that sinned he spared them not but inflicted on them the punishment due to sin shutting them up under chains of darkness for the Judgement of the great Day Hitherto then God keeps all thoughts of forgiveness in his own Eternal Bosom There is not so much as the least dawning of it upon the world And this was at first no small prejudice against any thoughts of forgiveness The world is made sin enters by the most glorious part of the Creation whose recovery by pardon might seem to be most desirable but not the least appearance of it is discovered Thus it was hid in God from the foundation of the world Eph. 3. 9. III. God gave unto Man a Law of Obedience immediately upon his Creation Yea for the main of it he implanted it in him by and in his Creation This Law it was supposed that man might transgress The very nature of a Law prescribed unto free Agents attended with Threatnings and Promises of Reward requires that supposition Now there was not annexed unto this Law or revealed with it the least intimation of pardon to be obtained if Transgression should ensue Gen. 2. 17. we have this Law In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely dye dying thou shalt dye or bring upon thy self assuredly the guilt of death temporal and eternal There God leaves the sinner under the power of that commination Of forgiveness or pardoning mercy there is not the least intimation To this very day that Law which was then the whole Rule of life and Acceptance with God knows no such thing Dying thou shalt dye O sinner is the precise and final voyce of it From these previous considerations added to what was formerly spoken some things preparatory to the ensuing discourse may be inferred as 1. That it is a great and rare thing to have forgiveness in God discovered unto a sinful soul. A thing it is that as hath been shewed Conscience and Law with the inbred Notions that are in the heart of man about Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice do lye against A matter whereof we have no natural presumption whereof there is no common notion in the mind of man A thing which no consideration of the Works of God either of Creation or Providence will reveal and which the great Instance of Gods dealing with sinning Angels renders deep admirable and mysterious Men who have common and slight thoughts of God of themselves of Sin of Obedience of the Judgement to come of Eternity that feed upon the ashes of rumors reports hearsayes traditions without looking into the reality of things may and do take this to be an ordinary and acknowledged truth easie to be entertained which upon the matter no man disbelieves But convinced sinners who make a tryal of these things as running into Eternity have other thoughts of them And as to that which it is pretended every one believes we have great cause to cry out Lord who hath believed our report to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. That the discovery of forgiveness in God being a matter of so great difficulty is a thing precious and excellent as being the foundation of all our Communion with God here and of all undeceiving Expectation of our enjoyment of him hereafter It is a pure Gospel truth that hath neither shaddow footstep nor intimation elsewhere the whole creation hath not the least obscure impression of it left thereon so that 3. It is undoubtedly greatly incumbent on us to enquire diligently as the Prophets did of old into this Salvation to consider what sure Evidences faith hath of it such as will not as cannot fail us To be slight and common in this matter to take it up at random is an Argument of an unsound rotten heart He that is not serious in his enquiry into the Revelation of this matter is serious in nothing wherein God or his soul is concerned The Holy Ghost knows what our frame of heart is and how slow we are to receive this blessed truth in a gracious saving manner Therefore doth he confirm it unto us with such weighty considerations as Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation It is of forgiveness of sin that the Apostle treats as hath been made evident by the description of it before given Now to give evidence hereunto and to beget a belief of it in us he first engages a Property of Gods Nature in that business He with whom we deal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tit. 1. 2. The God that cannot lye that cannot deceive or be deceived It is impossible it should be so with him Now as this extends it self in general to all the Words and Works of God so there is peculiarly in this whereof he treats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an especial immutability of his counsel Men may think that although there be words spoken about forgiveness yet it is possible it may be otherwise no saith the Apostle it is spoken by God and it is impossible he should lye Yea but upon the manifold provocations of sinners he may change his mind and thoughts therein no saith the Apostle there is a peculiar immutability in his counsel concerning the execution of this thing there can be no change in it But how doth this appear that indeed this is the counsel of his will Why saith he he hath declared it by his Word and that given in a way of promise which as in its own nature it is suited to raise an expectation in him or them to whom it is made or given so it requires exact faithfulness in the discharge and performance of it which God on his part will assuredly answer But neither is this all but that no place might be left for any cavilling Objection in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he interposed himself by an oath Thus we have this Truth deduced from the veracity of Gods nature one of his Essential Excellencies established in the immutable purpose of his Will brought forth by a word of promise and confirmed by Gods interposing himself against all occasions of exception so to put an end unto all strife about it by an Oath swearing by himself that so it should be I have mentioned this only to shew what weight the Holy Ghost layes upon the delivery of this great Truth and thence how deeply it concerns us to enquire diligently into it and after the grounds and evidences which may be tendred of it which among others are these that follow Discovery of Forgiveness in the first Promise The Evidence of the Truth that lyes therein And by the Institution of Sacrifices Their Use and End Also by the prescription of Repentance unto sinners The first Discovery of forgiveness in God and which I place as the first Evidence of it
we may regularly found a Judgement concerning our selves and it is great folly to wave them all and put the issue of the matter upon one circumstance If a man have a tryal at law wherein he hath many evidences speaking for him only one circumstance is dubious and in question He will not cast the weight of his Cause on that disputed circumstance but will plead those Evidences that are more clear and testifie more fully in his behalf I will not deny but that this matter of the time of conversion is oftimes an important circumstance In the affirmative when it is known it is of great use tending to stability and consolation but yet it is still but a circumstance such as that the being of the thing it self doth not depend upon He that is alive may know that he was born though he know neither the place where nor the time when he was so And so may he that is spiritually alive and hath ground of evidence that he is so that he was born again though he knew neither when nor where nor how And this Case is usual in persons of quiet natural Tempers who have had the advantage of education under means of light and Grace God ofttimes in such persons begins and carries on the work of his Grace insensibly so that they come to good growth and maturity before they know that they are alive Such persons come at length to be satisfied in saying with the blind man in the Gospel How our eyes were opened we know not only one thing we know whereas we were blind by nature now we see 2. Even in this matter also we must it may be be content to live by faith and to believe as well what God hath done in us if it be the matter and subject of his promises as what he hath done for us the ground whereof also is the promise and nothing else Objections from the present state and Condition of the Soul Weakness and imperfection of Duty Opposition from Indwelling Sin 3. There is another Head of Objections against the souls receiving Consolation from an interest in forgiveness arising from the consideration of its present state and condition as to actual Holiness Duties and sins Souls complain when in Darkness and under Temptations that they cannot find that Holiness nor those fruits of it in themselves which they suppose an interest in pardoning mercy will produce Their hearts they find are weak and all their Duties worthless If they were weighed in the ballance they would be all found too light In the best of them there is such a mixture of Self Hypocrisie Unbelief vain Glory that they are even ashamed and confounded with the Remembrance of them These things fill them with discouragements so that they refuse to be comforted or to entertain any refreshing perswasion from the Truth insisted on but rather conclude that they are utter strangers from that forgiveness that is with God and so continue helpless in their depths According unto the method proposed and hitherto pursued I shall only lay down some such general Rules as may support a soul under the despondencies that are apt in such a condition to befall it that none of these things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold of forgiveness And First This is the proper place to put in execution our seventh Rule to take heed of heartless complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are expected at our hands If it be thus indeed why lye you on your faces why do you not rise and put out your selves to the utmost giving all diligence to add one Grace to another untill you find your selves in a better frame Supposing then the putting of that Rule into practice I add that 1. Known Holiness is apt to degenerate into self righteousness What God gives us on the account of Sanctification we are ready enough to reckon on the score of Justification It is a hard thing to feel Grace and to believe as if there were none We have so much of the Pharisee in us by nature that it is sometimes well that our Good is hid from us We are ready to take our Corn and Wine and bestow them on other Lovers Were there not in our hearts a spiritually sensible principle of corruption and in our duties a discernable mixture of self it would be impossible we should walk so humbly as is required of them who hold communion with God in a Covenant of Grace and pardoning mercy It is a good life which is attended with a faith of Rightcousness and a sense of corruption Whilest I know Christs Righteousness I shall the less care to know my own Holiness To be holy is necessary to know it sometimes a Temptation 2. Even Duties of Gods Appointment when turned into self-righteousness are Gods great abhorrency Isa. 66. 2 3. What hath a good Original may be vitiated by a bad End 3. Oftentimes Holiness in the heart is more known by the Opposition that is made there to it than by its own prevalent working The Spirits Operation is known by the flesh's opposition We find a mans strength by the burdens he carryes and not the pace that he goes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death is a better evidence of Grace and Holiness than God I thank thee I am not as other men a heart pressed grieved burdened not by the guilt of sin only which reflects with trouble on an awakened conscience but by the close adhering power of Indwelling sin tempting seducing soliciting hindring captivating conceiving restlesly disquieting may from thence have as clear an evidence of holiness as from a delightful fruit-bearing What is it that is troubled and grieved in thee What is it that seems to be almost killed and destroyed that crys out complains longs for deliverance is it not the new Creature is it not the principle of spiritual life whereof thou art partaker I speak not of trouble and disquietments for sin committed nor of fears and perturbations of mind left sin should break forth to loss shame ruine dishonour nor of the contending of a convinced Conscience lest Damnation should ensue but of the striving of the spirit against sin out of a hatred and a loathing of it upon all the mixt Considerations of Love Grace Mercy Fear the beauty of Holiness Excellency of communion with God that are proposed in the Gospel If thou seemest to thy self to be only passive in these things to do nothing but to endure the Assaults of sin Yet if thou art sensible and standest under the stroke of it as under the stroke of an Enemy there is the root of the matter And as it is thus as to the substance and Being of Holiness so it is also as to the degrees of it Degrees of Holiness are to be measured more by Opposition than self operation He may have more Grace than another who brings not forth so much fruit as the other
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
in all this dispensation aimed at by God Ephes. 1. 6. That which he is now doing is to bring the soul to glory in him 1 Cor. 1. 31. which is all the return he hath from his large and infinitely bountiful expence of Grace and Mercy Now nothing can render Grace conspicuous and glorious until the soul come to this frame Grace will not seem high until the soul be laid very low And this also suits or prepares the soul for the receiving of mercy in a sense of pardon the great thing aimed at on the part of the sinner And it prepares it for every duty that is incumbent on him in that condition wherein he is This brings the soul to waiting with diligence and patience If things presently answer not our expectation we are ready to think we have done what we can if it will be no better we must bear it as we are able which frame God abhors The soul in this frame is contented to wait the pleasure of God as we shall see in the close of the Psalm Oh saith such an one if ever I obtain a sense of Love if ever I enjoy one smile of his countenance more it is of unspeakable Grace Let him take his own time his own season it is good for me quietly to wait and to hope for his salvation And it puts the soul on prayer yea a soul alwayes in this frame prayes alwayes And there is nothing more evident than that want of a through engagement into the performance of these duties is the great cause why so few come clear off from their entanglements all their dayes Men heal their wounds slightly and therefore after a new painful festering they are brought into the same condition of restlesness and trouble which they were in before Grounds of miscarriages when persons are convinced of sin and humbled Resting in that state Resting on it The soul is not to be left in the state before described There is other work for it to apply it self unto if it intend to come unto Rest and peace It hath obtained an eminent advantage for the discovery of Forgiveness But to rest in that state wherein it is or to rest upon it will not bring it into its harbour Three things we discovered before in the souls first serious address unto God for deliverance sense of sin acknowledgement of it and self-condemnation Two evils there are which attend men oftentimes when they are brought into that state Some rest in it and press no farther some rest upon it and suppose that it is all which is required of them The Psalmist avoids both these and notwithstanding all his pressures reacheth out towards forgiveness as we shall see in the next verse I shall briefly unfold these two evils and shew the necessity of their avoidance First By resting or staying in it I mean the souls desponding through discouraging thoughts that deliverance is not to be obtained Being made deeply sensible of sin it is so overwhelmed with thoughts of its own vileness and unworthiness as to sink under the burden Such a soul is afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted Isa. 54. 11. until it is quite weary As a Ship in a storm at Sea when all means of contending are gone men give up themselves to be driven and tossed by the Winds and Seas at their pleasure This brought Israel to that state wherein he cryed out My way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Isa. 40. 27. and Zion The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Chap. 49. 14. The soul begins secretly to think there is no hope God regardeth it not it shall one day perish relief is far away and trouble nigh at hand These thoughts do so oppress them that though they forsake not God utterly to their destruction yet they draw not nigh unto him effectually to their consolation This is the first evil that the soul in this condition is enabled to avoid We know how God rebukes it in Sion Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Isaiah 49. 14. But how foolish is Sion how froward how unbelieving in this matter what ground hath she for such sinful despondencies such discouraging conclusions Can a woman saith the Lord forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee The like reproof he gives to Jacob upon the like complaint Chap. 40. 28 29 30. There is nothing that is more provoking to the Lord nor more disadvantagious unto the soul than such sinful despondency For First It insensibly weakens the soul and disenables it both for present duties and future endeavours Hence some poor creatures mourn and even pine away in this condition never getting one step beyond a perplexing sense of sin all their dayes Some have dwelt so long upon it and have so intangled themselves with a multitude of perplexed thoughts that at length their natural faculties have been weakned and rendred utterly useless so that they have lost both sense of sin and every thing else Against some Satan hath taken advantage to cast in so many intangling objections into their minds that their whole time hath been taken up in proposing doubts and objections against themselves with these they have gone up and down to one and another and being never able to come unto a consistency in their own thoughts they have spent all their dayes in a fruitless sapless withering comfortless condition Some with whom things come to a better issue are yet for a season brought to that discomposure of Spirit or are so filled with their own apprehensions that when the things which are most proper to their condition are spoken to them they take no impression in the least upon them Thus the soul is weakned by dwelling too long on these considerations until some cry with those in Ezek. 33. 10. Our sins are upon us we pine away in them and how should we then live Secondly This frame if it abides by its self will insensibly give countenance unto hard thoughts of God and so to repining and weariness in waiting on him At first the soul neither apprehends nor fears any such issue It supposeth that it shall condemn and abhorr it self and justifie God and that for ever But when relief comes not in this resolution begins to weaken Secret thoughts arise in the heart that God is austere inexorable and not to be dealt withall This sometimes casts forth such complaints as will bring the soul unto new complaints before it comes to have an issue of its tryals Here in humiliations antecedaneous to conversion many a convinced person perisheth They cannot wait Gods season and perish under their impatience And what the Saints of God themselves have been overtaken withal in their depths and tryals we have many examples and instances Delight and Expectation are the grounds of
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
him nor any direction how to deal with him in any of his concernments Great and signal then was the condescension in God to take his poor Creature into Covenant with himself And especially will this be manifest if we consider the Ends of it and why it is that God thus deals with man Now these are no other than that man might serve him aright be blessed by him and be brought unto the everlasting enjoyment of him all unto his Glory These are the Ends of every Covenant that God takes us into with himself And these are the whole of man No more is required of us in a way of duty no more can be required by us to make us blessed and happy but what is contained in them That we might live to God be accepted with him and come to the eternal fruition of him is the whole of man All that we were made for or are capable of and these are the Ends of every Covenant that God makes with men being all comprized in that solemn word that he will be their God and they shall be his people Secondly This being the Nature this the End of a Covenant there must be some great and important cause to change alter and abrogate a Covenant once made and established to lay aside one Covenant and to enter into another And yet this the Apostle sayes expresly that God had done Heb. 8. 13. and proves it because himself calls that which he promised a New Covenant which undeniably confirms two things First That the other was become old and Secondly That being become so it was changed altered and removed I know the Apostle speaks immediately of the old Administration of the Covenant under the Old Testament or Mosaical Institutions but he doth so with reference unto that revival which in it was given to the first Covenant made with Adam For in the giving of the Law and the Curse wherewith it was accompanied which were immixed with that Administration of the Covenant there was a solemn revival and Representation of the first Covenant and its Sanction whereby it had life and power given it to keep the people in bondage all their dayes And the end of the Abolition or taking way of the Legal Administration of the Covenant was meerly to take out of Gods dealing with his people all use and Remembrance of the first Covenant As was said therefore to take away disannul and change a Covenant so made ratified and established betwixt God and man is a matter that must be resolved into some cogent important and indispensable cause And this will the more evidently appear if we consider First In general that the first Covenant was Good Holy Righteous and Equal It was such as became God to make and was every way the happiness of the Creature to accept of We need no other Argument to prove it holy and good than this that God made it It was the Effect of infinite Holiness Wisdome Righteousness Goodness and Grace And therefore in it self was it every way perfect for so are all the works of God Besides it was such as man when through his own sault he cannot obtain any good by it and must perish everlastingly by vertue of the Curse of it yet cannot but subscribe unto its Righteousness and Holiness The Law was the Rule of it therein is the tenor of it contained Now saith the Apostle whatever becomes of the sin and the sinner the Law is holy and the commandment is holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. Holy in it self and its own Nature as being the Order and Constitution of the most holy God Just and equal with reference unto us such as we have no reason to complain of or repine against the Authority of it and the terms of it are most righteous And not only so but it is good also that which notwithstanding the appearance of Rigor and severity which it is accompanied withal had in it an exceeding mixture of Goodness and Grace both in the Obedience constituted in it and the Reward annexed unto it as might be more fully manifested were that our present work Secondly In particular it was Good Holy and Righteous in all the Commands of it in the Obedience which it required And two things there were that rendred it exceeding Righteous in reference unto its Precepts or Commands First That they were all suited unto the Principles of the nature of man created by God and in the regular acting whereof consisted his perfection God in the first Covenant required nothing of man prescribed nothing unto him but what there was a Principle for the doing and accomplishing of it ingrafted and implanted on his nature which rendred all those commands equal holy and good For what need any man complain of that which requires nothing of him but what he is from his own frame and Principles inclined unto Secondly all the Commands of it were proportionate unto the strength and ability of them to whom they were given God in that Covenant required nothing of any man but what he had before enabled him to perform nothing above his strength or beyond his power and thence was it also righteous Secondly It was exceeding Good Holy and Righteous upon the account of its Promises and rewards Do this saith the Covenant this which thou art able to do which the Principles of thy nature are fitted for and enclined unto Well what shall be the issue thereof Why do this and live Life is promised unto Obedience and that such a Life as both for the present and future condition of the creature was accompanied with every thing that was needful to make it blessed and happy Yea this Life having in it the eternal enjoyment of God God himself as a Reward was exceedingly above whatever the Obedience of man could require as due or have any Reason on any other account but meerly of the Goodness of God to expect Thirdly There was provision in that Covenant for the Preservation and manifestation of the Glory of God whatever was the Event on the part of man This was provided for in the Wisdom and Righteousness of God Did man continue in his Obedience and fulfill the terms of the Covenant all things were laid in subserviency to the Eternal Glory of God in his Reward Herein would he for ever have manifested and exalted the Glory of his Holiness Power Faithfulness Righteousness and Goodness As an Almighty Creator and Preserver as a faithful God and Righteous Rewarder would he have been glorified On supposition on the other side that man by sin and Rebellion should trangress the terms and tenor of this Covenant yet God had made provision that no detriment unto his Glory should ensue thereon For by the constitution of a punishment proportionable in his Justice unto that sin and demerit he had provided that the glory of his Holiness Righteousness and Veracity in his Threatnings should be exalted and that to all Eternity God would have
holy God whom ye have provoked all your dayes and whom you yet continue to provoke who hath not the least need of you or your salvation who can when he pleaseth eternally glorifie himself in your destruction should of his own accord send unto you to let you know that he is willing to be at peace with you on the terms he had prepared The Enmity began on your part the danger is on your part only and he might justly expect that the message for peace should begin on your part also But he begins with you and shall he be rejected The Prophet well expresseth this Isa. 30. 15. Thus saith the Lord God the holy One of Israel in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength and you would not The Love and Condescention that is in these words on the one hand on the part of God and the folly and ingratitude mentioned in them on the other hand is inexpressible They are fearfull words But you would not Remember this against another day As our Saviour sayes in the like manner to the Jewes You will not come unto me that ye may have life Whatever is pretended it is will and stubbornness that lye at the bottom of this refusal Wherefore that either You may obtain Advantage by it or that the way of the Lord may be prepared for the Glorifying of himself upon you I shall leave this word before all them that hear or read it as the Testimony which God requires to be given unto his Grace There are terms of peace with God provided for you and tendred unto you It is yet called to day harden not your hearts like them of old who could not enter into the Rest of God by reason of unbelief Heb. 3. 19. Some of you it may be are old in sins and unacquainted with God some of you it may be have been great sinners scandalous sinners and some of you it may be have reason to apprehend your selves neer the grave and so also to hell some of you it may be have your Consciences disquieted and galled and it may be some of you are under some outward Troubles and Perplexities that cause you a little to look about you and some of you it may be are in the madness of your natural strength and lusts your breasts are full of milk and your bones of marrow and your hearts of sin pride and contempt of the wayes of God All is one This word is unto you all And I shall only mind you That it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God You hear the voyce or read the words of a poor worm but the Message is the Message and the Word is the Word of him who shaketh Heaven and Earth Consider then well what you have to do and what answer you will return unto him who will not be mocked But you will say Why what great matter is there that you have in hand why is it urged with so much earnestness We have heard the same words an hundred times over The last Lords day such a one or such a one preached to the same purpose And what need it be insisted on now again with so much importunity But is it so indeed that you have thus frequently been dealt withall and do yet continue in an Estate of irreconciliation my heart is pained for you to think of your wofull and almost remediless condition If he that being often reproved and yet stiffeneth his neck shall perish suddenly and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. how much more will he do so who being often invited unto Peace with God yet hardeneth his heart and refuseth to treat with him Methinks I hear his voyce concerning you Those mine enemies they shall not taste of the Supper that I have prepared Be it then that the word in hand is a common word unto you you set no value upon it then take your way and course in sin stumble fall and perish It is not so slight a matter to poor convinced sinners that tremble at the Word of God These will prize it and improve it We shall follow then that counsel Prov. 31. 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of an heavy heart We shall tender this New Wine of the Gospel to poor sad hearted conscience distressed sinners sinners that are ready to perish to them it will be pleasant they will drink of it and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more It shall take away all their sorrow and sadness when you shall be drunk with the fruit of your lusts and spue and lie down and not rise again But now if any of you shall begin to say in your hearts that you would willingly treat with God oh that the day were come wherein we might approach unto him let him speak what he pleaseth and propose what terms he pleaseth we are ready to hear Then consider Secondly That the Terms provided for you and proposed unto you are equal holy righteous yea pleasant and easie This being another General Head of our work in hand before I proceed to the further explication and confirmation of it I shall educe one or two Observations from what hath been delivered on the first As 1. See here on what foundation we preach the Gospel Many disputes there are whether Christ died for all individuals of Mankinde or no if we say No but only for the Elect who are some of all sorts some then tell us we cannot invite all men promiscuously to believe But why so we invite not men as all men no man as one of all men but all men as Sinners And we know that Christ died for Sinners But is this the first thing that we are in the dispensation of the Gospel to propose to the Soul of a sinner under the Law That Christ dyed for him in particular Is that the beginning of our Message unto him were not this a ready way to induce him to conclude Let me then continue in sin that Grace may abound No but this is in order of Nature our first work even that which we have had in hand This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the voyce of one crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. There is a way of Reconciliation provided God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself There is a way of acceptance there is Forgiveness with him to be obtained At this Threshold of the Lords house doth the greatest part of men to whom the Gospel is preached fall and perish never looking in to see the Treasures that are in the house it self never coming into any such state and condition wherein they have any ground or bottom to enquire whether Christ dyed for them in particular or no. They believe not this report nor take any serious notice of it This was the Ministry of the Baptist
and obstructions by his own blood bringing forth unto beauty and Glory this Redemption or Forgiveness of sin as the price of it And let the Glory of the Gospel which alone makes this discovery of Forgiveness in God dwell in your hearts Let your minds be exercised about these things You will find effects from them above all that hath as yet been brought forth in your souls What for the most part have you hitherto been conversant about when you have risen above the turmoyling of lusts and corruptions in your hearts the entanglements of your Callings business and affairs what have you been able to raise your hearts unto perplexing fears about your Condition General hopes without savour or relish yielding you no refreshment Legal Commands Bondage-duties distracted Consciences broken Purposes and Promises which you have been tossed up and down withall without any certain rest And what Effects have these thoughts produced have they made you more holy and more humble have they given you delight in God and strength unto new obedience Not at all Where you were there you still are without the least progress But now bring your Souls unto these Springs and try the Lord if from that day you be not blessed with spiritual stores 8. If the Lord be pleased to carry on your Souls thus far then stirr up your selves to choose and close with the way of forgiveness that hath been revealed Choose it only choose it in comparison with and opposition unto all others Say you will be for Christ and not for another and be so accordingly Here venture here repose here rest your Souls It is a way of peace safety Holyness beauty strength power liberty and glory you have the Nature the Name the Love the Purposes the Promises the Covenant the Oath of God the Love Life Death or Blood the Mediation or Oblation and Intercession of Jesus Christ The Power and Efficacy of the Spirit and Gospel Grace by him administred to give you Assurance of the excellency the oneness the safety of the Way whereunto you are engaging If now the Lord shall be pleased to perswade your hearts and souls to enter upon the path marked out before you and shall carry you on through the various exercises of it unto this closure of Faith God will have the Glory the Gospel will be Exalted and your own Souls shall reap the Eternal benefit of this Exhortation But now if not withstanding all that hath been spoken all the Invitations you have had and Incouragements that have been held out unto you you shall continue to despise this so great salvation you will live and dye in the state and condition wherein you are why then as the Prophet said to the Wife of Jeroboam Come neer for I am sent unto you with heavy Tydings I say then 9. If you resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation and shall do so accordingly Then Cursed be you of the Lord with all the Curses that are written in the Law and all the Curses that are denounced against Despisers of the Gospel Yea be you Anathema Maranatha Cursed in this World alwayes untill the comeing of the Lord and when the Lord comes be ye cursed from his presence into Everlasting destruction Yea Curse them all ye holy Angels of God as the obstinate Enemies of your King and Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Curse them all ye Churches of Christ as despisers of that Love and Mercy which is your portion your Life your Inheritance Let all the Saints of God all that love the Lord curse them and rejoyce to see the Lord comeing forth mightily and prevailing against them to their everlasting ruine Why should any one have a thought of compassion towards them who despise the compassion of God or of mercy towards them who trample on the blood of Christ Whilest there is yet hope we desire to have continual sorrow for you and to travail in soul for your conversion to God but if you be hardened in your way shall we joyn with you against him shall we preferre you above his Glory shall we desire your salvation with the despoyling God of his honour Nay God forbid We hope to rejoyce in seeing all that vengeance and indignation that is in the right hand of God poured out unto Eternity upon your Souls Prov. 1. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Rules to be observed by them who would come to stability in Obedience The first Rule Christ the only infallible Judge of our spiritual condition How he judgeth by his Word and Spirit That which remaineth to be further carried on upon the Principles laid down is to perswade with Souls more or less intangled in the depths of sin to close with this Forgiveness by Believing unto their Peace and Consolation And because such persons are full of pleas and objections against themselves I shall chiefly in what I have to say endeavour to obviate these Objections so to encourage them unto believing and bring them unto settlement And herein whatever I have to offer flowes naturally from the Doctrine at large laid down and asserted Yet I shall not in all particulars apply my self thereunto but in Generall fix on those things that may tend to the Establishment and Consolation of both distressed and doubting Souls And I shall do what I purpose these two wayes First I shall lay down such General Rules as are necessary to be observed by all those who intend to come to Gospel peace and Comfort And then Secondly shall consider some such Objections as seem to be most comprehensive of those special reasonings where with distressed persons do usually intangle themselves I shall begin with General Rules which through the Grace of Christ and Supplyes of his Spirit may be of use unto Believers in the condition under consideration RULE I. Be not Judges of your own Condition but let Christ judge You are invited to take the comfort of this Gospel Truth That there is Forgiveness with God You say not for you so said Jacob My way is hid from the Lord Isa. 40. 27. and Sion said so too chap. 49. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But did they make a right Judgement of themselves We find in those places that God was otherwise minded This false Judgement made by Souls in their intanglements of their own Condition is oft-times a most unconquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it They fill themselves with thoughts of their own about it and on them they dwell instead of looking out after a Remedy Misgiving thoughts of their distempers are commonly a great part of some mens sickness Many diseases are apt to cloud the thoughts and to cause misapprehensions concerning their own nature and danger And these delusions are a real part of the persons sickness Nature is no less impaired and weakened by them the Efficacy of Remedies no less obstructed than by any other reall distemper In such
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
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
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
end Psalm 39. 6. surely man walketh in ajvain shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an Image full of false representations of things in the midst of vain appearances that he knows not what to choose or do aright and therefore spends the most of his time and strength about things that are of no use or purpose unto him Surely they are disquieted in vain And hereof he gives one especial Instance he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather which is but one Example of the manifold frustrations that men meet withall in the whole course of their lives as not knowing what is good for them We all profess to aym at one chief and principal end namely the enjoyment of God in Christ as our eternal reward and in order thereunto to be carryed on in the use of the means of faith and obedience tending to that end Now if this be so the suitableness or unsuitableness of all other things being good or evil unto us is to be measured by their tendency unto this end And what know we hereof As unto the things of this life do we know whether it will be best for us to be rich or poor to have houses or to be harbourless to abound or to want to leave wealth and inheritances unto our Children or to leave them naked unto the providence of God do we know what state what condition will most further our Obedience best obviate our temptations or call most on us to mortifie our Corruptions and if we know nothing at all of these things as indeed we do not were it not best for us to leave them quietly unto Gods disposal I doubt not but it will appear at the last day that a world of evil in the hearts of men was stifled by the destruction of their outward concernments more by their inward troubles That many were delivered from tèmptations by it who otherwise would have been overtaken to their ruine and scandal of the Gospel that many a secret Imposthume hath been lanced and cured by a stroke for God doth not send Judgements on his own for Judgements sake for punishment sake but alwayes to accomplish some blessed design of Grace towards them And there is no one soul in particular which shall rightly search it self and Consider its state and Condition but will be able to see wisdom grace and care towards it self in all dispensations of God And if I would here enter upon the benefits that through the sanctifying hand of God do redound unto believers by Afflictions Calamities troubles distresses temptations and the like Effects of Gods visitations it would be of use unto the souls of men in this Case But this subject hath been so often and so well spoken unto that I shall not insist upon it I desire only that we would seriously consider how utterly Ignorant we are of what is good for us or usefull unto us in these outward things and so leave them quietly unto Gods disposal 4. We may Consider that all these things about which we are troubled fall directly within the compass of that good word of Gods grace that he will make all things work together for the good of them that love him Rom. 8. 28. All things that we enjoy all things that we are deprived of all that we do all that we suffer our losses troubles miseries distresses in which the Apostle instanceth in the following verses they shall all work together for good together with one another and all with and in subordination unto the power grace and wisdom of God It may be we see not how or by what means it may be Effected but he is infinitely wise and powerful who hath undertaken it and we know little or nothing of his ways There is nothing that we have or enjoy or desire but it hath turned unto some unto their hurt Riches have been kept for men unto their hurt Wisdom and high places have been the ruine of many Liberty and plenty are to most a snare Prosperity slayes the foolish And we are not of our selves in any measure able to secure our selves from the hurt and poison that is in any of these things but that they may be our ruine also as they have already been and every day are unto multitudes of the Children of men It is enough to fill the soul of any man with horrour and amazement to consider the wayes and ends of most of them that are entrusted with this worlds goods Is it not evident that all their lives they seem industriously to take care that they may perish eternally Luxury riot oppression Intemperance and of late especially blasphemy and Atheism they usually give up themselves unto And this is the fruit of their abundance and security What now if God should deprive us of all these things Can any one certainly say that he is worsted thereby might they not have turned unto his everlasting perdition as well as they do so of thousands as good by nature and who have had advantages to be as wise as we and shall we complain of Gods dispensations about them And what shall we say when he himself hath undertaken to make all things that he guides unto us to work together for our good Anxieties of mind and perplexities of heart about our losses is not that which we are called unto in our troubles but this is that which is our duty let us Consider whether we Love God or no whether we are called according to his purpose if so all things are well in his hand who can order them for our good and advantage I hope many a poor foul will from hence under all their trouble be able to say with him that was banished from his Countrey and found better entertainment elsewhere My Friends I had perished if I had not perished had I not been undone by Fire it may be I had been ruined in Eternal Fire God hath made all to work for my good The end of all these discourses is to evince the reasonableness of the duty of waiting on God which we are pressing from the Psalmist Ignorance of God and our selves is the great principle and cause of all our disquietments And this ariseth mostly not from want of light and instruction but for want of Consideration and Application The notions insisted on concerning God are obvious and known unto all so are these concerning our selves but by whom almost are they employed and improved as they ought the frame of our spirits is as though we stood upon equal terms with God and did think with Jonah that we might do well to be angry with what he doth did we rightly consider him did we stand in awe of him as we ought It had certainly been otherwise with us Influence of the Promises into the souls waiting in time of trouble The nature of them Having therefore laid down these Considerations from the second Observation taken from the Words namely That Jehovah himself is the proper object of the
exhortation doth not lie so much in this that there is Redemption with God as that this Redemption is plenteous or abundant Secondly Here is an intimation in the Word it self of that Relation which the Goodness and Grace of God proposed hath to the blood of Christ whence it is called Redemption This as was shewed in the opening of the words hath respect unto a price the price whereby we are bought that is the blood of Christ. This is that whereby way is made for the exercise of mercy towards sinners Redemption which properly denotes actual deliverance is said to be with God or in him as the effect in the cause The causes of it are his own Grace and the blood of Christ. There are these prepared for the redeeming of Believers from sin and trouble unto his own glory And herein lyeth the incouragement that the Psalmist proposeth unto the performance of the duty exhorted unto namely to wait on God It is taken from God himself as all incouragements unto sinners to draw nigh unto him and to wait for him must be Nothing but himself can give us confidence to go unto him And it is suited unto the state and condition of the soul under consideration Redemption and Mercy are suited to give relief from sin and misery Thirdly The last verse contains a promise of the issue of the performance of this duty He shall redeem his people from all their iniquities Two things are observable in the words 1. The Certainty of the Issue or event of the duty mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall or he will redeem he will assuredly do so Now although this in the Psalmist is given out by Revelation and is a new promise of God yet as it relates to the condition of the soul here expressed and the discovery made by saith of forgiveness and Redemption with God the Certainty intended in this Assertion is built upon the principles before laid down Whence therefore doth it appear whence may we infallibly conclude that God will redeem his Israel from all their iniquities I answer 1. The Conclusion is drawn from the Nature of God There is forgiveness and Redemption with him and he will act towards his people suitably to his own nature There is Redemption with him and therefore he will redeem forgiveness with him and therefore he will forgive As the Conclusion is certain and infallible that wicked men ungodly men shall be destroyed because God is Righteous and holy his Righteousness and Holiness indispensibly requiring their destruction so is the Redemption and Salvation of all that believe certain on this account namely because there is forgiveness with him he is good and gracious and ready to forgive his Goodness and Grace requires their Salvation 2. The Conclusion is certain upon the account of Gods Faithfulness in his Promises He hath promised that those who wait on him shall not be ashamed that their expectation shall not be disappointed whence the Conclusion is certain that in his time and way they shall be redeemed 2. There is the Extent of this deliverance or Redemption shall redeem Israel from all their Iniquities It was shewed in the opening of the verse that this word denotes either sin procuring trouble or trouble procured by sin and there is a respect unto both sin and its punishment From both from all of both kind God will redeem his Israel Not this or that evil this or that sin but from all evil all sin He will take all sins from their souls and wipe all tears from their Eyes Now God is said to do this on many accounts 1. On the account of the Great Cause of all actual deliverance and Redemption the blood of Christ. He hath laid an assured foundation of the whole work the price of Redemption is paid and they shall in due time enjoy the Effects and fruits of it 2. Of the Actual Communication of the Effects of that Redemption unto them This is sure to all the Elect of God to his whole Israel They shall all be made partakers of them And this is the end of all the promises of God and of the grace and mercy promised in them namely that they should be means to exhibit and give out to Believers that Redemption which is purchased and prepared for them and this is done two wayes 1. Partially initially and gradually in this life Here God gives in unto them the pardon of their sins being justified freely by his grace and in his Sanctification of them through his spirit gives them delivery from the power and dominion of sin Many troubles also he delivers them from and from all as far as they are Poenal or have any mixture of the Curse in them 2. Compleatly Namely when he shall have freed them from sin and trouble and from all the effects and consequents of them by bringing them unto the enjoyment of himself in Glory 3. The Words being thus opened we may briefly in the next place consider what they express concerning the State Condition or Actings of the soul which are represented in this Psalm Having himself attained unto the State before described and being engaged resolvedly into the performance of that duty which would assuredly bring him into an haven of full rest and peace the Psalmist applyes himself unto the residue of the Israel of God to give them incouragement unto this duty with himself from the Experience that he had of a blessed success therein As if he had said unto them Ye are now in Affictions and under troubles and that upon the account of your sins and provocations A condition I Confess sad and deplorable but yet there is hope in Israel concerning these things For consider how it hath been with me and how the Lord hath dealt with me I was in depths inexpressible and saw for a while no way or means of delivery But God hath been pleased graciously to reveal himself unto me as God pardoning Iniquity transgression and sin and in the Consolation and supportment which I have received thereby I am waiting for a full participation of the fruits of his Love Let me therefore prevail with you who are in the like condition to steer the same course with me Only let your expectations be fixed in mercy and Soveraign Grace without any regard unto any priviledge or worth in your selves Rest in the plenteous redemption those stores of Grace which are with Jehovah and according to his faithfulness in his promises he will deliver you out of all perplexing troubles Having thus opened the Words I shall now only name the doctrinal Observations that are tendred from them and so put a close to these Discourses As Obs. 1. The Lord Jehovah is the only hope for sin-distressed souls Hope in the Lord This hath been sufficiently discovered and confirmed on sundry passages in the Psalm Obs. 2. The Ground of all hope and Expectation of relief in sinners is meer Grace Mercy and Redemption Hope in the Lord
for with him there is Redemption All other grounds of hope are false and deceiving Obs. 3. Inexhaustible stores of Mercy and Redemption are needful for the incouragement of sinners to rest and wait on God With him is plentiful Redemption Such is your misery so pressing are your fears and disconsolations that nothing less than boundless Grace can relieve or support you there are therefore such Treasures and stores in God as are suited hereunto With him is Plenteous Redemption Obs. 4. The Ground of all the dispensation of Mercy Goodness Grace and forgiveness which is in God to Sinners is laid in the blood of Christ. Hence it is here called Redemption Unto this also we have spoken at large before Obs. 5. All that wait on God on the account of Mercy and Grace shall have an undoubted Issue of peace He shall redeem Israel let him saith God lay hold of my Arm that he may have peace and he shall have peace Isa. 27. 3. Obs. 6. Mercy given to them that wait on God shall in the close and issue be every way full and satisfying He shall redeem his people from all their Iniquities And these Propositions do arise from the words as absolutely considered and in themselves If we mind their Relation unto the peculiar Condition of the soul represented in this Psalm they will yet afford us the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. They who out of depths have by faith and waiting obtained mercy or are supported in waiting for a sense of believed mercy and forgiveness are fitted and only they are fitted to Preach and declare Grace and mercy unto others This was the Case with the Psalmist Upon his emerging out of his own depths and streights he declares the mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered unto the whole Israel of God Obs. 2. A saving participation of Grace and forgiveness leaves a deep Impression of its fulness and excellency on the soul of a sinner So was it here with the Psalmist Having himself obtained Forgiveness he knows no bounds or measure as it were in the extolling of it There is with God Mercy Redemption Plenteous Redemption redeeming from all Iniquity I have found it so and so will every one do that shall believe it Now these Observations might all of them especially the two last receive an useful improvement But whereas what I principally intended from this Psalm hath been at large insisted on upon the first verses of it I shall not here further draw forth any Meditations upon them but content my self with the Exposition that hath been given of the design of the Psalmist and sense of his words in these last verses FINIS 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. 2. Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 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 General Scope of the whole Psalm The two first Verses opened Depths of trouble on the account of Sin Depths of Sin wherein they consist The Nature and Extent of supplies of Grace according to the Covenant The Power of Indwelling Sin Gods Soveraignty in dealing with Believers in their sins Sins occasioning great distresses Aggravations of sins causing distresses The second Verse opened Actings of a Believer under distress from sin False ways of relieving souls in distress Earnestness of a distressed soul in its Applications unto God Grounds of earnestness in Applications unto God Earnestness c. wherein it consisteth Verse 3. opened Propositions from Verse 3. Terror arising from a sense of the guilt of sin Gods marking sin and mans salvation inconsistent The souls actings towards a Recovery Sense of sin wherein it consists Nature and Causes of Gospel convictions of sin Acknowledgement of sin the true nature of it Self-condemnation wherein it consists Miscarriages in persons convinced of sin The fourth Verse opened Doctrinal Observations from V. 4. No approaching unto God without a discovery of forgiveness Forgiveness a great Mysterie Testimony of a natural consciscience against the forgiveness of sin Testimony of the Law against the forgiveness of sin False Presumptions of Forgiveness The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness Forgiveness as it relates to the Nature of God Forgiveness as it relates to the free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ. Forgiveness as it relates unto the Promise What faith respects in Forgiveness Forgiveness discovered to Faith alone Discovery of Forgiveness a great supportment Particular Assurance attainable Duty of Believers to endeavour Assurance Causes and Effects of Assurance Saving Faith where there is no Assurance Discovery of forgiveness a great supportment to intangled souls Effects of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Means whereby a Discovery of Forgiveness yields supportment Abiding with God wherein it consisteth Waiting on God from a Discovery of Forgiveness Discovery of Forgiveness prepares the soul to receive it Vain pretences of Faith discovered Essential properties of Gods nature how made known Free Acts of Gods Will how they may be known Forgiveness not revealed by the work of Providence about the first sin Forgiveness discovered in the first Promise Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgiveness Forgiveness with God manifested by his Prescription of Repentance Confirmation of the Truth of Forgiveness necessary Necessity of producing Arguments to prove forgiveness Some sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God Patience of God towards the World an evidence of forgiveness Experience of the Saints giveing Testimony to Forgiveness The Evidence that is in Spiritual Experience Religious Worship of sinners an Evidence of Forgiveness with God Especial Ordinances evidencing forgiveness Prayer for the Pardon of sin commanded Forgiveness manifested in the New Covenant Nature Use and End of the first Covenant Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant Forgiveness confirmed by the Oath of God Forgiveness confirmed by the Name of God 〈◊〉 of Gods Nature manifesting Forgiveness What it is to give Glory to God Glory arising to God by Forgiveness Forgiveness manifested in the Death of Christ. Our Obligation unto mutual forgiveness proves forgiveness in God Properties of Divine forgiveness Forgiveness believed by Few Exhortations unto Believing Terms of Peace with God Equal and Holy Certainty of the final Ruine of them who believe not Exhortation to Believing enforced Christ the only Judge of our spiritual condition Self-condemnation consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace Gospel Assurance wherein it consisteth Sense of sin consistent with Assurance Sorrow for sin consistent with Assurance Sense of the power of sin consistent with Assurance Fears and Temptations consistent with Assurance The Nature and Effects of Gospel Assurance Effects of Gospel Assurance in Believers Waiting necessary to obtain Peace Search of Sin necessary to consolation Unbelief and Jealousie distinguished Different Effects of Unbelief and Jealousie Differences between faith and spiritual sense Spiritual sense wherein it consists Foundation and Spiritual Building distinguished Complaints fruitless and heartless to be avoided Hasty Expressions concerning God to be avoided Judgement of mens states in the hand of Christ alone The least Appearances of Grace to be improved Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments Means of the Aggravation of Affliction Rules to be observed concerning Afflictions Objections against Believing from the State of the Soul Two different estates whereunto all men belong Saving Grace specifically distinct from common Grace Difference between the State of Grace and Nature discernable Believers may know themselves to be born of God Rules whereby men may judge of their Condition in respect of Inherent Grace Objections from weakness in Duty and the power of Sin V. 5 6. V. 5 6. opened Waiting the first fruit of Faith in a way of Duty Waiting on God wherein it consists God himself the Object of our Waiting Waiting on God whence so necessary Considerations of Gods Being and Attributes rendring Waiting necessary Considerations of Gods Righteousness in his Judgements Considerations of our own Condition tending to Humble us Supportment in trouble from the Word of Promise Psal. 130. v. 7 8. Exposition of vers 7 8.