I give to be at peace with God and to have an Encouraging Sense of it c. Fourthly Are you sensible of your past Unkindness to this Merciful God and Gracious Saviour so as to bewail it Is it now the ground of your Fear and Trouble not only that you have sinn'd against the Light of Nature tho' it may be you were first awaken'd by the sense of some such Transgression but now you are troubl'd for the Contempt of the Gospel for your Neglect of Christ the Saviour of Sinners for refusing him when he hath call'd and invited you And are ready to say within your selves O with what Earnestness did he call me to accept his Mercy How freely did he offer to forgive me He would have been my Saviour but I would not receive him with what Folly and Obstinacy did I harden my Heart and stop my Ears and turn my Back upon him and resisted him both in his Word and Spirit Doth this greive and trouble you as well as the gross Pollutions of the World which Natural Light will condemn Fifthly Your Case is hopeful notwithstanding the sense of your Vileness and Fears on that Account if you yet resolve to follow on in seeking Mercy and Forgiveness of God by Jesus Christ 'till you obtain it Do you resolve you will wait and pray and wrestle and persevere therein 'till it shall please God to cast an Eye of Pity and Compassion on your miserable Souls That you will continue in the Use of God's appointed Means where he communicates his Spirit and conveys Grace and where he is wont to vouchsafe his Presence That you will enquire of every Body that may assist you how you may be one of those Happy Souls whom God will abundantly pardon Can you say this That tho' I fear and doubt yet I seek and strive and will not give over I will not desist I will not depart from his Door I am undone if he refuse me and if I perish and dye in my Sins and be damned for them it shall be in seeking Mercy and begging Mercy for Christ's sake And if you can say this truly you may be assur'd you shall not perish but find Mercy Can you say and is it the real Language of your Heart Nothing in all the Word shall content and satisfie you or is ever like to do so 'till you have some good hope through Grace of finding Mercy with God You search the Scriptures and search your Hearts and go to Ministers consult Friends and attend Ordinances with this Desire and Design and you pray before you come to hear that some seasonable powerful Word may drop and reach your Case Alas I use to hear formerly after another manner and with other Thoughts judging the Minister passing Sentence on the Sermon or considering only how it concern'd others of my Acquaintance But now I apply all to my self now I look for my own Portion and watch for that which principally concerns me And by the Grace of God I will thus attend and wait and watch at the Posts of Wisdoms Door that I may find Life Prov. VIII 34. Though I I have but a very little Hope and a great many Fears considering what a Vile Sinner I have been yet I do not utterly despair I am told I must not despair and that Despair is a Sin and Hope a Duty And therfore I will yet hold on and wait upon the Lord and seek his Mercy Tho' I can't pray with Confidence I will yet look up tho' I can't say I believe yet I 'le not utterly despair tho' I have sinned against the Grace of the Gospel and the Blood and Spirit of Christ yet I hope not above and beyond the Help and Benefit of his Grace and Gospel and Blood and Spirit I 'le therfore hold on and wait in Hope in the diligent use of all the Means of Salvation V. Fifthly I proceed to another thing observable from these Words Let him return and he will have Mercy and abundantly pardon Let him think of that and return believe that be encouraged to return I Observe That the great Motive and Encouragement to put a Sinner on forsaking his Evil Ways and returning to God is the sensible Apprehension that there 's Mercy to be had viz. that God will forgive and abundantly pardon the Penitent Returning Sinner I confess 't is not an easie matter to be perswaded of the Doctrine of the Forgiveness of Sin Whatever Guess and Conjecture Men may have about it from the Divine Patience and Forbearance to a sinful World in the Continuance of his Forfeited Mercy Yet * See Mr. Nathanael Taylor 's Preservative against Deism Octavo Lately printed without the Gospel Revelation we are at no Certainty about this The Gentiles had some Imaginations and Hopes that their Gods were placable and inclin'd to pardon and that was the Rise of their Expiations and Sacrifices but they had no assured Promise or Covenant to build upon They knew not the Mediator between God and Man by his own Sacrifice of himself to make Attonement 'T is the Language of the Law written on our Hearts that The Soul that sinneth shall dye 'T is the Voice of Natural Conscience that Guilt and Punishment are inseperable And were there not somewhat known of the Doctrine of Forgiveness by the Revelation of it which God hath made this would be the common Sentiment of Mankind I need not consider what particular Ways and Methods God may have to reveal this Pardoning Mercy unto any who are Strangers to the Written Word or whether he hath done so It belongs not to us to be Curious in enquiring about other Men who shall be judged by a Righteous God according to the Law they were under and the Light they had 'T is certain that even among those to whom the Gospel is preached whoever they are that are deeply convinc'd of Sin and Conscience awakened to apprehend the Holiness and Justice of God 't is one of the most difficult things in the World to perswade them that God will have Mercy and abundantly pardon It is one great Work of the Holy Spirit to satisfie the Soul of this There 's no serious Minister of Christ but hath abundant Experience of this in those that are awakened to any Concern for their Souls Salvation There 's Evidence sufficient of this in David's Frame Psal CXXX 3 4. If thou Lord should'st mark Iniquities O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee c. If God should mark Sin so as to proceed to punish it according to his Righteous Law who could stand who would escape Condemnation or when accused stand in the Judgment so as to be acquitted i.e. 'T is not my own Case alone that if God should be strict and severe with me I am an undone and lost Creature But 't is true of all the World The Holiest Saint on Earth can't be justify'd in his Sight and what then would become of me who have
in Rebellion against him a Wretched Criminal against the Lord of thy Life and the God of thy Mercies O how unlike are God's Thoughts to ours in this Respect Considering what our Thoughts are to those who have injur'd and offended us II. Secondly Consider your selves under Affliction and Suffering from the Hand of God and how different God's Thoughts and yours are in that Respect also First We presently conclude that 't is all from Anger and Wrath whereas God says Whom he loves he chastens and that 't is for our good and that we are dealt with as Sons and not as Bastards Heb. XII 5 6. Psal CXIX 75. Secondly We are pettish and froward peevish and perverse under the Rod of Affliction while God's Thoughts are Thoughts of Peace toward us When For the Iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth because he had no Heart to do good with what I lent him saith God concerning Ephraim and I sote him he went on frowardly in the way of his own Heart Nevertheless I have seen his ways I will heal him I will lead him and restore Comfort to him Isa LVII 17 18. Thirdly We often under Affliction take every hiding of God's Face for an utter Rejection of us whereas God hath no such Thoughts He hath us still in his Eye and bears us on his Heart hath our Names graven on the Palmes of his Hand loves us still tho' he rebuke us and will convince us of it by seasonable Comforts and Deliverance Jer. XXXI 18 19 20. Is Ephraim my dear Son I have heard him bemoaning himself saith God thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Is he my dear Son or rather is he not so is he a pleasant Child is he not so still to me For since I spake against him I do remember him still therefore my Bowels are turned for him I will surely have Mercy upon him saith the Lord. Fourthly God's Thoughts are not as ours in respect of Affliciton as t othe Continuance of the Rod. We are often ready to sink and be dispirited and overwhelm'd in a Time of Darkness as if it would never be Light We are ready to give up all for lost and conclude that God is gone for ever and will be Merciful no more Saying Our Bones are dryed up our Hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Ezek. XXXVII 11. Whereas God's thoughts are otherwise he 'll make those dry Bones live and fetch them out of the Grave of Affliction His Thoughts are Thoughts of Peace to give us a Desired End Jer. XXIX 11. How many have thought and said in their Despair that God's Mercy was gone for ever concerning whom he hath manifested that his Thoughts are not as theirs Fifthly God's Thoughts are not as ours as to the End and Design which he aims at in our Affliction We think he intends not to refine but ruine not to purifie but destroy Whereas in Faithfulness he afflicts where he knows we need it to purge away our Dross and take away our Tin and to produce the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness By this shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this shall be the fruit of all to take away sin Isa XXVII 9. Do but wait a little and you 'l see how you have been mistaken in your Apprehensions of God and how his Thoughts have been unlike to yours II. Let us consider in the Second Place that God's Thoughts are not only different from ours but Transcendently above them as far and as high as the Heavens are above the Earth First as to the Kind and Nature of them First His THoughts of Grace and Kindness are of an unsearchable Depth O the Depth of the Riches of the Wisdom and the Knowledge of God! whose Ways of Mercy as well as Judgment are unsearchable and past our finding out Rom. XI 33. There is a Depth in them beyond the Line of Men and Angels to measure Psal XCII 5. O Lord how great are thy Works and thy Thoughts are very deep In the Revelation of God's Grace and Mercy to Sinners by the Gospel we read of the deep thigns of God such as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred in t othe Heart of Man to conceive 1 Cor. XI 1 Such Depths that amaze the very Angels to look into 1 Pet. I. 12. Secondly God's Thoughts of Love and Mercy are Absolute Soveraign and Independent 'T is all after the Counsel of his own Will and from the meer Good Pleasure of his Will This is the Source and Spring of all his Mercy and Forgiveness Thirdly God's Thoughts of Mercy are Faithful and Effectual ALl the Declarations of his Mercy shall be made good All the Promives of Grace shall be fulfilled All the Thoughts of his Love shall have their Effects O Lord I will exalt thee for thy Counsels of Old are Faithfulness and Truth Isa XXV 1. All his Ways are Mercy and Truth he keepeth Covenant and Mercy for ever Psal LXXXIX 28 29. Tho' he visit their Iniquities with the Rod yet his Loving Kindness will he not take from them nor suffer his Faithfulness to fail Therfore Fourthly It may be added that God's Thoughts are Vnchangeable but ours are Variable The Strength of Israel will not lye or repent He is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should repent 1 Sam. XV. 29. The Medicator of the New Covenant lives for ever to make Intercession for Sinners Fifthly His Thoughts of Mercy are infinitely Pure and infinitely Righteous We shall never fully understand the infinite Righteousness of God's Thoughts and Ways 'till the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God He is Righteous in all his Counsels and in all his Works all his Ways are equal Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee The Psalmist tells us that God will carry on his Thoughts of Mercy and perfect his Grace and make it thrive and grow To show that he is upright and there 's no Vnrighteousness in him Psal XCII last Secondly God's Thoughts of Grace and Mercy are transcendently above ours in the Way and Manner of his dispensing his Grace and Mercy The Dispensation of his Love and Grace to Sinners is that which passeth Knowledge as to the Manner of it And when this Love is shed abroad in the Heart there is a Peace resulting from it which is better felt than exprest Something may be conceived and spoken but there 's a great deal which is above the reach of Words for we have no Line to measure it by no Scale in all the World to weigh it in We have nothing to compare it unto but falls unspeakably short No Kindness no Love no Charity or Affection of one Creature to another by which we can set it forth The nearest and dearest among Men is as much below this as Earth is
because of thy shame when I am pacify'd toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord. Is this the Language of your Hearts He might have condemn'd me to Hell long agoe but through the Precious Blood of Jesus I have Hopes of Forgiveness O what an Ungrateful Wretch have I been What Love have I despised Against whom have I sinned How have I rebell'd against the God of Love and Grace and griev'd his good Spirit Against what Bowels of Mercy have I spurn'd I am astonished at the Mercy of God in Christ offer'd to such a Rebel as I am I am confounded at my own Vileness that such Hainous Iniquities should be blotted out that such numberless Iniquities should be forgiven that after I had so often and so long and so wilfully turn'd my Back upon him he should yet call after me and say I am he behold I am he that bletteth out thy Transgression for my own Name sake and will remember thy sins no more That when God saw me and might have punished me might have made me an Example of his Justice here or might have sent me quick to Hell or might have left me unto Hardness of Heart to treasure up Wrath against the Day of Wrath that he should freely forgive me all and be graciously reconcil'd to me and speak Pardon and Peace to my Soul O Wretch that I have been O Abominable Sinner I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes We find this Exemplify'd in the Temper and Spirit of those to whom the Mercy and Grace of God is discovered especially in the Apostle Paul He aggravates his Sin and owns himself the Chiefest of Sinners and never more so than when he is thinking and speaking of Christ's Coming into the World to save Sinners and how wonderfully he called him and show'd Mercy to him Read this at large 1 Tim. I. 14 15 16 17. And the sight of God's Mercy and Sense of his Pardon is in it self proper to raise an Admiration of Free Grace and to humble the Soul before God It is proper to encrease our Detestation of Sin and make us loath our selves That which raiseth our Love to God must needs raise our Hatred of Sin and Sorrow for it Now Faith will make us Love much in the Sence of having much Forgiven Besides the Inseperable Connection between Faith and Repentance will evidence this We shall never adore the Love of Christ as a Redeemer delivering us from the Curse if we are not burden'd with the Weight of our Sins Nor shall we ever give God the Glory of his Justice without judging and condemning our selves by true Repentance Yet the more we see and apprehend of his Grace and Love in Forgiveness the more broken and contrite the more humbled and ashamed shall we be of our Sins against him VI. Lastly What can you say as to the Love of your Enemies and forgiving those who have injured and wronged you There is no better Evidence of God's forgiveness of your Trespasses than that he hath given you an Heart to forgive Others who have trespassed against you If it be upon a right Principle because God for Christ's sake hath pardon'd you and obliged you to forgive Others Lord Was there ever such a Distance between my Brother and me as my Sins have made between God and me Were the Injuries I resented from Others comparable to the Affronts I have offer'd to God and hath he freely for Christ's sake forgiven me What Influence hath such a Thought to cure and overcome the Ruggedness and Roughness of your Temper and Spirit towards Others If God hath pardon'd thee go and do likewise as to thy Brother For if you forgive not Men their Trespasses your Heavenly Father hath not and will not forgive you yours Mat. VI. 14. If you have a Rancorous Bitter Malicious Revengeful Spirit and will not forgive those that have wronged you how can you expect Forgiveness from God Do you then forgive those that have injured you as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Heartily and without Dissembling Speedily and without Delay Frequently and Often without Limitation Even unto seventy times seven if our Brother offend that is so often as he doth And this Throughly and without Reserve without Exception or Equivocation without Remembring past Offences so as to bear them a Grudge This I grant is hard and difficult Work but the Spirit of Christ can enable us to do this 'T is the manifest Duty of such as are forgiven and it is a Sign and Evidence that they are so Hath God forgiven me my Scarlet and Crimson Sins and shall not I put up an Injury bear a Wrong endure a Reproach or an ill Turn from my Fellow Creature Shall I not in Obedience to Christ forgive him and pass it by By these things if Conscience be faithful you may be assisted to make a Judgment of your selves whether you are interested in this Forgiveness or no. And if your Sins have been many and great whether you may on good Grounds hope and say that God hath Abundantly Pardon'd THE Fourth Sermon ISAIAH LV. 9. For My Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways My Ways saith the Lord. III. I Proceed to the Third General in this Passage viz. The annex'd Reason Verse the 9th why we ought to be fully satisfy'd and perswaded that God will thus receive Returning Sinners and abundantly pardon them because His Thoughts are not as ours nor his Ways as ours c. And here you may Consider First How this is Discover'd and Express'd by a Double Comparison of God's Thoughts with ours and his Ways with ours Secondly How 't is strongly argu'd by a most significant Similitude As far as the Heavens are above the Earth c. Thirdly The express Assurance of the Truth of all this from the Divine Testimony that is added Thus saith the Lord. That no Doubt may be made about it The whole of this may be compriz'd in these Three Particulars First That the Thoughts of God especially in the Dispensation of his Grace and Mercy to Returning Sinners are very different from our Thoughts and Transcendently above them as far as the Heavens are above the Earth Secondly That the Ways of God are unlike our Ways and Transcendently above them Thirdly That God's Testimony concerning his Thoughts and Ways of Grace and Mercy to Sinners ought to be credited and depended upon and is a sufficient Ground of Faith Thus saith the Lord being added 'T is the first I principally design that the Thoughts of God are not as ours but very unlike them and Transcendently above them as far as the Heavens are above the Earth This I shall Endeavour to Prove Confirm and Apply And here are two Things will need a little Explication First How the Thoughts of God are Different from ours not like them Secondly How they are Transcendently above them as far as the Heavens are above the Earth The First I shall consider more Generally The Second
Unfaithfulness of one Party in all Covenants disobliges the other Party In Answer to this I say He 's God and not Man His Thoughts are not as ours Among Men in all Covenants this is true but God's Thoughts and Ways are above ours Therfore if I yet return and take hold of his Covenant I may argue I am within the Bond of it and he will not utterly cast me off but forgive me upon Repentance I have read of one in Despair whom the Devil perswaded it was in vain to pray to God or serve him for he must perish he should be damned and go to Hell when he dy'd who yet went to Prayer and begg'd of God that if he must go to Hell when he dyed yet that it would please him to let him serve him while he liv'd Upon which his Terrors vanish'd being clearly convinc'd none could pray that Prayer or make such a Request who was guilty of the Unpardonable Sin or had sinn'd the Sin against the Holy Ghost Object 3. Some may say further But I have had many Fears and some Hopes for a time and I thought I was in Favour with God and had an Interest in this Forgiveneis But I have often heard it and I believe it that God never pardons Sin where he doth not subdue it Justification and Sanctification go together If the Guilt of Sin be forgiven the Power of it is broken But I find Corruption is strong evil Inclinations are still stirring and raging I never imagin'd there was such a Hell of Wickedness in my Heart as I now find There 's so much Impurity Carnality Pride Worldliness c. yet remaining in my Soul that I can't think my Sins are forgiven and that God will abundantly pardon me or hath done it because Sin is not mortified and subdued Answ God's Thoughts and yours are very different in this Matter For he attains Wise and Holy Ends by suffering us to feel Corruption and obliging us to continual Conflicts with it by sanctifying us gradually and not all at once by letting us see and feel more of Corruption stirring and striving after Conversion than ever we knew before Hereby he ingages us in constant Warfare all our days and makes it needful that we may apply to Christ continually as the great Physitian of Souls And I beseech you remember and believe this That No Sin no Corruption that is your Burden that you would rather be rid of than keep shall ever be damning to you It may be a Sign of more Grace that you sensibly complain of Corruption more than formerly If you faithfully oppose it 't is an Evidence your Hearts are softer Conscience more tender and you understand the Holy Law of God better Object 4. But after all some will say All this is good News to several but not to me I have nothing of the Spirit of Life and Power that accompanies Forgiveness I am dead in all my Duties I can't pray I have no such Liberty and Freedom and Liveliness in Prayer as others have I come to the Lord's-Table but I have no such Sealing no such Comfort no such Assurance no such Joy no such Foretasts of Heaven as I believe others have I keep on in a round of Duty but 't is not with me as with the Living Members of Christ Therfore I can't apply all this to my self with Comfort Answ God's Thoughts are not as yours in this Matter You object that you can't pray with such Life and Enlargement as others and as formerly But is it not your Burden Are you not dissatisfied with your selves about it Do you not beg the Spirit of Prayer and to have this ill Frame cur'd Do you not look up to Heaven with daily Sighs and Groans and beg Relief from Christ as weary and heavy laden under this Indisposition Let Conscience in the first place be faithful Is there not some great Guilt lately conctracted some Sin you have not repented of whereby you have griev'd the Holy Spirit of Christ and this stops your Mouths in Prayer and shames your Faces Or have you not rested too much in the Outward Performance of Duty and Attendance on the Ordinances of the Gospel You come to the Table of the Lord look upon it it may be as a Charm as too many make it on a Death-bed you expect it shall work like Physick in a Natural not in a Moral Way And by meer Coming whatever you have been or done before or however negligent you have been in your Preparatory Work you expect that it should be all one with you If you can charge your selves with any thing of this you must renew your Repentance If Conscience doth not accuse you in this Matter Consider God's Thoughts are not as yours He knows what is from the Weakness of the Flesh and what from the Willfulness of the Spirit He knows what Deadness and Distraction may arise from the Infirmity of the Body and what is the Sin of the Soul If upon all these Accounts you lose the Evidence of your Acceptance with God and fear the worst Yet when a Man hath lost his Acquittance for a Debt paid 't is a Comfort to him to consider that the Man he deals with is a merciful good Man tho' he cannot find his Discharge God is infinitely Gracious and is ready to restore what you complain you have lost It was David's Case Psalm 51. Yea if thou fearest thy Grace was never true thy Heart never right with God thy State never good there is Mercy enough in God to pardon all thy former Hypocrisie If now thou return and seek him with thy whole Heart There are Promises of Grace in such a Case to be pleaded that God will give an Heart of Flesh give a Spirit of Mourning put his Fear within thee and cause thee to walk in his Statutes Therfore do not fruitlessly bemoan thy self and sit down in Despondency but consult the Word of God and seek to the Throne of Grace with Hope whatever thy Objections and Temptations be Whatever you do take heed of dishonourable Thoughts of the Grace and Mercy of God and of the Security he hath given to perform every Word of Promise wherein he hath commanded us to hope To Conclude Since we are so near the End of this Year and many design and hope to renew their Covenant the next Lord's-day at his Table I beg you to consider and remember it for your Encouragement that God's Thoughts are not as yours Whatever Sins you have been guilty of the last Year whatever you can charge your selves with as to Unworthy Receiving the Lord's Supper for the time past yet if now you will seriously Examine your selves and humble your Souls and return to the Lord and apply to Christ and stir up your selves to be dispos'd as Penitent Believers to renew your Covenant-Vow and Engagement to be the Lord's this next time he will forgive the Sins of all your former Sacraments all the Sins of the last Year and
GOD's Thoughts and Ways Above Ours especially in the Forgiveness of Sins IN SEVERAL SERMONS UPON ISAIAH LV. 7 8 9. By John Shower LONDON Printed by the Widow Astwood Iohn Lawrence at the Angel in Poultry MDCXCIX THE PREFACE I Am Encouraged to think that the following Sermons did Good in the Preaching and with the Hope they may be of some further Use they are now Published It hath been desir'd that I would Transcribe them in the Words wherein they were deliver'd which with very little Variation I have consented to as to the First Four It may be the peculiar Turn of Expression tho' popular and less exact in the Pulpit which renders the plain Truths of Christianity Acceptable to most Hearers may be more Useful and more Affecting to several Readers than what is more Concise and in more studied Words I can never reckon it a Fault in a Sermon to a Numerous Auditory that the Stile is different from what is expected in a close and just Discourse Or that what might be said in two Words or Sentences is exprest in three or four Perhaps the greatest Part of the Hearers need such Enlargement and Repetition and their Capacity could not otherwise be reached so as to Profit them any more then that Game may be taken by a Net Unspread Very Wise Men have Thought that it is a Mistake in a Consciencious Preacher to endeavour to please only a few of the more Knowing and Judicious Hearers But that which is suited to do Good to the Generality of those we Preach to will ordinarily be best Thought of by Wise Men whose Capacity and Judgment could reach what was more Accurate For they must needs know that it would not be Proper here They themselves have Sins to be forgiven and Corruptions to be mortify'd and Immortal Souls to be sav'd and so have their Inferiours And there is but one Way for the Learned and Unlearned to get to Heaven that I know of 'T is True the Things treated of will be despis'd by Many who do not Relish what 's contained in such Discourses The Matter is out of their Way They are not Sensible of Sin nor Solicitous about Forgiveness And so think not themselves concerned And it is to be fear'd there are Many Others who hear and read Sermons only to Judge of them without any Desire of Advantage to their Souls They are not better'd for the Sermons they Commend any more than by those they Condemn They may say perhaps it was an Excellent Discouse He 's a Good Orator or a Judicious Preacher and This Sermon exceeded even his Last But their Consciences are not touch'd they feel nothing that doth them any real Good However there are Many I hope in this City and Nation who will be thankfull for any such Assistance to prevent their Despair when convinced of Sin as the Doctrine of God's Free Grace in Forgiveness that is display'd in the First Four Sermons And Others who meet with Objections in Conversation and in Pamphlets against the Christian Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity the Incarnation of Christ and God's Wise Government of the World from the Unaccountable Passages of Providence which are apt to stumble them may be willing to consider and improve this Argument of God's Thoughts not being as Ours but far above our Reach which is the Subject of the Fifth Sermon Let me only add that many Younger Ministers as well as Elder have Dyed of Late And tho' Few of us will be miss'd when we Dye there being such Numbers to Supply our Places yet Every One should endeavour to be as Useful as he can while he lives for the Night is hastening wherein no Work can be done If Any Reader get Good let him give God the Glory I most earnestly beg His Blessing to that End J. S. THE First Sermon ISAIAH LV. 7 8 9. Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him Return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon For My Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways My Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are My Ways higher than your Ways and My Thoughts than your Thoughts THere are Three Things Considerable in this Passage First A Call to Repentance by a Double Precept or Injunction of Duty The Persons concerned in it are set forth under two Names to take in all sorts of Sinners The Wicked and the Vnrighteous And the Duty is doubly exprest to forsake their evil Wayes and Thoughts and to Return to the Lord Which are the Two Parts of true Repentance Turning from Sin and Returning to God Secondly Here 's an Encouraging Promise that God will have Mercy on such Penitents and will abundantly Pardon 'em That He will Interest them in the sure Mercies of David Ver. 3. or in all the Blessings of the Everlasting Covenant by Christ 'T is of him you must understand Ver. 4 5 6. of whom David was only a Type Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People c. Thirdly The Ground and Reason why we may believe this Promise shall be made good For my Thoughts are not as your Thoughts saith the Lord God but as high as the Heavens are above the Earth c. i. e. There is a vast Disparity between my Thoughts and yours and mine are Transcendently above yours as far as Heaven is above the Earth And so are My Ways above your Ways This is true as to God's Thoughts and Purposes of Grace in Pardoning Sinners and as to the Effects of those kind Purposes in his Ways and Works And the Highest Assurance of the Truth of all this is added from a Divine Testimony annex'd Thus saith the Lord. He who best knows his own Gracious Designs hath told us this and by our believing it we set to our Seals that God is true Several things might be Observ'd as proper to be Discours'd of from these Words First That if ever Sinners find Mercy with God they must forsake their former Evil Ways and Course of Life Secondly That 't is not enough for such to to reform their outward Practice and forsake their Evil Ways but they must be chang'd and sanctify'd in Heart their Evil Thoughts must be forsaken Thirdly That 't is not sufficient to turn from Sin and Wickedness in Heart and Life without returning unto God Fourthly That the worst of Sinners be they wicked as to Sins against God or unrighteous as to Iniquity against Men yet if they turn from their Evil Wayes and return to the Lord they shall find Mercy Tho' you have sinned as you think so as never any did before and condemn your selves as the chiefest of Sinners and have refus'd the pardoning Mercy of God formerly offer'd c. All this may be forgiven And it is implied that it shall be upon every New Invitation
and Call to Repentance that Where Sin hath abounded Grave shall much more abound Fifthly He will have Mercy and will abundantly pardon let him consider the Certainty of this and thereupon Return We may here Observe That the great Motive and Encouragement which puts Sinners on forsaking their Evil Wayes and turning to God is a sensible Apprehension that there is Mercy and Forgiveness to be had There could be no Repentance without it nor would it be required of us as a Duty to repent and return if there were no Forgiveness with God Sixthly Besides the General Encouragement of finding Mercy with God here is the special kind of Mercy which the Sinner needs and that is Pardon I may here Observe That pardoning Mercy to returning Sinners is Mercy indeed of all others the most suitable and most welcome Seventhly That God will not only show Mercy to Returning Sinners but he will abundantly pardon 'em he will multiply Pardons I. First That if ever Sinners find Mercy with God they must forsake their Evil Ways The ordinary Course of any Man's Life is very fitly called his Way that which is his ordinary Practice his daily Walk Accordingly we read of the Way of a Sinner and the Path of the Wicked and the Way of Evil Men This is often call'd our own Way in Opposition to the Way of Truth and Righteousness which is called the Way of the Lord or God's Way Because he directs and approves it and enables us to walk in it and rewards us for so doing And this is the great difference between the Righteous and the Wicked Their Course and Way is different A good Man may make a false Step he may stumble or step out of the way in a particular Instance but he doth not work Iniquity doth not walk in the way of the Ungodly his Course and Conversation for the main of it is otherwise And 't is not for one or two particular Actions good or bad that a Man 's to be denominated a good or wicked Man but from his ordinary Course of Life If that be wicked he must forsake it or never find Mercy with God And this must be done heartily and unfeignedly speedily and without delay impartially and universally with full purpose of Heart to persevere and never again return to Folly Without this there can be no Converse with God nor Communion with him Wash ye make ye clean put away the Evil of your Doings then come and let us reason together Isa I. 16 17. 'Till this be resolv'd upon and begun you are Impenitent and so abominable in the sight of God For certainly God wil lnto dishonour his Perfections contradict his Word and prostitute his Grace to justifie the Ungodly while they continue such without desiring resolving and endeavouring to forsake their Evil Ways Where-ever Christ is a Saviour to give Remission of Sin he does also give them Repentance Acts V. 31. II. Secondly That 't is not enough for one who expects to find Mercy with God to reform his Practices and forsake his Evil Wayes but he must be inwardly sanctify'd his Heat renewed his very Thoughts changed Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts c. His Thoughts especially his False Unjust Unrighteous Thoughts of God whereof Sinners have very many Here the Change must be because the Heart is the principal Seat of Sin or Grace of Sincerity or Hypocrisie It is in the inward Thoughts and Affections of the Heart that Sanctification or Carnality doth principally discover it self 'Till the Fountain be cleansed the Streams will be polluted The unsanctify'd Heart is the Source of Evil Thoughts Words and Actions Wash thy Heart O Jerusalem how long shall vain Thoughts lodge in thee As a man thinketh in his heart so is he Prov. XXIII 7. The Thoughts of the wicked or wicked Thoughts they are Abomination in the sight of God Prov. XV. 26. And 't is the Design of the Gospel and the Glory of it beyond all the Philosophy in the World to bring our Thoughts into Obedience to Christ While any Wickedness is indulged and allowed in the Heart and Thoughts no outward Reformation as to our Behaviour before the World no Abstinence from gross Pollutions and Disorders in the Life will denominate us truly Penitent or give us Hopes of finding Mercy with God While we regard Iniquity in our Hearts while the Heart goes after Covetousness Filthiness or any allowed Lust Uunless the Thoughts be chang'd as well as the outward Course unless the Heart be sanctify'd as well as the Conversation reform'd there is no Forgiveness You know the Woe which our Saviour denounc'd against the Pharises on this Account Mat. XXIII 25. whom he characteriz'd as Hypocrites because they made clean the outside of the Cup and Platter but within were full of Extortion and Excess that like whited Sepulchers they appear'd Beautiful outward but were within full of dead Mens Bones and all Uncleanness III. Thirdly Observe further That 't is not enough to turn from Sin and Wickedness in Heart and Life but if you would find Mercy with God you must return unto the Lord. To clear this Consider That we are departed and gone off from God by Sin both as he is our Chief Good and Sovereign Lord We have abandon'd and forsaken him as our Portion and Felicity and as he is our Lord and Ruler 'T is necessary therefore that we return to him so as to value his Favour as our very Life place all our Happiness in his Love and Likeness observe his Orders and endeavour to please him that we design his Honour and make it our Business to glorifie him and be entirely devoted to him as our Ultimate End Without resolving on this there 's no ground to expect Mercy in the Pardon of the least Sin and upon this we may hope for Forgiveness of the greatest Men may break off a Course of Notorious Open Wickedness upon various and different Motives and then take up with a Negative Religion without returning to God They may satisfie themselves that now they don't commit the like Crimes as formerly they may think it enough that they are not as bad as others are or as once they were themselves But this is not sufficient if they are destitute of Love to God if they are not careful to please him if his Glory be not their End if they do not eye his Authority if they are not chiefly conconcern'd to be accepted with him if they do not choose him as the Portion of their Soul and by an entire Resignation of themselves make him Lord of all to govern their Actions by the Counsels of his Word and to dispose and order their Conditions by his most Wise and Holy Providence Such a turning to the Lord must be joyn'd with forsaking of Sin IV. Fourthly Let the Wicked and Unrighteous forsake the Evil of his Heart and Wayes and turn to the Lord and he shall find Mercy I Observe That
such a Load of Guilt and so many hainous Crimes to acknowledge In this sense we find the Expression of standing us'd Rom. XIV 4. To his own Master he standeth or falleth that is shall either be acquitted or condemned of God 'T is of the same Import with Psal CXLIII 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight no flesh living shall be justified Consider a little with what a Frame of Spirit doth David use such Language he seems to cry out in the View of his Hainous Sins as ready to Despair if not reliev'd by the Hope that there is Forgiveness with God Lord who can stand that is how justly may I be Condemn'd if I am try'd at thy Bar According to strict Justice I must be cast I cannot answer thee for one much less for all my Abominations I cannot stand in the Judgment This will be and is the Case of all Convinced Sinners of every one of us when we View our Sins and the Majesty of Heaven whom we have offended When we consider how we have affronted God and despised him and how easily he can crush us into Hell and how justly he might When we think how we have preferr'd a Lust a Trifle a Passion an Humour before him How we have slighted his Authority abus'd his Goodness defi'd his Power weari'd his Patience rejected his Grace and by numberless aggravated Transgressions incurr'd the Vengeance he hath threaten'd and made our selves lyable to his intolerable and everlasting Wrath. Under such a Sight and Sense of Sin what can relieve but the Consideration that there 's Mercy and Forgiveness with God and that He 'll abundantly Pardon returning Sinners This I say we are backward to believe There 's so much Ignorance and Blindness in the Minds of Sinners there 's such a proneness in Men to Judge of God by themselves and of his Thoughts and Ways by their own that because they could not Pardon such and such hainous Provocations so often repeated they imagine that God will not And there are so many Fears and Jealousies in our guilty Souls concerning God that without the Encouragement of such a Declaration of Grace as in this Text there could be no Repentance there would be no Returning to God You know what Benhadad's Servants told him 1 Kings XX. 31. We have heard that the Kings of Israel are Merciful Kings let us put Sack-cloath on our Loyns and Ropes about our Necks and go to the King of Israel peradventure he will save thy Life This gracious Method God us'd toward Israel Jer. III. 12. Go and proclaim these words toward the North saying Return O back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am Merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine Iniquity that thou hast Transgressed against the Lord thy God that is Let them not cherish any such hard Thoughts of me as if there were no Forgiveness let them not despair of my Mercy as if I would not receive them when they return This gives the greatest Encouragement to Convinced Sinners that here is a Plank to save them from Shipwrack a Remedy against Despair Here 's a ground for 'em to return to God with Hopes Here 's a Motive to seek Mercy that God hath proclaim'd his Readiness to forgive and abundantly to pardon And methinks 't is very plain that the Doctrine of Repentance would never have been preached if there were no Hope of Forgiveness The fallen Angels having no Mercy offer'd were never call'd to repent for let there be never so deep Conviction of Sin and Sorrow for it there could be no Repenting and Returning to God without believing that Mercy might be had All would end in Death and Desparation Repentance would never be commanded as a Duty nor urg'd upon Sinners as a Duty it could not if we believe the Wisdom Goodness and Faithfulness of God were it not for this Truth that If the wicked forsake his way c. But upon the Consideration of this Sinners begin to have good Thoughts of God many of their Scruples are remov'd many of their Objections answer'd and they are now encourag'd to seek the Mercy of God and prepare to receive it VSE To Conclude therefore Let the vilest and worst of Sinners receive these glad Tydings of God's Grace and not abuse them Don't despise this Message don't neglect it but consider how much you need this Mercy and go home and earnestly beg it Endeavour to welcome it as it is offer'd in the Gospel and then plead it and urge it for Christ's sake according to the Promise as it is Free-Mercy And stir up your Souls to hope in it as knowing that God takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy May I not therfore say that 't is from the Devil for whom there is no Mercy if there be any of you to whom this Doctrine is preached who will yet Conclude There 's no Mercy for you Since God hath told us that If the Wicked forsake his Evil Ways and Thoughts and turn to the Lord they may and ought in that Case most firmly believe that He will have Mercy and that He will abundantly pardon THE Second Sermon ISAIAH LV. 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 upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon 'T IS of the Sixth Observation from these Words that I would now speak without so much as repeating the other five viz. That Pardoning Mercy to Penitent Sinners is Mercy indeed the most valuable and seasonable Mercy This I shall endeavour to manifest by several Considerations and then Apply it First There 's nothing more suitable to the Case of a Guilty Sinner who hath any Thoughts of returning to God Consider the Perplexities of one that is awakened to a Sense of Sin and is under a Spirit of Conviction His bitter Complaints and loud Cryes tell us that he knows not what to do nor how to be rid of his Burden He apprehends his Danger from unpardoned Sin and feels the want of this Forgiveness He is wounded and nothing but the Voice of Pardoning Mercy can heal him I have greatly sinn'd said David and his Heart smote him 2 Sam. XXIV 10. And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the Iniquity of thy Servant Nothing else could give him Ease and Quiet from an Accusing troubled Conscience The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity Isa XXXIII 24. The meer Patience and Forbearance of God without Forgiveness will not answer the Exigence of his Case Tho' he be yet out of Hell he knows not how long it shall be so or how soon he may there have a Miserable Portion 'T is the Sense of Unpardon'd Sin that breaks his Bones and dryeth up his Marrow
Conscience and you can't presently approach to God with Comfort What then should you do Give up all for lost Run into Excess of Riot and say There is no Hope therfore let us walk after the Imagination of our own Hearts No by no Means But by renewed Acts of Repentance towards God and of Faith in the Blood of Jesus return to God and seek Forgiveness I grant in such Cases it is hard to do this with any Encouragement and Hope Our Hearts misgive us and well they may we shall have a thousand Jealousies and Fears And it can't be otherwise However God's Thoughts are not as ours He will abundantly pardon Returning Sinners tho' you have abus'd his Grace tho' you have dishonour'd his Name revolted after Forgiveness slighted the Redeemer Christ griev'd his Spirit given Advantage to the Devil deserv'd to be cast out of his sight tho' you have broken your solemn Vows and broken your Peace thereby yet let such remember that God will show Mercy to Returning Sinners and he will abundantly pardon ' em He will heal their Backslidings and make them loath themselves and be confounded for all their Abominations even After he is pacify'd towards them Ezek. XVI the last You know the kind Language God us'd to Ephraim Jer. XXXI 18 20. Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself he is my dear Son he is a pleasant Child or rather is he not so though I spake aginst him I remember him still my Bowels are moved for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. Read with Thankfulness Mic. VII 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgressions of his Remnant and retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again and have compassion on us and will subdue our Iniquities and cast our Sins into the Depths of the Sea And how sweet is the Repentance of such a Returning Backslider that is kindly melted humbled and broken and brought to the Foot of God with Hope of Mercy through Christ The Contrition of such a Soul is made up like that of Mary Magdalen of Tears and of Kisses of Sorrow and of Love of Humility and Hope of Confusion and Confidence of Shame and Joy And how will such a Soul love much to whom much is thus forgiven In short God doth abundantly pardon and multiply Pardons as to the Forgiveness of many Sins in that never any one Sin was forgiven to any Man to whom this was not made good Numberless Sins are forgiven wherever one is They are more than the Hairs of our Head or the Sands on the Sea-shore Well might the Psalmist say Have mercy on me O Lord according to thy loving Kindnesses and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies Psal LI. 1. I will abundantly pardon saith God here and in another place I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinn'd against me whereby they have trespass'd against me saith the Lord Jer. XXXII 8. Who can understand his Errors before Conversion and since by Omission and Commission in Thought in Word and Act How long did God wait on some of us What various Methods did he use to bring us home How graciously did he receive us at first and after many Provocations receive us again Surely if we find Mercy with God any of us he must abundantly pardon us and multiply Forgivenesses And because 't is not so easie a thing to believe this I proceed to the Second Particular to Consider what Reason we have to be perswaded of this Secondly Upon what Grounds may we be firmly perswaded of this Truth That God will thus multiply Pardons 'T is certain to an humbl'd awaken'd convinced penitent Sinner it must be glad Tydings of great Joy that his Case will admit of Hope That he ought not to despair that there is a possibility he may find Mercy with God if no more But to have the Riches of God's Grace display'd to have a free and general Invitation made to all the Hungry and Thirsty the Weary and Heavy laden to have a Promise of Mercy and of Forgiveness whatever thy Sins have been What matter of Rejoycing is this This will answer a thousand Objections which otherwise you could not tell what to say to This is proper to revive the most drooping Spirits to make them adore God and admire his glorious Grace This may cause them to think honourably of him seek earnestly to him and thankfully accept his offered Mercy as poor wretched perishing condemn'd undone Creatures toward whom the God of all Grace will magnifie his Rich and Undeserved Mercy Therfore be perswaded to believe it considering such things as these First That there are large and express Promises and most astonishing Instances in the Holy Scriptures to Encourage your Faith He that best understands his own kind Thoughts to the Children of Men to the chiefest of Sinners hath assured you he will not only have Mercy but abundantly pardon and that where Sin hath abounded Grace shall much more abound toward all of them who will accept of Mercy by Jesus Christ so as God may not lose the Glory of it You think it very hard to be perswaded of this but hath not God told you that as far as the Heavens are above the Earth so are his Thoughts and Ways above yours And tho' your Sins be as Crimson and Scarlet that they shall be as Snow and Wool and that To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness tho' we have rebell'd against him Have we not Instances of this as to others of the worst of Men and Women that have been washed and justify'd through the Blood of Christ and Spirit of Christ of Sinks of Sin that have been made Vessels of Mercy Many Examples in the Old Testament and in the New of Jews and Gentiles What Folly and what aggravated Sin was David guilty of after the Knowledge of God and what great Sins before Conversion was the Apostle Paul charg'd with You have been sometimes told that 't is an Instance of God's Wisdom and Kindness to record the the Example of David's Fall Some it may be think it were better left out lest it should encourage Sinners but doubtless many a Man would have perished in Despair and made away himself if it had not been for the Example of David's Repentance and God's Forgiveness of him after such hainous Transgressions Secondly God hath declared this to be his Nature and Delight He proclaims it as part of his Name Exod. XXXIV 5 6. to be The Lord God Gracious and Merciful Slow to Anger and Abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin He is pleas'd in the Exercise of his Mercy he delights to be Gracious and takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy And therfore what pleaseth him and he delights to do he will do abundantly There is an Inexhausted Treasure of Grace in God Exceeding
wisest and most knowing Men come of the infinite Knowledge of God Tho' we are certain of the Truth of his Being how little do we know of his Nature and Perfections How far above our Apprehensions is the Divine Eternity How all Successions of Time are ever present to him and subject to his View His self Existence Immensity Omnipresence and Prescience of the most contingent Events c. How far above us AND since we have not a perfect Knowledge of the Subject we must hearken to what GOD himself saith of his own Nature who knows it best And we ought in Reason to enquire whether the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity be contained in that Revelation which we receive and can prove to be Divine if we find it there let the Doctrine be never so Incredible and Unintelligible GOD is so far above us and his Ways and Thoughts above ours that we ought not to reject it upon that Account As the Heavens are higher than the Earth His Wisdom is as the Heavens the highest and top of all Wisdom Man's as the Earth beneath which there is no Degree but that of Hell and Darkness so that the Things are two Great and Sublime for us to determine about WERE this duly consider'd we should find that we cannot have so much Evidence of a Doctrine's being False because 't is Vnconceivable as there is Evidence of its being True by being contain'd in Scripture Revelation As to the Truth of things concerning Finite Nature we may judge by our Reason But where the Object is Infinite 't is no Argument against the Truth of a Thing that we cannot comprehend it unless a Contradiction be proved which there is none here IT hath often been proved that God might justly require of us in general the Belief of what we cannot comprehend and that they who reject the Misteries of Christianity run into greater Difficulties than those who assert them What is Incomprehensible as to the Manner may be a necessary Article of Faith as far as it is Reveal'd * See Bishop of Worster's Sermon on 1 Tim. I. 15. Serm. VI. Vol. III. Octavo and Orig. Sac. Book II. Chap. VIII 5 6 7. We don't assert Three Gods and yet but One God Three Persons and yet but One Person That would be contradictory but the Scripture saith that these Three Father Word and Spirit are One God And we ought to distinguish between Numbers and the Natures of Things For Three to be One is a Contradiction in Numbers but whether an infinite Nature can communicate it self to three different Subsistances without such a Division as is among created Beings must not be determined by bare Number but by the absolute Perfections of the Divine Nature Which mast be owned to be above our Comprehension Therfore for any to assert that there cannot be a Plurality of Persons without a Plurality of Natures or that there cannot be a Communication of Nature without an Indentity of Persons is to pretend to know more of the Infinite Nature of God then any modest Man ought to pretend to 'T IS certain the Objections from the Vnconceivableness of this Doctrine are not so great as the Evidence we have that such a Doctrine is contained in the Holy Scriptures and that that this Scripture is of God And let me add that to pay Adoration and Divine Worship to Christ as the Christian Church hath done in all Ages and to Trust in him for Pardon and Eternal Life and yet believe him to be only a Man destroys all the Reasons and Arguments of giving Divine Worship to God only For to do this and not own him to be Omnipresent Omniscient and Almighty not own him to be the True and Eternal God is a greater Absurdity and Contradiction then all that can be objected against the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity While they pay him Divine Honour they must needs consider him as the GOD whom all the Angels worship and yet at the same time they deny him to be so And that because they cannot conceive how Father Son and Spirit should be One God But let us remember what GOD is and what we are and how his Ways and Thoughts are above ours Let no Man therfore deceive himself If any Man among you seem to be Wise in this World let him be a Fool that he may be Wise for the Things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God who revealeth them unto us Secondly GOD's Ways are above ours in the Dispensations of his Providence 'T were easy to show this in a Multitude of Particulars In his sparing and forbearing us In restraining and preventing us In keeping and preserving us and disappointing our Enemies Overuling our Affairs directing our Conditions and governing all that befalls us Good or Evil Accidental or Premeditated and turning all to Wise and gracious Purposes beyond our Thoughts With what perfect Wisdom is every Thing managed in the Government of this World That even the Wickedness of Men is made to serve the purposes of his Glory How wonderfully hath God Honour'd his Mercy and Power Holiness Justice and Truth in redeeming and saving Sinners by Jesus Christ with greater Advantage then if our first Parents had continued Innocent HIS Ways are not as Ours but above them in governing the Minds of Men turning their Hearts influencing their Counsels and changing their Thoughts to bring about and fulfil his Own His Ways are above ours in makeing Use of very unlikely Instruments weak Means yea such as in Appearance are Contrary to effect his own Purposes in the Government of Nations of particular Families and Persons AND the Ways of his Providence on less above ours In his disposing Crosses and Afflictions Temptations and Hardships unto those he loves best and permitting others to live in Peace and Quiet HIS Ways are not as ours but above them in that the very Falls and Faults Crimes and Follies of good Men are overul'd for much Good and great Transgressions before Conversion made servicable to excellent Purposes afterward What was Poyson in Nature becomes Medicinal by Divine Grace He that stumbles in the way gets ground by it if it help him to mend his Pace to walk faster and more warily How many can say if it had not been for such and such Fails I had never known so much of my own VVeakness and Frailty I had never had such Experience of Temptation and how unable of my self to resist it I should never have had so hearty a Detestation of Sin such a Tenderness of Conscience such an Awe of offending God so fervent a Zeal to please him so sweet a Sense of his Mercy so Thankful an Acknowledgment of his Grace in delivering and recovering me The very Remainders of Corruption in the Hearts of Men which they bewail and pray and strive against I shall serve to convince them of their necessary Dependance on Gods Grace shall cause them to walk humbly with God shall make them more circumspect