heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Levit. Levit. 16.21 16. vers 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live Goat and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes c. And it is likewise used in Job 13. Job 13.23 vers 23. How many are mine iniquities and sinnes make me to know my transgression and my sinne In these four places the words are used in Scripture and in my Text but not else as I remember throughout the word of God and because these three words are here used Interpreters take much pains to finde out some material direction between them here is Transgression Sinne and Iniquity I have consulted with many and the truest account I can give you is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression signifies in the Hebrew Rebellion say interpreters it notes sinne with all extensions and aggravations sin encreased to a great height Scondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin signifies in the Hebrew evils that are of the lesser degree that are not so hainous and so notes only by sin evils of infirmity and common incursion Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquity signifies sin of nature that pravity of nature wherein a man was born But Grammarians in the Latine do distinguish these words otherwise Iniquity they make to be that which is done against another man Sinne that which is done against a mans self and Transgression that which is done immediately against God But beloved the Scripture in many places makes them all one Therefore we need not make further curious enquiry after the distinction of these words And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne The iniquity of my sinne There is some disagreement about the sense of these words what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of sin By the iniquity of sin some do understand the punishment that sin deserves the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Iniquity signifies Punishment the same word here is spoken of Cain My punishment is greater then I can bear there is the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in some translations it is read thus Thou forgavest the punishment of my sinne Secondly others here do understand by the iniquity of sin with whom I do concurre sin with all its aggravations with all its hainous circumstances sin with all its malignity Thou dost forgive the iniquity of all my sins most Interpreters go this way and so make the phrase to be very emphaticall Thou hast forgiven me my sin that is all hainous circumstances that might greaten my sin thou hast forgiven them all I shall only make a short entrance at this time into the first part of my Text I said I will confesse my transgression to the Lord These words contain in them a holy purpose in the Psalmist to set on the practise of a necessary and Christian duty to wit secret confession of sin to God in them five parts paets are observable First the duty it self Confession Secondly a deliberate purpose to set on the practise of this duty I said Thirdly the subiect matter of this duty Transgression and Transgression with a propriety my Transgression not of other mens sins but my sins I said I will confesse my transgressions I remember Ainsworth he saith it should be translated thus more agreeable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will confesse adversum me against my self my transgression to the Lord. Many men that confesse sin but they do confesse sin as against God that is they do confesse sin as if God were the author of sin that charge him to be the patron of their impiety and of their wickednesse I said I will confesse my transgressions against my self Fourthly The object of this duty I will confesse my transgression to the Lord and this beloved takes off Auricular confession used and stood on much in the Church of Rome Confession that God cals for and the Scripture cals for is in secret between God and your own souls when conscience shall suggest guilt to you in reference to your former misdoings when you can pour out your soul in complaint to God I said I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord. Fifthly and lastly The issue and event of this duty and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin observe the connexion here is a connective particle and thou forgavest he doth not come with an Ergo or a Quare not with a causall but with an et a copulative and thou forgavest not I confesse sin therefore I am forgiven but I confesse sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou hast forgiven me Forgivenesse of sin is not laid down as an effect flowing from a cause but as a consequent flowing from an antecedent indeed the Papists plead much for merit because sometimes causall particles are used but this is beyond my Text thus much for the explaining of the words At this time I shall only raise a Doctrine from the first part of this Text. I said I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord. Doct. The point of Doctrine is this That justified persons who have their sins forgiven are yet bound to confesse sin to God And here the confession I speak of is a private confession of our evils to God between God and our own souls and no otherwise and beloved though it be but a familiar subject yet as God shall inable me I shall labour to make it usefull and profitable for your edification in a Christian course in a holy confession of sin before your God There are many Queres to be dispatcht in the handling of this point The first Quere is What are the reasons why persons justified and pardoned are yet bound to make confession of sinne unto God in private The Reasons are six Reas 1 First They are to confesse sin unto God because holy confession gives a great deal of ease and holy quiet unto the mind of a sinner concealed and indulged guilt contracts horror and dread on the conscience As wind when it is disperst and diffused through the air doth little hurt but when it is concealed in the bowels of the earth it makes ruptures and earthquakes overthrows things up and down Sin when it is unconfest concealed and indulged makes heart-quakes in the conscience and contracts a great deal of horror and terror Psal 32. vers 3. Psal 32.3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Meaning when I kept close my sinne he roared by reason of horror when he did not pour out his soul in confession to God but when a man shall with an ingenuous clearnesse confesse his evils unto God this doth alleviate his minde and lighten his burdens and ease his conscience and quiet his spirit Origen doth call confession of sin to God the souls spirituall vomit Now you know vomiting doth give
was lying on a sick bed and Interpreters say that he made this Psalme when he was sick It is worth your notice of the title that David gives this Psalme A Psalme of David to bring to remembrance David when he was on his death-bed as he thought he he said it shal be a Psalme of remembrance to bring sin to remembrance to confesse to God my uncleannesse with Bathsheba to bring to my remembrance the evils of my life it was a good plight David was in when he lay on a sick bed he would make this title of the Psalm A Psalme to call to remembrance men are in a fit plight to make confession to God when they lye under any bodily sicknesse call to remembrance thy pride call to thy remembrance thy passion call to remembrance thy vain dalliance what ever thy sin be it may be I may not hit of it but when ever God brings thee under affliction thou art then in a fit plight for to confesse fin to God and call to remembrance thy sins As it was with Jonah chap. 1. Jer. 2. vers 24. Jor. 2.24 A wilde Asse used to the wildernesse that snuffeth up the winde at her pleasure in her occasion who can turn her away all they that seek her will not weary themselves in her moneth they shall finde her The men of Israel are there compared to an Asse an unruly creature that runs up and down the wildernesse and kicks up the heel but saith God Though men weary themselves to take her yet in her moneth they shall take her that is when she brings forth young then they shall take her referring it to the people of Israel they in their prosperity would not be ruled but when they were in their moneth in their captivity in their sufferings then they should take them and they would then come to be more pliant in confessing their guilt more to God then in former time Seas 2 A second Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confesse sin is when the conscience of a man is set in office by God to pursue him with clear and with strong accusations When God puts the conscience of a man in office to pursue him with strong accusations touching evils he hath committed then that man is in a fit plight if he will take hold of it Even Judas himself when conscience awakened him went and confessed to the High Priest and the Scribes and said I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud If Judas took advantage so much upon the awakening of conscience to confesse finne then a beleever hath much more help Beloved the main use of conscience in man is to bring him upon his knees to make him humble in the confession of his wayes conscience serves to excuse me when I do well but the main use of conscience is to accuse me when I do ill and so to put me on confession to God therefore mark saith David I roared all the day there was the noyse of Davids conscience for his Adultery then I said I will confesse my transgressions when conscience roars by accusation then let the heart confesse to God I do earnestly beg you to take these fit Seasons you are in a good plight to confesse sin when God doth lay you under afflictions when God doth make conscience accuse you that you do deceive in your trades that are ingulphed under lust O then pursue these accusations of conscience then you are in a fit plight to confesse fin to God Seas 3 A third Season wherein a man is in a good plight to confesse sin to God is when God sets home the reproof of the Ministers of the Word upon the soul with conviction thus you know David in 2 Sam. 12.13 And David said unto Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord Saith Nathan to David thou art the man The reproof of Nathans Ministery did so prevail on Davids heart that David said I have sinned and have done very foolishly Could you goe home after every Sermon you hear when ever you hear your sins reproved and pursue that reproof and blesse God that the Word hath checkt you that the Word hath met you that the word hath found you out as an enemy could you go home and pursue a Ministeriall reproof with confession your hearts would then be in a good plight to confesse sin unto God The Application Vse First see hence that not only condemned Malefactors not only damned men must confesse sin but regenerate men pardoned men It is no servile no slavish no legall work Though the lowest Beleever be above the power of sin yet the highest Beleever is not above the confession of sin because not above the practise of sin As long as men continue acting of sin men must never leave confessing of sin as long as sin leaks into thy soul thou must so long be pumping by confession to the soul as a pump to the ship O what leaks into thy heart by heedlesnesse and carelesnesse pump out by confession Till thou art above the actings of sin thou art not above the confessing of sin as long as the body naturall doth gather corrupt humours so long there must be Purges and Vomits if the body should still be gathering corrupt humours nature would be stifled by these humours thou art gathering sin to sin thou art adding iniquity to iniquity confession is a spirituall Purge it doth cleanse and purge the heart see therefore the great need that pardoned men have to confesse their faults Secondly When the Scripture saith that justified persons must confesse sin take notice that every confession of sin will not serve mens turns Lorinus observes out of Bernard on these words I confesse my transgressions Saul made the same confession that David made when Nathan reproved David sayes David I have sinned when Samuel reproved Saul saith Saul I have sinned here is the same confession but here was not the same event David said I have sinned and Nathan said the Lord hath taken away thy iniquity but Saul said I have sinned too but Samuel told him the Lord hath taken away thy Kingdom from thee Saul confest sin yet had his Kingdome taken away but David confest sin and had his sin taken away Beloved thou mayest confesse sin with Saul yet not have thy sin taken away thou mayest lose thy soul as he lost his Kingdome though he confest his sin The third Quere is this What Theologicall rules may be given to guide you in your confession of sin unto God Answ There are seven Rules which I shall lay down to you Rule 1 First Rule in confession of sin unto God is this single out some bosome and master lust that doth most frequently enslave thee and make confession and complaints against that to God do not only confesse sin in the lump and generall but single out the most beloved lust those sins which for the present do most subject and enslave thy spirit which do
now you are not unclean and this should greatly comfort you Object 3 A third Objection is this Surely I have misgiving thoughts that God hath not forgiven me my sin because after I have committed sin I do not discern that my conscience checks me for my sin therefore I may fear if there be no remorse after the commission of sin I may fear that there is no remission This is the strongest Objection to make a man fear his pardon As I would say nothing to make a deluded wretch to presume so I would keep back nothing that might any way establish a troubled minde thou sayest thou doest fall into sin yet thou hast no check and remorse of conscience for sin therefore thou fearest if sin hath no remorse on thy part it hath no remission on Gods part For answer First in the generall know your case is dangerous but yet it is not desperate Answ 1 First It is possible the conscience of a good man may be so disordered through the impetuousnesse of passion and lust that he may think he doth well when he doth ill therefore his conscience never smites him As it was with Paul Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Paul sinned and he had his doubts before conversion even as after conversion yet this sin troubled him not he thought he was bound to do many things c. so may thy conscience be so farre disordered as to think thou doest well when thou doest ill Jonah 4.9 And God said to Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto death Could Jonah's conscience smite him for his anger when he said he did well Lord how farre will a godly man goe towards the suburbs of hell if God shall let him alone I do well saith Jonah to be angry even unto death Answ 2 Secondly Thou that makest this Objection take this for thy comfort consider that many pardoned sinners through heedlesnesse and in observancy have not their judgements inlightned to discerne sin and if the judgement hath not an eye to see sin the conscience will never have an hand to smite for sin it is a Proverb What the eye sees not the heart rues not nothing that is unknown can be the object of desire neither can any thing that is unknown be the object of sorrow unknown miseries we weep not for but miseries we know those we mourn for if a mans judgement be not enlightned to see sin he can never mourn for it he may live and dye in a sin that his judgement is not convinced of to be a sin thus the godly in the Old Testament lived in the sin of Polygamie marrying of many wives they knew not it was a sin had they took liberty to take as many wives as they would A godly man that holds an error conscience may never smite him for it because his judgement is mistaken his judgement thinks he holds the truth and therefore conscience cannot smite him for holding an error Answ 3 Thirdly take this by way of answer that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be so farre benummed that a man may continue under the guilt of known sins and conscience never check him for it for a long time this is a further gradation that when he knoweth he sins against God yet I say conscience may be so farre benummed that for a season he may not be tortured and smitten in conscience for his sin David could not be so ignorant of Gods Law that lying with another mans wife was a sin yet David did continue nine moneths at least without remorse for it when Nathan came and reproved him then said he I have sinned I have sinned O beloved if God doth but let a sinners conscience alone though he be a good man yet he may continue for a long time under a known sin and conscience not work remorse or trouble in him Answ 4 Fourthly take this for comfort that there is no godly mans conscience in the world that is alwayes alike in office but sometimes it may be in office sometimes out of office sometimes a roaring gawling awakening conscience and sometimes a stupified a benummed and a seared conscience no mans conscience is alwayes alike in office it is sensible at one time and seared up another time Pregnant instances David at one time his heart smote him for but the appearance of an evill yet at another time his conscience did not smite him for murdering Vriah Again at another time Davids conscience smote him but for vain-glory in numbring the people it was only vain-glory that he would please himself in a mustered Army yet at another time Davids conscience did not smite him for adultery O beloved how will a mans conscience lye asleep and not trouble him for an evill if God lets him alone Answ 5 Fifthly a step further It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be in so deep a sleep and so much out of office for a while that he may rather put his wits a work to hide his sin then his conscience on work to check him for sin To give you an instance for this it is plain in the case of David David committed adultery with Bathsheba but he did not put his conscience on work to check him for his sin but he did put his wits on work to hide the sin Four projects David had to hide the sin First He sent for Vriah Bathsheba's husband that so Vriah might come and lye with his wife that so he might hide Davids uncleannesse 2 Sam. 11. Secondly He made Vriah drunk and so thought that surely when he was drunk that drunkennesse would provoke him with a desire to go to his own house Thirdly He did plot Vriah's death that so there might be no clamour on his part for the defilement of his wife Lastly David would have fathered his plot on providence for David himself had plotted the death of Vriah mark Davids project a good man did put his wits on work and made shifts to hide his sin yet all this while did not put conscience on work to check him for his sin O how near the suburbs of hell may a godly man go and yet go to heaven Sixthly This is the furthest step of all take this for thy comfort It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may not smite him for those very sins that a heathen man by the light of a naturall conscience may be ashamed of and this is clear in the case of Abraham Gen. 20.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdome a great sin thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done For this falshood Abrahams conscience never smote him yet a Heathen by the light of
Christianity Sixthly If you consider the extent of Pauls malice saith he When they were put to death I gave my voice against them Pauls vote was against the Christians to put them to death Seaventhly Pauls rage did goe against their souls as well as their bodies for saith he I did compell them to blaspheme Christ he laboured to damn their soules as well as destroy their bodies Eighthly saith he I was exceeding mad against them he was even mad with rage and exceeding mad with rage Ninethly He drove them from house to house I drove them into strange Cities And then tenthly which was worst of all he did through their sides strike at the honour of Jesus Christ for why did Paul doe this to the Saints saith hee I thought with my self to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth there was the person he aimed at yet Paul a man forgiven for all this for he saith when he aggravates his sin in 1 Tim. 11 12 13. According to the glorious Gospell of the blessed God which was committed to my trust And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that hee counted mee faithfull putting mee into the Ministery Who was before a Blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantlyin unbeleif Thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of my text laying down to you an induction of instances I am the larger in this because I know perplexed consciences in trouble of minde are apt but to greaten their owne sins but can you aggravate it worse then David Paul or Peter could doe yet behold those sins and those aggravated sins were forgiven by Jesus Christ I have four words to say in this Sermon by way of Application there may be in such an assembly as this is whom God might suffer either before conversion or after conversion to bee unclean with David to deny Christ with Peter it may be to swear to a lye to swear to a falsehood nay it may be ingage to a lye to a falshood O take heed of false Oaths it may be to persecute the Saints of Christ with Paul Four consolations First O know it for thy comfort O thou disconsolate heart let thy sin bee never so great yet the mercies of God are greater Sabian a learned Interpreter gives to my hand which is his instance Lord my fault is great but thy mercies are greater Beloved I may say to you though thy sin be great yet the mercy of God is greater then thy sin and thou canst not have so many circumstances to greaten thy sin as can be produced in God to greaten his own mercy you shall read what he saith of himselfe in Isai 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto mee for I have redeemed thee Suppose thy sin be not onely a little cloud but suppose it be a great cloud a thick cloud saith God I do not onely blot sins out like a little cloud but I will blot out transgressions that are like a thick cloud great sins as well as small doth the mercies of God cover The Sea can as well cover great rocks as little peble stones high mountains as well as mole-hils Gods mercy is an Ocean that can cover great enormities as well as lesser infirmities The glorious body of the Sun in the heavens can scatter the greatest mist as well as the thinnest vapour great sins as well as small are pardoned by mercy It is worthy your notice what Moses speaks of the Mercy-seat It covered the whole Arke wherein the Law was kept To note saith a Divine though thou art a man or a woman guilty of all the Laws breach not onely of one command but of all the commands yet the Mercy-Seat Seat covered all the commands to teach you this that the mercy of God can pardon the greatest violation of the Law therefore that wherein the Law was kept was all covered by the Mercy Seat 2. Take this for thy comfort O thou perplexed Conscience it may be when thou art in a corner move but God and thine own soul together thou dost aggravate thy sin and thinkest no mans sin so grievous as thine then take this for thy comfort let thy sin be never so great yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater the bloud of Christ saith the Apostle cleanseth us from all sin the red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his hoast as it could doe a single man the red Sea of Christs bloud can drown a whole host and a huge multitude of sins as well as a small lust Though thou hast need to shed more tears for sin in a way of contrition yet Christ need not shed more bloud for sin in a way of redemption for he hath saved them to the utmost that come unto God by him the Apostle triumphing in the 5. of the Romans hee means there that there is not so much evil in sin to damne us as there is good in the gift in Christ for to save because thy sin is the guilt of a creature and Christs satisfaction is the satisfaction of a God thy sin the sinne of a finite creature and his sufferings the sufferings of an infinite Mediator Third Consolation is this to you that are perplexed in Conscience that you have committed hainous and aggravated sinfulnesse yet that Jesus Christ by conversion doth wipe away the infamy the ignominy of thy most horrid and scandalous sins before conversion Suppose thou hast bin a notorious infamous creature yet Christ takes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy sin by Conversion It is observable of Mary Magdalen shee was a notorious whore every one that saw her knew shee was a common harlot there was a woman that was a sinner the meaning was she was an infamous notorious harlot What is done when Christ converted this woman Verily I say unto you that where ever the Gospell is preached it shall be spoken what this woman hath done throughout the whole world Christ did wipe away the infamy of harlotry he would have renowned the love of that woman to Christ he would have it spoken of where ever the Gospel was preacht Luk. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much Christ did delight to wipe away the ignominy of her harlotry in her after life It is worthy observation that four women are reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ what women were they they were women that were infamous the best of them did fall into much scandall and gave much offence there you find mention of Thamar Rachab Ruth and Bathsheba no more in the Genealogy but these what were al these women they were converted women Begin with Thamar she committed uncleannesse with her Father in law an infamous woman as you have the story in Gen. 38.18 And hee said What pledge