the soul for the receiving of that consolation and deliverance out of its pressures by an evidence of a special interest in forgiveness which it waiteth for 1. For this makes men to hearken after it It makes the soul like the Merchant who hath great Riches all his wealth in a far Country which he is endeavouring to bring home safe unto him If they come he is well provided for if they miscarry he is lost and undone This makes him hearken after tydings that they are safe there and as Solomon sayes Good news in this case from a far Countrey is as cold water to a thirsty soul Prov. 25. 25. full of refreshment Though he cannot look upon them as his own yet absolutely because he hath them not in possession he is glad they are safe there So is it with the soul These Riches that it so values are as to its apprehensions in a far Country So is the Promise that he shall behold the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 17. He is glad to hear newes that they are safe to hear forgiveness preached and the Promises insisted on though he cannot as yet look upon them as his own The Merchant resis not here but he hearkeneth with much solicitousness after the things that should bring home his riches especially if they have in them his All. Hence such Ships are called Ships of desire Job 9. 26. Such a man greatly desires the speeding of them to their Port. He considers the Wind and the Weather all the occasions and inconveniences and danger of the way And blame him not his All is at stake The soul doth so in like manner it hearkneth after all the wayes and means whereby this forgiveness may be particularly brought home unto it is afraid of sin and of Temptation glad to find a fresh Gale of the Spirit of Grace hoping that it may bring in his Return from the Land of Promise This prepares the heart for a spiritual sense of it when it is revealed Secondly It so prepares the soul by giving it a due Valuation of the Grace and Mercy desired The Merchantman in the Gospel was not prepared to enjoy the Pearl himself until it was discovered to him to be of great price then he knew how to purchase it procure it and keep it The soul having by this acting of faith upon the discovery of forgiveness insisted on come to find that the pearl hid in the field is indeed precious is both stirred up to seek after possession of it and to give it its due Saith such a soul How excellent how precious is this forgiveness that is with God Blessed yea ever blessed are they who are made partakers of it What a life of Joy Rest Peace and Consolation do they lead Had I but their Evidence of an interest in it and the spiritual consolation that ensues thereon How would I despise the world and all the temptations of Satan and rejoyce in the Lord in every condition And this Apprehension of Grace also exceedingly prepares and fits the soul for a receiving of a blessed sense of it so as that God may have glory thereby 3. It fits the soul by giving a Right Understanding of it of its Nature its Causes and Effects At the first the soul goes no further but to look after impunity or freedom from punishment any way What shall I do to be saved is the utmost it aims at Who shall deliver me how shall I escape And it would be contented to escape any way by the Law or the Gospel all is one so it may escape But upon this discovery of forgiveness treated of which is made by faith of Adherence unto God a man plainly sees the nature of it and that it is so excellent that it is to be desired for its own sake Indeed when a soul is brought under trouble for sin it knows not well what it would have It hath an uneasiness or disquietment that it would be freed from a dread of some evil condition that it would avoid But now the soul can tell what it desires what it aims at as well as what it would be freed from It would have an interest in Eternal Love have the gracious kindness of the heart of God turned towards it self a sense of the everlasting purpose of his Will shed abroad in his heart have an especial interest in the precious blood of the Son of God whereby Attonement is made for him and that all these things be testified unto his Conscience in a word of promise mixed with faith These things he comes for this way alone he would be saved and no other It sees such a Glory of Wisdom Love and Grace in forgiveness such an Exaltation of the Love of Christ in all his Offices in all his undertaking especially in his Death Sacrifice and bloodshedding whereby he procured or made Reconciliation for us that it exceedingly longs after the participation of them All these things in their several degrees will this discovery of forgiveness in God without an evidence of an especial interest therein produce And these will assuredly maintain the spiritual life of the soul and keep it up unto such an obedience as shall be accepted of God in Christ. Darkness sorrow storms they in whom it is may meet withal but their eternal condition is secured in the Covenant of God their souls are bound up in the bundle of life From what hath been spoken we may make some Inferences in our passage concerning the true notion of believing For 1. These Effects ascribed to this faith of forgiveness in God and alwayes produced by it make it evident that the most of them who pretend unto it who pretend to believe that there is forgiveness with God do indeed believe no such thing Although I shall on set purpose afterwards evince this yet I cannot here utterly pass it by I shall then only demand of them who are so forward in the profession of this faith that they think it almost impossible that any one should not believe it what Effects it hath produced in them and whether they have been by it enabled to the performance of the duties before mentioned I fear with many things on the account of their pretended faith are quite otherwise They love sin the more for it and God never the better supposing that a few barren words will issue the controversie about their sins they become insensibly to have slight thoughts of sin and of God also This perswasion is not of him that calls us Poor souls your faith is the Devils greatest Engine for your ruine the highest contempt of God and Christ and forgiveness also that you can be guilty of a means to let you down quietly into Hell the Pharisees Moses trusted in and will condemn you As none is saved but by faith so you if it were not for your faith as you call it might possibly be saved If a mans Gold prove counterfeit his Jewels painted Glass
are said to learn the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4. 21. It is in Jesus originally and from really and from him it is communicated unto us by the Word We are thereby taught and do learn it for thereby as the Apostle proceeds we are renued in the Spirit of our mind and do put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness ver 23 24. First the Truth is in Jesus then it is expressed in the Word this Word learned and believed becomes Grace in the heart every way answering unto the Lord Christ his Image from whom this transforming Truth did thus proceed Nay this is carried by the Apostle yet higher namely unto God the Father himself whose Image Christ is and Believers his through the Word 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord whereunto add Chap. 4. 6. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The first pattern or example of all Truth and Holiness is God himself hereof Christ is the Image ver 4. Christ is the Image of God The brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1. 3. The Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. Hence we are said to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ because he being his Image the Love Grace and Truth of the Father are represented and made conspicuous in him For we are said to behold it in his face because of the open and illustrious manifestation of the glory of God in him And how do we behold this glory in a Glass as in a glass that is in the Gospel which hath the Image and likeness of Christ who is the Image of God reflected upon it and communicated unto it So have we traced Truth and Grace from the Person of the Father unto the Son as Mediator and thence transfused into the Word In the Father it is Essentially in Jesus Christ originally and exemplarily and in the Word as in a transcript or Copy But doth it abide there No God by the Word of the Gospel shines into our hearts Chap. 4 6. He irradiates our minds with a saving light into it and apprehension of it And what thence ensues the soul of a believer is changed into the same Image by the effectual working of the Holy Ghost Chap. 3. 18. that is the likeness of Christ implanted on the Word is impressed on the soul it self whereby it is renewed into the Image of God whereunto it was at first created This brings all into a perfect Harmony There is not where Gospel Truth is effectually received and experienced in the soul only a consonancy meerly between the soul and the Word but between the soul and Christ by the Word and the soul and God by Christ. And this gives assured establishment unto the soul in the things that it doth believe Divine Truth so conveyed unto us is firm stable and immoveable And we can say of it in a spiritual sense that which we have heard that which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life we know to be true Yea a Believer is a Testimony to the certainty of truth in what he is much beyond what he is in all that he saith Words may be pretended Real effects have their Testimony inseparably annexed unto them 3. Hence it appears that there must needs be great Assurance of those Truths which are thus received and believed For hereby are the senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 15. 14. Where there is a spiritual sense of Truth of the Good and Evil that is in Doctrines from an inward experience of what is so good and from thence an Aversation unto the contrary and this obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of an habit or an habitual frame of heart there is strength there is stedfasiness and Assurance This is the teaching of the Unction which will not which cannot deceive Hence many of old and of late that could not dispute could yet dye for the truth He that came to another and went about to prove by Sophistical reasonings that there was no such thing as motion had only this return from him who either was not able to answer his cavilling or unwilling to put himself to trouble about it he arose and walking up and down gave him a real confutation of his Sophystrie It is so in this case when a soul hath a real experience of the Grace of God of the Pardon of sins of the Vertue and Efficacy of the death of Christ of Justification by his blood and peace with God by believing let men or Devils or Angels from Heaven oppose these things if it cannot answer their Sophisms yet he can rise up and walk he can with all holy confidence and Assurance oppose his own satisfying experience unto all their arguings and suggestions A man will not be disputed out of what he sees and feels And a Believer will abide as firmly by his spiritual sense as any man can by his natural This is the meaning of that Prayer of the Apostle Col. 2. 2. That your hearts might be comforted being knit together in love unto all riches of the full Assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ. Understanding in the mysteries of the Gospel they had but he prayes that by a farther experience of it they might come to the Assurance of understanding To be true is the property of the Doctrine it self to be certain or assured is the property of our minds Now this experience doth so unite the mind and truth that we say such a Truth is most certain whereas certainty is indeed the property of our minds or their knowledge and not of the truth known It is certain unto us that is we have an assured knowledge of it by the Experience we have of it This is the Assurance of Understanding here mentioned And he further prayes that we may come to the Riches of this Assurance that is to an abundant plentiful Assurance And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the acknowledgement of the Mysterie of God owning it from a sense and experience of its excellency and worth And this is in the Nature of all Gospel Truths they are fitted and suited to be experienced by a believing soul. There is nothing in them so sublime and high nothing so mysterious nothing so seemingly low and outwardly contemptible but that a gracious soul hath experience of an Excellency Reality Power and Efficacy in it all For instance look on that which concerns the Order and Worship of the Gospel This seems to many to be a meer
or at most such an irregular acting of it as the Lord Christ will be very tender towards and which is consistent with peace and a due sense of the forgiveness of sins Mistake not then these one for another lest much causeless unquietness ensue in the Judgement which you are to make of your selves But you will say how shall we distinguish between these two so as not causelesly to be disquieted and perplexed I answer briefly 1. Unbelief working in and by the questioning of the promises of God is a weakning disheartning dispiriting thing It takes off the edge of the soul from spiritual duties and weakens it both as unto delight and strength The more any one questions the promises of God the less life power joy and delight in obedience he hath For faith is the spring and root of all other Graces and according as that thriveth or goeth backwards so do they all Men think sometimes that their uncertainty of the love of God and of acceptance with him by the forgiveness of sin doth put them upon the performance of many duties and they can have no rest or peace in the omission of them It may be it is so Yea this is the state and Condition with many But what are these duties and how are they performed And what is their acceptance with God The duties themselves are legal which denomination ariseth not from the Nature Substance or Matter of them for they may be the same that are required and injoyned in the Gospel but from the principle from whence they proceed and the End to which they are used Now these in this case are both legal their principle is legal fear and their end is legal Righteousness the whole attendance unto them a seeking of righteousness as it were by the works of the Law and how are they performed Plainly with a bondage frame of Spirit without Love Joy Liberty or Delight To quiet conscience to pacifie God are the things in them aymed at all in opposition to the Blood and Righteousness of Christ. And are they accepted with God Let them be multiplyed never so much he every where testifieth that they are abhorred by him This then Unbelief mixed with convictions will do It is the proper way of venting and exercising it self where the soul is brought under the power of conviction But as unto Gospel Obedience in all the duties of it to be carryed on in communion with God by Christ and delight in him all questioning of the promises weakens and discourageth the soul and makes them all wearisome and burdensome unto it But the Jealousie that is exercised about the Person and Love of Christ unto the soul is quite of another nature and produceth other effects It cheers enlivens and enlargeth the soul stirs up to activity earnestness and industry in its enquiries and desires after Christ. Jealousie saith the Spouse is hard as the grave therefore set me as a Seal upon thy heart as a Seal upon thy arm It makes the soul restlesly pant after neerer more sensible and more assured Communion with Christ It stirs up vigorous and active Spirits in all duties Every doubt and fear that it ingenerates concerning the Love of Christ stirs up the soul unto more earnestness after him delight in him and sedulous watching against every thing that may keep it at a distance from him or occasion him to hide withdraw or absent himself from it 2. Unbelief that works by questioning of the promises is universally selfish it begins and ends in self Self-love in desires after freedom from guilt danger and punishment are the life and soul of it May this end be attained it hath no delight in God Nor doth it care what way it be attained so it may be attained May such persons have any perswasions that they shall be freed from death and hell be it by the works of the Law or by the observance of any inventions of their own whether any Glory ariseth unto God from his Grace and faithfulness or no they are not solicitous The Jealousie we speak of hath the Person of Christ and his Excellency for its constant object These it fills the mind with in many and various thoughts still representing him more and more amiable and more desirable unto the soul. So doth the Spouse upon the like occasion as you may see at large Cant. 5. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Being at some loss for his presence for he had withdrawn himself not finding her wonted communion and entercourse with him fearing that upon her provocation she might forfeit her Interest in his Love she falls upon the Consideration of all his Excellencies and thereby the more enflames her self unto desires after his company and enjoyment And these divers things may be thus distinguished and discerned RULE VI. Learn to distinguish between faith and spiritual sense This Rule the Apostle gives us 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight It is the sight of Glory that is especially here intended But faith and sense in any kind are clearly distinguished That may be believed which is not felt Yea It is the Will and Command of God that faith should stand and do its work where all sense fails Esa. 50. 10. And it is with spiritual sense in this matter as it is with natural Thomas would not believe unless he saw the object of his faith with his Eyes or felt it with his hand but saith our Saviour blessed are they who believe and have not seen who believe upon the testimony of God without the help of their own sense or reason And if we will believe no more of God of his Love of Grace of our acceptance with him than we have a spiritual affecting sense of we shall be many times at a loss Sensible impressions from Gods Love are great springs of Joy but they are not absolutely necessary unto peace nor unto an evidence that we do believe We will deal thus with the vilest person living We will believe him whilest we have the certainty of our sense to secure us And if we deal so with God what is there in our so doing praise worthy the Prophet tells us what it is to believe in respect of providence Hab. 3. 17. When there is nothing left outward and visible to support us then to rest quietly on God that is to believe So Psal. 73. 26. And the Apostle in the Example of Abraham shews us what it is to believe with respect unto a special promise Rom. 4. 18. Against hope he believed in hope When he saw not any outward ordinary means for the accomplishment of the promise when innumerable objections arose against any such hope as might have respect unto such means yet he resolved all his thoughts into the faithfulness of God in the promise and therein raised a new hope in its accomplishment so in hope believing against hope To clear this matter you must observe what I intend by
to what end is this Namely that they may all mutually perform those duties one towards another which are incumbent mutually on Regenerate persons If these are omitted there is an End of all profitable use of Church Society Churches without this are but meer husks and shells of Churches Carkasses without souls For as there is no real Union unto Christ without faith so there is no real Union among the members of any Church without Love and that acting its self in all the Duties mentioned Let not this Ordinance be in vain But we must return from this digression to that which lies before us which is concerning what a man may discern concerning his own being Regenerate or born again I say then Secondly Men may come to an assured Satisfactory perswasion that themselves are regenerate and that such as is so far insallible as that it will not deceive them when it is brought unto the tryal For there are many Duties whose performance in faith unto the glory of God and the Edification of our own souls doth depend on this perswasion and Conviction As 1. A due sense of our Relation unto God and an answerable comportment of our spirits and hearts towards him He that is born again is born of God He is begotten of God by the immortal seed of the Word Without a perswasion hereof how can a man on grounds of faith carry himself towards God as his Father and how great a part of our Obedience towards him and communion with him depends hereon we all know If men fluctuate all their dayes in this matter if they come to no settlement in it no comfortable perswasion of it they scarce ever act any genuine childlike acts of Love or Delight towards God which exceedingly impeacheth their whole Obedience 2. Thankfulness for Grace received is one of the principal duties that is incumbent on Believers in this World Now how can a man in faith bless God for that which he is utterly uncertain whether he have received it from him or no. I know some men run on in a Road in this matter They will bless God in a formal way for their Regeneration Sanctification Justification and the like But if you ask them whether themselves are regenerate or no they will be ready to scoff at it or at least to profess that they know no such thing What is this but to mock God and in a presumptuous manner to take his name in vain But if we will praise God as we ought for his Grace as we are guided and directed in the Scripture as the nature of the matter requires with such a frame of heart as may influence our whole Obedience surely it cannot but be our duty to know the Grace that we have received 3. Again the main of our Spiritual watch and diligence consisteth in the cherishing improving and increasing of the Grace that we have received the strengthening of the new Creature that is wrought in us Herein consists principally the Life of faith and the exercise of that Spiritual Wisdom which faith furnisheth the soul withall Now how can any man apply himself hereunto whilest he is altogether uncertain whether he hath received any principle of Living Saving Grace or no whereas therefore God requires our utmost Diligence Watchfulness and Care in this matter It is certain that he requires also of us and grants unto us that which is the foundation of all these duties which lyes in an Acquaintance with that state and condition whereunto we do belong In brief there is nothing we have to do in reference unto Eternity but one way or other it hath a respect unto our light and convictions as to our State and Condition in this World And those who are negligent in the tryal and Examination thereof do leave all things between God and their souls at absolute uncertainties and dubious hazards which is not to lead the Life of Faith We shall now upon these premises return unto that part of the Objection which is under consideration Say some We know not whether we are regenerate or no and are therefore altogether uncertain whether we have an interest in that forgiveness that is with God nor dare we on that account admit of the consolation that is tendred on the Truth insisted on Supposing what hath been spoken in general I shall lay down the grounds of resolving this perplexing doubt in the ensuing Rules RULE I. See that the perswasion and Assurance hereof which you look after and desire be regular and not such as is suited meerly unto your own Imaginations Our second and third General Rules about the nature of all spiritual Assurance and what is consistent therewithall are here to be taken into consideration If you look to have such an Evidence Light into and absolute conviction of this matter as shall admit of no doubts fears questionings just occasions and causes of new trials teachings and self-examinations you will be greatly deceived Regeneration induceth a new principle into the soul but it doth not utterly expel the old some would have security not Assurance The principle of sin and unbelief will still abide in us and still work in us Their abiding and their acting must needs put the soul upon a severe enquiry whether they are not prevalent in it beyond what the condition of Regeneration will admit The constant conflicts we must have with sin will not suffer us to have alwaies so clear an Evidence of our condition as we would desire Such a perswasion as is prevalent against strong objections to the contrary keeping up the heart to a due performance of those duties in faith which belong unto the state of Regeneration is the substance of what in this kind you are to look after RULE II. If you are doubtfull concerning your state and condition do not expect an extraordinary determination of it by an Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God I do grant that God doth sometimes by this means bring in peace and satisfaction unto the soul he gives his own Spirit immediately to bear witness with ours that we are the children of God both upon the account of Regeneration and Adoption He doth so but as far as we can observe in a way of Soveraignty when and to whom he pleaseth Besides that men may content and satisfie themselves with his ordinary Teachings Consolations and Communications of his Grace he hath left the nature of that peculiar Testimony of the Spirit very dark and difficult to be found out few agreeing wherein it doth consist or what is the nature of it No one mans Experience is a Rule unto others And an undue Apprehension of it is a matter of great danger Yet it is certain that humble souls in extraordinary cases may have recourse unto it with benefit and relief thereby This then you may desire you may pray for but not with such a frame of spirit as to refuse that other satisfaction which in the waies of Truth and
watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning Herein I say he describes both his frame of spirit and the Duty he applied himself to both as to matter and manner I shall as in the method hitherto observed first consider the reading of the Words then their sense and importance with the suitableness of the things mentioned in them to the condition of the soul under Consideration all which will yield us a foundation of the Observations that are to be drawn from them The Words rendred strictly or word for word lye thus I have earnestly expected Jehovah my Soul hath expected and in his Word have I tarryed or waited My Soul to the Lord more then or before the watchmen in the morning the watchmen in the morning or unto the morning I have waited or expected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expect to hope to wait Verbum hoc est magno animi desiderio in aliquem intentum esse respicere ad eum ex eo pendere The word denotes to be intent on any one with great desire to behold or regard him and to depend upon him and it also expresseth the earnest inclination and intention of the Will and Mind Paul seems to have expressed this word to the full Rom. 8. 19. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intent or earnest expectation expressing it self by putting forth the head and looking round about with earnestness and diligence And this is also signified expresly by this word Psal. 69. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I looked for some to take pitty huc illuc anxie circumspexi siqui fortè me commiseraturus esset I looked round about this way and that way diligently and solicitously to see if any would pitty me or lament with me Thus I have waited is as much as I have diligently with intention of soul mind will and affections looked unto God in earnest expectation of that from him that I stand in need of and which must come forth from the forgiveness that is with him 2. I have saith he waited for or expected Jehovah he uses the same Name of God in his Expectation that he first fixed on in his Application to him And it is not this or that means not this or that Assistance but it is Jehovah himself that he expects and waits for It is Jehovah himself that must satisfie the Soul his favour and loving kindness and what flows from them If he come not himself if he gives not himself nothing else will relieve 3. My soul doth wait or expect it is no outward duty that I am at no lip-labour no bodily work no formal cold careless performance of a duty no my soul doth wait it is soul work heart work I am at I wait I wait with my whole soul. 4. In his word do I hope or wait There is not anything of difficulty in these words the word used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt qui quod affiue sit verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velint anxietatem nisum includere ut significet anxie seu enixe expectare sustinere sperare It signifies to hope expect endure and sustain with care solicitousness and indeavours Hence the 70 have rendred the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vul. Lat. Sustinui I have sustained and waited with patience And this on the Word or he sustained his soul with the Word of promise that it should not utterly faint Seeing he had made a discovery of Grace and forgiveness though yet at a great distance he had a sight of Land though he was yet in a storm at Sea and therefore incourageth himself or his soul that it do not despond But yet all this that we have spoken reaches not the intensness of the soul of the Psalmist in this his Expectation of Jehovah The earnest engagement of his soul in this duty riseth up above what he can express Therefore he proceeds ver 6. My Soul saith he for the Lord that is expects him looks for him waits for his coming to me in Love and with forgiveness more than the watchers for the morning the watchers for the morning These latter words are variously rendred and variously expounded The LXX and vulgar Latin render them from the Morning watch untill night Others from those that keep the Morning watch unto those that keep the Evening watch More than the watchers in the morning more than the Watchers in the Morning The Words also are variously expounded Austin would have it to signifie the placing of our hopes on the Morning of Christs Resurrection and continuing in them untill the night of our own death Hierome who renders the Words from the morning watch to the morning watch expounds them of continuing our hopes and expectations from the morning that we are called into the Lords Vineyard to the morning when we shall receive our reward as much to the sense of the place as the former and so Chrysostome interprets it of our whole life It cannot be denyed but that they were lead into these mistakes by the Translation of the 70. and that of the Vulgar Latine who both of them have divided these Words quite contrary to their proper dependance and read them thus My soul expected the Lord. From the Morning watch to the Night watch Let Israel trust in the Lord so making the words to belong to the following Exhortation unto others which are plainly a part of the expression of his own duty The words then are a Comparison and an Allusion unto Watchmen and may be taken in one of these two senses 1. In things Civil As those who keep the Watch of the Night do look and long for and expect the morning when being dismissed from their Guard they may take that Sleep that they need and desire which expresses a very earnest expectation inquiry and desire Or 2. In things Sacred With the Chaldee Paraphrast which renders the words more than they that look for the morning watch which they carefully observe that they may offer the Morning Sacrifice In this sense as faith he the Warders and Watchers in the Temple do look diligently after the Appearance of the Morning that they may with Joy offer the Morning Sacrifice in the appointed season So and with more diligence doth my Soul wait for Jehovah You see the reading of the words and how far the sense of them opens it self unto us by that consideration Let us then nextly see briefly the several parts of them as they stand in Relation one to another We have then 1. The Expression of the Duty wherein he was exercised and that is earnest waiting for Jehovah 2. The bottome and foundation of that his waiting and expectation that is the Word of God the word of promise he diligently boped in the Word 3. The Frame of his Spirit in and the manner of his performance of this Duty Expressed 1. In
for with him there is Redemption All other grounds of hope are false and deceiving Obs. 3. Inexhaustible stores of Mercy and Redemption are needful for the incouragement of sinners to rest and wait on God With him is plentiful Redemption Such is your misery so pressing are your fears and disconsolations that nothing less than boundless Grace can relieve or support you there are therefore such Treasures and stores in God as are suited hereunto With him is Plenteous Redemption Obs. 4. The Ground of all the dispensation of Mercy Goodness Grace and forgiveness which is in God to Sinners is laid in the blood of Christ. Hence it is here called Redemption Unto this also we have spoken at large before Obs. 5. All that wait on God on the account of Mercy and Grace shall have an undoubted Issue of peace He shall redeem Israel let him saith God lay hold of my Arm that he may have peace and he shall have peace Isa. 27. 3. Obs. 6. Mercy given to them that wait on God shall in the close and issue be every way full and satisfying He shall redeem his people from all their Iniquities And these Propositions do arise from the words as absolutely considered and in themselves If we mind their Relation unto the peculiar Condition of the soul represented in this Psalm they will yet afford us the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. They who out of depths have by faith and waiting obtained mercy or are supported in waiting for a sense of believed mercy and forgiveness are fitted and only they are fitted to Preach and declare Grace and mercy unto others This was the Case with the Psalmist Upon his emerging out of his own depths and streights he declares the mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered unto the whole Israel of God Obs. 2. A saving participation of Grace and forgiveness leaves a deep Impression of its fulness and excellency on the soul of a sinner So was it here with the Psalmist Having himself obtained Forgiveness he knows no bounds or measure as it were in the extolling of it There is with God Mercy Redemption Plenteous Redemption redeeming from all Iniquity I have found it so and so will every one do that shall believe it Now these Observations might all of them especially the two last receive an useful improvement But whereas what I principally intended from this Psalm hath been at large insisted on upon the first verses of it I shall not here further draw forth any Meditations upon them but content my self with the Exposition that hath been given of the design of the Psalmist and sense of his words in these last verses FINIS 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. 2. Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities General Scope of the whole Psalm The two first Verses opened Depths of trouble on the account of Sin Depths of Sin wherein they consist The Nature and Extent of supplies of Grace according to the Covenant The Power of Indwelling Sin Gods Soveraignty in dealing with Believers in their sins Sins occasioning great distresses Aggravations of sins causing distresses The second Verse opened Actings of a Believer under distress from sin False ways of relieving souls in distress Earnestness of a distressed soul in its Applications unto God Grounds of earnestness in Applications unto God Earnestness c. wherein it consisteth Verse 3. opened Propositions from Verse 3. Terror arising from a sense of the guilt of sin Gods marking sin and mans salvation inconsistent The souls actings towards a Recovery Sense of sin wherein it consists Nature and Causes of Gospel convictions of sin Acknowledgement of sin the true nature of it Self-condemnation wherein it consists Miscarriages in persons convinced of sin The fourth Verse opened Doctrinal Observations from V. 4. No approaching unto God without a discovery of forgiveness Forgiveness a great Mysterie Testimony of a natural consciscience against the forgiveness of sin Testimony of the Law against the forgiveness of sin False Presumptions of Forgiveness The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness Forgiveness as it relates to the Nature of God Forgiveness as it relates to the free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ. Forgiveness as it relates unto the Promise What faith respects in Forgiveness Forgiveness discovered to Faith alone Discovery of Forgiveness a great supportment Particular Assurance attainable Duty of Believers to endeavour Assurance Causes and Effects of Assurance Saving Faith where there is no Assurance Discovery of forgiveness a great supportment to intangled souls Effects of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Means whereby a Discovery of Forgiveness yields supportment Abiding with God wherein it consisteth Waiting on God from a Discovery of Forgiveness Discovery of Forgiveness prepares the soul to receive it Vain pretences of Faith discovered Essential properties of Gods nature how made known Free Acts of Gods Will how they may be known Forgiveness not revealed by the work of Providence about the first sin Forgiveness discovered in the first Promise Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgiveness Forgiveness with God manifested by his Prescription of Repentance Confirmation of the Truth of Forgiveness necessary Necessity of producing Arguments to prove forgiveness Some sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God Patience of God towards the World an evidence of forgiveness Experience of the Saints giveing Testimony to Forgiveness The Evidence that is in Spiritual Experience Religious Worship of sinners an Evidence of Forgiveness with God Especial Ordinances evidencing forgiveness Prayer for the Pardon of sin commanded Forgiveness manifested in the New Covenant Nature Use and End of the first Covenant Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant Forgiveness confirmed by the Oath of God Forgiveness confirmed by the Name of God 〈◊〉 of Gods Nature manifesting Forgiveness What it is to give Glory to God Glory arising to God by Forgiveness Forgiveness manifested in the Death of Christ. Our Obligation unto mutual forgiveness proves forgiveness in God Properties of Divine forgiveness Forgiveness believed by Few Exhortations unto Believing Terms of Peace with God Equal and Holy Certainty of the final Ruine of them who believe not Exhortation to Believing enforced Christ the only Judge of our spiritual condition Self-condemnation consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace Gospel Assurance wherein it consisteth Sense of sin consistent with Assurance Sorrow for sin consistent with Assurance Sense of the power of sin consistent with Assurance Fears and Temptations consistent with Assurance The Nature and Effects of Gospel Assurance Effects of Gospel Assurance in Believers Waiting necessary to obtain Peace Search of Sin necessary to consolation Unbelief and Jealousie distinguished Different Effects of Unbelief and Jealousie Differences between faith and spiritual sense Spiritual sense wherein it consists Foundation and Spiritual Building distinguished Complaints fruitless and heartless to be avoided Hasty Expressions concerning God to be avoided Judgement of mens states in the hand of Christ alone The least Appearances of Grace to be improved Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments Means of the Aggravation of Affliction Rules to be observed concerning Afflictions Objections against Believing from the State of the Soul Two different estates whereunto all men belong Saving Grace specifically distinct from common Grace Difference between the State of Grace and Nature discernable Believers may know themselves to be born of God Rules whereby men may judge of their Condition in respect of Inherent Grace Objections from weakness in Duty and the power of Sin V. 5 6. V. 5 6. opened Waiting the first fruit of Faith in a way of Duty Waiting on God wherein it consists God himself the Object of our Waiting Waiting on God whence so necessary Considerations of Gods Being and Attributes rendring Waiting necessary Considerations of Gods Righteousness in his Judgements Considerations of our own Condition tending to Humble us Supportment in trouble from the Word of Promise Psal. 130. v. 7 8. Exposition of vers 7 8.
unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 2. His enquiry after relief and therein are two things that present themselves unto him the one whereof which first offers the consideration of its self to him in his distress he deprecates ver 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The other he closeth withal and finds relief in it and supportment by it ver 5. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Upon this his discovery and fixing on relief there is the acting of his Faith and the deportment of his whole Person 1. Towards God ver 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 2. Towards the Saints ver 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities All which parts and the various concernments of them must be opened severally And this also gives an account of what is my design from and upon the words of this Psalm namely to declare the perplexed intanglements which may befall a gracious soul such a one as this Psalmist was with the nature and proper workings of Faith in such a condition Principally aiming at what it is that gives a soul relief and supportment in and afterward deliverance from such a perplexed estate The Lord in Mercy dispose of these Meditations in such a way and manner as that both he that writes and they that read may be made partakers of the benefit relief and consolation intended for his Saints in this Psalm by the Holy Ghost The State and Condition of the soul represented in the Psalm The two first Verses opened The State and Condition of the soul here represented as the Basis on which the process of the Psalm is built with its deportment or the general acting of its Faith in that state is expressed in the two first Verses Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 1. The present state of the soul under consideration is included in that expression out of the Depths Some of the Antients as Chrysostom suppose this expression to relate unto the depths of the heart of the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from the mouth or tongue only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the depth and bottom of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the deepest recesses of the mind And indeed the word is used to express the depths of the hearts of Men but utterly in another sense Psal. 64. 6. The heart is deep But the obvious sense of the place and the constant use of the word will not admit of this Interpretation è Profund is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profundus fuit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Profunditates or depths It is commonly used for Vallies or any deep places whatever but especially of Waters Vallies and deep Places because of their Darkness and Solitariness are accounted places of horror helplesness and trouble Psal. 23. 4. When I walk in the Valley of the shadow of Death that is in the extremity of danger and trouble The Moral use of the word as expressing the state and condition of the souls of men is metaphorical These Depths then are difficulties or pressures attended with fear horror danger and trouble And they are of two sorts 1. Providential in respect of outward distresses Calamities and Afflictions Psal. 69. 1. Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul I stick in the mire of the deep and there is no standing I am come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the depths of waters and the flood overflows me It is trouble and the extremity of it that the Psalmist complains of and which he thus expresseth He was brought by it into a condition like unto a man ready to be drowned being cast into the bottom of deep and miry waters where he had no firm foundation to stand upon nor ability to come out as he farther explains himself ver 15. 2. There are internal Depths Depths of Conscience upon the account of sin Psal. 88. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps What he intends by this expression the Psalmist declares in the next words v. 7. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me Sense of Gods wrath upon his conscience upon the account of sin was the deep he was cast into So v. 15. speaking of the same matter saith he I suffer thy terrors and v. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me Which he calls water waves and deeps according to the Metaphor before opened And these are the deeps that are here principally intended Clamat sub molibus fluctibus iniquitatum suarum sayes Austin on the place He cryes out under the weight and waves of his sins This the ensuing Psalm makes evident Desiring to be delivered from these depths out of which he cryed he deals with God wholly about mercy and forgiveness and it is sin alone from which forgiveness is a Deliverance The Doctrine also that he preacheth upon his Delivery is that of Mercy Grace and Redemption as is manifest from the close of the Psalm And what we have deliverance by is most upon our hearts when we are delivered It is true indeed that these deeps do oftentimes concurr as David speaks Deep calleth upon deep Psal. 4. 2. 7. The deeps of Affliction awaken the Conscience to a deep sense of sin But sin is the Disease Affliction only a Symptome of it and in attending a Cure the disease it self is principally to be heeded the symptome will follow or depart of its self Many Interpreters think that this was now Davids condition by great trouble and distress he was greatly minded of sin and we must not therefore wholly pass over that intendment of the word though we are chiefly to respect that which he himself in this address unto God did principally regard This in general is the state and condition of the soul mannaged in this Psalm and is as the key to the ensuing discourse or the hinge on which it turns As to my intendment from the Psalm That which ariseth from hence may be comprized in these two Propositions 1. Gracious souls after much Communion with God may be brought into inextricable depths and intanglements on the account of sin For such the Psalmist here expresseth his own condition to have been and such he was 2. The inward root of outward distresses is principally to be attended in all pressing tryals sin in Afflictions Gracious souls may be brought into depths on the account of sin What those Depths are Before I
Providence causeth some special word in the Preaching of the Gospel or the Administration of some Ordinance thereof peculiarly suited to the state and condition of the soul by the wayes of rebuke or perswasion to come nigh and enter the inmost parts of the heart The soul cannot but take notice that God is nigh to him that he is dealing with him and caling on him to look to him for assistance And he seldom gives such warnings to his Saints but that he is nigh them in an eminent manner to give them relief and help if in answer unto his call they apply themselves unto him but if his care and kindness herein be neglected his following reproofs are usually more severe Seventhly Sins that bring scandal seldom suffer the soul to escape depths Even in great sins God in chastening takes more notice oft-times of the scandal than the sin as 2 Sam. 12. 14. Many professors take little notice of their worldliness their pride their passion their lavish tongues but the world doth and the Gospel is disadvantaged by it and no wonder if themselves find from the hand of the Lord the bitter fruits of them in the issue And many other such Aggravations of sins there are which heighten provocations in their own nature not of so dreadful an aspect as some others into a guilt plunging a soul into depths Those which have been named may suffice in the way of instance which is all that we have aimed at and therefore forbear enlargements on the several heads of them The consideration of some Aggravations of the guilt of these sins which bring the soul usually into the condition before laid down shall close this discourse First The soul is furnished with a Principle of Grace which is continually operative and working for its preservation from such sins The new Creature is living and active for its own growth increase and security according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace Gal. 5. 17. it lusteth against the flesh It is naturally active for its own preservation and increase as new born Children have a natural inclination to the food that will keep them alive and cause them to grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. The soul then cannot fall into these entangling sins but it must be with an high neglect of that very Principle which is bestowed upon it for quite contrary ends and purposes The labourings lustings desires crying of it are neglected Now it is from God and of God and is the Renovation of his Image in us that which God owneth and careth for the wounding of its vitals the stifling its operations the neglect of its endeavours for the souls preservation do alwayes attend sins of the importance spoken unto Secondly Whereas this new Creature this principle of life and obedience is not able of it self to preserve the soul from such sins as will bring it into depths there is full provision for continual supplies made for it and all its wants in Jesus Christ. There are treasures of relief in Christ whereunto the soul may at any time repair and find succour against the incursions of sin He sayes to the soul as David unto Abiathar when he fled from Doeg Abide with me fear not he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safety Sin is my Enemy no less than thine it seeketh the life of thy soul and it seeketh my life abide with me for with me thou shalt be in safety This the Apostle exhorts us unto Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need If ever it be a time of need with a soul it is so when it is under the assaults of provoking sins At such a time there is suitable and seasonable help in Christ for succour and relief The new Creature beggs with sighs and groans that the soul would apply it self unto him To neglect him with all his Provision of Grace whilst he stands calling unto us open unto me for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night to despise the sighing of the poor Prisoner the new Creature by sin appointed to dye cannot but be an high provocation May not God complain and say see these poor creatures they were once intrusted with a stock of Grace in themselves this they cast away and themselves into the utmost misery thereby That they might not utterly perish a second time their portion and stock is now laid up in another a safe Treasurer in him are their lives and comforts secured But see their wretched negligence they venture all rather than they will attend to him for succour And what think we is the heart of Christ when he sees his Children giving way to conscience wasting sins without that application unto him which the life and peace of their own souls calls upon them for These are not sins of daily infirmity which cannot be avoided but their guilt is alwayes attended with a neglect more or less of the relief provided in Christ against them The means of preservation from them is blessed ready nigh at hand the concernment of Christ in our preservation great of our souls unspeakable to neglect and despise means Christ souls peace and life must needs render guilt very guilty Thirdly Much to the same purpose may be spoken about that signal provision that is made against such sins as these in the Covenant of Grace as hath been already declared But I shall not farther carry on this discourse And this may suffice as to the state and condition of the soul in this Psalm represented We have seen what the depths are wherein it is intangled and by what wayes and means any one may come to be cast into them The next thing that offers it self unto our consideration is the deportment of a gracious soul in that state and condition or what course it steers towards a delivery The Duty and Actings of a Believer under distresses from a sense of sin His Application unto God To God alone Earnestness and intention of mind therein The words of these two first Verses declare also the deportment of the soul in the condition that we have described that is what it doth and what course it steers for relief I have cryed unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications There is in the words a General Application made in a tendency unto relief wherein is first to be considered to whom the Application is made and that is JEHOVAH I have cryed unto thee Jehovah God gave out that Name to his people to confirm their faith in the stability of his Promises Exod. 3. He who is BEING himself will assuredly give being and subsistance to his promises Being to deal with God about the promises of grace he makes his Application to him under this name I call upon thee Jehovah In
from your sloth and despondency of spirit you will not gird up the loyns of your minds in dealing with God to put them to a speedy issue in the blood of Christ. You go on and off begin and cease try and give over and for the most part though your case be extraordinary content your selves with ordinary and customary Applications unto God This makes you wither become useless and pine away in and under your perplexities David did not so but after many and many a breach made by sin yet through quick vigorous restless actings of Faith all was repaired so that he lived peaceably and dyed triumphantly Up then and be doing let not your wounds corrupt because of your folly make through work of that which lyes before you be it long or difficult it is all one it must be done and is attended with safety What you are like to meet withal in the first place shall nextly be declared Verse 3. The words of the Verse explained and their meaning opened THE general frame of a gracious soul in its perplexities about sin hath been declared It s particular actings what it doth what it meets withal are nextly represented unto us First Then in particular it cryes out If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand There is in the words a Supposition and an Inference on that Supposition In the Supposition there is first the Name of God that is fixed on as suited unto it And Secondly The thing it self supposed In the Inference there is expressed the matter of it to stand and the manner of its proposal Wherein two things occur 1. That it is expressed by way of Interrogation 2. The Indefiniteness of that Interrogation Who shall stand If thou Lord He here fixes on another name of God which is Jah A name though from the same root with the former yet seldom used but to intimate and express the terrible Majesty of God He rideth on the Heavens and is extolled by his name Jah Psal. 68. 4. He is to deal now with God about the guilt of sin and God is represented to the soul as great and terrible that he may know what to expect and look for if the matter must be tryed out according to the demerit of sin What then saith he to J A H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou shouldst mark iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to observe and keep as in safe custody To keep preserve and watch diligently So to remark and observe as to retain that which is observed to ponder it and lay it up in the heart Gen. 37. 11. Jacob observed Josephs dream that is he retained the memory of it and pondered it in his heart The marking of Iniquities then here intended is Gods so far considering and observing of them as to reserve them for punishment and vengeance In opposition unto this marking he is said not to see sin to overlook it to cover it to forget it or remember it no more that is to forgive it as the next Verse declares I need not shew that God so far marks all sins in all persons as to see them know them disallow them and to be displeased with them This cannot be denyed without taking away of all grounds of his fear and Worship To deny it is all one as to deny the very Being of God deny his Holiness and Righteousness and you deny his Existence But there is a day appointed wherein all the men of the world shall know that God knew and took notice of all and every one of their most secret sins There is then a double marking of sin in God neither of which can be denyed in reference unto any sins in any persons The first is Physical consisting in his omniscience whereunto all things are open and naked Thus no sin is hid from him the secretest are before the light of his countenance All are marked by him Secondly Moral in a displicency with or displeasure against every sin which is inseparable from the nature of God upon the account of his Holiness And this is declared in the sentence of the Law and that equally to all men in the world But the marking here intended is that which is in a tendency to Animadversion and punishment according to the tenor of the Law Not only the sentence of the Law but a Will of punishing according to it is included in it If saith the Psalmist thou the great and dreadful God who art extolled by thy glorious name Jah shouldst take notice of iniquities so as to recompence them unto sinners that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy holy Law What then It is answered by the matter of the Proposal who can stand That is none can so do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Chrysostom This WHO is NONE No man not one in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quis stabit or consistet who can stand or abide and endure the tryal Every one on this supposition must perish and that eternally This the desert of sin and the Curse of the Law which is the Rule of this marking of their iniquity doth require And there is a notable emphasis in the interragation which contains the manner of the Inference Who can stand is more than if he had said none can abide the tryal and escape without everlasting ruine For the Interrogation is indefinite not how can I but who can stand When the Holy Ghost would set out the certainty and dreadfulness of the perishing of ungodly men he doth it by such a kind of expression wherein there is a deeper sense intimated into the minds of men than any words can well cloath or declare 1 Pet. 4. 17. What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel and v. 18. Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear So here Who can stand there is a deep insinuation of a dreadful ruine as unto all with whom God shall so deal as to mark their iniquities See Psal. 1. 5. The Psalmist then addressing himself to deal with God about sin layes down in the first place in the general how things must go not with himself only but with all the world upon the supposition he had fixed This is not my case only but it is so with all mankind every one who is partaker of flesh and blood whether their guilt answer that which I am oppressed withal or no all is one guilty they are all and all must perish How much more must that needs be my condition who have contracted so great a guilt as I have done Here then he layes a great Argument against himself on the supposition before laid down If none the Holiest the humblest the most believing soul can abide the tryal can endure how much less can I who am the chiefest of sinners the least of Saints who come unspeakably behind them in holiness and have equally gone beyond them in sin This is the sense and importance
of the words Let us now consider how they are expressive of the actings of the soul whose state and condition is here represented unto us and what directions they will afford unto us to give unto them who are fallen into the same state What first presents it self to a soul in distress on the account of sin This opened in four Propositions Thoughts of Gods marking sin according to the tenor of the Law full of dread and terror What depths the Psalmist was in hath been declared in them what Resolution he takes upon himself to seek to God alone for relief and recovery hath been also shewed and what earnestness in general he useth therein Addressing himself unto God in that frame with that purpose and resolution the first thing he fixeth on in particular is the greatness of his sin and guilt according to the tenor of the Law It appears then that First In a sin perplexed souls addresses unto God the first thing that presents it self unto him is Gods marking sin according to the tenor of the Law The case is the same in this matter with all sorts of sinners whether before conversion or in relapses and entanglements after conversion There is a proportion between Conversion and Recoveries They are both wrought by the same means and wayes and have both the same effects upon the souls of sinners although in sundry things they differ not now to be spoken unto What then is spoken on this heâ—d may be applyed unto both sorts to them that are yet unconverted and to them who are really delivered from their state and condition but especially unto those who know not whether state they belong unto that is to all guilty souls The Law will put in its claim to all It will condemn the sin and try what it can do against the sinner There is no shaking of it off it must be fairly answered or it will prevail The Law issues out an arrest for the debt and it is to no purpose to bid the Serjeant be gone or to entreat him to spare If payment be not procured and an acquittance produced the soul must to prison I am going unto God saith the soul. He is great and terrible a marker of sin and what shall I say unto him This makes him tremble and cry out O Lord who shall stand so that it appears hence that Secondly Serious thoughts of Gods marking sin according to the tenor of the Law is a thing full of dread and terror to the soul of a sinner But this is not all he is not swallowed up in this amazement crying out only who can stand there is included in the words a through sincere Acknowledgement of his own sin and the guilt thereof Mentioning the desert of sin in his own case he acknowledgeth his own So that Thirdly Sincere sense and Acknowledgement of sin with self-condemnation in the Justification of God is the first peculiar especial working of a gracious soul rising out of its entanglements All this is included in these words He acknowledgeth both his own guilt and the Righteousness of God if he should deal with him according to the demerit of sin And these things lye in the words absolutely considered But the state of the soul here represented carries us on farther He rests not here as we shall see in the opening of the next Verse the chief thing aimed at in the whole And as a transition from the one to the other that we may still carry on the general design at the entrance laid down we must take along with us this farther observation Fourthly Though self-condemnation be an eminent preparation for the discovery of forgiveness in God yet a poor distressed soul is not to rest in it nor to rest upon it but to pass on to the embracing of forgiveness it self There is yet a general proposition lying in the words that we may make use of in our passage and it is this Gods marking of iniquities and mans salvation are everlastingly inconsistent I mean his marking them in the persons of the sinners for the ends before mentioned Of some of these I shall farther treat according as the handling of them conduceth to the purpose in hand That which I shall begin withal is that which was first laid down about the effects of serious thoughts concerning Gods marking sin according to the tenor of the Law which as I said is the first thing that presents it self unto a sin entangled soul in its addresses unto God But this shall not pass alone I shall draw the two first Observations into one and make use of the first only in the confirmation of the other which will express the sense of the words absolutely considered The third and fourth will lead us on in the progress of the soul towards the relief sought after and proposed That therefore which first is to be insisted on comes up to this Proposition In a sin perplexed souls addresses unto God the first thing that presents it self unto him is Gods marking of sin according to the Tenor of the Law which of its self is apt to fill the soul with dread and terror I shall first somewhat speak unto it in This as considering in its self and then enquire into the concernment of the soul in it whose condition is here described The Lord speaks of some who when they hear the words of the curse yet bless themselves and say they shall have peace Deut. 29. 19. Let men preach and say what they please of the terror of the Lord they will despise it which God threatens with utter extermination And he notes it again as an amazing wickedness and the height of obdurateness Jer. 36. 24. Generally it is with sinners as it was with Gaal the Son of Ebed Judg. 9. when he was fortifying of Sichem against Abimelech Zebul tells him that Abimelech will come and destroy him Let him come saith Gaal I shall deal well enough with him let him bring forth his Army I fear him not but upon the very first appearance of Abimelech's Army he trembleth for fear v. 36. Tell obdurate sinners of the wrath of God and that he will come to plead his cause against them for the most part they take no notice of what you say nor have any serious thoughts about it but go on as if they were resolved they should deal well enough with him Notwithstanding all their stoutness a day is coming wherein fearfulness shall surprise them and make them cry out who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings Yea if the Lord be pleased in this life in an especial manner to draw nigh to any of them they quickly see that their hearts cannot endure nor can their hands be strong Ezek. 22. 14. Their hands hang down and their stout hearts tremble like an aspen leaf He who first sinned and had first occasion to have serious thoughts about Gods marking sin gives us a
the thoughts expressed in this third Verse and fixes the conclusion in his mind discoursed of before He finds now that he hath the Law afresh to deal withal Thence ariseth that sense and acknowledgement of sin that self-condemnation in the Justification of God whereof we now speak He grows not sullen stubborn displeased and so runs away from God he doth not utterly saint despond and give over he pleads not any thing in his own Justification or for the extenuation of his sin and guilt he quarrelleth not with he repineth not against the Holiness Severity and Righteousness of the Law of God but reflects wholly on himself his own unworthiness guilt and desert and in a sence of them lyes down at the foot of God in expectation of his word and sentence Three things in this condition we ascribe unto such a soul. First A sincere sense of sin There is a twofold sense of sin The one is general and notional whereby a man knows what sin is that himself is a sinner that he is guilty of this or that these or those sins only his heart is not affected proportionably to that discovery and knowledge which he hath of these things The other is active and efficacious The soul being acquainted with the nature of sin with its own guilt in reference unto sin in general as also to this or that sin is universally influenced by that apprehension unto suitable Affections and Operations Of both these we have an instance in the same person David before Nathans coming to him had the former afterwards he had the latter also It cannot be imagined but that before the coming of the Prophet he had a general knowledge and sense not only absolutely of the nature of sin but also that himself was a sinner and guilty of those very sins which afterwards he was reproved for To think otherwise is to suppose not only that he was un-sainted but un-manned also and turned into a Beast But yet this wrought not in him any one Affection suitable to his condition And the like may be said of most sinners in the world But now when Nathan comes to him and gives him the latter efficacious sense whereof we speak we know what effects it did produce It is the latter only that is under consideration and that also is twofold 1. Legal or Antecedaneous unto conversion 2 Evangelical and previous to the recovery from depths whereof we treat How these two differ and how they may be discerned one from the other being both of them in their kind sincere is not my business to declare Now this tast which we assign as the first duty work or acting of a returning soul is a deep and practical apprehension wrought in the mind and heart of a believing sinner by the Holy Ghost of sin and its evils in reference unto the Law and Love of God the Cross and blood of Christ the communion and consolation of the Spirit and all the fruits of Love Mercy or Grace that it hath been made partaker of or on Gospel grounds hoped for First The principal efficient cause of it is the Holy Ghost He it is who convinceth of sin John 16. 8. He works indeed by means He wrought it in David by the Ministry of Nathan and he wrought it in Peter by the look of Christ. But his work it is No man can work it upon his own soul. It will not spring out of mens rational considerations Though men may exercise their thoughts about such things as one would think were enough to break the hearts of stones yet if the Holy Ghost put not forth a peculiar efficacy of his own this sense of sin will not be wrought or produced As the waters at the Pool of Bethesda were not troubled but when an Angel descended and moved them no more will the Heart for sin without a saving elapse of the Holy Ghost Secondly It is a deep Apprehension of sin and the evils of it Sleight transient thoughts about them amount not to the sense of which we speak My sorrow saith David is continually before me Psal. 38. 17. It pressed him alwayes and greatly Hence he compares this sense of sin wrought by the Holy Ghost to arrows that stick in the flesh v. 2. They pain sorely and are alwayes perplexing Sin in this sense of it layes hold on the soul so that the sinner cannot look up Psal. 40. 12. And it abides with him making his sore run in the night without ceasing Psal. 77. 2. and depriveth the soul of rest my soul saith he refused to be comforted This Apprehension of sin lyes down and rises with him in whom it is Transient thoughts attended with infrequent sighs and ejaculations little become a returning soul. And Thirdly It is Practical It is not seated only in the speculative part of the mind hovering in general notions but it dwel's in the practical understanding which effectually influenceth the Will and Affections Such an Apprehension as from which sorrow and humiliation are inseparable The acts of the practical understanding do so necessarily produce together with them suitable acts of the Will and Affections that some have concluded that those are indeed proper acts of the Will which are usually ascribed to the Understanding It is so in the mind as that the whole soul is cast into the mould and likeness of it humiliation sorrow self-abhorrency do live and dye with it Fourthly It hath in the first place respect unto the Law of God There can be no due consideration of sin wherein the Law hath not its place The Law calls for the sinner and he willingly gives up his sin to be judged by it There he sees it to be exceeding sinful Rom. 7. 17. Though a Believer be less under the power of the Law than others yet he knows more of the Authority and nature of it than others He sees more of its spirituality and holiness And the more a man sees of the excellency of the Law the more he sees of the vileness of sin This is done by a soul in its first endeavour for a recovery from the entanglements of sin He labours throughly to know his disease that he may be cured It will do him no good he knows to be ignorant of his distemper or his danger He knows that if his wounds be not searched to the bottom they will stink and be corrupt To the Law then he brings himself and his sin By that he sees the vileness of the one and the danger of the other Most men lye still in their depths because they would willingly escape the first step of their rising From the bottom of their misery they would fain at once be at the top of their felicity The soul managed in this work by the Holy Ghost doth not so He converseth with the Law brings his sin unto it and fully hears the sentence of it When the sin is throughly condemned then he farther takes care of the sinner
our abiding with God Both these are weakned by a conquering prevailing sense of sin without some relief from the discovery of forgiveness though at a distance And therefore our perplexed soul stayes not here but presseth on towards that discovery Secondly There is a resting on this frame that is noxious and hurtful also Some finding this sense of sin with those other things that attend it wrought in them in some measure begin to think that now all is well this is all that is of them required They will endeavour to make a life from such arguments of comfort as they can take from their trouble They think this a ground of peace that they have not peace Here some take up before conversion and it proves their ruine Because they are convinced of sin and troubled about it and burdened with it they think it shall be well with them But were not Cain Esau Saul Ahab Judas convinced of sin and burdened with it Did this profit them Did it interest them in the promises Did not the wrath of God overtake them notwithstanding So is it with many daily they think their conviction is conversion and that their sins are pardoned because they have been troubled This then is that which we reject which the soul in this condition doth carefully avoid so to satisfie it self with its humiliation as to make that a ground of supportment and consolation being thereby kept off from exercising faith for forgiveness For this is First A fruit of self-righteousness For a soul to place the spring of its peace or comfort in any thing of its own is to fall short of Christ and to take up in self We must not only be justified but glory in him also Isa. 45. 25. Men may make use of the evidence of their graces but only as mediums to a farther end not as the rest of the soul in the least And this deprives mens very humiliations of all Gospel humility True humility consists more in believing than in being sensible of sin That 's the souls great self-emptying and abasing this may consist with an obstinate resolution to scamble for something upon the account of self endeavours Secondly Though Evangelical sense of sin be a Grace yet it is not the uniting Grace it is not that which interests us in Christ not that which peculiarly and in its own nature exalts him There is in this sense of sin that which is natural and that which is spiritual or the matter of it and its spirituality The former consists in sorrow trouble self-abasement dejection and anxiety of mind with the like passions Of these I may say as the Apostle of Afflictions they are not joyous but grievous They are such as are accompanied with the aversation of the object which they are conversant about In their own nature they are no more but the souls retreat into it self with an abhorrency of the objects of its sorrow and grief When these Affections are spiritualized their nature is not changed The soul in and by them acts according to their nature and doth by them as such but retreat into it self with a dislike of that they are exercised about To take up here then must needs be to sit down short of Christ whether it be for life or consolation Let there be no mistake There can be no Evangelical sense of sin and humiliation where there is not Union with Christ Zech. 12. 10. Only in its self and in its own nature it is not availing Now Christ is the only rest of our souls in any thing for any end or purpose to take up short of him is to lose it It is not enough that we be prisoners of hope but we must turn to our strong hold Zech. 9. 12. not enough that we are weary and laden but we must come to him Matth. 11. 27 28. It will not suffice that we are weak and know we are weak but we must take hold on the strength of God Isa. 27. 4 5. Thirdly Indeed pressing after forgiveness is the very life and power of Evangelical humiliation How shall a man know that his humiliation is Evangelical that his sorrow is according to God Is it not from hence he may be resolved that he doth not in it as Cain did who cryed his sin was greater than he could bear and so departed from the presence of God nor as Judas did who repented and hanged himself nor as Felix did tremble for a while and then return to his lusts nor as the Jews did in the Prophet pine away under his iniquities because of vexation of heart nor doth he divert his thoughts to other things thereby to relieve his soul in his trouble nor fix upon a Righteousness of his own nor slothfully lye down under his perplexity but in the midst of it he plyes himself to God in Christ for pardon and mercy And it is the souls Application unto God for forgiveness and not its sense of sin that gives unto God the glory of his Grace Thus far then have we accompanied the soul in its depths it is now looking out for forgiveness which what it is and how we come to have an interest in it the principal matter in this discourse intended is nextly to be considered Verse 4. The Words explained and the design or scope of the Psalmist in them discovered THe state and condition of the soul making Application unto God in this Psalm is recounted v. 1. It was in the depths not only Providential depths of Trouble Affliction and perplexities thereon but also depths of conscience distress on the account of sin as in the opening of those words hath been declared The Application of this soul unto God with restless fervency and earnestness in that state and condition its consideration in the first place of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice in a proceedure thereon with the inevitable ruine of all sinners if God insist on that way of dealing with them have also been opened and manifested from the foregoing Verses Being in this estate perplexed in its self lost in and under the consideration of Gods marking iniquity according to the tenor of the Law that which it fixes on from whence any relief stay or supportment might be expected in such a condition is laid down in this Verse Ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared I shall first open the words as to their signisication and importance then shew the design of the Psalmist in them with reference to the soul whose condition is here represented and lastly propose the general Truths contained in them wherein all our concernments do lye There is forgiveness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the LXX and Hierom accordingly Propitiatio propitiation which is somewhat more than venia or pardon as by some it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condonatio ipsa forgiveness its self It is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to spare to pardon to forgive to be
propitious and is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word composed of the same letters varied which is common in that Language signifying to cut off and destroy Now it is constantly applyed unto Sin and expresseth every thing that concurrs to its pardon or forgiveness As First It expresseth the Mind or Will of pardoning or Gods gracious readiness to forgive Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ready to forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benign and meek or sparing propitious Of a gracious merciful heart and nature So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art O God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiationum of propitiations or pardons or as we have rendered it ready to forgive a God of forgivenesses or all plenty of them is in thy gracious heart Isa. 55. 8. So that thou art alwayes ready to make out pardons to sinners The word is used again Dan. 9. 9. to the same purpose Secondly It regards the act of pardoning or actual forgiveness it self Psal. 103. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who forgiveth all thine iniquities actually dischargeth thee of them which place the Apostle respecting renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. 13. Having freely forgiven you for so much the word imports all your trespasses And this is the word that God useth in the Covenant in that great Promise of Grace and Pardon Jer. 31. 34. It is warrantable for us yea necessary to take the word in the utmost extent of its signification and use It is a word of favour and requires an interpretation tending towards the enlargement of it We see it may be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Grace and venia or pardon and may denote these three things First The gracious tender merciful Heart and Will of God who is the God of pardons and forgiveness or one ready to forgive to give out mercy to add to pardor Secondly A respect unto Jesus Christ the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or propitiation for sin as he is expresly called Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. And this is that which interposeth between the gracious heart of God and the actual pardon of sinners All forgiveness is founded on propitiation Thirdly It denotes condonation or actual forgiveness it self as we are made partakers of it comprizing it both actively as it is an Act of Grace in God and passively as terminated in our souls with the deliverance that attends it In this sense as it looks downwards and in its effects respects us it is of meer Grace as it looks upwards to its causes and respects the Lord Christ it is from propitiation or attonement And this is that pardon which is administred in the Covenant of Grace Now as to the place which these words enjoy in this Psalm and their Relation to the state and condition of the soul here mentioned this seems to be their importance O Lord although this must be granted that if thou shouldst mark iniquities according to the tenor of the Law every man living must perish and that for ever yet there is hope for my soul that even I who am in the depths of sin-entanglements may find acceptance with thee for whilst I am putting my mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope I find that there is an Attonement a propitiation made for sin on the account whereof thou sayest thou hast found a Ransome and wilt not deal with them that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy Justice but art gracious loving tender ready to forgive and pardon and dost so accordingly THERE IS FORGIVENESSE WITH THEE The following words therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared though in the Original free from all Ambiguity yet are so signally varyed by Interpreters that it may not be amiss to take notice of it in our passage The Targum hath it that thou mayst be seen This answers not the word but it doth the sense of the place well enough God in his displeasure is said to hide himself or his face Isaiah 8. 17. The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgiveness we obtain again the light of his countenance This dispels the darkness and clouds that are about him and gives us a comfortable prospect of his face and favour There is forgiveness with him that he may be seen Besides there is but one letter different in the Original words and that which is usually changed for the other The LXX render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy names sake or thy own sake that is freely without any respect unto any thing in us This also would admit of a fair and sound construction but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the places being corrupted For the Vulgar Latin which as to the Psalms was translated out of the LXX renders these words propter legem tuam for thy Laws sake which makes it evident that that Translator reads the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now we read Now though this hath in its self no proper sense for forgiveness is not bestowed for the Laws sake yet it discovers the original of the whole mistake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law differs but in one letter from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou maist be feared by a mistake whereof this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy Law sake crept into the Text. Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the novelty of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents as though this difference might arise from the LXX using a copy that had none that is before their invention which might occasion mistakes and differences for this difference is in a Letter as well as the Vowels and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit unless we say also that they had Copies of old with other Consonants than those we now enjoy Bellarmine in his Exposition of this place endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the Vulgar Latin for thy Laws sake affirming that by the Law here not the Law of our Obedience is intended but the Law or Order of Gods dealing with us that is his Mercy and Faithfulness which is a meer new Invention to countenance an old error which any tolerable ingenuity would have confessed rather than have justified by so sorry a pretence For neither is that expression or that word eyer used in the sense here by him faigned nor can it have any such signification Hierom renders these words utsis terribilis that thou maist be dreadful or terrible doubtless not according to the intendment of the place It is for the relieving of the soul and not for the increasing of its dread and terror that this observation is made there is forgiveness with thee But the words are clear and their sense is obvious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared
hath surprised the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings The persons spoken of are sinners great sinners and Hypocrites conviction of sin and the desert of it was fallen upon them a light to discern forgiveness they had not they apprehend God as devouring fire and everlasting burnings only One that would not spare but assuredly inflict punishment according to the desert of sin and thence is their conclusion couched in their Interrogation that there can be no entercourse of peace between him and them there is no abiding no enduring of his Presence And what condition this consideration brings the souls of sinners unto when conviction grows strong upon them the Holy Ghost declares Mich. 6. 6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Ramms or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Sense of sin presseth forgiveness is not discovered like the Philistins on Saul Samuel not coming to his direction and how doth the poor creature perplex it self in vain to find out a way of dealing with God Will a sedulous and diligent observation of his own Ordinances and Institutions relieve me Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings and Calves of a year old Alas thou art a sinner and these Sacrifices cannot make thee perfect or acquit thee Heb. 10. 1. Shall I do more than ever he required of any of the Sons of men O that I had thousands of Ramms and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl to offer to him Alas if thou hadst all the Bulls and Goats in the world it is not possible that their blood should take away sins v. 4. But I have heard of them who have snatched their own Children from their Mothers breasts and cast them into the fire until they were consumed so to pacifie their consciences in expiating the guilt of their iniquities shall I take this course Will it relieve me I am ready to part with my first born into the fire so I may have deliverance from my Transgressions Alas this never came into the heart of God to approve or accept of And as it was then whilst that kind of Worship was in force so is it still as to any duties really to be performed or imaginarily Where there is no discovery of forgiveness they will yield the soul no relief no supportment God is not to be treated upon such terms Greatness and rareness of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Reasons of it Testimonies of Conscience and Law against it c. Secondly This discovery of Forgiveness in God is great holy and Mysterious and which very few on Gospel grounds do attain unto All men indeed say there is most men are perswaded that they think so Only men in great and desperate extremities like Cain or Spira seem to call it into question But their thoughts are empty groundless yea for the most part wicked and Atheistical Elihu tells us that to declare this aright to a sinful soul it is the work of a Messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand Job 33. 23. that is indeed of Christ himself The common thoughts of men about this thing are slight and foolish and may be resolved into those mentioned by the Psalmist Psal. 50. 21. They think that God is altogether such a one as themselves That indeed he takes little or no care about these things but passeth them over as slightly as they do themselves That notwithstanding all their pretences the most of men never had indeed any real discovery of forgiveness shall be afterwards undeniably evinced and I shall speedily shew the difference that is between their vain credulity and a Gracious Gospel discovery of forgiveness in God For it must be observed that by this Discovery I intend both the Revelation of it made by God and our understanding and Reception of that Revelation to our own advantage as shall be shewed immediately Now the grounds of the difficulty intimated consist partly in the hinderances that lye in the way of this discovery and partly in the nature of the thing it self that is discovered of both which I shall briefly treat But here before I proceed somewhat must be premised to shew what it is that I particularly intend by a discovery of forgiveness It may then be considered two wayes First For a doctrinal objective discovery of it in its truth 2. An experimental subjective discovery of it in its power In the first sense forgiveness in God hath been discovered ever since the giving out of the first Promise God revealed it in a word of Promise or it could never have been known as shall be afterwards declared In this sense after many lesser degrees and advancements of the light of it it was fully and gloriously brought forth by the Lord Jesus Christ in his own Person and is now revealed and preached in the Gospel and by them to whom the Word of Reconciliation is committed And to declare this is the principal work of the Ministers of the Gospel Herein lye those unsearchable Treasures and Riches of Christ which the Apostle esteemed as his chiefest Honour and Priviledge that he was intrusted with the declaration and dispensation of Ephes. 3. 8 9. I know by many it is despised by many traduced whose Ignorance and blindness is to be lamented But the day is coming which will manifest every mans work of what sort it is In the latter sense how it is made by faith in the soul shall in its proper place be further opened and made known Here many men mistake and deceive themselves Because it is so in the Book they think it is so in them also Because they have been taught it they think they believe it But it is not so They have not heard this voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape it hath not been revealed unto them in its power to have this done is a great work For First The constant voyce of Conscience lyes against it Conscience if not seared inexorably condemneth and pronounceth Wrath and Anger upon the soul that hath the least guilt cleaving to it Now it hath this advantage it lyeth close to the soul and by importunity and loud speaking it will he heard in what it hath to say It will make the whole soul attend or it will speak like thunder And its constant voyce is that where there is guilt there must be judgement Rom. 2. 14 15. Conscience naturally knows nothing of forgiveness Yea it is against its very trust work and office to hear any thing of it If a man of courage and honesty be entrusted to keep a Garrison against an Enemy let one come and tell him that there is peace made
be encouraged by it to use it unto the end and purpose for which it is exercised towards us You that are yet in doubt of your condition consider that the patience of God was extended unto you this day this very day that you might use it for the obtaining of the remission of your sins Lose not this day not one day more as you love your souls For wosul will be their condition who shall perish for despising or abusing of the patience of God VI. The faith and experience of the Saints in this world give in testimony unto this truth and we know that their Record in this matter is true Let us then ask of them what they believe what they have found what they have Experience of as to the forgiveness of sin This God himself directs and leads us unto by appealing unto our own experience whence he shews us that we may take relief and supportment in our distresses Isa. 40. 28. Hast thou not heard hast not thou known Hast not thou thy self who now cryest out that thou art lost and undone because God hath forsaken thee sound and known by experience the contrary from his former dealings with thee And if our own Experiences may confirm us against the workings of our unbelief so may those of others also And this is that which Eliphas directs Job unto Chap. 6. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou look It is not a supplication to them for help that is intended but an enquiry after the Experience in the case in hand wherein he wrongfully thought they could not justifie Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which of the Saints on the right hand or left wilt thou have regard in this matter Some would foolishly hence seek to confirm the Invocation of the Saints departed when indeed if they were intended it is rather forbidden and discountenanced than directed unto But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 16. 2. The Saints that are in the Earth whose experiences Job is directed to enquire into and after David makes it a great encouragement unto waiting upon God as a God hearing prayers that others had done so and found success Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed unto the Lord and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles If he did so and had that blessed Issue why should not we do so also The experiences of one are often proposed for the confirmation and establishment of others so the same David Come saith he and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. He contents not himself to mind them of the Word Promises and Providence of God which he doth most frequently but he will give them the encouragement and supportment also of his own Experience So Paul tells us that he was comforted of God in all his tribulation that he might be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. That is that he might be able to communicate unto them his own experience of Gods dealing with him and the satisfaction and Assurance that he found therein So also he proposeth the example of Gods dealing with him in the pardon of his sins as a great motive unto others to believe 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. And this mutual communication of satisfying experiences in the things of God or of our spiritual sense and evidence of the Power Efficacy and Reality of Gospel Truths being rightly managed is of singular use to all sorts of Believers So the same Great Apostle acquaints us in his own Example Rom. 1. 11 12. I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established that is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me He longed not only to be instructing of them in the pursuit of the work of the Ministry committed unto him but to confer also with them about their mutual faith and what Experiences of the peace of God in Believing they had attained We have in our case called in the Testimony of the Saints in Heaven with whom these on earth do make up one family even that one family in Heaven and Earth which is called after the name of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 14 15. And they all agree in their Testimonie as becomes the Family and Children of God But these below we may deal personally with whereas we gather the Witness of the other only from what is left upon record concerning them And for the clearing of this Evidence sundry things are to be observed As 1. Men living under the profession of Religion and not experiencing the power vertue and efficacy of it in their hearts are whatever they profess very near to Atheism or at least exposed to great temptations thereunto If they profess they know God but in works deny him they are abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 16. Let such men lay aside Tradition and Custome let them give up themselves to a free and a rational consideration of things and they will quickly find that all their profession is but a miserable self-deceiving and that indeed they believe not one word of the Religion which they profess For of what their Religion affirms to be in themselves they find not any thing true or real And what Reason have they then to believe that the things which it speaks of that are without them are one jot better If they have no Experience of what it affirms to be within them what confidence can they have of the Reality of what it reveals to be without them John tells us that he who saith he loves God whom he hath not seen and doth not love his Brother whom he hath seen is a lyar Men who do not things of an equal concernment unto them wherein they may be tryed are not to be believed in what they profess about greater things whereof no tryal can be had So he that believes not who experienceth not the power of that which the Religion he professeth affirms to be in him if he sayes that he doth believe other things which he can have no Experience of he is a lyar For instance he that professeth the Gospel avows that the death of Christ doth crucifie sin that faith purifieth the heart that the Holy Ghost quickens and enables the soul unto duty that God is good and gracious unto all that come unto him that there is precious Communion to be obtained with him by Christ that there is great Joy in believing These things are plainly openly frequently insisted on in the Gospel Hence the Apostle presseth men unto Obedience on the account of them and as it were leaves them at liberty from it if
yet he must have done as we have shewed had he not designed to manifest and exercise forgiveness towards sinners Wherefore to confirm our faith from hence let us make a little search into these things in some particular enquiries 1. Seeing the Son of God dyed in that way and manner that he did according to the determinate Counsel and Will of God wherefore did he do so and what aimed he at therein Answ. It is plain that he dyed for our sins Rom. 4. 25. that is to make reconciliation for the sins of his people Heb. 2. 17 18. This Moses and the Prophets this the whole Scripture testifieth unto and without a supposal of it not one word of it can be aright believed Nor can we yield any due Obedience unto God without it 2. What then did God do unto him What was in transaction between God as the Judge of all and him that was the Mediator of the Church Answ. God indeed laid on him the iniquities of us all Isa. 53. 6. all the sins of all the Elect yea he made him a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And making him a sin offering or an offering for sin he condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8 3. 2 Cor. 5. 21. So that all that which the Justice or Law of God had to require about the punishment due unto sin was all laid and executed on him 3. What then did Christ do in his death What did he aim at and design What was his intention in submitting unto and undergoing the Will of God in these things Answ. He bare our sins in his own body upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. He took our sins upon him undertook to answer for them to pay our debts to make an end of the difference about them between God and sinners Dan. 9. 24. His aim undoubtedly was by all that he underwent and suffered so to make Attonement for sin as that no more could on that account be expected 4. Had God any more to require of sinners on the account of sin that his Justice might be satisfied his Holiness vindicated his Glory exalted his Honour be repaired than what he charged on Christ Did he lay somewhat of the penalty due to sin on him execute some part of the curse of the Law against him and yet reserve some wrath for sinners themselves Answ. No doubtless He came to do the whole Will of God Heb. 10. 7 8. And God spared him not any thing that in his holy will he had appointed to be done unto sin Rom. 8. 32. He would never have so dealt with his Son to have made an half work of it nor is the work of making satisfaction for sin such as that any the least part of it should ever be undertaken by another Nothing is more injurious or blasphemous against God and Christ than the foolish imagination among the Papists of works satisfactory for the punishment due to sin or any part of it As also is their Purgatory pains to expiate any remaining guilt after this life This work of making satisfaction for sin is such as no creature in Heaven or Earth can put forth an hand unto It was wholly committed to the Son of God who alone was able to undertake it and who hath perfectly accomplished it So that God now sayes fury is not in me he that will lay hold on my strength that he may have peace he shall have peace Isa. 21. 4. 5. What then became of the Lord Christ in his undertaking Did he go through with it or did he faint under it Did he only testifie his Love and shew his good will for our deliverance or did also effectually pursue it and not faint until he had made a way for the exercise of forgiveness Answ. It was not possible that he should be detained by the pains of death Acts 2. 24. He knew before hand that he should be carried through his work that he should not be forsaken in it nor saint under it Isa. 50. 6 7 8. And God hath given this unquestionable evidence of his discharge of the debt of sin to the utmost in that he was acquitted from the whole account when he was raised from the dead For he that is given up to prison upon the sentence of the Law for the debt of sin shall not be freed untill he have paid the utmost farthing This therefore he manifested himself to have done by his Resurrection from the dead 6. What then is now become of him Where is he and what doth he Hath he so done his work and laid it aside or doth he still continue to carry it on until it be brought unto its perfection Answ. It is true he was dead but he is alive and lives for ever and hath told us that because he liveth we shall live also And that because this is the end of his mediatory life in Heaven he lives for ever to make Intercession for us Heb. 7. 26 27. And to this end that the forgiveness of sin which he hath procured for us may be communicated unto us that we might be made partakers of it and live for ever What ground is left of questioning the Truth in hand What link of this Chain can unbelief break in or upon If men resolve notwithstanding all this Evidence and Assurance that is tendred unto them thereof that they will not yet believe that there is forgiveness with God or will not be encouraged to attempt the securing of it unto themselves or else despise it as a thing not worth the looking after It is enough for them that declare it that preach these things that they are a sweet savour unto God in them that perish as well as in them that are saved And I bless God that I have had this Opportunity to bear Testimony to the Grace of God in Christ which if it be not received it is because the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of men that the light of the Gospel of the Glory of God should not shine into their minds But Christ will be glorified in them that believe on these principles and foundations XIII Another Evidence of the same Truth may be taken from hence that God requires forgiveness in us that we should forgive one another and therefore doubtless there is forgiveness with him for us The sense of this Consideration unto our present purpose will be manifest in the ensuing Observations First It is certain that God hath required this of us The Testimonies hereof are many and known so that they need not particularly to be repeated or insisted on See Luke 17. 3 4. Ephes. 4. 32. Matth. 18 24. unto the end Only there are some things that put a singular Emphasis upon this Command manifesting the great importance of this duty in us which may be marked As 1. That our Saviour requires us to carry a sense of our Integrity and Sincerity in the discharge of this duty along with us in our Addresses unto God in
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
in themselves from them they draw conclusions arguing from one thing unto another and in the end oft-times either deceive themselves or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and Examination A mans judgement upon his own reasonings is seldom true more seldom permanent I speak not of self-examination with a due discussion of Graces and Actions but of the final sentence as to state and condition wherein the soul is to acquiesce This belongs unto Christ. Now there are Two wayes whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter 1. By his Word He determines in the Word of the Gospel of the state and condition of all men indefinitely Each Individual coming to that Word receives his own sentence and doom He told the Jews that Moses accused them John 5. 45. His Law accused and condemned the transgressors of it And so doth the acquit every one that is discharged by the Word of the Gospel And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his Sentence in the Word His process herein we have recorded Joh 33. 22 23. His soul that is of the sinner draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers This seems to be his state it is so indeed he is at the very brink of the grave and hell What then why if there be with him or stand over him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel interpreting or the Angel of the Covenant who alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one of a thousand what shall he doe He shall shew unto him his uprightness He shall give in unto him a right determination of his interest in God and of the state and frame of his heart towards God whereupon God shall speak peace unto his Soul and deliver him from his entanglements v. 24. Jesus Christ hath in the Word of the Gospel stated the condition of every man He tells us that sinners of what sort soever they are that believe are accepted with him and shall receive forgiveness from God that none shall be refused or cast off that come unto God by him The Soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty Objections it hath in and against its self why it should not come why it shall not be accepted Our Lord Jesus the Wisdom of God foresaw all these Objections he foreknew what could be said in the case and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared In General mens arguings against themselves arise from Sin and the Law Christ knowes what is in them both He tryed them to the uttermost as to their penalties and yet he hath so determined as we have shewed Their particular Objections are from particular considerations of sin their Greatness their Number their Aggravations Christ knows all these also And yet stands to his firmer determination Upon the whole matter then it is meet his Word should stand I know when a Soul brings it self to be judged by the Word of the Gospel it doth not alwayes in a like manner receive and rest in the sentence given But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men they shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and be concluded by it Let the Soul then that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sence of forgiveness lay it self down before the Word of Christ in the Gospel Let him attend to what he speaks and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart let him wait a season and light shall arise unto him out of darkness Christ will give in his sentence into his Conscience with that power and efficacy as he shall finde rest and peace in it 2. Christ also judgeth by his Spirit not only in making this sentence of the Gospel to be received effectually in the Soul but in and by peculiar Actings of his upon the heart and soul of a Believer 1. Cor. 2. 11. We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The Spirit of Christ acquaints the Soul that this and that Grace is from him that this or that duty was performed in his strength He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by himself to give them supportment and relief in the times of depths and darkness And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the Soul at any time by the Holy Ghost that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truely saving The Comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and Temptations 2. He also by his Spirit bears witness with our Spirits as to our state and condition Of this I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall now pass it by This then is our first General Rule and Direction Selfdeterminations concerning mens spiritual state and condition because their minds are usually influenced by their distempers are seldom right and according to Rule Mistakes in such determinations are exceedingly prejudicial to a Soul seeking out after relief and sence of Forgiveness let Christ then be the Judge in this Case by his Word and Spirit as hath been directed RULE II. Self-condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace The nature of Gospel-Assurance what is consistent with it What are the Effects of it Self-Condemnation and Abhorrency do very well consist with Gospel-Justification and Peace Some men have no peace because they have that without which it is impossible they should have peace Because they cannot but condemn themselves they cannot entertain a sence that God doth acquit them But this is the mystery of the Gospel which unbelief is a stranger unto Nothing but faith can give a real subsistence unto these things in the same Soul at the same time It is easie to learn the notion of it but it is not easie to experience the power of it For a man to have a sight of that within him which would condemn him for which he is troubled and at the same time to have a discovery of that without him which will justifie him and to rejoyce therein is that which he is not lead unto but by Faith in the mystery of the Gospel We are now under a Law for Justification which excludes all boasting Rom. 3. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another yet we may have we alwayes have sufficient cause of humiliation in our selves The Gospel will teach a man to feel sin and believe Righteousness at the same time Faith will carry Heaven in one hand and Hell in the other shewing the one deserved the other purchased A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring Gehennam è Coelo a Hell of wrath out of Heaven and yet see Christ bring Coelum ex inferno a Heaven of blessedness out of an
this spiritual sense which you must learn to distinguish faith from and to know that true faith interesting the soul in forgiveness may be without it that so you may not conclude unto a real want of pardon from the want of the refreshing sense of it Grace in general may be referred unto two heads 1. Our Acceptation with God through Christ the same upon the matter with the forgiveness of sin that we are treating of And 2. Grace of Sanctification from God in Christ Of each of these there is a spiritual sense or Experience to be obtained in both distinguished from faith that gives us a real Interest in forgiveness Of the first or the spiritual sense that we have of Acceptance with God there are sundry parts or degrees As first hereunto belongs peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God This peace is the Rest and composure of the soul emerging out of troubles upon the account of the Reconciliation and friendship made for it by the blood of Christ. And it hath as all peace hath two parts First a freedom from war trouble and distress and Secondly Rest Satisfaction and Contentment in the condition attained And this at least the second part of it belongs unto the spiritual sense that we enquire after Again there is in it Joy in the holy Ghost called joy unspeakeable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. as also glorying in the Lord upon the account of his Grace Esa. 45. 26. with many the like Effects preceding from a shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. Yea you say these are the things you aim at these are the things you would attain and be filled withall It is this Peace this Joy this glorying in the Lord that you would alwaies be in the possession of I say you do well to desire them to seek and labour after them They are purchased by Christ for Believers but you will do well to consider under what notion you do desire them If you look on these things as belonging to the Essence of Faith without which you can have no real interest in forgiveness or acceptance with God you greatly deceive your own souls and put your selves out of the way of obtaining of them These these things are not believing nor adequate effects of it so as immediately to be produced where ever faith is But they are such consequents of it as may or may not ensue upon it according to the Will of God Faith is a seed that contains them virtually and out of which they may be in due time educed by the working of the Word and Spirit And the way for any soul to be made partaker of them is to wait on the Soveraignty of God's Grace who createth peace in the exercise of faith upon the promises He then that would place believing in these things and will not be perswaded that he doth believe until he is possessed of them he doth both lose the benefit advantage and comfort of what he hath and neglecting the due acting of faith puts himself out of the way of attaining what he aimeth at These things therefore are not needfull to give you a real saving interest in forgiveness as it is tendered in the promise of the Gospel by the blood of Christ. And it may be it is not the Will of God that ever you should be entrusted with them It may be it would not be for your good and advantage so to be Some servants that are ill husbands must have their wages kept for them to the years end or it will do them no good It may be some would be such spendthrifts of satisfying peace and joy and be so diverted by them from attending unto some necessary duties as of humiliation mortification and self-abasament without which their souls cannot live that it would not be much to their advantage to be entrusted with them It is from the same Care and Love that Peace and Joy are detained from some Believers and granted unto others You are therefore to receive forgiveness by a pure Act of believing in the way and manner before at large described And do not think that it is not in you unless you have constantly a spiritual sense of it in your hearts See in the mean time that your Faith bringeth forth Obedience and God in due time will cause it to bring forth Peace The like may be said concerning the other head of Grace though it be not so direct unto our purpose yet tending also to the relief of the soul in its depths This is the Grace that we have from God in Christ for our sanctification When the soul cannot find this in himself when he hath not a spiritual sense and experience of its in being and power when it cannot evidently distinguish it from that which is not right or genuine It is filled with fears and perplexities and thinks it is yet in its sin He is so indeed who hath no Grace in him but not he alwaies who can find none in him But these are different things A man may have Grace and yet not have it at some times much acting he may have Grace for life when he hath it not for fruitfulness and comfort though it be his duty so to have it Rev. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 6. And a man may have Grace acting in him and yet not know not be sensible that he hath acting Grace We see persons frequently under great temptations of apprehension that they have no Grace at all and yet at the same time to the clearest conviction of all who are able to discern spiritual things sweetly and genuinely to act Faith Love Submission unto God and that in an high and eminent manner Psa. 88. Heman complains that he was free among the dead a man of no strength vers 4 5. as one that had no spiritual life no Grace This afflicted his mind and almost distracted him vers 15. and yet there can be no greater expressions of Faith and Love to God than are mixed with his complaints These things I say then are not to be judged of by spiritual sense but we are to live by faith about them And no soul ought to conclude that because it hath not the one it hath not the other that because it hath not Joy and Peace it hath no interest in pardon and forgiveness RULE VII The seventh Rule Mix not foundation and building work together The eighth spend no time in heartless complaints c. Mix not too much foundation and building work together Our foundation in dealing with God is Christ alone meer Grace and Pardon in him Our Building is in and by Holiness and Obedience as the fruits of that faith by which we have received the Attonemont And great mistakes there are in this matter which bring great intanglements on the souls of men Some are all their daies laying of the foundation and are never able to
Peace you may find This is the putting of the hand into the side of Christ but blessed are they who believe and yet have not seen RULE III. If you have at any time formerly received any especial or Immediate pledge or testimony of God given unto your souls as unto their Sincerity and consequently their Regeneration labour to recover it and to revive a sense of it upon your Spirits now in your darkness and trouble I am perswaded there are but few Believers but that God doth at one time or other in one duty or other entring into or coming out of one Temptation or another give some singular Testimony unto their own souls and consciences concerning their Sincerity and his Acceptance of them Sometimes he doth this in a duty wherein he hath enabled the soul to make so near an approach unto him as that it hath been warmed enlivened sweetned satisfied with the presence the gracious presence of God and which God hath made unto him as a token of his uprightness Sometimes when a man is entring into any great Temptation Trial difficult or dangerous duty that death it self is feared in it God comes in by one means or other by a secret intimation of his Love which he gives him to take along with him for his furniture and provision in his way and thereby testifies to him his Sincerity And this serves like the food of Elijah for forty daies in a wilderness condition Sometimes he is pleased to shine immediately into the soul in the midst of its darkness and sorrow wherewith it is surprized as not looking for any such expression of kindness and is thereby relieved against its own pressing self-condemnation And sometimes the Lord is pleased to give these tokens of Love unto the soul as its refreshment when it is coming off from the storm of Temptations wherewith it hath been tossed And many other times and seasons there are wherein God is pleased to give unto Believers some Especial Testimony in their consciences unto their own Integrity But now these are all wrought by a transient operation of the Spirit exciting and enabling the heart unto a spiritual sensible apprehension and receiving of Gods expressing kindness towards it These things abide not in their sense and in their power which they have upon our Affections but immediately pass away They are therefore to be treasured up in the mind and judgement to be improved and made use of by Faith as occasion shall require but we are apt to lose them Most know no other use of them but whilst they feel them yea through ignorance in our duty to improve them they prove like a sudden light brought into a dark place and again removed which seems to increase and really aggravates our sense of the darkness The true Use of them is to lay them up and ponder them in our hearts that they may be Supportments and Testimonies unto us in a time of need Have you then who are now in the dark as to your state or condition whether you are Regenerate or no ever received any such refreshing and chearing Testimony from God given unto your Integrity and your Acceptance with him thereupon call it over again and make use of it against those discouragements which arise from your present darkness in this matter and which keeps you off from sharing in the consolation tendred unto you in this Word of Grace RULE IV. A due spiritual Consideration of the Causes and Effects of Regeneration is the ordinary way and means whereby the souls of Believers come to be satisfied concerning that work of God in them and upon them The principle or causes of this work are the Spirit and the Word He that is born again is born of the Spirit Joh. 3. 6. and of the Word Of his own Will begat he us by the word of his Truth Jam. 1. 18. We are born again by the Word of God that abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. Where ever then a man is regenerate there hath been an effectual work of the Spirit and of the Word upon his soul. This is to be inquired into and after Ordinarily it will discover it self Such impressions will be made in it upon the soul such a change will be wrought and produced in it as will not escape a spiritual diligent search and enquiry And this is much of the duty of such as are in the dark and uncertain concerning the accomplishment of this work in themselves Let them call to mind what have been the actings of the Spirit by the Word upon their souls What Light thereby hath been communicated unto their minds what discoveries of the Lord Christ and way of Salvation have been made to them what sense and detestation of sin have been wrought in them what satisfaction hath been given unto the soul to chuse accept and acquiesce in the Righteousness of Christ what Resignation of the heart unto God according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace it hath been wrought unto Call to mind what Transactions there have been between God and your souls about these things how far they have been carryed on whether you have broken off the Treaty with God and refused his Terms or if not where the stay is between you and what is the Reason since God hath graciously begun to deal thus with you that you are not yet come to a through close with him in the work and design of his Grace the defect must of necessity lye on your parts God doth nothing in vain Had he not been willing to receive you he would not have dealt with you so far as he hath done There is nothing then remains to firm your condition but a resolved Act of your own Wills in answering the mind and will of God And by this search may the soul come to satisfaction in this matter or at least find out and discover where the stick is whence their uncertainty doth arise and what is wanting to compleat their desires Again this work may be discovered by its Effects There is something that is produced by it in the soul which may also be considered either with respect unto its Being and Existence or unto its Actings and Operations in the first regard it is Spirit Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit which is produced by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God it is Spirit A new Creature 2 Cor. 15. 17. He that is in Christ Jesus who is born again is a new Creature a new life a spiritual life Gal. 2. 20. Ephes. 2. 1. In brief it is an habitual furnishment of all the faculties of the soul with new spiritual vital principles enabling a person in all instances of Obedience to lead a spiritual life unto God This principle is by this work produced in the soul and in respect of its Actings it consists in all the gracious operations of the Mind Will Heart or Affections in the duties of Obedience which God hath required
the nature of it and so in sundry other places And this God in an especial manner calleth souls unto in straights and distresses In quietness and confidence saith he shall be your strength Isa. 30. 15. And the effect of the Righteousness of God by Christ is said to be Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa. 32. 17. First Quietness and then Assurance Now this silence and quietness which accompanieth waiting yea which is an essential part of it is opposed first to Haste and Haste is the souls undue lifting up its self proceeding from a weariness of its condition to press after an end of its troubles not according to the conduct of the Spirit of God Thus when God calleth his people to waiting he expresseth the contrary acting unto this duty by the lifting up of the soul Hab. 2. 3 4. Though the vision tarry wait for it behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by faith God hath given unto the soul a vision of Peace through the discovery of that forgiveness which is with him but he will have us wait for an actual participation of it unto rest and comfort He that will not do so but lifts up his soul that is in making haste beyond the Rule and Method of the Spirit of God in this matter his heart is not upright in him nor will he know what it is to live by faith This ruines and disappoints many a soul in its attempts for forgiveness The Prophet speaking of this matter tells us that He that believeth shall not nor will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. Which words the Apostle twice making use of Rom. 9. 33 chap. 10 11. in both places renders them Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed or confounded And that because this Haste turns men off from believing and so disappoints their hopes and leaves them unto shame and confusion Men with a sense of the guilt of sin having some discovery made to them of the Rest Ease and Peace which they may obtain to their souls by forgiveness are ready to catch greedily at it and to make false unsound undue applications of it unto themselves They cannot bear the yoak that the Lord hath put upon them but grow impatient under it and cry with Rachel Give me children or I dye Any way they would obtain it Now as the first duty of such a soul is to apply its self unto waiting so the first entrance into waiting consists in this Silence and Quietness of heart and spirit This is the souls endeavour to keep its self humble satisfied with the soveraign pleasure of God in its condition and refusing all waies and means of Rest and Peace but what it is guided and directed unto by the Word and Spirit 2. As it is opposed unto Haste so it is unto tumultuating thoughts and vexatious disquietments the soul is silent Psal. 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it He redoubles the expression whereby he sets out his endeavour to quiet and still his soul in the Will of God In the condition discoursed of the soul is apt to have many tumultuating thoughts or a multitude of perplexing thoughts of no use or advantage unto it How they are to be watched against and rejected was before declared in our General Rules This Quietness in waiting will prevent them And this is the first thing in the duty prescribed Secondly Diligence in Opposition unto spiritual sloth is included in it also Diligence is the activity of the mind in the regular use of means for the pursuit of any end proposed The End aimed at by the soul is a comforting refreshing interest in that forgiveness that is with God For the attaining hereof there are sundry means instituted and blessed of God A neglect of them through regardlesness or sloth will certainly disappoint the soul from attaining that end It is confessedly so in things natural He that soweth not must not think to reap he that cloatheth not himself will not be warm nor he enjoy health who neglects the means of it Men understand this as to their outward concerns And although they have a due respect unto the blessing of God yet they expect not to be rich without industry in their waies It is so also in things spiritual God hath appointed one thing to be the means of obtaining another in the use of them doth he bless us and from the use of them doth his Glory arise because they are his own appointments And this diligence wholly respecteth practice or the regular use of means A man is said to be diligent in business to have a diligent hand though it be an Affection of the mind yet it simply respects Practice and Operation This diligence in his waiting David expresseth Psal. 40. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We render it I have waited patiently that is waiting I have waited that is diligently earnestly in the use of means So he describes this duty by an elegant similitude Psal. 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy on us Servants that wait on their Masters and look to their hands it is to expect an intimation of their minds as to what they would have them do that they may address themselves unto it So saith he do we wait for mercy not in a slothfull neglect of duties but in a constant readiness to observe the Will of God in all his commands An instance hereof we have in the Spouse when she was in the condition here described Cant. 3. 1 2. She wanted the presence of her Beloved which amounts to the same state which we have under consideration For where the presence of Christ is not there can be no sense of forgiveness At first she seeks him upon her bed by night upon my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not She seems herein to have gone no further than desires for she was in her bed where she could do no more and the issue is she found him not but doth she so satisfie her self and lye still waiting until he should come there unto her no she sayes she will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad waies I will seek him whom my soul loveth She resolves to put her self into the use of all means whereby one may be sought that is wanting In the City Streets and Fields she would enquire after him And the blessed success she had herein is reported vers 4. She found him she held him she would not let him go This then belongs unto the waiting of the soul. Diligence in the use of means whereby God is pleased ordinarily to communicate a sense of pardon and forgiveness is a principal part of it What these means
iniquities that is of the Elect Israel and every individual amongst them But the word signifies trouble as well as sin especially that trouble or punishment that is for sin So Cain expresseth himself upon the denunciation of his sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my sin that is the punishment thou hast denounced against my sin is too great or heavy for me to bear Gen. 4. 13. There is a near affinity between sin and trouble noxam poena sequitur punishment is inseparable from iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the word here used signifies either sin with reference unto trouble due to it or trouble with respect unto sin whence it proceeds And both may here be well intended God shall redeem Israel from all his sins and troubles that have ensued thereon And this is the signification of the words which indeed are plain and obvious And these words close up the Psalm He who began with depths his own depths of sin and trouble out of which and about which he cryed out unto God is so incouraged by that prospect of grace and forgiveness with God which by faith he had obtained as to preach unto others and to support them in expectation of deliverance from all their sin and trouble also And such for the most part are all the exercises and trials of the children of God Their Entrance may be a strom but their close is a calm Their beginning is oftentimes trouble but their latter end is peace peace to themselves and advantage to the Church of God For men in all ages coming out of great trials of their own have been the most instrumental for the good of others For God doth not greatly exercise any of his but with some especial end for his own glory Secondly The sense and intendment of the Psalmist in these words is to be considered and that resolves it self into three general parts 1. An Exhortation or Admonition Israel hope in the Lord or expect Jehovah 2. A ground of Incouragement unto the performance of the Duty exhorted unto Because with the Lord there is much plenteous abundant precious Redemption 3. A gracious Promise of a blessed issue which shall be given unto the performance of this duty He shall redeem Israel from all his sins and out of all his troubles In the Exhortation there occurs 1. The persons exhorted that is Israel not Israel according to the flesh for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. But it is the Israel mentioned Psal. 73. 1. The whole Israel of God to whom he is good such as are of a clean heart that is all those who are interested in the Covenant and do inherit the promise of their forefathers who was first called by that name All Believers and the Psalmist treats them all in general in this matter 1. Because there is none of them but have their trials and intanglements about sin more or less As there is none that liveth and sinneth not so there is none sinneth and is not intangled and troubled Perhaps then they are not all of them in the same condition with him in the depths that he was plunged into Yet more or less all and every one of them is so far concerned in sin as to need his direction All the Saints of God either have been or are or may be in these depths It is a good saying of Austin on this place Valde sunt in profundo qui non clamant de profundo None so in the deep as they who do not cry and call out of the deep They are in a deep of security who are never sensible of a deep of sin 2. There is none of them whatever their present condition he but they may fall into the like depths with those of the Psalmist There is nothing absolutely in the Covenant nor in any Promise to secure them from it And what befalleth any one Believer may befall them all If any one Believer may fall totally away all may do so and not leave one in the world and so an end be put to the Kingdom of Christ which is no small evidence that they cannot so fall But they may fall into depths of sin that some of them have done so we have testimonies and instances beyond exception It is good then that all of them should be prepared for that duty which they may all stand in need of and a right discharge of it Besides the duty mentioned is not absolutely restrained to the condition before described But it is proper and accommodate unto other seasons also Therefore are all the Israel of God exhorted unto it 2. The duty it self is hoping in Jehovah with such an hope or trust as hath an expectation of relief joyned with it And there are two things included in this duty 1. The Renuntiation of any hopes in expectation of deliverance either from sin or trouble any other way hope in Jehovah this is frequently expressed where the performance of this duty is mentioned see Hos. 14. 3. Jer. 3. 22 23. And we have declared the nature of it in the exposition of the 1 and 2. verses 2. Expectation from him and this also hath been insisted on in the Observations from the verses immediately preceding wherein also the whole nature of this duty was explained and directions were given for the due performance of it Secondly The incouragement tendred unto this duty is the next thing in the words for with the Lord is plenteous Redemption wherein we may observe 1. What it is that he professeth as the great incouragement unto the duty mentioned and that is Redemption the Redemption that is with God upon the matter the same with the forgiveness before mentioned Mercy Pardon Benignity Bounty He doth not bid them hope in the Lord because they were the seed of Abraham the peculiar people of God made partakers of priviledges above all the people in the world much less because of their worthiness or that good that was in themselves but meerly upon the account of mercy in God of his Grace Goodness and Bounty The Mercy of God and the Redemption that is with him is the only ground unto sinners for hope and confidence in him 2. There are two great Concernments of this Grace the one expressed the other implied in the words The first is that it is much plenteous abundant That which principally discourageth distressed souls from a comfortable waiting on God is their fears lest they should not obtain mercy from him and that because their sins are so great and so many or attended with such circumstances and aggravations as that it is impossible they should find acceptance with God This ground of despondency and unbelief the Psalmist obviates by representing the fulness the plenty the boundless plenty of the mercy that is with God It is such as will suit the condition of the greatest sinners in their greatest depths the stores of its treasures are inexhaustible And the force of the
are is known Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing of the Word Dispensation of the Sacraments they are all appointed to this purpose they are all means of communicating Love and Grace to the soul. Be not then heartless or slothfull up and be doing attend with diligence to the Word of Grace be fervent in prayer assiduous in the use of all Ordinances of the Church in one or other of thern at one time or other thou wilt meet with him whom thy soul loveth and God through him will speak peace unto thee Thirdly There is Expectation in it which lyes in a direct opposition to all the actings of unbelief in this matter and is the very life and soul of the duty under consideration So the Psalmist declares it Psal. 62. 5. My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is only from him The soul will not cannot in a due manner wait on God unless it hath Expectations from him unless as James speaks he looks to receive somewhat from him chap. 1. 7. The soul in this condition regards forgiveness not only as by its self it is desired but principally as it is by God promised Thence they expect it This is expressed in the fourth Proposition before laid down namely that sin-distressed souls wait for God with earnestness intention of mind and expectation As this ariseth from the redoubling of the Expression so principally from the nature of the Comparison that he makes of himself in his waiting with them that watch for the morning Those that watch for the morning do not only desire it and prepare for it but they expect it and know assuredly that it will come Though darkness may for a time be troublesome and continue longer than they would desire yet they know that the morning hath its appointed time of return beyond which it will not tarry and therefore they look out for its Appearance on all occasions so it is with the soul in this matter So sayes David Psal. 5. 3. I will direct my prayer unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and look up So we the words before are defective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the morning or rather every morning I will order unto thee We restrain this unto prayer I will direct my peayer unto thee But this was expressed directly in the words foregoing In the morning thou shalt hear my voice that is the voice of my prayer and supplications as it is often supplied And although the Psalmist doth sometime repeat the same thing in different Expressions yet here he seemeth not so to do but rather proceeds to declare the general frame of his spirit in walking with God I will saith he order all things towards God so as that I may wait upon him in the waies of his appoinment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will look up It seems in our Translation to express his posture in his prayer But the Word is of another importance It is diligently to look out after that which is coming towards us a looking out after the Accomplishment of our Expectation This is a part of our waiting for God yea as was said the life of it that which is principally intended in it The Prophet calls it his standing upon his watch tower and watching to see what God would speak unto him Hab. 2. 3. namely in answer unto that prayer which he put up in his trouble He is now waiting in Expectation of an answer from God And this is that which poor weak trembling sinners are so encouraged unto Isa. 53. 3 4. Strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be strong fear not behold your God will come Weakness and discouragements are the effects of Unbelief These he would have removed with an Expectation of the coming of God unto the soul according to the Promise And this I say belongs unto the waiting of the soul in the condition described Such a one doth expect and hope that God will in his season manifest himself and his Love unto him and give him an experimental sense of a blessed interest in forgiveness And the accomplishment of this purpose and promise of God it looks out after continually It will not despond and be heartless but stir up and strengthen it self unto a full expectation to have the desires of his soul satisfied in due time as we find David doing in places almost innumerable This is the duty that in the first place is recommended unto the soul who is perswaded that there is forgiveness with God but sees not its own interest therein Wait on or for the Lord. And it hath two properties when it is performed in a due manner namely patience and perseverance By the one men are kept to the length of Gods time by the other they are preserved in a due length of their own duty And this is that which was laid down in the first Proposition drawn from the words namely that continuance in watching until God appears unto the soul is necessary as that without which we cannot attain what we look after and prevailing as that wherein we shall never fail God is not to be limited nor his times prescribed unto him We know our way and the end of our Journey but our stations of especial rest we must wait for at his mouth as the people did in the wilderness When David comes to deal with God in his great distress he sayes unto him O Lord thou art my God my times are in thine hand Psal. 31. 14 15. His times of trouble and of peace of darkness and of light he acknowledged to be in the hand and at the disposal of God so that it was his duty to wait his time and season for his share and portion in them During this state the soul meets with many Oppositions difficulties and perplexities especially if its darkness be of long continuance as with some it abides many years with some all the daies of their lives Their hope being hereby deferred makes their hearts sick and their spirit oftentimes to faint and this fainting is a defect in waiting for want of perseverance and continuance which frustrates the End of it So David Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord. Had I not received supportment by faith I had fainted And wherein doth that consist what was the fainting which he had been overtaken withall without the supportment mentioned it was a relinquishment of waiting on God as he manifests by the Exhortation which he gives to himself and others v. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Wait with courage and resolution that thou faint not And the Apostle puts the blessed Event of Faith and Obedience upon the avoidance of this evil Gal. 6. 9. We shall reap if we faint not Hence we have both encouragements given against it and promises that in the