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
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
the Application it self may be observed First The Anthropopathy of the Expression He prayes that God would cause his ears to be attentive after the manner of men who seriously attend to what is spoken to them when they turn aside from that which they regard not Secondly The Earnestness of the soul in the work it hath in hand which is evident both from the Reduplication of his request Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to my voyce and the Emphaticalness of the words he maketh use of Let thine ears saith he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diligently Attentive The word signifies the most diligent heedfulness and close attention let thine ears be very attentive and unto what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the voice of my supplications deprecationum mearum generally say Interpreters of my Deprecations or earnest prayers for the averting of evil or punishment But the word is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiosus suit to be gracious or merciful so that it signifies properly supplications for grace Be attentive saith he O Lord unto my supplications for grace and mercy which according to my extream necessity I now address my self to make unto thee And in these words doth the Psalmist set forth in general the frame and working of a gracious soul being cast into depths and darkness by sin The foundation of what I shall farther thence pursue lyes in these two Propositions First The only attempt of a sinful entangled soul for relief lyes in an application to God alone To thee Jehovah have I cryed Lord hear Secondly Depths of sin intanglements will put a gracious soul on intense and earnest application unto God Lord hear Lord attend Dying men do not use to cry out slothfully for relief What may be thought necessary in general for the direction of a soul in the state and condition described shall briefly be spoken unto from these two Propositions First Trouble danger disquietment arguing not only things evil but a sense in the mind and soul of them will of themselves put those in whom they are upon seeking relief Every thing would naturally be at rest A drowning man needs no Exhortation to endeavour his own deliverance and safety And spiritual troubles will in like manner put men on attempts for relief To seek for no remedy is to be senslesly obdurate or wretchedly desperate as Cain and Judas We may suppose then that the principal business of every soul in depths is to endeavour deliverance They cannot rest in that condition wherein they have no rest In this endeavour what course a gracious soul steers is laid down in the first Proposition negatively and positively He applyes himself not to any thing but God he applyes himself unto God An eminent instance we have of it in both parts or both to the one side and the other Hos. 14. 3. Ashur say those poor distressed returning sinners shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy Their application unto God is attended with a renunciation of every other way of relief Several things there are that sinners are apt to apply themselves unto for relief in their perplexities which prove unto them as waters that fail How many things have the Romanists invented to deceive souls withal Saints and Angels the Blessed Virgin Wood of the Cross Confissions Rennances Masses Pilgrimages Dirges Purgatories Papal Pardons Works of Compensation and the like are made entrances for innumerable souls into everlasting ruine Did they know the terror of the Lord the nature of Sin and of the mediation of Christ they would be ashamed and confounded in themselves for these abominations they would not say unto these their Idols ye are our Gods come and save us How short do all their contrivances come of his that would fain be offering Rivers of Oyl yea the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul his first born for his transgression Mich. 6. 7. Who yet gains nothing but an Aggravation of his sin and misery thereby Yea the Heathen went beyond them in devotion and expence It is no new enquiry what course sin perplexed souls should take for relief From the foundation of the world the minds of far the greatest part of mankind have been exercised in it As was there light or darkness such was the course they took Among those who were ignorant of God this Enquiry brought forth all that Diabolical Superstition which spread it self over the face of the whole world Gentilism being destroyed by the power and Efficacy of the Gospel the same enquiry working in the minds of darkned men in conjunction with other lusts brought forth the Papacy When men had lost a spiritual acquaintance with the Covenant of Grace and Mysterie of the Gospel the design of eternal love the efficacy of the blood of Christ they betook themselves in part or in whole for relief under their entanglements unto the broken Cisterns mentioned They are of two sorts Self and other things For those other things which belong unto their false Worship being abominated by all the Saints of God I shall not need to make any farther mention of them That which relates unto self is not confined unto Popery but extends it self to the limits of Humane Nature and is predominate in all that are under the Law that is to seek for relief in sin distresses by self-endeavours self-righteousness Hence many poor souls in straights apply themselves to themselves They expect their cure from the same hand that wounded them This was the life of Judaism as the Apostle informs us Rom. 10. 3. And all men under the Law are still animated by the same principle They return but not unto the Lord. Finding themselves in depths in distresses about sin what course do they take This they will do that they will do no more this shall be their ordinary course and that they will do in an extraordinary manner as they have offended whence their trouble ariseth so they will amend and look that their peace should spring from thence as if God and they stood on equal terms In this way some spend all their dayes sinning and amending amending and sinning without once coming to repentance and peace This the souls of believers watch against They look on themselves as fatherless in thee the fatherless findeth mercy that is helpless without the least ground of hopes in themselves or expectation from themselves They know their repentance their amendment their supplications their humiliations their fastings their mortifications will not relieve them Repent they will and amend they will and pray and fast and humble their souls for they know these things to be their duty but they know that their goodness extends not to him with whom they have to do nor is he profited by their righteousness They will be in the performance of all duties but
suppose he hath not the thing in his Power to bestow on us or that his Will is wholly averse from so doing is to reproach him with want of Truth Faithfulness and Holiness and not to be God For what sincerity can be in such proceedings Is it consistent with any Divine Excellency Could it have any other end but to deceive poor creatures either to delude them if they do pray according to his command or to involve them in further guilt if they do not God forbid any such thoughts should enter into our hearts But 3. To put this whole matter out of question God hath promised to hear our prayers and in particular those which we make unto him for the forgiveness of sin So our Saviour hath assured us that what we ask in his name it shall be done for us And he hath as we have shewed taught us to ask this very thing of God as our Heavenly Father that is in his name For in and through him alone is he a Father unto us I need not insist on particular Promises to this purpose they are as you know multiplyed in the Scriptures What hath been spoken may suffice to establish our present Argument namely that Gods prescription of Religious Worship unto sinners doth undeniably prove that with him there is forgiveness especially considering that the principal parts of the Worship so prescribed and appointed by him are peculiarly designed to confirm us in the faith thereof And this is the design of the words that we do insist upon There is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared The fear of God as we have shewed in the Old Testament doth frequently express not that gracious Affection of our minds which is distinctly so called but that whole Worship of God wherein that and all other Gracious Affections towards God are to be exercised Now the Psalmist tells us that the foundation of this fear or Worship and the only motive and encouragement for sinners to engage in it and give up themselves unto it is this that there is forgiveness with God Without this no sinner could fear serve or worship him This therefore is undeniably proved by the Institution of this Worship which was proposed unto confirmation The end of all these things as we shall afterwards at large declare is to encourage poor sinners to believe and to evidence how inexcusable they will be left who notwithstanding all this do through the power of their lusts and unbelief refuse to come to God in Christ that they may be pardoned Yea the laying open of the certainty and fulness of the evidence given unto this truth makes it plain and conspicuous whence it is that men perish in and for their sins Is it for want of Mercy Goodness Grace or Patience in God Is it through any defect in the Mediation of the Lord Christ Is it for want of the mightiest encouragements and most infallible Assurances that with God there is Forgiveness Not at all but meerly on the account of their own obstinacy stubbornness and perversness They will not come unto this Light yea they hate it because their deeds are evil They will not come to Christ that they may have life It is meerly darkness blindness and love of sin that brings men to destruction And this is laid open and all pretences and excuses are removed and the shame of mens lusts made naked by the full confirmation of this Truth which God hath furnished us withal Take heed you that hear or read these things if they are not mixed with faith they will add greatly to your misery Every Argument will be your Torment But these considerations must be insisted on afterwards Moreover if you will take into your minds what hath been delivered in particular concerning the nature and end of the Worship of God which you attend unto you may be instructed in the use and due observation of it When you address your selves unto it remember that this is that which God requires of you who are sinners That this he would not have done but with thoughts and intention of mercy for sinners Bless him with all your souls that this is laid as the Foundation of all that you have to do with him You are not utterly cast off because you are sinners Let this support and warm your hearts when you go to hear to pray or any duty of Worship Consider what is your principal work in the whole You are going to deal with God about Forgiveness in the Being Causes Consequents and Effects of it Hearken what he speaks declares or reveals about it mix his Revelation and Promises with faith Enquire diligently into all the Obedience and Thankfulness all those duties of Holiness and Righteousness which he justly expects from them who are made partakers of it so shall you observe the Worship of God unto his Glory and your own Advantage The giving and establishing of the New Covenant another Evidence of Forgiveness with God The Oath of God engaged in the confirmation thereof VIII Another Evidence hereof may be taken from the making establishing and ratifying of the New Covenant That God would make a new Covenant with his people is often promised often declared See among other places Jer. 31. 31 32. and that he hath done so accordingly the Apostle at large doth manifest Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now herein sundry things unto our present purpose may be considered For 1. It is supposed that God had before made another Covenant with mankind With reference hereunto is this said to be a new one It is opposed unto another that was before it and in comparison whereof that is called old and this said to be new as the Apostle speaks expresly in the place before mentioned Now a Covenant between God and man is a thing Great and Marvellous whether we consider the nature of it or the Ends of it In its own nature it is a Convention Compact and Agreement for some certain ends and purposes between the Holy Creator and his poor creatures How infinite how unspeakable must needs the Grace and Condescention of God in this matter be For what is poor miserable man that God should set his heart upon him that he should as it were give bounds to his Soveraignty over him and enter into terms of Agreement with him For whereas before he was a meer object of his Absolute Dominion made at his Will and for his Pleasure and on the same reasons to be crushed at any time into nothing Now he hath a bottom and ground given him to stand upon whereon to expect good things from God upon the account of his Faithfulness and Righteousness God in a Covenant gives those holy properties of his Nature unto his Creatures as his hand or arm for him to lay hold upon and by them to plead and argue with him And without this a man could have no foundation for any entercourse or Communion with God or of any expectation from
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
will undoubtedly flourish 3. A deep sense of the indwelling power of sin is consistent with Gospel Assurance Sense of indwelling sin will cause manifold perplexities in the Soul Trouble disquietments sorrow and anguish of heart expressing themselves in sighs mourning groaning for deliverance alwayes attend it To what purpose do you speak to a Soul highly sensible of the restless power of indwelling sin concerning Assurance Alas saith he I am ready to perish every moment my lusts are strong active restless yea outragious they give me no rest no liberty and but little success do I obtain Assurance is for Conquerours for them that live at rest and peace I lie groveling on the ground all my dayes and must needs be uncertain what will be the issue But when such an one hath done all he can he will not be able to make more wofull complaints of this matter than Paul hath done before him Rom. 7. and yet he closeth the discourse of it with as high an expression of assurance as any person needs to seek after v. last and chap. 8. 1. It is not Assurance but Enjoyment that excludes this sense and trouble But if men will think they can have no Assurance because they have that without which it is impossible they should have any it is hard to give them relief A little Cruse of Salt of the Gospel cast into these bitter waters will make them sweet and wholsom Sense of the guilt of sin may consist with faith of its pardon and forgiveness in the blood of Christ. Godly sorrow may dwell in the same heart at the same time with Joy in the Holy Ghost and groaning after deliverance from the power of sin with a Gracious perswasion that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law but Grace 4. Doubtings Fears Temptations if not ordinarily prevailing are consistent with Gospel Assurance Though the Devils power he limited in reference unto the Saints yet his hands are not tyed Though he cannot prevail against them yet he can assault them And although there be not an evil heart of unbelief in Believers yet there will still be unbelief in their hearts Such an evidence conviction and perswasion of Acceptance with God as are exclusive of all contrary reasonings that suffer the Soul to hear nothing of Objections that free and quiet it from all assaults are neither mentioned in the Scripture nor consistent with that state wherein we walk before God nor possible on the account of Sathans will and ability to tempt or of our own remaining unbelief Assurance encourageth us in our Combate it delivereth us not from it We may have peace with God when we have none from the assaults of Sathan Now unless a man do duly consider the tenor of the Covenant wherein we walk with God and the nature of that Gospel Obedience which he requires at our hands with the state and Condition which is our Lot and portion whilest we live in this World the dayly sense of these things with the trouble that must be undergone on their account may keep him in the dark unto himself and hinder him from that establishment in believing which otherwise he might attain unto On this account some as holy persons as any in this World being wholly taken up with the consideration of these home bred perplexities and not clearly acquainted with the way and tenor of assuring their Souls before God according to the Rule of the Covenant of Grace have passed away their dayes in a bondage frame of spirit and unacquaintance with that strong consolation which God is abundantly willing that all the Heirs of promise should receive 5. Evangelical Assurance is not a thing that consisteth in any point and so incapable of variation It may be higher or lower greater or less obscure or attended with more Evidence It is not quite lost when it is not quite at its highest God sometimes marvellously raiseth the Souls of his Saints with some close and neer approaches unto them gives them a sense of his Eternal Love a taste of the embraces of his Son and the inhabitation of the Spirit without the least intervening disturbance then this is their Assurance But this life is not a season to be alwayes taking wages in our work is not yet done we are not alwayes to abide in this Mount we must down again into the battle fight again cry again complain again Shall the Soul be thought now to have lost its assurance Not at all it had before assurance with Joy Triumph and Exultation it hath it now or may have with wrestling cryes tears and supplications And a mans Assurance may be as Good as true when he lyes on the earth with a sense of sin as when he is carryed up to the third Heaven with a sense of Love and foretaste of Glory In brief this Assurance of Salvation is such a Gracious Evangelical perswasion of Acceptance with God in Christ and of an interest in the promises of preservation unto the End wrought in Believers by the Holy Ghost in and through the exercise of Faith as for the most part produceth these effects following 1. It gives delight in obedience and draws out Love in the duties that unto God we do perform So much Assurance of a Comfortable Issue of their Obedience of a blessed End of their labours and duties of their purifying their hearts and pressing after universal Renovation of mind and life as may make them Chearfull in them as may give Love and Delight in the pursuit of what they are engaged in is needfull for the Saints and they they do not often go without it and where this is there is Gospel Assurance To run as men uncertain to fight as those that beat the Air to travel as not any way perswaded of a comfortable entertainment or refreshment at the Journeys End is a state and condition that God doth not frequently leave his people unto And when he doth it is a season wherein he receives very little of Glory from them and they very little increase of grace in themselves Many things as hath been shewed do interpose many doubts arise and intangling perplexities but still there is a Comfortable perswasion kept alive that there is a Rest provided which makes them willing unto and chearfull in their most difficult duties This prevaileth in them that their labour in the Lord their watchings praying suffering alms mortification fighting against temptation crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof shall not be in vain This gives them such a delight in their most difficult duties as men have in a hard Journey towards a desirable home or a place of Rest. 2. It casts out fear tormenting fear such as fills the soul with perplexing uncertainties hard thoughts of God and dreadfull apprehensions of wrath to come There are three things spoken concerning that fear which is inconsistent with the Assurance of forgiveness First With respect unto
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