thought you haâ— mourned repented forsaken your sins and noâ— you have gone in reliance upon these for pardoâ— this is a contradiction a pardon is a free act 〈◊〉 one that hath the power to give it and if yâ— have gotten it you went for it with an aloâ— reliance on that Grace of his which was revealâ— to you for your encouragement you went wâ— but money and without price You have acknoâ—ledged it to be an act of Soveraignty and accoâ—dingly have laid your selves down at the footstoâ— of Soveraign Grace by an humble resignation 〈◊〉 your selves to that and that hath been all yoâ— hope because he is a pardoning God you have aâ—dressed him as David Psal 25. 11. For thy namâ— sake Oh Lord pardon mine iniquity USE III. Let this serve to encourage and direct burdened Souls that are sinking under the apprehension and oppression of the weight of Sin lying upon them in the Guilt of it Here is that which may help to bear up your Spirits and point you what to do that you may may obtain a gracious deliverance from it and for encouragement Consider 1. There is a way for you to get ease upon this account a pardon will do it What though your Sins be not altogether taken away as to the presence and activity of them yet if they may be forgiven for the present this is good relief in this â—uncture this may satisfy your Consciences and â—ase them of their distress and will give you assurance that the other shall be done in due time too 2. There are no Sins so great or numerous but may be thus removed God is able to take them off his forgiving Grace and Vertue is not limited the vilest of Sinners may be encouraged to go to â—im for it and if they do he will in no wise â—ast them out Sins that Lye as mountains between God and you cannot stop his way from Coming and pardoning you 3. It is a good sign that he intends you a pardon when he makes you feel your Sins to be an â—supportable burden It is the way in which he â—ath been wont to dispense his Salvation to miseâ—able Sinners It looks like the beginning towards 〈◊〉 good work of Saving Grace the Spirit first Convinceth of sin Joh. 16. 8. and that conviction will leave oppression upon the Soul and hence the next and immediate invitation of the Gospeâ— is to such as are weary and heavy laden undâ— such distress Mat. 11. 28. And for Direction 1. Beware of flying to other courses to get easeâ— there are many and we are apt to be temptâ— to them Cains's course Judas's course 〈◊〉 the common course of the most in seeking 〈◊〉 repair all by legal repentance and amendment 〈◊〉 deceive you and you shall find it labour 〈◊〉 vain 2. Be sure to seek a pardon in Gods wâ— As none can give it but he so there is a wâ— in which he derives it to us and you must â—serve it and attend upon it if you would 〈◊〉 be deceived and here 1. Go to him with your Sins there is a grâ— do that many make they would go but they 〈◊〉 so vile and so unworthy and hence thâ— would get rid of their sins first but this 〈◊〉 never be if ever your sins be taken away 〈◊〉 must do it Hos 14. 2. and the first thing 〈◊〉 doth in it is to pardon them on which 〈◊〉 purging of them follows in order of naturâ— carry all with you for all want a pardon 2. Confess and bewail them before him tâ— is the way to obtain mercy at his hands Prov. 2â— 13. lay them all open before him with all thâ— aggravations to the utmost that you can Tâ— is the thing which God expects and you mâ— not be short in it but as full as you can Taâ— them upon your selves and he will be ready to take them off 3. Cry to him for Forgiveness this should be the first great cry of a guilty Sinner that God would take off that Guilt and cry as those that are oppressed let them be loud earnest importuâ—ate incessant cries say as he did when he was â—nking Help Lord I perish God expects that â—our prayers be sensible ones 4. Now cast your burden upon him by Faith 〈◊〉 â—row your Sins upon his mercy by laying hold â—n the Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness â—t is the advice Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on â—e Lord all burdens none excepted are here â—tended and if this be the greatest of all be â—re to roll it on him and if you do you shall â—nd his helping hand afforded to take it off and â—ve you rest Forgiveness Covereth Sin DOCTRINE IV. FOrgiveness casts a Cover over the Sins of him that is pardoned This is the second expression by â—ich this great benefit is set forth the word as â—as observed signifies To hide a thing out of sight 〈◊〉 throwing of some other thing over it as we would 〈◊〉 by some nasty odious thing which we would not have seen In the clearing up of this Doctrine we may enquire 1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin 2. Who it is that Covers it 3. How or after what manner it is Covered 4. What advantage accrues to the person by having his Sin Covered 1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin A. This phrase is here used to express the Forgiveness of Sin and is accordingly to be interpreted Now the reason why things are Covered is that they may be hidden out of sight that thâ— may not always be in our eye and view to 〈◊〉 looked on and the end of our Covering a thâ— is either with respect to our selves or others 〈◊〉 regard to others we Cover it that they may 〈◊〉 see or know it thus 1 Pet. 4. 8. Charity shall coâ— the multitude of sins i. e. it keeps them to it 〈◊〉 and doth not divulge them Covering is oppoâ— to discovering thus when men bring pretences 〈◊〉 put off things they are said to cover them exâ—ses are called Covers With respect to our selâ— we are said to cover a thing when we put it ouâ— our sight in order to the putting it out of our remâ—brance and we are wont to do so by things 〈◊〉 sight and memory whereof would be a grief 〈◊〉 a vexation to us and thus are we here to undâ—stand it God covers his peoples sins from 〈◊〉 own sight that so he may not remember them 〈◊〉 be angry at his Children by reason of them so 〈◊〉 to take vengeance on them upon the accoâ— thereof the Scripture represents Sin as a thâ— odious to God a thing that he cannot endure to look upon Hab. 1. 13. a thing that horribly provokes him against the Sinner and therefore called the abominable thing that he hates Jer. 44. 4. Hence when he is resolved to punish men for it he is said to set it in his sight Psal 90. 8. to make strict search after it Zech. 1. 12. To call it to remembrance
we have an instance of one that fell over and escaped with his life forgetting how many have so fallen and it hath cost them their lives God will be provoked to leave us to perish if thus we affront his mercy 2. When we strengthen our carnal security in sin by it The use of such examples is that when we have fallen through temptation and are terrified at it we may be encouraged hereby to Repentance and make haste to God for a pardon but if instead of this we argue there is no danger we may put off the Conviction and delay our Repentance and get a pardon when we wish and so live and ly under Guilt without remorce this is to prevent the end of such instances and the ready way to be left by the Spirit of God to be hardened in sin to our ruine 3. When we use them only for encouragement and not for direction We take that part of the instance such an one so sinned against God and provoked him and yet God was merciful and forgave him and by this forthy our Presumption that there is no danger we need not be afraid but we never enquire what they did or in what way they found the mercy of God and thus they are so far from being an Example that they become a Snare to us and instead of using them for Gods Glory and advantage we gratily Satan and expose our selves to the greater hazard Take heed then lest we be deceived though Paenitent David got a pardon yet impenitent Sinners have no reason to conclude from thence that they shall fare as he did USE II. Let it then be to direct and help us in the right improvement of such Examples for our benefit Let us rightly apply them and that both for encouragement and direction 1. Let us use them to encourage our hope in God for his mercy whatsoever our sins have been Doth the Guilt of Sin oppress us have we fallen by our iniquity and are conscious of our danger and the Divine anger we ly open to and do our hearts condemn us and Satan urge us to despair of pardon Let us now make use of these Examples to excite our hope And to that end 1. Learn by them to have good thoughts of God We are apt to think hardly of him when his Arrows stick in our sides and his terrours make us afraid look upon these and see what a God he hath been to such as we are and let that perswade us that there is forgiveness with him that he is not an inexorable God these have found him propitious and so may we We shall never come kindly to him for pardon till we can say of him as they oâ— the Kings of Israel 1 King 20. 31. 2. Hence let these Thoughts make us resolve to go to him for Pardon While we look on him in his anger that makes us to keep out of his sight buy when we believe that he is ready to receive poor Sinners and pass by their Iniquities this will encourage us to come into his presence 3. Hence let us oppose these Examples to all the arguments of Despair that are obtruded upon us Satan and a misgiving heart will offer hard at this but let us answer all with these And there is no case in which we may not have one or other of them to do this withal Have our Sins been very Great of the biggest Size and doth the greatness of them terrify us as if they were too big for Pardon consider What were David's Sins What were Manasseh's Yea did not David bring that for a plea Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine Iniquity for it is Great The greatness of them can neither out bid his Grace or his Will to forgive Have they been multiplyed Transgressions and doth this dishearten us See what a fearful Catalogue is recorded of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin and yet they did not obstruct his Pardon Yea what saith God himself Isa 55. 7. He will multiply to Pardon Have they been against special Kindnesses bestowed upon us and so rendred us Guilty of horrid Ingratitude to God Remember how God sets forth Davids sin with all such Circumstances 2 Sam. 12. begin and yet he readily forgave him all when he humbled himself before him Have they been against many Means used with us to reclaim us which we have despised thereby sorely aggravated them We have been often warned and threatned and yet persisted and was not this also one circumstance in Manasseh's Sin 2 Chron. 33. 10. Have they been after we have received the Grace of God in converting us and so peculiarly grieved his Holy Spirit this must needs put a very black aspect on them but still remember this was Davids very case and Peters too but yet he did not take his Spirit from them but gave them Repentance and upon it remitted their Sins to them Are they Sins that you have long lain in and been habituated to and this makes you to think you have out lived your day of Grace and it is too late to hope for favour from God and did not David ly a long time remorceless under his great sin yet when at last God roused him and he repented he was forgiven 2. Let us improve them to put us upon the right course to obtain this mercy at Gods hand If we joyn not this to the former it will signifie nothing And here 1. Consider what they did in order to their obtaining forgiveness And therefore 1. They were throughly convinced of their Sin God made them to see it and know it Psal 51. 3. They had a deeply imprinted sense of what they had done and how they transgressed 2. They Confessed their Sins heartily to God They did not hide them under their Tongues they did not excuse or mince or extenuate them whiles they so did they got nothing by it but they acknowledged them Context Vers 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11. 3. They submitted themselves to God They took the shame of their Sins to themselves and acknowledged that all miseries belonged to them for the same and that God was righteous in condemning them Psal 51. 4. Dan. 9. 8. And so they yielded themselves up to God 4. They prayed hard for a pardon They besought God for his mercy yielded that nothing else but mercy could do it that God must do it for his name sake if at all and accordingly pleaded it â— Psal 25. 11. 5. They forsook their sins They turned from and renounced them utterly Judg. 10. 16. 2 Chr. 33. 15. 2 Believe that if they had not thus done they had never found mercy If they had gone on impenitently they had not been made the instances of Gods forgiveness and indeed the Word of God stands for this Prov. 28. 13. 3. Let us follow their steps This is the right improvement if we would fare as they fared let us do as they did take them as our Copy and write after them mourn as they did if we
are most like to find favour and the soul that is truly humbled will fall to prayer but God seeth the proud a far off 3. That God will have no praise for this mercy from such an one He that cannot find in his heart to fall down before God and beg his pardoning mercy will never give him suitable thanks for it if he should confer it on him Where there is no gratitude there is no thanksgiving and where a kindness is not resented how should a person be grateful Take heed then of being deluded with false hopes USE II. Here we have a Rule to judge by in what order we are towards forgiveness And certainly it is a thing very desirable to be known and they who have ever experienced what it is so stand Guilty before God will be sollicitous after satisfaction in this case and the Rule is doth the apprehension of our Guilt and misery so affect us as to drive us to pray to God for his pardoning mercy if so we have a good hope of obtaining it of him for Consider 1. It is of God to spirit us to prayer It is one character of a natural man that he seeks not God Psal 14. 4. A spirit of prayer is his gift and there is a mighty work wrought in bringing the Sinner on his knees and make him pour out his Soul to God in earnest supplication for mercy 2. When God brings a Sinner thus to pray it is that he may forgive him There is ever a gracious design in it God hath made many gracious promises to such in his Word which he cannot deny if it were not his design to bring them within the compass of the promise he would not work the condition in them and therefore when he promiseth that they shall pray he together engageth that he will hear Jer 29. 12. There is no greater sign of forgiveness then a spirit of prayer for it 3. Hence he observes when we do pray and is ready to hear us He waits to be gracious he hearkens whether men will address him for it that so he may take the opportunity to exalt his mercy on them when he had brought Paul to the ground we find how he remarks on it Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayeth q. d. Let him have been never so bitter a Persecuter heretofore yet I will have mercy on him for he prayeth for it USE III. For Exhortation and direction Let it call upon all whensoever under the sense of Guilt to betake our selves to prayer Do we apprehend the anger of God against us for any sin let it put us upon our making our requests to him for the removing of it Consider then 1. If our sin be not forgiven us it will undo us Think it not of little concernment whether our sin be pardoned or no there needs no more but the Guilt of one unpardoned sin to sink you down into the pit of endless miseries that one will condemn you and there will be no hopes of escaping the Wrath of God there is a sentence of death upon every sin which must be taken off or you cannot escape 2. You must pray for this if ever you obtain it God stands on his honour in this regard he will have Sinners to know that it is his Prerogative to forgive sin and will have their petition offered him in order thereto he will else look upon them as obstinate Sinners and such as despise his mercy and if the Sinner hath deserved to dy and hath his life offered him if he will supplicate for it and he will not do that he will provoke God to shew him no mercy 3. God is a prayer hearing God therefore there is hope in this way Thus the Psalmist pleads Psal 65. 2. Oh thou that hearest Prayer he delighteth to hear the cries of distressed Souls that feel their woful misery and have none to help them and do therefore betake themselves to him as a God of Salvations He delights in mercy and therefore hearkens if there be any miserable Sinner that will apply himself to him for it that he may shew it him Let your sins be of what colour or magnitude soever you need not despair do but pray to him and there is hope Isa 55. 7. He will do so for him that prays for it 4. This is the end of all the awakenings and troubles on your minds When God comes to shew us our sins in their colours to terrify us for them and make them a burden too heavy for us it is to drive us to prayer let us not then improve them to drive us from it And would you speed 1. Pray sensibly Cold prayers argue that Sin is not felt bear your burden and carry it with you this is the business of Prayer Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord. Let your groans and sighings be a witness that your sins are an oppressing load that you must sink under them if he do not lift them off by his forgiving mercy 2. Pray confessing Thus did David verse 5. Confession is a proper ingredient of a penitent Prayer Let your petitions carry a resentment of your Guilt and worthiness to dy and that your hope is in his Grace Confess the righteousness of your Condemnation and your unworthiness to cast so rich a favour as you pray for 3. Pray Renouncing all your trust in your Prayers Do not look to be heard for Praying though it must be in this way for your Prayers can lay no engagement upon him should he refuse to hear you you are not wronged Do not make a God of Prayer while you use it as a Medium to obtain Gods favour 4. Pray applying to and believing in the Righteousness of Christ This is the foundation of our hope it is for his sake that we must be forgiven if ever it be so It is Christ only that we must rely on who only can derive a pardon to us through his merits look on the fulness of them and be encouraged to wait for his Salvation 5. Pray perseveringly God though he hears them may yet defer the witnessing your forgiveness in your Consciences but let not this deter you but follow him with importunity as the poor Widow did the Unjust Judge and in this way you may be encouraged because he hath said in Psal 145. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that call upon him that call upon him in truth God to be sought in a finding time DOCTRINE III. THey that hope to find forgiveness from God in the way of Prayer must seek him in a time when it may be found There is emphasis in this they shall not only pray but they shall do it seasonably There are two Propositions in this Doctrine 1. That there is a time wherein God may be found 2. That if we would speed in our Prayers for forgiveness we must take this time to seek him in Prop. I. That there is a time wherein God may be found And
the New Covenant and entituled to Salvation These are the first special fruits of Election breaking 〈◊〉 in Effectual Vocation Rom. 8. 29. And hitherto â—ong those great works of Faith and Repentance which are wrought in them by the Spirit of God by which they are made to turn from sin to God â—nd from all other trust to rely upon Christ alone according to the terms of the Gospel and these are accompanied with Justification and Adoption by which they are discharged from Condemnation and entituled to life and made heirs of God and coâ—rs with Christ and so have a right to all the good â—id up in the promise and these are not not common favours 2 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise c. 2. There are also those benefits which are bestowed on them after they are brought home to Christ and engaged â—he new Covenant which contain all the good that is 〈◊〉 up in the promise made to them that love God and 〈◊〉 in his Son Jesus Christ and those are specially the Sanctification of the Spirit enabling them to serve and glorify God in their generation the preserving them in a state of grace to perseverance the perfecting of all their graces in them and the â—inging them at length into and possessing them for ever of the Kingdom of Glory comprehended summarily in Psal 84. 11. 3. And there are also the saving operations of common providence by which they are made special mercies to them Those things which they have in the ordinary course of providence and are to wicked men but common mercies and do in their operation tend to their hurt are sanctified to the Children of God so as to be servicable to farther their Salvation Those things that are a Snare to ungodly men and abused by them to dishonour God are helps to their Obedience and they glorify God with them 1 Cor 10. 31. They make them to study gratitude Psal 116. 12. Yea and Afflictions too which are to the wicked the beginnings of sorrows are the happy means to do these great good Psal 119. 71. Isa 27. 9. The means of Grace which are to others a Savour of Death are to them a Savour of Life c. 2. As to the mercy that is discovered in these benefits we may observe it in these things 1. The Creature which is the subject of them is in it self miserable for so had the fall of man made the whole race to be in as much as they were involved in Guilt and a Curse which contained all miseries in it Read the description given of a natural man Rom. 3 10 c. and the doom that is fallen upon him Chap. 5 12. And what a forlorn wretched Creature must we conclude him to be and by this he is a subject capable of mercy 2. The miserable Creature receives inexpressible kindness by these benefits His misery is relieved in it yea and remedied and finally removed by it Common favours give a present relief but these make him of miserable to become happy they take of the guilt and so remove the Curse that was lying upon him and confer on him that which fills him with satisfaction and crowns him with endless felicity hence blessedness is pronounced on all believers Psal 2. 12. 3. And all these flow from the fountain of his freâ— benignity There is no merit of the Creature in it the best of men is less than the least of all mercies Ge◠〈◊〉 They deserve the quite contrary Dan. 9. 8 9. They do nothing for them have nothing to proâ—re them withal are no better than those that go without them God bestows them on them for his 〈◊〉 name sake And when these things meet together what is done for them must needs be called mercy 2. Wherein it appears that all the rewards of Obedience are fruits of this mercy A. We may come at it in the following considerations 1. There is a reward promised to the Obedience of 〈◊〉 Children There are not only great and preâ—ous promises made in the Gospel to the people of God but there are the things mentioned to which they are connected and these are proposed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for their encouragment in â—ing him God would have them to know that they serve a good Master and would have them to animate themselves by the contemplation and faith thereof Thus did Moses by respecting the recompensa of reward Heb 11. 26. Hence such encouragements Gal. 6. 9. Isa 3 19. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. ult 2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive â—he reward God hath not only told his people what he will do for them but how they are to expect to come by it for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threatnings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed we read Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after he flesh ye shall dy This is not to be understood as 〈◊〉 the Children of God should be left to fall from the promise but to let them know that God hath appointed the means in order to the end and thereby to nourish in them awful fear and quicken them to duty 3. This notwithstanding the reward is every way of mercy It is a great error from the notion of a reward to infer a merit in the person that receives it There is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt and is dayly exemplified among men A father bestows a favour on his Child in testimony of his accepting his fidelity in chearfully doing that which was his duty now that all the rewards which God bestows on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy is evident for 1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that goe without them and this God would have his people to bear in mind and often reflect on to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither Eph. 2. 2 3. ver 12. And he puts himself together with others in declaring how it was with them before Tit. 3 3 4. 2. It is by these rewards that they are made actually to partake in freedom from that misery and enjoy true felicity This is the very nature of them for all the good that is laid up in the promises is herein contained and that consists in a freeing them from those evils which the Curse of God laid upon them and an enjoyment of that peace grace and happiness which is purchased by Christ the whole of it is summed up in Salvation in which there is something that we are saved from and something that we are made to possess hence Salvation is so often mentioned in the Gospel as the portion of the faithful is the greatest mercy the undone creatures can
to look to his Son for it This was indented for in the Covenant of Suretyship the Father offered it and the Son complied with it and there were Articles concluded about it â—sa 53. 10. God Sent his Son about it and he came accordingly Gal. 4. 4 5. his business was â—o take away his peoples sins Joh. 1. 29. and one â—hing that belonged to this was the taking away their Guilt by forgiveness and when he was engaged in this affair his Father witnessed â—o his acceptance of him in it Mat. 3. 17. 3. That in Christ's satisfaction there is a â—ufficiency to expiate the Guilt of all sin Such â—as the vertue of this One Sacrifice which he â—ffered up to the Justice of God Heb. 1â— 14. â—ence is he said to be able to save to the utter-â—ost Heb. 7. 25. It was not only enough for â—maller trespasses but for the Chief Sins and Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. and this will be very evident if we consider what he did for the expiation oâ— the Guilt of our Sins and that was he suffereâ— for them the whole punishment that was bâ— Law due to us for them it is fully exprest iâ— Isa 53 4 5 6. he underwent the whole weighâ— of the Wrath which we should have undergoneâ— he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. and then leâ— us add to consider that he was the Son of Goâ— a Divine Person that suffered all this though 〈◊〉 was his Humane Nature that bare it yet the persoâ— that sustained it was God and therefore it is caâ—led his blood Acts 20. 28. and this put an infiniâ— value and vertue into his Obedience So thâ— there is a stock of pardon laid in that cannot 〈◊〉 exhausted all the sin of all the Sinners in tâ— World cannot exhaust it 2. That the Gospel design is most of all aâ—vanced by his forgiving of all Sin and this 〈◊〉 reason sufficient why he not only can but wâ— do it Here observe 1. That the Gospel great design is the illustraâ— on of the special Grace of God By Gods speâ— Grace I intend that which is to be shewn in 〈◊〉 Salvation of fallen man there is common grâ— exprest in many other things but this is thâ— which God hath a peculiar design of commâ—ding to the undone creature and this is thâ— which is discovered in the Gospel the grâ— contrivances in Gods Eternal Decree with â—spect to his Elect had an aim at this Eph. 1. 〈◊〉 and those astonishing Providences which wâ— concerned in our fall by the First Adam and being repaired again by the Second were media subordinated to this purpose all was to make way for the Grace of God to appear in its most splendent lustre So that our whole Salvation is ascribed to this grace Eph. 2. 8. 2. That the forgiveness of Sins is an expression of rich Grace The not doing of it without the satisfaction of Christ is no obstruction of the Grace of it as some fondly dream but doth the more enâ—ance it What is Grace but an act of free favour bestowed on the Subject which he no way deserved nor could have laid any claim unto had it not been so conferred and such is this forgiveness hence said to be done freely Rom. 3. 24. The pardoned Sinner deserved to dy all miseries belonged to him he had nothing to offer to atone God to himself withal Christ freely satisfied for him and God freely applies the merit of this to him and it must needs be rich Grace for we have already observed that the man is made a blessed one by it 3. That the more and greater sins it extends unto the more illustrious is the Grace of it There is so much of malignity in the least sin and so just a provocation given to God by it and the merit of death in it is so righteous that it is a wonder that God should forgive one Sin how then is this admiration justly encreased when the Sins of the Creature have risen to a most formidable multitude and magnitude Paul puts a great Emphasis on this 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Who was a blasphemer a Persecutor injurious c. and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant c. What is the forgiving of an Hundred pence to ten Thousand Talents Paul tells us that he was by this made a pattern verse 16. and David makes this an argument to plead for pardon withal Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine iniquity for it is great we are therefore told that where Sin abounded grace much more abounded Rom. 5. 20. hereby the great love of God is manifested and the incomputable value of Christ's Obedience is discovered 4 Hence the exhibition and offer of this pardon is made to the greatest Sinners the Gospel invites all without exception whatsoever they have been or done See how God invites and what an argument he useth to back this invitation Isa 55. 7 8. 9. q. d. you may think your Sins to be so many and great that there is no hope for you but remember I have other manner of thoughts about it and I can do that which you cannot so much as think hence he useth that encouragement Isa 45. 22. I am Godâ— Hos 11. 9. I am God and not man yea he promiseth that upon their accepting of his offer he will not remember one of their sins against them any more Jer. 31. 34. but pardon them all Chap. 33. 8. and the reason is because he doth it for his own name sake Isa 43. 25. and what more needs to be said for clearing of this truth USE I. For Caution Be we advised to beware of abusing this precious Doctrine by encouraging our selves to live and ly in Sin Such is the baseness in the heart of sinful men and so ready is Satan to insinuate himself into it â—hat they are exceeding apt to take encouragement to Sin from that which should be the most heart breaking incentive of them to haâ—red against it Oh! say they is there forgiveness for all Sin then there is no danger Let us follow the sight of our eyes and the way of our hearts let us sin that grace may abound as the Apostle brings them in with abhorrence Rom. 3. 8. 6. 1. How many Drunkards Sweaâ—ers Whoremasters Profane Wretches haden themselves in their wickedness by this and if we tell them of their vileness they have a ready answer there is forgiveness and they fear not but let such consider 1. This is to turn the Grace of God into wanâ—onness It is the highest affront that can be given to the rich mercy of God and in nothing can you give him more horrible provocation This is to make the strongest poyson of the most refreshing cordial It is the best news that ever was reported in the world that great Sinners may have a pardon but this is to make â—t the worst and most pernicious to you and â—ndeed this misimprovement carries the most fearful symptom of Reprobation
are prisoners of Justice under a Sentence of Death and in danger of being turned into Hell the next moment It â—s therefore a Spiritual frenzy that is on them that makes them regardless of their danger 2. They have a Conscience in them though they stiffle 〈◊〉 A natural Conscience is inseparable from a Reasonable Creature and though it be asleep for the present it may be roused and when it is it will do its work to purpose and the more terribly by how much more it hath been imposed upon nor is it so asleep but that it keeps true records When Guilt and Conscience meet together there will be fearful work and unless men could extinguishâ— Conscience which they never can they will not always keep them from so meeting 3. Hence there will a time come when Conscience shall reflect on this Guilt and then they will be 〈◊〉 distress We are told there is such a time coming Prov. 1. 27. God did not put a Conscience inâ— man for nothing and he will make it do its Offiâ— to purpose before he hath done with it Though men do not yet God doth See their day is comiâ— and laughs at their present sport Psal 37. 13. And there is no escaping it 4. This Reprobate sense is a fearful Judgment of Gâ— on profligate Sinners Suppose they are brawnâ— and have out grown the sense of reflexions thâ— is no priviledge but indeed one of the awfuleâ— witnesses of Gods fearful anger Rom. 1. 18. Eâ— 4. 19. Nor is there any thing that carryeth in it greater symptom of Reprobation USE II. See here one reason why Conversâ— is called a Strait Gate It is so Mat. 7. 14. Thâ— word implieth that which distresseth a man bâ— straitning and putting him to pain and hence thâ— Verb of it signifieth To Groan The work 〈◊〉 Conviction is the first work of the Spirit Joh. 16. Now the Conscience is the Subject of this Conviction and the matter of it is the Guilt arising from sin or Sin and Guilt which are inseparable according to the tenour of the First Covenant and though the way of the Spirit of God with Infants be to us a secret yet in grown persons who are Converted by the Word and Ordinances God leaves this Conviction upon them in order to his drawing of them to Christ and they are distressed by it the next Invitation therefore is to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God acts arbitrarily â—n measuring the degrees of this and usually when men have been most notorious for sin the distress is the greatest but there are such impressions of it on all who are thus drawn so as to bring them into a lost state and make them apprehensively perishing and by this means God embitters Sin to them so that he may hereby make his grace the more welcome and acceptable to them that being oppressed they may cry out for help USE III. Let this help to bring secure Sinners into Distress And Sinner Beware of flying from it How afraid are men of trouble of mind how do they shun it And how fearful are many of bringing them into it how many preposterous courses are used to comfort them against it Well you that live in sin and are quiet that sleep and care not to be awakened let me tell you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that he would bring you into this distress Oh that you would think and consider of the Guilt that is lying upon you that you did but feel the Curse that is upon you for sin and had the Sentence of Death and Damnation upon you And be not angry at me for such wishes and requests as these are for Consider 1. You are certainly under all this Guilt whether you will believe it or no. You brought it with you into the World and if Christ hath not removed it by his Grace it abides on you yea and you have encreased it by every sin you have committed since you were born the least vain thought hath laid in more for your Condemnation and if you are Guilty you may well think what is like to become of you if you so abide that is one of Gods Attributes as well as those that vain men feed their presumption with Exod. 34. 7. That will by no means clear the Guilty 2. Hence you will unavoidably be brought into Distress sooner or later Guilt will not always ly still nor suffer the Conscience ever to be quiet but there will be a time when you shall be roused by it to purpose the Damnation of Guilty Impenitent Sinners doth not slumber the Sentence past will be Executed the Wrath that is out against them will fall upon them and then they will be in distress When the Sinner shall have his eyes opened and see himself just dropping into endless Woes it will put him into agonies 3. If now you were in distress there would be hope you might do well for all Christ is now exhibited in the Gospel inviting all such to come to him Shortly your distress will come too late for an escape but now it may be a step to it Next to the Joy over a Sinner that is Converted to God is that of a Sinner in anguish of Soul crying out How shall I be Saved And of all the sights in the World there is none more dreadful than to see a Sinner manacled with the Chains of Guilt and unconcerned as if nothing ailed him USE IV. Let this serve to direct distressed Sinners what to do This will follow to be particularly spoken of afterwards here only in general Are there any that can on experience feal the Truth of the Doctrine and say I am the person that you speak of I find all to be true that you tell me nay there is none that can tell the load the burden that my afflicted Soul is sinking under and is there ever a word of relief to be spoken that may under-prop me To such let me say 1. There is hope in Israel concerning this thing As he Ezra 10. 2. God hath in rich mercy provided one to give succour to such and this is the good news which the Gospel declares he was Anointed to it read how his Commission runs Isa 61. begin And he is Mighty to Save Chap. 63. 1. 2. Hearken then after the counsel that he shall give you and resolve by his help to follow it There is a way for the obtaining of this and though his grace only is sufficient to lead us into it yet he calls upon you to hearken to and wait upon him and if you find your hearts enclined to this you may be encouraged to hope for anâ— escape What is incumbent on you in this affair will fall to be discoursed at Verse 5. Guilt apprehended Distressing to Gods Children DOCTRINE II. THat Gods Children themselves are sometimes almost overwhelmed with the apprehension of Guilt David is here speaking and we observed that it
something pecuâ—iar in this there is a root of Atheism at the botâ—th of it for what difference between saying here is no God and thinking he may be imposed â—pon and we can hide our selves from his knowâ—edge and judgment Hence that challenge Jer. â—3 24 Can any hide c. 4. Hence as long as you thus ly your Sin is not forâ—iven Not only doth not this remove the Guilt â—ut is an evidence that it is not taken away If â—ou were Unregenerate before this proves that you are so still till such Sins are repented of â—here is no evidence of a through Conversion â—or when God pardons a sinner he forgiveth all his past sins and that is in the way of Repentance And if you are Regenerate yet the sin is not forgiven before committed nor then neither but in â—he Gospel way viz. in Confessing and Forsaking 〈◊〉 seeking Mercy through Christ which you cannot do whiles in such a frame And how fearful a thing is it to have Sins lying out against us for which we have no Sealed pardon 5. If therefore God lets you alone in this way it is a fearful Judgment It may be you please your selves in this that you are not molested in your minds but alas there is nothing more tremendous As there is not a greater mercy than to make sin too hot for us and so to drive us to the refuge that is set before us so there is not a greater witness of Gods wrath than to let men alone in their sinful courses to please themselves in them and hope to do well enough for all Hos 4. 17. It is one of the last steps God proceeds to before he brings them to ruine 6. There is a time coming when God will bring you to a reckoning for these things and then Conscience will roar The Holiness and Righteousness of God oblige him to see to his own Glory and the honour of his Law delays then are no discharges nor is there any escaping of his righteous Judgments but by timely betaking to his mercy till we do so weâ—ly open and there will be no avoiding it God hath not forgotten though you have and you shall know it too in due time He will fall upon you and then your drousy Consciences shall be full awake God will set it upon you and yoâ— need not have a worse Fiend to Torment you 7. And this may possibly be when it is too late 〈◊〉 may be not before your Soul stealeth into another World and drops into the hands of Devilâ— There are some such Wretches who dy like Lamb but in a moment this rending Lyon falls upon them It may be on a death bed when you have spent a life in sin and lived secure and now time and opportunity is past and God will not give you Repentance but open your eyes to see what you have been doing and then let you see whether you are going and the pit into which you are entring and what a terrour will this be 8. And if God doth give you Repentance at length this will wofully embitter it If you are his Children you shall repent and be forgiven because your state of Justification is secured but you shall be brought to it by Repentance and what deep wounds will these reflexions give to your Souls Be then warned and perswaded to beware of indulging your selves in this course and if you have done so already Do so no more but bitterly bewail it before God and make hast to get the Sin of it forgiven and be sure to put it into your self judging when you aggravate your sins in your humble acknowledgments 2. We now proceed to consider the Author or Efficient cause of this distress and that is God himself on his Hand that was upon him and brought him into this terrible condition and it was not an ordinary dispensation he therefore sets it forth 1. By the pressure of it it lay heavy on him 2. By the constancy of it it lay so Day Night long and without intermission The hand of God is a Metaphorical expression for he is a Spirit hath no Body and so no members it is therefore frequently used for his executive power by which he doth things whether in a way of Mercy oâ— of Judgment and so the anger and wrath of God is frequently in Scripture expressed by his hand and also it is Metonymically put for the effects themselves in which this anger appeareth viz. The Judgments or Afflictions that men are under and so it is to be understood in our Text So 1 Sam 5. 11. The word Heavy is a Metaphor from 〈◊〉 great weight laid upon one which he is not able to stand under without sinking Hence The distress of Conscience from Gods heavy hand DOCTRINE THe sore distress of Conscience that men are broughâ— into for Sin is because of Gods hand lying heavily and continually upon them That both Godly and wicked are sometimes in such distress hath already been observed and how heavily it lyetâ— on them that which now is before us is to enquire How or whence it cometh that they are iâ— such anxiety It is certain that man himself doth not willingly or upon choise bring himself into this trouble though he doth morally procure 〈◊〉 for himself for he doth all he can to keep 〈◊〉 lence to hide to maintain quiet and security iâ— his mind and to benum his Conscience into deâ—olency yea Conscience it self is through the deâ—lement that is in it prone enough to be rocked asleep and ly still and too often doth so in good men as David Satan also useth it as one of his great stratagems to hinder Unregenerate Men from Conversion by keeping all quiet within and is afraid of the least trouble of mind in â—one of his own lest it should issue in the dethroâ—ning of him and subversion of his Kingdom in the Soul for which end he spares none of his cunning by himself and his instruments to prevent or put a stop to all awakenings of Conscience in them and though he hath a peculiar spite at the peace and tranquility of Gods Children and for that reason when Gods hand is heavy upon them he endeavours to lay on load â—ill he breaks them yet when he hath by his policy drawn them into any sin he would keep them senseless as long as he can hoping so to have greater advantage on them afterwards Now â—ur Doctrine fully resolves this Enquiry Three things may here be searched into 1. That God is the author of this trouble by laying of his angry hand heavy on the man 2. How or after what manner he doth this 3. Why or for what end he doth it 1. That God is the author of this by laying his â—ngry hand heavy on the man There are two â—hings in this Conclusion 1. That God is the author of it It is in it self a â—ore evil though by the over ruling Providence of God it is made to issue
for his â—â—ndness and if we give him not the praise of it 〈◊〉 do nothing at all all the acclamations in the 〈◊〉 Temple are to be Grace Grace Heavens Halâ—â—â—jah's are to be celebrated with the acknowledgments of this free Grace and how much have pardoned men counted themselves obliged to give him the glory of it here Psal 10. begin Isa 12. 1. 4. To the due acknowledgment of this grace it is requisite 1. That we be sensible how vile we have made our selves by Sin Sin is by Gods holy and wise Oâ—dination become the foil of Grace It did not come into the world but by Divine permission and had not God had some wise and holy end in it he had not permitted it now this end iâ— regard of his Chosen was to take occasion by iâ— to exalt his Grace in their Salvation hence the viler they have made themselves by sin the mâ—â— exalted is this Grace in their Salvation Rom. 5. 20. According to the resentments that men have of sâ—â— such will be the esteem they put upon the Grace by which it is forgiven Luk. 7. 47. God wâ—â— therefore make men to know that their Sin haâ— been great and horrible that it hath run them iâ— arrears Ten thousand Talents to Justice made them men of Death and bound them over to everlasting misery that so they may know what kindness is shewn them in bestowing a pardon on them 2. That we address God humbly for forgiveness He indeed giveth it freely yet he will have the Sinner humbly petition him for it Ezek. 36. 3â— I will be sought to by the house of Israel to do this foâ— them God must give us the Grace rightly to let him his preventing mercy is first in this work but yet he cometh in this way He first makeâ— the Sinner sensible of his misery and with it revealeth the remedy and stirreth him up to petition his favour and in this way he applyeth the pardon to him and how else should he be acknowledged the forgiver of it 3. That hence we Celebrate his Justice in Condemning us The way for us to obtain Gods pardon is not only to come to him for it but to come with ropes on our heads making it to appear that we not only know our selves under a Sentence of Death but that he would be righteous if he should execute it upon us Dan. 9. 8. Psal 51. 4. Nor can there be a right apprehension of Gods Grace till first there be a confession of our merit till we believe it was right for us to dy we cannot think it a meer favour for us to live 4. That we seek this pardon in Christ's name acknowledging our unworthiness of it It is through Christ that we obtain forgiveness and therefore it is to be sought in him or for his sake for it is through his Mediation that all this grace cometh to be communicated to us and we shall never go on his account till we find that we have no other account to go upon as long as we have a righteousness or worthiness of our own Christ is disregarded Rom. 10. 2 3. That therefore must be rejected that this may be sought after Phil. 3. 9. Now all this involveth in it such a confession as we have been considering of cannot be without it II. This therefore is one great end of Gods bringing us into distress Terrours of Conscience and trouble of mind are part of the Curse fallen upon man for sin and in the ungodly are often but the beginning of sorrows but in Gods Elect whether in order to Conversion or after they were Converted they are on a gracious design and what is that but to make way for bringing them to a more settled and stable peace we are very hard to be brought to confess so give Glory to God he is therefore put upon it to bring us into trouble to terrify our Consciences to make our Sins extreamly bitter to us that we may be excited to seek our peace of him and now he bringeth us upon our knees makes us to open our hearts and mouths in the deepest resentments and most self abasing acknowledgments of out vileness by reason of sin Hos 5. 15. Now God will attain his own design in and by it 〈◊〉 then he bringeth us into trouble that we may be made to take the shame to our selves and confess unto him the next and proper way to get out of the trouble again is by a ready and free Confession of the sin which hath procured this sore distress for us USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many ly so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience It is a thing observable that there are many who though they have made a good profession are much exercised in their minds and greatly perplexed in spirit by reason of their sins and find no relief against it they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven but are apt to think that all their sins ly out against them to their Condemnation and there must be some reason why it is so with them which it concerns them carefully to enquire after Here observe 1. That God may have forgiven their sin and not â—r the present witness it in their Consciences As a â—an may be in a pardoned state and yet question whether he be so or no by reason of darkness in his mind and the Spirits witholding his testimony so it may be in respect of the actual forgiveness of this or that sin that he hath fallen into â—e may have repented confessed sought forgiveness and God hath pardoned him and yet doth not instantly proclaim it in his Conscience and â—e acteth much of his Holy Soveraignty herein â—or reasons known to himself so that we have a â—reat deal of reason charitably to think this of â—ome that are under the hurries of such perplexiâ—es And let not such be overborn with the misâ—ivings of their hearts but say to themselves as he Psal 43. 5. Why art thou cast down c. God will have his time to let them know it though now they are in the dark about it 2. But usually the reason of the distress lyeth in the â—ant of a right confession It is good therefore in such 〈◊〉 searching time to enquire whether we have not â—alled on this account and this may be discovered in several respects for either 1. Instead of confessing our Sins we have sought to â—bide them And this is a fault that not only Unâ—generate men are guilty of but the Godly too often are overtaken withal Either we seek to hide it from God by a vain presumption that he will not â—ake notice of it if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence as the Psalmist Context vâ— Or we seek to hide it from our own Consciences by flattering our selves into a fond perswasion that we have done nothing amiss seeking 〈◊〉 justice our selves and nourishing an opinion thâ—â— we are
will stand in their own light and be guilty of their own blood if they refuse it Ezek. 33. 11. He acquaints them how much it cost his own Son to purchase it else they had been hopeless and hence how great an affront it will be to all that kindness of his to despise it It will be to trample on the precious blood and to make their escape desperate Heb. 2. 3. He urgeth on them the consideration of the vanity of all other objects and courses from saving them from the Wrath to come and that these refuges of lies will leave them naked and exposed to Gods Indignation he telleth them how acceptable it will be to him if they take hold of this offer and make their peace with him and how much his grace will be illustrated thereby he puts them in mind how gracious and merciful he is Jer. 3. 13 Obviates all the discouragements that Satan and a misgiving heart offer to throw in the way to make them despair of obtaining pardon and he doth all this with greatest urgency beseeching them to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. 5. In the vast extent of this offer and the application of it And here we may observe 1. The universality of the offer with the great number of those that are made to partake in it The Proclamation is to all of what sort soever that come within the call it is unlimited Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. None are excepted but such as will debar themselves nor any exempted but those that have Sinned against the Holy Ghost and they are such as have not only willingly but spitefully rejected a Saviour after great illumination and open profession and they have not been a few but a multitude that have been made to taste and experience the efficacy of it that have been pardoned and all their iniquities are forgiven them even all that have cordially accepted the offer none excepted and that there are no more is because they would not Joh. 5. 40. 2. The quality of such as have been invited and accepted this Call hath been extended 1. To Chief Sinners Paul is a witness for this 1 Tim. 1. 15. And he tells us what he had been verse 13. And let Manasseh stand forth on this account what a monster of Sin he was see 2 Chron. 33. begin Yet he obtained mercy and pardon upon his seeking God and humbling himself before him 2. To the greatest of Sins This is consequent on the former yet hath its peculiar remarks Look no farther than the instance of David how grievous were his Sins which he perpetrated in his Murder and Adultery and this is supposed to be the very â—â—se on which he makes this precious remark in our Text. And were not Manasseh's Sins also of the biggest size and yet were forgiven him 3. To those that have abused his best and greatest favours Guilt is highly aggravated by Sinning against strong obligations laid on men by God to Serve him when he hath done for them as Hos 11. 3. When he hath taken them into Covenant with himself and they have dealt falsely in it and yet to such is the offer made Jer. 3. begin and it is introduced with a mark of wonderment We see how God by the Prophet expostulateth with David 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. And yet how readily is he forgiven vers 13. 4. To those that have lain long in Sin and multiplied rebellion against him That have been stiff refractory and refused to return have stopt their ears at calls and counsels and run on in their obstinacy Manasseh also was such an one 2 Chron. 33. 10. And let us well weigâ— that wonderful Text Isa 43. 22 c Verse 25. Though they have tired him with their provocations 6. In the great patience with which he waits on men though they neglect these offers When they bid him depart and turn their backs upon him he doth not presently issue out the Oath against them and say they shall never have another offer made them no but when they have been breaking of the treaty he reneweth it again he cometh afresh and tarrieth to see if it will not repent them How long did he wait on the Old World in the days of Noah He tells us that he waits to be gracious Isa 30. 18. And in this waiting he trieth all courses with them he useth fair and foul means Promises Threatnings Mercies Judgments and all to see if their hard hearts may be wrought over to a compliance with his offers of grace and when all means fail he is at a stand and deliberates what to do with them Hos 6. 4. And expresseth himself as one that can hardly find in his heart to execute the doubly deserved Sentence of Wrath upon them Hos 11. 8. 7. In the grief which he expresseth when men after all wilfully reject his tendered forgiveness He speaks after the manner of men when he tells us of his Spirit being grieved at such carriages Psal 95. 10. And what is this but a grief of compassion extended to such as are in misery he might justly be enraged at mens despising of such favour offered them and fall on them in his fury and may in time be provoked to it by their obstinacy but how often doth he express such compassion as Christ did in Mat. 23. 37. Luke 19. 41 42. And this shews how ill God takes it when men refuse him the glory of his Grace in forgiving them by disregarding it when he comes and begs their entertainment of it 8. In the wondrous efficacy of his power prevailing over the greatest obstinacy of Sinners And every pardoned Sinner is an instance of this but for this Gods forgiveness had never been exemplified Such is the malignity and enmity of heart in all men naturally that they would never give it entertainment did not he work it in them by the efficacy of his Almighty Spirit till then all means the most urgent pleadings the most convincing arguments signifie nothing When therefore all have been without success he himself hath come in and wrought this change putting in them that new heart that hath closed with his Calls on this account we have God himself so expressing himself Isa 57. 17 18. Hos 11. 9. When it hath come to a casting voice either he must turn them or ruine them he hath taken this side and when they were ready to be turned off for their wilfulness he hath come to the very place of Execution applied his grace to them and made them to accept of him and his forgiveness 9. In that none ever truly sought it of him that went away without it Possibly he hath not presently recorded it in their Consciences so as to give them the comfort of it but he never spurned any away from the Throne of Grace who in sense of their misery and unworthiness did humbly supplicate him for it they sought his mercy and found it Christ hath declared this plumply Joh. 6. 37
use will â—â— infer this conclusion They may prove their â—â—esent state bad and hazardous but not evidence them past hope 1. The greatness of their sins If they have fallen into some heinous and aggravated transgression and conscience smites them for it Satan presently â—ells them this is to big for a pardon Cain saith â—en 4. 13. My Sin is greater than I can bear or can be forgiven how can the forgiveness of â—â—eh sin be consistent with Gods Justice But â—is is to reflect on the value of Christ's Sacrifice â—â— if the vertue of his blood had only an influence â—â— do away the Guilt of smaller sins whereas we â—re told otherwise 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 7. 25. How â—argumentative then must Davids plea be Psal â—â— 11. Pardon my sin for it is great Yea God â—â—self resolves this doubt Isa 1. 18. â— The multitude of them They are not only â—ormous but their number is not to be reckoned â— they outdo their Arithmetick they are innumerable and every one of them as a great mountain and did ever so great a Sinner obtain mercy and is not Manasseh set forth as a monument of mercy who is scarce to be parallel'd either for magnitude or multitude of sins 2 Chr. 33. begin God hath multiplied pardâ—n for such as have multiplied their transgressions Isa 55. 7. 3. Their long living in their sins They have long driven this trade they began in their youth and have followed it to their ripe and declining years this hath been their course all along and now they are habituated by custom and what saith God Jer. 13 23. Can the Ethiopian c but though by this you have rendred your Conversion and Salvation more difficult in respect of the Subject of it yet it is not hard to Gods Omnipotency we have the case represented Isa 57. 17. 18. Suppose you have made you heart as an adâ—ment yet God can give you a new and a soft one Ezek. 11. 19. 4. Their resisting of the means of Grace If upon the first report of Salvation they had embraced 〈◊〉 there had been hope but they have been brought up under a faithful Ministry and under careful Parents who often told them of their sin and danger who solemnly warned and importunately entreated them to think of it and seek to God for mercy but they despised all and can theâ— be any hope for them Truly the case is lameâ—table but yet not desperate God can bring such a Prodigal home to himself and make him 〈◊〉 turn to his father and if he do he will mâ—â—â— and embrace him Luk. 15. 17 20. was not Ephrasm such an one and yet see how it was Jer. 31. 18 19. 5. The former strivings of the Spirit with them Time was when the Spirit was wont to come in with the means and apply to their consciences and many a time they confessed their sins and promised amendment but they out grew these quenched the Spirit gat carnal quiet and forgat all their purposes and promises and now they can sit under the most awakening Ordinances and be nothing affected with them or at most they are but faint and languishing motions that are on them and this saith to them their time is past To such let me say it is a righteous thing for the Spirit to withdraw his stilvings when such affronts are offered him and your danger is hereby encreased but if he now 〈◊〉 this home upon you with deepest resentments it saith that he is come again to try what you will do and if you take the hint and rightly improve it there is a good hope set before you 6. The near approaching of their dissolution They are spent all their time in sinful neglects of God and are grown old in sin their sun is setting and they ready to drop into the grave all their strength hath been devoted to sin and Satan and will God accept of the dregs of their time â—hen they are sit for no Service Truly it would 〈◊〉 a righteous thing for God to reject such as â—â—he so late and have withstood his invitations long and there are but few of these that truly return to him Yet if God pleaseth to awaken such to look about them he can magnifie his mercy upon them To see an old Sinner going to Eternity without any thoughtfulness is a tremendous sight but to hear such an one crying out of his miserable loss of time and the wretched course he hath led falling down before God and giving him glory is an encouragement for if God give repentance he will give remission and there are some who are born out of time to be the monuments of the admirable patience and grace of God Fly then to Christ and believe that he is able to do this for you In one word let none despair who are under awakenings but hearken to Gods counsel and seek mercy of him and you shall find him merciful and gracious USE II. We here see a reason why it is more hard for some to find God than for others God doth not so readily reveal himself to some that seek him as he doth to others Some receive an answer as soon as they call others bemoan themselves that they have sought him and cannot find him they have been sighing and groaning aâ—ter him but there is no voice or answer and though his Soveraignty is in this to be adored yet there may often be a reason given for iâ— from the thing under consideration Observe then 1. There are some who have put off their heâ—â— season of finding him He hath often come tâ— them in his Word by his Spirit and presented them with alluring invitations to come to and accept of him and possibly sometimes they have bâ—en almost perswaded but their vain minds have recoiled and instead of opening to him have shut the door faster against him whiles they have entertained other lovers He came to them in their Childhood but they delayed him and put him off till afterwards he repeated his calls in their youth but they were wedded to their follies and obstinately refused him He came again to them in their riper years but they had their worldly business to attend and craved his excuse but after all they begin to bethink themselves of their former wickedness and resolve now to seek after him which is wrought in them by a more effectual and irresistible touch of his Spirit on their hearts 2. It is a wonder of his mercy that such as these should find him at all It is rich Grace that he should once offer himself and accept of those that embrace that first offer this is a favour which none of the Fallen Angels share in But that after such Grace hath been so often slighted he should bow such an heart to seek him and after never so long a tarriance at last lift up the light of this countenance and signalize his love to him and receive him into his arms is matter of
likelihood he will use you in some eminent Service for him and put some special honour upon you here or at least will make you soon ripe and fit for glory and probably you shall have the most joyful communion with him in this world 5. You will thus prevent abundance of Repentance and Sorrow If now without delay you will forsake all vain things for Christ and seek him with your whole heart you shall never repent of it but rejoyce in it You never heard of a sincere convert that complained of making too much hast 〈◊〉 was sorry that he took not a little more liberty in his sinful ways but on the contrary if ever 〈◊〉 be truly converted who hath lost his youth in pâ—â—suit of sin he will bitterly bewail his former times together with celebrating the Grace which appeared in bringing him home to God at last How doth he cry our how much time have I lost what opportunities have I slipt how miserably have I consumed my days Besides there is abundance that old Sinners lay in for repentance which will make the pangs of the New birth very terrible which by this may be prevented Can you thinâ— to go on in sin and not smart for it and truly there is enough already to make the New birth sharp and severe be wise then and add not to 〈◊〉 by delays 6. If you will not be perswaded to seek God now 〈◊〉 may be you shall never find him When God begins early he often leaves off early if resisted How many that bad fair in youth have out grown all fallen into debauoheries vilest abominations been left to dy in their impenitency they would have their own courses in despite of calls and counsels and God hath cut them off in their sins and let them for examples and it is a righteous thing for him so to do See how God complains of such Jer. 2. 30. 5. 7. Ezek. 20. 21. And how fearfully he threatens them Jer. 6. 11. 9 21. 11. 22. 18. 21. And God hath been calling a loud to young men in his providence by many Judgments in which the flower of our youth have been immaturely taken away and what doth it speak to their survivours but that they take heed of putting off Repentance provoking a jealous God against them And if 〈◊〉 will not take warning by others how seen may you be made amazing warnings to others Accept then of the Exhortation and reject all the sollicitations of your cursed companions and make hast to seek God Let me address you in the words of the wise man Prov. 23. 15. My son if thine heart 〈◊〉 wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine But if you reject this counsel let me leave that memento with you Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth c. but know thou that for all these things God will 〈◊〉 thee into judgment 2. Let us all take hold of the opportunity wherein the Gospel is freely dispensed to us I believe the Gospel truths have been as fully and soundly Preached in this land as in any part of the Christian world and that God hath thrust forth such Laboureâ—â— into his Harvest as have made it their business to feed his people with knowledge and understanding and though he hath by manifold Judgments been pleading his Conâ—roversy with us yet he haâ—â— not brought a famine of hearing his Word but 〈◊〉 eyes see our Teachers and by this he testifyeth that although he is angry he yet waits to be gracious and it is still a finding time Let us then so improve it Consider therefore 1. How great a price there is in our hands 〈◊〉 shall we not improve it We shall shew our seâ—â—â—â— notorious fools if we do not Prov. 17. 16. Here by we have all directions encouragements quicknings to this duty by these God is calling and inviting us to seek after him shewing us the wâ—â— in which we may find him which the best improvement of the light of nature would not have discovered Herein he lets us know that he 〈◊〉 not departed from us thus heavens market 〈◊〉 kept open and everlasting mercies are waiting 〈◊〉 on us Why then do we sit still and not regard them Can we promise our selves ever to have 〈◊〉 fairer season This is certainly a day of grace why then should we sit idle all the day and 〈◊〉 nothing 2. How fearful a thing would it be if it should 〈◊〉 otherwise with us God can easily order it to 〈…〉 The Gospel means and Ministers are his gift he can put out the Lights in the Candlesticks when he will and nothing will more readily provoke him to it than not to walk in the light while wâ— enjoy it he can take away the Shepherds and suffer grievous Wolves to come in their stead who â—hall devour the Flock How many places are â—here in the world where the Truth once flourished gloriously are now turned aside to lies and though they bear the name of Christians yet are sed with husks instead of bread where ignorance error formality neglect of feeding the Flock and woful debaucheries prevail and the 〈◊〉 lead the blind this is a fore calamity and â—ould it be our lot it would make an amazing change among us and what would you give then for such an opportunity as you now despise 3. What grounds there are to fear lest corruption in Doctrine and Manners should come upon us a a flood 〈◊〉 avert the Omen but methinks there are sad symptoms of it They are the last and perillous times in which we are told that such things shall 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. begin The woful ignorance of fundamental Truths that many labour of and the â—oo general neglect of instructing Children in Gospel principles the giddy spirit that many are infected withal that love to run after novelties that awful contempt of the Gospel Ministry attended with the little regard in many whether they enjoy it or no looking upon it as a burden the little apparent success of the Gospel and how fearful a threatning is out against such 2 Thes 2. 9 10. Add to this the unsuccessfulness of Gods other Judgments which hath a moral tendency hereto for if God strives in Judgment and men will not be perswaded he is wont to give them up Hos 4. 17. All these things speak sadly to considerate Souls 4. What if God should take the Gospel away from you This also is a Judgment threatned Mat. 21. 43. Rev. 2. 5. And God is wont to execute it when other means fail and an Apostatizing people will not be reclaimed How many famoâ—â— Churches have there been in the world which are utterly ruined and ly in rubbish or swallowed up in Paganism or Mahomeâ—anism Nor are we mâ—â—â— secure How doleful a thing would it be to â—â— the whole face of a Church altered all the meâ—â— of grace lost and gone God forsaking his house and removing from us if ever it come to this
if you will not hearken to the Word and Rod God will have a Sword to cut you off God is in earnest when he takes this course and he will be glorified by it in the issue it is his mercy that when angry he maketh oventures of peace and happy they that comply with him but if Sinners are so foolish and obstinate as not to give him glory at such a time he will strain for it and certainly recover it if you will not be reformed by the Rod he hath a Sword to cut you off and what else should he do with such Hence that warning Jer. 4. 4. And that threatning Isa 27. 11. 4. Gods Judgments added to his warnings are wont to be his last essayes with men to reclaim them Hence when these have been tried and repeated and due patience used and no good comes of them God speaking after the manner of men now seems to be at a loss Hos 6. 4. What shall I do unto thee c. Isa 1. 5. Why should ye be smitten any more c. Hence he either cutteth such off in his anger or else abandoneth them to their own â—arts lusts till they are ripe for the more astonishing ruine True there is a prerogative mercy that God reserves when all means fail to shew his Soveraign Grace Isa 57. 17 18. But let not bold Sinners presume on this lest they rue it But if any are awakened by these Judgments and tremble at the fearful prognosticks of them let it be an argument of encouragement to them there is hope in Israel and this is a good Omen that God will yet return and have mercy on them and that they shall both seek and find him USE IV. This truth affords a loud cry to old Sinners to make haste Such as have hitherto lived under Gospel means strangers to God at a distance from him have had many invitations and withstood them God came in their youth and bespake them but they regarded him not and since he hath addressed them many a time but nothing hath moved them as they grew in years they grew more vile yoked themselves with vain companions neglected reading the Word and praying to God addicted themselves to drinking and gaming and other lewd courses they have been often told of it have seen their associates hurried out of the world by their intemperance and God hath visited them also with afflictions but they still go on and now the blossoms of the grave are on their heads Let me beseech such to beware that they despise not this advice To quicken you Consider 1. You have had a long day of Grace and must answer for it all Though you have forgotten God hath not Your sins are written with a pen of iron the point of a diamond All the endeavours that have been used with you are upon record God hath them in his book there is a day of reckoning when he will set them in order before you and how terrible must it be when you shall be called to a very uncomfortable repetition and told of every Sabbath you profâ—ned every Sermon you regarded not every check of conscience you stifled every mock you made at the solemn warnings given you every neglected purpose forgotten or violated promise every vain meeting with your accomplices in sin every cursed drinking bout you had where you scoffed at Godliness and hardened one another in sin the time when the place where and every other circumstance your memories refreshed and conscience made to do its office Would you prevent this fearful reckoning Now seek God 2. Your season is certainly almost over It may be so with the youngest Sinner but it is undoubtedly so with you Young ones may feed themselves up with fond hopes by reason of youth health and vigour but you have every thing putting you in mind that the Graves are ready for you where there will be no working Not only is your best season gone but your whole season is on the turning point you are just leaping into eternity you are ready to shake hands with time and to have done with it for ever 3. You are not yet out of hope You have yet one offer of a treaty left you before you go to the Dead and though you have grievously provoked God to forsake you he is yet gracious and merciful Christ's Blood hath vertue enough in it to expiate the guilt of all your sins his spirit wants not for power to break your hard hearts and give you repentance and after so many thousand denials he again accosts you and know it that if after this call you perish it will be a witness against you and aggravate your Guilt in the Great Day 4. You have a great work to do and but little time to do it in If ever you hope to find God propitious you must break off your sins by Repentance forsake your evil ways relinquish your cursed companions turn to God believe in Jesus Christ mortify your lusts and endeavour the perfecting of holiness You must give glory to God before your feet stumble on the dark mountains and how short a time have you for this yet despair not it may be done by Gods hâ—lp only it concerns you to make hast for 5. A little more delay will be your utter undoing It is not for you to say go away and come to morrow a few moments more and your case will be determined unrepealably You will never have an offer of Grace more when gone to the Grave and you are upon the brink of it the treaty will be over the day of Grace finished God forever departed your Souls laid up in the Prison from whence there is no delivery and then you will mourn bitterly and say Oh! that I had hearkned to Counsel and received Instruction Come then just now forsake your lies and betake your selves to him this moment if so all shall be well if you will not God knows whether ever you shall have such another invitation made to you before you drop into everlasting burnings Prop. 2. I should now have proceeded to the Second Proposition in the Doctrine viz That if we would speed in our Prayers to God for forgiveness we must take this time to seek it in But this hath superseded in the Discourse on the former That we all stand in need of dayly forgiveness hath been before evidenced and that if we hope to obtain it we must seek it of God in the way of Prayer It is not then a matter of indifferency when we so address him but we must take the finding time to do it in There are three Conclusions which result from the premises which give us the confirmation of this Proposition viz. 1. That it is vain for any to pray for forgiveness after this life who did not seek and obtain it in this life If this be the only finding time needs must it be so it is now that God and we are in the way which
comfort your selves with hope of deliverance yet you look beyond that and subordinate it to Gods glory 1. Is this the sweetest consideration of the deliverance that it will give you an opportunity of glorifying him Life is sweet and so is health and peace c. but that which is our best end is sweetest of all and if Gods glory be that it will have the best relish on our thoughts this lay nearest to Hezekiah in his great sickness Isa 33. 18 18. His enquiry therefore was about his going to the house of the Lord 2 King 20. 8. 2. Do we contrive to glorify God by it Do we say in our selves if God shall grant this request of ours and save us out of this affliction shall we ever be able to pay him due thankfulness What manner of life shall we lead after it Wherein shall we make it to appear that we are truly grateful 3. Are we making ready our Songs of deliverance We are wont when we expect some great day to be providing before hand there is a preparation for Gods Salvation which becomes us and according as our faith is active in our supplications so will it be influential into our preparation and if it be that we may meet with God and give him his glory it is right USE II. Let it exhort and direct us in the right exercise of our faith on this account And we must take pains in it else we shall dishonour God and wrong our selves we are more forward to make our moan and cry hard when we are in the floods of trouble then we are in composing and elevating our songs of Deliverance We had need then to be roused up to this and the way to be râ—gâ—t in it when called for is to be laying in before hand For help 1. Are we entituled to Gods forgiveness We may with confidence believe that we shall be heard and delivered from all our troubles this priviledge belongs to every one of his favourites they may expect it and shall not be ashamed of their expectation God will act his liberty as to the time when and way wherein but the thing is secured 2. Let this faith then excite you to indite your Songs of deliverance For which end 1. Consult how to shew due thankfulness to God To which end meditate before hand of the greatness of the mercy of your former unsuitable entertainment of deliverances and your unworthiness of them and by such thoughts lay in matter of acknowledgment 2. Hence resolve to devote your selves more than â—ver to his Service Purpose by his help to be more watchful diligent chearful in his business that his honour shall be more dear to you and bind your selves to this 3. Let this put you upon it to glorify him in the present condition according to the exigence of it Right carriages with silence and humble submission under trouble will put us into the best posture to Sing to the Lord when we come out of it and the same faith that looks for salvation will influence our patience this will sweeten our present troubles it will profitably divert our â—inking ponderings and be a cordial against fainâ—ing he took this recipe Psal 56. 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee It will also make us ready for deliverance if God afford it us in this life it will graciously fit us for it and if he defers deliverance till we come to Glory it will help us to a chearful passage enable us to leave a Testimony behind us which shall be to his praise and others encouragement VERSE 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye The Text Opened VVE proceed to the fourth part of the Psalm directing the People of God what manner of lives they ought to lead if they would maintain the sense of their pardon blessedness or to shew the necessary connexion between faith and obedience between Justification and Sanctification Here 1. The Psalmist offers himself to teach us in our Duty verse 8. 2. He gives us caution to beware how we receive this teaching verse 9. 3. He shews the misery of the wicked and the happiness of the Godly in this regard ver 10. 1. He offers to teach and instruct us in our Dutâ— If it be enquired what person David bears in this place it may be replied we may either consider him as an Experienced Saint who had been a special instance of Gods great mercy who had heard him in his distress and sealed up his love to him which in token of gratitude he was desirous to impart to others for their benefit Or we may look upon him as a Penitent who had by his great fall dishonoured God and scandalized men and now after his recovery endeavours to do as much to win men to God as he had done to prejudice them at Religion and this he resolved to do Psal 51. 13. Or we may reckon him as a Prophet in Israel and so he accounted himself particularly engaged to promove the Salvation of others and in nothing was he better fitted for this than by being able to preach experiences to them It may also be observed whom the Psalmist directs himself to and some say that is directly to impenitent sinners but I rather suppose that he speaks both to Sinners and Saints The particular case laid down in the Psalm was of one that was truly Godly but had fallen under Guilt and suffered desertion and was now recovered and this affords profitable instruction both to the Godly and Wicked In the offer it self we may observe 1. That he applies it particularly Thee though all be concerned yet he addresseth every one as it were one by one 2. The earnestness of the offer in the vaâ—iation of the expressions urging the same thing 3. The subject matter about which he offen his help The way which thou shal go 4. The nature of the help offered in three things 1. I will instruct thee the word implies an application to the understanding to make it receive intelligence which must in end only his essaying it instrumentally 2. And teach thee the word signifies to point to or shâ—w a thing and a word from it signifies the Law because iâ— shews us our way 3. I will guide thee with mine eye Hebâ— â— will counsel thee mine eye being upon thee The word guide signifies to give counsel it is q d. I will be eyes to thee overlook thee as a Master doth his Scholar Hence Experienced Christians fittest to teach others DOCTRINE I. THE most experienced Christians are fittest â—â— teach others To prevent mistake in the matter Observe 1 That none can teach us effectually and savinglâ—â— but God He is said to teach men knowledge Psa 94. 10. There is beside a natural understanding which belongs to man as he is a man by which he can apprehend the notion of things rationally a spiritual illumination
He that shall observe the frame and carriage of many that live under the Gospel will have reason to reflect Some cannot endure to be told of their sins and fret under Gods afflicting hand and more who are from time to time told of their evil ways and do hold on in their course besides the scoffs that are sometimes thrown at such as rebuke them And how little reformation have all Gods Judgements wrought among us and yet how secure are such They can sin and wipe their mouths these impose on their own Souls they have not deceived God but themselves beware of this delusion USE II. For Exhortation to all that live under the means of Repentance to beware to themselves Take heed that you be not like the horse and mule do not carry it contumaciously toward God anâ— let me urge this Exhortation and that 1. To Unregenerate Sinners do you Consider 1. It is rich mercy that God will use any means wiâ—â— you though never so severe to bring you to Repentancâ— Without this there is no escaping his wrath it â—â— the one way for your deliverance and whateveâ— it cost you it will be your happiness so to escapâ— If God lay you under â—orest terrours and make hâ—â— sharpest arrows stick in you yet if he give you Repentance and Remission you are happy for ever and he offers you by these means and this is unspeakable kindness 2. It is joy and happiness which this Repentance leads to There is bitterness in it shame sorrow mourning severity cutting off right hands c. But all this is to bring you into the favour of God settle your peace with him and promove your blessedness and who would not undergo this for such an advantage Psal 126. 5. 3. If you remain obstinate you will certainly perish You are upon probation for eternal state and as you carry your selves so it will be determined if you yield not to God and come over there is nothing but destruction abides you Isa 1. 19 20. 2. To the Children of God who are under any falls and God is using means to recover you take this advice Consider 1. God is specially dishonoured by your falls The Sins of his Children give greatest occasion of the blasâ—heming of his Name if you fall and wound your profession you open the mouths of the ungodly and you sin against more of Gods goodness and singular kindness than others 2. You can in no other way glorify God in this caseâ— â—f you do not stoop and take shame to your selves â—ou cannot recover the dishonour you have done â—im by your fall there is no other way to rise â—nd therefore till it come to this you do but walâ—w in your filth 3. It is Gods singular love to you that he useth these means with you for your recovery It is the fruit of his everlasting love and in it he pursues that promise Psal 89. 30. c. 4. And he will bring you to this at last You shall stoop before he hath done with you and for unregenerate Sinners if they be contumacious he may leave them but as to his Children he will restore them and he will do it in this way and if these means will not do he will find those that shall For direction in general 1. Be sensible of your natural hardness and obstinacy See and feel that there is this cursed nature in you which resolutely withstands all good opposeth all the means of Grace Rom. 7. 15. c. 2. Take heed of hearkning to carnal reasonings These will stir up our pride tell us it will be a reproach to us or very irksome and troublesome obstruct our present delights and a thousand pleas it will make 3. Interpret all the means that God useth to be his kindness Though they seem never so harsh yet take no prejudice at them but believe that it is good for you that he so deals with you that if he had let you alone and suffered you to go on you had perished see his good will in reproofs warnings stroaks of Providence if we could but be reconciled to Gods dealings it would meekenâ— our spirits into a gentle and pliable frame 4 Beg of God to subdue your contumacy See thâ— it is beyond your power to get the conquest oâ—â— it and carry it to him who is able to cure yoâ— it to mortify it to surprize and demolish strong holds of sin and bring down your towring imaginations and make you to ly at his foot as he did Saul when in the madness of his fury against Christ and his cause Act. 9. begin 5. Now accept of all his rebukes and chastizements Lay your selves down under them say here am I lit him do his pleasure murmure not but be dumb and keep your mouths shut as he Psal 39. 9. Thus wait upon him and without doubt you shall experience the happy fruit of it when he shall Seal up his love to you in pardoning your sins and restoring to you the joys of his Salvation Untractableness under means a note of drutishness DOCTRINE II. UNtractableness under the means is a note of great brutishness and want of understanding Such are here compared with the horse and mule which in order to their breaking must be treated after a sensible manner and the reason of it is rendered because they have no understanding q. d. if they had they would not need to be thus treated What this untractableness is hath been handled under the former Doctrine the brutishness and unreasonableness of it now comes under consideration That the reason why men refuse Gods instructions is because they are unreasonable and act like bruits is asserted in the word of God on this account it is that wicked men are there branded with the title of Fools for sin is the worst folly they then that will not part with it are egregious fools God chargeth his people because resractory for being sottish and void of understanding Jer. 4. 22. Compares them to a mad horse in a fight Chap. 8. 6 The wise man puts the Horse and Aâ—s and Fool together Prov 26. 3. Yea they are represented as worse then meer sensitive Creatures Isa 1. 3. Jer. 8. 7. That which lieth before us is to enquire after the ground or evidence of this Ungodly men think themselves most rational to be more prudent for themselves than the Children of God Here then these things may be offered for Demonstration 1. That mans obedience to and service of God is a reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. Not only is there nothing in it unreasonable but that which hath the highest reason in it for 1. It is according to right reason that God hath authority to command and that man owes him subjection On the supposition of God and a Creature this conclusion will necessâ—â—ily follow If we suppose a God we must confess him to be the Creatures maker that it owes its being and preservation to him whatsoever it is or hath
as that is And for help here 1. Is your Obedience weak Let it put you upon endeavour to strengthen your faith If you find duty hard at any time you shall find upon due enquiry that it is occasioned by the languishing of your faith What made the Israelites that they would not hear Moses Exod. 6. 9. but this What made Abraham so readily to go about offering of his Son Heb. 11. 17. but his faith the impossibility of duty which we at any time conceive is because faith hath not its full activity for faith rightly exercised will do wonders this was the reason why the Disciples could not cast out that Devil Mark 9. 23. If when we look on our own impotency we think it vain to attempt we look off to the Grace of Christ and the firmness of the promise engaged for our aid this would make it easy we should engage chearfully 2. Are you discouraged in your way by Temptations 〈◊〉 ply faith You would do duty but you find Satan resisting you you find a body of death withstanding there are allurements and frights set before you and you are ready to be mastered by them now set faith on work by that discover that there are more for you than against you if the troubles of the way begin to sink you look on to the recompence of reward and believe it to be and to be as glorious as the Word of God hath represented it this helped Moses Heb. 11. 26 27. This kept Paul from fainting 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 3. Would you do any thing well be sure to fetch in faith for your assistance Trust not to your own grace rely not on your own present dispositions think not to go through in your own strength when you find your selves never so much raised in your thoughts but remember you must be helped from on high reject then all reliance upon any but Christ and accordingly let faith stir up prayer in you and drive you with importunity to the Throne of Grace to fetch assistance from him he hath told you Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Keep your eye then upon him in every step you take and take it not off for one moment so shall you be assisted without fail 4. Would you hold on to the end in your Obedience Keep an eye of faith fixt upon the promise and on God through Christ whose the promises are Heb. 12. 2. You are like to be encountred with many trials in this life and whiles you are sincerely serving of God the face of Providence may have such an aspect on it as looks as if it were rather putting a bar in to prevent the fulfilment of the promises and mean while the difficulties in the way will appear hard to bear and now nothing can support you in your resolution and perseverance but the expectation of the accomplishment of the good engaged and the sufficiency in it to compensate all When God had promised Canaan to Abraham he advised him Gen. 13. 17. Arise walk through the Land in the length breadth of it so do you and then remember that Christ is the Surety for the accomplishment and that God himself who hath made the promises cannot fail of his good word nor can his wisdom or power be defeated and whiles your faith holds here what is there that should shake your Obedience The Rewards of Obedience fruits of meer mercy DOCTRINE IV. ALl the rewards of Obedience that are bestowed on believers are the fruits of meer mercy Let a man believe never so strongly and exercise this faith in the Service of God never so fervently yet if God accept and reward him it must be acknowledged to no other fountain but his mercy Here then we may enquire 1. What is the mercy of God here intended A. There are two words most frequently used In the Scriptures to set out the kindness of God which he expresseth to sinful man viz. his Mercy and his Grace Now the conceptions which we entertain of these two Attributes are divers Mercy is conceived to be an inclination to afford succour to those that are miserable and hence it hath a respect to the misery of the Subject Grace is a disposition to bestow a favour freely whether the Subject on whom it is bestowed be miserable or no. So that man in his state of integrity was capable of partaking in Grace from God doubtless there was Grace in the First Covenant wherein God transacted with man Whereas man was not a subject for the application of merey strictly taken till by his fall he had made himself miserable and so an object needing pity and compassion to be shewn him But the Spirit of God useth these two words often promiscuously one for the other or each comprehending both under it and the reason is because fallen man being become miserable there must be mercy mixing in all the Grace that is extended to him which reacheth to all the benefits he partaketh in for being a relief to him in his misery they are mercy and being without his deserving who hath by sin forfeited all they must needs therefore be of Grace and in this large comprehensive sense we are to understand Mercy in our Text. We observed that the word signifieth a sacred affection of piety pity without any regard to the merit of the Subject that partakes in it Now there is a twofold mercy that is ascribed to God in his Word a Common Mercy which he extends to good and bad expresse◠in all the favours which mankind in general are made to share in whom sin had made miserable by exposing them to all the Curses written who had forfeited their lives and all the supports of them and hitherto belongs all that goodness which men partake in in their preservation and the provision made for them and the delight they find in these things all which are fruits of Gods meer benignity and compassion and of this wicked men and his greatest enemies have as large 〈◊〉 share as any and there is a special mercy of God which he extends only to his Elect whom he hath chosen in Christ unto Salvation and accordingly bestows on them such benefits as he vouchsaves to no other in the world but them and we therefore call them special both because they are restrained to these Subjects and also because they are the fruits of his everlasting love which he bare to them before the world was and the displays of it to them in the Works of Efficiency and this is the mercy we have under our present consideration concerning which mercy we may observe both the benefits that belong to it and the mercy discovered in them 1. Touching the benefits that belong to it they are all those things which are by the Spirit of God made servicable to the bringing them to and possessing them of eternal Salvation And here let us observe 1. There are those benefits whereby they are brought into
partake of 3. It is free grace that they come to receive this reward There can be no merit in it and this will appear if we consider 1. It is mercy that gave them power to obey They were as rebellious and impotent by nature as others they had no power of their own Rom. 5. 6. If God had not Created them to good works Eph. 2. 10. They had not been capable of doing one they were dead and he quickened them Eph. 2. 1. They were made new creatures before they could Serve him in newness of life and they no more deserved this than others nor had they a better inclination 2. It is mercy that proposed such a reward to Obedience The Creature ows it self entirely to God 〈◊〉 he owed it nothing but what he pleased freely to oblige himself in unto it the Creature was liable to damnation for disobedience but could not deserve Salvation for Obedience hence the Obedience of Gods Children is not the cause of but only the way to the reward this being that which Christ hath purchased for his people on whose account it is bestowed on them 3. It is mercy that helps them in their Obedience Not only doth it bestow a new principle on them but supplies them with fresh strength for the performance of every new act so as to do it acceptably Joh 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. So that if at any time he withdraws his influence of assistance from us we are aâ— a stand and cannot go forward he worketh our works in us and for us 4. It is of mercy that they are kept in Obedience Not only is there a corrupt nature remaining in them but it is able when God suffers it to Captivate them Rom. 7. 23. The Grace in them from whence their Obedience flows is maintained by him else it would dy It is indeed called an immortal seed because it shall never dy because he keeps it alive supports defends revives it 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Obliquities which the Children of God sometimes turn aside to say what they would soon be at if God did not preserve them and did he not pity them there is provocation enough in every such fall for him to leave them 5. The best Service they perform needs mercy to accept it The best will not bear a Law trial Psal 130. 3. There is dung in all their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 mixing with their most holy actions which iâ— God did not in pity over look would procurâ— them a rejection their sincerity finds acceptance and that is attended with such short comings thaâ— were there not the Incense of Christ to perfumâ— their duties they would be unsavoury to himâ— the sensible Christian sees enough in it to dislikâ— himself for it What then but mercy can receivâ— it with a Testimony of approbation 6. They owe to God far better Service than thâ— either do or can perform Could they Serve him 〈◊〉 perfectly as man was able to do in his state of integrity it was no more than his due Luk. 17. 10. Surely then the best that imperfect believers perform who have that in them which hinders their doing the good they would must come incomparably short of what is their duty if then for all this it be rewarded by God he therein shews his rich mercy to us 7. There is no proportion between the reward and the Obedience The Service done is so little and the reward given so great that in it self it bespeaks the rich Grace of God 〈◊〉 that he bestows it freely a Crown a Kingdom an Eternal weight of Glory the Apostle speaking of Afflictions in which we Serve God by patience so compares them 2 Cor. 4. 17. A cup of cold water is recompensed with Everlasting Life what a disproportion a few moments serving God crowned with endless joys how superlative surely it is wondrous bounty that confers this USE I. For Caution Let us beware of arguing from hence that there is no need of our Obedience Proud men cast off the Service of God unless they may merit by it It is a great delusion for men to â—hink that if all be of mercy it is all one whether we obey God or neglect to do so We are injuâ—iously charged for discouraging men from good works by asserting that their whole Salvation must be of mercy and that we open a door to â—centiousness but we are assured that Grace saâ—ngly applied teacheth a contrary lesson Tit. 2. 11 12. It is the wickedness of mens hearts that saith let us sin that grace may abound Let us theâ— consider the same mercy that hath provided Salvation for Sinners hath also laid out the way in which we are to come by it so that though 〈◊〉 God prevents the opportunity of our so expressing our love to him in faithfully Serving him as he doth in such as dy in Infancy and cannot prosesâ— their faith his mercy is not hereby impeded yet where he affords the opportunity and men neglect it promising themselves to obtain the rewards of glory though they livâ— their sin they will find themselves to their cost reckoned with the Workers of Iniquity and despisers of mercy Let noâ— Gods mercy nourish in us a neglect of but 〈◊〉 in us a greater zeal in his Service Such are thâ— Redeemed of Christ Tit. 2. 14. USE II. This truth may serve to stigmatize thâ— Doctrine of mans merit Yea let it serve to rooâ— out the very secret opinion of it There is toâ— natural to us a pride on this account though wâ— do not openly profess but reject the Doctrine How impossible is it that a person should receive a reward of mercy and yet for his own merits thâ— is a manifest contradiction We do not here deny Christ's merits for indeed all the benefits we receive from God are bought and paid for by himâ— Salvation is called the purchased possession Eph. 1. 1â— But Christ merited all for us that he might bestoâ— it freely upon us and we must come so for it Iâ— 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. And how should it be possibâ— that they should merit any thing of God by their Obedience whose very Obedience is a fruit of grace and all the power and help to do it is a gift and the Obedience it self a due debt which God may challenge of us whether he gives us strength or no. Let us then entertain a due abhorrence of that which is so directly repugnant to the design of Salvation that is laid in the New-Covenant USE III. Let it advise us to beware what improvement we make of our Obedience in the exercise of faith in prayer There is a great deal of danger of misapplication here and Gods Children are too often guilty of it for help then observe 1. We may fetch much of our evidence and encouragement from our Obedience if it be right Faith works by love True Obedience is a fruit of saving â—th and will be a witness of it so assure us that we are entituled
to the Covenant the promises of it which must needs fortify our faith when we come to ask mercy of God Besides there are promises made to this uprightness careful Serving of God so that by this we may know that we are in the way of receiving the reward which may encourage us to ask believingly Psal 18. 20. 2. And we may make mention of it to God and plead it when we come to him in prayer and seek any mercy at his hand There is a proud mentioning of it which we are to avoid but there is a humble telling him of it which his Servants have been wont to thus Hezekiah Isa 38. 3. And thus that good man once and again begs of God a remembrance of what he had done for his House Neh. 13. 14 22 31. 3 But we must for all this fly to the mercy of God as the fountain of all the good we hope for and ask of him We must not mention it as that which makes us any whit the more to deserve the good we seek of him we must not carry it to him as the price or purchase of these favours so that though we claim the promise made to it yet we still acknowledge it to be a promise of Grace and the reward none of our earnings so he Neh. 13. 22. 4. Hence we must not think our selves wronged if God withold from us the favours we request If we had no such works we should say if I ask and God grant it is meer kindness and if he deny he cannot wrong me now if any thing that we have done abate from this frame and make us more impeâ—ious in our demands or impatient in his denials or delays it saith that we put too high a value on our Obedience and so dishonour the free mercy of God Let us then beware of this and for that end 1. Remember that you owe God for all the Grace 〈◊〉 Strength by which you were helped to do these duties You did them but not of your selves you could do nothing but sin and dishonour God if he had not put his Spirit in you you had never Served him if he had not come in with his strength you had done nothing of this if then he accepts of this he accepts his own Grace and this should keep you humble One would think it a noble act of Gods people so liberally to contribute to the building of the Temple but see how David animadverts upon it 1 Chron. 29. 13 14. 2. That these very acts of Obedience are maimed â—ame things Look on them again compare them with the Rule and that perfection which is the measure of our conformity prescribed in the word of God and you shall find so much deficiency in them that it will make your plumes fall and in stead of being proud you will be ashamed of your selves confessing all to be Rags and this will make you so far from being discontented that they are not that you will wonder that they should ever be accepted and help you to ascribe all the returns of your prayers not to your Obedience but to his rich Grace USE IV. This may also serve to support the Godly under the sense of the imperfection of their Obedience and their fear lest it should not be accepted Here then 1. Remember it is mercy you have to do with David comforts himself with this Psal 130. 3 4. You are not under the rigour of the Covenant of works where every defect incurs the Curse but the Covenant of Grace in which God is pleased to make known the riches of his Grace and hence his Children are encouraged to hope in it under the deepest sense of their own infirmities 2. Know it that this mercy accepts of sincerity and covers imperfections in the Children of God If there be truth in the inward parts God hath a respect to it Paul comforts himself in this 2 Cor. 1. 12. And yet how doth he else where complain of his deficiency Rom. 7. If your hearts are upright you have the evidence of your being accepted and he who accepts of you will pity your infirmity Matt. 26. 40. 41. 3. It is mercy that helps you to be sincere 1 Cor. 7. 25. Though God hath not bestowed on you a legal perfection because he will have you entirely depend on his free Grace for your whole Salvation yet he hath put a principle of integrity into you you had nothing but falshood and deceit in you by nature and it being his own Grace thus bestowed on you he will look on it with a propitious eye and you owe him all thanks for it and should pray as he Psal 25. 21. Let uprightness and integrity preserve me 4. Hence if you rely on this mercy you need not to be afraid The reason why the Children of God are terrified about this is because they so much rely on the Obedience it self whereas while we alone depend on the rich Grace of God the testimony of our sincerity will be a good support under the most humbling sense of our infirmity because hereby we know that God accepts us and will magnify his mercy towards us by taking occasion from our infirmities to commend his love to us in accepting of us through Jesus Christ Every true believer is compassed with mercy DOCTRINE V. EVery true believer is compassed about with the mercy of God We now come to take notice of the greatness of that mercy which is entailed upon him The Antithesis is observable he had said the Sorrows of the wicked are great and many yet for the present they enjoy much mixture of mercy 〈◊〉 he doth not say great and many are the mercies of the Godly but they compass him about q. d. There is nothing but mercy that he shares in several things may here be enquired into 1. What mercy it is that compasseth them A. It was observed under the former Doctrine that Mercy is of two sorts Common and Special the former are called common because good and bad indifferently share in them Matth. 5. 45. Godly men therefore have their share in these so far as infinite wisdom sees convenient God will not beâ—tch to his friends that which he can afford to 〈◊〉 enemies he will not deny that to a Child if he needs it which he gives to a Stranger they are also called common because they are ordinary inferiour things compared with the other and so Godly men may well cxpect that he will not deny to favour them therewithal as they have occasion for them he who counts it not too much to bestow the greatest cannot withold the least if they want them Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his Son c. Common also they are called from the principle whence they proceed there is a Common Benevolence which we ascribe to God who in the day of his forbearance allows such things to the vilest of men though still they are the hated of the Lord but
then there is a peculiar love which he bears to his chosen which never had beginning Jer. 31. 3. And shall never cease Joh. 13. 1. And thus no mercy is common to a believer but all that he enjoys proceeds from that fountain of love which hath designed his Salvation and causeth all to work for good to him Rom. 8. 28 Whereas all that wicked men enjoy works to their hurt Psal 92. 6. This then is the mercy that compasseth the true believer viz That love of God whereby pitying them in their miserable state which sin had brought them into he doth freely and for his own name sake bestow grace and glory on them and all that is good Psal 84 11. 103 17. So that all the providences that befall them in their way as well as the glory they are brought to in the end of it belong to this mercy and a Child of God may read love in every passage he meets withal whatsoever the outward face of it may be 2 In what respect it compasseth them A. Mercy is here compared either to a Watch that are continually walking the rounds so taking all care for the security of the place they are charged with or to a Guard allowed unto a Prince who are to stand round him to keep off all that would attempt against him Mercy then compasseth them about in preventing all that would hinder them from and supplying of them with all that is needful to bring them to Glory Mercy lies about the believer he is entrenched in mercy it gives him all security But for a more particular account of this affair let these things be observed 1. That there is an eternal life to which God hath appointed them That God hath Ordained some of miserable men to everlasting glory is of Revelation Now though who these are be a secret till he makes it known yet he always lays a foundation for the discovery of it in those whom he makes believers inasmuch as this faith hath the assured promise of life made to it Joh. 3. 36. All that believe are in a state of Salvation and so far as they know themselves to be such they may conclude this concerning themselves 2. There is a way in which they are to be brought to the Enjoyment of this life This life is considered as an end 1 Pet. 1. 9. There is then a medium by which we are to come to the obtaining of it Though there be a certain connexion between Eâ—ion and Glorification yet there are several links between them by which they are so connected The Word of God is frequent in speaking of the way of life and salvation and we have an account of it Rom. 8. 29 30. This life is first inchoated when we are Regenerated and consummated when Grace is perfected when our race is run and our warfare accomplished We are first entituled to it in Vocation made meet for it in progressive Sanctification and at length possessed of it 3. The bottom design of this mercy is to conduct them to it The special Mercy of God applies it self to the Elect either before faith in making them believers and hither belongs all that is done for them by God till such time as they are Effectually called but I pass this Or after they are united to Christ by faith to which are to be reckoned all those things that are done for the making them ready for and bringing them into the Kingdom of Glory that being the Inheritance of which they are made heirs by Adoption Heb. 2. 10. Hence all the effects of Providence are to be judged of by the respect they bear to this and their operation to bring it about 4. There are many things which they meet with in their way which would hinder their obtaining this life against all of which this mercy secures them Believers are to travel to heaven through an evil world where they will encounter much opposition many seek their hurt there is corruption within lusting against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. Satan a buisy Enemy always contriving and attempting their harm 1 Pet. 5. 8. Many snares allurements discouragements afrightments which hazard them Now the mercy of God compasseth them about to defend them from all these and powerfully to preserve them to Salvation and thus it doth 1. By watching over them continually That is the encomium of Israels Keeper that he slumbers not nor sleeps Psal 121. 4. What is the priviledge in this regard of the Church in general belongs to every true member of it Isa 27. 2 3. They have not skill enough to discern all the dangers which they ly open to but the all seeing God both caâ— and doth they can be in no danger but he knows of it and concerns himself with it Psal 142. 〈◊〉 2. By preventing of the mischief designed against them He doth not look on as an idle spectator but therefore observes that he may safeguard them for he is their Keeper and hath undertaken their protection When therefore he seeth any thing plotted against them for their harm he defeats it powerfully he breaks the snares dasheth in pieces all the contrivances that are laid against them hence that challenge Isa 8. 9 10. Associate your selves c. And the people of God have reason to sing as the Church Psal 129. begin Had not the Lord been on our side c. 3. By limiting of them God for holy ends will sometimes suffer his people to be assaulted they shall meet with temptations be vexed by them and their hearts may be cast down and disquieted through unbelief be ready to think that God hath forgotten them but it is a mistake if he had not a praise to gain by them he would not so suffer them and he sets bounds to them that they shall do no more Psal 76. 10. The wrath of man shall praise thee c. And this is true of every other thing that may threaten to hurt them 4. By governing the event of them He ever intends the permission of them for good though the instruments purpose harm by them though he suffers the thing yet he orders the issue of it that instead of harming them it shall do them a kindness The Enemies of Gods people designed nothing less than their ruine but God saith By this shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged c. Isa 27. 9. That which was intended to overturn shall only try their faith and make it the more illustrious advantageous to them 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. 5. There are many things needful to help them to glory which this mercy takes care to supply them with The believer depends on it in every step and it fails him not for 1. It provides for them all that is needful both for Soul and Body Both are concerned in glorifying God and working out their own salvation and mercy takes care of both the promise grasps in both 1 Tim. 4. 8. Hence that Psal 34 9 10. And
by this our Saviour encourageth us to rely on God Mat. 6. 25. 2. It sanctifieth every thing to them for their saving advantage It gives the operation of all Ordinances and Providences to contribute to their fartherance to eternal life it makes all to turn to their account if they be in prosperity or adversity if they be full or in want if they enjoy the light of Gods countenance or walk in the dark all shall be managed so as to promove their salvation it shall not hinder but help them to their crown Rom. 8. 28. Phil. 1. 19. 6. They stand in need of this defence and succour as long as they live and this mercy never fails them in it There is no time wherein it withdraws its influence Sometimes indeed they are not so apprehensive of it for want of skill in judging things but it is always so The Psalmist settled here after much shaking Psal 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by Counsel c. and follow every providence to the end and they shall find peace there Psal 37. 37. This mercy guards them through all changes of time and ceaseth not till it hath freed them from all trouble and settled them in Eternal rest 3. What security they have for it A. The Apostle tells us of two immutable things on which this is grounded Heb. 6 17 18. And these are 1. The firm and unchangeable purpose of God He hath from Eternity Ordained them to this mercy and this Counsel of his must stand yea he hath promised it for them before the world was Tit. 1. 2. which was done in the Eternal compact Now in this purpose of his he contrived the way of bringing them to felicity and this was so laid out as might illustrate the Riches of mercy in the subjects of it And this purpose must stand for he is not a God of change But the thoughts of his heart â—fixt and immutable Jam. 1. 17. he had nothing to oblige him to this purpose but his own meer pleasure Nor can the sin of the Creature alter this purpose for he designed to Glorify his Name by the Creatures unworthiness and because God hath appointed them to be the monuments of his mercy in whom it is to shine forth Eternally this mercy of his cannot ly still or cease to be working for them because without it they could never reach the Glory Ordained for them mercy therefore must do all of this and the security of this is sufficient against all Temptations that can offer to discourage the Child of God in his way since the power and policy of Death and Hell cannot force an alteration of this purpose or hinder the execution of it Rom. 8. 38 39. 2. The unrepentable promise that is made to them of it All the Elect are under the safety of a promise made unto Christ but as long as they are in their Natural estate they have none of the Consolation of this since they have no notice of this purpose given to them and may well be afraid of the wrath of God and he useth this fear to drive them to Christ for shelter But when once men are made Believers they are so brought within the Compaâ— of the New Covenant and it is ratified to them this Mercy now appears Tit. 3. 5. This evidenceth that they were comprehended in the purpose oâ— mercy and God hath Sealed them to the day of Redemption his Word is past for it and there is a compleat security in it Joh. 3. 16. He is faithful to his Promises and so the performance is indubitable 1 Thes 5. 23. Mercy hath the management of this so that all the sins and follies of his Children shall not cut off the entail though mercy will humble them c. Psal 89. 30. c. He cannot be provoked to repeal this promise of his This double security must needs be more firm than the foundationâ— of the world Psal 125. 1. 4. What is their happiness by vertue of this priviledge A. This is contained in two things 1. The mercy that thus Composseth them hath all iâ— it that is needful to make them perfectly blessed There is nothing wanting either for the way or for the end What is sufficient to carry them through an evil world to deliver them from all the evil of itâ— supply them with all the good in it which shalâ— serve to their everlasting well-being is enwrapâ— in it and all the glorious entertainment that iâ— prepared for them in another life belongs to itâ— It is an encompassing mercy it answers all cases and concerns they who are under the provision and protection of it are fully laid in there is help in every duty supply in every want succour in the greatest dangers Grace for their whole work comfort in every condition and all this always at hand 2. Hence it follows that by vertue of it they are sure to obtain Eternal Life The security of this mercy is the security of the fruit of it What mercy undertakes to do it will accomplish So that the believer is as certain of coming to Glory as if he were already in the full fruition of it nor is he in more danger of missing it than the Glorified are of losing it they may be sometimes in the dark about it and question either their title or their safety from hazards through darkness and unbelief but the thing it self is certain 2 Tim. 2. 13. For if mercy be able to accomplish it it shall not fail and what was ever too hard for that to do This will give them Victory in their Warfare make them bold in the fight renew their strength when they faint hold them up when ready to fall bring them safe through an evil world and present them before Christ and lodge them in his everlasting arms and what more can be desired to denominate the man blessed than to be under such safe conduct USE I. Let it be to invite Sinners to forsake their wickedness and put their trust in the Lord. And one would think here is enough to rouse up all such here therefore Consider 1. You see the difference between those asserted by the Spirit of God and it is not to be slighted Let your own reason tell you whether is better to be the Subjects of all sorrows and miseries as to be compassed about with all the mercies that are enough to make you happy now and for ever and this is the very case Surely then there is no room for any demur Behold God sets life and death before you and shall it be hard to determine the Choise What should hinder you from avoiding that which will certainly procure your ruine and pursuing that which will assure your happiness 2. Hence it is a woful cheat put upon you when you are perswaded that you shall change for the worse It is hells policy and the cry of corrupt nature to prejudice men against the fair offers of the Gospel They would fain insinuate
that you must lose all pleasure and delight and expose your selves to all troubles and sorrows if you desert Satans Camp and come over to Christ but see how unreasonable this is Shall God or the Devil be believed in this case Will you be put off with appearances and put away realities They are none but Enemies to the Salvation of your Souls who thus impose upon you 3. If you will have these mercies you must forsake your wickedness and take up under the wings of Christ◠God will not compound with wickedness nor ca◠there be any peace to the wicked Isa 57. ult These mercies are the peculiar priviledge of Believers 〈◊〉 they may be yours though you have been wicked but you must then renounce it Isa 55. 7. L◠the wicked forsake his way c. Nor is it consistent with Gods Holiness that you should have it on any other terms if you cannot comply with this you renounce Gods mercies and do what in you lies to cut off their hope of ever enjoying them 4. If you make not hast these mercies will be withdrawn and those sorrows will make a prey of you Sorrows are your birthright and you have reason to expect them every moment the only benefit is you now enjoy a day of grace and are under a treaty of peace in which mercy is offered you if whiles this lasts you comply all shall be well but if you neglect it you provoke him to put an end to it and then your 〈◊〉 is gone mercy will be no more to be had Isa 27. 11. And when the time of it is past there is no recovery 5. And you will repent of it sooner or later Whiles patience restrains the execution of these Sorrows on you you may please your selves in your unhappy choice and think you have done best for your selves but when the Comedy is at an end it will be at an end Isa 50. 11. You will then bitterly bemoan your selves and say How have we hated instruction When you are shut out from mercy then will you knock and call and cry and say Lord open to us but these will be fruitless cries and repentances and but aggravate your endless sorrows Be then advised and for that end 1. Often affect your hearts with the consideration both of these sorrows and mercies If you would think more of these things they would promove your Repentance Ezek. 18. 28. Only in your meditation realize these things to your selves and look not upon them as Romances argue from them the misery of those that must lose the one and suffer the other and the unspeakable felicity of those that are escaped the one and entituled to the other 2. Think on what fair terms this priviledge is offered you If there were some great thing required of us in order hereto we could not think it too much to comply withal for the enjoyment of so rich a benefit if it were to be purchased with a whole world it were a rich bargain but behold it is already bought and paid for the great Mediator hath secured it for all his Redeemed and he now offereth it without mony or price it is but believing in him and it is all yours and will you for all go without it 3. Look to Christ for his Spirit to put this trust into you It is above the power of your natural abilities but he that offers the benefit and makes the condition withal tendereth the help and the Grace whereby you may be enabled to comply with it When therefore he invites you thus to come turn it into supplication and say Draw me◠when he bids you to believe say Help mine unbelief and wait on him in diligent using the mean◠in which he is wont to come and bless USE II. Let it put us upon trying our selves 〈◊〉 which of these companies we belong Here are two sorts of men and we shall be numbred to one o◠them and it concerns us to know which for 1. The matter it self is of Infinite moment If it were a point of indifferency this enquiry would be superfluous these two put the difference between the subjects of eternal misery everlasting blessedness the difference is as much as is between light and darkness heaven and hell surely then it cannot be safe to be ignorant of this matter 2. Many are deceived It is a common cheat under the Gospel for men to please themselves with a good opinion of their safe estate the deceitful heart is willing to take up with a ly and Satan doth all he can to farther the delusion 3. This mistake may be rectified If now we discover it there is an opportunity to mend it whiles God waits to be gracious but if we miss this it may be too late 4. All our solid comfort flows from this interest we have in these mercies What can any thing else avail us or what true consolation can it afford us whiles we know not but these sorrows are our portion and may fall on us the next moment USE III. Let this serve to confirm believers in their trust in God Are you compassed with mercies strengthen your faith keep this hold and for your help herein 1. Remember mercy is your tenure You hold on that why then should unworthiness discourage you If it be mercy it will show it self to be so in doing freely and shining sorth through your unworthiness this is faiths hold and here is its strength 2. This mercy compasseth you It is suited to all your cases it accommodates it self to our outward and inward condition and will be ready to help you in them you can look to nothing that would hurt you but you may see mercy guarding you against it 3. Think what mercies they are that thus compass you and this will be enough to establish your faith and fix it unmoveably Consider whose mercies they are viz. Gods and then 1. They are sufficient to answer all your ends Gods mercies are like himself Infinite and so cannot be outbid by any misery that you can be assaulted by You may safely set Infinite mercy against all temptations adversities difficulties that are in your way and they will vanquish all keep you safe 2. They are sure mercies If once yours they will not fail you Isa 55. 3. They are ratified in the Covenant to the people of God by a promise that cannot be repealed and a God who cannot ly they will never desert you 3. They are everlasting mercies They cannot wear out or grow old they are new every morning they endure for ever this is the burden of that song Psal 136. see Psal 103. 17. They are not like those bestowed on the wicked which are but for a while 4. Hence they shall both preserve you here conduct you to everlasting felicity It was in reliance on these that he so presumed Psal 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by counsel afterward receive me to glory Trust then and be not afraid
often doth David in the Psalms and Paul in his Epistles inculcate this but besides let it be considered 1. That joy is put into the Creature for use God who is the author of Nature did nothing in vain Affections are natural to men and are therefore deputed for Service among these Joy is one if then it loseth its use or be not improved it fails of its end and this is properly the Creatures delight in the enjoyment of that which is good for it 2. Hence the Creature is naturally carried out after it Joy is an Affection to which all the other do pay a subserviency they are all at work in their place to make way for that to exert it self the other are working Affections but this is that in which they center and take their rest when they have done their business thus sits down and reaps the comfort of all So that the Creature is restless till it comes to this every thing would rejoyce and is not satisfied till it hath some thing to rejoyce in 3 If any in the world have cause to rejoyce the Children of God have so Worldly men think they have good reason for it but it is certain that the Children of God have infinitely more Look over the worlds inventory and then the Saints and you must needs confess this to be a great truth Need then must it be a preposterous thing for a carnal worldling to be merry and jocund and a Saint sinking in spirit and overwhelmed with grief they indeed have their weeping time whiles the other laugh Luk. 6 21 25. But they have more to joy in in their weeping time than the other in their laughing time 4. There is nothing they meet with in this world sufficient to obstruct their joy There are Changes of Providence which they pass under and they are sometimes called to heaviness and mourning but none of all this can take from them their causes of rejoycing or be sufficient to excuse them from exercising it Jam. 1. 2. But of this afterwards 5. The honour of God is concerned in their rejoycing A Godly man cannot honour God aright unless he rejoyce in the Lord. For a Christian to go always sorrowful and heavy hearted doth not only shew unthankfulness to God for his undeserved mercy but it prejudiceth others and brings the profession they make into discredit among men and maketh them to think that such serve an hard Master whenas a Christian who is holily chearful gains credit to the ways of God Hence the Psalmists care Psal 73 15. 6. And their own comfort in this life depends upon it A man no farther enjoys himself than as he rejoyceth either in hope or fruition â—f his joy be false his life is a dream but if that be true his life is life indeed The Philosopher defines life an act with delight intimating that so much as this is wanting there is so much of death in life And as our spiritual life consists in serving God so we do nothing well for God but what we do chearfully None but the Righteous can claim this priviledge Conclu 4. THat this priviledge and duty belongs to none but these righteous and upright ones As it is common to all of them so it is proper to them There are no other in the world but the righteous and the wicked and certainly wicked men are here exempted if not altogether from the duty yet from the priviledges though in a sense from the duty too Only that we may cautiously take this up let a few things be observed 1. There is a threefold joy which may be considered viz. sinful natural and spiritual These are all mentioned in the Word of God and exemplified in men and we may take a brief account of each of them so far as is for our purpose 2. Sinful joy to begin with that may be so accounted either with respect to the matter or manner of it 1. Sinful joy may be so with regard to the matter of it when the thing it self in which we rejoyce is sinful And there can neither priviledge nor duty belong to this for we ought not to rejoyce in sin â—here are that rejoyce to do evil Prov. 2. 14. But it â—s a sinful joy For Sinners to make themselves merry in their Cups and with their harlots in gaming c. highly provokes God and we read of those that rejoyce in the troubles that befal the Children of God Psal 35. 26. But confusion belong to them 2. It may be so for the manner of it The things themselves may be good in their kind and afford occasion for delight but when men do sinfully rejoyce in them they therein transgress and greatly provoke God thereby There is a mad mirth which men take in the good things of God of which the Wise man tells us Eccles 2. 1. I said of laughter it is mad and hath that Sacrasmons concession Chap. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man c. When men take delight in abusing the goodness of God this is sinful 3. Natural joy is that which the instinct of nature teacheth It is natural for the Creature whether sensitive by meer instinct or rational by the use of the understanding to delight it self in that which it finds to do it good and this answers the inclination of the Affection and the Creature will of its own accord fall into it and there must be force put upon nature if it be suppressed this is accommodated by the common goodness of God in which he makes both good and bad to partake Mat 5. 45. Acts 14. 17. It is certainly a benefit to the outward man to have health and peace and plenty by which it is supported and refreshed and this gives the affection of joy a motive by which it is excited Psal 4. 7. And here let us observe 1. That this natural joy is in it self a duty Consider it abstractly and surely ungodly men owe to God thankfulness for every mercy they partake in and the good they taste in it should excite them to thankfulness Ingratitude is condemned in the Heathen Rom. 1. 21. And that which we are thankful for supposeth that we rejoyce in it else we cannot aright express our thankfulness 2. But a wicked man cannot thus rejoyce lawfully He must cease to be wicked and become upright before he is capable of thus rejoycing Every Ungodly man sins in every thing he doth and though the matter be lawful and a duty yet there is an evil root of bitterness in him that spoils all he doth it can at best be but a carnal joy which can be neither acceptable to God nor profitable for him 4. Spiritual joy may also be considered as to matter or manner 1. It may be called spiritual as to the matter when employed about spiritual things The love of God the Redemption of Christ the Graces of the Spirit and the like and such was Pauls rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. And that which Christ
know what is your present duty If you sit down discouraged you thereby charge God but if you make a through search you may so be set in the right way USE II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto If this be the proper necessary course to relieve us in distress let us then whensoever we find any such trouble coming upon us apply our selves unto this way as we hope to find any relief against it And there is none whose condition this may not be and it is good to be laying in for it Let this be particularly applyed 1. To the Unconverted Such as are yet strangers to forgiveness And there are two sorts to whom distinctly 1. To the secure Sinner who feeleth no trouble on his Conscience but all is quiet and so he looks upon himself unconcerned in this affair Consider 1. You are Sinners That is the condition of all men by nature Rom. 5. 12. Yea your whole course in this world hath been a trade of Sin Gen. 8. 21. You have done nothing else since you were born but sin against God this is the very Character given of a natural man Psal 58. The wicked is estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they are born 2. You are on this account Guilty before God This is the state in which all men are by reason of sin Rom. 3. 19. There is always a Guilt cleaving to sin till by a pardon it be removed where therefore Sin may be charged and is not forgiven it insurreth Guilt and every unpardoned one is under the efficacy of the Sentence 3. Hence you have the matter of this distress on you And what is it that is so bitter and burden-some to the Conscience but a Conviction of Sin and apprehension of the Guilt that attendeth it It is a fear of the wrath of God arising from an expectation of having it fall upon us whiles then you are under Guilt there needs nothing but the awakening of Conscience and making it to feel the impressions thereof upon it to bring the man under the most hellish amazements that can be thought of It is only because Conscience is asleep that you are quiet and God knoweth how to rouse it when he pleaseth and he will certainâ—â— do it sooner or later There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. 20. 4. Your nourishing your security doth but lay in sâ— make your distress the more terrible You may enjoy a little present ease by it but will be forced to pay interest for it afterwards The calm will be over and a storm will arise there is no preventing it and not only so but the tempest will be the moâ—â— impetuous Your Fair Days are but Weather breeders and all the Sins with which you nourish this security will help to aggravate your Guilt and make the remorces of Conscience more severe Here then 1. Be willing to be convinced of you Sin Have a care of stifling the Convictions which God affordeth you in his Word and Providence take heâ—â— of hardning your hearts against Counsels or shutting your eyes upon the light that is offered you to discover your Sin to you Whatsoever content you find in thus doing for the present it will be bitter in the end God cometh now to shew you your Sin in the way of a Treaty of Peace and saith as Jer. 2. 19. Know that it is an evil and bitter thing c. And if you do not hearken he will shew it you another way 2. See the danger you are in by reason of it If Siâ— lyeth at the door you are in a perilous Condition there is no safety the wrath of God is out against you and Vengeance hangs over your heads Holiness Justice Truth stand engaged to do Execution upon you and all the fearful Curses written in the Book of God are your portion and how can you Escape 3. Be perswaded how vain it is for you to go about to cover it Who ever did so and prospered What a madness is it to think to hide the most secret enormities from the eyes of God who is Omniscient and knows you a great deal more intimately and throughly then you do your selves and can when he will make your sin to find you out 4. Take encouragement to hope for mercy by the Gospel discovery of Christ The great temptation to keep silence is a Spirit of fear that urgeth us to despair of mercy that driveth us to hide our selves as Adam did Now God hath in the Gospel made a Proclamation of peace to Sinners and shewn them the way to pardon think then of this and let it melt your heart and drive you to fall down at his feet and make the most enlarged acknowledgment of your sins asking his pitty This is the most kindly and genuine working of the Evangelical offers of Grace when they work us to the deepest sense and draw forth our most hearty Confessions unto God 2. To the awakened and terrified Sinner whose Conscience is roused and who hath his sins set in order before him and is thereupon under fearful agonies in his mind If you ever hope to find solid comfort â—our next business is to come to this Confession and for your quickning and encouragement Consider 1. You are in the hand of an Holy God A God who stands on his honour and will have his Glory from or by all his Creatures you must therefore voluntarily give it to him or else he will strain for it and so recover it upon you Now all Sin is a falling short of his Glory Rom. 3. 23. It is a dishonouring of him and no little of his Holiness is displayed in his shewing his hatred of it Hab. 1. 13. And you have no other way to glorifie this Holiness but by a free and full Confession 2. He is yet a merciful God Though you have greatly dishonoured and grievously provoked him by sin yet there is mercy with him he hath published and proclaimed this mercy of his lâ—â— the Gospel and inviteth weary and burdened Sinners to come to him for it Mat. 11. 28. All the Messages of peace that are sent to Sinners by the Gospel and the fair tenders therein made to them and the patient waiting of God with the strivings of his Spirit are a witness to thiâ—â— that there is mercy to be had from him if 〈◊〉 be rightly sought 3. But he expecteth that you come for this men with ropes on your heads He looketh that you should give him all the signal testimony of a deâ— conviction that you deserve no mercy from hiâ— but that he do Execution upon you according 〈◊〉 the demerit of your sin and that you ly at 〈◊〉 foot as those that have no injustice to impute him if he should fall upon and destroy you aâ—â— acknowledge his meer mercy in your pardon 4. In this way there is hope for you and in
other Thus only can his spotless Holiness be vindicated and his Justice shine forth when you declare that not for your sakes but for his own name sake he doth it when you so apply to the Righteousness of Christ alone for his favour and to such as thus do he hath opened a door of hope he hath said that he that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. He hath proclaimed an invitation to such Jer. 3. 12 13. Thus the Publican came and was Justified thus the Prodigal came and was received into favour and if you seek redress in any other way your wound may be skinned over but never healed 2. To the Converted You that are in a pardoned state this Exhortation belongs to you also and there is never an one of you but may have occasion for making use of it Remember there is â—one of us but is dayly liable to sin whiles a deceitful heart within and a tempting Devil and a â—â—ning world without are giving us provocation and if we are drawn into sin we are thereby exposed to trouble it makes a wound and we may â—ook for pain The Spirit of God will put us to â—ouble in order to a kindly repentance and Saâ—â—n will molest us seeking to drive us to despair and when it is so the only way in which we â—an look for stable relief is in a right acknowledging of our sins to God And here 1. Keep up the exercise of thus confessing for the â—epenting of this distress There are daily failings â—nd follies in us and these will scratch us and â—stly fester if not heeded There are that have had much quiet and peace and have not fallen into any scandalous sin and yet have lost the apprehension of their peace and are full of trouble and it hath been occasioned by a neglect of themselves in regard of sins of dayly infirmity Be then advised 1. To be calling your selves to a daily account Enquire and see what Sins have past you and with what allowance they have so done it may be vain thoughts entertained and taken too much content in it may be some foolish or frothy communication sported in some sinful passion given too much way to some duty neglected some dishonour done to God by others which you have not duly witnessed against and if you enquire not you will be at a loss 2. Upon discovery to bring every such sin and ley it open before God ingeniously Make an humble hearty and distinct confession over it and beâ— of God his forgiveness Out of doubt this iâ— implyed in that petition which Christ hath made one essential part of our daily prayer to God Forgive us our Sins If thus we would improve our Consciences as our Monitors encourage their fidelity in it take their rebukes weâ—â— and so use them it would prevent their being forced to be our accusers and thus addressing of God would also be the way to keep 〈◊〉 Communion with him and prevent the withdrawings of his familiar manifestation of himself to us 3. Let us be seriously earnest with God that will search us It is this hiding of sin that usually creates all the trouble to a Child of God if we could fly to Christ presently to have his Balm poured in it would not likely be so and because we cannot of our selves know all our Errors we should go to him to discover them thus is he advised to do Job 34. 32. Thus did the Psalmist Psal 26. begin 139. 23. And I believe there is not a better note of truth and sincerity of heart than an earnest desire to have our sins discovered to us in order to our through repentance of them and a ready entertaining of any Convictions offered to us on the account it saith that we are jealous of our selves with an holy jealousie and that we hate sin as our worst enemy 2. Are you under distress of Conscience Take this course for your recovery again Encouragements to this will follow in the next Doctrine For Direction 1. Be convinced that your sinful silence hath occasined this trouble If you had not gone about â—o hide and dissemble it would never have â—ome to this I believe that upon due enquiry you will seldom miss of finding this to impute to your selves 2. Be sure now to lay your selves open to God without any reserves Keep silence no longer â—ince the matter no more deal plainly and â—penly with that God who searcheth hearts and â—â—eth them throughly lay your selves as low and make your selves as vile as may be before him Thus have Gods Children been wont to do 3. And now confess and bewail your former silence too So doth the Psalmist verse 3. Acknowledge this to have procured your trouble and justifie God in it Charge folly on your selves and say that God hath been righteous and merciful too in thus afflicting you 4. If yet upon such confession you find no relief but the distress abideth then 1. Examine your Confessions See if they have been right in all the respects of them or whether there be not some notorious defect It is good ever to suspect our selves our own deceitful hearts Have you been through without reserves have you laid load sufficient on your sins have you heartily renounced and forsaken them do you maintain a more strict watch over your selves c. 2. Now wait on God patiently for the Testimony of his Spirit and resolve to tarry his time 1. Think how just it is with God to keep silence You did so sinfully but he doth it righteously and it is fit for you to wait his leisure who iâ— free in his Grace and owes you nothing bâ—â— confusion 2. Improve his silence to make you more humble and vile in your own eyes He would have you to know that he hath now spit in your face and if he shut you out of the camp seven days it is to abaid you labour after a gracious silence say as hâ— Psal 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it 3. Remember there is none else can speak peace 〈◊〉 you but he He only can bind up your wounds anâ— set your broken bones if he will not none else can and if he will let you feel the pain of it first there is no wrong doing with him he knoweth his own designs 4. Be sure to hope in his Grace Hope must nourish Patience believe that he is a Gracious God and hath made gracious promises and cannot ly and though he tarry for the present he will come in due time and blessed are they that wait for him 2. It now followeth that we consider of the success that the Psalmist found upon his free and full confession of his Sin thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Doubtless David here recommends his experience for the encouragement of others on like occasions and the words are very emphatical he tells us that he acknowledged and then addeth that he did say that he