will not be mocked 6. Of holy Hatred loathing and abhorrence of sin which maketh us so filthy and odious in the eyes of the Lord. 2. This course would be followed for the purging away of the least sins for till they be purged away we remaine in our filth and cannot exspect God's favourable countenance nor his warme imbracements nor the hearty intimations of his love and kindnesse And a small inconsiderable like spot may grow greater and provoke God to let the accuser of the brethren Satan who alwayes waits for his opportunity losse upon us and a conscience wakened may make much of a little defilement to keep the soul from approaching to God 3. This course would be followed with every sin quickly without delay for the longer those spots continue it will be the more difficult to get them taken away the soul will after some time become the lesse troubled about them and possibly forget them and so they will remaine and this may occasion at last a sad distance and provoke God to hide his face which will cause more bitternesse and sorrow It were good then to keep up a Spirit of tendernesse and feare 4. Let this be our Dayly work and exercise for we are daylie contracting new filth yesterdayes cleansing will not save us from new filth to day nor will our runing to the fountaine to day serve to take away new spots tomorrow new spots call for new washing so that this must be our very life and exercise to be dayly and continually runing to the fountaine with our foule souls and giving Christ the great purger much to do 5. We must not think to be perfectly Washen so long as we are here for we will be contracting new filth dayly our feet will still be to wash Iohn 13 10. We will not be without spote or wrinckle till we come home to that place wherein entereth nothing that defileth 6. Let the beleevers recourse in this matter be wholly to Iesus Christ and his blood and lay no weight on their sorrow repentance or teares or on any outward meane which they are commanded to use yet would they not lay aside these meanes but goe through them to the fountaine to Jesus there and there only to be cleansed 7. They would not be discouraged or dispaire when their spots appear great and not like the spots of his children for Christ's blood can purge from all sin and wash away all their filth of how deep so ever a dye it be Christ's blood is so deep an ocean that a mountain will be sunck out of sight in it as wel as a small peeble stone 8. Though Christ's blood be strong enough to purge from all sin even the greatest yet they would know that scandalous spots or a deep staine may cost them more frequent runing to the fountaine through humiliation godly sorrow prayer and supplication David's scandalous blot cost him more trouble and paines before he got it purged away than many others as we see Psal. 51. 9. When all this is done we must think of having on another righteousnesse as our cloathing and covering in the day of our appearance before our judge even the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ which only is perfect and able to save us from the wrath of God Let us be never so washen in the matter of sanctification and cleansed from our spots we cannot for all that be accounted righteous before God nor will that satisfie justice or take away the guilt so much as of one transgression before God Christ's righteousnesse will be ouâ—… upper-garment for all eternitie Ut his is the fine linning wherewith his bride is busked in heaven 10. At every time we run to the fountaine with our dayly contracted filth we would not forget to carry alongs with us the mother corruption which is the sinck and puddle of all filthinesse I meane our naturall corrupted rottennesse and pollution from whence flow all our other actuall pollutions We would do well to carry mother and daughter both together to the fountaine David prayeth to be washen and purged as well from his originall filthinesse wherein he was conceived and borne as from his bloudguiltinesse Psal. 51 5 7. 11. Let not this occasion our carelesnesse in watching against sin for that would be to turne his grace into wantonness but rather let it sharpen our diligence in watching against all occasions of sin lest we againe defile our soul. 12. Not only must we have our bodyes or our outward conversation washen but our soul within the frame of our heart our understanding will affections and conscience sprinkled with that blood The blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot â—…o God must purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9 14. And we must have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10 22. Finally If the beleever feare that he shall not be able to remember all these particular duties let him remember this to wit To put a â—…oule soul defiled with originall and actuall pollutions in Christ's hand dayly and leave it with him to wash by his blood and Spirit And yet remember to lay the weight of his acceptance before God upon the imputed righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and not upon his own cleannesse when thus sanctified and washen which is but imperfect Questions or objections answered But alas some may Object and say That their very faith which must carry the rest of their filth to the fountaine of Christ's blood is defiled How then can they expect to be made clean An. The blood of Iesus Christ is sufficiently able to wash all our filth away and the filth of faith as well as of other actions Therefore when faith as a hand is carrying the filth of the soul away to Christ to be washen in his blood let the foule hand go with the foule hand full give Christ faith and all to wash 2. But what shall I do when notwithstanding of all this my conscience shall still accuse me of uncleannesse and cry out against me as filthy and abominable Ans. Take it away also to the blood of Iesus that there it may be purged Heb. 9 14. and here alone will we get our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10 22. The conscience must be steeped to speak so in the blood of Iesus and so it shall be cleane and taking our filthy hearts to this cleansing fountaine to be washen we will get them delivered and sprinkled from an evil conscience that it shall no more have ground of accusation against us when we have it to say that we have put our filthy souls in the hands of the great cleanser Jesus Christ and brought all our pollutions to his blood what can conscience say to us The Lord it is true may suffer our consciences still to bark upon us and cast up our filthinesse to us that we may be the more humbled and be put to lye
which He purposed in himself 7. Beside Christ's Death and Resurrection which give ground of hope of pardon of dayly out-breakings there is likewise his Intercession usefull for this end for sayeth the Apostle Iohn 1 Epist. 2 1. 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins This intercession of his 〈◊〉 a special part of his Priesthood who was the great Highpriest Heb. 4 14 16. and a compleating Part Heb. 8 4 9 8. and upon this account 〈◊〉 that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through Him because He liveth for ever to make intercession for them Heb. 7 25. for by his intercession is the work of redemption carryed on the Purchased benefites applyed and particularly new grants of remission are through his intercession issued forth He pleading and interceeding in a way suteable to his glorified condition upon his death and propitiation made while he was upon the crosse accepted of the Father and declared to be accepted by his resurrection asoâ—…sion and sitting at the Fathers right hand And thus as beleevers are reconciled to God by Christs death they are saved by his life Rom. 5 10. So that Christ's living for to be an intercessour makes the beleevers salvation sure and so layeth down a ground for taking away of dayly outbreakings which if not taken away would hinder and obstruct the beleevers salvation 8. And as for the condition requisite to renewed pardon viz faith and Repentance Christ is the worker of both for He is a Prince exalted to give Repentance first and last Act. 4 30. and as He is the author of faith so He is the finisher of it Heb. 12 2. As to the second particular namely what beleevers should do for getting the guilt of their dayly failings and outbreakings taken away by Christ or how they should make use of Christ for this end I shall for clearing of it propose those things to consideration 1. We would beware to think that all our after actuall transgressions are actually pardoned either when Christ dyed or when we first beleeved in Christ as some suppose for sin cannot properly be said to be pardoned before it be committed David was put to sue out for pardon after his actuall transgression was committed and not for the mere sense and feeling of the pardon or the intimation of it to his Spirit when he cryed out Psal 51 2 blot out my transgressions wash me c. vers 9 hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities and vers 14. deliver me from blood guiltinesse Sure when he spoke thus he sought some other thing than intimation of pardon to his sense and conscience for that he desired also but in far more clear expressions vers 8. make me to hear joy and gladnesse c. and vers 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation c. Scripture phrases to expresse remission import this viz Covering of sin Pardoning of debts Blotting out of sins Hideing of God's face from sins not Remembering of them Casting of them behinde his back Casting of them into the sea Removing of sins Psal. 103 12. a lifting off of sin or Taking it away a Non-imputation of sin Psal. 33 1 2. These and the like phrases though many of them be metaphoricall yet do all of them clearly evince that sin must first have a being before it can be pardoned The same is clearly imported by the gospel conditions requisite before Pardon such as acknowledgment of sin 1 Ioh. 1 9. which we see was practised by the worthies of old David Psal. 32. 51. Nehemiah Cap. 9. Ezra Cap 9 Daniel Chap. 9. Confessing and Forsaking of it Prov. 28 13. Sorrowing for it Repenting of it and laying hold on Christ by faith c. The reason why I propose this is not only to guaird against this antinomian error but also to guaird the soul from security to which this doctrine hath a naturall tendency for if a person once think that all his sins were pardoned upon his first beleeving so that many of them were pardoned before they were committed he shall never be affected for his after transgressions nor complean of a body of death nor account himself miserable upon that account as Paul did Rom. 7 24. nor shall he ever pray for remission though Christ hath taught all to do so in that patern of prayer nor shall he act faith upon the promises of pardon made in the covenant of grace for after transgressions or for transgressions actually committed Ier. 31 34. 3â—… 8. Heb. 8 12. and so there shall be no use made of Christ for new pardons or remissions of new sins 2. The beleever would remember that among other things antecedently requisite to remission of posterior actuall transgressions gospel Repentence is especially required Luk. 13 3. Mat. 3 2. Ezeck 18 28 30 32. Luk. 15 17 18 Hoâ—… 2 6 7. Ezech. 14 6. whereby a Sinner through the helpe of the Spirit being convinced not only of his hazard by reason of sin but also of the filthinesse and hatefulnesse of sin and having a sight of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to sinners turning from their sin doth turne from those sins unto God with a full purpose of heart in his strength to follow Him and obey his lawes and hereby the soul is brought to loath its self and sin and is made willing to desire seek for accept of and prize remission of sins This makes them more warry in time coming and carefull for behold sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 7 11. This self same thing that yee sorowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of yourselves what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what Zeal yea what revenge c. Thus is God glorified in his justice Psal. 51 4. and his mercy is acknowledged in not entering with us into judgement nor casting us into hell as He might have done in justice 3. Yet it would be remembered that though it hath seemed good in the Lord's eyes to chuse this method and appoint this way of obtaining pardon of sins dayly committed for the glory of his grace and mercy and likewise for our good we must not ascribe too much unto Repentance in the matter of pardon we must not make it a cause of our remission either efficient or meritorious we must not think that it hath any hand in appeaseing the wrath of God or in satisfying of justice pardon must alwayes be an act of God's free grace unmerited at our hands procured alone through the merites of Christ we must not put repentance in Christ's room and place nor ascribe any imperfection unto his merites as if they needed any supply from any act of ours we must beware of leaning to our Repentance and godly Sorrow even so far as to think to
is pardoned but even sense of God's displeasure may continue after pardon as appeareth by that penitential Psalm 51. penned by David after Nathan had spoken to him concearning his sin Quaestions or Objections answered 1. What course shall we take with secret sins â—… I answer This same course must be followed with them There is an implicite repentance of sins that have not been distinctly seen and observed as who can see and observe all their failings And so there may be an implicite faith acting that is the beleever being perswaded that he is guilty of moâ—… sins than he hath yet got a clear sight of as he would bewail his condition before God because of these and sorrow for them after a godly manner so he would take them together in a heape oâ—… as a closed bag full and by faith nail them to the crosse of Christ as if they were all distinctly seen and known who can understand his errours said David Psal. 19 12. yet sayes he moreover cleanse thou me from secret faults 2. But what if after all this I finde no intimation of pardon to my soul Ans. As this should serve to keep thee humble so it should excite to more diligence in this duty of going with thy sins to Christ and to plye him and his crosse more in and through the promises and keep thy soul constant in this duty of runing to Christ as an alsufficient Mediator and as an intercessour with the Father and thus waite on Him who waiteth to be gracious even in this particular of intimating pardon to thy soul. He knoweth when it is fittest for thee to know that thy sins are forgiven 3. But what can yeeld me any ground of peace while itis so that I see no pardon or remission granted to me Answere This may yeeld thee peace that following this course which hath been explained thou art about thy duty Thou art not at peace with sin nor harbouring that viper in thy soul thou art mourning and sorrowing over it and runing to Christ the Prince of pardons through his blood and intercession conforme to the covenant of redemption and after the encouragement given in the many and precious promises of the covenant of grace and having these promises and rolling thy guilt on Christ as thy cautioner conforme to the manner expressed in the gospel thou art allowed to beleeve that thy sins are pardoned and that thou art accepted in the beloved and so quiet thy soul through faith God abideing faithfull and true and his promises being all yea and amen in Christ. 4. But so long as I finde not intimation of pardon I cannot think that I have taken the right gospel way of bringing my sins to Christ. Answere Though that will not follow as we cleared above for a soul may take the right gospel way of getting the guilt of their sins taken away in Christ and God may pardon thereupon and for all that not think it fit to give intimation of that pardon as yet for wise and holy ends yet the soul may humble it self for its shortcoming and still goe about the duty amending in Christ what it supposeth is amisse and renewing its acts of repentance and faith and beg of Christ understanding in this matter and so continue carrying sin al way to Christ's crosse and eyeing his intercession and waite for a full clearing of the matter in his good time 5. But what shall I do with the guilt of my weak Repentance and weak faith Answer When with a weak and defective repentance and faith thou art carrying thy sins away to Christ and nailing them to his crosse let the imperfections of thy faith and repentance go with the rest and leave all there 6. What shall I do with my conscience that still accuseth me of guilt notwithstanding of my taking and following this course Answer Despise not the accusations of conscience but let these humble thee the more and keep thee closser at this duty yet know that conscience is but an under servant and God's deputy and must accuse according to law I speak not here of the irregular furious and turbulent motions of Satan casting-in granads in the soul and conscience to raise a combustion and put all in a fire its mouth most be stopped by law and so the soul would stay and answere the accusations of conscience with this that he hath fled to Christ the only Mediator and Cautioner and cast his burden on him and leaneth to his merites alone and hath put those sins in his hand as his advocat and intercessour with the Father and that the gospel requireth no more of him and if conscience should say that both faith and repentance are imperfect and defective and that guilt is thereby rather increased then taken away He must answere againe True but I have done with the guilt of my faith and repentance as with the rest taken all to Christ and left all on him and herein only do I acquiesce I look not for pardon for my imperfect faith and repentance yea nor would I look for pardon of my sins for my faith and repentance were they never so perfect but only in and through Jesus Christ the only Cautioner Redeemer and Advocat But further this deputy would be brought to his master who can only command him to silence that is to say the Beleever would goe to Christ with the accuseing conscience and desire Him to command it silence that he may have peace of conscience and freedome from those accusations that are bitter and troublesome Remember withall that if these accusations drive thee to Christ and indear Him more to thy soul they will do no harme because they drive thee to thy only resting place and to the grand peace maker But if otherwise they discourage or forâ—…stow thee in thy motion Christ ward then be sure conscience speaketh without warrand and its accusations ought not in so far and as to that end be regairded CHAP. IX How to make use of Christ for cleansing of us from our dayly spots HAving spoken of the way of making use of Christ for removing of the guilt of our dayly transgressions we come to speak of the way of making use of Christ for taking away the filth that cleaveth to the soul through dayly transgressions for every sin defileth the man Mat 15 20 and the best are said to have their spots and to need washing which presupposeth filthinesse and defilement Ephes. 5 27. Iohn 13 8 10. Hence we are so oft called to this duty of washing and making us clean Esai 1 16. Ier. 4 14. Act. 22 16. David prayes for this washing Psal. 51 2 7. And it is Christ's work to wash 1 Cor. 6 11. Revel 1 5. Ephes. 5 26. See Tit. 3 5. Now in speaking to this we shall observe the same method and first shew what Christ hath done to take away this filth and next what way we are to make use of Him for this end to get our spots
Lord 's hideing of his face whereby the soulâ—… case will appeare 2. Shew the reasons of this dispensation 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case and 4. Point out the souls duty or how he is to make use of Christ for a recovery As to the first we may take notice of those particulars 1. They complaine of God's hideing of himself and forsakeing them Psal. 22 1. my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and Psal. 13 3. how long wilt thou forsake me c. 2. They cry out for a blaink of his face and get iâ—… not for He hath withdrawn himself Psâ—… 〈◊〉 1. How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Heman Psal. 88. cryed out night and day but yet God's face was hid vers 1 9 14. The spouse seeketh long Cant. 5. See Ps. 22 1 2. 3. They are looking for an outgate but get none And hope deferred maketh their heart sick Prov. 13 12. 4. They are in the dark and cannot tell why the Lord dispenseth so toward them why said Heman Psal. 88 14 castest thou off my soul why â—…idest thou thy face from me They cannot understand wherefore it is So Iob cryed out Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Iob 10 2. 5. They may also be walking in the meane while without light or counsel so as they shall not 〈◊〉 what to do How long shall I take counsel in my soul Psal. 13 2. 6. Moreover they may have their heart filled with sorrow as we see Psal. 13 2. having sorrow in my heart said David He also sayeth Ps. 38. that his sorrow was continually before him vers 17. and Psal. 116 3. I found trouble and sorrow 7. They may be so as that the sweet experiences of others may yeeld them no supply of comfort at present Psal. 22 4 5 6. Our Fathers trusted in the said David and thou didest deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded But that gave him no present ease or comfort for immediatly he addeth vers 6. But I am a worm and no man a reproach of men c. 8. Yea all their own former experiences may yeeld them little solace as we see in the same place Psal. 22 9 10. compared with vers 14 15. Thou art He sayes he vers 9 that took me out of the womb c. and yet he complaines vers 14. that he was poured out like water and his bones out of joynt that his heart was melted in the midst of his bowels c. 9. They may be brought neare to a giving over all in despondency and be brought in their sense to the very dust of death Psal 22 16. If it be enquired why the Lord dispenseth so with his own people We answere and this is the Second particular That he doth it for holy and wise reasons whereof we may name a few as 1. To punish their carelesnesse and negligence as we see he did with the Spouse Cant. â—… 2. To chastise them for their ill improving of his favour and kindenessâ—… when they had 〈◊〉 as the same passage evidenceth 3. To check them for their security and carnal confidence as He did David Psal. 30 6 7. when he said his mountaine stood strong and he should never be moved then did the Lord hide his face and he was troubled 4. To try if their obedience to his commands be pure and consciencious and not in a sort mercenary because of his lifting up upon them the light of his countenance and to see if conscience to a command driveth them to duty when they are in the dark and have no encouragement 5. To put the graces of the Spirit to tryal and to exercise as their Faith Patience Hope Love c. Psal. 13 5 6. 22 24. 6. To awaken them from their security and to set them to a more diligent following of duty as we see in the Spouse Cant. 5. 7. To sharpen their desire and hunger after Him as that same instance cleareth Even in such a case as this Christ is life to the soul which is the Third particular 1. By taking away the sinful causes of such a distance having laid down his life and shed his blood for the remission of their sins so that such a dispensation is not flowing from pure wrath but is rather an act of mercy and love 2. By advocating the poor â—…ans cause in heaven where he His makeing Intercession for His own and thereby obtaining a delivery from that condition in God's own time even the shining againe of his countenance upon them 3. By keeping life in as to habitual grace and by breathing thereupon so that it becometh lively and operative even in such a winter day 4. By supporting the soul under that dispensation and keeping it from fainting through the secret influences of grace which He conveyeth into the soul as He did to the poor woman of Canaan Math. 15. 5. By seting the soul a work to use such meanes as God hath appointed for a recovery as to cry to plead to longe to waite c. Their heart shall live that seek Him 6. By teaching the soul to submit to and acquiesce in what God doth acknowledging his Righteousnesse Greatnesse and Soveraignity and this quietnesse of heart is its life 7. By keeping the heart fast to the covenant of grace So that whatever come they will never quite that bargan but they will trust in Him though He should kill them and they will adhere to the covenant of grace though they should be dragged through hell 8. At length when He seeth it fit and convenient He quickeneth by drawing-by the vaile and filling the soul with joy in the light of God's countenance and causing it to sing as having the heart lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. As to the last particular concearning the duty of a soul in such a case we say 1. He would humble himself under this dispensation knowing that it is the great God with whom he hath to do and that there is no contending with Him and that all flesh should stoop before Him 2. He would justify God in all that He doth and say with David Psal. 22 3. But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel 3. He would look upon himself as unworthy of the least favour of that kinde I am a worme said David Psal. 22 6. and no man 4. He would search-out his provocations and run away to the fountain the blood of Christ that these may be purged away and his conscience sprinkled from dead works and his soul washen in the fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse 5. He must also imploy Christ to discover to him more and more of his guiltinesse whereby he had grieved the Spirit of God and as sins are discovered to him he would repent of them and run away with them to the blood that cleanseth from all