and lead them to Christ and to the Covernant of Grace and to the Promises they are broken and bruised already therefore deal gently with them handle their Souls with smooth and not with rugged hands We say a Chirurgeon needs an Eagles eye a Lyons heart and a Ladies hand so we may say of a Minister he needs an Eagles eye to be of a piercing sight in the Mysteries of the Gospel He needs a Lyons heart having to do with wounded and Ulcerous Souls He needs a Ladies hand having to do with broken hearted sinners Afflicted consciences are thirsty and ready to faint therefore lead them to the Rock Jesus Christ from whose side being struck by the rod of God do only flow those waters that can allay the scorching heat of an iâ—flamed Conscience and can refresh and revive the drooping Soul that boweth under his burthen of temptations hence do issue those waters that can cleanse the Conscience and wash away the guilt of sin which makes it so disquiet and tormenting after David had sinned â—ouâ—y by Adultery and Murder he came to these waters Psalm 51. ver 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Moses's rod struck the Rock that water might gush out to the thirsty Israelites God's rod struck the Rock Jesus Christ that Mercy might flow out more freely to the thirsty sinner If they be thirsty lead them to Christ the Fountain of living waters A wounded Spirit is shot with a poysoned arrow I mean the sting of sin be you therefore that loving friend that may draw out the venome with your mouths I mean by your godly council and seasonable advice Do not tell afflicted Consciences of a God only but of a God reconciled in Christ put them into the clift of this Rock Jesus Christ when you shew them any thing of the Glory of God They are bruised therefore speak not all Law unto them but mingle Gospel with it least you break those whom God hath bruised Shew them the cleansing and comforting Blood of Jesus Christ and if their trembling Souls chance to propose any such Questions as are in the 6 Micah 7. will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams Shew them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world While they cry out of their own sinfulness set before them Christ's perfect Righteousness and that He freely offers to cloath them with it shew them not only Christs ability to save but Christs willingness to save for that is sound advice given by a late writer That Soul which is disquieted for sin must be pacifyed by something that is not sin He that is sensible of his own unrighteousness must be made to see a perfect righteousness somewhere else even the righteousness of Christ If it were a prevailing argument with God Exod. 32. ver 13. To press him to pardon Israel for the sake of Abraham Isaack and Jacob his Servants and his Covenant made with them Then surely it must needs be a stronger argumenâ— when a poor sinner shall be seech God to remember Jesus Christ his only begotten and well-beloved Son that dyed for him and his Covenant made with Christ But as afflicted consciences will be much fingering their sore and so put back their cure The sight of Sin is a thick cloud which will much hinder the sight of a Saviour Therefore when they complain of great and manifold offenees do you shew them Gods great and manifold Meâ—cies Psalm 51. ver 1. Shew them Davids argument Psalm 25. ver 11. O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great Here is our usual Objection turned into an Argument My Sins are great therefore I fear God will not pardon them says the doubting sinner My Iniquity is great therefore Lord pardon it says the believing David even merciless men will do much to purchase them a great name the merciful God by pardoning great sinners gets Himself a greater name of being Merciful Shew them how to frame an argument out of Gods own words Ier. 33. ver 8 9. And I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and whereby they have transgressed againsâ— me and it shall be to me a name of joy 〈◊〉 Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the good thâ—t I â—o unto them Press the Lord with His own words to exalt His great name by cleansing and pardoning thy sins and the more and the greater they are the more will His Mercy be glorifyed Seeing God designeth to be glorifyed in the great Attribute of his Mercy we cannot glorifie it more than by throwing our selves upon it If Satan aggravate our Sins as he never fails to do it to the purpose when he finds a sinner despairing then we must set all the true colours upon Mercy great Mercy glorious Mercy rich Mercy abundant Mercy and that which is beyond all that Satan can say of our sins Infinite Mercy Shew them therefore that by casting our Souls upon Gods free Mercy we do exceedingly glorifie the Mercy of our God and the merit of our Redeemer Do not rob God of the glory of his Mercy by your unbelief But if the broken hearted sinner yet object against it self Alas my sins are no ordinary sins then do you put them in mind that Christ is no ordinary person His blood is no ordinary price His Redemption no ordinary work and Gods Mercy in Christ is no ordinary matter Paul did not despair of Pardon because he saw himself to be chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1 ch ver 15. but gloried so much the more in Christs coming to save such as he was A Soul that is once enabled to look upon Christ as his Saviour will not despair though Conscience tell him he is a great sinner but can be as willing to accuse â—t self as Satan is to accuse it and yet not despair of pardon but imploy Satans malice as an argument for greater love to Jesus Christ Those that despair of Mercy should be much pressed with the great injury done to Gods Infinite Mercy and to Christs Infinite Merit by such as despair of Pardon for it is as much as to make God an unmerciful God and Christ to be an Impotent Saviour and it is a most dangerous sin in respect of us â—or it blocks up the way to Mercy â—ll other sins might be pardoned if unbelief did not intercept our Pardon â—n the 3 Io. ver 18. He that believeth not â—s condemned already because he believeth â—ot in the name of the only begotten Son of â—od It is not said because he was a â—hore-monger or a Thief or a â—runkard but because he believeth not in the name of Christ So that unbelief is the greatest sin of all other Satan holdeth many under despairing thoughts a long time by telling them that they have not been broken enough yet by the terrors of the Law and therefore are unfit for pardoning mercy
I have done Answer God sâ—ith That if we condemn our selves here we shall not be condemned hereafter 1 Cor. 11. chap. 31. ver Pre-judging of thy self is a good sign that God is fitting thee for mercy Although such is the froward disposition of men that repeated affronts breed an irreconcileable alienation in our hearts Yet so infinitely is Gods mercy that he called upon Iudah to return to him after he had played the Harlot with many lovers Ierem. 3. ver 1. And in the 12 ver God bids backâ—â—â—ding Israel to return and in the 55 Isaâ— ver 7. God promiseth mercy to the wicked and unrighteous man And because the poor self-condemning sinner says he hath abundance of sin therefore God says that he will abundantly pardon not only those that are sinners in their own reckoning but even those whose lewd lives have deserved the name of wicked and unrighteous yet let them return to me says God and they shall be pardoned no matter how desperate we think our condition to be if Christ undertake the cure if he be our Physitian Nay if we believe that Christ is now in Heaven who had the sins of all the world laid on his back when he was on Earth we may the more easily believe Gods readiness to pardon the greatest sinner and also Christs merit to be able to answer for the greatest fins A 3 Objection But Fâ—ith and Repentance are the conditions of Pardon but I cannot believe nor repent and he that belieâ—veth not is condemned already Iohn 3. ver 1S Ans. That Scripture speaks of a final unbelief â—e that dies in unbelief To be earnest with God for Faith is a sign of some Faith that man Mark 9. ver 24. Lord I believe help thou my unbelief He did not say I can or I cannot believe but Lord I desire to believe and I believe that thou canst help my unbelief Our Saviour seems to say unto troubled Consciences as he said to the blind man Matt. 9. ver 28. Do ye believe that I am able to do this and they said yea Lord then says Christ according to your Faith be it unto you here was Faith enough to fit them for a cure And for Repentance Christ is exalted to give Repentance and Remission of sins Acts 5. ver 31. Since you know that you cannot believe nor Repent pray unto Christ and He will enable you Peter denyed his Master thrice and yet Christ looked back upon him and recovered him again Let the greatest sinners look unto him and they shall be pardoned Take heed of Cain's unbelief My sin is greater than I can bear Or as the Note in the Margent of the Bible is greater than may be forgiven He did not say so because it was so but it proved to be so because he said so Unbelief makes sin unpardonable No sin can damn the Soul if final Unbelief be not added to it And this made St. Austin say Thou lyest Cain for the Mercy of God is far greater than the greatest sin You say you do not repent Pray tell me is sin your solace or your sorrow doth it make you mery or doth it make you mourn do you love Sin or do you loath Sin is it that evil which you allow or that evil which you allow noâ— Paul was a true Penitent even when he complained of a Body of Sin a Law in his Members which made him do the evil which he hated Rom. 7. ver 15. 19. compared it shews you do repent Seeing that God hath made you so sensibly to bewail your impenitency Therefore look unto Christ whom the Father hath exalted to give Repentance and Remission of sins Acts 5. ver 31. Alass I cannot weep for my sins as I ought outward sufferings â—etch more tears from my eyes then my sins How bitterly did Peter weep upon the remembrance of his denyal How plentifully did Mary Magdalen shed tears when we washed our Saviours Feet with them but alass I can scarce weep at all Answer Abundance of tears do not always declare true Repentance We read of Esaâ—'s Tears but not of his Repentance Gen. 27. ver 34. 38. He cryed with an exceeding bitter cry He lift up his voice and weptt Tears seem to us to be all of a colour God only can put the difference Esau's tears and Peter's both wept bitterly and yet both of them wept savingly There may be true repentance without a flood of tears the Thief on the Cross was truly penitent and yet we do not read of a tear that dropt from his eyes David truly repented and yet we find no mention of any tears when Nathan told him of his sins 2. Sam. chap. 12. ver 13. Mr. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience hath abundantly satisfyed us that tears are not absolutely necessary to true Repentance some are naturally more dry of constitution and barren of Tears than others I knew a Boy that was not able to shed a tear to save a whipping True Repentance is to be judged of more by the inward sorrow of the heart then by the outward sorrow that runs down the cheeks the greater the inward grief is the fewer tears will fall as a high wind keeps back the showers off the great combustion in the soul may keep back the showers of tears And so there may be true Repentance with drie cheeks There is great weeping and wailing in Hell but no true Repentance Children are more easie to shed tears than grown men Sighs and groans is the usual way of expressing the greatest sorrow And whereas you say you cannot weep so much for sins as for outward sufferings for ought that we can find Hezekiah wept more at the message of Death than when he humbled himself for the pride of his heart Isai. 38. ver 14. David's sickness drew more tears from him than his Sins Psal. 2. ver 5 6. What bitter lamentation did he make when he received the unwelcome tidings of Absalom's death 2. Kings chap. 18. last ver and 19. chap. 4. ver Those things that most press the outward senses do squeeze out most tears To see our House on fire would more easily force tears from our eyes than to hear a Sermon of the fire of Hell although that be much more dreadful news To conclude this particular A malefactor that is condemned to the Gallows may shed more tears than one that is pardoned and yet he that is pardoned may be more penitent than he that is executed It is dangerous to make any standard to measure true Repentance for if you will set any it must be the highest of all so that unless you are sure that you weep as bitterly as Peter or Mary Magdalen the Devil will still tell you it is not true Repentance besides it looks so like a Papistical trick as if you thought that rivers of tears could wash away sin without the blood of Ghrist And when we have wept until we can weep no more if Faith be not mixed with
our Tears it is but legal Repentance Alass But I have committed foul facts since my first conversion Answer So did both David and Peter and how did they recover themselves but by Faith in Jesus Christ and Repentance from dead works Therefore confess your sins to God and think of that comfortable portion of Scripture 1. Epistle Iohn 2. chap. ver 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous It is not said If any man sin not but if any man sin Thus poor sinners go loaded to Heaven with abundance of experience of the riches of Gods Grace and freeness of his Mercy in pardoning their heinous transgressions There are commonly Three hindrances in the way of afflicted Consciences 1. Looking only upon Sin 2. A proud kind of seeming Humility 3. A searching for the fruits of Repentance before we are sure of Faith 1. Many look only upon their Sins and not to their Saviour Alass sayes the afflicted Conscience my Sins are crying Sins Crimson Sins Scarlet Sins Scandalous Sins foul frequent committed against much Light much Love against much Means much Mercy If a wounded Man should only look upon the bleeding wound would it not make him faint for fear that he should bleed to death But when he seeth the skilful Chirurgeon about to dress it and considers his skill to cure it this upholds his sinking Spirits even so poor Sinners must needs faint and despair of Pardon while they look no further than their Sins which despairing thoughts would soon vanish if then we could look up to our Saviour are not all sins easie to be pardoned by Infinite mercy It was an excellent answer that one returned the Devil when he told him of the heinousnefs of his sins thy sins should be pardoned too if thou couldst believe Christ can more easily pardon seventy offences to us then we can seven to one another He delighteth to forgive much so to engage us to love him much When some â—old the Ruler that his Daughter was dead and bid him not trouble the Master Mark 5. ver 35 36. Christ bids him fear not only believe and so to that other person Mark 9. ver 23. If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth When Martha said by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Ioh. 11. ver 39 40. Christ checks her Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst set the Glory of God These were all desperate câ—ses and therefore the more proper for Christ the Great Physitian Christ â—an cure inveterate Ulcers aswel as green wounds therefore look up to Christ while you look down upon your sins see what power Christ hath to save while you behold what power sin hath to damn that so while you see in your selves great cause of despair you may see in Him far greater cause of hope 2. Hindrance to afflicted Consciences is a proud humility or a kind of seeming mannerlyness It may be like Peter thou thinkst it not good manners to let Christ wash thy Feet Iohn 13. ver 8. Thou shalt never wash my Feet Calvin's note on those words is Pride often lurketh under pretence of humility away with this destructive manners seeing that the great work which God requireth of us is to believe in Christ as our Saviour and to believe thaâ— He both can and will save us to the uttermost surely we cannot do it too soon 3 Hindrance It may be that thou searchest for the ripe fruits of Repentance before thou art sure that thou hast Faith in the work of our spiritual ingrafting into Christ we are like crab-stocks newly grafted which do not instantly bear fruit the same day or week or the same month that they are grafted If we be truly ingrafted into Christ by Faith Repentance and the fruits of it will appear afterwards but not the same hour that we are ingrafted I mean not so as to be discerned by us look after Faith first before you search after Repentance Faith will help us to repent Paul did not bid the Jailor to repent but believe first Acts 16. ver 30 31. He knew that Faith would work Repentance If the Devil tell you that you should havâ— repented sooner Remember that true Repentance can never be too late Christ dyed before you sinned If therefore you believe in Christ now you shall be as surely pardoned as if you had begun your repentance sooner Repent for your deferring repentance so long and remember that the repenting Thief was 〈◊〉 rejected though it were at 〈…〉 hâ—ur 4. Objection But I am so continually hâ—unâ—ed with temptations either to Blasphemy or Self-murther or one black and devilish temptation or other that sleeping or waking I am a terror to my self Ans. So were all true Saints more or less haunted with the like temptations that have lain longer under a Spirit of Bondage This may be a good sign that we have not given Satan a peaceable possession when he thus strives to make a forcible entry by such horrid temptations The Devil lets them alone of whom he thinks he hath made sure work but he assaults those most with the greatest temptations that arâ— striving to get out of his clutches 5. Object But alass I have something that tells me I have withstood my day of Grace Answer That something must be either from God or Satan It cannot be from God for He tells none that they shall die in their sins but such as obstinately reject Jesus Christ and refuse to be saved by him Indeed Christ said to the Phariseâ—s â— go away but ye shall die in your sins Ioâ— 8. ver 21. But if you take notice of it ' â—was spoken to them that blasphemed Christ and said He had a Deviâ— Iohn 17. ver 20. This may be a comfortable note Christ said to the Penitent Adulterer Iohn 8. ver 11. neither do I condemn thee And yet he said to the self-justifying Pharisees Ye shall die in your sins That sinner that confesseth and bewaileth his guiltiness him Christ absolveth but that Soul that thinks it self Righteous without Christs Righteousness He abhorreth If sin be your burden Christ calls you to Him and therefore this something that tells you you are damned must be from Satan that old lyer You may know the Devil to be a lyer in this as well as in other things for God never made Satan of his Privie Council to know who are to be saved and who are to be damned But pray tell me Suppose the Devil should tell you that you should be saved would you believe him then Why then do you heed him now that he sayes you shall be damned as you would mistâ—ust your condition more if Satan should tell you thaâ— you should be saved so now you have cause to mistrust it less because he tels you that you shal be damned If the Devil should possibly know that you should be damned for certain he would
never tell you so for fear of awaking your Conscience and makeing you look after Salvation If Jesus Christ do not tell us that we are damned we need not regard what Satan says for whatever he saith he is a lyer This is not the first lie Satan hath told in this kind many are now saved in Heaven whom the Devil told they should be damned You may read two remarkable stories in Mr. Clar â—s description of the Lives of Mr. Balsom and Mr. Rothwel and because the latter story is apposite to this purpose I have transcribed it The person that was possessed his name was Iohn Fox The Devil spake thus to Mr. Rothwel Say nothing to me of this man for he is damned Mr. Rothwel answers thou art the Father of lies nor art thou so well acquainted with Gods mind concerning this man which makes thee thus torment him therefore â— believe thee not I believe he shall â—e saved by Iesus Christ. The Devil replyed He is a Murderer anâ— thou knowest no Murderer must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mr. Rothwel Thou lyâ—st again for David was a Murderer and yet is in Heaven and the Iews with wicked hands crucified the Lord of Glory yet both Christ prayed to his Father to forgive them and Peter exhorts them to repent that their sins might be blotted out Devil But this man hath not cannot shall not repent Mr. Rothw If he had not thou wouldst not have told him so but if he have not I believe God will give him repentance and thâ—u shalt not be able to hinder it 6 Object But you know there is a sin unto death a sin that shall never be pardonedâ— and I fear I have committed that sin Answer I am glad you fear it for it is so much the more likely that you have not sinned that sin Indeed Satan doth much perplex troubled Consciences with the fear of sinning the unpardonable sin yea I am perswaded that most of the Elect if not all are afraid they have or shall commit that sin Troubled Souls are to be disswaded from musing so much on that nice Subject No man can positively determine what the unpardonable sin is and of all men you are the most unfit to search it out 7 and last Objection Alass I have lain so long in this despairing condition that I doubt I shall never get out of it Answer Many were under bodily distempers and yet were healed at last When ever Christ commeth He brings a cure with him We read of a Man that was impotent 38 years Iohn 5. ver 5 6 7. and yet Christ healed him The Woman that was bowed together by an evil Spirit 18 years and yet Christ loosed her from her infirmity and that which is a comfortable word for thee to consider Christ calls her a daughter of Abraham although she was possessed by a Devâ—l Luke 13. ver 16. The continuance of your temptation doth not hinder you from being a daughter of Abraham That I may draw towards a conclusion If you consider what hateful sins you have committed and how long you have lived in sin without any sorrow for sin you need not wonder that God sends you so long a time of sorrow now Absalom was greatly beloved of David and yet when he had murthered Amnon he was bannished three years from Ierusalem and when David recalled him from banishment yet for two years more he saw not the Kings face 2. Sam. chap. 13. ver ult and compare it with chapter 14. verse 28. David suffered him to dwell in his Kingdom but did not presentâ—y admit him to his Court to shew his just displeasure against his abominable murder God may bring a sinner home by converting Grace and yet not make him or her sensible that they are received into favour by comforting Grace God doth not welcom home all his Prodigals with Musick and Feasting some one he may to declare his Mercy but not all to shew his just abhorrence of our Prodigality The blessed Spirit is first a Refiner before it prove to be our Comforter He is a sanctifying Spirit before he prove a witnessing Spirit He purgeth away our Sin before he shâ—w us our Pardon the Holy-Ghost first cleanseth us then comforâ—eth us He first removes our 〈…〉 he remove our sorrows â—he Apoâ—â—â— spâ—aks of those that had received the Spirit of Adoption when he â—aid The Spirit it self beareth wâ—tness with our Spirit in 8 Rom. 15 16. God may make us his children and yet may not instantly dandle us on his knee To shut up this matter It is said that Israel in Egypt did not hearken to the promise of Deâ—iverance by reason of their anguish of Spirit occasioned by their cruel Bondage a very remarkable Scripture 6. Exod. 6 7. But though Moses spake to them from God yet they heaâ—kened not to the Promise for anguish of Spirit and for cruel Bondage The paralel is easie lying long under a Spirit of Bondage may make us deaf for a while to all the Promises of Pardoning Mercy and free Grace Now let me peâ—swade you to read the Promises more often and more more seriously study the nature of free Grace more Pray more although Satan tell you you are unfit to Pray For if the thoughts of our unfitness can drive us from Prayer he will always suggest that we are unfit so to make us still more uâ—fit by our own neglect the more unfit we are to pray the more need we have to use the words of that Disciple in Luke 11. ver 1. Lord teach us to Pray c. The more we see our unfitness to Pray the more need we have to press God to make good that gracious Promise in Rom. 8. ver 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us c. Some advice is needful to Ministers how to handle tender Consciences and that follows in the short Notes of the next Sermon Nccessary Advice to Ministers how to handle AFLICTED CONSCIENCES Luke 4. Ver. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised THese words are our Saviours first Text which he taught upon in Nazareth as you may see ver 16 God the Holy Spirit directed Christ to that Text of Scripture which might mind him of his Office and prove most comfortable to poor sinners These words are taken out of the 16 of Isaâ—â—h being very little altered that being the Prophecie of what Christ now began to perform For Division 1. Here is something affirmed the Spirit of the Lord is upon me 2. A reason assigned because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel c. 3. Some particular duties of Christs Office repeated to
as much as can well be in a Man void of Grace and in Paul was discovered as much as need be looked for in the most eminent Saint his former madness is equalled by his present zeal and now all that Ieâ—ish Learning which he had raked together intending onely thereby to defend the righteousness of the Law and the Traditions of the Elders and to dispute against Christ and his Gospel God imploys it better to make him more able to confound the Iews and to prove that Jesus is the very Christ Acts 9. ver 22. None preach Christ crucifyed so plainly and the Doctrine of Justification by Christs impured Righteousness so powerfully and so thorowly as Paul does none beat so much on this string as he Romans 3 ver 27. Galat. 2. ver 16. and in Galat. 3. ver 10. None cry down the Righteousness of the Law so vehemently nor cry up the imputed Righteousness of Christ so earnestly as Paul does thus as he was behind no man in wickedness before his conversion so was he not infer or to the very chief Apostles after conversion but laboured more abundantly than they all I Cor. chap. 15. ver 10. Now he would preach nothing but Christ crucifyed 1 Cor. chap. 2. ver and would glory in nothing but in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Gal. 6. ver 14. Thus Paul was even a miracle of Mercy and a glorious pattern of Grace The next particular is why Paul was hung out as a pattern of Free grace 1. Because he had been such a notorious persecuter and therefore as the noise of his mad and ignorant zeal had filled the world before so now the news of his conversion would be the more wonderful and he would be the more fit to be a pattern because the Example of so great a Sinner would be more encouragement for other sinners to seek for Mercy Galat. 1. ver 23 24. When the Churches heard that Paul preached the Faith which he once destroyed they glorifyed God in him When sinners remember that Paul was pardoned they may glorify Goâ—s Mercy by seeking Pardon too 2. Paul was made a Pattern of Free Grace because he was an eminent Iew and by Sect a Pharisee and so might prove a leading Pattern to all the Iews and to that obstinat Sect of the Pharisees to leave off per securiâ—g the Church of Chrâ—st and to joyn themselves unto it â—o follow his Example in renouncing the Righteousness of Works and embracing the Righteousness of Faith Paul was well read in all their Jewish Traditions and was as zealous of them as they and therefore they might see more of the power of Grace in his conversion that now made him hâ—zard his own life to advance that way which before he persecuted unto Death 3. Paul was chose to be a Pattern because in such a Pattern the freeness of Grace would appear more clearly here all the world may see that we are not saved out of any Woâ—ks foreseen here was nothing to fit him to receive Grace unless making havock of the Church be a preparatory work Such Works the Romish Saints are full of here was a raging Persecutor tamed and pardoned It is not our Faith apprehending Christ that saves us but our Christ apprehended by Faith Christ is the meriting cause and Faith is the Instrumental Lastly Paul was set as a Pattern of Free Grace to encourage other sinners beholding the Mercy of God unto him to look after Mercy too that as in a Glass or Mirrour all men may see more clearly the freeness of Grace it is a good means to prevent our despair when we see such an instance of pardoning Mercy before our eyes and this leadeth me to the last particular What encouragement may other sinners draw from this great pattern of Paul's obtaining Pardon My meaning is not that others should expect to be miraculously converted as Paul was for you may as well expect to be caught up into the third Heaven But by Paul's being pardoned you may look after a Pardon Paul believed and was obedient to the voice from Heaven and so obtained Mercy This voice from Heaven was the voice of Christ why pâ—rsecutest thou mâ— and Acts 9. ver 5. I am Iesus whom thou persecutest The Gospel now is Christs voice from Heaven he that believeth this voice and is obedieâ—â— to it shall as surely obtain Pardon as ever Paul did and he that will not obey Christs voice in the Gospel shall nâ—ver be pardoned It is remarkable that Christ did not tell Paul by the voice from Heaven what he should do but sent him to be taught by Ananias who was a Minister of the Gospel Acts 9. ver 6. So now he doth not miraculously tell sinners what they must do to be saved but sends them to his Word and Ministers to be instructed and therefore pray compare those two places together Hebr. 4 ver 7. To day if you will hear his voice what is that voice of Christ Luk. 10. ver 16 He that heareth you heareth me Christ spake this to his Seventy Disciples when he sent them out to preach the Gospel Christ gives his Ministers the same power to preach as he did them though he hath not given them power to work Miracles he still says He that heareth you heareth me for it is Christs word and not Ministers to reâ—urn to the queston how other sinners may draw encouragement from Pauls obtaining Mercy Wâ—y this this a pattern for other sinners ad imitandum Paulâ— fidem to believe and so they shall obtain mercy When you see a very deformed person well married you are apt to say nay then none need ever hereafter despair of a husband other sinners may say so from this pattern of Free Grace seeing that Paul the chief of sinners is married to Jesus Christ seeing so great a siâ—ner is pardoned no sinner hereafter need despair of pardon thus one Begger encourageâ—h another by â—elling them or shewing them what a good Alms they have 〈◊〉 I sped well at such a door and 〈◊〉 encoâ—rageth others to go 〈◊〉 too Though indeed begging is now grown such a common Trade that you may be soon wearied out with Beggers such is mans emptiness that he cannot be always giving but such is Gods fulness that he delights to be dealing of his dole of Mercy the oftner you come to the door of Mercy the better you shall speed and therefore this is an encouraging Pattern And consider beloved how great is Gods goodness in giving us such Patterns to invite us to the throne of Grace To see Matthew and Zaccheus two Publicans pardoned may encourage all Publicans to look after Pardon too to see Mary Magdalen out of whom went seven Devils and the Woman taken in the very act of Adultery both pardoned may encourage all sinners to seek pardon to hear Paul say I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious but I obtained Mercy may greatly encourage all sinners to follow God by
Prayer for to shew them Mercy it is a very great mercy that we have not only Promises of Pardon but also Patterns of notorious sinners that have been pardoned 1. Because such Patterns sufficiently declare the infinite merit of Christs death who could be fitter Trumpets of Christs Power and Mercie then those blind and lame and leprous and the Woman cured of her bloody Issue and that other Woman bowed together all which Christ cured in the days of his Flesh When the Jews spake against Christ the man whom he had restor'd to sight pleaded hard for him Iohn 9. ver 30. 33. If this man were not of God he could do nothing The Jews knew not what to object but proudly asked him Dost thou undertake to teach us ver 34. What can any poor sinner object against the Power Mercy of Christ when they see ten Lepers cleansed at once but may be enforced to cry out with that Leper Matt. 8. ver 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean He that cured Ten can cure ten Millions though it is not so with bodily Physicians their Art is fallible but Christ is the infallible Physician To hear that Christ came to save sinners may not move us so much as to see it in the Examples of Manasseh and the Theef on the Cross and those others before-mentioned such remarkable instances do abundantly declare that the merit of Christs death is exceedingly beyond the demerit of our sins Christs healing all manner of diseased that were brought unto him shews that he can heal all manner of diseased Souls that come unto him now 2. Such Instances do evince that God is ready to deal out Pardons to all sorts of Sinners let their Sins be what they will that come in Christs name to ask Pardon the poor Soul is apt to say How shall I know that God will pardon such a wretched sinner as I am Why you may believe it in such Patterns as Paul and those before mentioned 3. It is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy for in these we may more clearly see what is the great design of free Grace namely to set open the door of Mercy and invite all sinners to come freely and to give pardons to all that will come to God in Christs name And therefore Peter and Paul the two greatest Apostles and Pillars of the Church are both set as Patterns of Free Grace to encourage other sinners to look after Pardon Peter denyed yea abjured his Saviour and yet was pardoned Paul persecuted him and blasphemed his name and compelled others to do so to and yet was pardoned Now as some prophane wretches in Salvians time did presume to sin because David and Noah and Lot sinned Si David cur non ego si Noah si Lot cur non ego Here the poor penitents may turn their presumption into a blessed hope and say with an humble confidence si Petrus cur non ego si Paulus cur non ego si David si Noah si Lot cur non ego If all these were pardoned why may not I follow God for pardon Gods gracious design in suffering such Examples to be Registred of notorious sinners that were pardoned is that by such presidents of Mercy all other sinners might take encouragement to seek for Mercy in such marvâ—â—lous exâ—mles as these Satans greatest Objâ—ction is answered to our hands What doth such a wicked creature as you hope for pardon in such patterns of Mâ—rcy as Manasseh Peter Paul and the like God teacheth us how to answer the Devil God hath pardoned as great sinners as I am and therefore I am sure God can pardon me and I believe God will pardon all that seek to him in Christ for pardon and therefore I will ply the Throne of Grace in Christs name to beg pardon In such patterns God doth as it were make a shew of his Mercy that we may see no sins are so great but they shall be pardoned if we do not add Unbelief unto them Mr. Lightfoot hath an excellent note to this purpose on Pauls conversion The most notorious persecuter that the Gospel had yet found is chosen of all others to be the Doctor of the Genâ—â—les that 〈…〉 his own example or rather the glorious example of Gods Mercy in his conversion might be a comfortable Doctrine to those notorious sinners of the Gentiles as well as his Preacâ—ing Lastly it is a great Mercy to have such Patterns of pardoning Mercy because such instances are a good means to keep all sinners from despair your case is not desperate if the Counsellour can shew you a President of the like If the Physician can shew you many now living whom he hath recovered of the same distemper this may be a good encouragement for you to hope for a cure too This is Paul's meaning when he calls himself chief of sinners and says that he obtained Mercy for this cause that he might be a pattern to others as much as to say â—n me God shews as from an high Tower that all sinners may be pardoned as I was if they seek to him in Christs name as I did and as David said they that fear thee will be glad when they see me Psal. 119. ver 24. it may be turned here they that see David pardoned and Paul pardoned they may be glad of such encouraging patterns to make them hope for pardon too the Doctrine of free Grace is the only Doctrine to invite guilty sinners if pardon be offered freely to all that will â—ome to God in Christ Then if I go to pray to God for pardon in the name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall be pardoned as well as they and this consideration moves the poor sinner to go to the throne of grace to beg pardon God who hath no respect of persons can have no motive from within but his own free love to pardon a poor sinner and the word Sinner sufficiently declares that there can be no motive from without therefore the same Free Grace that hath pardoned other sinners will pardon all sinners that seek pardon Yea this is a good sign that God intends to pardon us when he makes us with David pray â—arnestly to be pardoned Application is for Exhortation to press all sinners to draw that encouragement from this glorious pattern of Paul's obtaining Mercy which God intends us Why do we sit still as the Lepers said one to another 2 Kings chap. 7. ver 3. Why do not we pray for pardon There are three things which God doth most delight to glorify his name his Son his Covenant and then we most glorify these three things when we look after pardon As for Gods Name he tells us pâ—ain enough Ier. 33. ver 8 9. That he would exalt his Name before all Nations of the Earth by pardoning his People Israel therefore let us urge God with his own words Lord glorifie thy name of Mercy in pardoning my sins that
all the world may be enforced to say in those words 〈◊〉 7. ver 18. who is a God like unto thee that pardonâ—th Iniquity c. Concerning his Son God therefore named him Iesus that all the world might hear by that very name that he was sent to be a Saviour thus Paul â—old the Jews Acts 5. ver 30 31. That â—â—sus whom they hanged on a Tree God had exalted to be their Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins And concerning the Covenant You know it is called the Covenant of Grace Pardon of Sin is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace Ier. 31. ver 34. last words for I will forgive their Iniquity and remember their Sin no more then we glorify Gods name of Mercy and Christs name as a Saviour and the name of the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace when we are moved by these to pray for pardoning mercy remeâ—ber now is the day of Grace that 〈◊〉 to say Now God is ready to give us Pardon if we seek pardoning Grace Heaven is said to have twelve Gates Rev. 21. ver 12. intimating to us that now there is free admission every way to all sinners that come to the Throne of Grace But there is a day of Judgement coming then God will as much delight to glorifie his Justice in damning all those that refused to seek for Pardon in the day of Grace There are Twelve Steps that lead a sinner to the hope of Pardon 1. To see his absolute need of Pardon 2. To set a possibility of Pardon for we can have no hope of that we judge impossible he sees it possible by the glorious Patterns of such as have been pardoned 3. To desire a Pardon 4. To admire the freeness of Grace in all such as have obtained Mercy 5. To see that the only way of obtaining Mercy is to believe in the Lord Jesus 6. To see Christs ability to pardon and to begin to seek after him 7. To read and eye the promises of Pardon 8. To believe the truth of those Promises 9. To desire to have an Interest in those Promises 10. To venture our Souls on the free offer of Pardon 11. To follow God by Prayer in the name of Christ to pardon us Lastly Now the sinner arriveth at the Cape of good Hope and a good Hope is the beginning of assurance When the poor sinneâ— looks towards Christ then it begins to hope for Pardon No matter what the Disease was if the party had but Faith to be healed as is said of the Man lame in his Feet Acts 14. ver 9. No matter what our sins are if we â—ave but Faith to believe in Christ for Pardon Physicians care not for medling in dangerous cases but such desperate cases bring more glory to Jesus Christ thus curing him that had been thirty eight years impotent Ioh. 5. to ver 8. and healing her that had spent all upon Physicians Mark 5. ver 25 26. and raising LaZarus that had been dead four days Ioh. 11. 39. working through these natural impossibilities made Christs power be more admired by all that saw his Miracles even so this high pattern of Paul a Persecuter and a Blasphemer and one of the chief of sinners and yet obtaining Mercy doth much more advance the riches of free Grace and may be a greater encouragemâ—nâ— to all that hear of it to seek after pardoning Mercy no matter how desperate our case seem to us if we make use of Christ as our Physician God hath set us two grea◠〈◊〉 in Pâ—ter and 〈◊〉 both great sinners yet both obtaining pardoning Mercy The Lord giye us his grace that we may imitate Peter's sincere Repentance and Paul's saving Faith that we may also obtain Mercy through Christ Jesus that came to save sinners