by all men so by all means So the former Translation here renders it This is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received And so Estius well explains it Dignum quod modis omnibus amplectemur worthy by all wayes and means to be received and imbraced Many wayes there are whereby a saying may be received It may be received into the Ear it may be received into the Head it may be received into the Heart Into the Ear when men hear what is said into the Head when they apprehend understand and believe what they hear Into the Heart when they are affected with it And all these wayes is this Saying this Doctrine worthy of Acceptation 1. Worthy to be received into the Ear by hearing of it hearkning and attending to it No Doctrine so worth the hearing as this Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ. No other Doctrine can make the hearers happy this can do it Blessed are your ears for they hear saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 13. 16. And what was it that they did hear why that which their forefathers desired to hear but could not Many Prophets and Righteous men have desired to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them Verse 17. And what was that why even this saying here in the Text That Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners This the Fathers before Christ who waited for his coming would gladly have heard but they heard it not They indeed heard of his Coming that he should come and believing it they were made happy by it But the Disciples who saw Christ in the flesh they heard and saw that he was come And believing what they saw and heard this made their eyes and ears blessed and happy No Doctrine no Tidings as I said can make the hearer happy but only this And this can do it viz. when being let in by the Ear it is conveyed to the Heart Hereby the Spirit cometh to convey it self into the Soul by the hearing of this Doctrine This onely would I know saith Paul to his Galatians Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…y the hearing of faith that is the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel Preached unto you heard by you The sum whereof is wrapped up in this saying That Iesus Christ came into the world to savesinners A saying worthy to be received into the Ear by hearing of it hearkning to it 2. And as into the Ear so into the Head worthy to be studied that it may be rightly apprehended and clearly understood This being a great mystery as our Apostle calleth it cap. 3. verse last of this Epistle Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Mystery the true Cabala Among the Iews there were many Mysteries Doctrines which they received from their Fathers by way of Tradition These they called by that Name of Cabala which imports the same thing with this Greek word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying acceptio a receiving of a thing thereby meaning their Traditions such Doctrines as by word of mouth were conveyed unto them from their Forefathers And these Mysteries these Traditions were of high account among their Rabbies their Doctors and their followers even as others of like kind are at this day in the Church of Rome these they studied and were well versed in them But our Apostle willeth Christians to take notice what was the true Cabala the sure Tradition which he here holdeth forth to them as worthy of their study above all others even this great Mystery of Godliness That Chriâ—… Iesus is come into the world to save sinners This was a mystery which the Angels beheld not without admiration as it there followeth Seen of Angels i. e. cum admiratione maxima as Grotius rightly with the highest admiration as also with great satisfaction and contentment No Mystery so worthy the looking into as this So the Angels apprehended it who are said to look into it with an earnest desire Which things saith Saint Peter speaking of the Mysteries of the Gospel the Angells desire to look into 1 Pet. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they desire to prie and look narrowly into them as one that stoopeth and boweth down to look into a thing So do they look into this Mystery desiring still to look further into it it being an Object which they can never be weary of looking upon and into No mystery so worthy to be known as this This is Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The excellency of the knowledg of Iesus Christ as he calleth it Phil. 3. 8. No Doctrine so worthy to be known Nor any more worthy to be believed than this This being as you have heard a faithful saying and so deserving credit and belief at the hands of all Thus it is worthy to be received into the Head 3. And so 3dly to be received into the Heart Worthy to be imbraced to be intertained with great joy and gladness as also with gratitude and thankfulness With joy Thus were the Angels affected with it though not so properly concerned in it Seeing that Christ was come into the world upon this Errand how did they rejoyce at it a whole Quire an Host of them meeting together and singing that Heavenly Anthem that Hallelujah that we have Luk. 2. 14. Praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men How much more joyous then should these tidings be to the Sons of men for whose sake Christ is come into the world Great cause have they to rejoyce at the hearing of it So did Abraham the Father of the faithful by faith apprehending that Christ should come Seeing his day that is his coming in the flesh he rejoyced at it as that Text forecited tells us Iohn 8. 56. And the like ought all Christians being his Children to do Hearing of this blessed day that he is come they are to entertain this good tidings with spiritual joy rejoycing at it And as with joy so with gratitude and thankfulness Thus did Zacharias entertain these glad tidings as we find it in his Song Luke 1. 68. Where Prophesying of what he saw to be then nigh at hand the coming of Christ and setting forth this great Mystery of Salvation by Christ he breaks forth into that holy and affectionate Gratulation Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a Horn of Salvation i. e. a Mighty Saviour for us in the house of his Servant David c. And with like affection we find the blessed Virgin the Mother of our Lord entertaining these tidings Verse 46. of that Chapter where she breaks forth into her Magnificat My Soul doth
do not but what I hate that I do ver 19. The good that I would that I do not but the evil which I would not that I do And so out of the strength of Corruption working in him and sometimes prevailing against him I finde saith he a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me ver 21. I see a Law in my Members rebelling against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of Sin which is in my Members Thus was this precious Saint much taken up not onely with reflecting upon his former sinnes before Conversion but with considering his present condition In the sense and apprehension whereof he therebreaks forth into that passionate complaint Ver. 24. O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this Death And so here in the Text Iesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief Not onely was but am a Sinner a great sinner still Thus were his sins ever before him sins before Conversion and sins after Conversion And so is it in measure with every Gracious soul being truly Penitent for sin it cannot forget it it is frequent in the Remembrance of it And it cannot be otherwise the Eyes of such a one being in the First place throughly opened The man whose eyes are open saith Balaam of himself Numb 24. 3. Meaning either his Bodily eyes which being closed whilst he was in a Trance were now opened or rather the eyes of his Mind which were now opened to behold and fore-see those future events which before were hid from him and others It may be applied to every true Convert Every such a one is a man whose eyes were shut but now they are open the eyes of his Understanding being opened to see the true Nature of Sin and to see it in himself to see the sinfulness of his Nature and of his Life 2. And his Understanding being thus Enlightned his Conscience is withal Awakned so as That doth the Office for which it was placed in the Soul being as a faithful Register recording and remembring the several Acts of sin 3. And again Thirdly the True Penitent sinner hath been pricked at his heart As is said of those new Converts Acts 2. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked in their Hearts deeply affected with the Sense of those Sins whereof they were by Peter's Sermon convinced And so in measure are all true Penitent Sinners Being convinced of their Sins they are in like manner affected with grief and sorrow of Heart for them Now that which goeth near a mans Heart maketh a deep and firm impression upon the Memory so as it cannot easily be forgotten These and many other Reasons might be given Why a Regenerate person should be so mindful of his own sins and that more than the sins of others The sinnes of others however they both may and ought to affect a Christian upon the seeing or hearing of them yet they come not so near the Heart they make not so deep an Impression upon the Soul as a mans own Sinnes do Thus have I done with the Doctrinal part of this first Branch Which now bring we home to our selves by way of Application Let that be directed onely two Wayes By way of Conviction By way of Exhortation 1st By way of Conviction Is this the Disposition of a truly Gracious Soul a true Penitent sinner How many then are there who may from hence be convinced that they are none of this number being such as seldom or never reflect upon their own sinfulness or if they do they do it not in a right way and manner Of these I shall reckon up four or five several sorts 1. Some there are and many whose Consciences were never yet awakened their eyes were never yet opened to see their own sinfulness the sinfulness of their natures and errours of their lives Such a dead sleep hath seised upon them that nothing will awaken them Notwithstanding that their sins being it may be crying sins cry loud in their ears yet they hear them not Notwithstanding that the Iudgments of God against those sins and against them for them have been by his Ministers thundered out in their ears enough to shake and rend the most rocky heart yet they stir not them Notwithstanding that their sins have taken hold upon them and broke forth upon them in many terrible and remarkable Judgments pointing out their sins unto them yet they affect them not Still they go on in their way being stupid and sensless never brought to consider the state and condition they are in never brought to fix a serious thought upon any of their sins though never so foul never so open and scandalous Others see them the world cryeth shame on them yet themselves are not at all touched with the sense of them Such a dead sleep as I called it is fallen upon them And well may it so be called When a man cannot be awakened by hallowing in his ears by pricking and pinching and smiting of him we conclude he is in a desperate Lethargie a dead sleep And is not this the case of many stupid Souls among us Word Threatnings Iudgments Word Pronounced Threatnings Denounced Judgments Executed yet all stir not them Still they lie in sin go on in sin without sense without remorse never reflecting upon themselves upon their hearts or lives to consider the evil of them This is that which the Lord complaineth of in the people of Hierusalem Jer. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness Saying What have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the Battle Such was their general securitie and stupiditie none of them had any remorse or touch at all in their Consciences for any of their sins so far forth as but to think once seriously with themselves What it was that they had done But like a fierce headstrong horse which hearing the sound of the Trumpet and seeing or smelling the Battle a far off doth with much violence notwithstanding what his Rider can do to hold him in in a full Carier make towards it and rusheth into the midst of it Such was the eagerness of that people to the pursuit of their sinful wayes and courses And so is it with too many every where Whatever can be said or done to them yet still they will hold on their course nothing can bring them to a serious consideration of the evil thereof So far are they from that tenderness of Conscience which was in this our blessed Apostle and is to be found in measure in every regenerate person who having tender hearts as Iosiah is said to have 2 Chron. 34. 27. the least hint is enough to bring their sins to remembrance that nothing will stir nothing will awaken them Certainly a fearful state a desperate condition a clear
which we may justly fear to hang over the head of the Nation so in special of that which is already in part broke forth upon us whereof the poor as elsewhere so in this place not a few of them are very sensible whose necessitous condition I shall commend to your charitable consideration desiring you to extend your free and liberal contributions to their relief which is also a work of the day and doth further sadly threaten us viz. The Iudgment of Famine which by reason of the unseasonableness of the Season may justly be feared This is the work of the day For the furthering whereof let all of us now call to mind our own sins I do remember my faults this day saith Pharoahs Butler unto him Gen. 41. 9. And the like let every of us do Sure we are this is the provokking Cause as of other Judgements so of this He turneth a Fruitful Land into Barrenness for the Wickedness of them that dwell therein Psal. 107. 34. Call we our selves then every one of us to account for our sinnes this day humbling our selves in the sight and presence of God for them that so we remembring them God may be pleased graciously to forget them and forgive them so as not to charge them upon the Head of the Nation In doing hereof we shall much promote the service of the Day and much help forward the great business both of Church and State which is now in the hands of the Great Council of the Land Certainly the great Stumbling-blocks that lie in the way of Mercy they are the Sinnes of the Nation O Let every of us put to our hands this Day to the removing of them by taking out of the way as much as we can the sinnes of others Humbling our selves for them and seeking the Pardon of them however our own sinnes by calling them to mind Humbling Shaming and Condemning our selves for them withal putting them away in the full purpose and resolution of our Souls never more to give entertainment to them Thus wash we and make we our selves clean putting away the evil of our doings from before the eyes of our God as he requires his People to do Isai. 1. 16. And then do we what in the next words he allowes them to do Come let us Reason together c. begging from him Mercy for our selves and the Nation being hopefully and comfortably assured that the Lord will smell a Sweet savour of rest from this our Sacrifice and that both Church and State shall find it the best service we could perform unto them which the Lord enable every of us to do Thus I have done with the first of these three Branches I pass now to the second THe truly Penitent Sinner as he is frequent in Remembring so forward in acknowledging of his own sins So was Paul Having here occasion to make mention of Sinners he calleth to remembrance his own sinnes and Remembring them he Acknowledgeth them confessing himself to be a Sinner a great sinner yea the chief of Sinners Of whom I am chief The like disposition and practice we find in the Man after Gods own Heart holy David As his sinnes were often in his eye so he was ready to acknowledge them I acknowledged my Transgression and my Sinne was ever before me saith he Psal. 51. 3. Such a frequent Remembrancer and ingenuous Confessor of his Sinnes was he And such are all truly Penitent sinners And it cannot be otherwise Their hearts in the first place being full as it were with the sight and sense of Sinne they must have vent The Story tells us of Ioseph Gen. 45. ver 1 2. how that his heart being full as it was with the remembrance of what his Brethren had done to him and his Affections towards them he could not contein he could not refrain himself before all that stood by him but he shed Tears abundantly yea the company being gone he wept aloud He could not but give vent to that affection wherewith his heart was full And David tells us the like of himself Psal. 39. 3. My heart saith he was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned then spake I with my tongue So it is with Affections as it is with Fire the heart being full of them they will not be smothered they will not be kept close they will seek vent and be ready to break forth as occasion is offered And so will these Holy Affections in the heart of a truly Penitent sinner his Sorrow for sinne his Hatred and Indignation against sinne his heart being full of them it will be seeking vent ready to break forth in a humble and hearty Confession and Acknowledgement of it Again in such a Soul the Bed of sinne as I may say is broken Now as it is in the Body if the bed of Worms be broken they are ready to come away and such tough and viscous humours as are coagulated in the Stomack being dissected they are easily evacuated Even so in the Soul If the Bed of peccant Humours of sinful Lusts be there once broken the Works of Satan dissolved as Saint Iohn saith that Christ was manifest to this end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut dissolvat That he might dissolve or destroy the works of the Devil that is our Sinnes which are destroyed by dissolving of them as many things are 1 Iohn 3. 8. as in measure they are in every truly Regenerate person in whom the Power of Sinne is broken they will now be ready to break forth and come away as I may say by way of Confession and Acknowledgement Thus you see that it is so and how it cometh so to be For further Explication and Illustration propound we these two useful Enquiries touching this Acknowledgement which Penitent sinners are so forward in 1. To whom they are so ready to make this Acknowledgement 2. What kind of Acknowledgement it is that they make For the First To whom they are so ready to make this Acknowledgement A. For Answer Know we that the acknowledgment of Sin is either unto God or Man The former to God either publickly or privately the latter to Man either secretly or openly Secretly either to the Ministers of God or to other private Christians Openly which is either Regular injoyned by the Church or Occasional and Arbitrary All these wayes Sinne is confessed and acknowledged And all these wayes a sinner truly Penitent will be ready to acknowledge his sinnes 1. In the first place unto God The Prodigall sonne in the Gospel upon his return to his Father at his first meeting with him after that his father had expressed his fatherly Affection unto him presently he breaks forth into a humble acknowledgement of his sinnes unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight Luke 15. 21. This is the first thing that a poor sinner doth when once he is brought home unto God and hath in any measure tasted of
Law Behold we our own faces in that Glass Bring our lives thither bring our hearts thither comparing the one with the other laying both to that Rule that so by the straightness of the one we may discover the obliquity and crookedness of the other Thus did Paul he brought himself his heart and life to the Law and by that means he came not onely to attain the knowledge of sinne in a general way but to see his own sinfulness the sinfulness of his Nature and the sinfulness of his Life as his former sinnes acted before his Conversion so the Body of sinne which still remained in hiâ—… In the sense and apprehension whereof he so passionately cryeth out in the close of that Chapter Rom. 7. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death Thus seek we after such a Conviction which till we attain we will never be brought to a right confession and acknowledgment of sin Thence was it that Nathan taketh this course with David First convincing him of his sinne which he doth by propounding to him the Parable of the Ewe-Lamb and so by that means brings him to that Confession which there he made 2 Sam. 12. 3dly Being convinced of sinne then in the third place seek after some measure of Compunction and Contrition that so we may not onely have a sight but an inward sense and feeling of our sinnes and so be humbled in the sense of them Paul did not only see a light shining about him and hear a voice speaking unto him but he was also struck to the ground as you have heard And so must a poor sinner be before ever he will be brought to a right confession of his sinnes Seek we for this also in measure This it was that drew Iohn the Baptist's and Peters and Pauls hearers to those open confessions which they made they were pricked in the hearts for their sinnes 4thly Being thus humbled for sinne and feeling some measure of Compunction now labour in the next place to get some apprehensions of mercy to raise up the Soul if not in the sense yet with the hope of Mâ—…cy Till this be done our confession will never be such as it ought to be It will never be Voluntary and Ingenuous till it be Filial Fear slavish fear it straitneth the heart causeth the spirits to retire and run inward as it were Apprehensions of Mercy will melt and inlarge and dissolve it as it were and so draw forth the Soul to free and ingenuous confessions and acknowledgments 5thly In the fifth and last place seek we unto God for that his free Spirit as David calleth it Psal. 51. 12. that That may be in us a spirit of confession It is that which the Lord maketh promise of to his people Zach. 12. 10. I will poure upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplications His Spirit which is the gift of his Grace and therefore called the Spirit of Grace should so inwardly affect them with the sense of his Mercies as that they should freely poure out their Souls before Him in true penitent confessions of their own sinnes whereof formerly they had not been sensible And this Spirit seek we from God Even such a Spirit of Grace and Supplications which may put our hearts into such a confessing frame and temper as that they may be ready upon all occasions to break forth into humble and hearty confessions and acknowledgments of our sinnes both before God and Men. By this means it was that Paul was now become such a forward and ingenuous confessor of his own sinnes Which confessing he also censureth and that severely acknowledging himself not only a sinner but a great sinner yea the chief of sinners That is the third particular Branch of the general Observation to which I now come THe Penitent sinner as he is a frequent Remembrancer and a forward Confessour so also a severe Censurer severe in censuring of his own Sinnes and himself for them An Observation which I find the learned Grotius taking up from that parallel Text Luk. 5. 8. where Peter maketh the like Confession that Paul here doth Having seen that Miracle which Christ had wrought in blessing his labour beyond all expectation giving him such a draught of Fishes as the like he had never before seen or heard of he thereupon falleth down at his knees saying Depart from me I am a sinful man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peccatosus a sinner a great sinner So much that word as you have formerly heard imports as we may take notice from that Text of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4. 18. If the righteous scarsly be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the word sinner being opposed to a Righteous person it imports a wicked and ungodly person with whom it is there joyned an habituated sinner So we find it used by our Apostle in the ninth verse of this Chapter whereof the Text is part Where he saith that the Law was not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane Where by sinners we are to understand such as the rest there spoken of are wicked and ungodly unholy and prophane persons such as make a trade of sinne as Beza there expounds it Veluti aliquam peccandi artem exercentes such as the Poet Hesiod saith he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as made sinne their work habituated and notorious sinners Now what Was Peter such a one Nothing lesse he was then a truly pious and godly Man as appears by his Demeanure to his Lord and Master Christ his readiness to do what ever he should command him which he professeth and practiseth in the verses foregoing vers 5. 6. How was it then that he should passe so severe a Censure upon himself that he was a sinner such a sinner a sinful man Why thus it is none are more ready to pass censures upon themselves than those that deserve them least Probi animi vel maximum â—…st indicium severissimam in se censuram exercere saith that Author There is not a greater Evidence of a Pious and Gracious Soul than to be severe in Censuring of it self Such a one was this our Apostle Saint Paul as the same Author there taketh notice of it paralleling him with Peter in this confession which here he maketh Notwithstanding that before his Conversion he was morally blameless in his life and conversation and now an eminent Saint yet he passeth this Censure upon himself that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first the chief of Sinners And such Censurers shall we find other of the Saints of God to have been severe in censuring of themselves Hence is it that in their Confessions and Acknowledgements we shall find them aggravating their sinnes to the heighth indeavouring what they could to express and set
be unto us who look upon it in the performance not as a thing to be done but done What was promised to them is made good to us what they looked and waited for we have received So as the Apostle might well say what here he doth This is a faithful saying c. But I shall not spend time in confirmation of this truth which among Christians were but a needless labour Never was truth excepting only that of a deitie that there is a God which is attested by every creature compassed about with such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a cloud of witnesses as this To this truth gave all the Prophets witness so Peter tells Cornelius and his company Acts 10. 43. And to this truth gave all the Apostles witness The one testifying that it should be done the other that it was done To this truth gave all those Types under the Law witness being all Shadows of this Substance To this truth have all the Saints of God in all ages of the world given witness All that ever were before the Law under the Law under the Gospel Some and many of them sealing it with their blood all of them pawning and adventuring their souls their everlasting happiness upon it Now if two or three witnesses be sufficient to establish a word which with men ordinarily they are as that Text tells us Mat. 18. 16. how much more such a cloud of witnesses Never was truth more confirmed then this truth The Doctrine of Salvation by Christ that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners This is a faithful saying 2. And as faithful so acceptable that is the second branch of the Commendation This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation So it cannot be said of all truths Sometimes as Aquinas notes upon it a saying may be true and yet a hard saying Verus sed durus This is a hard Saying say the Disciples to their Lord and Master discoursing to them concerning the Bread of Life which he said was Himself Ioh. 6. 60. A true saying This they would not durst not make any question of receiving it from his mouth But a hard saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 harsh and irksome to be heard Who can hear it So it was to them because they could not receive it were not able rightly to apprehend and understand it the hardness being as Calvin well notes upon it in their hearts not in the Doctrine delivered Thus Sayings may be and often are true but not grateful such are Reprehensions for the most part being like wine poured into a green wound which though proper and useful yet it is searching and smarting Though they carry never so much truth in them yet they are seldome pleasing seldome welcome Paul reprehending his Galatians he told them nothing but the truth yet that truth which was spoken to them was requited with enmity from them Am I therefore become your enemie because I tell you the truth so he expostulates it with them Gal. 4. 16. Thus it often falleth out Veritas odium parit Truth breeds hatred All truths are not acceptable truths But such is this Truth which our Apostle here holdeth forth That Christ Iesus is come into the world to save sinners It is a Doctrine which hath not more Truth then Sweetness in it deserving not more Credit than Acceptation This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation Worthy of acceptation and worthy of All acceptation So I shall divide the words 1. Worthy of Acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An acceptable word worthy to be received as the former Translation renders it And not only received but approved which as a Lapide notes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importes And well may it be said so to be it being a good word a good saying containing in it good matter My heart is inditing a good matter saith the Psalmist speaking of the Kingly Office of Christ. Psal. 45. 1. I speak of the things which I have made touching the King as it there followeth Such is the Doctrine of Salvation by Jesus Christ. It is a good word containing good matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospel that is a good Spell a good speech which is conceived to be the Notation of the English word Gospel A good Saying containing good tidings It is that which David saith of Ahimaaz 2 Sam. 18. 27. He is a good man and he cometh with good tidings Much more truly may it be said of Jesus Christ and his coming into the world Being himself Good he came with good Tidings tidings of Salvation And what tidings like unto these tidings Good tidings of joy of great joy So the Angell telleth the Shepheards at the Birth of this our Saviour Luke 2. 10. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy Tidings of Salvation cannot but be tidings of Joy Such are the tidings of temporal Salvation They are good tidings No words more sweet more comfortable to nature than they The Prophet Zachary speaking of the promises of deliverance which God made to Ierusalem at the prayers of the Angel from their present sufferings Zach. 1. 13. The Lord saith he answered the Angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words How much more then the word of Eternal Salvation And this is the word the Saying here held forth in the Text Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners to be unto them the Author of Eternal Salvation as that Text hath it Heb. 5. 9. And how good is this saying Well may it then be said what here it is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of acceptation 2. Yea of All acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a General an Universal Acceptation to be accepted by all men and by all means both implyed in this Expression 1. Worthy to be accepted by all men So it is there being none but hath need of a Saviour all being by nature lost creatures as the Father saith of his Prodigal Son This my Son was lost Luke 15. 24. and without a Saviour a Redeemer for ever lost The news of a Saviour such a Saviour cannot but deserve a welcome entertainment from them Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people saith the Angel there Luke 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To all sorts of people of what Nation or Condition soever whether Jews or Gentiles Bond or Free Rich or Poor Prince or Peasant And to all of these sorts There being not any one but cometh within this list of sinners being so by nature and by practise and so justly obnoxious to the wrath of God from which they are no ways able to free themselves they stand in need of a Saviour well then might the Apostle here say of this saying This Doctrine of Christs coming into the world to save sinners that it is worthy of all acceptation to be accepted by all men 2. And as
may be some remainders of it in the Soul which if not looked unto may break forth again And upon this accompt a Christian is to remember it that he may get strength against it Such use also David made of his sins being ever before him it putteth him upon seeking unto God that he would throwly wash him from his iniquity and cleanse him from his sin Psal. 51. 2. freeing him both from the guilt and power of it And that he would create in him a clean heart renewing a right spirit within him vers 10. And that he would establish him with his free Spirit vers 12. Thus are Christians to have a frequent eie upon their sins as Patients have upon their soars to see that they may not break forth again To these ends and purposes among others are Christians to be frequent in this exercise Which whilst they are it will be very beneficial to them and that diverse ways That is the second thing which I propounded to shew you What profit what benefit a Christian shall reap from this practise Much every way Were there no other than what I have made mention of already the attaining of that Four-fold end The knowing of the truth of their Repentance The renewing and increasing of it The getting of assurance of the pardon of their Sins And strength against them These were enough to answer and recompense all the Points that a Christian shall take in this way But besides these take we notice of Four more Four considerable benefits accruing from this practice It will be of great use unto a Christian to make him 1. Humble 2. Thankful 3. Watchful 4. Pitiful Humble in Himself Thankful to his God Watchful over his Sin and Pitiful towards Others All benefits of singular Excellency and Worth Touch upon them briefly Frequent remembrance of a mans own Sins will be of speciall Use to make and keep him Humble So it is that there is in the Heart of every man naturally an accursed root of Pride which is very apt to spring and sprout forth being watered as it were with all the common Favours and Blessings that God poureth out upon him of what kind soever they be Good things of Fortune as they were called of Nature of Grace I mean common Grace Birth Beauty Riches Honours gifts and endowments of the Mind any of these not being Sanctified are apt to puff up the Soul to breed a Tympany in it Now the frequent remembrance of Sins will be of special use to prevent it to make the Soul humble and keep it humble Such Use the Church tells us she had of it as Montanus and the Vulgar Latine render the word in that Text Lam. 3. 19 20. Remembring my Affliction and my misery saith our Translation my Affliction and my Rebellion my Transgression say they which sense the word in the Original will well bear as we find it rendred 1 Sam. 20. 30. the Wormwood and the Gall that is the bitterness of both my Soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me Incurvatur it is bowed down The soul of man naturally is Proud apt to be inordinately lift up in him Now the Remembrance as of former Afflictions which he hath lain under so of former Sins which he hath fallen into will be of special use to humble it to make it keep so This effect it had in and upon this our Apostle as you have heard The remembrance of his former Sins made him Vile in his own eyes This it was that made him think and speak so meanly of himself to account himself the least of the Apostles unworthy to be one of that number the least of Saints nay less than the least of them as the Text hath it Ephes. 3. 8. Because saith he I persecuted the Church of God 1 Cor. 15. 9. Thus it was As the Buffetings of Satan of which he speaketh 2 Cor. 12. 7. those temptations wherewith he was exercised after his Conversion so the remembrance of his former Sins committed before his Conversion was to him of great use to keep him from being exalted above measure a thing which by reason of the many and great priviledges now conferred upon him he was subject to and in danger of Thus God sometimes suffers his Chosen Vessels those whom he purposeth to make some special use of and to confer some signal Favours upon to fall into some great Sin or sins haply in their Youth it may be Afterwards that so the Remembrance of them may be a means to keep their Spirits in a humble frame and temper from being inordinately lift up in them being to them as the Peacocks black Leggs are vulgarly conceived to be unto him which looking down upon he presently letteth fall his proud Plumes Here is the first of those Benefits which a Christian may reap from this reflecting upon his Sins A benefit of singular Use there being nothing more dangerous to the Soul than this spiritual Tympany 2dly As it will be of great Use to make men Humble so Thankful As Humble in themselves so Thankful to their God A fruit naturally growing upon this Branch Remembrance of former sins Repented of and Pardoned it calleth to mind two things Gods Goodness our own Unworthiness Gods goodness in sparing of us not taking us as the Scribes and Pharisees tell our Saviour that woman was whom they brought before him Iohn 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Act of sinne and so bringing us to answer as they did her before His Tribunal for those Sins which we wanted Grace and space to Repent of Nor yet onely sparing us giving us a time to Repent but also working that Repentance in us and upon our Repenting Pardoning them and instead of punishing us according to our deservings conferring many special Graces and Favours upon us of all which of the least of which we were altogether unworthy Both these the remembrance of former sins calleth to mind And so doing it cannot but be a special means to raise up the Heart to a Thankful apprehension and acknowledgment thereof Of such Use was it to this blessed Apostle as we may take notice from the 12. 13. verses in this Chapter where calling to mind his former sins he presently breaketh forth into blessing and magnifying of Iesus Christ for his rich Grace and Mercy towards him I thank Christ Iesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry who was before a Blasphemer a Persecutor Injurious but I obteined mercy So again vers 17. Having here confessed himself to be the chief of sinners and after declared what God had done for him how he had made him a Patern to all that should hereafter believe on him he thereupon in the next words breaketh forth into that affectionate Gratulation Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever
But I shall put them both together pressing this duty upon all Those which never yet did it let them set upon it Those who have done it let them be frequent in it This is that which the Lord calleth for from his people the people of the Iews Jer. 3. 13. Onely acknowledge thine iniquity And this he expecteth and looketh for at the hands of all those that look for mercy from him that they should confess and acknowledg their iniquities And this do we all and every of us Sure I am there is none of us but have just cause to do it Though we be not so great sinners as Paul was yet sinners we are and great sinners all of us And so looking upon our selves confesse we our sinnes This do we in the first place unto God This is the confession which Scripture most urgeth and calleth for at the hands of all as being the most necessary confession My Son give I pray thee glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him â—…aith Ioshua to Achan Josh. 7. 19. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord saith David Psal. 32. 5. Confession unto others it may be at some times and in some cases useful and profitable but this at all times necessary A Doctrine far differing from that of the Church of Rome which runneth almost wholly upon another kind of confession viz. Auricular confession as they call it confession made in the ears of the Priest This is the Confession which they so much cry up making it a main part of their Religion insisting so much upon it in all their Tracts and Catechisms calling and accounting it a Sacrament and making it one of the Essential parts of true Repentance imposing it strictly upon All and requiring it as a matter not only of Expedience but of absolute Necessity where it may be done without which no man can receive Absolution or Remission of his Sinnes or have any entrance into the Kingdom of God In this the Doctrine of our Church is and may it ever so be far dissonant from and contrarie to theirs Which however in some cases it alloweth and upon good grounds approveth the Confession of sinnes unto the Ministers of God as expedient and useful yet Confession unto God and onely that it holdeth to be of absolute Necessity And so looking upon it let every of us thus confesse our sinnes confesse them unto Him Which do we in Publick in Private doing it in such a manner as it may be acceptable unto Him and profitable to our selves To which end have we an eye to that fivefold Property which I mentioned before 1. See that our Confession be Voluntary and Free Bring we our hearts willingly to the work See that our Confession come from us like Water out of a Spring not like Water out of a Still which is forced by fire Not deferring and putting it off till the Evil day Better do it now than stay till God bring us to the Rack and so extort a confession from us Extorted confessions being as I said ever suspicious they will yield little comfort to the Soul What herein we do do it willingly 2. And 2dly do it Ingenously Acknowledge we our sinnes unto God and hide them not A bootlesse and vain attempt to go about to hide our sinnes from him in whole or in part before whose Eyes all things are naked and open as the Apostle tells us Heb. 4. 13. In our Confessions therefore deal plainly and openly with him Shewing our selves as ready to confess our sinnes unto him as we would be to receive mercy from him Do it ingenuously and fully 3. And do it Particularly not resting contented with an Implicit Confession which as one saith is little better than an Implicit Faith not thinking it enough to confess and acknowledge that we are sinners great sinners but deal particularly and distinctly producing our particular sinnes laying them before the Lord specially the chief of them 4. And in the 4th place do it Cordially Let our Confessions be not onely Tongue but Heart-Confessions See that we be inwardly affected with the sense and feeling of those sins which we confess 5. And in the last place let our Confessions be Filial come we unto God not onely as a Iudge but as a Father laying hold upon his Mercy in Christ for the pardon of those sinnes which we confesse Thus confesse we our sinnes unto God To excite and stir us up whereunto take we notice that this is the way to mercy The onely way and the sure way to it Scripture is expresse for both The onely way I am merciful saith the Lord onely acknowledge thine iniquitie Jer. 3. 12 13. as if he had said Other way there is none for thee or any other to obtain Mercy at my hands but this The sure way So much these promises import He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. If we confess our sinnes God is faithful and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1. 9. God having as it were bound himself by Promise upon Confession of sinnes to bestow Remission now it standeth not onely with his Mercy but with his Iustice to do it Not that confession can merit pardon at the hands of God more than at the hands of men but onely in regard of His gracious promise which having made he will be faithful in the performance of This is the way the sure and onely way to find Mercy A way which God himself hath layed out and a way which his people have ever taken for the obteining of it both for themselves and others and a way wherein they have ever found what they sought for All these I might show you if need were And besides this I might show you diverse other benefits redounding to the penitent sinner from this practise This is the ready and onely way to ease the heart being burdened with sinne thus to poure it forth before God in such humble and hearty confessions and acknowledgments The opening of our grief unto a friend is an ease to the heart much more to do it unto God When I kept silence saith David my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Psal. 32. 3. Whilest he hid his sinne he could have no rest he roared through pangs of Conscience but confessing it his Soul was quieted he thereby obteined what he then sought for Pardon and Remission I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sinne so it followeth vers 5. Let these Motives induce us to be willing to confess our sinnes unto God And 2dly upon occasion be not unwilling to do it unto Men. 1st Privately whether to the Ministers of God or others Confess your sinnes one to another saith Saint Iames Jam. 5. 16. that is say
assurance of the pardon of them 4. To get them throughly healed Q. 2. What benefit redoundeth from this practice A foursold Benefit 1. To make and keep the Soul humble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rebellionis meae Montan. Transgressionis meae V. L. 2. To make Men thankful 3. To make them watchful over themselves 4. To make them pittiful towards others Caution Christians not to pore too much upon their sins so as to give way to inordinate dejections Sins to be remembred in a special way at special times Ian. 22. 1661. A day of Solemn Humiliation 2. Branch The Pe nitent sinner forward in acknowledging his own Sinnes Reas. 1 His Heart is full with the sense of Sinne. Reas. 2. The Bed of Sin is broken in him Two Questions resolved Q. 1. To whom is he so ready to make this acknowledgement 1. Unto God Both publickly and privately â—… 2. Unto men 1. Secretly or Privately 2. Openly and Publickly 1. In a Regular way 2. In a spontaneous way Upon their Conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est aperta clara voce Conliteri Paraeus ad loc Declarat palam profiteri Beza Ever after Three Eminent Confessours David Solomon Paul Q. whether all Christians be bound to follow these Paterns A. 1. In some cases they are as where the sins have been open peccantes intellige cum publico offendiculo Beza Gr. Annot. in loc 2. Where Gods glory the publick good require it A. 2. Penitent sinners though bound yet ready to make open confessions Q. 2. What kind of acknowledgement it is that the Penitent sinner maketh A. Five Properties of a true acknowledgement 1. It is Voluntary and Free 2. Ingenuous and Full. â—… Particular A good Confession made in general words but with reference to particular sins 4. Cordial and Affectionate True Confession accompanyed with Sorrow Shame With a serious purpose of forsaking the sin confessed 5. Filial Use 1. By way of Conviction Many discovered to be no true Penitents not being true Confessours 1. Such as were never convinced of sin 2. Such as being convin ced will not be brought to confess Not unto God Much less to Men. 3. Such as confess but not truly False Confession tried by a five-fold Touchstone They are not voluntary but extorted Not ingenuous but partial Only general Verbal and formal In a despairing way 4. Such as in stead of Confessing make Profession of their sins boasting in them Damned Souls far from such boasting Use. 2. All Exhorted to be such Confessours as Paul was 1. Confessing unto God Auricular Confession not necessary See that it be a right Confession suiting with that fivefold Property Voluntary Ingenuous Particular Cordial Filial Motive This the only and sure way to obtâ—…in Mercy This the ready only way to eaâ—…e the heart 2. Confesse unto Men. Privately Openly Scandalous sinners to make open Confession That they may give glory to God Take shame to themselves Give Satisfaction to those whom they have offended or in dangered Herein to deal sincerely â—…ir 1. Get a general knowledg of sinne 2. A particular Conviction 3. Compunction and Contrition 4. Some apprehension of Mercy 5. Begg from God his free Spirit Branch 3. The Penitent sinner a severe Censurer of himself Quest. Resp. 1. He is best acquainted with himself With his own Heaâ—…t With his own liâ—…e The pe nitent sinner weigheth his own sins Resp. 2. He feeleth them Resp. 3. His heart is tender Resp. 4. He hath tasted of Mercy Use 1. By way of Conviction divers â—…ensured to be no true penitents 1. Such as are â—…tterers of themselves whilest they are censorious of others 2. Such as are sparing in their censuring of themselves Diverse Pleas made use of by such for the extenuating of their sinnes 1. Others greater sinners than they 2. They are but as others 3. They have sinned through infirmity 4. They could not resist Sarans Temptations Paul sar from making use of any such Pleas. Use. 2. Exhortation Let all Christians be such self censurers of themselves Yet not being rash or over-rigid in these censures Mot. 1. This the way to prevent God's Censures Mot. 2. To ease the Soul of the burden of sinne and to procure the pardon of it Directions These words looked upon in reference to the former Obser. The Doctrine of Salvation by Christ to be particularly applied Resp. 1. This is true justifying saith 2. Hereby a Christian liveth upon earth 3. Hereby he shall live here after Use 1. The Doctrine of the Church of Rome confuted Use 2. Christians to bring home Christ with his Merits to themselves Q. How Christians may know that Christ came to save them A. By being truly Penitent Sinners Let not such Despair of Mercy though the chief of Sinners