him and be forgiven so David Psal 51 4. A full purpose to renounce and reject the sin for having any more to do with it Right confession of sin belongs to true Repentance at least as a proper adjunct of it if therefore it be sincere it will be followed with a forsaking these are therefore connected Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy For a man to think by confessing to quit scores and so run the more securely on new arrears is abominable wickedness it is to do as that Strange Woman Prov. 7. 14 15. And though through the sinfulness of the corrupt part he may be afterward overtaken yet that man who doth not confess his sins with such a â—â—al purpose by the help of God for ever after to avoid such a sin is a dissembler and may not expect to find acceptance PROPOSITION IV. That we must confess our sins fully without any liâ—ding or reserves The Psalmist contents not himself with saying that he resolved to confess his sinâ— and that he did actually acknowledge his transgression and his sin but he adds that he had notâ— hidden it Though there was a time when heâ— kept sinful silence yet when he was brought to confess he did it plumply he made a through work of it and it was his transgressions not thisâ— or that but all And there are two things poinâ—ted at in it 1. That we must confess all without any reserves 2. We must confess them to the height without any extenuation 1. We must confess all our sins without any reserveâ—â— That there is no sort or degree exempted hath been already observed but there are also individuals in these kinds which we should have a regard to in our acknowledgment and though iâ— be not possible for us to come at all yet we should be as particular as we may Compare Psal 19. 12. with Job 34. 32. But that which I more specially here aim at is that when the Spirit of God convinceth us of and humbleth us for any one Sinâ— and puts us upon confessing it we ought not â—â— tarry there but amplify our Confessions fartlier Here observe 1. That the Spirit of God frequently begins a Conâ—viction at some one sin which the man hath been guilty of If in an Afflictive Providence he awakeneth Conscience there is some remarkable sin is brought â—o remembrance as in Josephs Brethren if in an Ordinance he smices the man with a word it most commonly lays some particular thing to his charge and saith Thou art the man as to David 2. The burdened Conscience is now driven to seek ease by confession of the sin from which its trouble proceeds And this a natural Conscience doth more easily put men upon Pharaoh once and again is driven so far as to confess he had Sinned in refusing to let the people of God go And men must be grown to a prodigious hardness of heart if they suppress the confession of a Sin so circumstanced 3. When the Spirit of God designs the man saving good This Conviction is but an introduction to farther discoveries he will show the man to himself in his true colours before he hath done with him by this he opens the door and leads the man into the chambers of his heart and calls him to consider his ways Hag. 1. 5. And this is to bring him to a sight and sense of all his sins in order to the drawing out a full confession of them all it is then our duty not to rest at one but to trace it up as far as we can And here 1. There are often a great many sins that attend the consummation of that one which he ought to see distinctly and confess severally There were sins that gave occasion to the temptation though Satan tempts yet our corruption mostly giveth him the advantage and that is to be lamented David on the house top suffers his eye to wander and it â—â— surprized There were Sins in the entertaininâ— of the temptation some lust or other not guardâ—â— against but neglected if not indulged and thaâ— received the sparks and the heart took fire by iâ— the sin conceived in it when Achan saw the wedgâ— of Gold he coveted it Josh 7. 21. There are sins thaâ— accompany the act it self besides that the man doth the thing he useth much fraud in doing it yea and he breaks a great many commands in that one act yea there are many vile acts in onâ— work of Sin to the finishing of it and there are Sins that adhere to or follow it when it is done â—â— leads to more in the covering and keeping â—â— from taking air how many did David run himself into upon his Adultery and as all these are so many Sins so they require a particular observation and acknowledgment of them 2. There is a Fountain of Corruption within from whence every actual Sin doth stream and we ought to follow it up thither and make Confession of that There is an Evil root of Bitterness to be discerned in every departure from God and when the Spirit of God Convinceth us of any Sin we should ask our own hearts whence cometh this And on enquiry we shall find an undeniable Fountain Mark 7. 21 22. Jer. 6. 7. This then must be Confessed hither David follows his Psal 51. 5 and Paul his Rom. 7. 23 24. And here we see a vile Nature full of all abominations the well head of every Iniquity which affords matter of large and deep Confession And let it be reâ—â—rked that that Sin is not rightly Confessed by us which we are not led from the Act to the Original â—d do not acknowledge the Sin it issued from as well â—â— the Sin it self 3. There are a Multitude of other Sins the man â—â—th been Guilty of and it is now a proper season â—â— reflect on and make Confession of them Now â—â—â— his Evil ways and doings that have not been good â—â—ght to come into consideration This Sin tells show terrible it is to have any Sin stand out unâ—â—rdoned and that will put us upon calling our â—â—lves to an account to enquire what we have â—een and done and what hath been done in orâ—er to obtaining a remission and it is usual â—hat old Sins do now procure new trouble to the â—ind which maketh us to spread them before God David runs up to the very Sins of his youth Psal 25. 7. 2. We must confess them to the height without â—â— extenuation Covering and Confessing are oppoâ—ed Prov. 28. 13. Negatives in Scripture language â—â—clude and intend affirmatives when the Psal â—â—â—st saith he did not hide he intends that he â—aid it open and was very plain and full in his â—onfession And here 1. We must not hide the matter of fact by any â—â—ful Concealment David had attempted this beâ—â—re and greatly encreased his Sin thereby but â—ow he will do so no more There is a Concealment from men and Concealment from God which men
in the hearts of the Godly they are emboldned to sin by it Was there not such a spirit in them Jer. 7. 9 10. and them Psal 50. 21. And if we observe the great allowances that many under the Gospel give themselves in their immoralities and the great security and confidence which for all they nourish themselves in we shall discover them to be built on this rotten foundation and if their tongues do not their lives do plainly utter that Rom. 6. 1. Let us continue in sin that grace may abound as if the kindness to man proclaimed in the Gospel were nothing else but an indulgence granted to the Children of men to live in all manner of licenciousness Be we then warned to beware of thus abusing this precious truth in which God expresseth his rich mercy to sinful men And therefore Consider 1. God is holy and just as well as merciful The Divine Perfections as they are in God are not separate one from another though to us they are distincly discovered because we cannot otherwise entertain the notion of them there can therefore be no clashing among them Now there are other Attributes besides Mercy and Grace which God hath declared in his Word and will display in his Works there is his Justice as well as his Mercy and he will have Monuments of them both Rom. 9 22 23. And when he doth display his mercy it shall be agreeable with his Justice Psal 85. 10. And there is Holiness which is celebrated in the display of every other Attribute Psal 99. ult How vain is it then for any to lean the whole weight of their confidence for eternity upon so weak a foundation as this What though God is wonderfully rich in mercy May he not appear so for ever in others though you be never made sharers of it shall he not be admired in them that believe though Unbelievers perish for ever may not you for all this be Vessels of Wrath and so be made foils of his mercy in others Or do you think that God will stain his Holiness that he may magnifie his Grace Be not deceived 2. God will certainly forgâ—ve no Sinners but in his own way Infinite Wisdom hath contrived a way for the exalting free grace in the Salvation of Sinners so as with it to give lustre to his other Perfections and herein he gives us to see his merciful nature in that he hath found out and brought about such a way to do it in and hath not spared for cost in the effecting it but for Sinners to expect it out of this way is a great madness it is enough there is forgiveness with him Psal 130. 4. And if we may in any way obtain it we shall owe him the praise of it for ever but still God threatens such as neglect this way that there shall be no mercy for them Isa 27. 11. 3. Hence there are none more like to be peculiar monuments of his Wrath than such as thus turn his Grace into wantonness Though God hath a mind to shew compassion to Sinners yet he never designed to shew any favour to Sin but in this very way to let it be seen how odious it is to him If he had indulged it in any it had been in his own Son when he took the imputation of it on him being immaculate in himself but he spared not him Rom. 8. 32. And what do you other than go about to make the Holy God a patron of sin as if he had found out a way to Save Sinners in their sins and encourage them to hold on a course of them What can more derogate from his Glory needs then must this expose you to his more exasperated Wrath See then what he hath to say to such as you Psal 50. 22. Oh take heed USE II. This Doctrine may farther be improved to quicken encourage and direct miserable Sinners As we ought not to be presumptuous so God would not have us to despair or be negligent Hope is the incentive of endeavour and the consideration that we have such a God to do with may weâ—â— be improved by us all to these ends And here 1. Let it quicken secure and confident Sinners â—â— seek forgiveness at Gods hand Let this good news rouse you to ask a pardon and not sit still To move you Consider 1. Your Sin hath destroyed you This is true concerning all men in their natural state they are under the Curse and Condemnation and Stand guilty before God all the world are so Rom. 3. 19. Beware of thinking all well and safe while the Law hath declared you men of death and past the Sentence on you Remember what a God youâ— have to do with and how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands 2. Know that except God pardon you you muâ—â— needs perish There is but this one way to escape miss of that and your case is hopeless to think to make satisfaction to offended Justice by any Righteousness of your own or find a price to buy off the Sentence any where else is vain It must be an act of Grace that only can give you a discharge from the Execution of the doom past upon you without which Justice will make its demands and pursue you till it hath brought you under the whole weight of Gods Wrath which will issue in your perdition 3. There is a pardon to be had with God This is the glad tidings that is published among a company of perishing Sinners and ought be counted â—â—ortby of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. It is one Letter of his Name a God forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34. 7. And why hath he proclaimed this but to perswade such as want it to â—earken and make out after it and who could have told man that it was possible that Justice should consist with forgiveness if God himself had not revealed it 4. There is no obtaining it but in this way of Confession It is Gods will and there is all reason for it that men must part with their sins as they hope to have them forgiven and if ever they part with them they will confess them or how shall we go to God for his forgiveness but by carrying our sins with us to have them forgiven And in what way can we spread them before him but in an hearty confessing of them how shall God be Glorified by us unless we acknowledge our desert to have suffered his wrath â—or our sins and what exception can Sinners make against this if God should require some great thing of you would you think it too much in order to escaping his wrath What pretenâ—lons did they make Mic. 6. 6 7. How much more then when this is all if you confess and forsake you shall find mercy 5. Be assured that he will not always sit in this Office The Throne of Grace which is now Erected will ere long be removed the Golden Scepter that is now Stretched out will
off the Condemnation of the Lâ— which was fallen on the Sinner all mankiâ— were for sin condemned by the Law of Goâ— we read therefore of unbelievers that they 〈◊〉 condemned already Joh. 3. 18. and this condemâ—tion was according to the tenour of the Laâ— Gen. 2. 17. Thou shalt surely dy This Sentenâ— is past by God on the whole race of fallen men every unpardoned sinner abides under it every sort of death is contained in it and what a fearful thing is it to stand condemned how miserable is such an one but as soon as the pardon comes the Condemnation ceaseth Rom. 8. 1. and if it never comes it is impossible for the man to scape the Execution of it he cannot break prison the Law must take place but this stops the mouth of the Law and that nothing else can do 2. It pacifieth the Anger of God which was out against him Sinners are under the influence of it and exposed to feel its terrible impressions continually we read in Psal 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day and this proceeds from his Holiness which being so set against Sin Heb. 1. 13. makes Sinners who are under the Guilt of Sin the objects of his displeasure and it is a dreadful misery to be under the anger of God Psal 76. 7. Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry but when a pardon comes that anger is laid aside and it brings the testimony of â—t God in applying of forgiveness shews himself to be atoned and how happy did he reckon himself on the consideration of this benefit Isa 12. 1. all the miseries of the creature are the effects of Gods displeasure how must they then cease upon his being reconciled 3. It dischargeth them from the Curse There 〈◊〉 a Curse contained in the Law-Condemnation that â—s past upon the Sinner and it belongs to all that are under the Law Gal. 3. 10. and this is 〈◊〉 miserable condition Besides the things contained in it referring to another world which wiâ— fall under an after consideration let us here observe that in this life it is very fearful and thaâ— observable on a double account There is 〈◊〉 Curse on all their Blessings They do enjoy many favours in this life through the benignity oâ— God but there is a Curse upon them all anâ— that not only to remove them but to harm theâ— in the very enjoyment hence that Deut. 28. 1â— c. and we have such an expression Mal. 2. 〈◊〉 I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them 〈◊〉 ready every thing doth them hurt all tends tâ— their disadvantage Their Table is a snare c. Psal 6â— 22. Whereas they that are pardoned have thâ— Curse removed from them this is a benefit promised in Rev. 22. 3. There shall be no more Cursâ— and this flows from forgiveness There is 〈◊〉 Curse also in their Afflictions and that is 〈◊〉 which puts the bitterness into them All thâ— Afflictions that come upon Unpardoned Sinners are the Executions of the Sentence 〈◊〉 the Law and are dispensed by God as a Judgâ— We read in Eccles 5. 17. He hath much sorrâ— and wrath with his Sickness in all this there 〈◊〉 a signification of vengeance and they come 〈◊〉 tell men what they are to expect But thâ— the pardoned man may meet with afflictioâ— and sore trials yet the bitterness is taken oâ— because they are though oftentimes the frâ— of anger yet of love too Heb. 12. 6. they aâ— not the beginning of sorrows but to prevent greater 1 Cor. 11. 32. and they shall do them no hurt but good Rom. 8. 28. 4. It stops the mouths of all accusers and makes void all their charges We have that demand of the Apostle Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that Justifieth an unpardoned sinner is liable to the clamour of every accuser and whensoever his Sin is charged upon him by his own Conscience and the terrors of the Lord are set before him he hath nothing to support himself with but is liable to all horror and despair being conscious of his Guilt and the Wrath that is out against him But it is not so with him that is pardoned When his own heart 〈…〉 him that he hath been such a Sinner and 〈…〉 n endeavours to terrify him with the most 〈…〉 ful representations of Sin and the Law and 〈…〉 Wrath of God and would fain distress him 〈…〉 withal he hath his pardon to shew Signed 〈…〉 Sealed by the Spirit of God so that he can 〈…〉 of his sins with deepest abasement and soul 〈…〉 ling thoughts and yet not be terrified with 〈…〉 2 Cor. 7. 11. It takes away the terrours of the Grave It 〈…〉 not indeed prevent the death of Gods peo 〈…〉 ut it takes off the horror of it Death is 〈…〉 the King of Terrours and well may it be so 〈…〉 unpardoned Sinner for it is his pasport in 〈…〉 dless miseries and a dreadful thing it is to 〈…〉 expectation of dying and horribly afraid to dy as the awakened Sinner is under such an apprehension and the very reason is because he is not forgiven But this man is here also safe we read Rom. 8. 10. The body is dead by reason oâ— sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness anâ— this is his consolation under the apprehensioâ— of his great Change What could Paul sayâ— 2 Cor. 5. 1. and how willingly could Job livâ— waiting for his Change Job 14. 14. this is it thaâ— unstings death 1 Cor. 15. 55. 6. It quencheth the fire of Hell The Unpardoned Sinner is going to Everlasting Burningsâ— the Curse is dragging him to the place where thâ— Worm dies not and the fire is not quenched theâ— endless plagues are prepared on purpose for himâ— and without a pardon there is no escaping 〈◊〉 them the doom is past upon him and there 〈◊〉 no other way for the aversion of it but this anâ— this is a misery which exceeds our present comprehension and the expectation of it is tremeâ—dous iâ— is a fearful looking for Judgment and fiâ— indignation Heb. 10. 27. But where a pardon 〈◊〉 bestowed this Execution is stopt and the Seâ—tence which adjudged him to it is reversed aâ— he can now meditate of these terrible thiâ— with a sedate mind and improve this meditâ—on to the raising of his soul to the more admition at the wonderful kindness of God in givâ— him a delivery from these torments and is 〈◊〉 this happiness indeed is not he beyond questâ— a blessed man who is thus freed from all thâ— miseries this is the lot of every one that is â—doned 2. The priviledges which flow from or attend upon this pardon do no less declare the blessedness of such an one these have not the shadow but the substance of felicity in them Pardon of Sin brings with it all the benefits of Christ forgiveness derives to us through him
amends for all the pains that we can be at in seeking after it USE III. Let it be for a word of Consolatiâ— to all such as are pardoned Are all such blesseâ— men how should the apprehension of this comfort our hearts and certainly if we do not finâ— more sweetness in it than in all that is delight fâ— in this world we never felt the burden of Guâ— thereby and may well question whether we aâ— forgiven or no. Are you delivered from wraâ— to come and can any thing else damp your joyâ— is not here enough to ballance yea to swallow 〈◊〉 all other sorrows whatsoever And that you maâ— suitably express this joy of yours take these twâ— words of direction 1. Bless God for this wonderful gift This 〈◊〉 none of the least of the arguments which the Psâ—mist useth to stir up his Soul to bless God in Psâ— 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities And theâ— is abundant matter of thankfulness in it whethâ— we consider the free benignity which it discoveâ— God owed it not to us he hath not indulgâ— every one with it and we did no more to obtâ— it than they he not only offered it to us bâ— drew us to accept it he gave his only Son to pâ—cure it for us and he sent his Spirit into oâ— hearts to apply it to us or if we consider 〈◊〉 greatness of the benefit it self which is uncoâ—ceivable And can we sufficiently admire blâ— 2. Let us study to live as becomes pardoned â—es What manner of Conversation ought we to â—ad in the world to whom God hath given his â—e forgiveness Shall we not loath Sin more by â—e consideration of the great pardon that is given 〈◊〉 Shall we not abstain from it with the more â—re and abhorrence by considering what it cost â—e Son of God to procure a Remission of it for 〈◊〉 Shall we not make it our constant care and â—deavour to please and serve that God who hath â—alt so bountifully with us Shall we not love â—m who hath so loved us And if we do indeed â—ve him according to this obligation it will cerâ—inly make us willing and unwearied in seeking 〈◊〉 express this love suitably in dayly Dying unto â—n and Living unto Holiness and pursuing of this 〈◊〉 our days Gods forgiveness extends to all Sin DOCTRINE II. GOD'S forgiveness extends to all Sin This is implyed in the threefold expression of Sin â—ere used which contain under them not only â—e errours that men are apt to fall into but also â—e crooked and perverse nature and actions which â—ey are chargable with yea the bold proud and â—gh handed Transgressions which they rebelliously perpetrate against God Give me leave first 〈◊〉 explain the Doctrine and then to give the reasoâ— for it 1. In the Explication we may premise Thâ— there is one Sin which in the Gospel is exempâ—ed from forgiveness and but one It is true 〈◊〉 Sin impenitently persisted in unto death leavâ— the Sinner unpardoned for there is neither Saâ—ing Repentance nor forgiveness to be obtainâ— in another World by one that dies in his Sins bâ— it is not because former impenitency may not 〈◊〉 pardoned upon Repentance but because the Sinâ— hath by persisting in it lost the opportunity of 〈◊〉 day of Grace But there is one that in it 〈◊〉 puts the man in this life out of all hope of pâ—don and that is called The Sin against the Hâ— Ghost of which our Saviour so speaks Mark 〈◊〉 28 29. This is that which is called the Sin 〈◊〉 Death which puts the man out of our Prayeâ— 1 Joh. 5. 16. And this is that which is describâ— to us Heb. 6 4 5. Nor indeed is this Sin unpâ—donable because its Guilt out-bids the value of 〈◊〉 Atonement but because by it the man puts hiâ—self out of the road of forgiveness according 〈◊〉 the Divine Ordination and by a malicious â—nouncing of the Gospel and the Spirit of Gâ— in it after great illuminations and an high pâ—fession he provokes God to give him over to haâ—ness of heart and searedness of Conscience wheâ— by he is Sealed to final impenitence there beâ— a total and final withdrawing of the Spirit froâ— him Concerning which I shall only say thâ— much that the person who is troubled and grieved in himself for fear lest he have commitâ—ed this Sin hath therein a good evidence that â—e hath not since the Gospel seems to give that â—s one inseparable concomitant of it viz. an obâ—inate and a malicious hatred of the Gospel way â—f Salvation But this sin only excepted all oâ—her sins whatsoever are pardonable yea and we â—ave the instances of such as have been guilty â—f them and yet obtained forgiveness Let me 〈◊〉 little open this in the following remarks 1. The greatest and vilest sins in themselves â—ay be forgiven Our Catechism tells us that â—me sinâ— are in themselves more heinous than others â—nd the Scripture is full for it Not but that all â—s are equally transgressions of the Law and â—onsequently incur the guilt of Eternal Death â—et if we consider and compare some with oâ—ers there is in the things themselves more of â—e malignity of the heart discovered in some â—an in others God therefore tells the Prophet â—at he will shew him greater abominations Ezek. 〈◊〉 6 13 15. It is a sin to be angry without cause â—ut greater to commit actual Murder a sin to â—urmur against God but greater to blaspheme â—c Now the greatest and most abominable of â—ese are not out of the reach of a pardon and â—e may well argue that if Gods forgiveness exâ—nds to those that are greater it is not out bid â—y those that are lesser there are scarlet and â—imson sins and yet these may be washed away â—a 1. 18. I might here instance in those that are deservedly reputed the most odious and scandalous and point you to such as have been horribâ— guilty of them and yet obtained mercy and aâ— now glorified Saints in Heaven we have 〈◊〉 whole heap of them numbred together aâ— such an observation made on them 1 Cor. 6â— 10. 11. Murder is an horrible sin and 〈◊〉 blood of the innocent cryes to heaven for vengâ—ance and yet David obtained a pardon for thâ— he prays Psal 51. 14. Deliver me from blood gâ—tiness and the Prophet tells him 2 Sam. 12. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not dy Idolatry is a fearful sin aâ— that which is terribly threatned in the Word 〈◊〉 God and yet God invites such to return upâ— the promise of pardon Jer 3. begin Blasphemy iâ— sin of the first rate for men to rend and teâ— and reproach the Name of the Great God aâ— yet all manner of blasphemies the fore cited 〈◊〉 excepted may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Pâ— though a blasphemer obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Witchcraft is an odious crime for men to 〈◊〉 themselves to Satan and practice his hellish aâ— God would not have such suffered to live aâ— yet there
punishment of such is likâ— to be far more Intolerable than that of others Yoâ— should therefore look upon the aggravations oâ— your Sins to be the more Potent incentives 〈◊〉 drive you to God for forgiveness 3. If you do not make hast it will quickly bâ— too late It must be done while God sits on 〈◊〉 throne of Grace or else it cannot be done at alâ— when he hath sat out his patience and given oâ— the Oath there is then no pardon to be had Aâ— great Sinners have the greatest reason to be afraiâ— lest the day should be done speedily for of 〈◊〉 Sinners such have least hope to escape and suâ— Sins give special provocation to an Holy God 〈◊〉 make a speedy work with them Be then awakeâ—ed and perswaded forth-with to fly to the City 〈◊〉 Refuge USE IV. Learn we hence not to be dâ—couraged from using means for the Salvation 〈◊〉 others notwithstanding their grievous Sinning against God There is in every gracious Soul an earnest desire after the good and welfare of others their Children Friends Neighbours which puts them upon endeavours with and for them longing that they may be freed from Condemnation and obtain forgiveness of God but when they have used all means and waited with much patience and find all to work contrary with them and they grow worse under all and are now fallen into more horrible and scandalous Sins and habituated to them and it may be to despise Counsel and hate to be reproved they are ready to give them up for gone and abandon all farther endeavours for them reputing them hopeless But here is that which may prevent such desperate conclusions and put you upon renewing your endeavours again Remember there is forgiveness with God even for such as they are they are not gone so far but that God may still turn them at last and have mercy upon them Their Sins are astonishing but not beyond the line of forgiveness their hearts are hardned but not beyond the ability of God to soften them they have provoked him to cast them off for ever but who knows but that he may yet come and exalt his infinite Grace in giving them a pardon Let this hope then revive your Spirits and though you do it with fear and trembling yet be the more ardent and earnest with and for them Counsel them affectionately warn them with greatest Solemnity and pray for them with all importunity plead Gods Power and his Grace too and how much he can shew it forth to his eternal praise in extending iâ— to them and put him in mind of the infinitâ— vertue and value of the Sacrifice of Christ leâ— him not alone who knows but you may prevailâ— and either in this life or when you are gone tâ— Heaven see a joyful return of your endeavouâ— to your eternal satisfaction Pardon removes the load 〈◊〉 Sin from the Sinner DOCTRINE III. GOD in pardoning of Sin removes the loâ— of it from the Sinner There are thrâ— words used in our Text by which this forgiveneâ— is expressed which do set it out emphatically 〈◊〉 the opening whereof will help to discover thâ— excellency of this benefit We observed that thâ— word translated forgiven signifies to take a thiâ— off and is a metaphor from an heavy load thâ— oppresseth one Such is sin here supposed to bâ— and pardon to give the man ease by taking 〈◊〉 off from him There are two Propositions here to be takeâ— notice of viz. 1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heavâ— burden 2. That Forgiveness removes this burden froâ— the Sinner 1. That the Guilt of Sin is an exceeding heavy burden Sin as light as the most of men make of it is an oppressing and intollerable load and it is Guilt that makes it so the truth of this conclusion will appear from the consideration of three things 1. From the nature of Guilt it self and indeed there need no more but this to clear the truth in hand In the Demonstration of this I shall not insist largely Guilt is properly an obligation lying upon a Sinner to suffer punishment and it falls upon him as soon as he hath by Sin made himself obnoxious It properly ariseth from the relation which he bears to the Law of God All mankind originally are the Subjects of the Law and by the Transgression of it they are denominated Sinners 1 Joh. 3. 4. Now there is in the Law a threatning of punishment denounced against the man in case of his sinning and by vertue of this threatning as soon as the man is chargeable with Sin he is under that Sentence by which the punishment becomes due to him and is judicially laid upon him and it is truly and properly the Guilt under consideration We are to distinguish between the Sentence of the Law and of the Judge the former renders the man Guilty in his state the latter doth but declare him to be so and accordingly adjudge him to punishment the Verdict of the Jury doth not make the man guilty but finds him so and if he were not so before it is a false Verdict Now this must needs be an heavy weight and will appear so if we consider that the whole punishmenâ— that is due to and deserved by sin is hereby laid upon the Sinner and he is held fast to the suffering of it and he that shall read aâ— the Curses of the Law and the fearful thingâ— that are therein threatned must needs say thâ— they are unconceivably heavy and enough 〈◊〉 make the stoutest Sinner to sink under them 〈◊〉 these when they shall come to be born will 〈◊〉 found unsupportable and it must needs be veâ— oppressive to have them charged upon the maâ— so as Guilt doth for a man to read over 〈◊〉 the Curses of the book of God and have 〈◊〉 Conscience to tell him this is thy portion thâ— art the man against whom this doom is out aâ— must expect every moment when it will fâ— upon thee is extreamly oppressive and yâ— this is the nature of Guilt but this will 〈◊〉 farther illustrated in the next thing 2. From the bitter groans and complaints 〈◊〉 those who have been under the apprehension 〈◊〉 the guilt of Sin How have they cried out 〈◊〉 oppressed and sinking under their burden whâ— nothing else hath ailed them but only God haâ— awakned them and charged their sins heavy upâ— their Consciences with the discovery of his tâ—rors or that Wrath which was out against theâ— for their sin this may be exemplified in thâ— respects 1. The resentment that impenitent Sinners have had of this Guilt when awakned God hath left us some instances of it and testimonies about it in his word for our admonition How was it with Cain when his doom was past upon him Gen. 4. 13. and whence arose that despairing conclusion of his but from the weight of his Guilt and how was it with Judas upon this account Mat. 28. begiu out of doubt it was the intollerableness of the
appearance And certainly if mens Lives are full of Guile their Spirits are so too He that is an Hypocrite in his Life may well be presumed to be so in his Heart and how unprofitably doth such an one please himself with expectation to be forgiven Job 36. 13. But let all such know that their hopes will ere-long prove as the Spiders web and certainly perish Let me say to such if Piety be not a thing to be chosen why do you pretend to it And if it be why do you no more but pretend to it Think of this you that talk high of Religion and yet lead a Licentious Life You that study no more than to get mens good word and to baffle your own Consciences that they may not lead you a wretched Life 2. Learn hence one reason why so many Christians are in the dark about their state of forgiveness How often do they complain that they are full of fears and doubts and hurries in their minds concerning themselves afraid they are not in Gods favour that he hath not pardoned them And whence is his distress and darkness Far be it that I should Condemn the Generation of the just I know that God acts a great deal of his Sovereignty here they are not all Hypocrites that are in such a condition Isa 53. 10. How ever it is to be feared that too many give sad occasion for this by their own folly and provoke God thus to withdraw the light of his Countenance from them whiles they take too tittle heed to themselves and keep not a strict watch over the deceitfulness that remains in their hearts but suffer themselves to be trapanned by 〈◊〉 into carriages that are deceitful Was it not thus with the Spouse Cant. 5. begin And upon it her beloved Withdraws from her And when Gods Children turn Lawful Liberty into Licentiousness comply with the humours modes and customs of a vain world upon pretence of Civility whe◠they grow formal and slightly in the performance of Spiritual duties and admit of carnal pretence to intermit them c. They do in these things gratify the Guile of their worser part and if God upon it witholds the witness of his Love and darkens the evidence of it it is a Righteous dispensation and did they more carefully maintain an awful fear of God in their hearts it would not so frequently be so Psal 25. 24. USE II. Let it then be for EXAMINATION and this is the very design of the Text it being laid down to give the Character of a pardoned man Let us then prove our state by this are we such 〈◊〉 whose Spirit is no Guile To excite us to this Consider 1. It it of unspeakable moment for us to know whether we are Pardoned or no. This discovery wi◠give us light to know whether we are happy 〈◊〉 miserable If our Sins are pardoned then are we Delivered from our Judge then are we At Pea◠with God then our own Consciences have the foundation of Peace in them If forgiven then Justified then are we found Righteous and shall be adjudged to Eternal Life then out of danger of all our Accusers and we shall be able to stand 〈◊〉 the Judgment and what a Blessedness is this◠But if we are not forgiven then we are Condemn already and the wrath of God abides on us we have him for our Enemy and all the Curses in his book are out against us and pursuing of us to Everlasting Destruction and is not this a Misery indeed What case then can there be that calls more loudly for a through resolution of it You know that in your natural state you are Guilty and Condemned and till you are pardoned your own Consciences must say that you abide under the Sentence and what quiet or comfort can you have whiles it is so Can you but go in a fearful Expectation of the wrath of God to fall upon and devour you 2. This is a thing that may be known it is a case whereof a resolution is to be obtained God hath not left us necessarily in the dark upon this account but as he hath given us Directions in his word how to come by a pardon so he hath there afforded us Rules by which we may prove our Title to it And though our comfortable perswasion of it depends on the witness of his Spirit with ours yet the evidence of it is to be sought for and found in our selves There are those things which accompany it that are distinguishable from all other things and unto which the promise is firmly made which when the Spirit hath wrought in us he thereby leaves a pledge of his Everlasting Love from whence we may argue safely that we are pardoned and shall be Saved God therefore bids us to Try 〈◊〉 selves 2 Cor. 13. 5. 3. This is given for one Evidence by which to prove 〈◊〉 If we have the Grace in our Hearts which renders us Sincere if we have indeed made choise of Christ and him alone to be our Lord and Saviour and have heartily embraced and devoted our selves to his Service if we are Upright in our Profession it will be an undeceiving witness of a pardoned state When God giveth a New Heart he also giveth a Sentence of Absolution Repentance and Remission go together Act. 5. 31. 4. If there be Guile in our Spirits we cannot hide it from Gods All seeing Eye If we have dealt Hypocritically in our Profession and made a pretence of chusing God to be our God and devoting our selves to his Service a shew of Repentance and turning from our Sins of Faith in embracing Christ entring into Covenant with him and mean while Our heart is not right with him He is not mocked there is no blinding of him and he will find 〈◊〉 out our Guile will never hurt him but it will turn upon our own heads We may deceive others and our selves too but not God Let 〈◊〉 then be serious and earnest in this matter and 〈◊〉 Rules of Tryal 1. Were you ever convinced of your natural Guileful Spirit We all bring such an one with us into the World Psal 58. 4. And the Spirit of God in the work of Conversion makes men to see and confess it The Conviction of Sin that is his work Joh. 16 8. Carries this in it The Deceitfulness 〈◊〉 mens Hearts is one of the Great discoveries th◠God makes to them when he comes to do the◠good Jer. 17. 9 10. And indeed men would never seek to be delivered from it till they we◠made to apprehend it in themselves and how few are so perswaded how many plead for themselves that they always scorned Hypocrisy Cheating hath ever been odious to them and they love plain dealing and such men never knew their own hearts for though there be such a moral principle in some natural men with respect to their words and carriages to others yet towards God and their own Souls every unconverted man is a great
pass upon the man as shall make him to know the sinfulâ—ess of his sin so as to discover it vile and hateâ—ul else he will not repent of it Every natural man is in love with Sin natural corruption calls â—t good approves of it he hath chosen it and â—ll he hath another discovery made of it to him â—e will hold it fast not let it go In true Repenâ—nce there is a turuing from sin and it is the act of a â—asonable Creature and therefore he must see â—eason for it else he will not because his heart knit to it and there are two things necessary to â—e seen in it viz. The miseries it hath exposed him â—â— and the vileness of its nature for though a â—al Repentance may be wrought by the former â—t that which is Evangelical will not be without the latter hence both are put together Jer. 2. 1â— The end of Conviction is to drive the man so Repentance and hence will naturally draw some such a Confession of it 2. The Sin thus seen must be heartily bewaile There is a Sorrow for Sin that accompanieth truâ— Repentance and helps to make it unrepentable and is to be a witness that it is sincere It is not enough that the man leave off the former practise of the Sin but Repentance requires that he express real grief of heart that ever he was guilty 〈◊〉 sinning so Ephraim Jer. 31. 18. And God promiseth to put such a spirit into his people when he cometh to turn them graciously Zech. 12. 10. 〈◊〉 In which bewailing of Sin there is besides him grief for it a lamentable crying out against it that which hath brought all our misery upon 〈◊〉 so Paul in Rom. 7. And this also carrieth in an implicit confession especially when we consider that he must bewail it as his own Ezek. 17. 16. 3. The man must judge himself for it In tâ— Repentance there is a formal process in the mâ—â— against himself Conscience doth in the naâ— of God call a Court in the man he Summoâ— himself to the Tribunal he indicts himself 〈◊〉 sinning against God in transgressing his Hâ— Law chargeth it on himself as done voluntanâ— by the naughtiness of his own heart finds him self Guilty and ratifieth the threatning of God Word against himself all this is contained in tâ—â— one Hypothesis 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our heart condâ—â— us The word is used for the â—pronouncing Sentence on a Guilty Malefactor Now what â—â—dence doth the man use in this process but his â—n Conscience which is done by a free and â—ll confession acknowledging that he hath done â—â—e thing and done sinfully in it Psal 106. 6. 4. He must turn away from it by an utter rejecting Repentance is a turning and that supposeth â—o terms now the term from which is his 〈◊〉 and what manner of turning this is the word of God acquainteth us There is a turning â—â—m it by abstinence or leaving off and that supâ—â—seth a being perswaded of the unprofitableness â—â—d vileness of it which carrieth in it an acknowledgment Job 33. 27. But there is also in this â—â—ning an abjuration of it the man is divorced â—n his sin he casteth it off resolving never to â—â—ve to do with it any more Hos 14. 8. Job 34. â— And this is attended with a self loathing and â—â—red of his sin and putting it to open shame â—â—ich must needs carry such a confession in it 5. He must turn unto God This is the term to â—hich all true Repentance leads so God points â—â—em Jer. 4. 1. If you will return return to me a man leaveth off one sin and diverteth to either this is only a traversing of his way and â—â—veth that he hath left no sin heartily Now â—our turning from Sin to God there are two â—â—ngs aimed at without both which there is acceptable turning and both of them call confession we turn to him for his favour â—â—d that we may obtain reconciliation and we 〈◊〉 of him pardon which that we may gain he expecteth our hearty confession and we dâ— it with a full purpose to devote our selves to 〈◊〉 Service thence forward and that presumes a confession that we have before been uneven in it aâ—â— seek of him grace to carry it more upright afterwards Psal 80. 18. 10. The Glory of God is much concerned in the Confession It is suitably accommodated to the way in which God will exalt his name in the Salvation of Sinners for 1. Forgiveness of Sins is an act of Gods free favâ—â— to the Sinner He was fallen under the Condemnation of the Law and into the hand of Revenging Justice the Sentence was past upon hâ—â— that he must dy and it was righteous he himself was utterly unable to satisfie for his oâ—â— Guilt nor was there a ransom price to be fouâ— in heaven or earth among created beings tâ—â— would answer the demands of Justice or buy 〈◊〉 his penalty from him If ever then he be 〈◊〉 livered from the Wrath to come God must provide his own Satisfaction and conferr it upâ—â— the Sinner gratis and he must have it with money and price Gods pardon is bestowed 〈◊〉 his own name sake Psal 25. 11. 2. Gods design in this is the Exaltation of 〈◊〉 Glory of his Grace in pardoning the Sinner 〈◊〉 must have some design in all his Works beâ— a wise and intelligent Agent this design mâ— ultimately refer to his own Glory for beâ— the chief Good he must be the last end of things hence though he aimeth at the Sinâ— Salvation in it yet that must be in order and subordination to his own Glory which can be no other than his Declarative Glory for as to that which is essential to him it is perfect nor can it be greater or lesser Now though his Justice doth receive a wonderful illustration and sits in State â—n the way which he hath contrived to bring this about yet the great Attribute which is celebrated â—n and by this effect is his Grace nor can we conceive how this Attribute could be more eminently illustrated than in this way What greater Grace can we think of than that the great God â—he hath no need of the Creature was highly provoked by it and could have gotten himself a â—ame for ever in its eternal ruine should without â—o much as being sought to by the Sinner of his â—wn meer good will provide so richly for its deâ—â—â—erance from Wrath as not to spare his own Son â—â—t give him for a ransome Well might the Apoâ—â—le ascribe it hither Eph. 1. 5 6. 3. Hence this rich grace of his is to be celebrated by â—s in it As we are the monuments of it so he expects of us suitably to be acknowledged for 〈◊〉 We must not only be the instances but the proclaimers of this Grace we are not only to be â—assive but active in Glorifying God and he hereby layeth on us the most potent obligation â—ereto We can never recompence him
other Thus only can his spotless Holiness be vindicated and his Justice shine forth when you declare that not for your sakes but for his own name sake he doth it when you so apply to the Righteousness of Christ alone for his favour and to such as thus do he hath opened a door of hope he hath said that he that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy Prov. 28. 13. He hath proclaimed an invitation to such Jer. 3. 12 13. Thus the Publican came and was Justified thus the Prodigal came and was received into favour and if you seek redress in any other way your wound may be skinned over but never healed 2. To the Converted You that are in a pardoned state this Exhortation belongs to you also and there is never an one of you but may have occasion for making use of it Remember there is â—one of us but is dayly liable to sin whiles a deceitful heart within and a tempting Devil and a â—â—ning world without are giving us provocation and if we are drawn into sin we are thereby exposed to trouble it makes a wound and we may â—ook for pain The Spirit of God will put us to â—ouble in order to a kindly repentance and Saâ—â—n will molest us seeking to drive us to despair and when it is so the only way in which we â—an look for stable relief is in a right acknowledging of our sins to God And here 1. Keep up the exercise of thus confessing for the â—epenting of this distress There are daily failings â—nd follies in us and these will scratch us and â—stly fester if not heeded There are that have had much quiet and peace and have not fallen into any scandalous sin and yet have lost the apprehension of their peace and are full of trouble and it hath been occasioned by a neglect of themselves in regard of sins of dayly infirmity Be then advised 1. To be calling your selves to a daily account Enquire and see what Sins have past you and with what allowance they have so done it may be vain thoughts entertained and taken too much content in it may be some foolish or frothy communication sported in some sinful passion given too much way to some duty neglected some dishonour done to God by others which you have not duly witnessed against and if you enquire not you will be at a loss 2. Upon discovery to bring every such sin and ley it open before God ingeniously Make an humble hearty and distinct confession over it and beâ— of God his forgiveness Out of doubt this iâ— implyed in that petition which Christ hath made one essential part of our daily prayer to God Forgive us our Sins If thus we would improve our Consciences as our Monitors encourage their fidelity in it take their rebukes weâ—â— and so use them it would prevent their being forced to be our accusers and thus addressing of God would also be the way to keep 〈◊〉 Communion with him and prevent the withdrawings of his familiar manifestation of himself to us 3. Let us be seriously earnest with God that will search us It is this hiding of sin that usually creates all the trouble to a Child of God if we could fly to Christ presently to have his Balm poured in it would not likely be so and because we cannot of our selves know all our Errors we should go to him to discover them thus is he advised to do Job 34. 32. Thus did the Psalmist Psal 26. begin 139. 23. And I believe there is not a better note of truth and sincerity of heart than an earnest desire to have our sins discovered to us in order to our through repentance of them and a ready entertaining of any Convictions offered to us on the account it saith that we are jealous of our selves with an holy jealousie and that we hate sin as our worst enemy 2. Are you under distress of Conscience Take this course for your recovery again Encouragements to this will follow in the next Doctrine For Direction 1. Be convinced that your sinful silence hath occasined this trouble If you had not gone about â—o hide and dissemble it would never have â—ome to this I believe that upon due enquiry you will seldom miss of finding this to impute to your selves 2. Be sure now to lay your selves open to God without any reserves Keep silence no longer â—ince the matter no more deal plainly and â—penly with that God who searcheth hearts and â—â—eth them throughly lay your selves as low and make your selves as vile as may be before him Thus have Gods Children been wont to do 3. And now confess and bewail your former silence too So doth the Psalmist verse 3. Acknowledge this to have procured your trouble and justifie God in it Charge folly on your selves and say that God hath been righteous and merciful too in thus afflicting you 4. If yet upon such confession you find no relief but the distress abideth then 1. Examine your Confessions See if they have been right in all the respects of them or whether there be not some notorious defect It is good ever to suspect our selves our own deceitful hearts Have you been through without reserves have you laid load sufficient on your sins have you heartily renounced and forsaken them do you maintain a more strict watch over your selves c. 2. Now wait on God patiently for the Testimony of his Spirit and resolve to tarry his time 1. Think how just it is with God to keep silence You did so sinfully but he doth it righteously and it is fit for you to wait his leisure who iâ— free in his Grace and owes you nothing bâ—â— confusion 2. Improve his silence to make you more humble and vile in your own eyes He would have you to know that he hath now spit in your face and if he shut you out of the camp seven days it is to abaid you labour after a gracious silence say as hâ— Psal 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it 3. Remember there is none else can speak peace 〈◊〉 you but he He only can bind up your wounds anâ— set your broken bones if he will not none else can and if he will let you feel the pain of it first there is no wrong doing with him he knoweth his own designs 4. Be sure to hope in his Grace Hope must nourish Patience believe that he is a Gracious God and hath made gracious promises and cannot ly and though he tarry for the present he will come in due time and blessed are they that wait for him 2. It now followeth that we consider of the success that the Psalmist found upon his free and full confession of his Sin thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Doubtless David here recommends his experience for the encouragement of others on like occasions and the words are very emphatical he tells us that he acknowledged and then addeth that he did say that he
5. If you are found among the wicked at last â—â— see your doom The assertion is positive and admâ— oâ— no exceptions but only that the man who oâ— â—as wicked be so no more for if he continues so 〈◊〉 is his lot from the hands of God and what a â—â—iseâ—y will it be to please our selves with a deceivâ—d hope that we are escaped the danger and conâ—â—ary to all our expectation to fall into all these sorâ—ows and be swallowed up of them in eternal perdition and let our hopes be never so strong yet if they be Hypâ—eritical in the foundation of them we see what they will come to Job 8 12. Let us â—hen see to it and bâ—ing our selves to the touchâ—one of the word prove our selves with greatest â—xactness USE II. Let it be for a word of solemn awakening â—â— every wicked person to whom it shall come And â—â—stake me not I do not only speak â—o such as are â—uilty of and live in flagicious câ—imes such as the â—â—ght of nature and common Morality testiâ—y aâ—ainst but to all that are not yet gotten out of â—heir natural state by a true Conversion but reâ—â—in under the dominion of sin and never felt the â—fficacy of the Grace of God in bringing of them â—ut of themselves unto a Saviour and turning them â—rom Sin to Himself that are strangers to the Savâ—â—â— change wrought by the Spirit in all those whom â—â— makes the Children of God and there are seâ—eral practical lessons I have to offer to such and â—â—treat them to set about in good earnest 1. Let this help to wean your affections from sin There is a natural delight which all ungodly men 〈◊〉 in their wicked courses they are so eager afâ—â—â— them that they lose their rest for them Prov 4. 16. â—â—d there is nothing so sweet to them as that which God hath forbidden Chap 9. 16. But it is from their prodigious ignorance of the after claps of such courses Ver. 17. It is indeed the disposition of corrupt nature to call evil good and so pursue it with its closing Affections but sure this is enough to take off the edge of these affections to consider and believe what a fearful reckoning men must come to after their pleasant morsels what sorrows men lay in for themselves by their delightful Sins and that in proportion to the content they take therein Rev. 187. Is it not enough to make a man throw a cup of the most inviting drink on the ground to consider that it is mixed with the most deadly poyson Such is the case here hence such a caution Prov. 23. 31 32. Who but a mad man will for a moments pleasure expose himself unavoidably to eternal sorrows 2. Hence let it help to quench in you the temptations to sin It Satan and your wicked hearts incite you to the Commission of sin they use arguments to allure you to entertain this invitation and endeavour to accommodate them to your carnal inclinations which readily work on the lusts that are in you and how shall we supâ—ress these Certainly it is best to do it with such arguments as may carry more force in them to deter us and if the respect we have for God wiâ—â— not do it who calls it the abominable thing that he hâ—teth which argument is of no force with a wicked man who is fallen short of the Glory of God yet one would think pity to our selves shouâ—â— have some efficacy upon us who have a self loâ— rooted in us although horribly defiled by Origâ—nal Sin Well you see what it will come to at length Lay then all in the ballance say there is a certain destruction attends uncountable and incomparable sorrows will be the exit and now ask seriously is there that in any in all of the allurements offered which will countervail and make amends for this and if not say I will not cast my self into eternal torments for a moments content in sin 3. Let it mar your mirth in the commission of sin It is horrible to see what mirth and pleasancy Sinners take in their leud courses how jocund they are when they get together singing and drinking and taking Gods Name in vain but here is a thought that will spoil all and it would be well if thus they might prevent that which is infinitely worse Think with your selves in the midst of your Cups and Cards and lascivious dalliances and debauched Songs what makes me thus merry who are an heir of sorrow It is the Wise mans observation Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that laughter is heaviness and so it is of all wicked mens carnal sports Think then thus am I damning my own Soul filling up the Cup of bitter wrath that must be given me to drink ere long if I follow such courses as these are 4. Let it embitter sin to you after the commission of it It is none of the least infelicities of ungoldly men and that which tends to harden them in sin to destruction that they not only sport themselves in sin whiles they are committing of it but take a great deal oâ— sinâ—ul pleasure in ruminating on it afterwards wiâ—h what pleasancy do they think how dâ—liâ—htfully do they â—alk of their merry bouts but I can tell you a more profiâ—able recollection or review of these things though it be more troublesome for the present yet let me advise you to it and that is set Conscience to work and think I have been dishonouring God provoking him by my leud carriages and daring of him â—o fall upon me in his wrath I have been carrying Wood to my Pile of vengeance and laying up sorrows for my self Let Conscience solâ—mnly enquire What have I done And feâ—ch in the Word of God that will tell you a fearful story how might this tend to your deliverance 5. Let it make you rest less till you are delivered from the Guilt and Dominion of sin When God comes to Convert Sinners to himself and win them to a compliance with tâ—e offered grace of the Gospel he is wont to begin with awakenings and terrors to shew them their misery and danger so to sire them out of their refuges of lies and break the league between them and their lusts for which he applies such things to their consideration as shall convince them and put them into a concernedness about themselves and the Gospel Ordinances are appointed as means for this end Now there is no consideration of more weight on this accouut than this before us be then advised to right improving of it and to that end 1. Think much and often of these sorrows The threatnings of the Word of God the miserieâ— contained in the Curse and included in the death which Sinners are doomed too is a common place very profitable for them to be much in the contemplation of it is the neglect of this that makes them secure and confident God would have
consequently the latteâ— must be evidential of the former in as much as this uprightness is not imputed but imparted and hath the operations in us that are discernable which are such as these 1. You have seen the evil and bitterness of Sin Sin remains here in the upright but God will have them be in the mortification of it in which a warfare is maintained and for this he makes the man know the vileness of it Jer. 2. 19. They to whom God hath not embittered sin may well question their state and conclude that he hath not planted his Grace in them 2. You have truly repented of it The root of integrity is laid in Repentance Gospel Repentance wrought in the heart is that which makes it upright for by it the heart is changed and all its faculâ—ies made new habitually turned from sin to God which is the reason of the sincerity of their actual turning so that they who have not repented are not upâ—ight 3. You have accepted of Christ for a Prince as well as a Saviour Christ is not divided it a gues a false heart when we would have him to Save us from Hell but like not his subduing our sins for us the heart is divided that cannot be upright Uprightness hath a desire after perfect Holiness and finds as much need of the Spiâ—it of Christ to lead him as his merits to justify him 4. You hate every false way You come short in all but you hate your sins and the sincerity of it is it reacheth to all sin Psal 119. 104. You have not reserved one â—osome lust to dally withal and when you find the cravings of the flesh most eager you more earnestly set against that because you find it is your sin 5. You delight in the law of God as to the inward man Thus Paul vindicates his sincerity under the humbling sense of his impotency Rom. 7. 22. And you may know it by this when you are best pleased and most thankful to God when he affords you Grace to make you faithful and can say as he Psal 119. 56. 6. You are dayly perfecting Holiness You rest not where you are but pursue after farther degrees of Grace you can say as Paul Phil. 3. 13. 14. You have therein the evidence of an upright heart wherein you may take comfort and when you make one degree but a step to another and are still progressive Let us approve our selves by these things and improve the remarks we make thereon for our fartherance in the present duty USE III. For Exhortation and Direction and it may be applied 1. To all in general to get a secure title to this priviledge is there such a benefit to be had let every one seek to get a true interest in it and rest not till you have gotten it to move you to it Consider 1. All men have it not There is an affection of Joy planted in the Humane nature and every one seeks an object for it but the joy under consideration is not in common to all men but they are the least number of men who can make a true challenge of it Christ's Flock who are the only sons and daughters of Consolation is a little flock and if it belongs not to all it concerns every one to seek and use the means by which he may obtain it especially if we coâ—sider 2. The cravings of your nature cannot be satisfied without rejoycing We observed that Joy is an affection which hath a proper respect to the end we aim at now all mens aim or end is to be happy Psal 4. 6. Which happiness is Objectively that which may give compleat satisfaction and the act of it is the acquiessence of the soul in the enjoyment and this is nothing else but joy Now experience tells us that no man is at rest till he hath reached to this at least in his opinion The reason why any rejoyce is because either they think they have what they crave Hab. 1. 15 16. or because they suppose they have it in their eye and shall without doubt obtain and be satisfied 3. To rejoyce without this priviledge proceeds from the madness that is iâ— mens hearts The natural man labours of a spiritual frenzy Eccles 9. 3. And in nothing doth it more discover it self We read of them that rejoyce in a thing of nought Amos 6. 13. And if men are strangers to the joyes of the people of God they are things of no value which they take content in there is enough to undermine and eat out all for what can any thing else profit that man who lies open every moment to Gods revenging Justice from which these things cannot secure him 4. Hence the Worldlings joy is a pitiful thing compared with this Say there is something in it tho indeed it is but the hypocrisy of mirth yet it cannot deserve to be named in the same day with that of Gods Children The one is only from Gods patience and common goodness the other from his love in Christ the one hath only worldy things for its object the other God himself the one is perishing the other endures for ever Psal 16. ult 5. This title is to be obtained Christ hath purchased it and offers to make a conveyance of it to all that come within the call of the Gospel and iâ— it hath pointed the way how it may be obtained and earnestly invites men to comply therewith striving with them by means and his Spirit in them Matth. 11. 28. 6 If you do not now secure it you must ere long ly dowâ— in sorrow It is proper to the worldlings mirth to expire in heaviness Prov. 14 13 It may go ouâ— in this woâ—ld if God will and it will certainly bâ— extinguished when you dy and what will youâ— immortal Souls then do when you are swall weâ— up in the gulf of endless dâ—spair Be then advised to mâ—ke haste and if you say what shall we doâ— to gain this title let me offer this Diâ—ection â— Seek after the Righâ—eousness and Uprightness commended to you in the Text and Doctrine and to that end 1 See and bewail the miserable state you are in by reason of sin This is it that hath marred all your miâ—th and while you are under the dominion oâ— it all sorts of miseries are your portion You have lost your Righteousness by it and your strength is gone you are by it under Condemnation and become vain and unprofitable this condition must be seen and felt in order to a deliverance from it and you must bemoan your selves by reason of it Jer. 31. 18. Till you are burdened with it you will never seek a ransom from it 2 Renounce your own and go to Christ for hisâ— Righteousness Some have gotten a legal personal Righteousness which they boast of but it is indeed unrighteousness yet they hope to be accepted for it and this makes them to despise the offers of Christ to be their Righteousness thus
that is in him or what he is to those whose God he is Be ever acquainting your selves with your object the more you know his name the more will you trust in him Psa 9. 10. And consequently the more will you rejoyce for it is the joy of faith Often look over the Inventory of your portion you will therein find enough to employ your joy to the utmost latitude of it 2. Carefully avoid every thing that will tend to obstruct this joy If God in Soveraignty hides himself you must submissively bear it but do you nothing that hath a moral tendency to hinder the exercise of this grace Here more especially 1. Take heed of carnal joy Nothing is more inimical to spiritual rejoycing you may think you obey the command by it but none breaks it more and so far as Gods Children give way to iâ— they debauch their hearts and make them unfit for this Duty as well may a Wife fit her self to joy in her Husbands company by revelling with an Adulterer as a Child of God dispose himself for spiritual joy by diverting himself with that which is carnal 2. Be sure rightly to subordinate your natural and civil joy This becomes either good or evil to the person according as it is used there is a delight in relations friends health plenty peace c. But there is a snare in it Vain men think this Justifies any thing every thing and thereby they dishonour God and wrong themselves If you exercise this joy with a carnal mind and after a vain manner it becomes sin here then is the danger watch against it and the only way to prevent it to acknowledge God in these comforts and get your hearts more delighted in his Service by them 3. Beware of darkning your evidence by any sin Your actual joy is helped or hindred by the degrees of the clearness of your evidences and for that there must be the witness of your own spirits and of the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 16. And sin if allowed will obstruct them it will becloud the evidence of your own spirits darkning the things themselves from which you are to argue and it will provoke the Spirit of God to â—â—â—hhold his witness and then you must needs be at a loss Psal 51. 4. Maintain your faith in an entire relian 〈…〉 on the Righteousness of Christ Keep close to 〈◊〉 if Satan can get you off from it and bring you to look to any other Righteousness to render you accepted with God unto Justification there are so many flaws in it that he will rout and disturb your joy but if you resolve to live on this it will bear you out being made yours by faith it will answer every objection and set you down satisfied 5. Maintain your uprightness I intend not only be sure to walk uprightly but stand up in the defence of it whatsoever accusations are charged against it Satan will object how can integrity consist with so much imperfection and men will charge you for hypocrites as Jobs friends did him but being assured of it resolve not to part with it till you dy 3. Fortifie this joy against all worldly sorrows The prevalency of these often corrode our spirits and impede our rejoycing in God and there are many occasions for them in Providence we ought therefore to be always laying in against it And here 1. See how light all outward afflictions are compared with that which you have to rejoyce in If we look upon them alone they will stir aggravating thoughts of them and the burden will grow heavy and begin to sink us but if we entertain thoughts of the bitterness of them with the consideration of what is secured to us in Christ it will outweigh them and shrink them up 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 2. Believe that these also shall turn to your account That although they be not joyous but grievous yet they are profitable and will bring forth precious fruits Heb. 12. 11. They are bitter pills but they will purge out the malignity that is in you Isa 27. 9. And they are managed in that hand that will govern the operation and give them the assured good effect so that in the issue you will have cause to acknowledge Gods goodness and faithfulness in them Psal 119. 71 75. Believe this for the present and rejoyce in the assured hope of it 3. Get your hearts more and more weaned from the world Worldly sorrow is always occasioned by overmuch love of the world it is therefore best prevented by mortifying these Affections to it Col. 3. 2. It will certainly produce this effect and the way to this is love Christ better and you will love the world less 1. Joh. 2. 15. Get a clearer apprehension of the loveliness of Christ and that will disgrace all that is in the world and if you value these things little you will grieve little about them 4. Be much in the contemplation of unseen things i. e. The things that are not obvious to a carnal but only to a spiritual eye these indeed are the things and would we live more in the view of them it would prevent our being overwhelmed with the troubles of this life 2 Cor. 4. 18. 4. Improve sorrow for sin to establish your joy in the Lord. Godly sorrow is an enemy to no joy but that which is carnal it is a proper help to that which is spiritual Here then 1. Be often improving of the promises that are made to such There is a mourning that is made a qualification of those that are owners of blessedness Mat. 5 4. Which extends not to every mourning for there is that which is the beginning of sorrows but it must be understood only of that which is Godly hence the difference 2 Cor 7. 10. And we are told what Christ is anointed of his Father to do for them Isa 61. begin 2. Hence fortifie your Assurance by this And indeed the more of this sorrow is in you and the more you practice it the more strongly may you argue from it the foundation of our joy in God is that he is our God in the New-Covenant and whatsoever will give us a clearness in this conclusion must needs afford us the greatest motive to rejoycing and such is this Godly Sorrow Sin is ever most bitter to them to whom Christ is most precious and they are only true believers 1 Pet. 2. 7. 3. Now look over to the harvest Remember these showers are to prepare for it and bring forward and ripen all the fruits that they may be ready to be bound up in sheaves for the Children of God to carry with them and think how glorious this will be how joyful a day you are making ready for and let this so influence your thoughts and affections as to entertain a good opinion of every wet day which your spring is visited withal and how sweet will those tears be which will help to nourish Grace unto Glory
The Truly Blessed Man OR The way to be HAPPY here AND For Ever Being the Substance of Divers SERMONS Preached on Psalm XXXII By Samuel Willard Teacher of a Church in Boston N. E. Isa XII 1 2. I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me 2. v. Behold God is my salvation I will trust not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation BOSTON in N. E. Printed by B. Green and I. Allen for Michael Perry 1700. TO THE READER MANS natural and extinguishable cravings are after Happiness God at first put him in a fair way for the securing and obtaining of it having besides the resentments of it imprinted in his nature which still remain given him a Rule to direct him the way to it and a concreated power to conform to that Rule and brought him under strongest obligations to that Conformity But by his unhappy fall he hath reduced himself to a state of misery in which the whole Race of sinful men is involved and under which he must have abode for ever had not God in his rich mercy opened a new and living way for his recovery This is revealed in the Gospel in which life and immortality are brought to light but for which undone man must have groped in the dark and it is certain that those to whom this Revelation is not made do but grasp after shadows instead of substances and lay out their money for that which is not bread Their insatiable desires push them forward in quest of felecity and their crazed and deluded understandings which call good evil and evil good point them to Objects that are empty and courses that will undo them the natural man knows not the root of his misery nor the depth and strength of it much less the only way of his recovery The generality of men are immerged in 〈◊〉 if they can but gratifie their carnal lusts with sensible objects it is enough whence they seek no farther than the things of the World and if they can obtain by all their industry the Profits Pleasures and Honours here below they can bless themselves There are some indeed who have improved the light of nature and the broken fragments of the Law of it remaining in them by the exercise of Reason to a more plausible profession and practice they acknowledge man to be placed in an higher orb than bruits and to stand in need of some better object than those that are meerly sensual to give them satisfaction but therein also they have become vain in their imaginations◠hence the farthest they have reached hath been to place mans felicity in moral vertue of which they have but rude guesses and being ignorant of the state of nature by sin have hoped by their own power and goodness to oblige God and procure their own happiness not knowing either the state of damnation which they were born in or the efficacy of Original Sin in them◠whence it is truly said of them misery destruction in their ways and the way of peace have they not known It then infinitely concerns men to be undeceived With what thankfulness therefore ought w◠to entertain the Sacred Oracles of Gods Word the design whereof is to acquaint us with the New-Covenant in which is shewed us the method of self-ruined man◠recovery as it is laid out by God himself and what enemies are they to the Grace of God and the Souls of men who go about to pervert this method seeking to bring men back again to a Covenant of Works It is by the Word of God that we are acquainted that man by his Apostasy hath lost his Righteousness and Strength that he is fallen under a sentence of death to the execution whereof Gods Justice stands engaged that Satisfaction must be made to that Justice if ever the Sinner be Saved that he cannot pay his own ransom for himself that Jesus Christ became a Surety for Gods Elect and having atoned the Justice of God to them is become the author of Eternal Salvation for them that they must be united to him by a living faith if ever they partake in the benefit of it that they must be Justified in order to their being Glorified that must be by the Imputation of his Mediatorial Righteousness to them that this Justification is ever accompanied with Sanctification that the man who is thus Justified and Sanctified is an happy man that in order to this there is a work of Conversion wrought in men by the Spirit of God in which they are renewed by his Grace and brought to confess and forsake their sins and vain objects of trust and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that all that are so are heirs of life and may triumphantly rejoyce in God How much these truths are derided by many and despised by more in this degonerate and perilous time is obvious to every one that observes the state of Religion in places that are called Christian and never was there more need to Preach and Print in defence of those great Fundamentals of our faith and hope than at this day The excellent portion of Gods Holy Word contained in this Psalm give us abundant light for our acquaintance with and establishment on these Articles which I endeavoured in my course of Preaching to lay open before the Auditory to which I was sent according to the Grace given me and am now perswaded to make publick my care and study was to accommodate it to the meanest hearer chusing rather with the Apostle to speak five words intelligibly than many more in an unknown manner of expression and I hope these truths will relish never the worse to those that love truth for its own sake because they are not garnished with florid language May this following Treatise be any ways serviceable to the Glory of God and good of Souls may it commend Christ so as to render him lovely and acceptable may it help any in the right way to obtain Pardon and Peace may it shew Sinners their misery and drive them from their carnal security and obstinacy to Christ their only refuge and direct Saints in the renewals of their Repentance and their faithful and cheerful Serving of God I have mine highest ambition answered and that it may thus do I commend it and such as shall be at the pains to peruse it to the mercy of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls Who am Less than the least c. Samuel Willard The Truly Blessed Man Or the WAY to be Happy here and for ever PSAL. XXXII 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered 2. v. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile The Text Opened ON what occasion this Psalm was penned we are not told It evidently appears by the matter of it that it
is mercy for such too Such an oâ— was Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 6. and what eâ— were they Acts 19. 19. I might instance in mâ— things but these may suffice 2. Sins committed with the greatest and mâ— horrid aggravations do not exclude men frâ— pardon that the same sins in themselves 〈◊〉 more or less heinous according to their circuâ—stances is evident by the Word of God Jâ— 15. 22 24. and the light of nature tells us that the more there is of presumption or ingratitude that the more obligations are broken the more is the Guilt that is contracted thereby and by this occasion the sin that is least in it self may grow up into a formidable great one and yet when all these are added to encrease â—he Guilt they will not make the sin amount â—o unpardonable it may yet be forgiven Here I might multiply but I shall only point â—o three or four more comprehensive ones 1. Though men have fallen into all manner of sins and those the most vile yet there is â—orgiveness Some men have been noted for â—ne some for another but when men Sell â—hemselves to all wickedness Sins against the â—ight of nature and conscience this renders them â—xceeding great When every one brings guilt â—supportable along with it what must so maâ—y do when they have added iniquity to sin â—s drunkenness to thirst this declares men to be â—eyond measure vile and fills up their indictâ—ent with a fearful company of Articles and â—et such a man ought not to despair of but â—eek to God in hope for a pardon how maâ—y sins of the first magnitude are charged upâ—n Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin What a proâ—igious monster of iniquity was he grown up 〈◊〉 be and yet is he left as an instance of Gods pardoning grace to give us to underâ—and how far it can extend it self in shewing â—ercy 2. Though they have lived a long while in such sins and multiplied them they have not only fallen into them but made a trade of themâ— and pursued them to old age it hath been the course they have followed from their youth upward they have accustomed themselves to it theâ— is a vast difference between being overtaken wiâ— a Sin and making it ones way and course anâ— every repeated act of a sin enflames the reckoâ—ing and fills up the Ephah yea by this meaâ— men grow more and more hardned and so theâ— grow worse and worse and yet when men haâ— done their utmost on this account God may aâ— sometimes doth come and turn them to himseâ— and bestow a compleat remission upon themâ— and for this also Manasseh is an amazing instancâ— hence Gods offer is not only to such as haâ— played the harlot once but many a time and haâ— made a trade of it Jer. 3. begin 3. Though men have long withstood the caâ— of the Gospel and strivings of the Spirit wiâ— them yet they may be forgiven To sin agaiâ— Gospel light is far more provoking than to Sin â—gainst the meer light of nature to despise aâ— not regard the means of Grace in which Goâ— sets before men the things of their peace aâ— against the Spirit who comes in and with thoâ— means and pleads with Sinners by Convictioâ— Awakenings Terrors c. is a most stupendâ— aggravation of Sin much more then for suâ— to live and ly in scandalous Sins and follow tâ— abominations of the Heathen to Sin in 〈◊〉 Land of Uprightness for men that sit under the Gospel and are followed with calls and counsels and promises and threatnings not only to live in Unregeneracy but to addict themselves to and allow themselves in Drunkenness Swearing Whoredom Sabbath-breaking and all manner of debauchery and profaness is a most unaccountable wickedness this is to do worse than the Heathen and yet such as these are not hopeless God hath forgiveness for such too What Indictments did God bring in against Ephraim by the Prophet and yet see how he declares himself Hos 11. 8 9. How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. and doubtless our Saviours design is to commend this precious truth to us in the Parable of the Prodigal Luk. 15. 11 c. 4. Though men have relapst into great and grievous sins after Conversion there is forgiveness for them there is a state of Justification in which a person stands acquitted from Condemnation which abides immutable and Gods Children do not fall out of it by any falls that they take but there are sad falls which they are sometimes hurt by great sins they are overtaken with and sometimes complicated such was Davids to which he is supposed to have respect in â—his Psalm it is a fearful thing for such an one so to sin see how aggravated it was 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. What love is sinned against what mercy â—s despised what obligations are broken by it â—nd yet God forgave him upon his purpose to â—sk it verse 5. and how heinously did Solomon fall and we have that Asterism on it 1 Kinâ— 11 9. God had appeared to him twice and yâ— God forgave him Aarons Calf and Asa's Perâ—cution of the Prophet are also instances for thiâ— and is not here enough to prove the truth that 〈◊〉 is so if the things mentioned are not in theâ—selves exclusive of a pardon what can be suppâ—sed more likely to do it than they 2. I proceed now to give the ground 〈◊〉 reasons of the Doctrine and there are tâ— assertions that will be serviceable for this pâ—pose 1. That the vertue of Christ's Sacrifice 〈◊〉 sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins 〈◊〉 we may gather some intimation of what Gâ— purpose was when we consider what proviâ— he hath made However here is reason sâ—cient to evidence that all Sin may be pardoâ— when we are acquainted that there is enoâ— in the remedy for it Here observe thâ— things 1. That there is no forgiveness without sâ—faction made to the Justice of God the 〈◊〉 stands out against every Sinner and condeâ— him to dy and that Law was the Rule of â—lative Justice between God and man and 〈◊〉 not be baulked without violence offered to 〈◊〉 Righteousness It therefore is asserted Hebâ— 22. Without blood there is no Remission for 〈◊〉 God forgives the Sinner freely in the appâ—tion of it to the Subject yet forgiveness 〈◊〉 be first laid in for him and that by a sufâ—ent price paid for him or else there were no room for such an Application as the case stands between God and man in the First Covenant so that if there could have been no satisfaction made there could not have any forgiveness been conferred but the Law must have unavoidably past into execution upon the guilty Creature 2. That God hath accepted of his Son to make this satisfaction Jesus Christ hath undertaken it and his Father is well pleased with it The Sinner himself was firstly responsible for it and God might have made his demands of him and no other but it hath pleased him
in it Jude 4. 2. God will forgive none but in a way consistent with his Holiness Remember that as there is a pardon to be had with God for all sin so there is a way in which it is to be obtained and out of the way it is vain to expect it and God will not advance one Attribute to the wrong or injury of another Now Gods Holiness is precious to him and he hath a regard to that in all and because of this he cannot abide sin Hab. 1. 13. Psal 5. 4 5. he did not come to save his people in but from their sins Mat. 1. 21. whom he pardons them he will also purify that therefore is the character of one that hath a grounded hope viz. he purifieth himself as he is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. 3. Hence if you live and dy in your sins this forgiveness will be none of yours God can exalt his forgiving mercy on such as shall be everlasting monuments of it though you perish and he will do it on such as shall make a better improvement of it than you do and though all sin may be forgiven now yet there is a time coming when there will be no forgiveness and there is no readier a way for you to bring your selves into that dismal condition than to offer such an affront to the Grace of God which is now tendred you Remember this Grace now waits upon you but when once time ends with you you shall hear of it no more and iâ— you dy under the dominion of sin you will certainly dy under the guilt of it and there is no readier way to provoke God to cut you off with a swift destruction than thus to offer indignity to the proclamation of pardon that he hath made unto you USE II. Let this serve to encourage droopâ—g Souls that are under despondency by reason 〈◊〉 the greatness of their sins When the Spirit 〈◊〉 God comes in with his Convictions and sets â—ens sins in order before them to make them â—ow their misery and need of pardon Satan â—ually sets in and a misgiving heart entertains â—m and now he that made light of sin before â—gins to fall into the other extream and looks â—on it with those considerations that put him â—on despairing of ever obtaining mercy Every 〈◊〉 now looks formidably great and all the agâ—avating circumstances come in and he looks â—on them through the magnifying glass of an â—cusing conscience and tempting Devil and now â—ere is no hope for him there never was such 〈◊〉 Sinner as he he hath committed such and such â—ormous sins that there are none like them â—e hath multiplied transgressions beyond count â—e hath sinned against so much light so many â—arnings counsels reproofs he hath been a â—ntemner of the means a scorner of the offers â—f Grace he hath sinned against uncountable â—ercies that should have led him to repentance aâ—ainst powerful convictions of Conscience and â—any resolutions made to the contrary he hath â—roken Covenant with God and hath lived a â—ong while in sin and sent the Spirit away grievâ—d many a time so that now he hath sinned him â—uite away and he will come no more he hath â—nned out his day of grace and there now remains nothing for him but a fearful expectation of the fiery indignation of God there is none that knows what a sinner he hath been else they would give him no encouragement To any that are in such a condition let me from this Doctrine offer these things to your consideration 1. You have not out sinned the vertue of Christ's Satisfaction If you had arrived at that you might well despair and dy but as long as there is vertue enough in that for your pardon there is hope and you should improve it your sins have been horribly great but Christ's merits are still greater It would be a reproach to the value of Christ's oblation if that could not buy off the greatest Sinner from Condemnation If you could run on the score with revenging Justice beyond his ability to make payment how should he be one able to save to the uttermost Remember Christ paid an infinite price and that which is so cannot be out done 2. You have not so sinned but that God can magnify his mercy in forgiving you It will be no reproach to his Justice because Christ hath done enough to answer that and it will be 〈◊〉 wonderful manifestation of his Grace God wiâ— be for ever admired in your pardon and salvationâ— the more and more aggravated sins are forgiveâ— you the more will his kindness appear to youâ— and the more praises will be to his name for ever and your love will be the more enlarged toâ— him because he hath forgiven you much Luk. 7. 47â— and God highly prizeth the Attribute of hiâ— Grace 3. You have not out sinned the examples of his pardoning mercy It is an encouragement to â—hink that whatsoever you have to say against â—our selves in this respect you may find a paralel â—nstance for it in the word of God of such who â—ere in the same Condemnation and yet are forgiven â—s hath already been pointed at in the Explication And what God hath done he can do for His Arm is not shortned and it is to be hoped he will â—o for he is as gracious now as ever 4. You have not out sinned the Gospel call â—t is Gods rich forbearance that you have not but â—hrough mercy you have not Why then do you â—and drooping and desponding be of good cheer â—e calls you he sends to you he makes you â—he offers of his Salvation the proclamation of â—ardon is not out there is room for you to come â—n and have it you grieve him that you suspect â—is willingness you cannot better please him â—han to adventure and cast your selves upon his mercy USE III. Let this then be glad tidings to great Sinners and put you upon going to God for â—his forgiveness Is it to be had with him why â—hen do you not seek it of him Are there no â—rievous Sinners among us yea ought not every â—ne that lives impenitent under the means of Grace to account himself so And are there none â—hat have exceeded in notorious Crimes and â—re you no whit taken with this good news â—hy then do you sit still and not make out after 〈◊〉 Consider 1. If your Sin be not forgiven you you are undone Guilt not removed will drag you down to the bottomless pit The weight of one Sin unpardoned is enough to sink you for ever If God had not found out a way to padon Sin all the race of mankind had been in a desperate condition If you appear before Christ in the great day in your Sins you will not be able to stand in the Judgment 2. The more and greater your Sins have been the more fearful will be your Condemnationâ— Great Sinners have most of all need to fly to Goâ— for a pardon for the
oppression of his Guilt that drave him to hang himself and whence are those fearful expostulations of Sinners Isa 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell c. and in how many doth God instance this truth that a Conscience throughly wounded with Guilt is a thing that cannot be born but sinks the man under it more than if he had a mountain lying upon him according to Prov. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can bear 2. The pressure that men have been under by reason of one sin laid upon them God sometimes by Conscience chargeth one particular sin upon a man and when he doth it â—ome it is too much for him especially when it is some great â—nd horrid sin or if the Conscience doth so reâ—ent it and we find not that Cain was in distress â—n account of any other sin but his Murder or Judas for any thing besides his betraying his innoâ—nt Master and yet how Tragical was it to â—em what then must it be to be under the â—ad of innumerable Sins to have the first â—reat transgression charged on them and that Oâ—ginal Sin which hath all abominations in it and a life full of uncountable and aggravated actual prevarications certainly every one must add its proportionable weight 3. The distress that hath been upon Gods own Children when they have been under the dread of Guilt I shall have occasion to speak of this in the following verses a touch may here suffice It is certain that Guilt in the proper legâ—notion of it is removed from all Gods Childrenâ— in what sense they may be said to be guilty isâ— matter of after enquiry but this is certain thâ— they many times have a sad apprehension of Guiâ— upon them and it is a sinking thing to them anâ— they cannot tell how to stand under it they 〈◊〉 out of it terribly it is a burden too heavy aâ— makes them to roar Psal 38. 4 6 8. and hoâ— had David his bones broken by this weight falliâ— upon them Psal 51. 8. yea how doth it maâ— him to cry out to be delivered from this Guilt vâ— 14. and what was it but our Guilt charged 〈◊〉 our Lord Christ that made him in such a bloâ—dy agony 3. From the efficacy of it if it be not remâ—ed if this Guilt abide upon the Sinner and 〈◊〉 not taken off from him it will unavoidaâ— sink him down into the depth of miseriâ— and all the strength of the whole Creation 〈◊〉 not able to support him against it It is Gâ— that brings Sinners to Everlasting Burnings aâ— all their refuges of lies will not save them theâ— from It is Guilt that makes men that they caâ— not stand in the Judgment Psal 1. 5. and thiâ— from the weight of it This is the Talent of lead that will sink them into Eternal Perdition Needs then must it be beyond measure heavy Obj. If any should here demur and say how can this be who are more easy and jocund than Guilty Sinners do we not dayly see the vilest of men the most unconcerned they look as if nothing oppressed them but live careless and confident and how could they do so if such a burden were on them A. There may be a fair account given of this for 1. There is a Spiritual Death under which natural men are and lay never so much weight upon one that is dead he feels it not Carnal Security is one thing belonging to this death which renders men stupid and regardless and it is a â—unishment upon Sinners keeping them under Guilt which if they did feel the burden of they would seek after relief and therefore it is many times judicially encreased as Isa 6. 9 10. 2. There is a false ease which many have gotâ—en that takes off the sense of this burden They â—hink they have gotten it removed and that â—leaseth them Some are perswaded by Satan â—o think there is no danger God will not puâ—ish them for their Sins and so their Guilt â—oubleth them not to such God speaks in Isa â—4 4. Fury is not in me q. d. You think I will â—ot punish you Some think themselves well â—eltered under their refuges of lies Isa 28. 14. Others please themselves with some legal work that hath past upon them thinking that they have gotten a pardon and that quiets them or they rest upon their outward priviledges Crying The Temple of the Lord which for the present keeps them from resenting their burden 3. We do not know always how it is within with these that carry a shew of mirth and quietness The wise man tells us Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful And certainly there are many that put on a bold face and hide their troubles who yet have fearful girdings in their Consciences and carry a terrible load on them which they know not how to stand under but it pincheth them intolerably Hence we have that awful remark Job 15. 20 21. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes c. And eveâ— and anon they cannot hide it with all their endeavours but it will make some discoveries 4. That God will sooner or later make every Sinner to feel this burden The few instances wâ— have of this tell us what is their Condition anâ— God will either in this life or at death or afteâ— it lay it on so as they shall feel it terrible Theâ— is never a Sinner Converted to God but hath hâ— of this experience this was it that made him 〈◊〉 to Christ this put him into dread made him gâ— about under horrours till he gat a pardon Stanâ— by the bed side of some dying Sinners and yâ— shall hear those bitter complaints that will coâ—firm the truth in hand and the rest is known 〈◊〉 them that are gone to the place of Torments 2. That forgiveness removes this burden from the Sinner it takes off this heavy weight from him this is the proper and genuine effect of pardon of Sin This will be evident in the Consideration of these things 1. The wrath of God lying upon Sinners is that which is the great burden of Sin It is true Sin it self is a vile odious filthy thing and that which no gracious Soul can endure but desires to be rid of and delivered from but the distress that is in it is that the Great God is offended by it and that he is angry at the Sinner hence the great Complaints of Gods Children themselves is about the Lying of wrath heavy upon them Psal 88. 7 16. 89. 46. 90. 7 9 11. To have that God whose Voice makes the hills to quake and mountains to tremble that God whose fury when it burns is a fire unquenchable to be angry at us this is that which we cannot bear all the rage of men and devils is nothing in comparison with that Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine heart endure Can thine hands be strong c 2. That which lays this burden on the Sinner is his Guilt But for that
that the Sâ— that sins shall dy and you stand under this verâ— relation to it You are bound over to suffâ— death not Temporal only but Eternal too anâ— this obligation is so strong that you cannot breaâ— it and is not this Guilt 2. This is a fearful burden whether you aâ—prehend it to be so or no it is so in it self anâ— will be sooner or later experienced so to be 〈◊〉 you Who can tell the weight of all these fearâ— Curses which God hath in his righteous Law dâ—clared against those that are under the Guilt 〈◊〉 Sin ask those that have felt it under the Tâ—rors of an awakened Conscience and they wâ— tell you that if all the mountains in the Woâ— had lain upon them it could not have been moâ— heavy It contains in it the Wrath of that Gâ— before whom the Devils tremble whose Hand 〈◊〉 Omnipotent a frown of whose Countenance 〈◊〉 able to dissolve the Creation whose Rebuke 〈◊〉 blast the Creature at once Psal 31. 11. 3. If therefore this Guilt abide on you it 〈◊〉 sink you into perdition It will be your unavoâ—able and everlasting ruine the fire of the Wraâ— which is kindled by it will if not put out by 〈◊〉 grace burn to the uttermost hell it will neâ— leave till it hath crushed you down into the bâ—tomless pit however you may seem to stoutâ— out for the present you will certainly fall befo◠〈◊〉 and a fearful fall it will give you It will be 〈◊〉 dreadful thing to go out of the World under â—e Guilt of all that Sin which you are to be â—arged withal and when you come to look â—er into Eternity as ere long you will and feel 〈◊〉 your Sins lying on you you would give ten â—ousand worlds if you had them to dispose of 〈◊〉 be delivered from under the weight of them â—h that you would see and believe it 2. Be advised to go to God for pardon One â—ould think that the consideration of the weight â—f Sin lying upon them were enough to put â—nners on asking earnestly how they may get it â—moved now be directed to ask it of God â—d wait on him for it And to move you hereâ— Consider 1. There is no other way to be discharged of â—is burden It is only by a pardon that it can â—e done and if you think of any other course â—ou deceive your selves As long as the Senâ—nce is out against you dooming you to dy and â—e Justice of God stands engaged to the Executiâ—n of it your sins do and will ly upon you It 〈◊〉 not all your legal repentances reformations â—bstinences from the acts of sin that will turn to â—ny account you are condemned still except the â—udgment be revoked and what quiet or comâ—ort can you enjoy as long as it is so surely Sin â—ust ly heavy while you are in this condition 2. There is forgiveness with him This is the â—nly relief against an accusing and condemning Conscience Psal 130. 3 4. How this comes to be and how wonderfully he hath laid in for it will be hereafter considered but he hath a stock of forgiveness he can be just and justify Rom. 3. 26. he can abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. and hâ— alone can do it there is none else in the worâ— that can give you a pardon but he if he dâ— not forgive you if all the men and Angels in thâ— world should do it it would signify nothing 〈◊〉 all 3. He makes the offer of a pardon to you 〈◊〉 doth not only wait to see if you will come anâ— ask it of him but he sends to you a Message â—bout it he hath commanded that you should 〈◊〉 told about it and pleaded with to accept of 〈◊〉 he hath sent an Embassy to you by his Servanâ— who are to entreat you to entertain it 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 20. and he is all this day of his patience waâ—ing to see whether you will embrace it or nâ— and why will ye'dy why will you not seek 〈◊〉 have your burden thus taken off but rather châ— to bear it though it will overwhelm you 〈◊〉 endless Destruction USE II. Let it be for Examination Tâ— we by this whether the burden of our Sins 〈◊〉 indeed removed off from us It is a very desiraâ— thing to be known and there is a Rule 〈◊〉 judgment about it be perswaded to be soleâ— in it Hence consider 1. There are those that are mistaken thâ— find ease upon their spirits and they have 〈◊〉 hope that their sins are discharged they woâ— perswade themselves that they have received â—emission of them when there is no such â—hing and there are a great many cheats that Satan and their false hearts do put on them in â—his regard and perswade them to cry peace to â—hemselves when there is no peace You have â—eed then to be very heedful in this respect 2. A mistake on this account is very perilous â—f whiles we please our selves with a dream of â—ardon and peace and quiet our selves in it whiles we are indeed in the gall of bitterness and â—ond of iniquity we loose our opportunity of seekâ—ng it are held fast under our Guilt and live in â—azard every day of dropping into the pit from whence there is no delivery Let us then take diligent heed on this account lest we rue it when â—oo late and for Rules of Trial. 1. Did you ever find Sin to be your great burden I know that the Spirit of God acts diversly â—s to the degrees of terror which he excites â—n the Consciences of those whom he Converts â—ut I am sure that he makes sin our burden in â—rder to his taking of it off from us an evil and a bitter thing Jer. 2. 19. he first lays it on â—n Conviction before he removes it in pardon I speak of those that grow to years of understanding If then you are strangers to this and know not what it means you have reason to think that your Guilt abides on you 2. Have you truly gone to God for forgiveness all other attempts are vain and unprofitable he hath it in his disposal and will not put it out of his own hands Jesus Christ who is God is the dispenser of it and the invitation is to come to him if we would obtain it Havâ— you so done and if you have you have relinquished all other objects of trust and confidenceâ— your former essays are no more pursued but rejected he hath said that he will be sought to 〈◊〉 the house of Israel for this Have you then heaâ—kened to his Call and see that you be not mâ—staken in this it is not every perfunctory prayer will prove it it is not every pretended accepâ—ing of the offered pardon that will amount 〈◊〉 this there is a so coming requisite Hence 3. Have you cast your selves on free grace 〈◊〉 it There is a vast difference between a persoâ— being acquitted upon a payment and upon 〈◊〉 pardon It may be you have
thought you haâ— mourned repented forsaken your sins and noâ— you have gone in reliance upon these for pardoâ— this is a contradiction a pardon is a free act 〈◊〉 one that hath the power to give it and if yâ— have gotten it you went for it with an aloâ— reliance on that Grace of his which was revealâ— to you for your encouragement you went wâ— but money and without price You have acknoâ—ledged it to be an act of Soveraignty and accoâ—dingly have laid your selves down at the footstoâ— of Soveraign Grace by an humble resignation 〈◊〉 your selves to that and that hath been all yoâ— hope because he is a pardoning God you have aâ—dressed him as David Psal 25. 11. For thy namâ— sake Oh Lord pardon mine iniquity USE III. Let this serve to encourage and direct burdened Souls that are sinking under the apprehension and oppression of the weight of Sin lying upon them in the Guilt of it Here is that which may help to bear up your Spirits and point you what to do that you may may obtain a gracious deliverance from it and for encouragement Consider 1. There is a way for you to get ease upon this account a pardon will do it What though your Sins be not altogether taken away as to the presence and activity of them yet if they may be forgiven for the present this is good relief in this â—uncture this may satisfy your Consciences and â—ase them of their distress and will give you assurance that the other shall be done in due time too 2. There are no Sins so great or numerous but may be thus removed God is able to take them off his forgiving Grace and Vertue is not limited the vilest of Sinners may be encouraged to go to â—im for it and if they do he will in no wise â—ast them out Sins that Lye as mountains between God and you cannot stop his way from Coming and pardoning you 3. It is a good sign that he intends you a pardon when he makes you feel your Sins to be an â—supportable burden It is the way in which he â—ath been wont to dispense his Salvation to miseâ—able Sinners It looks like the beginning towards 〈◊〉 good work of Saving Grace the Spirit first Convinceth of sin Joh. 16. 8. and that conviction will leave oppression upon the Soul and hence the next and immediate invitation of the Gospeâ— is to such as are weary and heavy laden undâ— such distress Mat. 11. 28. And for Direction 1. Beware of flying to other courses to get easeâ— there are many and we are apt to be temptâ— to them Cains's course Judas's course 〈◊〉 the common course of the most in seeking 〈◊〉 repair all by legal repentance and amendment 〈◊〉 deceive you and you shall find it labour 〈◊〉 vain 2. Be sure to seek a pardon in Gods wâ— As none can give it but he so there is a wâ— in which he derives it to us and you must â—serve it and attend upon it if you would 〈◊〉 be deceived and here 1. Go to him with your Sins there is a grâ— do that many make they would go but they 〈◊〉 so vile and so unworthy and hence thâ— would get rid of their sins first but this 〈◊〉 never be if ever your sins be taken away 〈◊〉 must do it Hos 14. 2. and the first thing 〈◊〉 doth in it is to pardon them on which 〈◊〉 purging of them follows in order of naturâ— carry all with you for all want a pardon 2. Confess and bewail them before him tâ— is the way to obtain mercy at his hands Prov. 2â— 13. lay them all open before him with all thâ— aggravations to the utmost that you can Tâ— is the thing which God expects and you mâ— not be short in it but as full as you can Taâ— them upon your selves and he will be ready to take them off 3. Cry to him for Forgiveness this should be the first great cry of a guilty Sinner that God would take off that Guilt and cry as those that are oppressed let them be loud earnest importuâ—ate incessant cries say as he did when he was â—nking Help Lord I perish God expects that â—our prayers be sensible ones 4. Now cast your burden upon him by Faith 〈◊〉 â—row your Sins upon his mercy by laying hold â—n the Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness â—t is the advice Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on â—e Lord all burdens none excepted are here â—tended and if this be the greatest of all be â—re to roll it on him and if you do you shall â—nd his helping hand afforded to take it off and â—ve you rest Forgiveness Covereth Sin DOCTRINE IV. FOrgiveness casts a Cover over the Sins of him that is pardoned This is the second expression by â—ich this great benefit is set forth the word as â—as observed signifies To hide a thing out of sight 〈◊〉 throwing of some other thing over it as we would 〈◊〉 by some nasty odious thing which we would not have seen In the clearing up of this Doctrine we may enquire 1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin 2. Who it is that Covers it 3. How or after what manner it is Covered 4. What advantage accrues to the person by having his Sin Covered 1. What is implied in the Covering of Sin A. This phrase is here used to express the Forgiveness of Sin and is accordingly to be interpreted Now the reason why things are Covered is that they may be hidden out of sight that thâ— may not always be in our eye and view to 〈◊〉 looked on and the end of our Covering a thâ— is either with respect to our selves or others 〈◊〉 regard to others we Cover it that they may 〈◊〉 see or know it thus 1 Pet. 4. 8. Charity shall coâ— the multitude of sins i. e. it keeps them to it 〈◊〉 and doth not divulge them Covering is oppoâ— to discovering thus when men bring pretences 〈◊〉 put off things they are said to cover them exâ—ses are called Covers With respect to our selâ— we are said to cover a thing when we put it ouâ— our sight in order to the putting it out of our remâ—brance and we are wont to do so by things 〈◊〉 sight and memory whereof would be a grief 〈◊〉 a vexation to us and thus are we here to undâ—stand it God covers his peoples sins from 〈◊〉 own sight that so he may not remember them 〈◊〉 be angry at his Children by reason of them so 〈◊〉 to take vengeance on them upon the accoâ— thereof the Scripture represents Sin as a thâ— odious to God a thing that he cannot endure to look upon Hab. 1. 13. a thing that horribly provokes him against the Sinner and therefore called the abominable thing that he hates Jer. 44. 4. Hence when he is resolved to punish men for it he is said to set it in his sight Psal 90. 8. to make strict search after it Zech. 1. 12. To call it to remembrance
of his sight And here two things offer themselves to consideration 1. That the Righteousness of Christ is a Robe suitable and sufficient to cover our Sins 2. How God casts it over us to this purpose 1. That the Righteousness of Christ is a Robe sufficient and suitable to cover our Sins As Sin is compared in Scripture to our Nakedness and Shame so is Christs Righteousness resembled by a Robe provided to cover it withal and as it was Sin that first gave occasion for mans needing something to cover his Body so it introduceth the necessity of Christ to hide the nakedness and filthiness of our Souls This is designed by the best Robe Luk. 15. 22. This is pointed at in the White Raiment Rev. 3. 18. And this is the Wedding Garment Matth. 22. 11. Now this Robe is made of the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ for the matter of it By the former of these he kept the Law exactly Fulfilling all Righteousness Matth. 3. 15. He was Holy Harmless Undefiled and without Spot By the latter he made full satisfaction to the Law in all its demands by bearing the whole penalty that was threatned in it for Sin And the sufficiency of this Garment to cover all the Guilt of our Sin herein appears 1. This Righteousness it self answered the Law in the utmost extent of it so that it is wide enough and large enough to cover all Guilt Christ bare the penalty to the full which the Law exacted he bare the whole weight of that wrath which was due to man for Sin His Righteousness therefore is able to hide the greatest and most multiplied transgressions out of sight the Law can ask no more than there is in that to answer God as a Judge who is fully pleased with the Righteousness of Christ 2. There is enough in it to Cloath all that come to him for it It is called Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. 24. because it will hold out as far as there is occasion for it there may be Garments cut out of it for as many as ask for them and to spaâ—e 〈◊〉 it can never have an end the Vertue of Christs satisfaction is Infinite Heb. 7. 25. All are therefore invited to come for it and a promise is made that none that do come shall be rejected It is called â—he Righteousness of God Phil. 3. 9. because the person whose it was or who performed it was God and 〈◊〉 put a Divine Vertue into it making it infinitely â—xtensive 3. This Righteousness was provided on purpose â—r this end it was prepared to cover the Guilt â—f Sin As the Active Obedience of Christ was to â—urchase for us the inheritance so his Passive was 〈◊〉 satisfy Revenging Justice on our account by â—ertue whereof our Guilt comes to be hidden out â—f it's sight by the casting of this over it Jesus â—hrist neither Lived for himself nor Dyed for himself â—he Son of God needed no Active Obedience to â—stify him being a Person above Law nor did â—hrist need a Passive Obedience to satisfy for himâ—lf as man being perfectly righteous He thereâ—re Gave himself for us Gal. 2. 20. And this was â—cording to Divine compact so that it is the deâ—n of it and it was laid in for this and thus it â—comes applicable to us and so is every way â—fficient 2. How God casts it over us to this purpose A. He doth it by applying this Righteousness 〈◊〉 us for our Justification which is fitly exprest â—y his Clothing us with it to hide our Sin out of â—s sight for in this application 1. God having accepted of this Righteousness â—r us looketh upon it as ours For this reason â—hrist is called The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 〈◊〉 And said to be made Righteousness to us 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 30. And this is a result from the Everlasting Contrivance of it in the Covenant of Suretiship in which the Father promised to him this reward that his Obedience should redound to the Justification of many Isa 53. 11. i. e. As many as it was to be applied unto 2. Hence in the act of Justification he confeâ— this Righteousness upon us to be ours Haviâ— already accepted it for us he now bestows it upoâ— us it first was made ready and then it is put 〈◊〉 So that it is not ours Inherently but Adherently 〈◊〉 Relatively it is in respect to us not a personal 〈◊〉 a relative Righteousness and in that regard 〈◊〉 resembled to a Garment which is no part of 〈◊〉 man but yet it is his and put upon him for 〈◊〉 covering 3. In conferring this Righteousness upon us 〈◊〉 Cloaths us with it He throws it over us so thâ— we who were before naked are now arrayed wâ— it so that all our defects and deformities are â—den under it hence the Apostles expression 〈◊〉 being found in it Phil. 3. 9. And it covers us 〈◊〉 over so that whatever faults are in us they 〈◊〉 thus put out of sight 4. Hereupon he judgeth of us by and accordâ— to this Righteousness He looks no farther aâ— Judge than to this by it therefore we are mâ— the Righteousness of God 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are nâ— on a relative account pure and clear and spâ—less Justice hath nothing to lay to our chaâ— because we having put on Christ the Righteous 〈◊〉 Righteous in him 4. What advantage accrues to the person by haâ— his Sins thus covered A. Much every way in particular 1. He is in the Law account as if he had never Sinned For whatever he hath been and done the Law hath nothing to accuse him of that which cannot be proved is in the Laws account as â—f it were not and that which is hidden cannot be â—roved when once Sin is covered there is none â—o accuse us for if God will not who shall if he â—ath nothing to charge on us we are safe but â—e saith I see no Iniquity in the person 2. Hence he is out of the danger of Condemnatiâ— Rom. 8. 1 34. Condemnation is properly a Sentence past by the Judge upon a person Convicted to be Guilty dooming him to suffer penalty â—ccording to the mind of the Law So that where â—here is no Guilt there can be no Condemnation â—nd where there is no Transgression chargable â—here can be no Guilt found 3. Hence flows great Peace of Conscience It â—s the foundation on which our deliverance from â—he terrours of an accusing Conscience is built when that tells us we have thus and so Sinned â—hereby provoked God it is hereby pacified when â—t can look on all this Sin as covered Now the Spirit of Bondage which is rooted in every unpardoned Sinner is remedied Rom. 8. 15. The Soul hath the ground of inward Tranquillity notwithstanding all and hereupon he can with the more â—umbling sense mourn for his Sin whiles he can mourn as one that hath a good hope and is not â—unk in despondency 4. He hath great liberty of access with boldness to the
it it cannot answer the Law for yoâ— Come then with your sins and confess your insâ—ficiency address free grace put up that petitioâ— Psal 25. 11. For they name sake Oh Lord pardâ— mine iniquity so shall the Imputation of Sin ceaâ— and you be made blessed A Pardoned Man is one without Guile DOCTRINE VI. THE Pardoned Man is one in whose Spirit there is no Guile It was observed in opening of the Text that these last words of it are put for the evidence of such a person whose happiness is described from his pardoned state or a Characteristical note by which a man may know himself to be such an one Pardon of sin in a Theological sense properly refers to the great benefit of Justification for though among menâ— is one thing to Justifie a person and another thing to pardon him a man is then only Justified at a Civil Bar when he is legally found innocent or not Guilty of the Crime he was Indicted for whereas a pardon supposeth the man to have been found Guilty and a Sentence accordingly to have past upon him to suffer according to the Law and then the supream power doth upon prerogative acquit him from the Sentence and set him at liberty without any satisfaction given for the Crime whereas God in pardoning the Sinner looks upon him in his Surety at whose hands his Justice hath received Satisfaction and accordingly acquits him Judicially as 2 Cor. 5. 21. And so the Justice as well as the Mercy of God doth herein display it self 1 Joh. 1. 9. It is true if we look upon the man in himself and with reference to the Covenant of Works so it is a pardon for the Law hath found him Guilty and condemned him Such is the condition of every one in his natural state and in that regard there is an act of free forgiveness passeth upon him who hath done nothing himself to obtain it and so the wonderful grace of God herein appears But look upon him in Christ as he was indented for in the Covenant of Redemption and is put into him under the Covenant of Grace so the satisfactory Obedience of Christ is reputed as his and on this trial he is sound without iniquity i. e Imputatively and hereupon is acquitted and that is a Justification and belongs to 〈◊〉 as one essential part of it and so is that to be understood Numb 23 21. Now though there be a wonderful change of state that passeth upon the man in Justification for in it he passeth from Condemnation and is adjudged to an Eternal Kingdom yet because it is meerly Relative 〈◊〉 hath not in it self a self-evidence but must be discovered some other way and because it doâ— not pass upon all men since the greater paâ—t oâ— mankind will fall under Condemnation Nor indeed are the Elect Justified as Elected but when the New Covenant is ratified with them nor caâ— they know their Election till they can discenâ— their Justification it therefore concerns ever one to be inquisitive after this and because it is noâ— made known by Immediate Revelation but by coâ— comitant Effects enquiry is to be made after themâ— and therefore we have one of them laid before 〈◊〉 in our Text and Doctrine Here then three things may be enquired into 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile 2. Whether this have any influence into our pardon or Justification 3. What evidence this gives to confirm us in the knowledge and belief of our being pardoned and justified Of these in order 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile A. This manner of expression is used in the Scriptures more than once as a Periphrasis of a Godly man So Joh. 1. 47. Rev. 14. 5. The word Guile signifies Fraud or Deceit but is used equivocally Sometimes in a good sometimes in a bad sense There is an honest Craft 2 Cor. 12. 16. and there is a dishonest one which is pointed at in our Text and there are many things in which this Guile is practised there is Guile in mens words such is Flattery Psal 12. 2 3. and Lying to deceive Mic. 6. 12. And there is Guile in mens carriages when they pretend Friendship and yet lye in wait Psal 55. 21. And there is Guile in a Profession of Religion 2 Tim. 3. 5. But the root of all this lies at the heart the falseness whereof puts men upon these Guileful practises Hence Guile is in the word of God used for Hypocrisy and to be without Guile for Sincerity And when this is referred to the Spirit or Soul it intends that there is an inward principle of it in the man which influenceth into his Life and Conversation and this points us to that Sanctification that is wrought in the man at Conversion But for a more particular opening of this observe these things 1. That in the best of Gods Children here there is a Body of Death remaining We have Paul himself crying out by reason of it Rom. 7. 24. And what else is intended by this but the relicks or remains of the Sinful Corruption which the nature of man is defiled with by the Apostasy It is that Sinfulness in our nature which hath in it a repugnancy to the Law of God and cannot yield subjection to it Rom. 8. 7. And therefore is always Warring against the Law in the Mind Chap. 7. 23. And for any meer man in this Life to exempt himself from it is counted a daring piece of impudence Prov. 20. 9. Hence that Hypothesis 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves And that positive Conclusion Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not 2. That in this Body of Death there is a remaining Sinful Guile It is therefore called a Body because there is every branch or member of carnal Concupiscence in it for though the whole of it be mortifyed in Sanctification yet there is no member of it is wholly destroyed but remains though not in its reigning power and there is no lust but a Child of God shall find the stirring of 〈◊〉 in him if he warily observe himself Now this Guile is one of those Lusts or rather a quality of them all and all men bring it with them into the World riveted to their corrupt nature Psal 58. 4. On which account we have that assertion of the Prophet Jer. 17 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things 3. That this Guile doth too often wofully break forth in the Lives of Gods people And this is a sufficient evidence that it is there for if they had none they would never discover any but how often doth it appear to others And though it many times acts closely and indiscernibly to the world yet they themselves might observe it if they would be acquainted at home Do not good men sometimes act deceitfully in their treating with others Did
are prisoners of Justice under a Sentence of Death and in danger of being turned into Hell the next moment It â—s therefore a Spiritual frenzy that is on them that makes them regardless of their danger 2. They have a Conscience in them though they stiffle 〈◊〉 A natural Conscience is inseparable from a Reasonable Creature and though it be asleep for the present it may be roused and when it is it will do its work to purpose and the more terribly by how much more it hath been imposed upon nor is it so asleep but that it keeps true records When Guilt and Conscience meet together there will be fearful work and unless men could extinguishâ— Conscience which they never can they will not always keep them from so meeting 3. Hence there will a time come when Conscience shall reflect on this Guilt and then they will be 〈◊〉 distress We are told there is such a time coming Prov. 1. 27. God did not put a Conscience inâ— man for nothing and he will make it do its Offiâ— to purpose before he hath done with it Though men do not yet God doth See their day is comiâ— and laughs at their present sport Psal 37. 13. And there is no escaping it 4. This Reprobate sense is a fearful Judgment of Gâ— on profligate Sinners Suppose they are brawnâ— and have out grown the sense of reflexions thâ— is no priviledge but indeed one of the awfuleâ— witnesses of Gods fearful anger Rom. 1. 18. Eâ— 4. 19. Nor is there any thing that carryeth in it greater symptom of Reprobation USE II. See here one reason why Conversâ— is called a Strait Gate It is so Mat. 7. 14. Thâ— word implieth that which distresseth a man bâ— straitning and putting him to pain and hence thâ— Verb of it signifieth To Groan The work 〈◊〉 Conviction is the first work of the Spirit Joh. 16. Now the Conscience is the Subject of this Conviction and the matter of it is the Guilt arising from sin or Sin and Guilt which are inseparable according to the tenour of the First Covenant and though the way of the Spirit of God with Infants be to us a secret yet in grown persons who are Converted by the Word and Ordinances God leaves this Conviction upon them in order to his drawing of them to Christ and they are distressed by it the next Invitation therefore is to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God acts arbitrarily â—n measuring the degrees of this and usually when men have been most notorious for sin the distress is the greatest but there are such impressions of it on all who are thus drawn so as to bring them into a lost state and make them apprehensively perishing and by this means God embitters Sin to them so that he may hereby make his grace the more welcome and acceptable to them that being oppressed they may cry out for help USE III. Let this help to bring secure Sinners into Distress And Sinner Beware of flying from it How afraid are men of trouble of mind how do they shun it And how fearful are many of bringing them into it how many preposterous courses are used to comfort them against it Well you that live in sin and are quiet that sleep and care not to be awakened let me tell you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that he would bring you into this distress Oh that you would think and consider of the Guilt that is lying upon you that you did but feel the Curse that is upon you for sin and had the Sentence of Death and Damnation upon you And be not angry at me for such wishes and requests as these are for Consider 1. You are certainly under all this Guilt whether you will believe it or no. You brought it with you into the World and if Christ hath not removed it by his Grace it abides on you yea and you have encreased it by every sin you have committed since you were born the least vain thought hath laid in more for your Condemnation and if you are Guilty you may well think what is like to become of you if you so abide that is one of Gods Attributes as well as those that vain men feed their presumption with Exod. 34. 7. That will by no means clear the Guilty 2. Hence you will unavoidably be brought into Distress sooner or later Guilt will not always ly still nor suffer the Conscience ever to be quiet but there will be a time when you shall be roused by it to purpose the Damnation of Guilty Impenitent Sinners doth not slumber the Sentence past will be Executed the Wrath that is out against them will fall upon them and then they will be in distress When the Sinner shall have his eyes opened and see himself just dropping into endless Woes it will put him into agonies 3. If now you were in distress there would be hope you might do well for all Christ is now exhibited in the Gospel inviting all such to come to him Shortly your distress will come too late for an escape but now it may be a step to it Next to the Joy over a Sinner that is Converted to God is that of a Sinner in anguish of Soul crying out How shall I be Saved And of all the sights in the World there is none more dreadful than to see a Sinner manacled with the Chains of Guilt and unconcerned as if nothing ailed him USE IV. Let this serve to direct distressed Sinners what to do This will follow to be particularly spoken of afterwards here only in general Are there any that can on experience feal the Truth of the Doctrine and say I am the person that you speak of I find all to be true that you tell me nay there is none that can tell the load the burden that my afflicted Soul is sinking under and is there ever a word of relief to be spoken that may under-prop me To such let me say 1. There is hope in Israel concerning this thing As he Ezra 10. 2. God hath in rich mercy provided one to give succour to such and this is the good news which the Gospel declares he was Anointed to it read how his Commission runs Isa 61. begin And he is Mighty to Save Chap. 63. 1. 2. Hearken then after the counsel that he shall give you and resolve by his help to follow it There is a way for the obtaining of this and though his grace only is sufficient to lead us into it yet he calls upon you to hearken to and wait upon him and if you find your hearts enclined to this you may be encouraged to hope for anâ— escape What is incumbent on you in this affair will fall to be discoursed at Verse 5. Guilt apprehended Distressing to Gods Children DOCTRINE II. THat Gods Children themselves are sometimes almost overwhelmed with the apprehension of Guilt David is here speaking and we observed that it
there is a succession of acts and accordingly receives mercy from God succedaneousâ— Forgiveness is said to be of Sins that are past Ro◠〈◊〉 25. Though it be secured in the Justifying act â—et it derives in this way and with such a conâ—exion 7. That a sin may be forgiven in the Court of Heaven and not in the Court of Conscience Divines do rightly and necessarily distinguish between these two Courts Every man is to be cited to answer for himself at both of these Tribunals and an act may pass in one of these when it hath not past in the other Conscience indeed is Gods Tribunal but yet many a man through the deceiâ—fulness of his heart and false opinion of himself pasâ—eth a wrong judgment on himself and sometimes brings in a Verdict of acquittance when he is indeed condemned before God And on the other hand God sometimes passeth the act of pardon on the Sinner as he ever doth on his believing on Christ and yet doth not immediately pubâ— it in the Conscience and so he may stand condemned within for the present though he be â—ally forgiven i. e. in his own apprehension â—or it is certain that a man may in a sense be 〈◊〉 not to have that which he doth not know that he hath i. e. He hath not the comfort of it 〈◊〉 is to him as if he had it not and so it may be with a pardoned one The King may have Signâ—l and Sealed a pardon for a Malefactor and so 〈◊〉 is really a pardoned man yet he is going to Execution and concludes that he must dy till it be â—roduced and read to him There may be a diâ—ect act of Faith by casting one self on Christ and yet the reflex act in a great measure be stopped 〈◊〉 50. 10. 8. Hence it follows that not only the person 〈◊〉 the sin too may be pardoned and yet the Conscience 〈◊〉 dened with it It is impossible but that awakeneâ— Conscience that hath a right apprehension of thâ— nature of Guilt and looks upon himself to 〈◊〉 under it must of necessity be in great anguish and none more sensible of it than they who haâ— grace in them having been savingly enlightened and thereby having a more lively sense raised 〈◊〉 them A particular forgiveness is applied upon particular Repentance and Believing and fouâ— say Can a man exert a particular act of faith 〈◊〉 repentance and not know it and if he doâ— know it he must know that he is forgiven because of the close connexion between these two but it may readily be answered that the 〈◊〉 may exert a gracious act and yet be at a 〈◊〉 whether it be gracious or no he may doubt whâ—ther his heart were right in it and so be afrâ— whether God hath accepted it yea be ready draw a conclusion against himself in this respect and the sin it self mean while stares him in 〈◊〉 face and terrifieth him and indeed if the Spiâ— do not afford his concurring Testimony and 〈◊〉 his seal to the truth of this the man will nâ— know what to make of himself knowing the dâ—ceitfulness and hypocrisy of his own heart aâ— whiles it is so needs must the terrours of 〈◊〉 Lord make him afraid the Sin cannot but 〈◊〉 very heavy and oppressing on his Conscience 9. Conscience wasting Sins do of their own natuâ— and by the righteous Judgment of God darken 〈◊〉 mans evidence of a pardoned state and expose him to the apprehension of Guilt Here observe 1. That a true Convert may fall into some Conscience wasting Sin He is not out of danger yea sometimes is so overtaken All the Sins of Gods Children are in a sense sins of Infirmity because there is a party in them that consents not but yet there are some that have more of boldness in them and do more nearly striek the Conscience which are presumptuous sins which he prays hard against Psal 19. 13. When prevailing Concupiscence hurries them to do things against the light of Conscience either to shut their eyes against it or to be born down by the force of a lust to commit it though Conscience saith it ought not to be this is a Conscience wasting sin and though it looks unlike the Spot of Gods Children yet sometimes when left to themselves they are thus entangled Davids Adultery and Murder were such and such was Solomons Building Idolatrous Houses 2. That God doth not ordinarily suffer his own to 〈◊〉 long under the insensibleness of such sins How â—ng he may is not for us to tell yet he is wont 〈◊〉 due time to awaken their Consciences and â—ve them the feeling of them He sends some â—essenger or other to rouse them some Prophet 〈◊〉 he did to David Either he meets them in an Ordinance and causeth some word to fasten on them or in a Providence as Josephs Brethren and thus God doth in faithfulness because whiles Conscience is thus wasted and stunned it can do its Office aright in nothing and so the mans graces are not exercised in vigour but miss their end which he will not suffer ever to be in such whom he hath planted his fear in 3. Such a sin of its own nature darkens the mans evidence to his good estate or state of pardon One main evidence we observed is our being without Guile it is by the fruits of the Spirit or the exercise of his graces that we are to prove our selves and the more life and activity there is of them the clearer evidence do they give that therefore which obstructs their activity must needs darken them what then must that do which binds them all up as such a sin doth when a man looks upon himself in this pickle he looketh to himself like a wicked man Conscience tells him thou hast despised me and put the fear of God from before thee and how shall he now discover that in him that may witness him to be a pardoned man 4. God now righteously withdraws the light of 〈◊〉 Countenance from him He witholds his Testimony he doth not speak peace in the man as some times formerly but is at least silent and lets hiâ— alone to the bitter remorces and reflections 〈◊〉 his own Conscience David was sensible of thâ— and that drew those petitions from him Psal 〈◊〉 11 12. And this is a very righteous judgment 〈◊〉 God the carriage of his Children calls for it is time for their Father to shew his displeasure 〈◊〉 he should seem not only to love their persons â—t approve their Sins 5. This must needs be attended with a fearful apâ—hension of Guilt He hath been arreigned and â—ed at the Bar of his own Conscience and there 〈◊〉 stands Convicted of Sin his former evidences 〈◊〉 comforts shrink away and look to him 〈◊〉 delusions his Conscience thundereth â—orrible menaces against him he looks upon God â—tting himself as an enemy and is ready to conâ—ude that he hath lied to him and Gods Wrath will certainly fall upon him and whiles
God witholds his Testimony from his Children they can take hold of nothing to relieve them can apprehend no faithâ— in them no love of God no hatred of sin which they dare call so And for others they are as the troubled sea that can find no rest and they goâ— a long time in this condition God all the whilâ— appearing to them as an enemy 3. Why or for what end he doth it A. As God is holy in all his ways and just in all his doings so are all his works done in wisdom theâ— is therefore a worthy design in it and here 〈◊〉 may observe 1. That the usual provoking cause of this is theâ— sinful Guile The deceitfulness there is in Sin anâ— Sinners is highly displeasing to God and though God can bear with a great many infirmities in hiâ— Children whiles they are plain and honest Psaâ— â—3 13 14. Yet when once they begin to practâ— deceit to hide and cover this is extreamly â—singenuous and he can bear no longer 2. God hereby lets men see that there is no imâ—sing on him And it is high time for him so to â—o when they grow up to so much of Atheism â—nd impudence men would else begin to argue â—hat he either did not know or not regard possibly that he approved of their follies Psal 50. 21. but when he takes them in their devices and makes their Consciences fall on them and terâ—ify them he giveth them an awful proof of his Omniscience now he makes their Sins to find them out and they are put upon confessing that he is not mocked 3. Herein he discovers his just displeasure at sin He hath indeed reserved the full discovery of this to be made in another World yet he will make some displays of it here He hath declared in his Word that he is holy and just that he cannot endure but will punish Sin but men scarce believe it because vile Sinners go on and prosper but when he maketh them feel the wounds in their Souls and they are snared in their own handy work here is terrible anger in this and to be read in the faces of such and â—ereby God giveth a further clear Testimony how hateful a thing sin is to his Holiness 4. He often doth this to give solemn warning to others His Judgments are to learn men Righteousness Isa 26. 9. He sometimes setteth up in sight some Monuments of his Severity that Israel may hear and fear and be cautioned When such things befal wicked men they should fright others of their Companions from their lewd courses and God expects it Dan. 5. 22. And they should caution Godly men to be the more wary and when such things befall Gods Children how loudly doth it speak to the Ungodly to consider it if it be thus done in the green tree what shall be in the dry And either men will take warning or their Guilt will be encreased by it 5. He sometimes thus prepareth Sinners for Conversion The Spirit of God begins this work with Conviction of Sin Joh. 16. 8. In which he gives them a sight of their Sins and an apprehension of their woful misery by reason of them in which he useth their own Consciences to amaze and terrify them he holds the Sinner over Hell and scorcheth him with the flames of it and maketh him find himself ready to fall into the midst of them thus to prepare him to give welcome to the offers of Christ 1 Tim. 1. 15. And the most guilful Sinners usually have deepest impressions of it 6. He doth it to humble his Children for and cure them of their Guile These are terrible temptations but they are to humble them and do them good Deut. 8 16. There usually is not a little of anger in this Dispensation however there is love in the bottom of it He seeth that in his Children that he liketh not but his spirit is grieved at and because he loveth them he will heal them of it and this is the course he taketh by this they are taught what it will cost them to indulge any sin and keep silence at it which embitters it to them and so brings them to Repentance they humble themselves before him and the breach thus cometh to be made up and they restored and so also it is a happy mean to prevent the like afterward by giving them a remembrance that abideth by them and maketh them more watchful as long as they live USE 1. For INFORMATION in two Particulars 1. Learn hence the great folly of those who make no great matter of sinning against God The generality of mankind have low and slighty thoughts of sin and therein discover themselves to be egregious fools nor are the Children of God free from the remainder of this folly but we have a clear evidence of the madness of it in that hereby they lay themselves open to the anger of God and provoke him to lay his hand heavy upon them and this is the very consequent upon such an esteem of Sin it is a weighty question the Psalmist propounds Psal 90. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger Surely there are very few that believe it they would else alter their principles and practices The burnt Child will dread the fire but Sinners have not felt the scaldings of Gods anger the weight of his hand and so they despise otherwise they would think it a more dangerous thing to sin than they do Sinners did you but know what some have felt you would feal to the truth of that Psal 76. 7. Who can stand when once thou art angry Well look to it if you do not know you shall know and you are in the ready way to bring it upon your selvâ—s When once you come to feel how heavy hâ— hand is you will wish you had believed it and â—ought to avoid it 2. Learn henoe how vain it is for any to live quiet and secure under the Guilt of any sin Thiâ— is it that procures the heavy displeasure of God and as long as the Gult remains the reason of it abideth in us Unless we can escape the hand of God there is no ground for this security as long as you have to do with God you have no safety if there ly on you Guilt unpardoned be sure it will bring his hand on you unavoidably Psal 21. 8. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies and though you are never so jocund and full of ease for the present and feel no hand upon you yet if God lay it on your mirth is gone in that moment he needs do no more but give a touch on your Consciences and that will make them to roar upon you like so many ravening evening Wolves and to rend you in pieces like Lions this is the warning God giveth to all secure ones Psal 52. 22. Though you have health and ease and outward peace and prosperity and enjoy of the World more than heart can wish yet a Finger of
for his â—â—ndness and if we give him not the praise of it 〈◊〉 do nothing at all all the acclamations in the 〈◊〉 Temple are to be Grace Grace Heavens Halâ—â—â—jah's are to be celebrated with the acknowledgments of this free Grace and how much have pardoned men counted themselves obliged to give him the glory of it here Psal 10. begin Isa 12. 1. 4. To the due acknowledgment of this grace it is requisite 1. That we be sensible how vile we have made our selves by Sin Sin is by Gods holy and wise Oâ—dination become the foil of Grace It did not come into the world but by Divine permission and had not God had some wise and holy end in it he had not permitted it now this end iâ— regard of his Chosen was to take occasion by iâ— to exalt his Grace in their Salvation hence the viler they have made themselves by sin the mâ—â— exalted is this Grace in their Salvation Rom. 5. 20. According to the resentments that men have of sâ—â— such will be the esteem they put upon the Grace by which it is forgiven Luk. 7. 47. God wâ—â— therefore make men to know that their Sin haâ— been great and horrible that it hath run them iâ— arrears Ten thousand Talents to Justice made them men of Death and bound them over to everlasting misery that so they may know what kindness is shewn them in bestowing a pardon on them 2. That we address God humbly for forgiveness He indeed giveth it freely yet he will have the Sinner humbly petition him for it Ezek. 36. 3â— I will be sought to by the house of Israel to do this foâ— them God must give us the Grace rightly to let him his preventing mercy is first in this work but yet he cometh in this way He first makeâ— the Sinner sensible of his misery and with it revealeth the remedy and stirreth him up to petition his favour and in this way he applyeth the pardon to him and how else should he be acknowledged the forgiver of it 3. That hence we Celebrate his Justice in Condemning us The way for us to obtain Gods pardon is not only to come to him for it but to come with ropes on our heads making it to appear that we not only know our selves under a Sentence of Death but that he would be righteous if he should execute it upon us Dan. 9. 8. Psal 51. 4. Nor can there be a right apprehension of Gods Grace till first there be a confession of our merit till we believe it was right for us to dy we cannot think it a meer favour for us to live 4. That we seek this pardon in Christ's name acknowledging our unworthiness of it It is through Christ that we obtain forgiveness and therefore it is to be sought in him or for his sake for it is through his Mediation that all this grace cometh to be communicated to us and we shall never go on his account till we find that we have no other account to go upon as long as we have a righteousness or worthiness of our own Christ is disregarded Rom. 10. 2 3. That therefore must be rejected that this may be sought after Phil. 3. 9. Now all this involveth in it such a confession as we have been considering of cannot be without it II. This therefore is one great end of Gods bringing us into distress Terrours of Conscience and trouble of mind are part of the Curse fallen upon man for sin and in the ungodly are often but the beginning of sorrows but in Gods Elect whether in order to Conversion or after they were Converted they are on a gracious design and what is that but to make way for bringing them to a more settled and stable peace we are very hard to be brought to confess so give Glory to God he is therefore put upon it to bring us into trouble to terrify our Consciences to make our Sins extreamly bitter to us that we may be excited to seek our peace of him and now he bringeth us upon our knees makes us to open our hearts and mouths in the deepest resentments and most self abasing acknowledgments of out vileness by reason of sin Hos 5. 15. Now God will attain his own design in and by it 〈◊〉 then he bringeth us into trouble that we may be made to take the shame to our selves and confess unto him the next and proper way to get out of the trouble again is by a ready and free Confession of the sin which hath procured this sore distress for us USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many ly so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience It is a thing observable that there are many who though they have made a good profession are much exercised in their minds and greatly perplexed in spirit by reason of their sins and find no relief against it they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven but are apt to think that all their sins ly out against them to their Condemnation and there must be some reason why it is so with them which it concerns them carefully to enquire after Here observe 1. That God may have forgiven their sin and not â—r the present witness it in their Consciences As a â—an may be in a pardoned state and yet question whether he be so or no by reason of darkness in his mind and the Spirits witholding his testimony so it may be in respect of the actual forgiveness of this or that sin that he hath fallen into â—e may have repented confessed sought forgiveness and God hath pardoned him and yet doth not instantly proclaim it in his Conscience and â—e acteth much of his Holy Soveraignty herein â—or reasons known to himself so that we have a â—reat deal of reason charitably to think this of â—ome that are under the hurries of such perplexiâ—es And let not such be overborn with the misâ—ivings of their hearts but say to themselves as he Psal 43. 5. Why art thou cast down c. God will have his time to let them know it though now they are in the dark about it 2. But usually the reason of the distress lyeth in the â—ant of a right confession It is good therefore in such 〈◊〉 searching time to enquire whether we have not â—alled on this account and this may be discovered in several respects for either 1. Instead of confessing our Sins we have sought to â—bide them And this is a fault that not only Unâ—generate men are guilty of but the Godly too often are overtaken withal Either we seek to hide it from God by a vain presumption that he will not â—ake notice of it if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence as the Psalmist Context vâ— Or we seek to hide it from our own Consciences by flattering our selves into a fond perswasion that we have done nothing amiss seeking 〈◊〉 justice our selves and nourishing an opinion thâ—â— we are
innocent or by some sinful courses take to hide it from men whereby we encrease ouâ— Guilt as David did in the case of Bathshelâ— Now this is the right course to pull troubles oâ— our own minds we can do nothing more directly to bring this distress upon us Or 2. Instead of Confessing we hope to make up all 〈◊〉 a reformation of our own There is such pride natural to us that we had rather do any thing thâ—â— abase our selves to a right confessing of our sins and so upon conviction that we have done amisâ— we are apt to think that a little endeavour to amend this by abstaining from the sin and practising the contrary duty will make up all again and count it more credit to repair our selves iâ— this way than by an humble going to God for pardon in a self abasing acknowledgment of ouâ— vileness this made them make such an enquiry Mic. 6. 6. Here is something of self to be seen whereas in the other way self is utterly denied that God alone may be Glorified and though we have left off such things and do them no more yet Gospel Repentance of them hath not beeâ— exercised by us and so the root of the trouble abideth Or 3. If we do make some confession it is not right It is not such as God expecteth Either 1. We do not confess all Our acknowledgment is with reserves there is some sin that we hide under our tongues there is something that we come and tell God of and make a fair shew of Religious doing duty in it but we keep back a part how frequent a thing is it for us to go about to put God off with half confessions how apt to think a little piece of a confession is a great matter and count that we have gone through our duty in this regard when we have not gone half way in it and this argueth a false heart that confesseth some to hide the rest but God will not be so mocked Or 2. We do not make our Confession penitently It is an humble Confession that God looks for and there is a proud sort of Confession that we are prone to and it appears in such things 1. We do not take the whole blame to our selves We confess the fact and it may be our folly too but withal we seek in part to put it off somewhere else possibly the bigger part and reserve the least for our selves we make fearful cries against the Devil the Devil tempted me and was too subtile for me c. The Devil indeed is called the Tempter but remember it is not his but our fault if we are tempted Jam. 1. 14. Acts 5. 3. Satans Instruments also shall be brought in for our excuse I had not done it but for such or such an one c. As if they could have forced our consent against our will yea God himself shall be reflected on to extenuate our fault this is not the Confession that is truly penitent 2. We are not duly ashamed of our selves for our Sin And this follows upon the former for all excuses are but fig-leaves to cover oâ— own nakedness with they are but pretence on which we may hold up our heads with the more confidence whiles our mouths are noâ— stopt but we have something to plead for our selves we do not express the due abasement that God looks for of us till we can come to say as he Ezra 9. 6. I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face c. A proud confession will never find acceptance with him who seeth thâ— proud afar off the lower we ly in the duâ—â— the nearer we are to find him 3. We do not duly Justify God in our acknowledgments When we think our selves not 〈◊〉 much to blame as others when we lay the faâ—â— on Satan or his Instruments when we complain of Gods withdrawings or Providential exposing us to Temptation when we charge him for not affording us his assistances and thereupon think it over severe for him to proceed with us according to the rigour of the Law in all which we reflect on and do not Justify him how then should be receive such a Confession 4. We do not forsake the sins we confess Right Confession is always accompanied with a setting our selves against the Sin we confess and an utter renouncing of it it is to make it bitter to us and fortify us against it if therefore we confess and to turn to our folly and then confess again and so gâ— in a round this nothing but trifling and will find no acceptance Or 5. Though we do confess yet we do not submit our selves to Soveraign Grace and resolve our hopes into the meer mercy of God Confession is the way to find mercy but if we think to earn forgiveness by it hoping thus to expiate the Guilt of our sin we are acted by a legal spirit and put our selves farther away from forgiveness In a right Confession there is alway a resignation Luk 15. 18 19 And he that hath had a true sight of his sin and acknowledged it accordingly must needs see that Soveraign Mercy only can help him and accordingly cast himself down there and yield it to be just with God to condemn him and that it is free grace if he will pardon him and hence all his hope is in Gospel Grace by Jesus Christ till then we come hither no wonder if all our Confessions afford us no relief Are we then under distress on our Consciences by reason of our sins let us bring our selves on these trials that we may know whence it proceeds And to move us Consider 1. There is a reason why we find no relief God is wise in the management of all his Providences towards the Children of men and this affair is certainly governed by this Providence there are the causes of all and he doth nothing but what he hath reason for and an holy design in and it is good for us humbly to make enquiry after it the Job 10. 2. Shew me why thou contendest with 〈◊〉 2. God is faithful to his promises He is frequently better but never worse than his word The Scripture is abundant in asserting Gods faithfulness for our encouragement to trust in him and there are many attestations given to it by such as have made the trial Now there are gracious Promises made to such as ingeniously confess their Sins to God as he requireth it in the New-Covenant so he encourageth it and it is certain that he cannot deny himself 3. Hence there is certainly some blame in you that must be removed in order to your receiving the promised benefit There is such a defect in your Confession as rendereth it another thing from that which the Gospel requires of you and if you would have him to come to you and witness his pardoning mercy in you that must be rectified It is then necessary that you make a through tryal on this account how else shall you
would do so and that upon this purpose God forgave him This seemeth to refer to 2 Sam. 12. 13. He there made a short acknowledgment upon which the Prophet declareth his pardon but he with this resolved on a more ample and enlarged business of it notwithstanding the intervening forgiveness this he accomplished and hath left upon record in Psal 51. And it tells us That sense of a pardon should not prevent but encrease our humble acknowledgment of our sin unto God And indeed there is nothing that more tendeth to melt an ingenious soul into self abhorrence for his sin than the wonderful kindness of God in being so ready to forgive it The word Forgavest is the same that is used verse 1. Where we took notice of the import of it In summe Sin is then forgiven when the Guilt of it is removed and God is reconciled to the person and so he is delivered from the Curse threatned in the Law And it is remarkable that he doth not only say thou forgavest my sin but the iniquity of my sin This is diversly understood by Interpreters but all agreeable to the matter in hand The word translated Iniquity properly signifieth Crookedness Pravity Perverseness Maliciousness but is not so here to be understood for the taking away of that properly belongeth to Sanctification whereas Forgiveness belongeth to Justification Some therefore read it Guilt and so the word is often used because Sin is by reason of its relation to the Law attended with Guilt and then it is that which forgiveness hath the immediate respect unto Others read it Punishment in which sense also the Scripture useth it by a like Metonymy which is consequent upon Guilt that being nothing else but a binding the Creature over to suffer it and is therefore removed together with it Others suppose the Psalmist to use this expression to set forth the wondrousness of Gods forgiving Grace by the consideration of the greatness of his sin which was thus forgiven and read it my most sinful sin and Paul seemeth to borrow his expression from hence Rom. 7. 13. q. d. my Sin was extraordinary great and yet thou so readily forgavest it In a word the Iniquity of sin is in that it is a violation of the Command of God and thereby a just provocation given him to break forth in revenges upon â—â—e Sinner for it and this is that which is removâ—â— by forgiveness Hence Gods readiness to forgive on Penitent Confession DOCTRINE GOD is exceeding ready to Forgive the truly Penitent upon their humble Confession how great â—ever their Sins have been The Psalmist here â—â—mmends God to us for one wonderfully prone 〈◊〉 pardon penitent Sinners upon his own very â—â—rge experience What this Confession is hath â—een already observed under the former Doctrine Here therefore we may further Enquire 1. What is implied in this forgiveness 2. Wherein the readiness of God to forgive is discovered 3. What influence such Confession hath to the obtaining this forgiveness 1. What is implied in this Forgiveness A. Forgiveness properly signifieth a free remission of 〈◊〉 offence without any satisfaction made by the person 〈◊〉 forgiven For when a man hath fully satisfied â—t the injury he hath bought his peace and it â—ould be injustice to pursue him for it afterwards 〈◊〉 Forgiveness is an act of free favour Now this may be considered either in respect of personal wrongs between man and man or with regard iâ— the Transgression of a Law wherein there is a penalty due in Justice and the Judge is concerned in pursuing it and this latter best resembleth the case of a Sinner and in this respect satisfaction may be given to the Law by the procurement of the Judge that so Justice be not perverted and yet a free pardon may upon it be given to the Offender who did nothing to the procuring of that satisfaction and such is the case here This Forgiveness then belongs to and is one essential part of Justification and therefore presumeth such a satisfaction made and accepted by God upon which and in respect to which he proceedeth to pass an act of forgiveness upon the person who before stood Guilty and it properly consisteth in a free and full discharging of him from the whole Condemnation of the Law and putting him out of the danger of it and hath these things contained in it 1. He is supposed to be arraigned tryed at Gods Bar and there found Guilty and Sentence of Death there past upon him for his sin All this in course goeth before and maketh way for a pardon and this the Spirit of God doth in the Conscience when he Erecteth a Tribunal in Gods Name and formally proceedeth We read of our own heart condemning us 1 Joh. 3. 20. And this is the first work of Conviction ascribed to the Spirit Joh 1â— 8. without which the riches of Gods grace cannot be suitably apprehended and acknowledged by the pardoned one 2. Hereupon God by an act of Soveraign Grace â—evokes the Sentence The man is first condemned and then pardoned and though God hath always an eye to the Propitiatary Sacrifice in it by vertue of which he can be both just and merciful yet in the application of it to the person as he manifesteth his Grace so he acteth his Soveraignty Rom. 9. 18. And here he disannuls and makes void the Sentence in respect of the Sinners person Job 33. 24. 3. By vertue of this act the Sinner is made as free from the Condemnation of the Law as if he had never transgressed it Rom. 6. 14. He is delivered from his Judge there is no more Condemnation Chap. 8. 1. 33 34. His Sin is sunk into the depth of oblivion and shall no more rise up against him 4. This act being Forinsical is entred on record to stand irrevocable We read of Books to be Opened in the Great Day out of which men are to be Judged Rev. 20. 12. Now in these Books are Registred all acts that have formerly past not only the Sins of men but all the Transactions between God and them and so all the pardons that have past So that in that Judgment though it be found that all were Sinners and Condemned yet the pardons that have been given out are filed and will there be produced Now there is a double record or two Books wherein the act is written 1. There are the Records of Heaven or the Rolls of Eternity And this is the first original authentick Register of this forgiveness and many times is past some while before the other and is indeed nothing else but Gods gracious revoking the Sentence and enrolling the man among the number of the pardoned whereby whether he know it or no his state is secured and he is put out of the danger whatsoever fear and terrors may perplex his mind about it 2. There is the Record of Conscience which is the duplicate or transcript of the Original signed sealed and witnessed by the Spirit of
will stand in their own light and be guilty of their own blood if they refuse it Ezek. 33. 11. He acquaints them how much it cost his own Son to purchase it else they had been hopeless and hence how great an affront it will be to all that kindness of his to despise it It will be to trample on the precious blood and to make their escape desperate Heb. 2. 3. He urgeth on them the consideration of the vanity of all other objects and courses from saving them from the Wrath to come and that these refuges of lies will leave them naked and exposed to Gods Indignation he telleth them how acceptable it will be to him if they take hold of this offer and make their peace with him and how much his grace will be illustrated thereby he puts them in mind how gracious and merciful he is Jer. 3. 13 Obviates all the discouragements that Satan and a misgiving heart offer to throw in the way to make them despair of obtaining pardon and he doth all this with greatest urgency beseeching them to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. 5. In the vast extent of this offer and the application of it And here we may observe 1. The universality of the offer with the great number of those that are made to partake in it The Proclamation is to all of what sort soever that come within the call it is unlimited Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. None are excepted but such as will debar themselves nor any exempted but those that have Sinned against the Holy Ghost and they are such as have not only willingly but spitefully rejected a Saviour after great illumination and open profession and they have not been a few but a multitude that have been made to taste and experience the efficacy of it that have been pardoned and all their iniquities are forgiven them even all that have cordially accepted the offer none excepted and that there are no more is because they would not Joh. 5. 40. 2. The quality of such as have been invited and accepted this Call hath been extended 1. To Chief Sinners Paul is a witness for this 1 Tim. 1. 15. And he tells us what he had been verse 13. And let Manasseh stand forth on this account what a monster of Sin he was see 2 Chron. 33. begin Yet he obtained mercy and pardon upon his seeking God and humbling himself before him 2. To the greatest of Sins This is consequent on the former yet hath its peculiar remarks Look no farther than the instance of David how grievous were his Sins which he perpetrated in his Murder and Adultery and this is supposed to be the very â—â—se on which he makes this precious remark in our Text. And were not Manasseh's Sins also of the biggest size and yet were forgiven him 3. To those that have abused his best and greatest favours Guilt is highly aggravated by Sinning against strong obligations laid on men by God to Serve him when he hath done for them as Hos 11. 3. When he hath taken them into Covenant with himself and they have dealt falsely in it and yet to such is the offer made Jer. 3. begin and it is introduced with a mark of wonderment We see how God by the Prophet expostulateth with David 2 Sam. 12. 7 8. And yet how readily is he forgiven vers 13. 4. To those that have lain long in Sin and multiplied rebellion against him That have been stiff refractory and refused to return have stopt their ears at calls and counsels and run on in their obstinacy Manasseh also was such an one 2 Chron. 33. 10. And let us well weigâ— that wonderful Text Isa 43. 22 c Verse 25. Though they have tired him with their provocations 6. In the great patience with which he waits on men though they neglect these offers When they bid him depart and turn their backs upon him he doth not presently issue out the Oath against them and say they shall never have another offer made them no but when they have been breaking of the treaty he reneweth it again he cometh afresh and tarrieth to see if it will not repent them How long did he wait on the Old World in the days of Noah He tells us that he waits to be gracious Isa 30. 18. And in this waiting he trieth all courses with them he useth fair and foul means Promises Threatnings Mercies Judgments and all to see if their hard hearts may be wrought over to a compliance with his offers of grace and when all means fail he is at a stand and deliberates what to do with them Hos 6. 4. And expresseth himself as one that can hardly find in his heart to execute the doubly deserved Sentence of Wrath upon them Hos 11. 8. 7. In the grief which he expresseth when men after all wilfully reject his tendered forgiveness He speaks after the manner of men when he tells us of his Spirit being grieved at such carriages Psal 95. 10. And what is this but a grief of compassion extended to such as are in misery he might justly be enraged at mens despising of such favour offered them and fall on them in his fury and may in time be provoked to it by their obstinacy but how often doth he express such compassion as Christ did in Mat. 23. 37. Luke 19. 41 42. And this shews how ill God takes it when men refuse him the glory of his Grace in forgiving them by disregarding it when he comes and begs their entertainment of it 8. In the wondrous efficacy of his power prevailing over the greatest obstinacy of Sinners And every pardoned Sinner is an instance of this but for this Gods forgiveness had never been exemplified Such is the malignity and enmity of heart in all men naturally that they would never give it entertainment did not he work it in them by the efficacy of his Almighty Spirit till then all means the most urgent pleadings the most convincing arguments signifie nothing When therefore all have been without success he himself hath come in and wrought this change putting in them that new heart that hath closed with his Calls on this account we have God himself so expressing himself Isa 57. 17 18. Hos 11. 9. When it hath come to a casting voice either he must turn them or ruine them he hath taken this side and when they were ready to be turned off for their wilfulness he hath come to the very place of Execution applied his grace to them and made them to accept of him and his forgiveness 9. In that none ever truly sought it of him that went away without it Possibly he hath not presently recorded it in their Consciences so as to give them the comfort of it but he never spurned any away from the Throne of Grace who in sense of their misery and unworthiness did humbly supplicate him for it they sought his mercy and found it Christ hath declared this plumply Joh. 6. 37
And there never was an instance of so much as one that was defeated the greatest Prodigal such as he Luke 15. If he hath come to himself gone back to his Father confessed his sins and deservings and cast himself upon his Soveraign Grace hath found him so ready that he hath met him a great way off taken him into his arms and given him all the Testimonies of his pardon 3. What influence this confession hath into that forgiveness for the obtaining of it A. 1. Negatively it is neither the meritorious nor the moving cause of Gods forgiving us 1. It is not the meritorious cause of it We have already observed that it is a free favour It is indeed first merited for us before we can partake in it for it belongs to Justification we are first ransomed and then pardoned but our confession hath no hand in this It is through Christ's Blood that we obtain remission by his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. Confession carrieth no satisfaction in it but is a legal and full proof of our Guilt in it we condemn our selves it saith as Dan. 9 8. To us belongs Confusion the Law left no room for a pardon upon acknowledgment this is purely Evangelical 2. Nor is it the moving cause of it Among men indeed a tender heart is moved by an ingenious confession and humble subâ—ission and it makes us to relent and shew compassion to a delinquent but though such affections are ascribed to God yet it is after the manner of men and warily to be understood Affections are attributed to him in regard of the Effects which flow from his fixed and unalterable will Confession is an adjunct of true Repentance and God is the Author of that as well as of the pardon Acts 5. 31. To be able truly to confess Sin is his gift 2. Positively this Confession belongs to the way in which God is wont to apply forgiveness to Sinners God designed from Eternity to forgive them but he hath laid out this Medium through which he will bring them to it How God treats with Infants is beyond our decision but in regard of such as are of years of understanding and under the Gospel there are two things observable 1. That God requires this Confession of these that hope to obtain forgiveness of him The influence therefore of one upon the other is only as it is the way of Divine Appointment to obtain it the promise so runs Prov. 28. 13. And that clause is inserted Jer. 3. 13. Only acknowledge c. God will be sought to for pardon and there can be no asking forgiveness without acknowledging Guilt Hence though this be Gods gift as well as the other yet it is whiles the Guilty Sinner is prostrating himself at the foot stool of Mercy taking shame to himself that God comes and passeth the act of pardon upon him Luk. 15. 17. In summe where God giveth a Pardon he gives Repentance and where true Repentance is there will be confession So we may safely conclude that he who is not brought truly to confess hath not truly repented of his sins and if he be still an impenitent he is certainly an unpardoned man 2. That this Confession is the way to obtain the evidence or witness of our pardon God is sometimes said to forgive when he witnesseth in us to his pardoning mercy and the reason is because the man was before in his own apprehension unpardoned though his state were good Now as it is usual for God to come in and refresh the heart with telling it its Sin is forgiven whiles the bleeding Soul is bemoaning it self with most humble confessions to him so there is matter of evidence in the confession it self and when we can truly say we have so confessed as before we have the characteâ— of one that hath received this grace of God and so is in a state of forgiveness whereas the want of this is just reason to make us call it in question at least to think that sin is not forgiven which is not thus confessed USE I. For Caution Take heed of abusing this truth unto presumption It is a great policy of Satan to hold men as long as he can in carnal security unto which their own natural inclination leads them and among other devices he hath to insinuate into them by this is one main engine that he useth with those that live under the Gospel and enjoy the priviledges of it to blow them up with false surmizes about God and thence to draw ungrounded conclusions about their good estate and arrogate to themselves the things that belong not to them let us then be warned to take heed to our selves and there are many that need this warning lest they rue it for ever viz. 1. All such as resolve their whole hope into the merciful nature of God not seeking his favour in his own way That God is merciful and gracious is a great truth and wo to us all if it were not so had he not written his Name in such Letters we had all been without hope But this precious truth may be abused and it is so by all those that have no other plea for Salvation but because God is merciful his natural goodness and his common love to his Creature is the only foundation on which they build thence arguing that they cannot perish and hence enquire no farther but rest here never asking how this mercy may be obtained so as to obtain a deliverance from the Curse fallen on them or what are the terms of the New Covenant on which God offers himself to be propitious to Sinners and so never study a compliance with them but count it enough that he is such a God this is derided in that Sarcasm Isa 27. 4. And this Spirit was in them Joh. 8. 32. And if we may judge of mens hearts by their practices this is the guise of all the loose Professors that live carelesly and yet confidently 2. They that instead of confessing do cover their sins and yet hope to do well enough And how many are there of these Such as seek to hide their Sins under excuses or to justifie themselves by pleas and defences or that little regard to practice Repentance upon their falling into sin but think it sufficient either to plead their infirmity or slight it over with saying we are all Sinners and none without their faults or a pretence that they allow it not in themselves though the flesh be too hard for them and hope that God will not charge it thus they prevent their deep sorrow and taking to themselves the due shame for their sins and think they are as good Christians as any and God will accept them as well as the best surely this speaks them presumptuous 3. They that encourage themselves to sin boldly on account of Gods mercy Instead of being melted into Godly Sorrow on consideration that God is so good and gracious which is the kindly effect of it
shortly be withdrawn if now you slight the offers of a pardon you will ere long seek one and nor obtain it God will hereby be incensed read how he declareth it Prov. 1. 24. c. Take heed of delaying the Proclamation is out against you Justice hath you in chase if you make not hast to the City of Refuge you will be overtaken Now prevent it lest you mourn too late 2 Let it be to encourage drooping and desponding Sinners When Satan can no longer cherish presumption in men but the Spirit awakens and puts them in fear he now seeks to overwhelm them with fears and put them out of hope here then is a precious cordial for such For Encouragement Consider 1. You have a gracious God to do withal who delighteth in pardon He is indeed holy and just but be not disheartened by that he is for all that merciful those Attributes cannot hinder his being so all that he hath done to make way for this forgiveness stands to let us understand how much his heart is in it Would he ever have given his own Son to be made an offering for sin had he not taken pleasure in exalting his pardoning grace among a company of sinful Creatures 2. He hath laid in enough for your pardon whatsoever you have been It may be the greatness of your sins terrifie you or the multitude of them or your long continuing in them and the many aggravations circumstancing of them which makes you think them to outbid a pardon but know it that because God delighted in forgiveness he provided for the glorifying of it by laying it upon one mighty to save and hence in the Satisfaction made by Christ there is sufficient to answer all the demands of Justice for the greatest Sins and Sinners Such are therefore encouraged Isa 55. 7. There can be no wrong done to the Law of God abundance is added to the manifestation of his grace by this there is therefore no room leâ—t for your doubting on this account Nay you may make a plea of it Psal 25. 11. 3. He urgently offereth this pardon to you You may question but will God entertain me if I come to him for it Will he not reject me but if it were so surely he would not send so many messages to you use so many entreaties with you to accept and come up to the terms of forgive ness nor come himself by the secret addresses of his Spirit moving on you in the means God doth not dissemble with men It was once used as an argument of consolation Mark 10. 49. He calleth thee and the same may be said to you What mean all those pleadings in the Ministry those repeated Calls and Invitations What intends this long continued patience used with you notwithstanding your unbelief and standing off Why should you say he meaneth not me he himself hath invited every one that thirsteth and is weary and if you are such you are specified 4. He is grieved at your unbelief and despondency He takes it ill that troubled Sinners should question the truth of his protestations that they should rather credit Satans discouragements than his invitations that when their adversary tells them there is no hope you have sinned beyond a pardon he shall be believed and that when he himself tells them he hath a pardon provided and it shall be theirs upon acceptance that he is a merciful God and is willing to be reconciled they should suppose he meaneth not as he saith this unbelief grieves his Holy Spirit and you have grieved him â—â—ough already 5. He asks nothing of you to purchase this forgiveness You are apt to say What shall I bring I have nothing I can do nothing to procure it and this disheartens you but without reason for he knows your poverty and so hath himself laid in for that the work is already done Justice is satisfied the demands of the Law are answered Jesus Christ hath gone through that Province and nothing is left to be done by you he therefore expects that you come empty handed Isa 55. 1 And if you think to bring any thing with you and lay in for it it will be the ready way to be rejected it is his Grace that he seeks to exalt in your forgiveness and you must compâ—â— with it 6. Hence he only expects that you should Confess This is the great thing he stands upon you humble and cordial acknowledgment Jer. 3. 11 I know proud nature had rather to do somethinâ— else than come to this but God will have â—â— thus to testifie our Humiliation and acknowledgment of his grace to us if then you 〈◊〉 heartily confess he will readily forgive 7. He counts himself Glorified by this Confessâ—â—â— Josh 7. 19. And indeed by it we acknowledge our own merit and his Righteousness in the Sentence of Death past upon us as he Psal 51 4. By this we lay our selves down at-his feeâ— and acknowledge that if ever he forgive us it must be for his own name sake and so we ascribe our pardon to him and give him the praise of his grace 3. Let it be to direct Sinners in this affair how Confession is rightly to be made was opened under the former Doctrine Only for our help in it take these Rules 1. Be duly affected with your Guilt Till we rightly apprehend that we shall never kindly confess our sin the want of this is the reason why some confess not at all and others do it so slightly whereas when once the Soul is under the burden of this and finds himself justly condemned this will draw forth a free and full Confession Psal 51. 3. 2. Know your own impotency to remove this Guilt This is the undoing of many a convinced Sinner who finds himself under Condemnation and not being humbled but acted by a legal spirit hopeth to make up all by a Righteousness of his own and so instead of duly consessing falls to his Reformations sets upon abstinence from sin and takes a task on him to perform moral duties hoping so to make up ill and thus deceiveth himself Know that you cannot do any thing to purchase Gods favour Isa 64. 6. 3. Renounce all other hopes of pardon but what must derive to you through the free Grace of God If you expect it may come in any other way it will spoil your Confession either it will prevent it or make it a meer legal thing it will lose its direct end which is to carry us off from every other bottom to cast our selves upon the meer mercy of God in Christ and if we have our hope on any other thing our pride will keep us from this Resolve then as Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall shall not save us c Conclude positively if Grace save us not we perish for ever 4. Be not afraid to confess your Sins with all the aggravations It is a foolish fear in some lest 〈◊〉 they do aggravate their sins they should thereby damp
we have an instance of one that fell over and escaped with his life forgetting how many have so fallen and it hath cost them their lives God will be provoked to leave us to perish if thus we affront his mercy 2. When we strengthen our carnal security in sin by it The use of such examples is that when we have fallen through temptation and are terrified at it we may be encouraged hereby to Repentance and make haste to God for a pardon but if instead of this we argue there is no danger we may put off the Conviction and delay our Repentance and get a pardon when we wish and so live and ly under Guilt without remorce this is to prevent the end of such instances and the ready way to be left by the Spirit of God to be hardened in sin to our ruine 3. When we use them only for encouragement and not for direction We take that part of the instance such an one so sinned against God and provoked him and yet God was merciful and forgave him and by this forthy our Presumption that there is no danger we need not be afraid but we never enquire what they did or in what way they found the mercy of God and thus they are so far from being an Example that they become a Snare to us and instead of using them for Gods Glory and advantage we gratily Satan and expose our selves to the greater hazard Take heed then lest we be deceived though Paenitent David got a pardon yet impenitent Sinners have no reason to conclude from thence that they shall fare as he did USE II. Let it then be to direct and help us in the right improvement of such Examples for our benefit Let us rightly apply them and that both for encouragement and direction 1. Let us use them to encourage our hope in God for his mercy whatsoever our sins have been Doth the Guilt of Sin oppress us have we fallen by our iniquity and are conscious of our danger and the Divine anger we ly open to and do our hearts condemn us and Satan urge us to despair of pardon Let us now make use of these Examples to excite our hope And to that end 1. Learn by them to have good thoughts of God We are apt to think hardly of him when his Arrows stick in our sides and his terrours make us afraid look upon these and see what a God he hath been to such as we are and let that perswade us that there is forgiveness with him that he is not an inexorable God these have found him propitious and so may we We shall never come kindly to him for pardon till we can say of him as they oâ— the Kings of Israel 1 King 20. 31. 2. Hence let these Thoughts make us resolve to go to him for Pardon While we look on him in his anger that makes us to keep out of his sight buy when we believe that he is ready to receive poor Sinners and pass by their Iniquities this will encourage us to come into his presence 3. Hence let us oppose these Examples to all the arguments of Despair that are obtruded upon us Satan and a misgiving heart will offer hard at this but let us answer all with these And there is no case in which we may not have one or other of them to do this withal Have our Sins been very Great of the biggest Size and doth the greatness of them terrify us as if they were too big for Pardon consider What were David's Sins What were Manasseh's Yea did not David bring that for a plea Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine Iniquity for it is Great The greatness of them can neither out bid his Grace or his Will to forgive Have they been multiplyed Transgressions and doth this dishearten us See what a fearful Catalogue is recorded of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin and yet they did not obstruct his Pardon Yea what saith God himself Isa 55. 7. He will multiply to Pardon Have they been against special Kindnesses bestowed upon us and so rendred us Guilty of horrid Ingratitude to God Remember how God sets forth Davids sin with all such Circumstances 2 Sam. 12. begin and yet he readily forgave him all when he humbled himself before him Have they been against many Means used with us to reclaim us which we have despised thereby sorely aggravated them We have been often warned and threatned and yet persisted and was not this also one circumstance in Manasseh's Sin 2 Chron. 33. 10. Have they been after we have received the Grace of God in converting us and so peculiarly grieved his Holy Spirit this must needs put a very black aspect on them but still remember this was Davids very case and Peters too but yet he did not take his Spirit from them but gave them Repentance and upon it remitted their Sins to them Are they Sins that you have long lain in and been habituated to and this makes you to think you have out lived your day of Grace and it is too late to hope for favour from God and did not David ly a long time remorceless under his great sin yet when at last God roused him and he repented he was forgiven 2. Let us improve them to put us upon the right course to obtain this mercy at Gods hand If we joyn not this to the former it will signifie nothing And here 1. Consider what they did in order to their obtaining forgiveness And therefore 1. They were throughly convinced of their Sin God made them to see it and know it Psal 51. 3. They had a deeply imprinted sense of what they had done and how they transgressed 2. They Confessed their Sins heartily to God They did not hide them under their Tongues they did not excuse or mince or extenuate them whiles they so did they got nothing by it but they acknowledged them Context Vers 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11. 3. They submitted themselves to God They took the shame of their Sins to themselves and acknowledged that all miseries belonged to them for the same and that God was righteous in condemning them Psal 51. 4. Dan. 9. 8. And so they yielded themselves up to God 4. They prayed hard for a pardon They besought God for his mercy yielded that nothing else but mercy could do it that God must do it for his name sake if at all and accordingly pleaded it â— Psal 25. 11. 5. They forsook their sins They turned from and renounced them utterly Judg. 10. 16. 2 Chr. 33. 15. 2 Believe that if they had not thus done they had never found mercy If they had gone on impenitently they had not been made the instances of Gods forgiveness and indeed the Word of God stands for this Prov. 28. 13. 3. Let us follow their steps This is the right improvement if we would fare as they fared let us do as they did take them as our Copy and write after them mourn as they did if we
5. Hereby we testify what an high value we have for a pardon God expects that we place a worthy esteem on his benefits Men that do not pray for pardon shew that they prize it not It is a poor thing that is not worth asking But when with earnest Supplications and undeniable requests we besiege the throne of Grace and will not let God alone till we have it we shew that we account it a glorious thing and when we obtain it we shall be answerably affected with it and God will so be glorifyed by our thanksgivings 2. It is the disposition of every gracious Soul thus to pray I do not mean that they are always actually engaged in it they may sometimes keep silence as David Verse 3. But that there is a principle in them disposing to this and will sooner or later put them upon it and there are these things that will make 〈◊〉 clear 1. The Grace in a Believer not only fits him for out also enclines him to Universal Obedience Grace is put into us as a principle of Obedience now it is of the nature of every principle that it hath a tendency to the reaching of its end and it is universal Obedience that we were made for and for which we are Sanctifyed by the Spirit and the new Nature is ever aspiring after new Obedience 2. That Godly men do often stand in need of ne forgiveness This hath already been considered There is new provocation given to God by every folly that we labour of and defile our Consciences withall we are under an apprehension of Guilt till God hath forgiven us these sins nor can we have peace within till we obtain this ves 3 4. 3. There are none that do so resent the need of forgiveness as the Godly when under Conviction For 1. The anger of God is more terrible to them than to others Others indeed may be more slavishly afraid but these have a more genuine fear of it Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee The most genuine fear is filial and that which is grounded in love A gracious Soul valueth the Love of God more than life it self therefore his anger is awful to him he hath felt the bitterness of it and that maketh him to dread it 2. Hence the apprehension of Guilt is to him more intolerable He knows it to be a Fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. And when he finds Guilt upon his Conscience he knows that he lyeth exposed to Gods anger and he cannot tell how to bear it he cannot live under it the weight of it sinks him he can have no rest so long as it abideth on him Psal 38. 3. 3. Hence this directs him with greatest earnestness to seek a pardon The carnal man when in trouble hopeth to get ease some other way and takes the courses which his vain heart dictates to him but a Child of God knows that there is none to be had but in the reconciled face of God and so abandons all other courses he runs not away from but maketh speed to his father and submits himself knowing that thus only he hath any hope thus did David Psal 51. And he begs and entreats sensibly and earnestly for it 4. These have all helps and encouragements to prompt them to seek and pray for a pardon And this added to the former must needs dispose them to it for 1. They have already experienced the sweetness of a pardon When they were under the terrours of the Lord and the apprehension of their Guilt at first God was pleased to come in with his favour and speak peace to them by letting in a beam of light and letting them know that their sins were forgiven and this was the joyfullest hour that ever they had in all their lives the comfort of it could not be equalled by any thing in the world Isa 12. 1. Which will put them upon seeking it again 2. They have also found God ready to forgive They have been the instances of those commendations given him in the Scriptures that he is prone to pardon that he is a God forgiving iniquity transgression and sin When they were ready to cast off all hope and give themselves up for gone he came and frankly forgave them though they could hardly believe it and could say no more than that poor man Mark 9. 24. I believe help mine Unbelief they have known him to be a merciful God and how doth this animate them 3. They have known the prevalency of prayer on this account They remember it was when God brought them on their knees it was whiles they were presenting their supplication to him lying prostrate at his feet that he took them up into his arms and gave them a kiss of reconciliation and this points them the way in which to seek it a gain and so puts them upon it 4. They have an interest in God Though he is angry with them and witnesseth it in their Consciences yet he is their Father he loveth them they are under the glorious promises of the Gospel of which this is one that if his people sin against him yet if they repent and pray to him he will forgive and though the evidence of their interest in him may now be clouded yet there are usually some resentments of former experiences which perswade them to hope he will remember a Fathers pity for them and receive them praying to him 5. The spirit of supplication dwells in them It is he that helpeth his to pray now he dwelleth in every Godly man and though he be grieved by their sins yet he doth not forsake his dwelling and this is one thing he doth for them viz. He helps them to call upon God as a father Rom. 8. 15. He excites them and brings them before him on their knees and this he will do sooner or later in all these USE I. Learn hence how vain a this it is for those to presume of a pardon who neglect Prayer And are there not too many of these God knows who they are who hold up their heads with confidence and pretend to rely on him for forgiveness who yet call not upon him they seek not God and yet hope that he will accept them but be not deceived though God is Gracious yet if you cannot pray you will miss of this favour and good reason for it argueth 1. Great insensibleness of your Guilt and want If Sin were your burden and bitterness it would bring you to ly prostrate before God and what should he do with a pardon who feels not his need if you know not that you are miserable you are not in a posture to receive forgiveness at Gods hands 2. Horrible Pride Prayerless Sinners are proud Sinners and therein they discover it it saith you count your selves too big to stoop to God and what little reason have such to expect savour they are the humble and the penitent that
there are three Conclusions contained in this Proposition 1. That God may be found by sinful men 2. That the Opportunity of thus seeking God is limited to time 3. That there are special seasons wherein God is to be found by them that seek him 1. That God may be found by sinful men This is the foundation of all our encouragment to seek after him We may here enquire 1. When God is said to be found 2. For the evidence that he may so 3. The ground of it or how it comes to pass 1. When God is said to be found A. In respect of his Omnipresence it is every where Act. 17. 27 28. And with regard to his Providence he fills all with his presence and influence Psal 135. 6. But it here aims at a gracious discovery which God makes of himself to us We then find him when we obtain favour from him in the thing we seek him for when he is propitious to us Deut. 4. 29. Gods being found is opposed to his hiding himself and his people account him to do so when they receive no favourable returns of their Prayers no gracious effects coming thereupon But when we ask his mercy and he bestows it upon us we conclude that we have found him If when we are burdened with the Guilt of Sin we humbly address him for pardon and he applies the promise and helps us to take hold on it and witnesseth within us his accepting us we conclude that we have found him and so in every other respect in which his Children call upon him It is he himself who comes in by his Spirit to the Soul and leaveth those things there which testify his presence Psal 34. 4. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me 2. For the evidence that he may be found Sin indeed hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners and hath provoked him to hide from them Every natural man is a lost Creature hath lost his God and his happiness and knoweth not where to find him but wandereth in a Wilderness where there is no way But for all this such is Gods rich Grace that he hath discovered himself in the Gospel so as that he may be found again by the lost Creature and these things will evidence it 1. He invites men to seek him This precious advice is given to all where the Gospel cometh He would not have men to seek their help else where but enquire after him He gives them this call while they are wandring from mountain to hill seeking rest and finding none 1 Chron. 16. 11. 22. 19. Now God would not invite men to seek him if there were no hope that they might find him he doth not delude them but point them to a way of safety 2. He hath therefore made promises to such as seeâ— him that they shall find him The Prophet tells 〈◊〉 from God Isa 45. 19. I said not to the seed of Jacob seek me in vain And to make this appear he hath obliged himself 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee So Psal 69. 32. Prov. 8. 17. Heb. 11. 6. And he who hath promised is faithful and will perform and they that adventure on his word shall never see cause to repent 3. He hath made a way for his being found by Sinful men And there is nothing wherein God hath equally celebrated his goodness to man as in this 〈◊〉 that when Sin had shut us out of his presence and raised Mountains between him and us he hath been at the cost to remove them and make a New and Living way for us to find him For this it was that Christ came into the World and made the Atonement with his own Blood that he might pull down the wall of separation And now he tells us that he is the way Joh. 14. 6. And so there is a new way Consecrated Heb. 10. 20. This God would not have done if he had not designed that some of the lost race should find him in it 4. He hath given us directions how we may find this way and him in it All the Gospel Precepts are adapted to this end As there could have been no way if he had not opened it so we could never have known it if he had not shown it us Mic. 6. 8. And his Spirit is sent to influence and guide us into it Isa 30. 21. The preceptive part of the Gospel is purposely given for our direction in this affair 5. Jesus Christ came to seek lost Sinners and bring them into this way he himself tells us so Luk. 19. 10. True he had a further design in coming viz. to make this way by his Priestly Office but yet in his Prophetical and Kingly he pursueth this design for having purchased to himself a Church in the world he sends forth his Spirit to gather them to himself he seeks them up in their lost estate and finds them and so they find him Isa 65. 1. 3. For the ground of this or how it comes to pass that he is willing to be found let these things be considered 1. That God hath purposed the glory of his Grace in the Salvation of Sinners Hence some are said to be Chosen in Christ to this very end Eph. 1. 3. 6. The foundation of all this is laid in his good will it was because he had a mind that this letter in his name should be made legible and celebrated throughout Eternal Ages 2. That mans happiness consists in his seeing and enjoying of God There is no other object is adequate for him should he enjoy all the goodness of the whole Creation separate from the favour and love of God it would not make him better man miserable Psal 73. 27. He only is a portion that can satisfy the cravings of an immortal Soul and if the man be happy he must know him Joh. â—7 3. and he must have him to be his portion Lam. 3. 24. 3. That man by Sin hath lost God This is the unhappy effect of the Apostasy and is the fruit of sin Isa 59. 2. Man was at first made near to God but as soon as sin came in it set him at a vast distance so that now he knows him not but is a stranger to him hath lost all title to him as his God and is become his enemy and so is made miserable 4. That fallen man must find God again if ever he enjoy him Vision and Fruition go together iâ— Mans misery is that he hath left him his only happiness is in finding him We must find him if we find life by him Prov. 8. 35. Till we so do we remain in the forlorn state state which Sin hath cast us into That man that doth not find his God again is undone for ever 5. For this end God exhibits himself to man as the object whom they are to seek God hath made our seeking of him a medium in order to our finding him Not but
Demonstration of this take these Conclusions 1. That it is arbitrary with God whether ever he will be found by sinful man or no Man in his Apostasy went away from God bad him depart preferred other Objects before him and renounced communion with him how justly might God upon this have rejected him for ever and resolved that he should never more obtain his favour He hath no dependance on his Creature if he had said they shall never see my face again for ever he had offered them no injury at all He therefore in this acts his Soveraignty and it therein eminently appears in that he thus manifesteth himself when where and to whom he pleaseth the greatest number of mankind are groping in the dark seeking an object in which to find their happiness and God doth not shew himself to them than whom they to whom he doth thus appear are nothing better so that his meer good pleasure is herein displayed hence that of our Saviour Mat. 11. 25 26. 2. Hence it is at his liberty to fix the terms on which he will be found by them If the thing it self be at his liberty he must needs then have the power of prescribing Man is a Rebel and an Out law if God will pursue him to death and destroy him he doth him no wrong and if he will indulge him with a treaty of reconciliation it is at his discretion to make the Articles of it Now among the other terms of the treaty this is one viz. the stating of the time wherein men may come in and find him A Prince that proclaimeth peace to his Rebellious Subjects may limit the day and proclaim that if they come in by such a day and she for it they shall have it but if they take not that opportunity there shall be no hope and it is a very high favour that such an offer as this though thus bounded should be ever made to any of the race of sinful men 3. That except God reveals himself unto men they may seek but they shall not find him There is such a thing as this Prov. 1. 28. And there is great reason for it God indeed hath made our seeking of him the way to our finding him made a gracious promise that they who truly seek him shall find him but it is a promise of Grace and indeed the reason why any do seek not find him is because they do not seek him as they ought However God manifesteth himself arbitrarily to men we may be in the outward use of all the means of grace and yet miss him never meet him there and it will be so unless he please to come and manifest himself 4. That unless God giveth them his Spirit Grace they will never seek him so as to find him There is a so seeking him as is ever crowned with success and brings us into his presence such as that Jer. 29. 13. All other is either hypocritical or legal which is not acceptable to God Now if any of the Children of men so seek him they must have the grace from him so to do it is a work of his Spirit and till he give them a new heart they cannot so do there must be his drawing if ever there be their following Now the drawing of the Spirit is at his pleasure if he see meet to withold this grace from men they will never so seek him notwithstanding all the calls and counsels and warnings that can be given them and he hath no necessary lying upon him to bestow this on them 5. There are certain means in and with which God reveals himself to men so as they may find him As God is to be found so there is a way for it Natural men that live without the Gospel can never find him in that condition the meer light of nature will never lead any of mankind to God or bring them to communion with him again had not this been manifested in the Gospel it had never been known and man must have wandred in an endless maze of error 2 Cor. 4. 6. And it is in and with this Gospel that God is pleased to shew himself to the Souls of men and therefore by serious attendance thereon they are to seek him Where therefore these means are either not bestowed or are taken from men or they from them now the opportunity must needs cease with them I now proceed to make it appear that if ever we find God it must be during the time of our life in this world and from the premises there are these evidences for it 1. That God hath in his Word limited the day of Grace to this life The Word of God is that by which we are to acquaint our selves with his will and there we are assured that the day of Grace is limited When our Text saith they shall pray in a finding time it infers that there will be a time when there is no finding of him and of the same import is that in Isa 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found Hence he may be sought too late when there is no finding him Prov. 1 23. Nay the Scripture hath expresly limited the time to this life Psal 6. 5. Isa 38. 18. And elsewhere which intimate that the time of Glorifying God by making our peace with him will then be over or that the work of providing for eternity will then be at an end and this is the force of the wise mans argument when he urgeth the husbanding the present season of life Eccles 9. 10. There is no work nor wisdom nor device nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest 2. That the means and offers of Grace are only afforded men during the time of this life Whiles God is to be found he affords men advantages of seeking him and these are the Gospel Ordinances in which his Spirit is wont to come and strive As long as he continueth these and cometh in and with them to the hearts of men they have a fair opportunity for finding him but when these are withdrawn and gone he goeth with them and it is certain that men enjoy these only in this life Whether so long is arbitrary but longer they shall not What saith the Psalmist Psal 88. 11. 12. Shall the dead praise thee c. by which interrogatories a vehement negation is insinuated and if Gods faithful Servants would never so fain they can come at them no more to speak to them about their Souls concerns 3. There are awful threatnings denounced against such as neglect this time and these offers God is a God of truth in his threatnings as well as his promises and he hath warned Sinners of what will come of it if they neglect the present time he hath denounced that they shall for ever miss of the benefit offered and for the obtaining of which they once had a price in their hands if they will not comply with Gods time they shall fail when
all of us strangers to him in our natural â—tate Eph. 2. 12. The Apostasy hath made an infinite distance between God and Sinners Man goâ—â— away from God by every Sin for it is of the nature of Sin to deaprt from him Psal 73. 27. Hence â—he Sinners of the Gentiles are said to be afar off â—ct 2. 39. 2. If we get not an interest in him we must perish or ever Mans misery took its date from his loosâ—ng of God and his happiness begins upon his finding of him nor will he ever be perfectly blessed till he cometh to that compleat and uninterrupted Communion with him which is reserved for glory Every distance from God is so far a misery and they that regard it not now will find it to their cost when they shall hear that fearful word Depart pronounced upon them and there is no other way to remedy our misery but by the getting of this distance removed God reconciled to us through Christ he must of our enemy be our God or we are undone 3. We must seek after this if ever we obtain it On how many Solemn considerations is this Command urged in the Scriptures and though it be a Solemn truth that if Christ do not seek us first by his preventing Grace we shall never seek him yet the way in which he cometh to be found by us is in his putting us upon seeking him He gives us such an heart and then he comes and revealeth himself to us All men are either seekers or forsakers of him and we are told how it is with both 1 Chron. 28. 9. 4. We have but this time of life to do it in God hath limited the whole opportunity of aâ— treaty with Sinners hither What said Christ to those Jews that despised him Joh. 8. 21. Ye shallâ— seek me and dy in your sins This life is mansâ— probation time for another You have but onâ— life to work in take heed then that you dâ— not let it go before your work be done Goâ— will not give you a second life to try over again if you spend this away prodigally thoughâ— you should repent never so bitterly of it and promise never so sairly he will bid you to remember you had a time but you regarded it not 5. This time will soon be done The shortness of life is that of which all complain though but few rightly improve the consideration there is indeed through Grace time enough if well husbanded to lay up store in for time to come However it is but a little while a few days will summ up and put a conclusion to it See how the Word of God comments upon lifes brevity Job 14. 1. Psa 102. 11. 103. 15. 144. 4. It makes use of the most fleet and transitory things to represent it by it is but a moment to eternity and yet on this moment that eternity dependeth We begin to dy as soon as we begin to live Sinners you have but a short day to do your great work in take heed how you let it slide away insensibly lest your glafs be out before you are aware 6. The finishing of this time is very uncertain Your times are not in your own hands but Gods Psal 21. 15. An age indeed is a poor short thing Psal 39. 5. But how few are there that live to consummate the ordinary age of man how few whose candle of life burns out the most have it blown out by an immature end and there is â—one of you that knows how soon death will seiz you The truth is if you must find God in this life 〈◊〉 ever you had need to do it just now or you may miss of it Think of this you that pretend exâ—uses and delays you are young and there is â—â—me enough how know you but God hath appointed your time to dy to be in youth you say to the Spirit go away and come to morrow but what if this night you be cut off and to morrow dawn not upon you Take heed there is but an hands breadth between life and death and the Change made by it is inexpressibly great If you take this day you may do your work but if you put it off to another it may never be done and then there is a Soul undone and lost to Eternity 7. The finishing of time will put an end to all opportunity of grace You now enjoy it but then no more Now you have Gods holy Sabbaths and precious Ordinances now you may read hear pray ask counsel repent believe and be saved You have a rich price in your hands why will you not set your hearts to improve it when time is done all these things cease no more Sabbaths you must never hear a Sermon more never be entreated again to be reconciled to God then the Spirits strivings will cease Where will you then seek God when you can no more come there where he useth to reveal himself 8. Possibly a great portion of your little time is already gone and you have hitherto neglected this great business You have had a fair season for many years living under the Gospel and enjoying aâ—â— helps for seeking and finding of God but yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have squandred them away negligently and yoâ— have now reason to think that your time is hastening to an end it may be gray hairs predicâ— your approaching dissolution it may be you labour of wasting bodily infirmities that are undermining your lives and telling you that you can hold out but a little longer And is it not time for you to rouse up now at last who have so small a remnant of a short life left you to seek God in and will you lose this too shall the few â—â—itting hours that are behind be sent after the rest there is time yet but it is upon the last sands Oh! redeem it 9. The longer you delay the harder work you will find of it It is the most unhappy way of arguing for men to plead they shall be better disposed afterward when they grow into years or their youthful lusts are tired out or worldly business a little over and in better order c. Assure your selves he that is not ready to day will be more unready to morrow it is the deceitfulness of sin to use delays on such pretences while sin taketh faster hold and gets deeper rooting and custom in sin adds a second nature When lust pleads hereafter the true meaning is never For helps in this affair 1. Resolve in this to be the first and most necessary thing It is a point of prudence to be rightly informed in this matter The most that perish for 〈◊〉 have this plea to make for themselves that they minded that which they accounted most necessary yielding to the pleadings and importunities of the flesh but weigh things in an equal allance enquire what will be of greatest moment â—o you when come to part with time and â—hink that to
of this Grace is to be made to you and though it be admirable yet God hath bidden such a proclamation to be published Jer. 3. 1. And I am sure that he can break your hard hearts and give you repentance and if he do there is no doubt of the good success of it 2. You are yet striven with and called upon God indeed speaks of a cessation of his Spirit striving with obstinate Sinners Gen. 6. 3. And there are the awful instances of it but the case is otherwise with you If the means of grace are influenced so as to rouse and awaken you out of your security and make you feel your mifery and be asraid by reason of it if he presents your sins to you iâ— their aggravations and makes them evil and bitteâ— to vou this is a woâ—k of his Spirit and saith thaâ— he stâ—ives still and whiles he strives there is hopâ— that he may be found 3. Hence these fears and terrours are not to driâ— â—ou to despair but to awaken you from your neglect And indeed you stand in need of them You deâ—pised many a gentle warning and were grown dreadfully secure fearfully asleep it was thereâ—ore meet that you should be starâ—led by some terâ—ible impressions made on you that he should give you deep and gaping wounds in your Conâ—dences to make you sensible the providence then is merciful though terrible but you ought to count it a mercy and then the lesson properly to be learned from it is to put you upon speed and utmost diligence in seeking of God without delay We have such a prayer of the Psalmist Psal 83. 15 16. God makes sin a burden too heavy tâ— hear that men may feel the necessity of seeking him And therefore Christ specially invites such to come unto him Mat. 11. 28. Be then encouraged whatever you have been and done there is hope in Israel concerning this thing only delay not Conclu 3. That there are special special seasons wherein God is to be found by those that seek him A finding time not only intends that it must be done in time but that there is a division of time into that wherein God is to be found and that wherein he is not to be found Here in general observe 1. That God hath more largely made this life a finding time so that none in particular ought to conclude his time to be past if he be alive This is the difference between the dead and the living IsaÌ„ 38. 18 19. The treaty of grace ordinarily continuâ— with men under the Gospel till they dy and aâ— long as it so doth their state is not to us desperate for any to say of himself my time is over my day is done I am gotten past hope of Salvation is a rash conclusion without any Scripture warrant It is a great sin because it stops men from using the means yea it is to make God â—liar for he saith in his word to such if you will return to me I will return to you whereas this saith let me seek and pray and confess and mourn all will be to no purpose he is resolved never to save me 2. God hath declared concerning some that their fâ—â—ing time shall be over in this life He may wait and strive longer or shorter as he pleaseth and though we have no ordinary Rule certainly to determine it to persons that they are so left yet there are some and that should make all fearful of trifling with and putting of him off we have such threatnings Prov. 1. 28. Joh. 8. 21. Hence that warning Heb. 3. 7. Gods invitations are all for the present their date is To Day and whether he will repeat them another day is with him Esau represented too late Heb. 12. 17. And how awful a word was spoken to those Jews who rejected the Salvation offered them Act. 13. 46. Now there are some awful symptoms of this 3. That there are some seasons wherein there is greater advantage to seek find God than in other The word Time in our Text signifyeth an Opportunity it intimates a fit season A work may be done while there is time but it is best and more readily done at some times We are told that sometimes God is near and that it is best then to Call upon him Isa 55. 6. intimating that he may be far off and then it will be more difficult There are times when he is within call and will answer at first and times when we may call again again before we have an answer from him Here â—o Quest What are those seasons wherein we are peculiarly advantaged for the seeking and finding of God A. There are four seasons more especially for this 1. The time of Youth is a special season for this Young persons put off and think hereafter is soon enough but it is their great folly there is no such â—eason for seeking and making out after Christ as 〈◊〉 For 1. God earnestly calls upon such to seek him He doth as it were single out such and the offer is particularly made to them the Spirit of God speaks emphatically to such Psal 34. 11. Come ye Children 〈◊〉 Wisdom calls them as it were by name Prov. 4. 1. 5. 7. 8. 32. Eccl. 12. 1. which tells us how â—â—in God would have young ones to begin early and how loth he is that they should spend their first time in vanity 2. God hath testifyed how well pleased he is when such seek him The entertainment he gives them is a testimony how acceptable it is to him What respect did he shew to young Abel Gen. 4. 4. How wonderfully did he reveal himself to young Samuel who was devoted to him from his Infancy 1 Sam. 3. 1. with verse 19 21. What an eminent instrument of reformation did he make of Josiah who began young 2 Chron. 34. 3. And what a testimony did he give to a good Child of a wicked father when dying 1 King 14 12 13. 3. Young ones have not so resisted him as others have done Children have Original Sin in them as soon as they live and begin to discover it as soon as they are capable but God hath taken the Children of his Servants into Covenant with him and they have not so notoriously rejected his Covenant as those have done who withstoold him in youth and addicted themselves to follow folly and vanity 4. Their hearts are usually more tender and easy to be wrought upon Not but that natural hardness born with us requires Gods Almighty power to take it away in the tenderest Child that is But there is a contracted obstinacy which grows on persons by custom which Children do not presently arrive at but are more tractible readier to receive the impressions of Counsels given them And this is the reason why we are bidden to begin early with them in Prov. 22. 6. 5. They have many advantages now which they will not have afterwards With such arguments the Spirit of God
pleads with young ones to husband their youth well Eccl 12. begin There will be many encumbrances of life afterward which now burthen them not and when old age siezeth them it will greatly unfit them for it who did not engage in it before 2. Whiles the Gospel is dispensed to them powerfully and faithfully This is another special season Here observe 1. That the Gospel Ministry and Ordinances are the ordinary instruments by which God Converteth Sinners He hath seen meet to make this the appointed way of promoving the Salvation of men 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 10. 17. Where he sendeth not these it is an awsul sign that he hath none of this work to do there 2. That they are the Gospel truths by the dispensation whereof he useth them as instruments They are moral instruments and therefore their business is to treat with men and the matter of the treaty is these great truths that declare the Counsel of God and the way wherein Sinners may come to enjoy him in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. 3. Hence the faithful dispensation of these truths is that which gives men all the advantage to seek and find God Their work is an Embassy 2 Cor. 5. 20. And the business is Reconciliation which is to be advanced by opening the terms and urging of them suitably If then they are faithful and do seriously and solemnly pursue this design there is all that can be expected of instruments by way of information and excitation Legal Preaching sufficeth not for this but Preaching Christ and the way of Peace by him and the more there is of this the more is the advantage of such a people 4. Hence when these fail this advantage is greatly impeded If then the Gospel is no longer Preached among a people it is a Judgment and a sign of his departure If instead of such dispensations there be such who Preach false Doctrines who blow up men with opinion of their own abilities who corrupt the pure stream of Gospel Truth or Proach unprofitable things needs must these impede this affair 3. Whiles the Spirit is pleased to accompany the means with his powerful influences This is a special finding time And here observe 1. That our sincere seeking of God depends on the Spirits operation He first seeks us if ever we seek him We must have a principle of Grace for it else we cannot do it and that must derive from him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. All our own moral powers can never exert this 2. There are times when he is more plenteously poured out upon men Not only is there a more powerful Ministry at one time than another but also more of the efficacy of Grace on the hearts of men when Sinners come flocking in apace at the call of the Gospel and the reason why it is so at any time is because the Spirit sets in powerfully with the means They may be the same and the labour in dispensing them as great Isa 33. 15. 3. There are times when he applieth himself to this and that person in particular as he did to Lydia Act 16. 14. And this is not always but at certain seaâ—sons which are arbitrary and he acts his liberty therein This he doth sometimes to one sometimes to another and when it is so it is an happy opportunity he is now very near and ready to be found when he stands at the door and knocks it is but opening to him 4. There are times of his withdrawing in both respects He sometimes lets a faithful Ministry be an unprofitable one to such as sit under it his Servants toil all night and catch nothing they complain as he Isa 49. 4. I have laboured in vain c. And then it becomes an hardning Ministry as Isa 6. 9 10. a savour of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. It will be hard finding of God at such a time as this 5. And there are times when after a great while he cometh again The Spirit withdraws and mens hearts grow hard but afterwards sometimes he comes again before he utterly giveth them up they have awakenings and remorces and now he is also near 4. When God brings his Judgments on a people And here 1. These Judgments whether publick or personal are Testimonies of Gods displeasure at men for neglecting to seek him He herein witnesseth his righteous anger at them and the reason is because they have not sought him but something else instead of him Jer. 2. 17. Isa 57. 17. If they had not forgotten him he had not fallen upon them 2. The proper design of these Judgments is to awaken them to seek him A professing people may so far provoke him as to fall upon them in his fury and make his Judgments a Sword to cut them off but it is not so at first they are part of his Discipline hence called his Corrections and God speaking after the manner of men tellâ— them what he expected Zeph. 3. 17. I said thouâ— wilt receive instruction c. 3. He is wont to stir up some at least of his Servanâ—â— to take this occasion to be earnest with men He affecteth them and makes them to cry aloud they see his anger and are afraid and upon it blow the Trumpet Thus in the times of the Apostasy of Israel and Judah God sent such Prophets to them who dealt faithfully with them 4. And he usually toucheth mens hearts at sucâ— times Indeed it is a natural operation of Judgments to put men upon thoughtfulness but thâ— Spirit is wont to set in and put such a people atâ—least many of them upon enquiring after hiâ— mind and to affect them with Convictions of sinâ— and fear of his Wrath. And this is a great advantage now to seek him 5. If all this be neglected he is hereby grievouslyâ— incensed It is an high provocation and he now thinks of withdrawing Hos 5. 15. Nay someâ— times it arrives at that that because all means aâ—ineffectual and they grow worse by them he deâ—clares resolutely to come at them in this way nâ— more but abandon them to destruction Ezek. 2â— 13. And then what a wo case are they in USE 1. For caution Let none from the prâ—mises conclude that his time is past I know somâ— troubled hearts are apt to be shaken by such awâ—ful truths and the adversary is ready to set iâ— and perswade them that their day is done anâ— so sink them into despondency To prevent this â—â— me offer these things 1. That none hath Scripture warrant so to conclude Gods purposes concerning individual persons on this account are reserved with himself nor hath he given us any Rules in Scripture to determine it concerning our selves or others there being but one Sin there branded for unpardonable all others may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Now we are to â—â—tch our hope and regulate our selves in our duties by the revealed will of God 2. The arguments that such are wont to
use will â—â— infer this conclusion They may prove their â—â—esent state bad and hazardous but not evidence them past hope 1. The greatness of their sins If they have fallen into some heinous and aggravated transgression and conscience smites them for it Satan presently â—ells them this is to big for a pardon Cain saith â—en 4. 13. My Sin is greater than I can bear or can be forgiven how can the forgiveness of â—â—eh sin be consistent with Gods Justice But â—is is to reflect on the value of Christ's Sacrifice â—â— if the vertue of his blood had only an influence â—â— do away the Guilt of smaller sins whereas we â—re told otherwise 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 7. 25. How â—argumentative then must Davids plea be Psal â—â— 11. Pardon my sin for it is great Yea God â—â—self resolves this doubt Isa 1. 18. â— The multitude of them They are not only â—ormous but their number is not to be reckoned â— they outdo their Arithmetick they are innumerable and every one of them as a great mountain and did ever so great a Sinner obtain mercy and is not Manasseh set forth as a monument of mercy who is scarce to be parallel'd either for magnitude or multitude of sins 2 Chr. 33. begin God hath multiplied pardâ—n for such as have multiplied their transgressions Isa 55. 7. 3. Their long living in their sins They have long driven this trade they began in their youth and have followed it to their ripe and declining years this hath been their course all along and now they are habituated by custom and what saith God Jer. 13 23. Can the Ethiopian c but though by this you have rendred your Conversion and Salvation more difficult in respect of the Subject of it yet it is not hard to Gods Omnipotency we have the case represented Isa 57. 17. 18. Suppose you have made you heart as an adâ—ment yet God can give you a new and a soft one Ezek. 11. 19. 4. Their resisting of the means of Grace If upon the first report of Salvation they had embraced 〈◊〉 there had been hope but they have been brought up under a faithful Ministry and under careful Parents who often told them of their sin and danger who solemnly warned and importunately entreated them to think of it and seek to God for mercy but they despised all and can theâ— be any hope for them Truly the case is lameâ—table but yet not desperate God can bring such a Prodigal home to himself and make him 〈◊〉 turn to his father and if he do he will mâ—â—â— and embrace him Luk. 15. 17 20. was not Ephrasm such an one and yet see how it was Jer. 31. 18 19. 5. The former strivings of the Spirit with them Time was when the Spirit was wont to come in with the means and apply to their consciences and many a time they confessed their sins and promised amendment but they out grew these quenched the Spirit gat carnal quiet and forgat all their purposes and promises and now they can sit under the most awakening Ordinances and be nothing affected with them or at most they are but faint and languishing motions that are on them and this saith to them their time is past To such let me say it is a righteous thing for the Spirit to withdraw his stilvings when such affronts are offered him and your danger is hereby encreased but if he now 〈◊〉 this home upon you with deepest resentments it saith that he is come again to try what you will do and if you take the hint and rightly improve it there is a good hope set before you 6. The near approaching of their dissolution They are spent all their time in sinful neglects of God and are grown old in sin their sun is setting and they ready to drop into the grave all their strength hath been devoted to sin and Satan and will God accept of the dregs of their time â—hen they are sit for no Service Truly it would 〈◊〉 a righteous thing for God to reject such as â—â—he so late and have withstood his invitations long and there are but few of these that truly return to him Yet if God pleaseth to awaken such to look about them he can magnifie his mercy upon them To see an old Sinner going to Eternity without any thoughtfulness is a tremendous sight but to hear such an one crying out of his miserable loss of time and the wretched course he hath led falling down before God and giving him glory is an encouragement for if God give repentance he will give remission and there are some who are born out of time to be the monuments of the admirable patience and grace of God Fly then to Christ and believe that he is able to do this for you In one word let none despair who are under awakenings but hearken to Gods counsel and seek mercy of him and you shall find him merciful and gracious USE II. We here see a reason why it is more hard for some to find God than for others God doth not so readily reveal himself to some that seek him as he doth to others Some receive an answer as soon as they call others bemoan themselves that they have sought him and cannot find him they have been sighing and groaning aâ—ter him but there is no voice or answer and though his Soveraignty is in this to be adored yet there may often be a reason given for iâ— from the thing under consideration Observe then 1. There are some who have put off their heâ—â— season of finding him He hath often come tâ— them in his Word by his Spirit and presented them with alluring invitations to come to and accept of him and possibly sometimes they have bâ—en almost perswaded but their vain minds have recoiled and instead of opening to him have shut the door faster against him whiles they have entertained other lovers He came to them in their Childhood but they delayed him and put him off till afterwards he repeated his calls in their youth but they were wedded to their follies and obstinately refused him He came again to them in their riper years but they had their worldly business to attend and craved his excuse but after all they begin to bethink themselves of their former wickedness and resolve now to seek after him which is wrought in them by a more effectual and irresistible touch of his Spirit on their hearts 2. It is a wonder of his mercy that such as these should find him at all It is rich Grace that he should once offer himself and accept of those that embrace that first offer this is a favour which none of the Fallen Angels share in But that after such Grace hath been so often slighted he should bow such an heart to seek him and after never so long a tarriance at last lift up the light of this countenance and signalize his love to him and receive him into his arms is matter of
13. 48. 7. Hence the primary end of all the Gospel Ordinâ—â—ces is to help men in this And though eventually they prove a Savour of Life to some and of Death to others yet but for the former they had not been promulgated Though Christ proves a corner stone to some and a stumbling stone to others yet the direct end of his coming into the world was the former 1 Tim. 1. 15. There is a powerful providence in ordering the coming of the Gospel in regard both of times and places and we find not that God suffered it to come any where but where he had some to bring in to Christ it was that they might so come to know God and the way to life Besides the very nature of the Gospel Ordinances and of the work allotted to the Gospel Ministry shew what is the business thereof God tells us what Pastors after his own heart are to do Jer. 3. 15. Paul tells us what his Ministry was for Act. 26. 18. This is it that Christs faithful Servants travail for and if they miss in it they complain that they labour in vain 8. The Spirit of God sets in with these and effectually teacheth all those that are appointed to Salvation If it be asked why one that sits under the outward teachings remains untaught whenas another hears and understands and receives instruction and takes hold on the paths of peace it is not because they labour more with these or they are in themselves more tractable The natural reluctancy in the faculties of men to the things of God is alike in all and was there no more done for teaching this man than the other he would equally dy without instruction it must then be ascribed to the Spirit of God He indeed useth the means because God hath appointed them for this purpose but he comes in seeretly with them opens their blind eyes and causeth them to see the excellent way of life approve it consent to it and make choise of it and he undertakes to keep them in this way Isa 30. 21. Joh. 16. 13. So that on whomsoever the outward means have this efficacy it is an evidence that the blessed Spirit of God hath been there USE I For Information in three particulars 1. Here see Gods great kindness to those whom he favours with the means of Grace It must needs be a great priviledge because the proper design of them is to guide men into the way of life Hereby God opens a door of hope to men for by pointing them to the way and inviting them into it he testifieth his good will to them and the more because all the world do not share in this benefit and they that have it deserve it no more than they that are without it nor doth the Spirit afford his inward teachings but in and with the Gospel dispensations 2 Cor. 4. 3. What thankfulness then doth this call for at our hands whom God hath thus indulged Take heed of undervaluing this precious priviledge lest we provoke God to take it from us David maketh a singular remark on this Psal 147. 19 20. 2. This informs us of the woful misery of those that live without these teachings All worldly advantages crouded together will not compensate this want or make them less than miserable who suffer it We have a sad deseription of such a people Eph 2. 12. The whole race of mankind in their natural state are out of the way of life and running in the path of destruction and without these teachings can never find the way out of that path but must wander in it till they fall into irrecoverable ruine For a people then not to enjoy these priviledges is an argument that they are forsaken of God What compassion then should we shew to such and how earnestly should we pray to God to shew pity to the ignorant World that lies in wickedness and send them his teachings 3. Learn hence the danger of despising these teachings And all those do so who do not seek to learn by them nor hearken to the counsel and directions therein given them who are weary of the Gospel and though God affords them line upon line do yet hold on their course in the way of death and neither care to acquaint themselves with the Rules of life nor to regulate themselves by them And are there not many such who live under the clearest and most convincing Doctrinal teaching herein is their danger great because by so slighting Gods offered kindness they aggravate their Guilt and will come under the Condemnation of those Luk. 12. 47. What fearful woes doth Christ denounce against such Matt. 11. 20. c. Let these be advised to fear and tremble USE II. For Trial by this we may understand whether we rightly improve these Teachings We enjoy great plenty of Gospel teaching and God expects an answerable improvement which if we neglect we shall have a bad account to make another day Now we then only profitably improve them when we use them to the design that God appointed them for viz. When they help us into and guide us in our way If then sinners be not Converted under and by them and if they do not help the Children of God forward in their Obedience they certainly lose the proper end of them It will be but a vain brag that we have a respect for the Ordinances delight in waiting on them are constant in coming to the house of God and have made a good proficiency in literal knowledge if this be all we shall be inexcusable Let us then ask our own Souls solemnly say I go frequently to the house of God I attend on the means in season and out of season I gain knowledge and can discourse much on the points of Religion but how far hath all this advanced me in the way I ought to go in What sins are mortifyed by the word What acquaintance do I get with God how much nearer doth every Ordinance set me to eternal life Such reflections well resolved will be instructive to us and help us to make a right judgment of our selves USE III. For Exhortation Let us close in with this design and endeavour the promoving of it To move us Consider 1. This is the only way to give God his due acknowledgment for his kindness in affording us these Teachings All other talks of our being obliged signify nothing we are never righly thankful for a benefit but when we use it carefully for the end of its being bestowed on us Our teachableness under the means is the evidence that we prize them this is life thankfulness and that only pleaseth God 2. Thus alone will these means be profitable for us A thing is no further beneficial than as the end of it is advanced now it is eternal life we are all concerned for and there is but one way to it and these means are for our help in this way and only when they so help us do they profit
advice and is thankful for it 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. 3. When they mock at the rebukes and counsels given them Instead of being afraid of Gods Judgments as he was Psal 119. 120. They laugh at the Message sent them and the Messenger that brings it this is one Article against them 2 Chron. 36. 16. Yea thus Christ himself was treated by the Pharisees Luk. 16. 14. And we are warned that there shall be many such in the latter days 2 Pet. 3. 3. 4. When they justly themselves against all the convictions offered them They will not see â—or acknowledge that they have done amiss they plead their innocence and righteousness Thus when the Prophet bore witness against their Idolatry they vindicate themselves Jer. 44. 17 18. They think that their ways are equal Gods ways unequal Ezek. 18. 25. Whereas a subdued heart readily confesseth its Guilt and gives God his due acknowledgment Psal 51. 3 4. 2 Chron. 12. 5 6. 5. When they remain insensible under all the means A stupid frame abides it is called a spiritual slumber Rom. 11. 3. They can sit under the most awakening means hear their sins declaimed against and their danger laid open and are no more concerned with it than the seats they sit on Isa 44. 20. Yea though God bring fearful calamities upon them they do not so much as think what is the voice thereof to them Isa 42. ult This is from the hardness of their hearts a tender heart is like that of Josiah's 1 Kings 21. 11. 6. When they grow 〈◊〉 under all the means A tractable spirit is mended by all Ps 119. 67. But thâ— means used with these becomes to them a savâ—â— of death Such was the judicial efficacy of then on those Isa 28. 13. and 2 Chron. 28. 22. Anâ— the reason is because the heart is unsubdued anâ— rebellious 7. When they keep on their course It may be is very silently they are reproved and are not enraged nor mock but hear all quietly but still do as they did before nothing is reformed and so they do not obey the voice of God which saith that they are contumacious Jer. 8. 6. Whereas the tractable will set upon reforming as Josiah 1 Kings 22. 2. How this Contumacy tends to obstruct the peace and comfort of this blessedness A. This will appear in the following Conclusions 1. That all sinful courses are provoking to God Sin is the abominable thing that he hates and though he pittieth it in his Children yet when they give place to temptation and defile themselves he is angry at it When David though a man after Gods own heart had thus contaminated himself God was displeased 2 Sam. 11. ult Hezekiah's pride procured wrath 2 Chron. 32. 25. How is it then with those that ly under the dominion of sin Psal 7. 11. 2. Hence God cannot hold Communion with men while under this defilement As to Ungodly men it is fully exprest Psal 5. 4 5. And as to the Children of God who are received into Communion with him such falls interrupt their fellowship and provoke God to withdraw get out of their sight and that because of his Holiness 2 Cor. 6. 14. 3. There is no other way for Sinners to enjoy or Saints to recover this Communion but by Repentance Whiles the cause abides the effect is not like to cease it was sin which brake the peace between God and man and while that reigns there is â—â— repairing it it is sin that makes God stand of from his Children and whiles they hold that fast they must expect that he will do so still Josh 7 12. Now the only way to break off from sin is by Repentance this therefore Gods calls for and is the design of all the means Lam. 3. 40. 4. Hence if ever God bring them to enjoy this favour he will give them Repentance Herein Goâ— discovers his eternal purpose concerning men means are no further profitable to any than aâ— they help forward the end for which they are used if God have thoughts of mercy for men and resolves to make them partake in pardon peace and salvation he will give them Repentance when he so doth his purpose now breaks out and discovers it self Christ was Exalted for this very end Acts 5. 31. If then he leave men under impenitency after all means it speaks awfully 5. This Repentance will never be so long as thâ—â—â— contumacy abides There belong these things to Repentance which are inconsistent with it There â—â— a sight and sense of sin a confessing and bewailinâ— of it a self abhorrence for it a returning to Goâ— with the whole heart to all of which is require a willing mind an heart laid at the foot of God A stiff neck and a rebellious heart go together God in bringing men to Repentance takes away tâ—â— heart of stone makes the stout spirit stoop and tiâ—â— this be done the distance abides and no hope oâ— recovering either pardon or comfort 6. But when once they are made tractable the controversy is at an end The great controversy between God and sinful man under the means is who shall stoop he or they he will not his hoâ—our is concerned in it and so they must if ever they obtain his favour Now therefore they give him his glory and he will lift up the light of his countenance upon them God himself declares this good issue Levit. 26. 40 41 42. Here then lies the great obstacle it is not their sins but their obstinacy under them that keeps up the wall of separaâ—â—â—â— and if that be removed the way is open and he will shew them his Salvations USE I. For Information in two particulars 1. See here where the blame lies that men live withâ—â— this peace and comfort As God did not break with men but they with him Isa 59. 2. So not he but they are in the fault that the breach is not made up He declares his readiness to be reconciâ—ed by all the means he useth with them he tells them of their sins of the unreasonableness of them invites them to repent waits for it promiseth that â—f they do he will pardon them give them his â—â—â—rit bestow on them his love and compass them â—ith songs of deliverance The culpable cause then must be they are wilful obstinate stupid refractoâ—â— receive not instruction will not be reformed â—od therefore so expostulates Jer. 13. 27. Isa 48 18. â—â—d is there any unrighteousness in God that he 〈◊〉 not be at peace with such is it not just that â—hey do smart for their obstinacy And if they live â—â—d dy under Gods wrath must they not for ever charge it on their own perverseness Let sinners now think of this and if Godly men ly long under darkness and sorrow let them enquire whether this be not the reason of it and see their own folly 2. We have a Rule to judge of them that live in contumacy and yet cry peace to themselves
root of the matter in them through the prevalency of the 〈◊〉 Isaâ—â— in their members That then we may rightly take up this truth observe these Conclusions 1. That all disobedience to Gods Commands proceeds from the corruption in mans nature This is the proper fountain to which it is to be referred and this will be evident from the consideration of these things 2. That man was made at first for the Service of 〈◊〉 I do not say that it was the end of Gods intenâ—ion that all men should actually serve him for then they should certainly have so done for that end of his is never trustrated but it was mans end unto which he was appointed by the reyealed will of God God intended that it should be mans duty to serve him and that this should be his way to happiness and his coming short of it his misery and accordingly made him capable of this service gave him a Rule for his direction in it and â—aid him under the strongest obllgations of conformity to this Rule 2. That mans concreated Grace both enabled and enclined him to this Service God not only made all for his glory but he suited every thing to glorify him in the order wherein he placed it and according to the way wherein he would have glory from it It was an active free voluntary Service that he expected of man and it was an holy Service and so required a principle of holiness in him accordingly he made him a Reasonable Creature having an Understanding capable of discerning his Rule and judging of it and a Will fitted to make choice of it and Affections suited to prosecute it and manage his outward man therein but this is not all for he Imprinted his Image on him gave him Holiness and Righteousness Eccles 7. 29. And in Sanctifying he both impowred and disposed him to Serve him in a right manner 3. It was by sin that man revolted from that Service It was a transgression of the Law of God in which mans Apostasy did consist the very act of it was an act of Rebellion this is the very nature of sin 1 Joh. 3. 4. By that act of Disobediance that our First Parents committed sin was Introduced into the world Rom. 5. 12. If sin had not gotten into mans heart he had never violated the Command 4. The Grace that is renewed in the Children of God is a new Principle of Obedience in them Sanctifying Grace is put into us by the renewing of the Spirit Eph. 4. 23. Which supposeth that man once had it and lost it it is therefore the same Grace for kind that man had at first it must then have the same influence upon him and be given him for the same use which is to enable and dispose him to Serve God It is therefore called life because by it we are are enabled to live to God and being a principle of Holiness it can have no other tendency than to put us upon living holily 5. Hence all disobedience must needs flow from that eâ—mity that is in us which is not nor can be subâ—ect to the law of God It is the very disposition of the flesh or corrupt nature in us Rom. 8 7. From it then must proceed all that Opposition that is made by us to the revealed will of God If man had not sin in him he would not disobey if then he do so at any time it is Sin that leads him to it All sins are charged to be the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5 19. c. Hence every act of obstinacy is a manifest dâ—scovery of Original Sin in men 2. Hence all the disobedience that the Children of God at any time are guilty of proceeds from and discovers the corruption in their nature That they have perpetrated such acts yea and continued in them there are divers instances of it in the Word of God and there must be some principle in them from which it derives it cannot be their grace and so it must flow from their sinful nature for 1. The grace in them prompts them to the Service of God A Child of God so far as he is gracious is cordially bound for God and his glory and engaged in universal Obedience the new nature puts into him a respect to all Gods Commands Psal 119. 6. It fills him with a love to God and delight in his Precepts Rom. 7. 22. 1 delight in the law of God according to the inward man i. e The new nature which is born from above Grace in the Child of God is the Image of God on him and it puts him upon imitating of God in all his imitable perfections so that if he had nothiâ—â— but grace in him he would never do any thinâ— but what is pleasing to God 2. But they have in them another party which Flesh The Scripture frequently useth this woâ— to express the sinfulness of mans nature by reason of carnal lusts dwelling in it in opposition to which it calls Grace Spirit Gal. 5. 17. Now Gods Children have of this Flesh in them they were once all flesh but in Conversion when Christ sat up his Kingdom in their Souls he put his Spirit upon them but he doth not at once take away all the corruption of their natures but there are the relicks of it abiding in them Paul complains of it Rom. 7. 23 24. And there is none that can pretend to be free from it 1 Joh. 1. 8. 3. This Flesh in them is ever drawing them from their Obedience Though the Dominion of it be broken the remains of it are strong active and politick and it always resists the motions of grace Gal. 5. 17. And is many times too hard for it in us and so Captivates us sorcibly Rom. 7. 2â— We shall never be rid of it so long as we live and as long as that lives it will give us trouble it will have its cravings arguings forcible motions its importunities are urgent and it hath a thousand cheats to put upon us we are therefore warned to beware of being deceived by it 4. Hence when they are-at any time drawn aside it is by this Satan indeed waits for opportunity and instigates the corruption in us and so far he may be charged with it but not so as to excuse our Concupiscence from the â—lame and guilt See Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan impted thee If a Believer is precipitated into any sin and breakes his bones his lust must be charged with it Jam. 1. 14. If there be any grace stirring that will resist it therefore had no hand in it Rom. 7. 20. It is no more I. 3. Hence when a Child of God resists the means used with him he wofully resembleth the Wicked He is not indeed a wicked person because God looks upon men and denominates them according to the reigning principle in them now Sin hath not the Dominion in a Child of God but Grace how sar soever corruption may prevail at some times
the New Covenant and entituled to Salvation These are the first special fruits of Election breaking 〈◊〉 in Effectual Vocation Rom. 8. 29. And hitherto â—ong those great works of Faith and Repentance which are wrought in them by the Spirit of God by which they are made to turn from sin to God â—nd from all other trust to rely upon Christ alone according to the terms of the Gospel and these are accompanied with Justification and Adoption by which they are discharged from Condemnation and entituled to life and made heirs of God and coâ—rs with Christ and so have a right to all the good â—id up in the promise and these are not not common favours 2 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise c. 2. There are also those benefits which are bestowed on them after they are brought home to Christ and engaged â—he new Covenant which contain all the good that is 〈◊〉 up in the promise made to them that love God and 〈◊〉 in his Son Jesus Christ and those are specially the Sanctification of the Spirit enabling them to serve and glorify God in their generation the preserving them in a state of grace to perseverance the perfecting of all their graces in them and the â—inging them at length into and possessing them for ever of the Kingdom of Glory comprehended summarily in Psal 84. 11. 3. And there are also the saving operations of common providence by which they are made special mercies to them Those things which they have in the ordinary course of providence and are to wicked men but common mercies and do in their operation tend to their hurt are sanctified to the Children of God so as to be servicable to farther their Salvation Those things that are a Snare to ungodly men and abused by them to dishonour God are helps to their Obedience and they glorify God with them 1 Cor 10. 31. They make them to study gratitude Psal 116. 12. Yea and Afflictions too which are to the wicked the beginnings of sorrows are the happy means to do these great good Psal 119. 71. Isa 27. 9. The means of Grace which are to others a Savour of Death are to them a Savour of Life c. 2. As to the mercy that is discovered in these benefits we may observe it in these things 1. The Creature which is the subject of them is in it self miserable for so had the fall of man made the whole race to be in as much as they were involved in Guilt and a Curse which contained all miseries in it Read the description given of a natural man Rom. 3 10 c. and the doom that is fallen upon him Chap. 5 12. And what a forlorn wretched Creature must we conclude him to be and by this he is a subject capable of mercy 2. The miserable Creature receives inexpressible kindness by these benefits His misery is relieved in it yea and remedied and finally removed by it Common favours give a present relief but these make him of miserable to become happy they take of the guilt and so remove the Curse that was lying upon him and confer on him that which fills him with satisfaction and crowns him with endless felicity hence blessedness is pronounced on all believers Psal 2. 12. 3. And all these flow from the fountain of his freâ— benignity There is no merit of the Creature in it the best of men is less than the least of all mercies Ge◠〈◊〉 They deserve the quite contrary Dan. 9. 8 9. They do nothing for them have nothing to proâ—re them withal are no better than those that go without them God bestows them on them for his 〈◊〉 name sake And when these things meet together what is done for them must needs be called mercy 2. Wherein it appears that all the rewards of Obedience are fruits of this mercy A. We may come at it in the following considerations 1. There is a reward promised to the Obedience of 〈◊〉 Children There are not only great and preâ—ous promises made in the Gospel to the people of God but there are the things mentioned to which they are connected and these are proposed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for their encouragment in â—ing him God would have them to know that they serve a good Master and would have them to animate themselves by the contemplation and faith thereof Thus did Moses by respecting the recompensa of reward Heb 11. 26. Hence such encouragements Gal. 6. 9. Isa 3 19. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. ult 2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive â—he reward God hath not only told his people what he will do for them but how they are to expect to come by it for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threatnings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed we read Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after he flesh ye shall dy This is not to be understood as 〈◊〉 the Children of God should be left to fall from the promise but to let them know that God hath appointed the means in order to the end and thereby to nourish in them awful fear and quicken them to duty 3. This notwithstanding the reward is every way of mercy It is a great error from the notion of a reward to infer a merit in the person that receives it There is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt and is dayly exemplified among men A father bestows a favour on his Child in testimony of his accepting his fidelity in chearfully doing that which was his duty now that all the rewards which God bestows on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy is evident for 1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that goe without them and this God would have his people to bear in mind and often reflect on to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither Eph. 2. 2 3. ver 12. And he puts himself together with others in declaring how it was with them before Tit. 3 3 4. 2. It is by these rewards that they are made actually to partake in freedom from that misery and enjoy true felicity This is the very nature of them for all the good that is laid up in the promises is herein contained and that consists in a freeing them from those evils which the Curse of God laid upon them and an enjoyment of that peace grace and happiness which is purchased by Christ the whole of it is summed up in Salvation in which there is something that we are saved from and something that we are made to possess hence Salvation is so often mentioned in the Gospel as the portion of the faithful is the greatest mercy the undone creatures can
adviseth to Luk. 10. 20. 2. It may also be called so in regard to the manner of it and it will comprehend not only spiritual but outward mercies And that is when all help us to rejoyce in God take our whole delight in him when not only the affection of joy is exercised but the grace by which the affection is sanctified and this is an holy mirth and altogether of another nature from that which is meerly natural much more the carnal for the former may be subordinated to it but the latter in no wise and here observe 1. That none but the upright have any title to spiritual things They are offered to others but they have preferred lying vanities and so cannot claim them how then should they rejoyce in them they have common favours but these spiritual ones belong to none but the Children of God 2. That none but these can spiritually rejoyce Tho' joy be natural to all yet spiritual joy supposeth the sanctification of the Affection which is wrought by the Spirit in the work of Conversion till therefore this be produced in the man he is utterly uncapable of doing any thing graciously 5. All ungodly men are the very heirs of Sorrow Man in his fallen state is born to it Job 5. 7. 14. 1. Sin hath put him under a curse of death every enjoyment of his is full of it none but the upright are delivered from it There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. ult And if no peace no true comfort can belong to them certainly then their present business is not to rejoyce but mourn and that bitterly and it is rich mercy that God hath discovered a way how by Godly Sorrow they may come to true joy Psal 126. 5 6. The Righteous should alwayes Rejoyce Conclu 5. THese should rejoyce always The duty is urged again and again noting constancy in it and see 1 Thes 5. 16. Rejoyce evermore Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce and again I say Rejoyce This is an hard lesson to flesh and blood and Gods Children are sometimes stumbled at it how often doth God call them to mourning and how shall they then rejoyce I shall endeavour to make this plain in the following Conclusions 1. Gods Children have their mourning times here Not only have they abundant occasion for it in the Providence of God but it is their duty to mourn when God calls them to it As long as they carry a body of death about with them and are let captive by it they may well groan cry out as he Rom. 7. 24. There is a Godly sorrow belongs to them 2 Cor. 7. 10. And such occasions will never be wanting till they come to just men made perfect 2. They may also be often impeded in their work of rejoycing This grace is often obstructed in its actings and they hang up their harps in the willows and more especially 1. Through excessive sorrow under some afflictive Providences They meet with trials that are too hard for them at present which drink up their spirits and are ready to overwhelm them Psal 142. 3. they are broke in the place of dragons they faint in the day of adversity and now it is hard to sing a Zions song or tune their voice to a chearful celebration of Gods kindness to them Psal 137. begin 2. Through Divine Desertions There are occasions of Christ's withdrawing from his Spouse and then she is sick of love and ready to faint and dy away he hides from them and the thoughts of him were a perplexity to them Psal 77. begin The grounds of their joy are now hidden they cannot discern them and this makes them sad how should it be otherwise 3. Through Unbelief whereupon they put a wrong interpretation upon Gods dealing with them When he comes to correct them as a father they conclude that he sets himself for their enemy when he is about to heal them they think he intends to kill them he is at work for them and they say all is against them Now we live by faith and all our comforts are received and improved by the exercise of it so that when that is obstructed and unbelief prevails this turns all into sorrow 3. There are also special seasons wherein the joy of Gods people abounds in them As they have their sinking so their raising times God comes gives them more than ordinary advantage to exercise their joy and no wonder if then they are enlarged in it and here observe three more especial seasons 1. Upon their espousal to the Lord Jesus Christ The time of his wooing them in order to this is a sorrowful time for in breaking them from their other lovers and making them willing to accept of him he shews them their miserable state by nature the misery and destruction they are going to there is conviction compunction contrition apprehension of the wrath of God sense of Sin and Judgment which make them afraid noâ— Christ is wont after this when he hath gained their consent and plighted the Everlasting Covenant to make it a joyful day and the beams of his love irradiate the Soul that was but now in its own sense perishing and this is unconceivably refreshing We read of the joy of Marriage 2. Upon some special returns of Prayer When a Child of God hath in sore straits gone in bitterness of soul to him and poured out importunate requests and groans unutterable God after waiting comes in wonderfully by his Spirit and gives a manifest and experimental answer he comes away with his sheaves which he had sought with tears and what joy must he now have Psal 126. 6 Thus we read of the joy of harvest 3 Upon some new sealing of a pardon after Gods â—nger hath been felt He had by some sin incensed his Fathers displeasure and wounded his Conscience which filled him with amazing terrours God had withdrawn and left him in a lamentable condition but he hath câ—me and humbled himself confessed his sin cordially sought mercy God in pity to him hath not only forgiven him but given him a clear testimony of being reconciled and confirmed him in his love and what a joy is this This was the case in our Context and theirs Isa 12. 4. There is no season wherein a Child of God hath not the ground of rejoycing in him Possibly it is not always clear before him but it is always there his state is good his Justification is secured he can no more come into Condemnation he is a Son of God and an heir of the Kingdom and here is the foundation of all joy and these things once enjoyed can never be lost however the sight of them may be beclouded 5 The Graces of the Spirit may be joyntly exercised by the believer Tho' the manner of expressing them be various yet there is no contradiction between them nor will one hinder the other Irregular Sorrow indeed will hinder spiritual joy but that which is gracious
was when the Psalmist had been under sore distress of mind by reason of the deep sence of his Sin and was relieved by God and it is generally supposed that it bears a reference to that great and complicated sin of his respecting the matter of Uriah concerning which also several other Psalms are thought to be written besides the Fifty first The Title of the Psalm is Maschil of David the word signifieth to Teach Some think it here intends a sort of Instrument that bare this name Others that it points to the kind of Song suited to such a Tune according to the numbers or measures of it But generally it is supposed that the matter of the Psalm is pointed to in it viz. that it is a Psalm for teaching or instruction There are some of Praise others Petitionary some Historical c. But this is Doctrinal and the matter of it excellently suits to this interpretation and there are ten others besides this that bear the same inscription The Doctrine that is laid down in this Psalm is one i. e. to point us to the way how we may come to be truly happy where we have 1. A Blessed man described vers 1 2. 2. Exemplified by the Psalmist in himself by his own experience verse 3 4 5. 3. He directs how to improve the faith of this verse 6 7. 4. He shews what manner of life men ought to lead if they would maintain the sence of their pardon and blessedness in it verse 8 9 10. 5. Calls on these blessed men to rejoyce in it verse 11. The first thing then in the Psalm is a description given of a blessed man verse 1 2. And it bears respect to the state of Blessedness which is enjoyed in this life There is an Inchoate Felicity which the Children of God are partakers of â—ere which shall arrive at perfection hereafter The Topick from whence he argues or describes â—his Blessedness is the state of Pardon or Forgiveness in which such do now stand In the words observe 1. The blessedness of some is asserted Blessed Interpreters are at a loss about the word Some make it an Adverb signifying well q. d. it shall â—e well with such an one Others an Adjective of â—he plural signifying That all manner of felicities â—elong to such an one both in this life and that to â—ome The word certainly denotes an happy â—ate and tells us that there is in it the affluence â—f all the good that is desirable and the Psalmist gives us to understand that there are such men as â—hese in the world 2. This blessed man is characterized he is a â—ardoned man where 1. We have the nature of this pardon expressed in three particulars in all of which Sin is considered as the thing about which this pardon â—s applied set forth in divers names which are given it in the Word of God and when he mentions sin indefinitely it is to be understood of all sin for one sin unpardoned is enough to undermine and overthrow all the mans blessedness Here â—hen 1. The pardoned man is one whose transgression â—s forgiven The word Transgression signifies a proud rebellious wilful breaking of the Law or high-handed iniquity and the word Forgiven signifies to take off from one and is supposed to be a Metaphor from a burden which oppresseth one by the removal whereof he is eased 2. He is one whose sin is covered the word Sin signifies an erring or turning out of the right way and is applicable to all Sin whatsoever which is Anomy 1 Joh. 3. 4. the word Covered signifies to hide a thing by throwing something over it that it may not be seen and is a metaphor from the covering of nasty dirty things that one is not willing should be taken notice of 3. He is one to whom the Lord imputes not iniquity the word Iniquity signifies that which iâ— crooked or perverse and is sometimes used to express Original Sin which is the crookedness oâ— our nature and is often also applied to Actuâ— Sin which is called mans crooked way and thâ— word translated Impute among many other significations of it is often used for reckoning or chaâ—ging to ones account and Sins are sometimâ— called Debts in Scripture 2. We have the evidence of this pardon sâ— down with respect to the subject of it he 〈◊〉 one in whose spirit there is no guile the word Guile signifies fraud falshood and deceit and 〈◊〉 here taken for Hypocrisy in opposition to truâ— and integrity That there is a Blessedness which God haâ— provided for and will bestow upon some 〈◊〉 the Children of men is a truth observabâ— from our Text but I here supersede any distinct â—andling of it having lately insisted on it from â—nother Text and pass to some other Obserâ—ations A Pardoned Man is a Blessed Man DOCTRINE I. A Pardoned Man is a Blessed Man That person who hath obtained at the hand of God a Remission of his sins is possessed of true â—elicity a state of forgiveness is a state of real â—appiness I might here spend some time in enâ—uiring into the nature of Pardon but that will â—llow to be distinctly considered afterwards â—ere therefore let it be only in general observed â—at pardon properly consists in the removal of the â—uilt of sin from the sinful creature It ever suppoâ—eth guilt arising from sin with which the man â—as justly charged and by which he was under 〈◊〉 Sentence of Condemnation When this Senâ—nce is taken off and the person is acquitted â—en he is said to be pardoned It is therefore 〈◊〉 act of authority done by one who hath powâ— to apply it and that is no other but God â—ey said the truth in Thesi Mark 2. 7. Who can â—rgive sins but God only only their charge â—as false because Christ was God and being constituted by his Father to be Judge of all the World he had this authority verse 10. But thâ— which I here design is only to clear up the truth of the Doctrine by essaying to discover the great blessedness of such an one as is pardoned only observing that their whole blessedness doth noâ— consist in this it being a collection of manâ— things together that are requisite to the making one compleatly happy but this is one of themâ— and inseparable from the rest and doth also communicate to the man that which is truly hapâ—pifying There are two heads to which we may refeâ— the demonstration of this truth 1. The evil and misery which this pardoâ— frees the man from declares him to be happâ— Happiness and Misery are directly contrary each 〈◊〉 other that therefore which removes this froâ— the man restores him to that again now thâ— pardon hath a main stroak here How this râ—moves it will be considered hereafter we noâ— only consider the things that it delivers the mâ— from and they are not only seeming but reâ— and great miseries it therefore must needs beâ— real and great felicity Here then 1. It takes
set against this turning to God being a lump of Enmity Rom. 8. 7. Th◠then it may be drawn to consent it must have 〈◊〉 New principle put into it and because the Will 〈◊〉 a power in a cause by counsel it requires that the Understanding be also rectified which is filled with crooked principles Call good evil c. and cannot do other so long as it remains in its carnality◠Isa 44 20. The New Convert is therefore sa◠to be a New Creature and all in him to be New◠2 Cor. 5. 17. And what is it wherein this change consists whereby he is new made but those sanctifying graces that are infused into him and disfused through the whole man Eph. 4. 24. Such a discovery then must needs witness to the ma◠that he is pardoned because it witnesseth the Conversion that is an inseparable companion of forgiveness 3. God designing his own Glory in forgiving the Sinner doth it in such a way as may be in all respects answerable Gods last end in all his works is his own Glory that there are designs of love and good will to the Creature in many of these works is beyond question but these are subordinated and ever refer to that as their highest aim and are accordingly so regulated as to advance it in the accomplishment of them So that though God intends the Sinners Salvation when he Justifieth him and therefore together with forgiveness he entituleth him to the Kingdom yet there are several Attributes that are concerned in this affair every of which must have its lustre herein and as his rich grace and mercy are in this exalted gloriously and as his Justice must be secured from wrong yea and triumph in it so there is his Holiness here to be displayed for God will be Holy in all his doings Psal 145. 17. Now the Holiness of God hath a special concern here in the manifestation of the hatred he bears to sin notwithstanding the love he bears to the person whom he pardons and if God should forgive the Sinner and yet not take away his Guile or purge him from his sin and overturn the Dominion of it he would seem not only to love the person but approve of his iniquity contrary to Hab. 1. 13. On this account wicked men who for the present escape punishment think so Psal 50. 21. And therefore to vindicate his holiness wherever he pardons sin he subdues it they go together Mic. 7. 19. 4. Pardon of Sin is a New-Covenant Blessing in which there is a perfect Reconciliation made between God and the person forgiven God often speaks of a Covenant that he will make with his people and we are told what are the benefits of it Isa 55. 3. The sure mercies of David i. e. all the good that Christ hath purchased for them whereof this is one and is expresly mentioned Jer. 31. 33 34. Now sin had made a breach between God and us and when God forgives and Justifies the Sinner he thereby signifieth that he is atoned and the Reconciliation is mutual 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And there is no prospect of a Reconciliation either on Gods part or the Sinners so long as sin remaineth in its power and he is not Sanctified this is the abominable thing that he beteth Jer. 44. 4. It is that which made the Separation Isa 59. 2. How then should he hold amity with one that hath nothing else in him Psal 5. 4 5. It is sin that hath filled the Carnal mind with enmity Rom. 8. 7. Till then he is Sanctified and his Guile subdued he cannot possibly be reconciled to God and so the New-Covenant cannot be plighted without which he is not forgiven 5. Jesus Christ Redeemed us for his Service Forgiveness of sin is a fruit of Christ's purchase he Bought it for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. And in the Application of a pardon the Redemption of Christ is applied to us and where any one part of it is applied the whole is so for Christ cannot lose any part of the design of this great work and we are assured that he Sought in it a people to Serve him which is promised to him as a fruit of it Psal 22. 30. We are therefore told that it was for this Tit. 2. 14. And his people are said to be Redeemed from their Iniquities Psal 130. 8. And from their vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. And the strongest argument to oblige us to Holiness is fetcht from this consideration 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Now as long as Sin reigns in the man he is the Servant of Sin during which he cannot Serve the Lord Christ he must then be made free from it in order to his attaining this end Rom. 6. compare verse 20. with 22. It is sincere Service and without Guile that he expects and by which he is honoured and because Christ will have Service from every pardoned one he with his pardon puts into him a new principle which makes him upright 6. Pardon or Justification is in order to Glorification They are Connected Rom. 8. 30. So long as the Law Sentence of Death was out against them they were incapable in that state of being Glorified when God taketh off the Sentence it is always in order to the making them happy for ever and therefore it must needs be followed with the Making them meet for that Glorious state which cannot be enjoyed by any of the Children of men so long as they have a Spirit full of Guile The natural man cannot be entertained in the spotless Kingdom nor can he resent the happiness either of the Place or Company or employment in it except he be made Holy all being accommodated to happify no other That then God may accomplish this design of his he Sanctifyeth them together with Justifying of them Christ had an eye to this Eph. 5. 25 26 27. From all these Considerations we see how evidential this being without Guile is of our being pardoned and how necessary it is for us to be able to argue this from that if we would not be mistaken in our hopes and assurances USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence how vainly many pretend themselves to be in a Pardoned state How few indeed are there of those that Live under the Gospel who do not presume of this whence else is the quietness and confidence of the most under all the aw◠and awakning truths that sound in their Ears from time to time And yet if they were brought to the tryal of this one Character how must they fall before it And that not only in their own Consciences but in the Consciences of others too even after all the allowances which a well regulated Charity may make are afforded to them And 〈◊〉 is to be feared that besides those that walk open faced there are a great many of close covered Hypocrites whose own hearts would condemn them◠if they would hear them speak how plausibly so ever they carry it in