may he not do what he will with his own Shall we call him unto an account Is not what he doth good and holy because he doth it do any repining thoughts against the works of God arise in our hearts are any Complaints ready to break out of our mouths let us lay our hands on our hearts and our mouths in the dust with thoughts of his Greatness and absolute Soveraignty and it will work our whole souls into a better frame And this extends it self unto the manners Times and seasons of all things whatever As in earthly things If God will bring a dreadful Judgement of fire upon a people a Nation ah why must it be London If on London why so terrible raging and unconquerable Why the City not the Suburbs Why my house not my neighbours Why had such one help and I none all these things are wholly to be referred to Gods Soveraign pleasure There alone can the soul of Man find rest and peace It is so in spiritual dispensations also Thus Aaron upon the suddain death of his two eldest Sons being minded by Moses of Gods Soverainty and Holiness immediatly held his peace or quietly humbled himself under his mighty hand Levit. 10. 3 4. And David when things were brought into extream confusion by the Rebellion of Absolom followed by the Ungodly multitude of the whole Nation relinquisheth all other Arguments and Pleas and le ts goe complaints in a resignation of himself and all his Concernments unto the absolute pleasure of God 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. And this in all our extremities must we bring our souls unto before we can attain any rest or peace or the least comfortable perswasion that we may not yet fall under greater severities in the just Indignation of God against us 2. The Wisdom of God is also to be Considered and submitted unto Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart who hath hardened himself against him and prospered This the Prophet joyns with his Greatness and Soveraignty Isa. 40. 12 13 14. There is no searching of his understanding v. 28. And the Apostle winds up all his Considerations of the works of God in an holy Admiration of his Knowledge and Wisdom whence his Judgement becomes unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33 34. He seeth and knoweth all things in all their Causes Effects consequences and circumstances in their utmost reach and tendency in their correspondencies one unto another and suitableness unto his own Glory and so alone judgeth aright of all things The wisest of men as David speaks walk in a shade We see little we know little and that but of a very few things and in an imperfect manner and that of their present appearances abstracted from their Issues Successes Ends and Relations unto other things And if we would be further wise in the works of God we shall be found to be like the wild Asses Colt What is good for us or the Church of God what is evil to it or us we know not at all but all things are open and naked unto God The day will come indeed wherein we shall have such a prospect of the works of God see one thing so set against another as to find Goodness Beauty and Order in them all that they were all done in number weight and measure that nothing could have been otherwise without an abridgement of his glory and disadvantage of them that believe in him But for the present all our wisdom consists in referring all unto him He who doth these things is infinitely wise he knows what he doth and why and what will be the end of all We are apt it may be to think that at such seasons all things will go to wrack with our selves with the Church or with the whole world how can this breach be repaired this loss made up this ruine recovered peace is gone trade is gone our substance is gone the Church is gone all is gone confusion and utter desolation lye at the door But if a man who is unskilled and unexperienced should be at Sea it may be every time the vessel wherein he is seems to decline on either side he would be apt to conceive they should be all cast away but yet if he be not childishly timerous when the Master shall tell him that there is no danger bid him trust to his skill and it shall be well with him it will yield quietness and satisfaction We are indeed in a storm the whole earth seems to reel and stagger like à drunken man but yet our souls may rest in the infinite skill and wisdom of the great Pilot of the whole Creation who stears all things according to the Counsel of his Will His works are manifold in Wisdom hath he made all these things Psal. 104. 24. And in the same wisdom doth he dispose of them All these things come forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfully in counsel and excellent in working Isa. 28. 29. What is good meet usefull for us for ours for the Churches for the City for the Land of our Nativity he knows and of Creatures not one This infinite Wisdom of God also are we therefore to resign and submit our selves unto His hand in all his works is guided by Infinite Wisdom In thoughts thereof in humbling our selves thereunto shall we find rest and peace and this in all our pressures will work us to a waiting for him 3. The Righteousness of God is also to be considered in this matter That name in the Scripture is used to denote many Excellencies of God all which are reducible unto the infinite Rectitude of his Nature I intend that at present which is called Justitia Regiminis his Righteousness in Rule or Government This is remembred by Abraham Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right And by the Apostle Is God unjust who taketh vengeance God forbid This our souls are to own in all the works of God They are all righteous all his who will do no iniquity whose Throne is established in Judgement However they may be dreadfull grievous and seem severe yet they are all righteous It is true he will sometimes rise up and do strange acts strange works Isa. 28. 21. Such as he will not do often nor ordinarily such as shall fill the world with dread and amazement He will answer his people in terrible things But yet all shall be in Righteousness And to complain of that which is righteous to repine against it is the highest unrighteousness that may be Faith then fixing the soul on the Righteousness of God is an effectual means to humble it under his mighty hand And to help us herein we may consider 1. That God judgeth not as man judgeth We judge by the seeing of the Eye and hearing of the Ear according to outward appearances and evidences But God searcheth the heart We judge upon what is between man and man God principally upon what is between
because he hath more opposition more Temptation Isa. 41. 17. And sense of the want of all is a great sign of somewhat in the soul. 2. As to what was alledged to the nothingness the selfishness of Duty I say It is certain whilest we are in the flesh our duties will taste of the vessel whence they proceed Weakness defilements treachery hypocrisie will attend them To this purpose whatever some pretend to the contrary is the Complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 6. The Chaffe oftentimes is so mixed with the Wheat that Corn can scarce be discerned And this know that the more spiritual any man is the more be sees of his unspiritualness in his spiritual Duties An outside performance will satisfie an outside Christian. Job abhorred himself most when he knew himself best The clearer discoveries we have had of God the viler will every thing of self appear Nay further duties and performances are oftentimes very ill measured by us and those seem to be first which indeed are last and those to be last which indeed are first I do not doubt but a man when he hath had distractions to wrestle withall no outward advantage to further him no extraordinary provocations of hope fear or sorrow on a natural account in his duty may rise from his knees with thoughts that he hath done nothing in his duty but provoked God when there hath been more workings of Grace in contending with the deadness cast on the soul by the condition that it is in than when by a concurrence of moved natural affections and outward provocations a frame hath been raised that hath to the party himself seemed to reach to Heaven so that it may be this perplexity about duties is nothing but what is common to the people of God and which ought to be no obstruction to peace and settlement 2. As to the pretence of Hypocrisie you know what is usually answered it is one thing to do a thing in hypocrisie another not to do it without a mixture of hypocrisie Hypocrisie in its long extent is every thing that for matter or manner comes short of sincerity Now our sincerity is no more perfect than our other graces so that in its measure it abides with us and adheres to all we do In like manner it is one thing to do a thing for vain glory and to be seen of men another not to be able wholly to keep off the subtle insinuations of self and vain glory He that doth a thing in hypocrisie and for vain glory is satisfied with some corrupt end obtained though he be sensible that he sought such an end He that doth a thing with a mixture of hypocrisie that is with some breaches upon the degrees of his sincerity with some insensible advancements in performance on outward considerations is not satisfied with a self end attained and is dissatisfied with the defect of his sincerity In a word wouldst thou yet be sincere and dost endeavour so to be in private duties and in publick performances in praying hearing giving alms zealous actings for Gods glory and the Love of the Saints though these duties are not it may be sometimes done without sensible hypocrisie I mean as traced to its most subtle insinuations of self and vain glory yet are they not done in hypocrisie nor do not denominate the persons by whom they are performed hypocrites Yet I say of this as of all that is spoken before it is of use to relieve us under a troubled condition of none to support us or incourage us unto an abode in it 3. Know that God despiseth not small things he takes notice of the least breathings of our hearts after him when we our selves can see nor perceive no such thing He knows the mind of the spirit in those workings which are never formed to that height that we can reflect upon them with our observation Every thing that is of him is noted in his Book though not in ours He took notice that when Sarah was acting unbelief towards him yet that she shewed respect and regard to her Husband calling him Lord Gen. 18. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. And even whilst his people are sinning he can find something in their hearts words or waies that pleaseth him much more in their duties He is a skilfull refiner that can find much Gold in that Ore where we see nothing but Lead or Clay He remembers the duties which we forget and forgets the sins which we remember He justifies our persons though ungodly and will also our duties though not perfectly godly 4. To give a little further support in reference unto our wretched miserable duties and to them that are in perplexities on that account know that Jesus Christ takes out whatever is evil and unsavoury out of them and makes them acceptable When an unskilfull servant gathers many herbs flowers and weeds in a Garden you gather them out that are usefull and cast the rest out of sight Christ deals so with our performances All the ingredients of self that are in them on any account he takes away and adds Incense to what remains and presents it to God Exod. 28. 36. This is the cause that the Saints at the last day when they meet their own duties and performances they know them not they are so changed from what they were when they went of their hand Lord when saw we thee naked or hungry so that God accepts a little and Christ makes our little a great deal 5. Is this an Argument to keep thee from believing The Reason why thou art no more Holy is because thou hast no more faith If thou hast no holiness it is because thou hast no saith Holiness is the purifying of the heart by faith or our Obedience unto the Truth And the reason why thou art no more in duty is because thou art no more in believing the reason why thy duties are weak and imperfect is because thy faith is weak and imperfect Hast thou no holiness believe that thou maist have hast thou but a little or that which is imperceptible be stedfast in believing that thou maist abound in Obedience Do not resolve not to eat thy meat until thou art strong when thou hast no means of being strong but by eating thy bread which strengthens the heart of man Object 4. The powerfull tumulating of indwelling sin or corruption is another cause of the same kind of trouble and despondency They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof But we find say some several corruptions working effectually in our hearts carrying us captive to the Law of sin They disquiet with their power as well as with their guilt Had we been made partakers of the Law of the Spirit of Life we had ere this been more set free from the Law of sin and death Had sin been pardoned fully it would have been subdued more effectually There are three Considerations which make the actings of indwelling sin to be so perplexing to
suit not its Reason at all 1 Cor. 1. 18. 2. The Law speaks nothing to a sinner but what his Conscience assures him to be true There is a constant concurrence in the Testimony of the Law and conscience When the Law sayes this or that is a sin worthy of death conscience sayes it is even so Rom. 1. 42. And where the Law of it self as being a general Rule rests Conscience helps it on and sayes This and that sin so worthy of death is the soul guilty of then dye saith the Law as thou hast deserved Now this must needs have a mighty efficacy to prevail with the soul to give credit to the report and Testimony of the Law it speaks not one word but what he hath a witness within himself to the truth of it These witnesses alwayes agree and so it seems to be established for a truth that there is no forgiveness 3. The Law though it speak against the souls interest yet it speaks nothing but what is so just righteous and equal that it even forceth the souls consent So Paul tells us that men know this voyce of the Law to be the Judgement of God Rom. 1. 32. They know it and cannot but consent unto it that it is the Judgement of God that is good righteous equal not to be controlled And indeed what can be more righteous than its sentence It commands Obedience to the God of life and death promiseth a Reward and declares that for non-performance of duty death will be inflicted On these terms the sinner cometh into the world they are good righteous holy the soul accepts of them and knows not what it can desire better or more equal This the Apostle insists upon Rom. 7. 12 13. Wherefore the Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good was then that which was good made death unto me Godforbid but sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful Whereever the blame falls the soul cannot but acquit the Law and confess that what it says is righteous and uncontrollably equal And it is meet things should be so Now though the Authority and credit of a Witness may go very far in a doubtful matter when there is a concurrence of more witnesses it strengthens the Testimony but nothing is so prevalent to beget belief as when the things themselves that are spoken are just and good not liable to any reasonable exception And so is it in this case unto the Authority of the Law and concurrence of conscience this also is added the Reasonableness and equity of the thing it self proposed even in the Judgement of the sinner namely that every sin shall be punished and every transgression receive a meet recompence of reward 4. But yet further What the Law sayes it speaks in the name and authority of God What it sayes then must be believed or we make God a Lyar. It comes not in its own name but in the name of him who appointed it you will say then is it so indeed Is there no forgiveness with God for this is the constant voyce of the Law which you say speaks in the name and Authority of God and is therefore to be believed I answer briefly with the Apostle What the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law It doth not speak to them that are in Christ whom the Law of the Spirit of life hath set free from the Law of sin and death but to them that are under the Law it speaks and it speaks the very Truth and it speaks in the name of God and its Testimony is to be received It sayes there is no forgiveness in God namely to them that are under the Law and they that shall flatter themselves with a contrary perswasion will find themselves wofully mistaken at the great day On these and the like considerations I say there seems to be a great deal of Reason why a soul should conclude that it will be according to the testimony of the Law and that he shall not find forgiveness Law and Conscience close together and insinuate themselves into the thoughts mind and judgement of a sinner They strengthen the Testimony of one another and greatly prevail If any are otherwise minded I leave them to the tryal If ever God awaken their Consciences to a through performance of their duty if ever he open their souls and let in the light and power of the Law upon them they will find it no small work to grapple with them I am sure that eventually they prevail so far that in the preaching of the Gospel we have great cause to say Lord who hath believed our report We come with our Report of forgiveness but who believes it by whom is it received neither doth the light nor conscience nor conversation of the most allow us to suppose it is embraced Thirdly The ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men concerning the Nature and Justice of God lye against this discovery also There are in all men by nature indelible characters of the Holiness and purity of God of his Justice and hatred of sin of his invariable Righteousness in the Government of the world that they can neither depose nor lay aside For notions of God whatever they are will bear sway and rule in the heart when things are put to the tryal They were in the Heathens of old they abode with them in all their darkness as might be manifested by innumerable instances But so it is in all men by nature their inward thought is that God is an Avenger of sin that it belongs to his Rule and Government of the world his Holiness and Righteousness to take care that every sin be punished This is his Judgement which all men know as was observed before Rom. 1. 32. They know that it is a Righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners From thence is that dread and fear which surprizeth men at an apprehension of the Presence of God or of any thing under him above them that may seem to come on his errand This notion of Gods avenging all sin exerts it self secretly but effectually So Adam trembled and hid himself And it was the saying of old I have seen God and shall dye When men are under any dreadful Providence thundrings lightnings tempests in darkness they tremble not so much at what they see or hear or feel as from their secret thoughts that God is nigh and that he is a consuming fire Now these inbred notions lye universally against all Apprehensions of forgiveness which must be brought into the soul from without doors having no Principle of nature to promote them It is true Men by nature have presumptions and common ingrafted notions of other properties of God besides his Holiness and Justice as of his Goodness Benignity Love of his Creatures and the like But all these have this supposition inlaid with
glorious before the Creation of all or any thing whatever than he will be when he shall be encompassed about with the praises of all the works of his hands And such is his absolute perfection that no Honor given unto him no Admiration of him no Ascription of Glory and praise can add any thing unto him Hence saith the Psalmist My goodness extends not unto thee Psal. 16. 2. It doth not so reach thee as to add unto thee to profit thee as it may do the Saints that are on the Earth As he in Job Chap. 22. 23. Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it gain unto him that thou makest thy wayes perfect There is no doubt but that it is well pleasing unto God that we should be righteous and upright But we do him not a pleasure therein as though he stood in need of it or it were advantage or gain unto him And again Chap. 35. 7. If thou be Righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he at thine hand And the Reason of all this the Apostle gives us Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and to him are all things Being the first Soveraign Cause and last absolute End of all things every way perfect and self-sufficient nothing can be added unto him Or as the same Apostle speaks God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth is not worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth unto all life and breath and all things Acts 17. 24 25. As he himself pleads at large Psal. 50. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. 2. Wherefore All the Revenue of Glory that God will receive by his Worship depends meerly on his own voluntary Choice and Appointment All Worship I say depends now on the Soveraign Will and pleasure of God It is true there is a natural Worship due from rational creatures by the Law of their Creation This was indispensably and absolutely necessary at first The very Being of God and order of things required that it should be so Supposing that God had made such creatures as we are it could not be but that Moral Obedience was due unto him namely that he should be believed in trusted and obeyed as the First Cause Last End and Soveraign Lord of all But the entrance of sin laying the sinner absolutely under the Curse of God utterly put an end to this Order of things Man was now to have perished immediately and an end to be put unto the Law of this Obedience But here in the Soveraign Will of God an Interposition was made between sin and the sentence and man was respited from destruction All Worship following hereon even that which was before natural by the Law of creation is now resolved into an Arbitrary Act of Gods will And unto this end is all worship designed namely to give glory unto God For as God hath said that he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him that is in his worship and that therein he will be glorified Lev. 10. 3. and that he that offereth him praise that is performeth any part of his Worship and Service Glorifieth him Psal. 50. 23. So the nature of the thing it self declareth that it can have no other end By this he hath all his glory even from the inanimate Creation 4. Consider That God hath not prescribed any Worship of himself unto the Angels that sinned They are indeed under his Power and he useth them as he pleaseth to serve the ends of his holy Providence Bounds he prescribes unto them by his Power and keeps them in dread of the full execution of his Wrath. But he requires not of them that they should believe in him They believe indeed and tremble They have a natural Apprehension of the Being Power Providence Holiness and Righteousness of God which is inseparable from their Natures and they have an expectation from thence of that punishment and vengeance which is due unto them which is inseparable from them as sinners And this is their faith But to believe in God that is to put their trust in him to resign up themselves unto him God requires it not of them The same is the case with them also as to Love and Fear and Delight all inward Affections which are the proper Worship of God These they have not nor doth God any longer require them in them They eternally cast them off in their first sin And where these are not where they are not required where they cannot be there no outward Worship can be prescribed or appointed For External instituted Worship is nothing but the way that God assigns and chooseth to express and exercise the inward Affections of our minds towards him He rules the fallen Angels per nutum Providentiae not per verbum praecepti Now as God dealt with the Angels so also would he have dealt with mankind had he left them all under the Curse without remedy or hope of relief As he doth with them he eternally satisfies himself in that Revenue of Glory which ariseth unto him in their punishment so also he would have done with these had there been no forgiveness with him for them He would not have required them to fear love or obey him or have appointed unto them any way of Worship whereby to express such affections towards him For to what end should he have done it What Righteousness would admit that Service Duty and Obedience should be prescribed unto them who could not ought not to have any Expectation or hope of Acceptance or Reward This is contrary to the very first notion which God requires in us of his Nature For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. which would not be so should he appoint a voluntary Worship and not propose a Reward to the Worshippers Wherefore 3. It is evident that God by the prescription of a Worship unto sinners doth fully declare that there is forgiveness with him for them For 1. He manifests thereby that he is willing to receive a new Revenue of Glory from them This as we have proved is the end of Worship This he would never have done but with a design of Accepting and Rewarding to his creatures For do we think that he will be beholding unto them That he will take and admit of their voluntary reasonable service according to his Will and Command without giving them a Reward yea and such on one as their Obedience holds no proportion unto no such thing would become his infinite sell sufficiency Goodness and Bounty This the Wife of Manoah well pleads Judg. 13. 23. If saith she the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a meat offering and a burnt-ofsering at our hands His
And sinners are invited to a participation of this Ordinance for that End that they may receive the pardon of their sins that is an infallible pledge and Assurance of it Acts 2. 38. And the very nature of it declareth this to be its End as was before intimated This is another engagement of the Truth and Faithfulness and Holiness of God so that we cannot be deceived in this matter There is saith God forgiveness with me saith the soul how Lord shall I know how shall I come to be assured of it for by reason of the perpetual Accusations of Conscience and the Curse of the Law upon the guilt of my sin I find it a very hard matter for me to believe Like Gideon I would have a Token of it why behold saith God I will give thee a pledge and a token of it which cannot deceive thee When the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge of waters by reason of their sins and those who remained though they had just cause to fear that the same Judgement would again befall them or their posterity because they saw there was like to be the same cause of it the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men being evil still and that continually to secure them against these fears I told them that I would destroy the earth no more with water and I gave them a token of my faithfulness therein by placing my bow in the cloud And have I failed them though the sin and wickedness of the world hath been since that day unspeakably great yet mankind is not drowned again nor ever shall be I will not deceive their expectation from the token I have given them Wherever then there is a word of promise confirmed with a token never fear a disappointment But so is this matter I have declared that there is forgiveness with me and to give you assurance thereof I have ordained this pledge and sign as a seal of my word to take away all doubts and suspicion of your being deceived As the world shall be drowned no more so neither shall they who believe come short of forgiveness And this is the Use which we ought to make of this Ordinance It is Gods security of the pardon of our sins which we may safely rest in 2. The same is the End of that other Great Ordinance of the Church the Supper of the Lord. The same thing is therein confirmed unto us by another Sign Pledge Token or Seal We have shewed before what respect Gospel forgiveness hath unto the death or blood of Jesus Christ. That is the Means whereby for us it is procured the Way whereby it comes forth from God unto the Glory of his Righteousness and Grace which afterwards must be more distinctly insisted on This Ordinance therefore designed and appointed on purpose for the Representation and calling to Remembrance of the death of Christ with the communication of the benefits thereof unto them that believe doth principally intend our faith and comfort in the Truth under consideration And therefore in the very Institution of it besides the General End before mentioned which had been sufficient for our security there is moreover added an especial mention of the forgiveness of sin for so speaks our Saviour in the Institution of it for the use of the Church unto the end of the world Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of sins As if he had said The end for which I have appointed the Observance of this Duty and Service unto you is that I may testifie thereby unto you that by my Blood the Sacrifice of my self and the Attonement made thereby I have purchased for you the Remission of your sins which you shall assuredly be made partakers of And more I shall not add unto this consideration because the death of Christ respected in this Ordinance will again occurr unto us 3. What is the end of all Church Order Assemblies and Worship What is a Church Is it not a company of sinners gathered together according unto Gods appointment to give glory and praise to him for pardoning Grace for the forgiveness of sins and to yield him that obedience which he requires from us on the account of his having so dealt with us This is the nature this is the end of a Church He that understandeth it not he that useth it not unto that End doth but abuse that great Institution And such abuse the world is full of Some endeavour to make their own secular Advantages by the pretence of the Church Some discharge the duty required in it with some secret hopes that it shall be their Righteousness before God Some answer only their Light and Convictions in an empty profession This alone is the true end the true Use of it We assemble our selves to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Christ to pray that we may be made partakers of it To bless and praise God for our Interest in it to engage our selves unto that Obedience which he requires upon the account of it And were this constantly upon our minds and in our designs we might be more established in the faith of it than it may be the most of us are 4. One particular instance more of this nature shall conclude this Evidence God hath commanded us the Lord Christ hath taught us to pray for the pardon of sin which gives us unquestionable security that it may be attained that it is to be found in God for the clearing whereof observe 1. That the Lord Christ in the Revelation of the Will of God unto us as unto the duty that he required at our hands hath taught and instructed us to pray for the forgiveness of sin It is one of the Petitions which he hath left on record for our use and imitation in that summary of all prayer which he hath given us Matth. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts our trespasses our sins Some contend that this is a form of prayer to be used in the prescript limited words of it All grant that it is a Rule for prayer comprizing the heads of all necessary things that we are to pray for and obliging us to make supplications for them So then upon the Authority of God revealed unto us by Jesus Christ we are bound in duty to pray for pardon of sins or forgiveness 2. On this supposition it is the highest Blasphemy and reproach of God imaginable to conceive that there is not forgiveness with him for us Indeed if we should go upon our own heads without his Warranty and Authority to ask any thing at his hand we might well expect to meet with disappointment For what should encourage us unto any such boldness But now when God himself shall command us to come and ask any thing from him so making it thereby our Duty and that the neglect thereof should be our great sin and Rebellion against him to
Son in this manner to testifie it And he did it because it could no other way be brought about as hath been declared Do we doubt whether there be forgiveness with God or no or whether we shall obtain it if we address our selves unto him for to be made partakers of it Consider the Condition of his Son in the world review his Afflictions Poverty Temptation Sorrows Sufferings Then ask our souls To what end was all this And if we can find any other design in it any other Reason Cause or Necessity of it but only and meerly to testifie and declare that there is forgiveness with God and to purchase and procure the Communication of it unto us let us abide in and perish under our fears But if this be so we have sufficient warranty to assure our souls in the expectation of it 4. Besides all this there ensues upon what went before that great and wonderfull Issue in the death of the Son of God This thing was great and marvellous and we may a little enquire into what it was that was designed therein And hereof the Scripture gives us a full account As 1. That he dyed to make Attonement for Sin or Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. He gave his life a ransom for the sins of many Matth. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. He was in it made sin that others might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 20. Rom. 8. 3. Therein he bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. This was the state of this matter Notwithstanding all the Love Grace and condescention before mentioned yet our sins were of that nature and so directly opposite unto the Justice and Holiness of God that unless Attonement were made and a Price of Redemption paid there could be no Pardon no forgiveness obtained This therefore he undertook to do and that by the Sacrifice of himself answering all that was prefigured by and represented in the Sacrifices of old as the Apostle largely declares Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And herein is the forgiveness that is in God copied out and exemplified so clearly and evidently that he that cannot read it will be cursed unto Eternity Yea and let him be accursed for what can be more required to justifie God in his eternal destruction He that will not believe his Grace as testified and exemplified in the Blood of his Son let him perish without remedy Yea but 2. The Curse and Sentence of the Law lyes on record against sinners It puts in its Demands against our acquittance and layes an obligation upon us unto punishment And God will not reject nor destroy his Law unless it be answered there is no acceptance for sinners This therefore in the next place his death was designed unto As he satisfied and made Attonement by it unto Justice that was the fountain spring and cause of the Law so he fulfilled and answered the demands of the Law as it was an Effect of the Justice of God So Rom. 8. 13. He suffered in the likeness of sinful flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled and answered He answered the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And so became as to the Obedience of the Law the end of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 3 4. And as to the penalty that it threatned he bore it removed it and took it out of the way So hath he made way for forgiveness through the very heart of the Law it hath not one word to speak against the pardon of them that do believe But 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan he layes a claim unto them and by what means shall they be rescued from his interest and dominion This also his death was designed to accomplish For as he was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. So by death he destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. That is to despoil him of his Power to destroy his Dominion to take away his plea unto sinners that believe as we have at large elsewhere declared And by all these things with many other concernments of his death that might be instanced in we are abundantly secured of the forgiveness that is with God And of his willingness that we should be made partakers thereof 5. Is this all Did his Work cease in his death Did he no more for the securing of the forgiveness of sins unto us but only that he dyed for them Yes he lives also after death for the same end and purpose This Son of God in that nature which he assumed to expiate sin by death lives again after death to secure unto us and to compleat the forgiveness of sins And this he doth two wayes 1. Being raised from that death which he underwent to make Attonement for sin by the Power and Good Will of God he evidenceth and testifieth unto us that he hath fully performed the work he undertook and that in our behalf and for us he hath received a discharge Had he not answered the guilt of sin by his death he had never been raised from it 2. He lives after death a Mediatory Life to make intercession for us that we may receive the forgiveness of sin as also himself to give it out unto us which things are frequently made use of to encourage the souls of men to believe and therefore shall not at present be further insisted on Thus then stands this matter that Mercy might have a way to exercise it self in forgiveness with a consistency unto the Honour of the Righteousness and Law of God was the Son of God so sent for the ends and purposes mentioned Now herein consisteth the greatest Work that God did ever perform or ever will It was the most eminent product of Infinite Wisdom Goodness Grace and Power And herein do all the Excellencies of God shine forth more gloriously than in all the works of his hands Let us then wisely ponder and consider this matter let us bring our own souls with their Objections unto this Evidence and see what exception we have to lay against it I know nothing will satisfie unbelief the design of it is to make the soul find that to be Iso hereafter which it would perswade it of here namely that there is no forgiveness in God And Satan who makes use of this Engine knows full well that there is none for them who believe there is none or rather will not believe that there is any For it will at the last day be unto men according unto their faith or unbelief He that believeth aright and he that believeth not that forgiveness is with God as to their own particulars shall neither of them be deceived But what is it that can be reasonably excepted against this evidence this foundation of our faith in this matter God hath not sent his Son in vain which
in themselves from them they draw conclusions arguing from one thing unto another and in the end oft-times either deceive themselves or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and Examination A mans judgement upon his own reasonings is seldom true more seldom permanent I speak not of self-examination with a due discussion of Graces and Actions but of the final sentence as to state and condition wherein the soul is to acquiesce This belongs unto Christ. Now there are Two wayes whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter 1. By his Word He determines in the Word of the Gospel of the state and condition of all men indefinitely Each Individual coming to that Word receives his own sentence and doom He told the Jews that Moses accused them John 5. 45. His Law accused and condemned the transgressors of it And so doth the acquit every one that is discharged by the Word of the Gospel And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his Sentence in the Word His process herein we have recorded Joh 33. 22 23. His soul that is of the sinner draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers This seems to be his state it is so indeed he is at the very brink of the grave and hell What then why if there be with him or stand over him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel interpreting or the Angel of the Covenant who alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one of a thousand what shall he doe He shall shew unto him his uprightness He shall give in unto him a right determination of his interest in God and of the state and frame of his heart towards God whereupon God shall speak peace unto his Soul and deliver him from his entanglements v. 24. Jesus Christ hath in the Word of the Gospel stated the condition of every man He tells us that sinners of what sort soever they are that believe are accepted with him and shall receive forgiveness from God that none shall be refused or cast off that come unto God by him The Soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty Objections it hath in and against its self why it should not come why it shall not be accepted Our Lord Jesus the Wisdom of God foresaw all these Objections he foreknew what could be said in the case and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared In General mens arguings against themselves arise from Sin and the Law Christ knowes what is in them both He tryed them to the uttermost as to their penalties and yet he hath so determined as we have shewed Their particular Objections are from particular considerations of sin their Greatness their Number their Aggravations Christ knows all these also And yet stands to his firmer determination Upon the whole matter then it is meet his Word should stand I know when a Soul brings it self to be judged by the Word of the Gospel it doth not alwayes in a like manner receive and rest in the sentence given But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men they shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and be concluded by it Let the Soul then that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sence of forgiveness lay it self down before the Word of Christ in the Gospel Let him attend to what he speaks and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart let him wait a season and light shall arise unto him out of darkness Christ will give in his sentence into his Conscience with that power and efficacy as he shall finde rest and peace in it 2. Christ also judgeth by his Spirit not only in making this sentence of the Gospel to be received effectually in the Soul but in and by peculiar Actings of his upon the heart and soul of a Believer 1. Cor. 2. 11. We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The Spirit of Christ acquaints the Soul that this and that Grace is from him that this or that duty was performed in his strength He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by himself to give them supportment and relief in the times of depths and darkness And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the Soul at any time by the Holy Ghost that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truely saving The Comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and Temptations 2. He also by his Spirit bears witness with our Spirits as to our state and condition Of this I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall now pass it by This then is our first General Rule and Direction Selfdeterminations concerning mens spiritual state and condition because their minds are usually influenced by their distempers are seldom right and according to Rule Mistakes in such determinations are exceedingly prejudicial to a Soul seeking out after relief and sence of Forgiveness let Christ then be the Judge in this Case by his Word and Spirit as hath been directed RULE II. Self-condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace The nature of Gospel-Assurance what is consistent with it What are the Effects of it Self-Condemnation and Abhorrency do very well consist with Gospel-Justification and Peace Some men have no peace because they have that without which it is impossible they should have peace Because they cannot but condemn themselves they cannot entertain a sence that God doth acquit them But this is the mystery of the Gospel which unbelief is a stranger unto Nothing but faith can give a real subsistence unto these things in the same Soul at the same time It is easie to learn the notion of it but it is not easie to experience the power of it For a man to have a sight of that within him which would condemn him for which he is troubled and at the same time to have a discovery of that without him which will justifie him and to rejoyce therein is that which he is not lead unto but by Faith in the mystery of the Gospel We are now under a Law for Justification which excludes all boasting Rom. 3. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another yet we may have we alwayes have sufficient cause of humiliation in our selves The Gospel will teach a man to feel sin and believe Righteousness at the same time Faith will carry Heaven in one hand and Hell in the other shewing the one deserved the other purchased A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring Gehennam è Coelo a Hell of wrath out of Heaven and yet see Christ bring Coelum ex inferno a Heaven of blessedness out of an
promise and learn to measure things not according to the present state and apprehensions of their mind but according unto what God hath declared concerning them And there are sundry Excellencies in the promises when hoped in or trusted in that tend unto the establishment of the soul in this great duty of waiting As 1. That Grace in them that is the Good Will of God in Christ for help relief satisfaction pardon and salvation is suited unto all particular conditions and wants of the soul. As Light ariseth from the Sun and is diffused in the beams thereof to the especial use of all creatures enabled by a visive faculty to make use of it so cometh Grace forth from the Eternal Good Will of God in Christ and is diffused by the promises with a blessed contemporation unto the conditions and wants of all Believers There can nothing fall out between God and any soul but there is grace suited unto it in one promise or another as clearly and evidently as if it were given unto him particularly and immediately And this they find by experience who at any time are enabled to mix effectually a promise with faith 2. The Word of promise hath a wonderfull mysterious especial impression of God upon it He doth by it secretly and ineffably communicate himself unto Believers When God appeared in a dream unto Jacob he awaked and said God is in this place and I knew it not He knew God was every where but an intimation of his especial presence surprized him So is a soul surprized when God opens himself and his Grace in a promise unto him It cryes out God is here and I knew it not Such a near approach of God in his Grace it finds as is accompanied with a refreshing surprizal 3. There is an especial Engagement of the Veracity and Truth of God in every promise Grace and Truth are the two ingredients of an Evangelical promise the matter and form whereof they do consist I cannot now stay to shew where in this especial engagement of Truth in the promise doth consist Besides it is a thing known and confessed But it hath an especial influence to support the soul when hoped in in its duty of waiting For that hope can never make ashamed or leave the soul unto disappointments which stayes its self on Divine Veracity under a special engagement And this is that duty which the Psalmist engageth himself in and unto the performance of as the only way to obtain a comfortable interest in that forgiveness which is with God and all the gracious effects thereof And in the handling hereof as we have declared its nature and necessity so we have the Psalmists directions for its practice unto persons in the like condition with him for the attaining of the end by him aimed at so that it needs no further Application That which remains of the Psalm is the Address which he makes unto others with the encouragement which he gives them to steer the same course with himself and this he doth in the two last verses which to compleat the Exposition of the whole Psalm I shall briefly explain and pass through as having already dispatched what I principally aimed at Verse 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities I shall proceed in the opening of these words according unto the method already insisted on First the meaning of the principal words shall be declared then the sense and importance of the whole Thirdly the Relation that they have unto the condition of the soul expressed in the Psalm must be manifested from all which Observations will arise for our Instruction and Directions in the like cases wherein we are or may be concerned Let Israel hope in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hope Israel in Jehovah Trust or expect the same word with that vers 5. In his word do I hope properly to expect to look for which includes hope and adds some further degree of the souls acting towards God it is an earnest looking after the thing hoped for expecta ad Dominum hope in him and look up to him For with the Lord quia or quoniam because seeing that with the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy the verb substantive as usual is omitted which we supply there is Mercy Grace Bounty Goodness Good-will This word is often joyned with another discovering its importance and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goodness or Mercy and Truth These are as it were constituent parts of Gods Promises It is of Goodness Grace Bounty to promise any undue mercy And it is of Truth or Faithfulness to make good what is so promised The LXX commonly render this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pardoning mercy as it is every where used in the New Testament And with him is plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him as before speaking unto God v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thee there is the meaning of which expression hath been opened at large Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to redeem the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Redemption This word is often used for a proper Redemption such as is made by the intervention of a price and not a meer Assertion unto liberty by power which is sometimes also called Redemption Thus it is said of the money that the first born of the children of Israel which were above the number of the Levites were redeemed with that Moses took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Redemption that is the Redemption money the price of their Redemption Numb 3. 49. And Psal. 49. 8. The Redemption of mens souls is precious it cost a great price The Redemption then that is with God relates unto a Price Goodness or mercy with respect unto a price becomes Redemption that is actively the cause or means of it What that price is see Matth. 20. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multa copi sa much abundant plenteous It is used both for Quantity and Quality much in quantity or plenteous abundant and in Quality that is precious excellent And it is applied in a good and bad sense so it is said of our sins Ezek. 9. 6. our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are increased or multiplied or are great many in number and hainous in their nature or quality And in the other sense it is applied unto the mercy of God whereby they are removed it is great or plenteous it is excellent or precious V. 8. And he that is the Lord Jehovah he with whom is plenteous Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall redeem or make them partakers of that Redemption that is with him He shall redeem Israel that is those who hope and trust in him From all his iniquities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his