not cannot be the cause of any darkness It is true God is said in Scripture to create darknesse as well as to form light but that is the darkness of calamity not of iniquity it is true God hath an hand even in the darkness of sin so far as to limit it how far it shall spread and no farther as to permit that it shall be suffer men to walk in it as judicially to withhold the light of his grace from them who love darkness rather then light whereby they plunge themselves into greater darkness Finally so as to bring light out of the darkness good out of evill and make all the darkness of sin tend accidentally to illustrate the glory of his own wisdom justice and mercy but still farre be it from him to be any way an impelling cause of any wickedness Indeed these two do one necessarily flow from the other There is no darkness in therefore none can be from him nil dat quod non habet is a known rule in Phylosophy no cause can communicate to another what it hath not in it self surely then God having no darkness in himselfe cannot be any cause of it in us Besides he is an hater an avenger of darkness and it cannot consist with his justice to be a punisher of it were he himself the Authour In a word It is impossible that the same cause should directly produce contrary effects can the same fountain send forth sweet and bitter fresh and salt water no more can God who is light and the natural cause of light be the author of darkness To draw to an end in a word of application 1. Our Apostle here implicitely teacheth us by what means we may come to know something of God indeed those three ways which the Schools mention of knowing God per viam causalitatis eminentiae remotionis by way of efficiency eminency and remotion are all to be found in this Scripture We know God by way of causality when we assert him the prime supreme universal cause of all good whatsoever we know him by way of eminency when we attribute to God whatsoever perfection or worth there is in any or all the creatures and that as being in him after a more eminent manner Finally we know God by way of remotion when we deny of him whatever imperfection and defect is observable in the creature A taste of all these our Apostle here giveth us since if we understand the words both formally and causally he proclaimeth him the cause of that light and beauty and excellency that is in us he attributeth to him that which is the most noble among inanimate creatures light and he removeth from him darknesse which is a defect and deformity 2. Learn we with this holy Apostle to have high and holy thoughts of God as most pure and free from all pollution Indeed there have not wanted such Sonnes of Belial who have charged God with sin as the Luciferians who blame God for dooming Lucifer to eternal darknes the Talmud which blasphemously forgeth the new moons as appointed for an expiation of a fault in the deity of taking away the light from the moon and giving it to the Sun and too many there have been who charge their own sins upon God as Plautus brings in a deboyst wretch pleading for himselfe dii voluerint and St. Augustine speaketh of some Jewes who would say when they had done any crime Deus voluit Oh let all such opinions be to us as they were to that Father detestable and abominable and as St. Basil adviseth though Gods counsels may many times seem strange to our reason yet let that axiom be firmly rooted in our minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
1. Some interpreters make faithful and just to be synonima's therefore he is faithful and just because it is just he should be faithful in this respect the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth truth is by the Septuagint translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth righteousnesse nor is it without reason because it is a righteous thing to be true before a man maketh a promise he is free to make it or not but when he hath made it he is not free to keep it or not by promise a man becometh a debtor and for one to pay his debt is no more then just Indeed this is not exactly true in regard of God because we never so fully perform the condition but it is justly lyable to exception yet after a sort it is that which he accounts himself engaged to in point of justice to perform all his promises and therefore though it is meer mercy which maketh it is justice which fulfilleth the promise This interpretation Socinus layeth hold on hereby to evade the doctrine of satisfaction which this word according to its proper sense doth clearly â—avour But the designe of the Holy Ghost being in these words to strengthen our weak faith in beleeving the pardon of sin I conceive we shall do best to expound the words in that way which may most â—onduce to this end and that is as affording not only a single but a double prop to our faith from a double attribute in God and therefore I waâ—e this interpretation 2. Others there are who distinguishing these two understand by justice mercy so Grotius here saith I interpret just to be good gentle and Illyricus observeth that righteousnesse is sometimes taken for benignity and clemency in this respect iâ— is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth mercy is sometimes by the Sepâ—uagint rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth righteousnes agreeable hereunto the Greâ—k word for almes is by the Syriach rendred righteousness the merciful mans bounty is by the Psalmist and St. Paul called righteousnesse yea upon this account mercy and righteousnesse gracious and righteous are joyned together and David promiseth if God would deliver him from blood guiltinesse he would sing aloud of his righteousnesse And now according to this interpretation we see another impulsive cause of forgivenesse namely the grace mercy clemency of God Among others there are two Greek words by which pardon is set forth that excellently confirm this truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former by St. Paul which comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to forgive freely and intimateth free grace to be the spring of pardon the latter by the Authour to the Hebrews in that quotation of the Prophet I will be merciful to their sins and their transgressions which is by shewing mercy to the sinner in the forgivenesse of his sins so that we may hence learn to what we are to ascribe the pardon of our sins meerly the good will and grace and mercy of God Indeed we shall still find all those benefits especially spiritual which we receive attributed to mercy the regeneration of our nature according to his mercy he hath begottâ—n us the salvation of our soules according to his mercy he saved us and the remission of our sins through the tender mercy of our God oh let us admire the bowels of love the riches of grace the treasures of mercy which are manifested in pardoning and cleansing our sins 3. But though this interpretation may be received yet since it is a good rule in expounding Scripture to keep to the proper meaning of the words if there be not very good reason to the contrary and there being no reason why we should here recede from I have chosen rather to adhere to the litterall sence of the word Iust. For though it be true that 1. The commission of sin deserveth punishment and therefore justice which giveth every one their due calls for the punishing not the remitting of sin and 2. The confession of sin cannot as hath been before asserted deserve pardon because it is no proportionable compensation of the offence Upon which grounds it appeareth that this justice which forgiveth cannot be in respect of us yet it still is a truth in regard of Christ God is just to forgive so that a Gualtâ—r well he cannot but forgive unlesse he will be unjust to his own Son and inasmuch as our Apostle in the foregoing verse save one expressely attributes this cleansing to Christs blood this interpretation of justice is doubtlesse most genuine and congruous To clear briefly and perspicuously this sweet truth of pardoning justice be pleased to know that 1. The mâ—ledictory sentence of death denounced by the law against sinners was inflicted by God upon Christ this is that which the Prophet Esay positively asserts where he saith the chastisement that is the punishment called a chastisement because inflicted by a father and onely for a time of our peace was upon him and again he was oppressed and he was afflicted which according to the genuine sence of the original is better rendred it was exacted to wit the punishment of our sin and he was afflicted or he answered to wit to the demand of the penalty It may be here enquired how it can stand with Godâ— justice â—o inflâ—ct punishment upon the guiltles and if this doubt be not cleared we shall stumble at the threshold and the foundation of this pardoning justice will be layed in injustice and truly when we find God saying the soul which sinneth shall die and asserting those who condemne the righteous as an abomination to him it is hard to imagin how he can himself justly punish the innocent for the nocent To remove this scruple consider 1. That God did inflict death on Christ is undeniable and who may question the justice of his actions when as things are therefore just because he wills them to be done whose will is the supream rule of justice 2. There cannot be a more necessitating reason of Gods afflâ—cting Christ by death then this so that if it be not just for God to inflict it upon him on this ground it is much lesse upon any other That Christ should die for the confirmation of his doctrine was needless it was done sufficiently by miracles To make way by death to his glory was not necessary he might have been translated as were Enoch and Eliah To dye only as an example of patience and fortitude to his followers is a far less cogent cause then to dye as an example of Gods justice and severity against sin nor need he have died for that end since the death of any of his Apostles might have been exemplary in that kind Finally had he died only for the declaration of Gods immense love to us and not for the demonstration of his severe justice against sin whilest he had been so
that no evill can come from the good God no darknesse from him who is light Indeed there are two attributes of God wherein he especially delights his mercy and his holinesse Oh let us take heed how we diminish the one or deface the other when we speak of God after the manner of men as we represent his power by the arm his mercy by the bowels his justice by the hand so his holinesse by the face Oh how great an injury must he needs account it if we shall throw dirt in his face and therefore remember the caution of S. Iames let no man say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God for God tempteth no man neither can he be tempted 3. Lastly let us learn of whom to seek whatsoever light we stand in need of Every good and every perfect gift saith the forementioned Apostle commeth down from above we must shine in his beam be kindled at his flame and be lighted by his torch Like the moon we are dark bodies till the glory of the Lord arise upon us if we lack any light of wisdom of grace of comfort we must ask it of and onely expect it from God And therefore in a sense of our own darknesse let us sue to him for that spiritual illumination which may guide and conduct us through the wildernesse of this world till we come to the heaven of heavens where God in an especial manner is the light of it and in his light we shall see light even the light of his face in glory for ever THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. IOHN CHAP. I. Ver. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth IT is an undoubted truth that all parcels of holy Writ are alike in respect of their divine authority and un-erring verity But it is as true that there is some difference between them in respect of clear perspicuity and beneficiall utility some parts of Scripture being as more plain so more useful then others Such no doubt are those upon which the Holy Ghost hath as it were set a mark and to which he hath affixed an asterisme Thus when we meet with a Selah in the close or a verily verily in the beginning of any sentence and yet when we find any dignifying clause placed in the front or rere of any discourse it is no doubt the spirits intention to put us hereby on a more serious consideration on such Scriptures as containing somewhat in them of more then ordinary importance No doctrine more fundamentally necessary to be beleeved then thaâ— of salvation by Christ incarnate and therefore St. Paul doth not barely assert it but prefixeth an encomium before it This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation no lesson more needful to be learned by a beleever then that of maintaining good works and therefore the same Apostle calling upon beleevers to learn it annexeth a Preface This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly And surely upon this very account we have a great deal of reason to look upon this present Text as neerly concerning us since we find the doctrines of it ushered in with an Exordium This is the message which we have heard of him and declare to you c. 3. Having already led you through the porch and given you a view of the foundation I hope I shall not need to go back and take a re-view passe we therefore into the rooms of this fabrick which are a Reproof and a Promise the one in the sixth the other in the seventh verse that is as it were on the left hand inhabited by those whom Christ will one day place on his left hand to wit presumptuous hypocrites and the other on the right iâ—habited by those who shall be set on Christs right hand namely sincere and holy Christians 1. The Reproofe is that I am now to beginne with concerning which before I fall upon particulars it will not be amiss to observe in general that it is at once both sharp and milde discovering those two graces to be sweetly conjoyned in this Apostle which it is pity they should in any be severed zeal discretion the one making him faithful and the other gentle in framing his reprehension 1. On the one hand it is very considerable what plainness of speech St. Iohn useth in this reproof he is not meal mouth'd but sharp tongued in home and down right language he telleth these sinners their own It might have sufficed the Apostle to say They who walk in darkness can have no fellowship with God but see he useth more harsh terms giving them the lye who say they have fellowship with God and walk in darkness we sâ—y in our English proverb a lye deserveth the stab it is accounted by all Nations an high offence to tell a man he lyeth but the zeal of this holy man maketh him bold and sharp in his expressions How well doth fervent vehemency become a Minister in all his addresses to the people but especially when he reproveth Some in dealing with sinners and rebuking their sins are like men that handle thorns as if they durst not touch them they are loath to rub too much upon their Auditors sores and dare not peirce them to the quick but surely as a cold and heartless Petitioner beggeth a deniall so a cold and heartless reprover doth but harden and hearten the sinner in his evill ways St. Paul bids Titus not onely to reprove but to do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharply so our Translators cuttingly so the force of the originall like good Chyrurgions that lance and search the sore to the bottom indeed a pittifull cruelty is far better than a cruell pitty yea and there is found health in those smart wounds And indeed if we consider with whom our Apostle had to do we shall find it was not without just reason that he is so bitter against them It is the counsell of St. Iude concerning offenders of some have compassion making a difference but others save with fear pulling them out of the fire we must put a difference in the persons whom we reprove and accordingly put a difference in our reproofs those who offend through infirmity and declare themselves penitent are to be rebuked with lenity least they be swallowed up of grief and dispair but others we must save with fear that is by terrifying them with threats and with a loving violence plucking them out of the fire of those destructive courses Such are all obstinate trangressors who offending hainously are to be checked severely to whom when they spurn at our rebukes we returne St. Austins answer When you amend your lives we shall mend our language More especially of this kinde are presumptuous hypocrites a sort of men with whom our Apostle had here to do and which of all others deserve to be roughly handled and that
God with all his heart with all his soule with all his might and with all his strength ex hoc vitio noÌ„ est justus super terram by reason of this defect no man can be perfectly just upon earth for though a negative imperfection such as there was in Adam as created by if compared with God be no sin yet a privative imperfection such as is now in our best righteousnesse undoubtedly is It is no fault for a thing not to be so perfect as another is but it is a fault for a thing not to be so perfect as it ought to be and therefore because no grace existing in us ariseth to that degree no duty performed by us is exactly according to the manner which Gods law requireth it must needs be a sin where then it is said of any person by God himselfe that they are righteous as of Noah Job and others it is to be conceived saith the learned Chamer as a testimony given of them according to the indulgence of mercy not the rigour of justice and where the works of godly men are called good works though they are absolutely called good works yet they are not absolutely good since as St. Gregory saith of himself so may every Saint My â—vill actions are purely evill but not so my good actions indeed we must distinguish of sins per se per accidâ—ns the good actions of wicked men are not sins in themselves but as performed by them we must further distinguish between sinful actions and sin in an action the good works of the godly are not sinful works but yet they have sin in them so that to summe it up the best actions of bad men are turned into sin and the best actions of good men are accompanied with sin so that none can say no not in respect of their good duties We have not sinned And yet I do not hereby assert what some do too rigidly that a man sinneth in every action he doth there are some actions done by men that are not humane but natural and those cannot be said to have sin in them besides there may be in a renewed man some suddain emanations of the will as regenerate antecedencies to the conflicts and lustings of the will as corrupt and those may be conceived as sinlesse but still all deliberate actions must needs have some sin cleaving to them As for those doctrines therefore which assert a possibâ—lity of keeping the law of an unsinning estate in this life I say as Jeremy upon Hananiahs prophesie of the speedy deliverance to the Jews Amen the Lord do so Oh that we might be so perfect but still I must assert with St. Austin it is a state magis optandus quà m sperandus to be desired yea and endeavoured but not to be hoped for in this life and here with St. John If we say we have no sin if we say we have not sinned we deceive our selves To apply this doctrine It is worthy to be considered by three sorts of persons The wicked the weak the strong 1. Let wicked men take heed how they abuse this doctrine it is too usual a consectary which ungodly wretches draw from these prâ—mises If the best cannot say they have no sin no wonder if we commit sin and they think it a sufficient excuse for their flagitious wickedness every man hath his faults would you have us chaster then David soberer then Noah have not the godliest fallen into sin so that as we may say of many rich men It were happy for them if they did beleeve that errour of Pelagius to be true an impossibility of rich mens salvation since it would divert them from Earth to Heaven whereas because they may lawfully care for the things of the earth they care for nothing else the like we may say of many wicked men It were happy for them they did beleeve Pelagius his errour in this particular to be true That men might be without sin sure because they hear no man can be without sinne they think themselves safe enough though they live in sin But oh thou foolish sinner knowest thou not that though no man can be without moats yet good mâ—n are without beams they have infirmities but they are free from enormities knowest thou not that though no man can be altogether without sin yet he is best that hath the least and every good man striveth to his utmost against all sin and therefore take heed how thou cheat thy self with these false reasonings 2. Let weak Saints hence comfort themselves against the stirrings of their lusts the sense of their infirmities and their daily frailâ—ies which they find accompanying them it is too usuall with tender consciences to be too harsh to themselves and because they find much sin to conclude that they have no grace Indeed it is good to be jealous of our own hearts still to suspect our graces our duties lest they be counterfeit but withall we must take heed how we censure them to be counterfeit because they are imperfect There may be good gold where there is much drosse burning fire hid under many ashes and the truth of grace may be in that heart which is sensible of various and strong lusts indeed these burres of sinfull corruption as they cleave to us so they should prick us our manifold imperfections and infirmities should be the matter of our griefe but not of our despair we cannot be too bitter against our sins even the least yet we must not be too severe against our selves because of those lesser sins which we cannot be rid of if the holy Prophets Apostles Martyrs could not whilest on earth say they had no sinne no wonder if thou groan under the weight of many sins 3. Let strong Saints be hence admonished to be 1. Lowly in their own eyes That God will not have his Saints altogether free from sinne in this life is not opus impotentiae but sapientiae from want of power but abundance of wisdome and one special reason why the godly have sinne still adhering to them is to keep them humble and poor in spirit Indeed Pelagius scoffes at this as a great absurdity that sinne should be a meanes to prevent sinne as if fire could put out fire but St. Austin answereth him fully that it is no unusuall thing for a Chirurgion to cure a griefe by causing grief puting his patient to pain that he may remove his pain and we may answer him in his own instance That fire is the way to fetch out fire The truth is it is not the remainder of sin but the sence of those remainders which is a means to humble us and abate that spiritual pride which is too apt to arise even from our graces and look as grace accidentally causeth the sin of pride so our sins accidentally cause the grace of humility when therefore we are at any time apt to pride our selves in our gay feathers
preist as necessary to remission yea in her last conventicle rather then councill pronounceth an anathema to all who shall deny this particular sacramentall confession ro the preist to be of divine right yea though I abhorre the practice of it as used among them by the priest as a stratagem to vntie the peoples purses and a pick lock to open the secrets of states by the peoplâ— not as an hedge but a gap to make way for future commissions with more freedome after they have as they suppose cleansed themselves by confession Yet I could heartily wâ—sh that the right use of private confession to the priest were revived and practâ—ced since I am confident that as many having secret dâ—seases pâ—rish for want of revealâ—ng them to an able Phâ—sitian so may sin sick soules either wholly miscarry or however sadâ—y continue and increase their inward wounds for want of making known their case to some faithfull minâ—ster But the confessâ—on which our Apostle here intends is no doubt onely in reference to God for besides that it is a confession to be made by the Apostles and so the mâ—nisters themselves as well as the people it is clearly intimated that this confession must be made to him who is just and faithfull to forgive and that is onely God indeed this confession is that which must accompany all the rest when wee confesse the wrong to man wee must confesse the sin to God when we acknowledge the scandall to the Church still we must acknowledge the sin to God finally when we confesse too our confession must not be â—ermâ—nated in the Mâ—nister and though it bee made before him yet it must be directed to God The truth is those confessions without this are not avaylable but this may nay will be without those if God deny the opportunity of them indeed it is God who is â—ither mediately or immediately injured it is Gods law which is dâ—rectly violated in all sinnes and therefore to him they must be confâ—ssâ—d Thus David said I will confâ—sse my transgressâ—ons unto the Lord and the prodâ—gall resolveth to goe to his Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and St. Chrisostomâ— advâ—seth yea beseecheth the pâ—ople to acknowledge theâ—r sinnes continually to God to confesse them before the judge praying if not wâ—th their tongue yet their hearts and so much bee spoken in answer to the second quaere How this confession must be performed is next to bee resolved to which end be pleased to take notice of the Antecedent Ingredients and consequent of a right acknowledgement 1. There cannot bee agnitio if there be not cognitio peccati an acknowledging unless there precede a knowledge of sin David puts them together I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me â—f our sinnes bee not before us how can we set them before God and therefore to the right exercise of this duty thâ—re is required a praevious examination of our hearts inspection into our lives that we may be enabled to see our sinnes hee that hath not yet asked himselfe that question quid feci what have I done can never make the confession sic feci thus thus I have done in this respect I would though not require yet advise it as a pious and prudent practice and that which I doubt not but many Christians have found benefit by to keepe a constant daily Catalogue as of mercies received so of sinnes committed 2. The Ingredients of this confession are many and such as well deserve our observation A right confession of sin must be 1. Free and voluntary not a confession upon the rack or the gallowes extracted meerely from sence of paine and smart of the punishment wee read of confessions made by Pharaoh and Saul but it was when Judgement either feared or felt compelled them to iâ— Many cast out their sinnes by confession as Marâ—ners doe their warâ—s in a storm wishing for them again in a calme a true confession must be ingenious and must come like water out of a spring which floweth freely not like water out of a stâ—ll which is forced by fire 2. Cordiall and sincere confession to men is a worke of the voyce but to God of the heaâ—t and that so peculiarly as oftimes the heart alone is sufficient without the voycâ— but never the voyce without the heart many mens confessions come from them as water runs through a pipe they leave no impression their hearts are not affected with what they confesse O let us learne to be in good earnest with God remembring that as prayer for mercy so confession of sin must not be onely a lip labour since then instead of offering the calves of our lips wee shall but offer the lips of calves 3. Penitent and abasing This is that which puts forth it selfe in a Three fold affection of shame of griefe of hatred wee must confesse 1. With shame This was Ezrahs temper when he saith oh my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to heaven to bee ashamed to confesse is bad but to confesse with shame is good those words of the Prophet so wil we render the the calves of our lips are by velasques expounded of penitent confession which whilest it brings by shame redness into the cheâ—ks as it were le ts out the bloud of the sacrificed calfe by the knife of repentance 2. With griefe Thus the publican for shame stands a farre off not daring to lift his eyes to heaven for grief smiteth his hreast David doth not onely say I will declare but I will be sorry for my sin the people of God in the day of their confession not onely say wee have sinned but draw water and poure it out before the Lord in token of contrition wee should in confessing sins have our hearts so affected that our eyes with Job may poure teares before God that with David rivers of teares may run down our eyes yea wee should wish with Ieremy that our head were water and our eyes a fountaine of teares But however nonne stillabit oculus noster if we cannot poure out shall wee not drop a tear or at least if we cannot shed a tear let us breath forth a sigh for our sins it is onely the heart broken with godly sorrow that sends forth a true confession 3 With hatred confession is the soules vomit and looke as what the stomack vomits it loaths yea therefore it casts it up because it loaths it so must wee confess our sins with an holy indignation against and detestation of them There are beloved too many who declare their sin but it is to use the prophet Isaiahs comparison as Sodom with impudency they made a sport of acting and they make a â—east of confessing their sins these are they who according to St. Pauls expression glory in theâ—r shame mention their sin not with sorrow but joy hatred but delight
before God by self accusation it is in vain to expect his absolution Those words of the wise man Life and Death are in the power of the tongue are not unfitly morallized by one to this purpose if our tongues keepe silence nothing but death to bee expected iâ— they speake in humble acknowledgement life is assured This is the course of the court of heaven directly contrary to the courts on earth as St. Chrisostome and others have observed with men confession is the ready way to condemnation with God there is no other way to remissâ—on he that doth not conceale his offence from the judge is sure to suffer he that doth endeavour to hide his sin from God shall surely suffer so the sentence was against the speechlesse offender take him bind him hand and foote cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 2. It is an inclusive condition such as where ever it is found the benefit is certainly conferd this supposition may truely be turned into a position this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verily Godwill forgive thâ— who confess their sins It is not an it may bee God will forgive or an who knoweth but hee will forgive but a surely hee will forgive there is not onely a possibility or probability but a certainty of remission to confessing sinners St. Bernard to this purpose taketh notice of a booke which God keepeth as it were in heaven and saith apposiâ—ely quod ibi serâ—bit transgressio delet confessio what sin writeth in confession blotteth out of thaet bookâ— hence it is that wee finde God himselfe prescribing this as the ready wâ—y to forgivenesse his ministers assuring pardon upon the performance of this so Nathan did David yea sinners actually obtaining pardon upon this so did David and the Prodigall which is observable in both those penitents Gods remission seemed as it were to prevent their confession and interpose it selfe betweene the purpose and the performance of it David onely said Hee would confess and God forgave and the Prodigall said I will arise and goe and whilest yet hee was a great way the Father runs to meet him And now if any shall say wee have set upon this course but not yet found this comfort wee have confessed our sinnes and they are not at least in our apprehension forgiven I answer perhaps thou hast not been serious and ingenious in thy confession thou hast confessed some sinnes but not all or thy confessions have not been so cordiall and penitent as they ought to bee and no wonder if fayling in the right performance of the condition thou doest not finde the accomplishment of the promise but if thy endeavours have been sincere in confessing thou must then distinguish between the reall condonation and the sensible manifestation thy sins may be forgiven in heaven and yet not in thy conscience as God many times heareth prayer and yet the petitioner findes no answer so hee pardoneth sin to the penitent and yet hee doth not know of it and therefore still it remaineth as a truth remission is undoubtedly annexed to confession tantum valent tres syllabae peccavi saith St. Austine of so great force are those three syllables in the latin three words in the English when uttered with a contrite heart I have sinned to obtaine forgivenesse of our sinnes To end this therefore and so dismisse the first Generall of the text What an engagement and incouragement should this bee to the practice of this duty 1 The necessity should engage us might pardon be had upon any other terms this might be dispensed with but it canot be there is not only necessitas praecepti a necessity by vertue of a command though truely Gods bare command is a sufficient obligation and therefore Tertullian accounts it boldnesse to dispute of the good of repentance when as we have a precept injoyning it but there is necessitas medii a necessity in reference to the end of forgivenesse and happinesse there being no other meanes or way wherein it is to be obtained since by concealing of and indulging to our sins wee exclude Gods indulgence 2. The utility should encourage us were it onely Gods honour which is hereby advanced it should be a prevailing motive confession of sin though it publish the ill qualities of the peccant yet it hath this good quality that it ascribeth to God his divine attributes omniscience acknowledging it were in vaine to hide from him that seeth already mercy since it were madnesse to make confession where wee conceived no compassion Iustice which wee acknowledge might utterly consume us patience which is the onely cause that vengeance did not presently follow our sins finally power that there is no way to fly from him but to goe to him in humble confessions To this purpose St. Austin tels us est confessio laudantis et gementis there is the confession of the thankfull of the sorrowful nay the confession of sin is a confession of prayse yea bis Deum laudamus ubi pie nos accusamus by taking shame to our selves we give double glory to God But if zeal for Gods glory will not induce us yet love to our selves should oblige us since as it is Gods honour so it is our comfort he hath the Glory wee have the good his is the prayse ours is the profit we being truely intituled to qualified for the blessing of remission for this reason no doubt it is that the Divel striveth what he can of all duties to hinder us from this of confession lupus appreheÌ„dit guttur ovis the Wolfe catcheth at the throat of the sheep that is the divels aim to stop our coÌ„fessions because he knoweth how advantagious the performance of it will be unto us indeed therefore he would not have us to accuse our selves that he might accuse us but according to St. Ambrose his councell praeveni accusatorem tuum let us be wise to prevent him and the moâ—e hee disswades us from let us with the greater fervency set upon this duty which as it is acceptable to God because it exalts his glory so it is profitable to us in obtaining our pardon Nor let us onely be ingaged and encouraged to the duty it selfe but to the râ—ght manner of performance it is that upon which as it were our everlasting comfort depends and therefore how carefull should wee bee so to manage it as wee may not misse of our comfort Wouldest thou then that God should ignoscere cover doe thou agnoscere discover thy sins wouldest thou have no sin unpardoned let no sin be unconfessed if thou wouldest not have God impute thy sinnes to thee doe thou charge them upon thy selfe wouldest thou have God to spare thee doe not spare thy sinnes wouldest thou speed well in the Court of heaven tell the worst tale thou canst against thy selfe wouldest thou have him freely to forgive doe
therefore God sent his Son to satisfie for our sins yet he is truly said to remit it to us and though upon satisfaction it is an act of justice yet it was mercy which afforded the way and means of accomplishing this satisfaction 2. This satisfaction though tendered by Christ might not have been accepted by God to this purpose it is which Grotius excellently observeth that one man be discharged by the punishment of another there must intervene an act of the supream Governour and that no other then an act of grace for the law requâ—reth that the punishment should be inflâ—cted on the person offending and accordingly justâ—ce might exact the penalty from the person himself so that notwithstanding satisfaction be made by another yet there must be a gracious act which in respect of the law is relaxation and of the offendâ—r remission That therefore God is pleased to accept from Christ what he might in justice have required of us is from no other cause then his gracious clemency and in this respect it is that the case between God and a sinner is not like that between a creditor and a debtor but a King and a malefactor because if the debt be payed whether by the debtor or the surety it matters not nor can the creditor receiving the debt from whomsoever it be if upon the debtors account be said to forgive him his debt whereas the malefactor is bound by the law to suffer in his own person and therefore the King accepting another in his stead is truly said to pardon him as dispensing with that which his law in the rigour of it did requirâ— To summe it up Remission and satisfaction are not repugnant when that satisfaction is accepted which might have been refused and when the person who receiveth the benefit is no way contributory to the performing of it now both these are manifest in Christs satisfaction for that which we do and not that neither of our selves but by Gods grace is only to the applying not at all to the performing of this satisfaction and though Christs satisfaction was so full that it could not be excepted against as to the aequivalency nay redundancy of its value yet God might not have accepted of it in our behalf had he not so decreed of his meer goodnesse By all which it appeareth that there is a sweet contemperation of iustice and mercy in this work so that we may truly say in the remission of our sins righteousnesse and peace meet together and kiss each other whilst justice hath satisfaction in the punishment of the offence and mercy sheweth it self by appointing Christ to make this satisfaction and accepting of it in the sinners behalf whereby he is as to himself freely and graciously as to Christ justly and righteously remitted And surely this being well considered every crevis will be stopt at which despair might creep in When a sinner is sensible of sins there is nothing more affrighteth him then the meditation of Gods justice but see Christ having made satisfaction that justice which was before a cause of fear becometh a support of our hope and when thaâ— which only could discourage us is a ground of comfort what can terrifie us If then at any time upon remembrance of the guilt of sin we begin to faint considering that God is just to hate and punish sin committed let us upon remembrance of Christs satisfaction which God hath accepted in behalfe of all believing and penitent sinners be established and quieted in our minds considering that God is just to forgive sin confessed Indeed the debt being payed by Christ Gods very Justice as I may say with reverence would trouble him if he should not give in the bond and give out an acquittance The pardon of beleevers sins is as it were the wages of his obedience a legacy he bequeathed at his death yea the end of shedding his blood so that as the wages of an hireling detained the Will of one that is dead having left wherewithall to satisfie unperformed yea the blood of one suffering in anothers sâ—ead if that party should notwithstanding be executed must needs cry and that aloud for justice which is hereby very much violated So would Christs death that even against God himself if he should not grant a pardon to them that beleevingly and penitently confess Go then thou burthened sinner to God with boldnesse and in an humble confidence sue out thy pardon not onely at the throne of grace but the bar of Iustice in these or the like expressions Lord thou hast punâ—shed my sins in thy Son wilt thou punish them in me Thou hast accepted that suffering of thy Son as the punishment of my sin and therâ—fore thou canst not in justâ—ce exact it of me for this were to punish twice for one offence which thy justice cannot but abhor To close up with a needful admonition very fit to be annexed to this ample consolation that the dogs may not eat the childrens bread As God is faithful and just to forgive the sins of those that confess them and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness so he is no lesse faithful and just to punish their sins who conceal and continue therein and condemn them for all their unrighteousnesse God beloved hath denounced as many severe threats against the impenitent as he hath pronounced comfortable promises to the penitent and his faithfulnesse no lesse strongly binds him to perform the one then the other Christ hath satisfied Gods justice for the sins of penitent confessors in which respect it is just with God to forgive them but he hath not satisfied for impenitent committers in which respect it is just with God to punish them in their own persons for their iniquities and therefore let the one tremble whilest the other rejoyce in these divine attributes of justice and fidelity And thus through Gods assistance I have finished the first Chapter of this first Epistle wherein you have heard Christs divinity and humanity illustrated the Gospels excellency and certainty demonstrated hypocrisy detected piety encouraged arrogancy confuted and repentance comforted so that what St. Paul saith of the whole Scripture I may justly apply to this Chapter It is profitable for doctrine for reproof for Correction and for instruction in righteousnesse for doctrinâ— in the great mystery of the Gospel for reproof of licentious christians for correction of arrogant justiciaries and for instruction in righteousnesse by teaching us to confesse our sins and walk in the light I have nothing further to adde but only my prayers for you and desire of your prayers for me mine for you that this Chapter which is profitable in it self may become so to you by thâ— mingling of faith and obedience with the reading hearing and meditating on it yours for me that I may through Gods providence continuing my health and his spirits assistance enlightening my mind be enabled to proceed in handling the subsequent Chapters so as
317. of the Godly how consistent with forgiveness 294. Purposes without performance unavailable 186. Propitiation See Reconciliation Christ is the propitiation 369 374 377. the severall causes of it 380. R. REeconciliation is of God to man as wel as man to God 370 371. merited onely by Christ. 378. attributed both to his sacrifice and Intercession 368. God being our Father very willing to it 357. Redemption in what sense universall 395 396. Religion Christian continually proposed 75. Reproofe must be plaine 147. gentle 149 150. with respect to the difference of sinners 148. how profitable 16 Resurrection of Christ how proved 97. S. SAcrament of the Lords Supper no corporal presence in it 69. Sacrifices all looked at Christ. 376. Saints may fall grssoely 347 348. Salvation only by Christ. 388 389. Satisfaction made by Christ to Gods justice 318 319. how consistent with remission 320 321. Scriptures their fulness sufficiency 8.116 they consist of three parts 1. The certanty of Apostolical writings 70 71. Gods mercy in giving them to us 13.28 Some parts more useful then others 145. fulnesse of joy afforded by them 141. to be read by the vulgar 116 117.118 Senses the velidâ—ty of a testimony from them 32. Shame when of confessing sin bad 265 Sin To sin how taker in Scripture 345. it is a wandring 287. why called unrighteousnesse 288 289. it maketh a man a debtor 292. it rendreth us filthy in Gods sight 296. the soules sicknesse 325. compared to darknesse 152 153. the great guilt of it 214. the onely makebate 369 370. God cannot be the authour of it 142. all men by nature sinners 226. The holiest not without it here 226 227 228 229. from grose sins they may be free 230. the sins of the godly no excuse for the wicked 233 234. Christ a propitiation for the greatest sins 387. Sonne how destinct from and one with the Father 51 52. to be worshipped as the Father 58. how inferior to the Father 356. T. TEstament the difference between the New and the Old 33.41 our happinesse who live in the times of the New 41 42. Trinity illustrated by the metaphor of light 136. Truth three fold 170. to do the truth what 171. W. WAlking what it imports 154. Watchfull we ought to be because prone to sin â—39 Wicked men delight in sin 155. make it their course 156. grow worse and worse ibid. their miserable estate 158 159. they cannot have communion with God 186. Witnesse how many wayes we beare it to Christ. 23. Word of God a great mercy that it is written 13 28. the rule of truth 259. as it is among us so it must be in uâ— 257 258 a preservative against sin and accordâ—ngâ—â— to be made use of 338 339. Words nothing without workes 18â— World made by Christ. 40. how 〈…〉 the whole world â—9â— â—99 Writing the advantage of it 26. 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