refers to some trouble that he met with after his Conversion and yet he tells us how sadly he was oppressed with it That the sense of Guilt is terrible to him that hath the impressions of it on his Spirit we have already observed That therefore which is here only to be enquired is How a true Convert who is a Justified consequently a pardoned person comes to be distrest with Guilt which is removed by Forgiveness And this is a Case worthy our looking into For the right stainâ— and explaining whereof I may offer these Conclusions 1 It is certain that in the forgiveness of Sin the whole Guilt of it is removed A Pardon hath 〈◊〉 proper respect unto Guilt it makes not the 〈◊〉 not to have been nor takes away the merit of it but it removes the obligation of it that bound the Sinner to Dy a pardon doth not take away a part and leave a part but it dischargeth all it doth not remit the fault and retain the punishment nor doth it abate the Eternal Punishment and reserve the Temporal but it altogether dears the man from the Law sentence against him for this reason it is said to be blotted out c. God indeed forgives as a Judge and corrects as a Father but this respects not the Law but the Gospel and the Correction is to heal the person it is not an act of Revenging Justice but Parental Discipline Jer. 10. 24. 2. That Justification in which Sin is pardoned is not an eternal and immanent but a temporary and transient act They that talk of an Eternal Justification mistake the Scripture notion of it True in the Eternal Compact between God the Father and Son there were those given to the Son whom he was in due time to Redeem and Justify Isa 53. 11. And so this was secured for them and when Christ Rose from the Dead he was as our Sureâ—y Justified 1 Tim. 3. 16. And so there was a â—ustification taken out for us Rom. 4. 25. But the â—ctual application of it to us is upon our believing Rom. 5. 1. There is an act of God which passeth upon the Sinner whereby his Guilt is taken off â—rom him and this is part of that which the Scripâ—ure calls Justification And therefore before that we are counted Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. The â—hing was made sure before but we must be in Christ before we pass from Condemnation Rom. 8. 1. 3. There is a double consideration to be had 〈◊〉 the forgiveness which is applied to the Sinneâ— viz. 1. In respect to his Person and State The naturaâ— state of every Child of Adam is a state of Condemnation as he stands Guilty of the Imputatioâ— of the First Transgression and as he is Born undeâ— the power of In dwelling Original Sin by verâ— whereof his State is a State of Guilt Now 〈◊〉 state is removed in Justification in which theâ— are two things done for the person viz. He is 〈◊〉 free from Guilt and Condemnation and adjudged to Eternal Life called a passing from death 〈◊〉 life 1 Joh. 3. 14. The man is removed from under the Law and put under Grace Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 And by this the mans state is secured for Eternity he is for ever out of the reach of the Law threaâ—ning 2. In respect to his actions A pardoned justifiâ— man is not presently got rid of the Body of Death but is sometimes carried Captive by the Law 〈◊〉 his Members and hence he may and sometimâ— doth do the things that are displeasing to God Sam. 11. ult And this must be by sin for nothinâ— else can properly displease him and there is farther consideration to be had on account 〈◊〉 these which we may observe in that which folloâ— 4. That there is a sort of Guilt that cleaves to 〈◊〉 sinful actions of the Children of God If we look Guilt in a strict legal sense as that which binâ— â—he person over to suffer the vengeance of the Law so there is none can befal a justified Believâ— Rom. 8 1. The person is by the justifying act but beyond this danger God hath said Deliver him from going to the pit I have found a ransom he hath imputed Christ's Righteousness to him and it stands for him and cannot cease so 〈◊〉 do But yet there is something that may beâ—al a Justified person that the Scripture puts such name upon David was such an one before he â—urdered Uriah and yet prays to be cleared from â—uilt Psal 51. 14. What this is we must further â—nquire only in general observe that it cannot â—espect the mans state but his actions and the â—onsequents thereon in the Providence of God 5. That actual sins are not actually forgiven the â—an before they are committed Every Justified Beâ—ever is under the moral Law as a Rule though â—ot as a Covenant and so every neglect of or â—oing any thing against the Law is truly Sin â—nd stands in need of forgiveness and for this â—eason they are enjoyned to pray every day for 〈◊〉 Mat. 6. 12. This saith they want it else there â—ould be no occasion to pray for it and inâ—eed all the sins we commit after believing 〈◊〉 go to Christ's score else the Law would all foul on us This forgiveness must be taken 〈◊〉 after the sin is committed for if it were â—ctually applied before we need not go for it â—ery day God doth not as the Pope who â—etends to be Christ's Vicar give men Indulgenâ— for sins to be committed so many years hence all the Indulgence he affords us is if we sâ—n we have an Advocate by whom we may obtain forgiveness 1 Joh. 2. 1. Besides the way in which the Children of God come to obtain actual forgiveness of the sins they fall into is in the way of renewed Repentance and Faith and Godly Sorrow David repented and God forgave him and a particular repentance cannot be till there be the particular sin to be repented of 6. Hence Justification in this respect is a continueâ— Act. Divines rightly put that difference between Justification and Sanctification that the latter is a work but the former an act Now the Justifying act as it respects the person is at once and in aâ— instant at what time God imputeth the Righteousness of Christ to a Sinner and reckons it to him for his by this Imputation he is in the Law account a perfectly righteous person whence 〈◊〉 abstractively declared of him 2 Cor. 5. 21. And in this respect he is as Righteous in Gods account the first hour of his believing as he shall be in thâ— Day of Judgment But the actual forgiveness 〈◊〉 his particular sins is an effect or resultancy foâ—lowing from this Justification and it comes 〈◊〉 after the sins are committed and upon his Repeâ—rance and renewal of his Faith in Christ anâ— that must needs be succedaneous for it is conâ—dered not in respect of God in whose Eterniâ— there is no succession but of the Creature 〈◊〉 which
would be comforted as they were Confess with them if we would have a sealed pardon as they had 4. In thus following them let us wait upon God believingly In this way strengthen our faith from their pattern encourage our Souls with this and these were as I am and thus they did and are now happy I will then trust in God and thus waâ— for his Salvation Forgiveness obtained in the way of Prayer DOCTRINE II. IT is the Duty of all and the disposition of every Gracious Soul to pray to God for as they hope to obtain forgiveness of him They that would have it must pray for it and they that have true Grace in them will so do There are two Propositions in the Doctrine 1. It is the duty of all that hope to be forgiven by God to pray to him for it That this is a duty is evident because God hath required it though God hath purposed to bestow a pardon on all his Chosen yet Prayer is a required medium in order to the obtaining of it Ezek. 36. 37. I will be sought c God therefore connects their Calling and his Hearing together Jer. 29. 12 13. But it â—t be enquired What dependance this forgiveness â—ath on our praying for it We may take this brief account of it 1. That Gods forgiveness is every way free to us â—e cannot deserve it by any thing of ours It is of the very nature of a pardon that it is free We must distinguish between the provision made â—n the Covenant of Redemption for our being pardoned in which we were bought and satisfaction was made to the Justice of God and the Dispensation of it to us in the Covenant of Grace in which it is freely bestowed and the meer mercy of God is celebrated Whatever Christ hath done to merit it for us we our selves never did not could do any thing towards the deserving of it So that our prayers cannot of their own nature oblige God to pardon us and therefore we are in them to confess our own unworthiness of it Luk. 15. 21. 2. Hence all the media by which we come to obtain any favour from him are his free gift He hath prescribed them as an order in which we are to come by his benefits yet not only the benefits themselves but also all the grace and help where by we are enabled so to wait upon him for them is from him He gives Repentance as well as Remission Acts 5. 31. He helps us to pray as well as pardoneth us on prayer Rom. 8. 26. So that his Grace doth equally appear in the one as in the other So that though he hath made promises to such conditions yet he must give them or we can never work them in our selves 3. That Faith in Christ is the great medium by which we apprehend Gods forgiveness We cannot merit it all that we have to do is to receive it which is only by an hand of Faith Hence Justification to which pardon belongs is in the Gospel restrained to believing Rom. 5. 1. But this hath been already insisted on 4. That our faith must be acted on Christ for our apprehension of this pardon I here dispute not whether the habit of Faith doth not put us in a safe state We are here only considering the order of the Oeconomy of the Divine dispensation to us As to Gods dealing with Infants it is dark to us We can readily conceive them Subjects as well capable of the Sanctification of the Spirit as of natural corruption though how they should exert acts of faith and repentance is beyond our conjecture But as to others we know that the habits of Grace are infused for action and to believe in Christ for life is an act of the Soul proceeding from such a principle and not meerly the principle it self though it presumes a power put into us else we could not take hold on Christ Now it is actual believing to which the Gospel promise is made Joh. 3. 16. And therefore it is called a coming to him Math. 11. 28. 5. That this faith is most suitably expressed in Prayer That prayer is a duty of Natural worship the light of Nature as well as the word of God informeth us that we should carry our wants to God in Prayer appears from the nature of it that all our Prayers are to be made in faith we are assured because such Prayers only is Effectual We must ask all in the Name of Christ we have no other way of access to God Now forgiveness is one of our great wants and that to pray in faith for it is most suitable will appear if we consider 1. Herein we testify our felt want of it It is sence of need that drives men to Prayer All formalities without this feeling are but idle strains of complement which God hath no regard for And indeed the end of Prayer is not to acquaint him with our necessities for He knows them before Math 6. 8. but to affect our selves with them God would have us know our need that we may put the better value on his kindness it is therefore upon felt want that we are advised to ask Jam. 1 5. 2. We herein also acknowledge God to be the author of our forgiveness This he expecteth of us It was one clause in his Prayer Dan. 9. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses And if we do not believe and acknowledge it to come from him why do we ask it of him and here is a double exercise of faith we believe that he can forgive and we believe that if ever we be forgiven it must come from him Psal 130. 4. Dan. 9. 9. When we go no whither else but to him for it we give him the glory of it 3. We herein declare that he is a free Agent when he forgiveth us The very asking a pardon if sincere implies that we acknowledge our Guilt otherwise we could not know what we want a pardon for And when we seek to have Guilt removed in way of a pardon we signify by it that we have no satisfaction of our own to make for the offence but it must come from the benignity and compassion of him whom we have offended So that Gods free Grace is fully asserted in our Praying for forgiveness and that it is at his liberty It is therefore asked in his Name Psal 25. 11. 4. Hence this puts us into the best posture to receive it God will magnify his mercy in pardoning our Sin and what posture better becomes us to take it of him than lying prostrate at his feet resigning to his mercy sensible of our own unworthiness Justifying him in his severity against us imploring him to look upon us in tender pity and all this belongs to the very frame of a right praying to God God is most honoured by taking us off from the ground where we ly before him in our shame thus is the Prodigal represented Luk. 15. 21.
6. It is indeed consistent with much frailty and folly remaining in the man and too often discovering it self in his actions and sometimes grosly too as is exemplified in the best that have been honoured with the title of Righteous but it hath these things mainly in it 1. A spiritual discerning of the excellency of the ways of God The Image of God is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. The understanding hath not only a literal notion of Truths but a gracious Illumination by which it seeth the beauty of these things for this David prayed Psal 119. 18. And he had it and by vertue of it was able to put such worthy encomiums on the law of God Psal 19 7 c. For this the Apostle prays in their behalf Eph. 3. 17. c. And this discerning is the foundation of that which follows for a perverted mind and a corrupt heart are inseparable 2. A cordial love to those ways The reason why men do not love Holiness is because they do no◠apprehend the excellency of it but when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart the light and heat of it warms the soul and the man is now ravished with it it draws the Affections to it and he delights in it his love to it is more than he can express Psal 119. 97. This makes a day in Gods House better than a thousand Psal 84. 10. 3. An absolute choise of those ways for their own sake This is Uprightness in the will he is not drawn to compliance by force but by love hence he chuseth them Psal 119. 30 173. And that not for carnal interests but because he esteems them better than every other thing he chuseth them not for a present turn nor on condition that he may with them enjoy prosperity in this world but now and for ever let what changes will come and let it cost him never so much Psal 119. 111. 4. A most earnest endeavour to conform our life to them The ways of God are given us to walk in we chuse them not to talk of but for our practice hence an upright heart studieth more to know practice them every day they are the men of his counsel Psal 119. 24. For this end he lays them up in his heart that they may preserve him from sin 〈◊〉 11. He walks in the light of them and regulates his whole conversation thereby verse 105. Nor doth he willingly divert from them 5. An hearty bewailing of our short coming The best of us in many things offend and in every thing are defective there is nothing we do but God might justly make exceptions against it Psal 143. 〈◊〉 But herein we testify our uprightness in that it makes us go mourning every day we cry out by reason of it as he Rom. 7. It makes us ashamed of our selves and we go to God with humble seeking pardon and acceptance in Jesus Christ Our Godly Sorrow is a witness that it is no more we but sin in us Rom. 7. 21. 6. An insatiable pursuit after the perfection that is before us The sense of our imperfection puts us upon greater diligence in reaching forward We do not sit down contented and say it is our infirmity and we must bear it but we have that perfection in our eye which consists in the compleatness of Holiness and total abolition of all sin we endeavour therefore to grow in grace by all the means of growth and rest not in attainments but are still reaching till we come to that perfection which they enjoy who are now in glory Psal 3. 13 14 15. 2. Wherein this appears to be an inseparable concomitant of the Righteousness of Justification A. This truth will appear by the following Conclusions 1. The Righteousness by which we are denominated Righteous is a benefit which we receive from Christ It is not any thing inherent in us but something that God graciously reckons to us and it must have a foundation which can be no other than his Righteousness made ours by Gods accepting it of him on our account So that if he had not been Righteous we could not be so reckoned on his account we are accepted in him Eph. 1. 6. It is one of his benefits and to be acknowledged to derive to us from him but for which we had stood condemned as unrighteous for so the Law will find the best of us if tried on account of the best that we do 2 We receive Christ himself in order to our receiving of any of his benefits There is an order in which God communicates his favours to us it is the person of Christ that is proposed whom we are to receive in the New Covenant he espouseth us to himself Hos 2. 19. We must be in him if we partake in any thing of his Phil. 3. 9. If his person please as not and we cannot comply with this Relation in which we are to receive him in all his Offices we can have nothing to do with nor make any just claim to those priviledges that go with him if we be none of Christ's nothing of his is ours 3 Christ and all his benefits go together Christ is not divided if he be any thing to us he is all to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. We receive whole Christ and we receive him to all the ends for which he was appointed a Saviour When God gives him he gives all things with him Rom. 8 32 Now Sanctification is one of the benefits which Christ hath procured for us 1 Cor 1. 30. When therefore he gives us his Righteousness for Justification he gives also his Spirit for Sanctification and the effect of that is this Uprightness All his Graces are parts of his benefits which he applies to his Redeemed 4 That Faith by which we receive these benefits is a Grace of the Spirit in us As God gives Christ to us so we are to receive him in order to his being ours Now the hand by which this is done is faith Now there must be faith in order to its exerting this act of receiving there must therefore be a preceding work of the Spirit in putting it into us for it is the gift of God Eph 2. 8 9 And faith it self is one of the fruits or Graces of the Spirit Gal. 5 22. 5. Hence it supposeth the body of Graces infused into us which is the principle of this Uprightness An upright heart is an heart made right for none of us have it by nature and for the making of it so there are required all the Graces of Sanctification which are not put into us successively but at once they are all together called the new man Eph. 4. 24. And every grace is a several member of it and the whole is called a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. These graces have their degrees and progress 2 Pet. 3. 18. But their being and integrity is at once and is the proper effect of Regeneration 6. One main design of
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
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
it is thus â—e sighs and groans and roars by reason of his â—erts distress and can enjoy no rest no quiet in â—is mind but goeth up down hurried and amaâ—ed like one distracted Psal 31. 9 10. 38. begin â—8 15. USE I. Learn hence their folly who promise themselves when once pardoned never to be troubled 〈◊〉 Guilt more There are such as entertain themselves with such a fond opinion as this if â—ce they can get the evidence of their forgiveâ—ss Guilt of Sin will never again distress them 〈◊〉 the fears of hell terrify them but this is â—th a groundless and a dangerous mistake they â—tend if a man be forgiven he is Justified and 〈◊〉 state is secured if therefore he knows that he â—pardoned he thereby is assured how it shall be â—th him for ever Again peace with God folâ—ows upon pardon of sin Rom. 5. 1. And the fruit of that is peace in Conscience and because the peace with God is settled what should disturb the mans peace within who knows this but all this will not do for though the Covenant of peace be firm yet 1. There may be peace with God and yet not so resented as to quiet the Conscience A man may have this peace in title and yet doubt whether he hath it or no and so far as he doubts of it he will be disquieted about it and it is no infrequent thinâ— for Godly men to have awful fears in this respect we read of some Heb. 2. 15. That go in 〈◊〉 of death all their life 2. They may have had the resentment of this 〈◊〉 yet lose it again in great measures Gods Childreâ— have their frequent turns on this account noâ— they walk in the Light and anon they are beclonded by the hiding of Gods face away from them it was so with David Psal 30. 6 7. 3. Nay there may be breaches between God 〈◊〉 them and so the comfort of their peaceable state intercepted They may fall into some grievâ— sin and God be provoked at them for it aâ— look upon them like an Enemy and it may be long time before he will witness in them their foâ—giveness in respect of that sin and this will foâ—ly tempt them to question the peaceableness their state or whether ever there were any suâ— thing in truth and so put them on it to begin 〈◊〉 work anew as he Psal 51. 10. And as this coâ—fidence is groundless so it is dangerous Not oâ— doth it give the Flesh and Satan advantage draw us into carelesness and so expose us temptation whereby we may be precipitated into such Sins as will bring us into this uncomfortable condition but when it is so it will put us to a miserable loss in our own spirits and make the apprehension of our Guilt so much the more formidable It will put a weapon into the adversaries hand to enforce the more vehemently the conclusion that because we thought it could not be thus with one that is pardoned therefore this condition must needs be an evidence that we never were pardoned and so are under the whole Guilt of sin and how heavy will this be USE II. Learn hence also how injurious it is to the Children of God to confound Faith and Assurance There are that Define Justifying Faith to be nothing else but a firm and confident perswasion in a man that his sins are pardoned that Christ died for him and that he shall assuredly be saved and that he who hath not this confidence is not a true believer It is indeed the duty of every one to labour after the getting this perwasion 2 Pet. 1. 10. But yet this is not the proper act of Justifying Faith as Justifying but someâ—ing that results from it afterwards It doth not â—operly belong to Effectual Vocation but is one 〈◊〉 the benefits flowing from it and appertains to 〈◊〉 inchoate Glorification of Gods Children in 〈◊〉 life Our comfort indeed flows from this 〈◊〉 hath its measure according to the strength of our hope on this account and therefore no gracious soul can have rest without it But yet there is a Faith going before it and is the foundation on which it is built and that is the true Justifying Faith which is accompanied with Gods forgiveness I must first know that I have that Faith before I can know that I am forgiven The confounding then of these two must greatly damnify us in an hour of desertion What shall a Child of God do when some sin hath wounded him Guilt stares him in the face and his confidence is turned into doubts and fears how forcibly must it sink him into the mire now to think if faith were such a confidence I never had any for if I had it would not be lost Whereas the only support of a Soul at such a time is to feel that there are the breathings and goings out of the heart after Christ and if that be not the acting of Faith he haâ— none USE III. To Exhort the Children of God to take heed how they expose themselves to such a Condition for which end Consider 1. If you do not look to your selves you may fall 〈◊〉 to it There is not the best man on Earth secure against it This was the Case of David a mâ— after Gods own heart Text as long as we dwell a Sinful World and labour under a body of deaâ— we are not out of danger and for that reason shouâ— not be secure in our minds We may be the Heâ— of Salvation and yet want the joy of Salvation Psâ— 55. 12. 2. Satan will do all he can to bring you into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cannot destroy you he will do you all the â—amage he can and his great business is to make â—reaches between you and your God and that by â—riving you into something that is provoking and when he hath so done and God is angry to accuse â—ou to your own Consciences and lay on load till â—e breaks your backs if possible first to make you â—old to sin and then make you to despair by reason of it and this calls you to be Watchful 1 Pet. â—5 8. 3. If you do fall into such a Condition it will be â—errible No man knows the dismalness of it but â—e that hath felt it It will Soak out your moisture and Dry up your marrow and terribly scorch you â—ead those sorrowful ditties Psal 38. 88. And 〈◊〉 your own hearts whether it be not a matter of greatest concern to avoid the precipitating your selves into it And for advice here 1. See to a particular forgiveness for old sins Sins committed a great while ago it may be before you were Converted you may think it is enough that you had a general pardon but if there have been any more particular sins and you have not made a particular business of them they may thus trouble you afterwards David puts up such a peâ—ion Psal 25. 7. Remember not the Sins of my youth And Job makes
way that will not be grateful to us Anger 〈◊〉 God is not a passion as it is in us for such cannot belong to him by reason of the Infinite perfection of his nature but it is the acting and manifestation of his will in which he shews his displeasure at sin and is therefore to be seen in the effects of it the moving cause of it is sin but the anger it self is to be read in the Efficiency of God and that is the Testimony he beareth in which he makes men to know that he will not bear sin at their hands but they shall smart for it so that though he may keep silence a while and men grow secure upon it and presume on â—mpunity yet he will not so let it pass but find an opportunity to let men see that Sin is not pleasing but provoking to him Psal 50. 21 22. For this God himself keeps a book of records and maketh Conscience to keep the accounts that in due season he may reckon with men and animadvert upon them 5. If God intend the man good he will bring him to Repentance of such sins There is but one way to forgiveness and Repentance belongs to it Acts 5. 3. And this not only concerns such as are not Justified in order to the Justification of their persons but the Children of God in order to the forgiveness of such sins as they fall into after Justification for though God will forgive them yet he will not do it in any other way but this and indeed the Glory of God is concerned in his applying a pardon to them in this way it is in this Repentance that he makes their sin bitter to them and so they are made to see the rich mercy that appears to them in their forgiveness In this Repentance they are made to justifie God in his righteous Judgments and so to ascribe their pardon to his rich Grace In this Repentance they are made to loath themselves and their sins and are so broken off from them and turned from sin to God and so fitted to live to his glory all which tends to his honour 6. In order to this Repentance God will awakeâ— Conscience and make it to charge the sin home upon the man For God deals with him as a reasonable Creature Now the very reason of Repentance is a discovery that we make of our great folly in what we have done and the mischief arising from it which maketh us ashamed of it sorry for it loath our selves by reason of it confess and bewaâ— it to God ask his pardon and draw up a purposâ— to relinquish it and never again to have any thing to do with it there must therefore be such a discovery made to us and in us in order hereunto for we naturally approve of sin and call gooâ— evil which approbation is that which draws 〈◊〉 to the commission of it which we must be madâ— to see the folly of and for this Conscience is 〈◊〉 sed both to put us in mind of the sins to chargâ— them upon us to shew us the Law and our danger by it and all the aggravations attending ou◠〈◊〉 Thus God sets mens sins in order before them 〈◊〉 50. 22. 7. And now all these cunning tricks and covers will 〈◊〉 to the stings of Conscience Doubtless they are â—â—eat aggravations of the sin both in that they â—iscover abundance of the malignity of the heart â—nd because there are so many more sins added 〈◊〉 the first by seeking to hide it and the wound â—lso must needs fester and grow more hard to 〈◊〉 by all the hardness of heart that is hereby â—ontracted So that it must needs be a bitter reâ—â—ection to remember I not only fell into such a â—in but lived in it I hid it I was loth to let it go I neglected the means of recovery I hardened mine heart I thought to abscond from an all seeâ—ing eye I used Guile c. All of which giveth Conscience advantage to reflect the more furiously USE Let this then be a solemn word of warning to all that use this course and please themselves in 〈◊〉 And let me address this word both to the Regenerate and the Unregenerate Are there any that have been drawn through Temptation into sins which your own Consciences say ought not to be done and hath this been the course that you have taken to ease your selves of the trouble of them by hiding dissembling excusing denying or putting them from your thoughts and have you present quietness upon your so doing and it may be it hath been some years since and you still find no molestation and now you hope all is well and you shall hear no more of them Let me offer these few things to your solemn consideration 1. All this doth not remove the Guilt contracted by such sins There is a certain Guilt cleaves to every Sin as it is a transgression of the Law of God and exposeth us to suffer the evil threatned which it highly concerns every one to get removed and the man is in a woful case so long aâ— that abideth on him and all endeavours that wilâ— not help to take it off are unprofitable Well this course you take is not the way to remove it but will encrease it it is but to add sin to sin and a new Guilt to an old one This hiding is of it self a Sin and the means used for it are so many Sins How deeply then do you run on the score in this way whiles you hide your sins you will never fly to the Blood of Christ to have them washed away and so long the imputation remains and they are your Sins 2. When you have done all you cannot hide them from God What though you keep them from the sight and knowledge of men They believe your denials or are satisfyed with your excuses and hereby you prevent censures or reproach for the present How poor a thing is this Man is not to be your Judge but God who knows all your secrecy is to him as the Sun light midnight and noon day are alike to his all knowledge when no eye seeth he looketh on and maketh an entry your denyals signify nothing to him who know and cannot be mistaken your fig-leaf excuses cannot cover your nakedness but he seeth through 〈◊〉 to what purpose then will this be when he â—hall tell you I know and am a witness Believe â—e truth of Psal 90. 8. Thou hast set our secret â—ins in the light of thy Countenance 3. All these tricks are a provocation to him and he 〈◊〉 them foolishness You may think your selves 〈◊〉 and politick when you thus wind and douâ—le but he Laughs at your egregious folly in it â—sal 2. begin And needs must he be angry at these â—ourses for what are they but an essay to put a heat upon him than which what higher affront â—an be offered And if they be sinful they must â—eeds displease him but there is
37 38 When therefore God invites men to come he backs it with a promise Isa 55. 3. Hearken and your Souls-shall live 5. The hold which faith takes on God is by the promise The Gospel is filled with great and precious promises amde to all that believe in Christ they bespangle it as so many orient diamonds and these are exhibited with the invitation Mat. 11. 28. Now these are handles which we are to fasten our faith upon and all these are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. And they are sure and unfailing When we thus entertain the promise we receive him with it he comes by it into the Soul and were it not for this there would be no fastning upon him it would be an over daring for a Sinner to trust in him 6. That which mainly distinguisheth faith from presumption in this matter is that it receives the promisâ— according to the tenour of the New Covenant There are many that pretend to believe who indeed but presume and the reason is because they hear of gracious promises and run away and say they believe them whereas all the Gospel promiseâ— are Covenant promises and so there is a Covenant to be considered to which they belong and according to which they are made over to be a portion to the true believer there is then something that must accompany that faith which embraceth the promise and if we cannot shew that we cannoâ— prove the legitimacy of our faith We must for sake sin self world renounce all take Christ in alâ— his Offices c. Separate these from our trust and it will deceive us but such a trust as this will be our safety 2. What is the influence this faith hath into the Obedience to produce it A. We may take an account of it in the following particulars 1. Faith it self is one piece of Gospel Obedience It is indeed the great Gospel duty The habit is wrought in us without our co-operation we are meerly passive in it but the acts of it are exerted by us though not without Divine Co operation and they are required of us in the Gospel there is a Command for it 1 Joh. 3. 23. 2. This faith also prompts us to our Obedience it is a Grace that stirs us up to the faithful Service of God and that it doth 1. By shewing us that it is the only way to obtain the promise Faith enâ—ertains the promise as laid down in the New Covenant and so it tells us that if we hope to inherit the promises we must comply with the terms of the Covenant and it dares no otherwise to secure them to us 1 King 2. begin 1 Chron. 28. 9. Faith improves the promises not to nourish negligence but to animate our diligence 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2. By displaying to us the obligations that are laid on 〈◊〉 to Obedience It is by faith that we discover the infinite love of God to us in chusing us from Eternity to be partakers in his mercy and thereby putâ—ing a vast difference between us and others the wonderful love of Christ in engaging in and going through the work of Redemption so satisfying the Justice of God for us purchasing us out of the hands of the Law and ransoming us from destruction and â—aying in for us a glorious inheritance and all that â—e might have a seed to serve him hence that 1 Cor. â—6 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God c. And the great kindness of the Holy Spirit in planting the Grace of God in us so restoring us to a new principle of Spiritual life which faith makes us to say what shall I render c Psal 116. 12. 3. By assuring us of the great advantage there is in our Obedience Faith by entertaining the promises and setling us upon them infers what a glorious recompense there is in Obedience Psal 19. 11. It reads over the Inventory of blessings that are laid up in them and saith I shall be no loser but a great gainer which puts life into us and makes us very willing and chearful in our work Gal. 6. 8. We conclude that our labour will not be lost but superabundantly recompensed which oyls ouâ— wheels and helps us to run 4. By setting before us the danger of disobedience Faith hath an eye also on the threatnings why else doth God lay them before his people but to enliven his fear in them Rom. 8. 13. Heb. 12. 14. This as wakens us to our work and makes us to rouse up when we grow dull 2 Cor. 5. 11. He believes that God would accomplish his word of threatning as well as his promise he looks upon him as a jealous God counts it a fearful thing to fall into his hands Heb. 10. 31. Jobs fear excited him Chap. 31. 23. And faith animated that fear 3. This faith also strengthens us to and in our Obedience The Spirit by assisting our Faith helps us in our whole Service of God and this 1. By overcoming the Temptations that would hinder us in it The people of God meet with a great deal from the world and from Satan that offers to stop them in or divert them from their work and when faith is down and out of exercise it is too hard for them but when the Spirit of God stirs that up it bears all down before it The world is â—nquished 1 Joh 5 4 And Satan is withstood 1 Pet. 5. 9. What great temptations did those worthies recorded Heb. 11. encounter but by faith they vanquished them all 2. By fetching in of strength from Christ to obey Gods Children are sensible of their own infirmity and insufficiency so much as for a thought which would discourage them but that by faith they go to Christ and acting faith on the promise depend on him for succour and this carries them through hardest duties Phil. 4. 13. And as Christ hath bidden us to look to him for help and said that he will not fail nor for sake us so faith entertains his word and will not suffer us to set about any thing in our own but in his strength and so we are helped 3. By witnessing to our sincerity It is Gods pleasure that our Obedience shall not be perfect in this life a Paul cannot do good as he would Rom. 7. And this many times disheartens us and we think we had better do nothing than so spoil all but faith puts new vigour into us and makes us chearful in our work by evidencing to us that we are upright cordial true to God in what we do thus we have Paul expressing of himself 2 Cor. 1. 12. And makes him say as David Psal 130. 3 4. 4. By enabling us to resolve our hope for acceptance into Christ. A Child of God upon reflexion on his duties and finding of so many short comings in them is ready to say surely an holy God cannoâ— take delight in such services as these whereas faith now revives his hope by looking on
the Mediator that High Priest through whose hands all go and whose Incense perfumes all our duties Rev. 8. 2. And remembers that his Service is not Meritorious but Eucharistical he believes that Christ will cover the follies and present the uprightness and he shall be accepted in the beloved 5. By enabling us to wait for the reward notwithstanding all the present discouragements that are in our way Faith works in patience faith entertains the promises and maketh realities of them though it seeth them afar off and can live upon them Heb. 11. 13. It dares to trust in God it saith the word is true a God that cannot lye hath given it who can give being to it will not forget Thus it makes us willing to wait Gods time and mean while confidently to hold on in our Obedience nothing doubting of the recompense and thus it supplies our Obedience USE I. For Information in a few particulars 1. Learn hence what to judge of those that profess faith and yet live in all disobedience Gospel times and places afford a great many of these who talk big of their faith and yet declare by their Conversation that they are under the dominion of their lusts these boast of a false gift and that may be applied to them Jam. 2. 18. A dead faith is of the same import with no faith for if there were any it would be active and if so it would have its operations and we are certain that the genuine operation of faith is by love Gal. 5. 6. i. e. Obedience to God which flows from a sincere love to him and though it should sometimes be supprest yet it would recover again and shew it self forth It is then vain for Drunkards vain Company keepers profane Swearers and such like to talk of their faith whose lives say they have none 2. Hence also learn what to think of those who on pretence of faith encourage themselves without Repentance in their Disobedience How many who have made some profession and do something in duties do live in gross neglects and are drawn into great transgressions and though they are convinced of it and cannot deny but that it is sin in them yet make a light matter of it their faith answers all and they do not repent soakingly of it but wipe off all with an easy complement and the Blood of Christ must answer for it though it be a truth that it must so if ever it be forgiven yet there is a way that faith directs to of which they are regardless What is this but to make faith a Cloak for sin which how contrary is it to the nature and end of it and must needs declare that they have it not or do not exercise it aright 3. Hence then how injuriously do our adversaries charge us for pleading for faith to nourish in men a neglect of Obedience This proceeds from the malignity of the proud hearts of men against the Gospel way of Salvation by Christ Rom. 6. 1. When as it is evident that the Doctrine of Faith is the ground of our establishing Evangelical Obedience since without it none can obey God aright and there is nothing that so obligeth quickeneth and helpeth us in our Serving of God as this faith doth if any then improve it to nourish neglect in them and embolden them to live in sin it is their ignorance of the nature of faith and these being without the experience of the efficacy of it None love God so much or are so convinced of the necessity of Circumspect walking or take such delight in the Law of God as those that have large measures of faith 4. See here a reason why Gods Children so often come short in their Obedience it is not because of a strong but of a weak faith If ever there be a defect in our vigorous Serving of God there was first a languishing in our faith if we are bold at any time to neglect our duty or to commit sin it is because our faith is not lively in the belief that God is Holy Just Omniscient that he hates sin c. If ever we are disheartened in duty and take discouragement from the difficulty of it and do it unevenly it is because faith is low in its actings and this may be instanced in every other respect if Peter sinks he is of little faith Mat 14. 31. 5. Here also is a reason why God sometimes leaves his own to fail in their Obedience Though they engage in duty with much confidence and resolution yet they flag and sail and fly off the reason is because they did not set about it in faith denying themselves and their own grace humbly depending on Christ but relied on their own strength eminent was this in Peter we see his confidence Mat. 26 33 35. And how bravely he began vers â—1 compare Joh. 18. 10. And yet see what all this came to verse 69 c. USE II. Let it be for Exhortation and that 1. In general to all As you would ever be able to Serve God aright seek after this faith This is the first thing and without it all other attempts or endeavours will be vain Consider 1. Without it you can do nothing Evangelically Under the First Covenant man had strength in himself yet he needed Divine Influence for the exerting of it for which there was requisite a faith in God but under the Covenant opened to man who hath lost his strength both the will and the deed must be fetched from Christ in whom all our help is Till you are believers you have no strength at all all you do without faith is legal and unprofitable for it will be condemned by the Law under which you are the Gospel life is a life of faith Gal. 2. 20. And till you believe you are dead Eph 2. 1. 2. Hence you cannot please God with any thing you do Heb. 11. 6. If you please your selves and think you do it very well and begin to commend your selves for it and are contented in it and if you please men in it who look on the outside and cannot know the heart and they applaud you for it yet this is all your reward As for God who is the Judge and according to whose judgment actions are weighed and will be determined you have no acceptance with him he loaths your actions and will condemn them because done without faith Would you not then live in vain and lose all your works Seek to be found in the faith Waith therefore on him who is the God of all grace that he would bestow this grace upon you whereby you may serve him acceptably and receive the reward of grace at his hand in the day of recompence 2. To the Children of God Would you lead a life of exact and constant Obedience See then to your faith I know nothing of greater moment for Gods people since faith is to influence the whole of our life and all will be according