blacknesse and darknesse of sinne The forgivenesse of sinnes The forgivenesse not only by the bloud of Christ have we redemption h Col. 1.20 or sanctification i Heb. 9.14 but remission also as in the Text so k Col. 1.14 in whom we have redemption by his bloud even the forgivenesse of sinnes John in his Revelation l Rev. 1.5 confesses that Christ washed us from our sinnes by his bloud and to fetch the record bearing witnesse to this truth as high as heaven m Rev. 5.9 the foure and twenty Elders acknowledge Thou wert slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred tongue people and Nation Agreeing to this is that of n 1 Joh. 1.7 and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sinne Hath a poore soule need to be healed Christ is a Physitian to cure him doth thy soule parch and burne within thee Christ is a fountaine to refresh thee art thou laden with the unsupportable burthen of thy sinnes Christ is righteousnesse to ease thee if thou fearest the stroke of death he hath for thy poore beleeving soule the gift of eternall life and if thou walk mournfully apprehending damnation for sinne he hath redemption for thee from sinne as in the Text. The Reasons follow Christ only acceptable to God the Reas 1 heavens are not cleane in his sight he chargeth his Angels with folly the quire of Heaven and Saints in earth are not well-pleasing in his sight distinct from Christ he is the Son of his Love he the Son of his complacency of his delight in whom only he is well-pleased o Mat. 3 17. and in the verse before my Text he hath made us accepted in the beloved all the oblations Legall and offerings Ceremoniall had a redolent savour in the pure nosthrils of the Almighty as they stood in reference to Christ Without God none could please God saith Ambrose whatever is presented to the Father without the Son is said to be unprofitable and unacceptable as the High-priest offered all in the time of the Law so the Lord Jesus presents all in the time of the Gospell without him nothing is accepted therfore of him the Saints have all to and of redemption This is the first Reason the second followes Reas 2 He only able to satisfie divine justice thousands of Rammes ten thousands of rivers of oyle unsatisfactory to give the fruit of the body for the sinne of the soule and the first-borne for my transgression p Mâ—c 6.6 It will neither be pleasing to God nor satisfactory to divine justice the leaprous person was to be cleansed by the bloud of the little bird q Lev. 14.51 and the leaprous soule is to be purified and redeemed from all its sinne and uncleannesse by the bloud of Jesus Christ that bird of Paradise the coelestiall Pellican that sacrificed himselfe to death to save his to everlasting life when sinne was to be remitted it was to be put upon another none must expect a satisfaction in or from himselfe the sinnes of the people were to be put upon the Scape-Goat Thus they were delivered r Lev. 16. to teach us under the Gospell our sinnes must be put upon Christ to be the only satisfaction to Almighty justice Two things are required of such as satisfie Gods justice First he that satisfies must be free from all sinne if any man under Christ saith he have no sinne he deceives himselfe and the truth of God is not in him 1 John 1.9 Christ in every thing like us sinne only excepted his enemies being Judges he hath done all things well so he he only free from sinne can satisfie Gods justice Secondly that which satisfies must be pure only pure in the offering and such oblations sacrifices poore mortals cannot tender to their God there is iniquity in their holy things they are unprofitable and come short of grace now and must of glory for ever if the Lord be not freely gracious in accepting as bestowing Oh the wants and weaknesse in our hearing praying in our duties graces uncleane uncleane imperfect imperfect in all but Christ a pure and holy offering unto the Lord hence in the Law when the High-priest went for an atonement he only entred into the Sanctum Sanctorum in the Gospell Christ trode the wine-presse of his fathers wrath alone Å¿ Isa 63.3 and that 's the second reason Reas 3 Thirdly that the glory of our redemption may redound to the praise of God in Jesus Christ whose is the worke 't is fit theirs should be the honour Hos feci tulit alter honores is injustice rich mercy full merit is the ground worke and foundation of all our excellency The Saints good and comfort ariseth from the free grace of the Father and the full merit of the Sonne and why to man or Angell should the glory be given when Scriptures speake any thing of this spirituall blessing redemption or forgivenesse of sins there is usually annexed a doxology or blessing as t Rev. 1.5 6 So Rev. 5.9 12. Col. 1.12 14. 1 Cor. 1.30 31. with this in the Text as appeares in the third verse and thus of the third Reason That the Type might correspond Reas 4 with the Antetype the Law and the Gospell might answer one the other In the Law the bloud was sprinkled round about the Altar to intimate that nothing is of worth but by the force of Christs bloud and as without bloudshedding no remission a Heb. 9.22 so no forgivenesse of sinne but by the bloud of Christ herein is a large field but I hasten to the Uses Instruction Use instr If the bloud of the Saviour be the redemption of the Saint learne we first what an unhappy and cursed thing sinne is the forgivenesse whereof cost no lesse then Christs dearest hearts bloud it deludes us to defile us it defiles us to destroy us that our poore yet precious soules should perish for ever without remedy but for Christ in whom we have c. Sinne Dalilah-like speaks fairly acts friendly for her advantage but when opportunity serves then shall Sampson smart for it Adam bemocks himselfe to a being made immortall and doomes his selfe and posterity as low as death and deep as hell When he had faire promises to be as God high as heaven lofty as Eternity by eating the forbidden fruit fruit though pleasant in the taste bitter in the bowels as everlasting burning cursed sinne as a leaprosie and plague infects and overspreads all degrees faculties persons estates souls bodies insnaring millions to the eternall infernall tortures of devouring Tophet as impossible to avoid as intolerable to endure without the bloud of Jesus Christ in whom we c. Oh that the Lord would enlighten our understandings to see sinne in its nakednesse then we would as purity it selfe hate it with a perfect hatred Did we consider aright that Christ is so long in
Christian Vse 1 must be a life of action Instru T is shamefull impiety to practice when once enlightned graced from God with precious Truths Promises Privileges nothing Such a lazy devotion as brings in question the truth of grace Grace will make us faithfull husbands wives servants as Christians If man cannot endure a Lurdan Lozell God cannot endure a loitering idle Christian nor in reference to the things of this life or that which is to come I know not a Christian as a man or woman but have or might have employment or in works of necessity or charity And as a Christian man or woman hath to work out Salvation a work hard enough to so far from thinking them idle drones that may spurre them to be as busie as the Bee and all little enough to give a good account at the last day Jacobs Ladder is usually applyed here as Angels some ascending some descending but none standing still to intimate so it must be in the Church of God Either looking up to God or into the soul that admire God for his Majesty Glory Mercy or humble our selves for our unworthinesse sin and iniquity Did not God set his Adam presently after he had made him a living soule into the Garden to dresse it so to become a labouring soule and why But to tell the children of Adam that they must not be without motion action God gives no Supersedeas for a Christian to be idle or standing still Nay he checks with a Why stand you idle all the day long m Mat. 20.6 T is here in the Text required that he be doing thriving growing Grow in grace This of the first Use Vse 2 If a Christians duty be to grow in grace Try we then whither we have performed this duty or no. But how may I know I answer 1. They are grown more and better in duties Grace is like Ezekiels waters though little at first discovers it self by streames to run rivolets rivers to waters impassable Or as fire that encreases in light heat more greater so grace in growth makes a Christian in his duties more frequent whereas before he would court the Lord in a morning so bid him good morrow or complement with a goodnight he now begins to be more frequent grace acts him to morning evening and when occasion serves at midnight as high-noon at first seldome since he is grown more frequent 2. They are more fervent more zealous if not I could question that truth as growth of grace Though at first grace as fire of which comparatively we say t is a cold fire so a soul finds it self in the dutie of hearing praying receiving cold devotion in all chill almost stiffe but by that time encreased grown grown warme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seething boyling hot the affections kindled to a flame a zeale as hot as fire 3. More conscionable what in times past was done in custome formality hypocrisie education selfe is now steeld from conscience he doth it and dare not but do it and delight to do it also He at first saw the observing the Ordinances and Sabbaths of God his duty now grown beholds them his privilege so that as in time past he acted them as a task now he performes them as his delight and joy to think of his communion with the Lord Now he makes conscience and will not omit a duty as not commit a sin he makes conscience of all so doth a Christian that is grown in grace discover it in his duties being more frequent at them fervent in them and conscionable of them Try and enlarge the particulars in your meditations I must hasten 2. The growth of grace discovers it selfe by the death and dwinging away of sin at first sin lives but when grace comes sin pines and graces growth is sins decay as the house of Saul weaker and weaker and the house of David stronger and stronger So grace and sin in the soule As t is in the body with nature and the humour If the humour prove predominant then nature decaies and soon man is gathered to his Fathers but when nature gets the upper hand by degrees the killing humour lessens and abates to a perfect recovery so that the bed-red one walkes strongly and comfortably This grace like his bloud runs through every veine actuates in every faculty of the soule as the soule in the whole body Now mortifying this now crucifying that corruption laying the axe of zeale revenge care to the root and so cuts down root and branch he leaves not a hoofe behind spares not the Dalila the darling the sweet bit under the tongue or bosome sin in any corner of his heart nothing in his Judgment Understanding Will Memory Affections but shall relate to grace The Enemy thereof shall be brought and arraigned before Jesus Christ and cashiered for ever his precious gracious soule he is grown and acts to the utmost as fire heat and water moisten to the utmost so grace that dwinges sin to decay and dye The gallant Adonijah shall not be spared the delicate Agag not connived at nor the least of his sins if sin against God can be called little but shall be examined traduced and gibbited before the God of Israel He spies the inside he views the outside what gracelesse thing is discovered is discarded he abstains from and abhors secret as open wickednesse So that no sin shall have a willing being in his soule but he is sensible so sensible of their imperfection as a bone in throat or mote in eye never quiet till removed using all means to recover the health of the soule into the state of strength Oh try which dwinge and decay grace or sin So second triall 3. Grown Christians more boldly manifest the grace of God in them confidently they dare to speak and act upon the growth than they did upon the first truth of their grace The Apostles would flie and deny Christ before they would suffer or die But after the truth of their grace faith knowledge was strengthened then they feared not the Synods Councels of countermanding preaching Jesus Christ as you that are versed in the Acts of the Apostles can attest A soule at first is like Nicodemus it loves and would faine be with Christ but a great deale of fearefull sin clouds the new inspired grace secretly it dare but appeare for feare of the Jews I wave quotations for that I speak to or I am much mis-informed and mistaken Scripture-searching Christians But grown as Daniel the 3 Children they are gloriously manifesting their zeale for God and none but God though controled by Soveraignty itselfe As a child that hath life in operari esse goeth but by this support and that assistance for but weak now new going When a few yeares over-past a shame to hold by a Finger Chaire Stoole c. but now strength encreasing hee goeth confidently by himselfe So a poore soule at first creeps cannot go but his grace strengthened
sorrow as we are in sinne would we thus transgresse Unhappy Oath curse security unbeliefe sinne of what sort or condition soever crucifying the Lord of glory unpardonable but by the alsufficient merit of Jesus Christ What meant in the Law an oblation of a He-goat for a sin-offering but to teach us that sinne is of an odious sent and an ill savour in the nosthrils of the Lord Oh cursed sinne when not all the Saints on Earth nor all the Seraphicall spirits in heaven can expiate that sinne which notion called the least Oh that the children of men and the Sons of God would apprehend the Lord speaking to a soule as once Leah to Jacob I have hired thee with my sonnes Mandrakes thou must come unto me So the Lord to our soules ye are mine you must come unto me by faith love obedience I have bought thee with my Sonnes teears sufferings and bloud precious soules set your esteeme on every sinne as is the redemption and it will speake you to remember how unhappy and cursed a thing sinne is when for the pardon thereof it cost no lesse then the unvaluable bloud of the Sonne of God the Lord Jesus Christ in whom we c. Is the bloud of the Saviour the redemption Use 2 of the Saints learne hence how deare and precious in the sight of Jesus is the soule of the Saints Oh the tender love of Christ to a poore Christian as the relation speaks him a friend a brother a Father a Spouse a Creatour each tearme speaks him ingaged to love so his love beyond measure so deare tender unparalell'd to be admired not to be expressed greater love then this can no man shew What greater then this could God declare his love engaged that piety be scourged and impiety by his stripes healed it was content wisedome it selfe be derided and folly passe unscoffed truth suffers and falshood triumphs Justice is condemned and unrighteousnesse escapes free away mercy is afflicted for cruelty life resignes it selfe to death to preserve the damned from the sting thereof In a word God dyeth once that man might live for ever by right propriety he doth redeem the poor soul as his creature by right of propinquity redeems man as his creature-Saint he undertooke that which would have mouldred ten thousands of men to dust to have endured and attomed the myriads of Angels to have suffered Oh the depth breadth length height of Christs love speaking to the Father in a loftier expression then Paul to Philemon concerning Onesimus I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds formerly unprofitable to thee I Paul have written it with my owne hand Holy Father I beseech thee for this my poore soule whom by my Gospell I have begotten to thee formerly unprofitable unserviceable and yet unfruitfull enough but let me obtaine all his sinnes to be laid upon my shoulders 't is thy beloved Sonne that Sonne in whom thou art well pleased I have writ it and sealed it with no lesse then my precious bloud Behold love love and admire was not was not Rebeckah's love great to Jacob doe as I advise the curse be on me and the blessing on thee so Jesus Christ Soule follow my advice doe as I bid and all the blessings of thy Father be upon thee and if any curse let it light on me for in me thou shalt have redemption Oh see as to serve Christ for his love and thy redemptions sake deare and tender when his life is not spared that thy sinne may be pardoned and soule saved in the day of the Lord. You see then how deare a Saint is to Christ thus of the first Use Deale faithfully O ye beloved of the Lord 2. Vse is of exam and examine whether or no you can say in him we have redemption David speaks of the goings of God in his Sanctuary the singers before and the minstrels follow after O holy O happy progresse so may I behold the soule going to and comming with pardon of sinnes try we first by what precedes and goes before then see what followes after remission of sinnes so may we apprehend terrour or comfort to a remitted or unforgiven soule This I premise the foregoings of a pardoned soule are not to be looked on as causes though conditions or as kind of qualifications that support a soule to hopefull comfort 1. Try and examine whether or no you sence your sinnes deeply I cannot instance in whom sinne was pardoned comfortably that was never sensed deeply the experimentall Christian knew once sadly as truly it lay a load upon his soule and a burthen upon his spirit that nothing but a secret support kept him from resigning up infinite mercy A load to a griefe a griefe and load with a witnesse and can it be lesse to thy soule when such a dishonour to thy God A curse to thy Christ a grief to thy spirit a sadning to Angels and a vexation to all the Saints of God a deep sence as that reported of Queen Mary were my heart unript you should find the losse of Callice there so the soule were my heart uncased it would be knowne to men and Angels and is knowne to the Lord that knowes all secrets never any sorrow like this never any burthen to my spirits as this my unbeliefe my unprofitablenesse my deadnesse my unworthy walking to that high calling and rich mercy to which I am called and which I have received none like my sinne a burthen too heavy for me to beare If I have not a supply from my Christ in whom I hope to have redemption Try whether suffering or sinning most burthen thy soule 't is that which is deeply sensed if hopefully to be pardoned 2. The soule before it comfortably can expect the forgivenesse of sinne feares dreadfully to this dread and feare the poore soule must needs step When it senseth sinne deeply apprehends it rightly dismay terrour must appale the spirit and affright the heart when the soule looks on the sinnes many and mighty that every sinne is a crucifier of Christ and not feare and not be troubled 't is impossible When David apprehended his sinne b Psal 38.3 There is no rest in my bones because of sinne ver 6. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I goe mourning all the day long feare and trembling make all my bones and every veine of my heart to shake If apprehending of judgement will make the quaffing Belteshazzer shake and tremble what must the deep apprehension of sinne and judgement too When the malefactor perceives the sentence of death passed upon him Oh what a shaking stupid trembling fals upon him so a poore soule receiving the sentence of death in himselfe oh what feare what amazement and horrour unspeakable the apprehension of sinne discovers the frownes of an everliving and ever-gracious Father this troubleth a soule to astonishment the promise is God will come and save you the Lord will come with recompence and
vengeance oh sweet vengeance on thy sinnes recompence on thy poore desires but what goes before to whom is this salvation engaged to the fearfull heart c Isa 35.4 Try hast dost feare sinnes curse heavens anger hope thy Saviour is working a pardon for thee his Saint Once more if thy soule be pardoned then it hath been throughly humbled will not experience tell you reason informe you when a sinne is deeply sensed a soule is terribly afraid and how can it then but be throughly humbled how should it lesse When the promises of the Lord are engaged to comfort the broken contrite and humble soule and the Lord of Promises inhabiting Eternity inthrones himselfe in such a soule d Isa 57.15 when the day of expiation was the soule was to be afflicted e Lev. 23. why but to hint as God was ready to shew himselfe mercifull so the people ought to shew themselves humble A childe when faulty or servant guilty expect no favour except they be submissive so a poore soule little hope of mercy till humble Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand that kingdome that affords the subduing of and pardon for sin to a poore penitent humble soul Try hast bin humbled for every sinne as any sinne hast sentenced thy selfe to hell hast been afraid to come before God lying low in thy eyes worth nothing but confusion hast aggravated thy sinne against such a God such a Father faire hopes for a gracious pardon Lastly Try hast sought dost seeke with all earnestnesse and intensenesse of soule and spirit making it the great request that the Lord vouchsafe pardon and forgivenesse to thy poore soule When a man is in danger of the Kings wrath will he not endeavour a composition and when a poore soule sees it selfe by sinne in danger of hell will it not seeke the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is neare by and by the Lord will abundantly pardon How earnestly will a condemned malefactor sue and cry good my Lord mercy mercy my Lord I beseech you for Christs sake even so the soule sentenced to the gates of death and chambers of hell hearing the God of sinners is a mercifull God in all duties upon all opportunities seeks for redemption the forgivenesse of their sins crying for Christs sake to find grace the soule knowes well that prayer breaks downe the banke of sinne and makes a sluce for the streames of divine pardon to flow amaine to a praying soule Pray if perhaps the thoughts of the heart may be forgiven was the advice of Simon Peter to Simon Magus f Acts 8.22 when a soule knowes it is blessed in heavens accompt if the sins be remitted g Psa 32.1 what can impead the soule from making out with such earnestnesse that neither lets it selfe nor the Lord be quiet till a pardon be sealed by this time I conceive the Lord Jesus discovers himselfe to the soule the one the only one in whom it hath redemption c. These precedent foregoings for pardon experience will attest sure enough le ts heare the minstrels which follow after First the soule accepts thankfully who can expresse the gratitude the gladdest tydings and joyfullest newes that could be related to a poore drooping Christian that all the day and night long crys out oh my sinnes oh my sins How thankfull will a poor bedrid man be to his Physitian that is instrumentall to his inlargement how thankfull a prisoner endungeoned for his freedome or a condemned person at the place and minute of execution to heare and see a pardon And what thanks unutterable to the Lord will a poore soule render what huggings and embracings what speakings and actings of thanks till obtained deep load dreadfull feare humble dejection and earnest seeking now an answer of peace enjoyed how thankfull Higgaion Selah can best expresse though farre beneath the thanks of a soule redeemed by the bloud of Christ Try if thy soule hath gladly accepted joyfully received this unspeakable mercy by the returne of ineffable soul-hearty thanks canst thou in some measure subscribe to h Rev. 1.5 or to i Rev. 9. or this third verse to blesse God as for other so for this his spirituall blessing redemption forgivenesse of sinnes a comfortable signe To proceed Secondly a soule pardoned will henceforth shun sinne carefully it well knowes there is forgivenesse with the Lord that he may be feared the childe once flamed or gasht will feare the burning fire and cutting knife long after the prisoner coopt up to hardship and dungeon-straights released will be fearfull of debts and sin againe And shall not a soule long fetter'd by the hellish guilt and apprehension of sinne redeemed through the only worth of Christs all-meritorious bloud dare to meddle with sinne the way to hell as hell it selfe The pardoned soule knowes there is only one Physitian to afford forgivenesse to attaine his care and cure a worke and labour of highest difficulty nor can the sonne of man or Daughter of Jerusalem bee more watchfull over an unparalleld glasse than the pardoned sinner over his soul fearing if once broken hard if ever possible to bee repaired The apprehension of this made one of the Ancients to say Till sinne hath done as much for me as God I will have nothing to doe with the stoole of iniquity Try precious soule canst say I have washed my feet how shall I defile them gracious pardon hath cast off the ragges of sinne what have I to doe any more with Idolls shall such a one as I flee have I shed so many teares to the dimming of my eyes to the breaking of my heart have I beene oft hurried as low as everlasting burnings to obtaine a pardon for my sinne and hath infinite goodnesse enricht my soule in its forgivenesse and shall it be in vaine shall I againe returne with the Dogge to the vomit and with the Swine to wallow in wickednesse God forbid I le shunne sinne hereafter carefully dost thou so desirest thou truely so a hopefull signe Thirdly a pardoned soule will live honourably if once thou gaine Redemption through Christ thou wilt live like a Saint on earth yea a Citizen in heaven yea thou wilt walke like the redeemed of the Lord not as one imprisoned in a mierie Dungeon but as one walking in a Paradise of Eden now as the Prodigall in a new Garment a Vesture of Righteousnesse not as the Brat of Hell but as heavens Royall Off-spring not with the menstruous Cloathes of sinfull Adam but the Candid stole of Christs innocency daily invested with his holy-day apparell his conversation in heaven his vaine thoughts dislodged his frothy words checked his idle wayes refrained the whole man Saint-like hee is bought with a price hee will glorifie the Lord with body and soule hee puts to his Seale t is a sinne with a shame and curse to keep the Labourers hire k Deut. 24.15 A soule that sees his