was at Jerusalem it was where Paul should have learnt to know better things for there the Apostles were and taught the Doctrine of Christ and of Christianity Sixthly If you consider the extent of Pauls malice saith he When they were put to death I gave my voice against them Pauls vote was against the Christians to put them to death Seventhly Pauls rage did goe against their soules as well as their bodies for saith he I did compell them to blaspheme Christ he laboured to damn their souls as well as destroy their bodies Eighthly saith he I was exceeding mad against them he was even mad with rage and exceeding mad with rage Ninthly He drove them from house to house I drove them into strange Cities And then Tenthly which was worst of all he did through their sides strike at the honour of Jesus Christ for why did Paul doe this to the Saints saith he I thought with myself to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth there was the person he aymed at yet Paul a man forgiven for all this for he saith when he aggravates his sin in 1 Tim. 1. 11 12 13. According to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministery who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly its unbelief Thus I have done with the Doctrinal part of my Text laying down to you an induction of instances I am the larger in this because I know perplexed consciences in trouble of mind are apt but to greaten their own sins but can you aggravate it worse then David Paul or Peter could do yet behold those sinnes and those aggravated sinnes were forgiven by Jesus Christ I have four words to say in this Sermon by way of Application there may be in such an Assembly as this is whom God might suffer either before conversion or after conversion to be unclean with David to deny Christ with Peter it may be to swear to a lye to swear to a falshood nay it may be to engage to a lye to a falshood O take heed of false Oathes it may be to persecute the Saints of Christ with Paul Four Consolations First O know it for thy comfort O thou disconsolate heart let thy sin be never so great yet the mercies of God are greater A learned Interpreter gives to my hand which is his instance Lord my fault is great but thy mercies are greater Beloved I may say to you though thy sin be great yet the mercy of God is greater then thy sin and thou canst not have so many circumstances to greaten thy sin as can be produced in God to greaten his own mercy you shall read what he saith himselfe in Isa 44. 22. I have blotted ouâ— as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Suppose thy sin be not onely a little cloud but suppose it be a great cloud a thick cloud saith God I doe not only blot sins out like a little cloud but I will blot ouâ— transgressions that are like a thick cloud great sins as well as small doth the mercies of God cover The Sea can as well cover great rocks as little peble stones high mountaines as well as mole-hills Gods mercy is an Ocean that can cover great enormities as well as lesser infirmities The glorious body of the Sun in the Heavens can scatter the greatest mist as well as the thinnest vapours great sins as well as small are pardoned by infinite mercy It is worthy your notice what Moses speaks of the Mercy-seat It covered the whole Ark wherein the Law was kept To note saith a Divine though thou art a man or a woman guilty of all the Lawes breach not onely of one command but of all the commands yet the Mercy-Seat covered all the commands to teach you this that the mercy of God can pardon the greatest violation of the Law therefore that wherein the Law was kept was all covered by the Mercy-Seat 2. Take this for thy comfort O thou perplexed Conscience it may be when thou art in a corner none but God and thine own soule together thou dost aggravate thy sin and thinkest no mans sin so grievous as thine then take this for thy comfort let thy sin be never so great yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater The blood of Christ saith the Apostle cleanseth us from all sin the Red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his hoast as it could doe a single man the red Sea of Christs blood can drown a whole hoast and a huge multitude of sins as well as a small lust Though thou hast need to shed more teares for sin in a way of contriâ—ion yet Christ need not shed more blood for sin in a way of redemption for he hath saved them to the utmost that come unto God by him the Apostle triumphing in the 5. of the Romans he meanes there that there is not so much evil in sin to damn us as there is good in the gift in Christ for to save because thy sin is he guilt of a creature and Christs satisfaction is the satisfaction of a God thy sin the sin of a finite creature and his sufferings the sufferings of an infinite Mediator Third Consolation is this to you that are perplexed in conscience that you have committed hainous and aggravated sinfulnesse yet that Jesus Christ doth wipe away the infamy and the ignominy of thy most horrid and scandalous sins committed before conversion Suppose thou hast been a notorious infamous creature yet Christ takes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy sin when he justifies thy person and doth sanctifie thy nature It is observable of Mary Magdalen as is conceived she was a notorious whore every one that saw her knew she was a common harlot there was a woman that was a sinner the meaning was she was an infamous notorious harlot What is done when Christ converted this woman Luk. 7. 47. Wherefore I say unto thee her sins which are many are forgâ—ven for she loved much Christ did delight to wipe away the ignominy of her harlotry in her after-life It is worthy observation that four women are reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ what women were they they were women that were infamous the best of them did fill into much scandal and gave much offence there you find mention of Thamar Rachab Ruth and Bathsheba no more in the Genealogy but these what were all these women Begin with Thamar she committed uncleannesse with her Father in Law an infamous woman as you have the story in Gen. 38. 18. And he said What pledge shall I give thee and she said thy Signet and the Bracelets and thy Staffe that is in thine hand and be
he sent a messenger to Peter particularly by name Goe tell my Disciples in generall and tell Peter that I am risen Mark 16. 7. But goe your waies tell his Disciples and Peter Peter was crying weeping and be wailing that he should deny his Master and saith Christ Goe tell Peter that I am risen 3. Christ doth single out Peter after he rose from the dead Christ hath more discourse with Peter then hee hath all with his Disciples else Joh. 21. Thus you see that Jesus Christ manifests love to those sinners that sinned foully after they have repented and are sufficiently humbled for their sin Thus it is with Mary Magdalen after she repented what expressions of love doth Christ to her First we read that hee cast out of her seven Devils Luk. 8. 2. Then he appeared first to Mary shee was the first that saw him when he was risen Mark 16. 9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen Again Christ commanded that where ever the Gospell came to bee preacht the fame of Mary should be made known Matth. 26. 1 3. Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospell shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her what a great honour was this to Mary Magdalen Thus it appears that God doth manifest to those persons that have sinned the grossest sins if afterward they shall have the more serious and through humiliation the clearest evidences and the strongest comforts Thirdly Take this for your comfort It is not the greatnesse of that sin thou committest but onely the hardnesse and impenitency of thy own heart that can exempt thee from pardon Divines doe generally say that the reason of that saying in Scripture All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come It is not that there is not more merit in Christ to save then there is guilt in that sin but it is because that man cannot will not repent of the sin Therefore that sin cannot be forgiven because he cannot repent Suppose thy sin be blasphemy this doth not exempt from pardon It is not the greatnesse of thy sin but the Judiciall hardnesse and finall impenitency of thy heart that can exempt thee from pardon when Peter preached to the Jewes that had a hand in crucifying the Son of God yet saith he repent and your sins shall be blotted out O what sin could be greater then their embrewing their hands in the bloud of Christ yet doe but repent and your sins shall bee blotted out It is not for want of great mercy on Gods part and great merits on Christs part that men are unpardoned but it is want of repentance on thine owne part Fourthly That no grosse sin committed by a justified person can make void his former pardon A rule among the Shoolemen the worke of God cannot bee made void or frustrated by the worke of man Election is a work of God Redemption the work of God Justification the worke of God which cannot be made void by the work of man therefore if God hath elected thee redeemed thee justifyed and pardoned thee the incursion of grosse evills cannot restrain thee of former pardon It is true sinne may make void thy former comforts thy former evidences gross sins may lay wast thy conscience but they cannot lay wast the grace and the mercies of God herein you may be greatly comforted and established Fifthly Take this for thy comfort though thou dost fall into grosse and aggravated guilt yet such is the goodness and mercy of God that he orders thy very falling into sin to turn to thy good I doe not mention this to any that they should be imboldened to fall into sin because it may turn to good O it is God that orders a mans fall for his good A threefold good that God doth to his people out of their very sins God doth not onely doe good to his people by their afflictions but he doth good to his people by their very sins First Sometimes God doth so order that the falling of a godly man into sin shall abate pride in his heart men of great parts are apt to be proud God many times will let strong lusts attend strong gifts the more to abate and keep under the exaltation of spirit therefore saith Paul I have the messengers of Satan to buffet me that I might not be exalted above measure God doth many times to keep under pride let a temptation loose on a man so God doth him good that way Austin saith I am not afraid to say that it is profitable sometimes for good men to fall into sin Secondly It will prevent many other sins here is Gods great mercy the putting of a man to pain takes away pain God sometimes suffers a man to sin that sin might keep out another sin one sin may be so ordered by God to keep out another sin Thirdy Falling into sin sometimes doth renew the work of repentance the Lord sometimes lets them sleep that so he might awaken them by a greater humiliation and to tast the more of the bitternesse and fruit of sin here then is Gods goodnesse to a sinner that by letting him fall into a sin he doth thee good and makes thee to renew repentance and greatens humiliation in thy heart Now for the finishing of this subject there are seven Cases of conscience that in this Doctrine are needfull to be resolved First Whether God may forgive a man his sin and yet the man himselfe not know it here David had sin forgiven him and David did know it I acknowledge and thou forgavest but whether may a man have sin forgiven him and yet not know he is pardoned I answer in the affirmative that a man may have sin forgiven him and yet not know that his sin is pardoned though David did know his pardon at this time yet he did not know his pardon at other times Psal 51. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation God broke Davids bones for his Adultery and David was driven to shed a River of tears before God did pour in one drop of joy Job 33. 10. Behold hee findeth occasions against me he counteth me for his enemy Job thought that God was an enemy unto him and you have not onely the confession of one man but the doubts and fears of the Church in generall Lament 3. 42. We have transgressed and have rebelled thou hast not pardoned we have rebelled c. Yet God had pardoned and God had forgiven them yet here was their fear and their doubt they lay under suspense of pardon God may pardon a sinne unto the Elect and yet they not know that they are pardoned and in the manifold Wisdome of God there are divers reasons for it first by keeping them under a suspense
whiles I was speaking and praying and confession my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God c. that Gabriel came and touched him c. Confession is to the soul as the whet-stone is to the knife that sharpens it and puts an edge upon it so doth confession of sin confessing thy evils to God doth sharpen and put an edge on thy supplications that man will pray but faintly that doth confesse sin but slightly Solemn and secret confession of they evils unto God doth greatly help to quicken strong supplications unto God Reas 4 A fourth Reason why justified persons must confesse sin unto God is because confession of sin will worke a holy contrition and a godly sorrow in the heart Psal 38. vers 18. For I will declare mine iniquities I will be sorry for my sin Declaration doth work compunction confession of sin is but the causing of sin to recoyle on the conscience which causeth blushing and shame of face and grief of heart Reas 5 A fifth Reason why justified persons must confesse sin unto God is because their secret confession of sin doth give a great deal of glory to God it gives glory to Gods Justice I do confesse sin and do confesse God in justice may damn me for my sin it gives glory to Gods mercy I confesse sin yet mercy may save me it gives glory to Gods omnisciency in confessing sin I do acknowledge that God knoweth my sin confession of sin gives glory to God Josh 7. vers 19. And Joshua said unto Achan My son give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me It is a giving glory unto God Reas 6 A sixt Reason why justified persons must confesse sin unto God is because holy confession of sin will imbitter sin and indear Christ to them when a man shall let sin recoyle on his conscience by a confession These after reflexions and these after recollections of sin do greatly imbitter sin and do indear Jesus Christ the stronger desires that a sinner hath after Jesus Christ the more he doth inhaunce the price of Jesus Christ And thus much for the first Quere to wit the Reasons of the point The second Quere is But when is a man in the best plight to have freedome of spirit to make secret confession of sin unto God I will name but three Seasons As Seas 1 First When God doth bring a beleever under some grievous outward affliction then is a fit time for him to confesse sin to God It is a saying of Gregory Sins do blinde the eyes of men when they sin yet those eyes come to be opened by the punishment the punishment openeth those eyes which the fact hath shut As you read of Josephs brethren they did remain 20 yeares without having conscience recoyle on themselves to confesse their vils in selling their brother Joseph but when Joseph laid them in a prison then they confest their evill Gen. 42 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distresse come upon us It may be now thou art in health thou dost not now confesse thy uncleannesse and thy drunkennesse and thy pride and thy prophanenesse but what wilt thou do when God brings thee on a death-bed when God hedges in thy waies with thornes the conscience will reflect on thee and suggest guilt to thee and draw out confession from thee it is a fit season when God doth bring a man under any outward affliction then he is in good plight to confesse sin It is worth your notice in the 38. Psalme it was made when David lay on his sick-bed as he thought his death-bed you shall finde it is a complaint of a very strong disease David lay under in the 3. vers Vers. 3 There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin Vers 5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishnesse Vers 7. For my loines are filled with a loathsome disease and there is no soundness in my flesh Here he was lying on a sick-bed and Interpreters say that he made this Psalme when he was sick It is worth your notice of the title that David gives this Psalme A Psame of David to bring to remembrance David when he was on his death-bed as he thought he said it shall be a Psalm of remembrance to bring sin to remembrance to confess to God my uncleannesse with Bathsheba to bring to remembrance the evils of my life it was a good plight David was in when he lay on a sick-bed he would make this title of the Psalme A Psalme to call to remembrance men are in a fit plight to make confession to God when they lye under any bodily sicknesse call to remembrance thy pride call to remembrance thy passion call to remembrance thy vain dalliance whatever thy fin be it may be I may not hit of it but when ever God brings thee under affliction thou art then in a fit plight to confesse sin unto God and call to remembrance thy sins As it was with the Marriners in the storme with Jonah when there was scarce any hope to be saved then they fell a calling each one on his God Which occasioned the Proverbe He that hath not yet learnt to pray let him goe to sea So Jer. 2 vers 24. A wilde Asse used to the wildernesse that snuffeth up the winde at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away all they that seek her will not weary themselves in her moneth they shall finde her The men of Israel are there compared unto an Asse an unruly creature that runs up down the wilderness and kicks up the heel but saith God Though men weary themselves to take her yet in her moneth they shall take her that is when she brings forth young then they shall take her referring it to the people of Israel they in their prosperity would not be ruled but when they were in their moneth in their captivity in their sufferings then they should take them and they would then come to be more pliant in confessing their guilt more to God then in former time A second Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confesse sin is when the conscience of a man is set in office by God to persue him with clear and with strong accusations When God puts the conscience of a man in office to persue him with strong accusations touching evils he hath omitted then that man is in a fit plight if he will take hold of it Even Judas himselfe when conscience awakened him went and confessed to the High Priest and the
and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Though he was a Prodigal yet he would goe to God as to a father In confession you are to go to God hopefully as to a displeased father confessions when they come to God as a Judge create fear horrour and amazement on the conscience but when confessions are mingled with hope and come to God as a Father they work a holy brokennesse of heart a holy tendernesse and remorse on the conscience We should confesse our sins to God as a Patient confesseth his disease and bodily distemper to his Physician in hope of Cure Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin unto God is this Content not your selves with slight and superficial confessions of sin unto God but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin Dan. 9. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee we blush and are ashamed to look up Leave not confessing of sin until shame hath filled your face and sorrow hath filled your heart it is a great fault in many people if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a general way they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession We should in this part of prayer imitate that holy Martyr Bradford who never gave over praying till his heart was somewhat affected and warmed in the duty Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confession of sin is this If thou findest thy heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee then labour to review recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins This is a very useful thing in a mans Christian course It may be a man or woman professing Christianity may not know the sins he or she hath done this last week for want of heedfulnesse and observation of their waies in that case let them recollect what they have done many years agoe recollect old sins when new sins do not come to remembrance and be humbled for them thus David did in Psal 51. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me It was meant his old sin of adultery that was his sin that he would now call to remembrance so when he found his heart dead he saith Lord remember not the sins of my youth he would go so far back as his youth I prescribe this rule not that a godly man who is under trouble of minde should take this course to collect old sins this may lead him to despair but in case of barrennesse if any man wants matter in respect of present sinnes and findes his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himself and recollect sins of past years go back as far as his youth and see what conscience will bring in to provoke him to make humble confession unto God in his secret retirements Rule 7 Lastly take this Rule take more freedom in confession of sin in secret before God then in publick before men To provoke you to practise this Rule consider two things 1. First it is not fit to confesse all the evils you have done before men and if there were no argument to prove secret prayer this were enough that it is not fit for a man to confesse all the sins of his life before men Zach. 12. 12. And the Land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart c. They are to go to God and confesse their sins apart Thou art a poor professor that dost confesse what thou confessest in publick onely and never in private thou art but a barren professor 2. Again consider this that though we read of wicked men that have made great confession of sin unto God yet we never read in the Scripture that wicked men ever made conscience to confesse sin to God in secret Pharaoh you know the story confest his sin unto Moses and unto Aaron but we never read that Pharaoh confest his sin unto God Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time c. Saul confest his sin unto Samuel but we never read of his confessing sin unto god 1 Sam. 15. 24. And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord c. Verse 30. Then he said I have sinned c. Judas confest his sin but to whom was it to the High Priest and to the Pharisees but Judas never went into a corner and in secret to bewail bloodshed wicked men have made publick confessions of sin but in secret between God and their own souls they never made acknowledgment and confession of their evils unto God thus much for the third Quere The fourth Quere is this Wherein appears the difference of a gody mans making confession of sin unto God and between those confessions of sin in wicked men and there are these eight differences First Holy confession in godly men makes the soul to be more active and inquisitive after cure remedy and pardon for sin holy confession makes the soul industrious I confesse sin but how shall I subdue sin I acknowledge sin but how shall I get pardon for sin It makes it enquire how to get cure and remedy for the evils which before were confest Job 7. 20. I have sinned What shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men c. I have sinned there is his confession Lord what shall I do there is his industry Thus the Jewes they were convinced by Peter of their great sin insomuch as they cryed out What shall we do to be saved But false confession leaves men idle and carelesse confesse they do but they are not inquisitive how to get pardon for those sins they do confesse Secondly Holy confession of sin unto God in godly men is attended with remorse of conscience and with grief of heart Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin there is confession and sorrow joyned together Hos 12. 4. Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him Whilest confessions are in the mouth there will be either tears in the eye or sorrow in the heart if confession be true The wicked confesse sin but tey never grieve for the sins they have committed they are not ashamed neither can they blush in the Prophets language Thirdly A godly man in confession of sin hath more freedom of spirit
her own pardon Mary was weeping for her sin and it was first revealed unto another that she was pardoned to shew that when men fall into grosse sins God doth many times hide comforts from them other men shall have good hope of their pardon more then they have of themselves let this be admonishment and a check to you to take heed of falling into grosse evils for God may keep you long without manifestation of pardon Fourthly to admonish thee consider that thou doest run a very dangerous and desperate hazard to venture upon the commission of sin upon presumption of pardon Wilt thou sin that may be as painfull to thy conscience as the breaking of thy bones because Christ can set thee in joynt again Wilt thou sin and cut gashes in thine own flesh because thou knowest the Bloud of Christ to be a soveraign balsam to cure thy wounds for by his stripes we are healed I now come to give you something by way of direction Hast thou been a man that God hath left to thine own hearts lust thou hast not onely sin but the iniquity of sin sin aggravated then First take this rule Labour in the residue of thy dayes to be as eminent in grace as thou hast been formerly notorious in sin have thy lusts been strong labour now that thy affections may be strong God-ward and Heaven-ward has thy sin been cloathed with many hainous circumstances to make it great let thy graces be cloathed with many holy circumstances to make them great though this cannot make a compensation to the most High for nothing thou hast or dost can recompense God for the wrong sin doth him yet is this something by way of a Holy revenge on thy selfe the more thou hast been notorious in evill thou shouldest labour now to be more eminent in good Secondly Hast thou fallen into any grosse and aggravated guilt follow this Rule Labour that the greater thy sin and thy unkindnesse hath been to God thou express now the greater love to Jesus Christ for pardoning mercy O labour thou that hast great sins pardoned that thou mayest have great love issued out to Jesus Christ Christ did not simply aske Peter Simon Peter lovest thou me out goeth higher Peter doest thou love me more then these there was this reason why Christ shold aske him this Question because Peter had sinned against Christ more then all the disciples had therfore Peter must love Christ more Do I speak to any that have been taler by the head in sin then any of their neighbours have been O! if thou hast sinned much love much the greater the sin the greater the pardon must be and therefore on thy part the greater must thy love be to Jesus Christ this is held out plain in that familiar parable that Christ useth Luk. 7. 41. There was a certain creditor Which had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty Vers 42. Aud when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most Vers 43. Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most and he said unto him thou hast rightly judged The meaning of this is the two debtors are two sorts of sinners he that owed a little sum he could not pay his debt though thou hast but few little sins yet thou canst not satisfie for it He that owned much was a great sinner as Mary Magdalen It may be God hath forgiven thee thy hundred of sins thy five hundred of sins O make good this Parable that he that hath most forgiven him love most the greater thy sin hath been the greater thy love most bee It is thus with Mary Magdalen Luk 7. 47. wherefore I say unto thee Her sins which are many are forgiven her for shee loved much Her love doth hold proportion to her pardon much pardon on Christs part and much love on her part O beloved let me here inculcate this on your thoughts have any of you been great sinners have you been guilty of aggravated and hainous circumstances now finde that your love doth carry some proportion to your pardon Thirdly hath God suffered thee to fall into the iniquity of sin observe this direction the greater thy sin hath been to God labour that thy humiliation may be greater that it may carry some proportion to the greatnesse of thy transgression It is observable of what you read of three men in Scripture of David Manasses and Peter these all sinned greatly and their sorrow and lamentation did carry proportion to their sin in some measure Manasses sinned greatly and the Scripture saith of him That he humbled himself greuly before the Lord. Peter did deny Christ shamfuly and Peter went out and wept bitterly You know David sinned notoriously and he mourned exceedingly rivers of tears ran from his eyes he watered his couch with tears all this teacheth you that the greater thy sin hath been the greater thy humiliation should bee An observable Law you read of in Lev. 11. 24 25. And for these you shall be unclean whosoever toucheth the carkasse of them shall be unclean untill the Even And whosoever beareth ought of the carkasse of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the Even touching an unclean thing a man was unclean but if a man carried an unclean thing any length of time then saith God he shall be unclean till Even and he shall wash his clothes This law shews that touching an unclean sin requires an humiliation but if thou hast born a sin and hugged a sin in thy armes then there is greater worke required of thee he was to wash his clothes He that hath continued in sin must wash his heart by humiliation and must take more pains with his heart that hath fallen into a grosse evil then those who have not fallen so foulely and frequently Fourth Direction In case thou expectest to have a high esteeme of pardoning grace labour thou to find out all the aggravated and hainous circumstances in thy sin Do not fear that the seeing of the sinfulnesse of sin will do you hurt first look on pardon and then look on the aggravation of thy sin this is the way to heighten Christ merrits and greaten Gods mercy and extoll Gods pardoning grace It is notably mentioned of two men that were famous this way It is reported of Eusebius when he came to confesse sin he used these words Lord there is none have sinned as I have sinned the Devil sinned Judas sinned grievously but none sinned as I The Devil indeed sinned but Christ never dyed for the Devill as he dyed for me therefore my sin is a greater sin then the Devils Judas sinned greatly but Judas never had the pardon I had Achan sinned too but I sinned further then he O labour to finde out what aggravations there are that thy evils are capable of that so thou mightst come to magnifie and greaten the grace
of God in thy esteem A famous story of Austin when God converted him and smote his conscience for the vanity of his youth how doth he aggravate his sin when he was a boy for robbing of an Orchard he doth aggravate that sin with many circumstances First I robbed an Orchard meerly out of vanity not out of need to steale for need is more tolerable though not justifiable but when he had enough that was vanity then it was not for the goodnesse of the fruit but meerly for the lust of the eye then I did not rob the Orchard alone but I got others with me then it was an unseasonable time of night then he went to rob the Orchard after he had spent all the day in vain sport then what they could not eat they gave to the hogs then saith he I wronged and injured an honest neighbour that never did me wrong O see how hee clothed that sin with many hainous crimes and circumstances canst not thou cloath thy uncleannesse thy oppression thy extortion thy unjust dealing with hainous circumstances let me direct you a little in this rule First To aggravate thy sin consider all sins against the manifestation of Gods love are great when God speaks peace to thee if thou shouldst then return to foolishnesse Psal 85. 8. this greatnes sin it was an aggravation of Solomons sin that he sinned against the Lord after God had revealed himselfe twice to him 1 King 11. 9. And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared to him twice Secondly It aggravates sin when you commit a sin upon a slight temptation for a man to sin when he hath little or no provocation that greatens sin What made the sin of the Devil so great it was this that those Angels had none to tempt them for thee to follow the stews for thee to follow thy lusts when the Devil doth not tempt thee to doe it when the provocation is meerly from thine own heart this greatens a mans sin and thus in the Prophet Micah that men should sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes O when thou shalt recollect and say how have I dishonoured God how have I run the hazard of an immortall soul when the Devil hath laid no temptation to me this greatens sins exceedingly A third thing to greaten sin by is when a man doth sin against the checks and rebukes of his own conscience Conscience saith doe not sin doe not wickedly and the man saith I must I must I shall lose all else When Conscience shall arrest thee and accuse thee of sin and thou shalt stifle and put by all this aggravates thy sin Fourthly The frequency of the acts of sinne to commit a sin once is not so much but to fall often into the same sin this greatens sin Fifthly Complacency of heart in sin when sin is not onely the sin of thy practise and of thy life but thou delightest in sin if sin be rivetted and rooted in thy heart thou art unclean canst thou go to God say Lord what grace is here land what mercy is here that thou hast pardoned great transgressions and those sins that I can aggravate by many hainous circumstances I have read my pardon and yet I have now blotted my pardon canst thou say I have sinned and upon a very trivial occasion and on a smal temptation I am a drudge to the Devil on an easie temptation when the Devill can draw thee by a silken thread to a sin O it is a great aggravation when Conscience arrests thee for sin and thou wilt still be stifling the cries of conscience would you greaten sin you are in a ready way to greaten mercy pardoning grace that is a 4th direction Fifthly If God doth out of the riches of his grace pardon aggravated sins take you heed that when you have obtained great and gracious pardons for great and grievous sins you do not extenuate your sins do not say of your sins as Lot of Zoar Is not this a little one doe not say of wilfull enormities as Jacob did Peradventure it was an oversight do not mince the matter and doe not lessen sin but greaten sin The reason why thou shouldst not doe it consider first by extenuating sin and making it smal and little in your eye you will lessen the greatnesse of Gods pardoning grace who will value the skill and Physick of a kitchin woman That Physitian is valued that can cure a deadly and dangerous disease when a mans spirits are gone and strength is consumed the Physician is prized thou by lessening thy sin dost lessen pardoning grace 2. By the extenuating thy sin thou doest lessen the value of Christs bloud 3. Thou wilt lessen thine own repentance and humiliation for what man will labour after great humiliation for small transgessions therfore there is a world of wrong done to thy own soule when God hath pardoned great transgressions if thou shouldst extenuate and lessen the greatness of thy evils Sixthly Content not your selves with slight and superciall repentance so falling into great and gross evils be not like Lewis the eleventh King of France when he did an evill against his conscience he pulled off his hat and tooke his Crucifixe and cryed God mercy for what he had done so many men if they can but cry God mercy in ordinary and generall tearms they think they have made a Compensation to Divine Justice And thus have I done with the second branch of the use in these six particulars The third and the last branch shall be by way of Consolation to troubled and perplexed Consciences that by reason of their falling into aggravated and hainous sins do entertain doubtfull thoughts of their own pardon five Consolations I shall lay down to you from the scripture who have repented of great and many sins First Consider for thy comfort that conversion and repentance for sin before God wipes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy former miscarriages suppose thou hast been an ignominious notorious soul creature yet repentance puts a vail over thy ignominious lusts Secondly Take this for thy comfort that Jesus Christ doth manifest more love to those men who have fallen into gross sin after repentance and humiliation then he did to any other sorts of men in the world It is observable of Peter Peter did sin more then all the Disciples unless Judas that was the cast-away after Peter did humble himselfe and repent of his denyall Christ did shew more love to Peter then to all the other Disciples First Christ appeared to Peter after his Resurrection before he appeared to any other so Paul tels you in 1 Cor. 15. 5. And that he was scen of Cephas and then of the twelve there was love in Christ Peter did deny but three daies before and Peter must first see him Again When Christ was risen from the dead
sins The Stoicks say all sins are alike and there is no difference It is true in regard of the object all sins are against God yet when you come to beg pardon for sin according as your sins are greatned you are accordingly to behave your selves in seeking for pardon God can pardon great sins as well as small in regard of God there is no difference nor in regard of the merits of Christ but yet in your behaviour in seeking for pardon of sinne you are to make a great difference between the greatnesse and the smallnesse of your evils For consider the scripture makes a difference between sins therefore we must doe so The Scripture compares some sin to Camels and some to Gnats The Scripture compares some sin to beams and some to motes some sins as talents and others but as pence and in Amos there is mention made of mighty sins Amos 5. in John of greater sins Joh. 19. 11. Jesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin It is true every sin deserves hell yet there is more of the punishment of hell inflicted on some sinners then others the reason why I speak of this case is to let you know that as God hath suffered any of you to fall into aggravated and hainous evils so he requires more of you then of other men Consider That God requires of you more humiliation then he requires of other men In the Law you read that if a man toucht the unclean thing he was unclean till evening but if a man bare an unclean thing he was to wash his cloths to shew that the touch of sin requires humiliation but the bearing of a sin in thy bosome thy continuing in sin requires more work then meerly the touch of sin Peter wept bitterly for his deniall he did more for that sin then for an ordinary sin So that you are to consider that though in regard of Christ there is no difference between a great sinne and a small as the red Sea could drown Pharaoh and his host as well as a single man so Christs blood can drown a huge host of sins but yet you must encrease your humiliation on the aggravation of your guilt thus much for the sixth case of Conscience Case 7 The seventh is this What are those great and hainous circumstances that doe greaten sin that so I may see whether I have aggravated my sin or not here are these circumstances which do aggravate and greaten sin Ans 1 First Sinning against the frequent manifestation of Gods love to thy soule this greatly aggravates sin this did aggravate Solomons sin 1 King 11. Solomon was the beloved of the Lord yet he provoked him to anger after he had appeared to him twice Secondly To sinne against the rebukes and checks of thine own Conscience doth greaten sin Jam. 4. 17. Therfore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin It is sin to another man that doth not know it but to him that knoweth it it is a greater sin this Christ refers to and speaks of Judas that would betray him and yet knew that he was the Son of God What my Disciples to betray me his sin was the greater Conscience is Gods Officer in man it is a greater fault to strike a Constable then an ordinary man out of Office for thee to sin against the rebukes and checks of Conscience aggravates sinne Thirdly To sin against Gods judgements upon other men is an aggravated evill for thee to sin when God hath given thee warning of sin from other mens blood this did aggravate Belshazzars sin Dan. 5. 22. 23. And thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this But hast lifted up thy selfe against the Lord of heaven c. Thou that knowest how a man is plagued for his uncleannesse thou that knowest how a man is plagued for riotous living yet thou wilt live riotous and thou wilt live adulterous that thy sin is the greater thou sinnest against the monument of the eie as well as against the warning of the eare Fourthly Sin against Gods judgements upon our selves doth weighten sin this did aggravate Abaz sin 2 Chron. 28. 22. And in the time of his distresse he did trespasse yet more against the Lord. Fifthly To sinne against mercies is an aggravation of sin 2 Sam. 12. I delivered thee out of Sauls hand I gave thee thy Masters house I gave thee the house of Israel and if all this had been too little for thee I would have moreover given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised c. What thou sinne David and hast been loaden with a heap of mercies this greatens thy sin Sixthly It greatens sin when the sinne is immediately against God 1 Sam. 2. 25. If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him If a man sinnes against God O who shall plead for him Seventhly To sin against the motions of Gods spirit aggravates sin when the spirit of God shall in thy Conscience perswade thee that thou wouldst not follow such wicked waies as thou art walking in when the Spirit of God shall come and wooe thee to be reconciled to alter thy course and to walk in better paths when not only the voice of conscience but the motions of Gods Spirit shall be stifled this aggravates sin Hence it is that Scripture in setting out the wronging and withstanding the spirits motion whether to good or from evill doth ascend by gradations sometimes it is called quenching the spirit Quench not the Spirit a higher degree there is a grieving the Spirit when there are frequent acts to withstand divine motions that is a grieving the Spirit And then there is an higher aggravation then this that is resisting the Spirit Act. 7. 51. Ye stiffe necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye This is caused by pertinaciousnesse in withstanding the spirits motion And then the scripture speaks of vexing the spirit Isa 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them This is not only by one single act but when continually throughout thy course thou hast a wilfull and a gainsaying heart against all the motions of Gods spirit within thee Must not this be a great evill in thee when thou dost quench grieve resist and vex the spirit all these circumstances must needs aggravate and greaten thy sin Eightly Sin is aggravated when thou dost frequently fall into the same sin Ninthly Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacencie that it is not onely acted by thee but loved by thee the acting of a sin is not so much as a loving
First To all tempted and troubled by Satan this is the time of accomplishing that promise Rom. 16. he shall tread Satan under your feet shortly Secondly To all persecuted and opposed by men 2 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thirdly to all mercifull ones Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee tooke mee in c. 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy unto the house Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chain The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Fourthly to all that can lay a grounded claime of interest in Jesus Christ His coming againe will bee comfortable then 1 Iohn 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when hee shall appeare wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming Fifthly Christs coming againe will be comfortable to all that judge themselves 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if wee would judge our selves we should not be judged Sixthly to all them that watch and pray Luke 21 36. Watch yee therefore and pray alwaies that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Seventhly to all beleevers it will bee very comfortable 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more pretioâ—s then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and Honor and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ I now come to the Application of the point by way of caution there are four cautions that are to be noted First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe bee full of comfort yet take this caution that you are to looke on the Doctrine of Christs coming to judgement as a Doctrine to teach you duty as well as to give you comfort it is a great abuse of your priviledges when you make any Gospell-point to bee an inlet of comfort and do not make that very comfort to bee a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that ye come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 2. 1. Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee bee not soon shaken in your minds Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Jesus Christ Now to speak distinctly to the caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the world Iam. 5. 8. Be ye all patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to bee a spurre to the improving of your gifts under Ordinances not onely patient under afflictions but it should provoke you to improve your gifts under Ordinances 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that yee come behinde in no gifts waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ The waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ it should provoke you to a holy improvement of growth under Ordinances for Christ will call you to an account of your hearing Revel 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come Thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the spirit saith Lord come Lord come but he that groweth better by hearing hee will say Lord come Lord come a notable Text Mat. 25. 22. Hee also that had received two Talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst unto mee two Talents behold I have gained two other Talents besides them his Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that when hee will come to judge the world he will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts wel thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to bee conscionable in your outwards calling whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that when Christ shall come he might find mee either Preaching or Praying Labour then to bee about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and find thee in the stews and to finde thee working of wickednesse O how unmeet art thou for Christs coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should bee a spurre to you to moderate the the use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4. 15. Let your moderation bee known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luk. 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts bee over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Peter 4. 7. But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer Fifthly it should provoke you to repentance Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this Ignorance God winked 〈◊〉 but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom hee hath or The Doctrine of Gods appointing the day for the Man Christ to judge the world it should bee a spurre to the grace of Repentance that now every man every where should repent Christs coming should be a spur to repentance Sixthly Christs coming should bee a spurre to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this world Acts 24. 15 16. And hath hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the Death both of the just and the unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men The thoughts of Christs coming to judge the Quicke and the Dead should make you have thoughts to get a good conscience void of offence towards God and Man 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And thus much for the first caution that you are to looke on the coming of Christ as a Doctrine serviceable as well for duty as comfort The second caution is this take heed of