sins of the Saints they drive them to Jesus Christ If there be any truth of grace though weak thy sins will drive thee to Jesus Christ not drive thee from him but drive thee to him And make thee prise Jesus Christ as the Immaculate Lamb of God that is come into the World to take away thy sin It will make thee set a high price upon Christ and cause thy heart to follow him with all thy might Wicked men when they sin they turnaway from God and from Christ and the things of Christ are less savoury to them But the Saints when they sin they are put upon the seeking after Christ and prising of him so much the more Lastly Their very sin makes them to long for Heaven O wretched man that I am saith Paul who shall deliver me from this body of death Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ c. O! he flies to Christ and he desires to be present with Christ so the Saints they long for Heaven upon this ground above all other grounds and reasons namely because they know they shall never be delivered from the body of sin and death that they carry about with them till they come to Heaven and therefore they prise the state of Heaven as a glorious state because they shall never sin more against God I put it now in the name of God to your consciences this day you say you hope to go to Heaven what 's that for which you prise Heaven most why a gracious heart would say O Lord though I endure some sorrows and afflictions here yet thou knowest that the great burden of all it is the burden of my sin and when I shall be taken out of this world I know I shall never sin more never sin more against thee O that day when shall that day come that my soul shall never sin more against that God that I do love Thou that knowest all things knowest that this is my desire after Heaven upon this ground above all other grounds whatsoever Are you able to say so as in the pesence of God this would be a good argument indeed that though there be some spots yet they may be the spots of Gods Children And if it be so with thee then attend to the next point and that is The different dealings of God with his Children in regard of their sin with his dealings with the wicked and ungodly in regard of their sins As the behaviour of thy soul in respect of thy sin is different from the wicked so the behaviour of God towards thee will be very different from that of his towards the wicked and ungodly They may not think to escape so as thou mayest escape First As in the first place If a Child of God sins yet he hath a pardon laid up for his sin yea a pardon laid up before the sin is committed I do not say the pardon actually applyed but laid up for to say the thing is actually pardoned before committed it 's scarce English much less Divinity For whatever it be in Gods account or what God will do yet when we say the sinner is pardoned it notes some work of God upon the Creation actual in being As when we say the World was created it was not created from eternity why it 's a work of God upon the creation therefore it has a Time And so what 's a work of God in Himself that is from eternity But what 's a work of God upon the creature that 's in time without any change in Gods nature any more-then the creating of the World did change his nature there are for givnesses with thee that thou mayest be feared they lie up with thee there are Pardons that lie up with God there is an Atonement made for the sins of Gods Children for the sins that they have committed and sins that they shall commit I say an Atonement is made even for them and a ransom is paid Jesus Christ did tender up himself to the Father for a ransom for all the sins of the elect it 's laid up there So saith the Apostle 1 John 2 2. I write unto you little Children that ye sin not and if any man sin that I shall take notice of by and by we have an Advocate with the Father and he is the propitiation for our sins So that when an ungodly man sins there the sentence of death comes out against him But the Lord saith concerning his Children Let their souls be pardoned for I have found a ransom Thou sayest the best have their sin True but one man hath a ransom hath a price paid for his sin and thou hast none none for ought thou knowest In that condition wherein thou art thou canst not know that thou hast any Here 's the difference between Gods dealing with his Children others one sins and the Lord acknowledges a propitiation presently a ransom a price a pardon that 's laid in but he acknowledges it not for thee Secondly Yea in the Second place the Children of God when they sin their condition is far different from the sin of the wicked they have not only a price paid and a pardon laid up But you will say how in case they do not sue out their pardon I confess if they sue it not out they have not the comfort of it But yet the Scripture tells us they have an Advocate with the Fathe If they through ignorance do not know their sin how can they sue out their pardon yet they have an advocate with the Father continually and it 's the work of Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father to be an Advocate to plead for believers with the Father when ever they sin against the Father there stands Christ their Advocate pleading he watches if there come in any accusations against them if the Law or the Devil or conscience shal send up an accusation Christ stands as an Advocate to plead their cause you know I suppose what an Advocate in Law doth mean he stands to plead the cause of his Client whatsoever comes in against him he is made acquainted withall that he may stand to plead This is the case of the Children of God notwithstanding their sin they have an Advocate with the Father In 1 John 2. 1. My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not ye ought not to sin take heed of sinning But if ye do you have an advoc te with he Father Jesus Christ the righteous These things that I am speaking I confess may prove dangerous to wicked carnal hearts that are ready to turn the Grace of God into wantonness but by that they may know what I say belongs not to them that their spots are not the spots of Gods Children Those that shall hear of this and be hardened or embâ—ldned in sin the more there need no other Argument to prove that their spots aâ—â— nâ—ne â—f the spots of Gods Children than that And
therefore that what I say doth not at all belong to such but how ever it doth belong to many of the Children of God and therefore they must have their portion though such as it belongs not to will be â—eady to snatch at it And that 's the second thing in the different way of Gods dealing with his Children when they sin and with the ungodly Thou sinnest as others do Thy sin for the Act may be the same but when thou hast sinned who stands before the Father to plead thy cause what hath Christ to do with thee or thee to do with him but rather thy Conscience and Law and Devil stands pleading against thee and none to answer for thee But Thirdly When a godly Man sins God deals with him not according to the Law of Justice but according to the Law of Grace We are not under the Law saith the Apostle concerning believers but under grace when another sins the Law passes presently upon him but saith the Apostle in Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus The Law cannot pass upon them to condemn them They are not to be dealt withall according to the Law but according to Grace Now the ungodly when they sin they are dealt withal according to the Law God will do them no wrong but the Law must pass upon them Yea not onely so but they are delivered from the Law and from all the curse of the Law I the Lord hath promised that he will spare them as a Man doth his onely Son that serves him In Mal. 3. last If thou be'st a Child this is thy portion And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a Man spareth his onely Son that serves him This is a Text that hath a treasury of comfort in it to those that are Gods Children that can by those former notes of the difference of sin and their different behaviours towards their sin approve themselves that they belong to God here 's the promise That the Lord will spare them as a Father spareth his own Son that serves him A Father will not cast cut his Son from his House and disinherit him for every offence that he doth commit neither will God deal so with his Children though they have spots though they have infimities And hence we find that God takes advantage against some for a little sin and spares another though he be guilty of a greater sin Gods mercy is his own he may deal with his mercy as he pleases he will do justly with all but he will be merciful to whom he pleases and hence it is the Scripture holds forth this that some men the Lord hath taken advantage against for some smaller sin and other men the Lord hath spaâ—'d when they have been guilty of some greater sin As that notable example of Saul comparing that with David David was one of Gods Children and had spots I foul ones Saul he was none of Gods Child and he had his spots and some of them was not so foul in regard of the nature of them as Davids were and yet see the different dealing of God with Saul and David for Saul you shall find that God rejects him utterly and what for In 1 Sam. 13. 13. You may see wherefore God would reject Saul And Samuel said to Saul Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever But now thy kingdom shall not continue As if Samuel should have said Well this is the thing for which God will cut thee off and cut off thy kingdom Why what was it if you examine the thing what it was it was nothing but this That there was an agreement between Saul and Samuel that Samuel should come to him at such a time Well Samuel did not come just at the time or staid as Saul thought somewhat too long Saul was brought into great straits the Philistines came upon him his enemies Now upon this being in such great straits Saul had not sought to God for Gods presence with him in the battel now thought Saul I have staid for Samuel all this time and he comes not and rather then I will go out to battel without making supplication to God and offering sacrifice I will for this once venture upon it my self for so he saith in the 12 ver It was a burnt â—ffering It was to the Lord it was in the time of my straits and I forc't my self to it too I was not so ready and forward to do it it was in an absolute necessity as I thought and yet this is the sin for which Saul must be cut off and rejected and his kingdom not to continue You will say now what was this to the sin of David of Murder and Adulterry Those were sins of another nature well what if they were yet David was a Child and Saul was not and therefore he will pardon one and condemn the other and who can say to God what dost thou And again another sin of Saul you shall find in 1 Sam. 15. God required of Saul to go against Amalek utterly to destroy him Well Saul did do according to Gods command and made a great slaughter but he kept onely some of the Cattel and the fat ones but he profest he kept them not for his own advantage it was that he might offer for sacrifice to God Now Samuel comes to him though Saul had thought he had done nothing but that which God was pleased withal for he stands to justifie himself in the 20 v. And Saul said unto Samuel yea I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me and have brought Agag the King of Amalek and have utterly destroyed the Amalakites I have done what God sent me about Now Samuel he comes and convinces him that he had not done what God had sent him to do why because he had spar'd some of the Cattel Now Saul excuses himself afterwards to Samuel in v. 12. The people took of the spoyle Sheep and Oxen the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God is Gilgal But mark what Samuel saith in the 22 v. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord the Lord hath also rejected thee from being King These Scriptures might make any mans heart to tremble and not to dare to venture upon sins that he thinks to be smaller sins one would think that upon the consideration of these Scriptures that no
sin upon easie terms Thirdly Yet suppose sin hath got in a gracious heart is easily convinc't of his sin a little matter will convince him after his sin hath overcome him he will not stand pleading for his sin he will not stand in defence of his sin so as a wicked man doth we find David though a King and a man of a notable Spirit yet in 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 when Nathan came to him to tell him of his sin presently saith David to Nathan in the 13. v. I have sinned against the Lord Nathan told him that he was the man he did not stand out Why prove it if you can who is able to say that I did this and this wickedness No I have sinned against the Lord He falls down before the word of the Prophet and acknowledges his sin he is easily convinc't of his sin if he be godly Whereas a wicked man will stand pleading for his sin pleading against it that he hath not committed it except that you find him out by some apparent hand he will be pleading for his sin either that he is not guilty or if he be guilty that it is not so great it is but his nature O! a godly man pleads not after this manner Nature he looks upon his sin as so much the more vile because it proceeds from such a wicked and cursed nature of his and therefore David in Psal 51. when he was acknowledging the act of sin that he had been guilty of when â—e comes to consider of hiâ— nature O! I was conceived in sin saith he and brought forth in iniquity He makes thaâ— to be a great aggravation of his sin because iâ— did flow from such a wicked nature It is an Argument of gross ignorance of a man or woman that knows not the things of God and is not acquainted with Scripture to plead for a sin That it is their nature It is the worse because of that If a Thief should come to the barr and plead before the Judg Indeed I have committed this theft but it is my nature would this be a plea before a Judg and certainly this plea will not go before the great Judg of all the World to say it is thy nature No the Saints know their sin is aggravated by that Secondly Neither will a Child of God ordinarily plead that it is a temptation O! I it is a temptation that hath prevaild against me I was tempted to it and such and such were the cause of it I but a gracious heart will rather charge the wickedness that is within it then charge a temptation for the truth is temptation could never prevail against us were it not for the wickedness of our hearts temptations came to Christ but the Devil finding nothing in him as the Scripture speaks therefore could they not prevail over him And â—vere it not for the baseness of thy heart temptations would not prevail therefore for thee to put it off It is thy temptation O this is a carnal plea I but a gracious heart will charge himself before the Lord O! it is Thirdly Much less will a gracious heart put of his sin to God himself and say When God gives me more grace I shall do better but I cannot do any thing of my self and therefore because God gives me no grace that 's the reason I fell into such sins This is the boldness of the hearts of men and women to think to put off all their sins upon God himself as if there were no other reason why they commit sin but because God is the cause of it As for their part they would do better but onely God denies them his grace and so they think to put off all from themselves even to God But know the Lord will find thee out one day and he will charge thy sin upon thy self and thy destruction and thy wickedness it is from thy self a gracious heart will not plead for sin after such away as this is It 's very dangerous when you hear of any that make profession of Religion to plead for their loosness after such a manner as this is We have cause to fear that their spot is not the spot of Gods Children Fourthly When sin hath preveil'd in some measure against a Child of God yet he is quickly stopt in sin he is easily convinc't of it pleads not for it and is ready to be stopt a little thing will stop the course of his sin Oâ— any truths of God that come to him his heart having a principle within it suitable to the truths of God his heart closes with those truths and so comes to be stopt in his course A wicked man sins and having no principle of grace sutable to any truth of God when any thing opposes his sin his heart opposes that that would oppose sin But a Child of God though he be overcome with a sin yet when the truth of God comes it meets with something within the heart that is sutable to the truth and it presently closes together You have a notable example for that in the Prophet David 1 Sam. 25. 32. For the understanding of it you may cast your eye upon some verses before you shall find that David was in a way of sin That his choller had got up and prevail'd against him and he was â—â—out a very wicked act to avenge himself â—â—d be guilty of blood But Abigal meets â—ith David in his way when he was in the â—â—ay of sin and shews him in a very fair maner the evil of his course if he should acâ—â—mplish what he did intend And mark â—avid though his blood was up yet when â—bigal came and spake but reason to him to â—â—ew to him what the evil of his sin was like to 〈◊〉 Davids spirit falls and David said to â—â—igal Blessed be the Lord God of Israel â—â—ich sent thee this day to meet me And â—â—â—ssed be thy advice and blessed be thou â—â—â—ch hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood When David was in a mighty heat in a way of sin O! if a man should come to some of you when your passion is up and you are resolved to do such and such a thing if a man should come and plead the case fairly with you that such a thing is evil it 's a sin against God You will presently answer I will and I will I care not and let come of it what will come I will do it thus when the lust is up there is no gainsaying of it and no truth can stand against it But now if the heart were gracious though corruptions may be stirring for a while yet let any truth of God come and be suggested to such a soul it meets with something within that is sutable to it and presently the hearâ— will be ready to fall down Oh blessed bâ— God and blessed be your Counsel and blessed be God that hath hindred me froâ— such a way of sin O my retched nature wâ—â— stirring
and worship him When we are to go to his Table at the Lords Supper we had need then prepare by looking into that Glass and by being humbled for our sins and labouring to cleanse Though you care act so much for spots upon your face and clothes when you are at home yet when you are to go before your Betters then what looking is there in the Glass to be trim and to have clothes that are clean washt Remember now that every time thou art to go to worship God thou art to set thy self as in his immediate presence to have to deal with that infinite holy God whose pure eyes cannot indure to beholde least iniquity that God that is so Holy that the very Angels cover their faces as not being able to behold him thou art to go before this God and wilt thou go bespotted and beâ— smeared and never look into the glass oâ— the Law to see how thou art there that thoâ— mayest labour to cleanse thy soul wilt thoâ— come into Gods presence in thy filth Oâ— bold sinner that know'st not what it is to dea 〈…〉 with the Infinite Holy God Those that knoâ— what God is what his Infinite Holiness means when they come into Gods presence they make it the great part of their work iâ— preparing their hearts before they come and indeed the spiritual part of Godliness doth aâ— much consist in this one thing as in any iâ— the preparation of the heart for the presence of God in Holy dutyes and that man or woman that is careful and conscionable in this thing may have good comfort to them selves that they are acquainted with the spiritual part of Godliness that wherein the power of iâ— consists But for such that can go into Gods presence and no such sear and reverence oâ— God is in their hearts certainly these neither know God nor have any thing of the power of Godliness in their hearts Now no matter my Brethren what we endure in this Worldâ— so be it we may get our souls cleansed from the filth and the spots that are upon them that when there shall be a farther Presence of God which we shall have than that we have now in Holy Duties that then we may stand before him without spot so saith the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless You look for new Heavens and new Earth when all the world shall be on fire about your ears and the Elements melting with servent heat and the Heavens departing like a Screwl and the like do you look for such things do you look for the appearing of the Holy God and dare you stand in the Presence of that Holy God when he comes to pass the Sentence of your Eternal Estate upon your â—ouls dare you stand before him with such defiled stained souls as you have Oh no! Saith the Apostle Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness If those spots that are upon many of your Spirits shall abide upon you at that say Wo be to you that ever you were born you cannot be found in peace before God except you be found without spot and blameness Yet let me say farther Wo to that soul â—hat shall have one spot upon it at that day If this should be means of the Great Day of Judgment as many Divines take it though there may be some doubt about some other time But suppose that it be meant of that day as it is ordinarily taken Then wo to that man or woman that ever they have been that shall have but one spot upon them For then we must be delivered from every spot or otherwise our souls will perish for ever But ye may be without spot and blameless before him Thus much for that point 2. Doct. The Second Point is That Godâ— Children have their spots the best of all have their spots The Church is compared to the Moon Christ he is the Sun of Righteousness but he Church in Rev. 12 is compared to the Moon and the Moon hath her spots the Sun none No godly man or woman in regard oâ— their souls is like Absalom as he was in regard of his body his body was without any bleâ— mith from the crown of the head to the solâ— of the foot but it can be said of no bodie 's souâ— so you re clean but not all The best Gardeâ— hath its worms and the best Soul hath iâ— spots for while we live here there is that Corruption remaining that will breed defilement of it self But considering that we livâ— in a wicked world here and converse with wicked men it is as impossible to live in the world and to converse with men without anâ— spots as for a company of people to ride together in soul way in the midst of Winter and to keep their Garments so that none should have a spot The Condition of this world is such as indeed it is not fit to have a Saint in it without spâ—ts God hath reserved the time of full-â—â—â—â—nsing of his people to another world Christ could cleanse his people presently from all their spots I but because they are to live 〈◊〉 this world Christ sees it is not so suitable for this vile world This world is not worthy of the Saints take them with all their infirmities but it is not for the world to have the Saints live without spot and if the world be offended at it let them be offended let them be stumbling-blocks unto them and I make no question but it is so to many souls The world they rejoice when they behold the sins that are in the Saints but thou hast little cause to rejoice in the sins of others if thou knewest all for it may be intended for thy ruin I know no greater stumbling-block to wicked men than the sins of those that do profess Godliness â—ut wo to those by whom offences come The Lord by continuing of spots in his own people doth exercise Faith and Humility and â—atience and other Graces in such a way as â—e takes pleasure and delight to see the exercise of them But this is not the Point that I do intend Yet O thou godly heart thou knowest this to be a truth That there are spots in thee yea sometimes those that are Godly think there 's nothing else but spots in them but be of good comfort in this though thy Condition be sad in this world so long as thou art spotted yet be of good comfort here Jesus Christ is without any spots Christ thy Saviour hath no spots Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God Christ offered himself without spot and this is the comfort