3. 5. and he makes it his â—usiness to do so he fights against it he brings it to the Cross of Christ to be crucified he prays â—rd against it Psal 119. 29. he hates it v. 128. Such an one in Gods gracious account is one in whose Spirit is no Guile 2. Whether this have any influence into our pardon 〈◊〉 Justification A. There is occasion to make this enquiry here because the disputes about it which began from the first planting of the Churches by the Apostles are not yet at an end nor do Papists only continue to maintain their Doctrine of merit and the confounding of Justification with Sanctification but there are others who call themselves Protestants and are not willing to be counted Arminian neither who go about to depreciate the freâ— Grace of God in pardoning and justifying of us who whiles they ascribe all to Christ as the meritorious cause yet find the matter of our Justification in us which they would have to be oâ—â— Sanctification and New Obedience our faith and Repentance and Holiness and they make theâ— not only necessarily concomitant but an essentâ—â—â— part of our Justification Give me leave then 〈◊〉 clear up this matter and shew the mistake of such an opinion in the following Conclusions 1. That Justification and Sanctification are tâ—â— distinct benefits flowing to us from Christ However vain men have confounded them yet 〈◊〉 Scripture speaks of them as divers priviledges oâ—â— from the other so 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ indeed 〈◊〉 made both Righteousness and Sanctification to us bâ—â— they are two things and applied to us after 〈◊〉 different manner We are Justified relatively 〈◊〉 are Sanctified really we are Justified by Imputaâ—â—on we are Sanctified by Infusion Justification is 〈◊〉 Garment thrown over us Sanctification is by a new principle put into us Justification is a Change in 〈◊〉 state Sanctification is a Change in our nature 〈◊〉 the one we are made legally innocent in the othâ—â— we are made inherently holy hence the one 〈◊〉 said to be an Act and the other is called a Woâ—â— by our Divines because the one passeth upon us Declaratively whereas the other operates in us Effectually 2. That both of these derive to us from the same fountain of free grace Mans whole Salvation doth so Eph. 2. 8. and both of these do appertain to it that Justification is a fruit of meer Grace we are plainly assured Rom. 3. 24. And hence pardon is to be sought of God or for his own name sake Psal 25. 11. And our Sanctification hath the same original too for it is a product of his meer good pleasure Jam. 1. 18. Grace therefore which is the same thing is given of God Psal 84. 11. God ows neither of them to us we have no way obliged him to bestow them upon us rather than others We have nothing but Sin and Guilt and pollution cleaving to us in our natural state when God comes to pardon and purifie us quickning is bestowed on them that were the Children of wrath Eph. 2. 1 3. How then should our Sanctification or being without Guile possibly contribute any thing to our Justification or Pardon 3. That they are both of them applied together in or upon our Effectual Vocation They are contemporaries for though Divines do allow them an order in the handling of them and an order of nature and accordingly give the priority to Justification yet there is no distance of time between the one and the other by their acknowledgment and they are reckoned as benefits joyntly flowing from our Effectual Calling and indeed it is in Regeneration that we paâ— from death to life there it is that we are quicknedâ— and there is a double life that we pass to according to the double death that past upon us we were dead in the Law by the Condemnation denounced on us but now we are made to live by a pardon in which we are Justified and we weâ— dead in trespasses and sins spiritually and now wâ— are made to live to Holiness by a new inspiration 〈◊〉 and if we are no sooner Sanctified than Justified how can our Sanctification afford any matter for our Justification 4. That because pardon belongs to Justificationâ— hence it must needs have a respect to a Righteousness from whence it proceeds We have already taken notice of the difference between mens pardoning a Criminal and Gods forgiving a Sinner their pardon is not a Justification 〈◊〉 his is theirs proceeds from meer mercy his from mercy tempered with Justice theirs is entirely prerogative but his hath a respect to a Law 〈◊〉 which he must be just in it Rom. 3. 26. and thâ— refers not to his Soveraign Justice barely which 〈◊〉 nothing else but his Supremacy but his Relative Justice as he is Law giver and hath constituteâ— a way of procedure with his Creature In thâ— therefore there must be a Righteousness regardâ— by him to which he hath an eye in the very pardoning of the Sinner and that Righteousness must be such as will answer it so that mercy and truth may meet together c. Psal 85. 10. 5. That this Righteousness can be no other bâ— that perfect Righteousness which was required in the Covenant of Works God did in the First Covenant that was made with man in our first Parents constitute the Rule of Righteousness between him and man and to that Rule it was that the promises and threatnings were annexed and hence the procedure of Gods Relative Justice with man must be according to the tenour of that when therefore God comes to pardon and justifie a Sinner that is the Righteousness he proceeds upon the question is may this be done and the honour of the Law be salved and the resolution of it is that if there be a Righteousness to be presented for the person that will fully answer the demand of the Law and may be accepted as his there will be no injury done to the Law but if not it will suffer by it If it bate but a jot or tittle it is so far a loser and for that reason our Saviour assures us that it shall not Mat. 5. 18. 6. That the most eminent sincerity of the Children of God doth not amount to such a Righteousness And if this be so here is reason enough to deny it to be the meritorious or material cause of pardon and Justification for if it were perfect it could not merit for us a pardon because we owe it but if it be imperfect it cannot be reputed a Righteousness at all with respect to the Law-Covenant It is certain that the Righteousness which that required was such as is without the least flaw or defect and we see how straitly man was obliged if he hoped to Escape the Curse of it Gal. 3. 10. One failure spoils it and makes it become Unrighteousness Now all our Sanctification at present is imperfect and hath mixtures of Sinful defilement adhering to it It is a Ragged
6. It is indeed consistent with much frailty and folly remaining in the man and too often discovering it self in his actions and sometimes grosly too as is exemplified in the best that have been honoured with the title of Righteous but it hath these things mainly in it 1. A spiritual discerning of the excellency of the ways of God The Image of God is renewed in knowledge Col. 3. 10. The understanding hath not only a literal notion of Truths but a gracious Illumination by which it seeth the beauty of these things for this David prayed Psal 119. 18. And he had it and by vertue of it was able to put such worthy encomiums on the law of God Psal 19 7 c. For this the Apostle prays in their behalf Eph. 3. 17. c. And this discerning is the foundation of that which follows for a perverted mind and a corrupt heart are inseparable 2. A cordial love to those ways The reason why men do not love Holiness is because they do no◠apprehend the excellency of it but when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart the light and heat of it warms the soul and the man is now ravished with it it draws the Affections to it and he delights in it his love to it is more than he can express Psal 119. 97. This makes a day in Gods House better than a thousand Psal 84. 10. 3. An absolute choise of those ways for their own sake This is Uprightness in the will he is not drawn to compliance by force but by love hence he chuseth them Psal 119. 30 173. And that not for carnal interests but because he esteems them better than every other thing he chuseth them not for a present turn nor on condition that he may with them enjoy prosperity in this world but now and for ever let what changes will come and let it cost him never so much Psal 119. 111. 4. A most earnest endeavour to conform our life to them The ways of God are given us to walk in we chuse them not to talk of but for our practice hence an upright heart studieth more to know practice them every day they are the men of his counsel Psal 119. 24. For this end he lays them up in his heart that they may preserve him from sin 〈◊〉 11. He walks in the light of them and regulates his whole conversation thereby verse 105. Nor doth he willingly divert from them 5. An hearty bewailing of our short coming The best of us in many things offend and in every thing are defective there is nothing we do but God might justly make exceptions against it Psal 143. 〈◊〉 But herein we testify our uprightness in that it makes us go mourning every day we cry out by reason of it as he Rom. 7. It makes us ashamed of our selves and we go to God with humble seeking pardon and acceptance in Jesus Christ Our Godly Sorrow is a witness that it is no more we but sin in us Rom. 7. 21. 6. An insatiable pursuit after the perfection that is before us The sense of our imperfection puts us upon greater diligence in reaching forward We do not sit down contented and say it is our infirmity and we must bear it but we have that perfection in our eye which consists in the compleatness of Holiness and total abolition of all sin we endeavour therefore to grow in grace by all the means of growth and rest not in attainments but are still reaching till we come to that perfection which they enjoy who are now in glory Psal 3. 13 14 15. 2. Wherein this appears to be an inseparable concomitant of the Righteousness of Justification A. This truth will appear by the following Conclusions 1. The Righteousness by which we are denominated Righteous is a benefit which we receive from Christ It is not any thing inherent in us but something that God graciously reckons to us and it must have a foundation which can be no other than his Righteousness made ours by Gods accepting it of him on our account So that if he had not been Righteous we could not be so reckoned on his account we are accepted in him Eph. 1. 6. It is one of his benefits and to be acknowledged to derive to us from him but for which we had stood condemned as unrighteous for so the Law will find the best of us if tried on account of the best that we do 2 We receive Christ himself in order to our receiving of any of his benefits There is an order in which God communicates his favours to us it is the person of Christ that is proposed whom we are to receive in the New Covenant he espouseth us to himself Hos 2. 19. We must be in him if we partake in any thing of his Phil. 3. 9. If his person please as not and we cannot comply with this Relation in which we are to receive him in all his Offices we can have nothing to do with nor make any just claim to those priviledges that go with him if we be none of Christ's nothing of his is ours 3 Christ and all his benefits go together Christ is not divided if he be any thing to us he is all to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. We receive whole Christ and we receive him to all the ends for which he was appointed a Saviour When God gives him he gives all things with him Rom. 8 32 Now Sanctification is one of the benefits which Christ hath procured for us 1 Cor 1. 30. When therefore he gives us his Righteousness for Justification he gives also his Spirit for Sanctification and the effect of that is this Uprightness All his Graces are parts of his benefits which he applies to his Redeemed 4 That Faith by which we receive these benefits is a Grace of the Spirit in us As God gives Christ to us so we are to receive him in order to his being ours Now the hand by which this is done is faith Now there must be faith in order to its exerting this act of receiving there must therefore be a preceding work of the Spirit in putting it into us for it is the gift of God Eph 2. 8 9 And faith it self is one of the fruits or Graces of the Spirit Gal. 5 22. 5. Hence it supposeth the body of Graces infused into us which is the principle of this Uprightness An upright heart is an heart made right for none of us have it by nature and for the making of it so there are required all the Graces of Sanctification which are not put into us successively but at once they are all together called the new man Eph. 4. 24. And every grace is a several member of it and the whole is called a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. These graces have their degrees and progress 2 Pet. 3. 18. But their being and integrity is at once and is the proper effect of Regeneration 6. One main design of
Throne of Grace there is such a liberty which Gods Children enjoy Heb. 4. 1â— and this is that which principally contributes 〈◊〉 it It is sin that makes us afraid When our 〈◊〉 Parents were naked they hid themselves Gen. 〈◊〉 8. but now being thus cloathed their shame anâ— fear is taken away When we know that our 〈◊〉 is covered we need not be terrified with tâ— thoughts of the Holiness and Righteousness of Gâ— 5. Hence he shall with greatest comfort appeâ— before the Judgment Seat of Christ in the grâ— Day and this is a priviledge beyond conceâ—on What is it that makes Sinners afraid of 〈◊〉 terrible day but their Sins the Guilt whereâ— makes them fearfully to expect the Vengeance 〈◊〉 it when therefore these are covered that dâ—ger is removed and so they can stand uprigâ— then they may hold up their heads with 〈◊〉 who have these Garments of Salvation throâ— over them USE I. Learn we hence the miserable stâ— of all Unpardoned Sinners If this benefit beloâ— only to the pardoned then surely those that haâ— not gotten into this state are very unhappy foâ— 1. All their sins ly open and naked to the eyeâ— Gods Vindictive Justice We read Hab. 1. 13. That 〈◊〉 is of purer eyes c. but now all their sins are 〈◊〉 his view they are uncovered not only Goâ— all seeing eye discerns them but his revengâ— eye looks upon them they are cast out naked 〈◊〉 the loathing of their persons God cannot look upon them without indignation he despiseth their Image Sin is the abominable thing that he hates â—nd their sin lies before him and he must hate â—t God saith of all their sins as in Jer. 29. 23. 〈◊〉 know and am a witness 2. Hence when they are judged they must â—eeds be condemned this follows upon the consideration of Gods Holiness and Relative Justice God stands engaged to pass Sentence upon every one as they stand related to his Holy Law if â—e sees Sin in men and upon trial they are found Guilty they are condemned already and the Judge â—f all the earth will do that which is right it is â—herefore impossible that they in such a condition should escape his righteous Judgment for we â—ead Rom. 2. 6. He will render to every man according to his deeds 3. Hence the whole weight of Gods Wrath will certainly fall upon them at last they cannot escape it if he pass the Sentence on them he will punish them for that is past in order to Execution Our Saviour tells us what shall be â—he issue of the Sentence of the Great Day Mat. â—5 ult and who knows the forlorn condition of â—hat man who must thus fall into the hands of the â—iving God it had been good for that man if he had â—ever been born Eternal Separation from the presence of Gods favour with an endless suffering â—he Torments of Hell are his portion from the â—and of God and how dreadful a thing is this USE II. Let it serve to awaken and encourage Sinners to seek to God for this priviledge This Doctrine will serve to both these ends and let me urge it in both respects 1. Consider you are all of you by Sin become Guilty before God all the world by nature are in this condition Rom. 3. 19. Whatever other difference the Gospel priviledges have made between some and others which are great and are not to be despised but prized yet herein all are alike There is never a Child of Adam can excuse himself from Sin and Guilt is an inseparable concomitant of Sin according to the Law under which you are that hath said Ezek 18. 4â— The Soul that Sins that Soul shall dy and there is no man whiles under the Law that can exempâ— himself from it 2. Hence except your sins are covered you are undone if Sin rise up and appear against you when you come to your trial it will procure that Condemnation which will ruine you for ever read the Sentence and that will be enough to convince you of this Mat. 25. 34. Depart 〈◊〉 Cursed c. and is not he an undone man 〈◊〉 whom this must pass for as sure as you are Creatures so certainly will it be executed if once it proceed from the mouth of the Judge against you 3. There is no other way but this to have your Sin covered you may seek to cover it ouâ— of sight by your secrecy but you cannot so puâ— a blind upon the all seeing eye You may endeavour to cover it with foolish pretences and excuses but he with whom you have to do is not so to be imposed upon or you may think to hide it under a Repentance and Righteousness of your own but the Covering will be too short and too narrow there is nothing but this Robe that can hide it out of Gods sight Paul therefore was afraid of being found in his own righteousness Phil. 3. 9. 4. There is yet an opportunity to obtain this God hath provided this Garment and makes offer of it to Sinners in the day of his patience and grace and saith if they will accept of it he will bestow it upon and put it on them this â—s the great business of the Gospel treaty in which God by the means perswades with men â—o see their need of it and the sufficiency there is â—n it that they may be willing to accept of it â—esus Christ will have Sinners to put him on that their nakedness may not be seen Rev. 3. 18. 5. When your Sin is thus coverd God can be â—oth just and forgive you the Righteousness of God is not baulked but honoured in this way 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. 9. you may say how can the Justice of the Law consist with the forgiveness of my â—ns it is answered and it is enough they are â—overed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness God hath accepted that on your score Christ 〈◊〉 his Humiliation was under the imputation of â—in and Gods Justice took its satisfaction of him â—r you for he was made Sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. And now his Righteousness becomes yours the Law is satisfied and your sins hidden under that Satisfaction Be then perswaded of your needâ— and be not discouraged since he calls you And here 1. Be sure to renounce your own Righteousness if you are resolved to have that for your cover Christ will not afford you his Paul plainly intâ—mates the inconsistency of these in Phil. 3. 9. anâ— tells us this was the reason why the Jews mist 〈◊〉 Gods Righteousness Rom. 10. 3. Say then thâ—â— your best are filthy rags Isa 64. 6. resolve thâ—â— your most specious actions are unprofitable 〈◊〉 the account of your Justification and that yoâ— are naked without this Robe 2. Be sure then to get under the covert of thâ— Righteousness of Christ by Faith as God doâ— give us this Garment of his Grace and apply it 〈◊〉 us by his Spirit so we are to put it on by belieâ—ing When
when it holds him under Guilt and Condemnation 2 There is a double respect in which a man may be said to be righteous in reference to Guilt viz. 1. When he never was Guilty and so he is b◠morally and legally righteous He that never saided of doing what the Law requires nor transgresed any of the precepts of it he is no way obnoxious to any of the threatnings of the Law no◠in danger of suffering the miseries denounced in i◠2. When the Guilt is taken off A person th◠hath been Guilty may become legally righteou◠by having his Guilt removed according to the tenour of the Law and that is when the Law hath received full satisfaction on his account when the penalty denounced is satisfied the obligation 〈◊〉 punishment ceaseth for the end of the Law 〈◊〉 thereby attained So that if there be a way found for a Sinner to be discharged of his Guilt with the fulfilling of the Law on his account he ma◠so be declared a righteous person after he hath been Guilty and this is the glorious priviledg◠discovered in the Gospel Rom. 4. 5. 3. It is certain that Christ was personally perfectly righteous every way We are not looking upon h◠Righteousness considered as God but as he was 〈◊〉 our nature and therein subject to the law Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 Which law was the Rule of mans Righteousness 〈◊〉 which Christ as man was to yield conformity and he did so Now there were two respects 〈◊〉 which he was subject to the Law why he w◠so will be presently considered 1. That he might fulfil the Righteousness of it 〈◊〉 so merit eternal life The Law saith Do and liv◠Rom. 10. 5. This Christ exactly attended 〈◊〉 saith it became him Mat. 3. 15. He came to do 〈◊〉 Fathers will Psal 40. 7. And he did it Hence that encomium Heb. 7. 26. 2. That he might suffer the penalties of it for sin and so make satisfaction to the Justice of God He is said to make his Soul an offering for sin Isa 53. 10. And herein he answered the laws demands said to be made sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. He took the Guilt on him and expiated it both these are comprized in that Mat. 5. 17. I come not to destroy the law but fulfil it 4. That the Righteousness of Christ as Mediator is Relative True Christ being under the Law did thereby become obliged to answer it but he put himself under it voluntarily The Son of God who is the person was above the law but in our nature he would be subjected to it yet this was not for himself but to Redeem us Gal. 4. 5. And he wrought out this Redemption by his entire Obedience to the Law it related to those whom he was to Redeem and hence he is said to be cut off not for himself Dan. 9. 26. And see Hebr. 2. 14 15. 5. Hence Christ by his Righteousness answered the Justice of God for us i. e. For all whom he bore this Relation to Isa 53. 11. And this he did 1. By exactly performing the Righteousness which the Law required of us for us The Law promised life to perfect Obedience this was the tenure on which man was to enjoy happiness and in no other way Christ obeyed this Command to procure the life for us which we had forfeited for though we are commanded personal Obedience by the New Covenant yet not as the Law condition of life nor can we challenge it for our so doing if we could so do the possession is purchased Eph. 1. 14. 2. By expiating our Guilt Christ not only suffered but he bore our penalty in it Isa 53. 4 5 6. He could not suffer for his own sins because he had none and if he suffered for us it was by some relation to us and that must be as our Surety and Representative Now when Justice hath taken its satisfaction of the Surety it cannot come upon the Principal and that Christ did not only suffer for us but satisfy Justice by it is evident Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 8. 34. 6. This whole Righteousness of Christ is reckoned to us in the New Covenant on our believing Though it be laid in for us upon his performing it yet there is an order in which it comes to be applied to us and that is according to the tenour of the New-Covenant which is declared to be in the way of believing hence we are said to be Justifyed by faith Rom. 5. 1. And this Righteousness is said to derive to us upon believing Chap. 3. 21. And faith is suited hereto the design of the New-Covenant being to manifest the Grace of God in our Pardon and Justification in that it receives and adventures upon the Righteousness of Christ offered in the promise and so acknowledgeth our Salvation to that Grace 7. Hereupon there being an exchange of persons our unrighteousness is removed to him and his righteousness is transferred upon us Christ is put in our room to answer the Justice of God for us God takes that Sacrifice in lieu of the Sinner and now having answered his Law in him he looks upon us in him We are therefore said to put on Christ he first put us on when he offered himself to God and now we put him on when we come to God through him and so what demands the Law hath to make upon us they are carried over and set to his score and what he hath done to merit or satisfie in our stead is put to our score and now God looks upon us as arrayed with the Redeemers Righteousness and so hath no Guilt to charge on us and nothing less then this can be the meaning of that famous Text 2 Cor. 5. 21. He made him to be sin for us c. Now that there are some in the world whom God looks upon with such a respect is not to be doubted and the Gospel assures us that all true believers are such and were it not so the whole design of the great Redemption must fall to the ground for this was the end of it and if it should lose its end it would be vain Uprightness of heart inseparable from a Righteous one Conclu 2. THat uprightness of heart is an inseparable qualification of such a righteous one All that are righteous in an Evangelical sense are also upright in heart Though the Psalmist doth not intend the same thing in these two expressions yet he aims at the same person he doth not speak of two sorts of men When the word Righteous is used alone it comprehends both frequently but when both are put together they must be taken distributively Here then let us enquire 1. What is the Uprightness of heart here intended A. We observed that it points to Sincerity as opposed to Hypocrisy and it refers to the new nature which is put into us in Regeneration by which our whole Soul is wrought to a conformity to the will of God called truth in the inward parts Psal 51.
not David wofully lye and dissemble to Ahimeleoh at Nob 1 Sam. 21. And to Achish Chap 23. Yea he was almost gotten into a way of it whence he prayes against it Psal 119 29. And how much of Hypocrisy is a sensible Believer acquainted with in himself attending on his best duties How many wry glances and sinister aims in his prayers and hearing and whole Conversation Whence else is it that he is so often at a loss what to judge of himself as to any thing he doth 4. In the work of Conversation there is a new nature put into the man The man that is here said to be without Guile is to be supposed a true Convert for there is nothing else but Guile in an Unconverted man he is wholly acted by a Deâ—ved Heart which perverts him Isa 44 20. But when God comes to Convert a Sinner to himself he then makes a powerful and thorough Change in him 2 Cor. 5. 17. This is that which is called the New Man in opposition to natural Corruption which is called the Old man Eph. 4. 22 24. This is called the New Heart which God hath said he will give to men in this work Ezek. 36. 26. And what else is the New Nature but a body of Sanctifying Graces infused into the man by which he is Regenerated or born again 5. In this new nature there is no Guile at all The new Creature is altogether void of Sinful Hypocrisy it hath nothing in it but what is pure and sincere and without Guile We read 1 Joh. 3. 9â— Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin i. e. According to his new nature or the new principle that is infused into him and it must need appear to be sincere and not Hypocritical from the Consideration of the Original of it and that is from God it is therefore said to be Born of him 1 Joh. 5. 4. And Born from above Joh. 3. 3. And of the Spirit Vers 6. And is called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. It never consents to much less contrives any deceit or cheat but is always upright in the exertings of it self And therefore every Converted man so far as he is renewed so far is he altogether without Guile As Guile is a quality adhering to every Lust so integrity is no less to every Grace of the Spirit that is in the Children of God their Faith is Unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. And their Love is without Dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. And such are all the Graces which flow from these two which are the root Graces in a Child of God 6. The New Nature sets it self against the Guile of the Law in the members in a Child of God It doth not only exert none it self nor consent to that which the Corrupt part is acting but it dissents from and withstands it There is the Lusting of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5. 17. And there are two things wherein it discovers this 1. In the Reluctancy of it against the Corrupt part in us seeking to suppress and prevent it So far as Grace is active in the heart of a Child of God when it meets with a Temptation to Guile or Hypocrisy it Resists it bears its Testimony against it influenceth the Conscience according to 〈◊〉 present activity so as to endeavour to Arm 〈◊〉 against that part in him which is eager and violent for it and this Paul designs in Rom. 7. When he speaks of the Good he would do and the Evil he would not do And doubtless many a time by the help of the Spirit of God he gets the Victory overcomes the Temptation and rejects the Motion with abhorrence 2. In the Repentance which it brings the man to afterwards Sometimes the Law of the Members is too subtile and strong and leads the man Captive and he is drawn into Dissimulation as Peter and Barnabas were Gal. 2. 12. c. The deceitfulness of his worser part imposeth upon him and he plays the Fool but as his Grace had no hand in it but was meerly overborn so it recruits again and what it could not prevent by withstanding it clears it self of by Repentance The Godly sorrow bitter mourning self-abhorrence and mortification he applies to it witnesseth for him 2 Cor. 7. 11. And this belongs to that Spiritual warfare with which the Gospel acquaints us 7. That God in the New Covenant values us according to this New Nature It is true the Corruption within us is Originally our own and we have reason to bewail it as long as we Liveâ— and it gives the Believer a world of grief and molestation And when we neglect our Graces and allow or nourish our Corruptions God as a Father is angry and Corrects us for it but however God looks upon his People according to their Grace This is the New-Creature and they are judge such who have it in them And where there 〈◊〉 this warfare against Corruption and Grace exercised in Resistance and Repentance God is pleaseâ— to accept of us and though he Charge the othâ— upon our Concupiscence and will Mortify it 〈◊〉 us yet he Chargeth it not so upon the person 〈◊〉 to put him out of his Favour for it And on thâ— account it is that Paul dares to put it off from himself to his Sin Rom. 7. 16 17. 8. Hence such an one is in a Gospel esteemâ— one in whom is no Guile Who 1. Hath been Regenerated by the Spirit 〈◊〉 God and so hath a principle of saving Grace 〈◊〉 him A Godly man and one without Guile souâ— the same thing in Scripture language he is therefore so called Context verse 6. for by vertue 〈◊〉 such a saving change the man comes to have 〈◊〉 Right Spirit in him as it is called Psal 51. 10. 2. Hereupon he cordially and sincerely propounds the Glory of God as his last end in 〈◊〉 whole course Though he may miss it in the application in many things yet this is the general scope of his life and he studieth it daily this is the great concern that lies upon him 1 Cor. 10. 3. And this is the natural inclination of the new nature in us for it was put into us to enable us to Glorify God and hath therefore in it a tendency 〈◊〉 the end it was Created for and accordingly â—rompts us hereunto 3. Hence he abhors every thing in him that â—raws to the contrary He finds enough and too much in himself which is molesting of him and sometimes wofully too hard for him but he is â—ieved at it carries it about as his burden and â—ies out by reason of it yea he is vile in his â—wn eyes on this account as he Job 41. 5. accounts it his misery that he is so unhappily chained to it 4. Hereupon he lives in the practice of the mortification of this deceitfulness As he doth not allow it so he cannot be quiet for it but seeks to have it destroyed We are commanded to mortify the lusts in us Col.
succeeded so he tells us that he could get no ease till he thus did We â—are here first to consider of the nature of a right Confession and then shew how proper and necessary it is in this Case 1. In our Enquiry into the nature of a right Confession we need look no farther than thâ— Text in which it is fully comprehended and may be gathered up in several Propositions PROPOSITION I. That which we are to make Confession of is Sâ— So all the three words in the Text import Whâ— it is to Confess Sin is well to be observed Sâ— is defined to be a Transgression of the Law 1 Jâ— 3. 4. Now Sin as such will come under a double consideration viz. Original and Actual and boâ— of these must be referred to the Law of speciâ— Government under which man was placed by God in his Creation for nothing can be called Sin but as it hath a reference to the Law Heâ— 1. Original Sin hath a double respect Privatâ— and Positive and both belong to the Nature oâ— it 1. Privative Man in his Natural state is void of Original Righteousness There was a Moral recâ—tude put into the Nature of man at first Eccle. 7. 29 This is that which is most directly intended by the Image of God in which man was made Gen. 1â— 26 It consisted in those Graces of Sanctificatioâ— by which man was fitted for Universal Perfeâ— Obedience to the whole Will of God Man bâ— the Fall hath lost this rectitude and is Born inâ— the World without this Image And this is a Sinâ— state for the Law requires it in him and as hâ— was betrusted with it expects it of him Thâ— â—ant of it hath rendred him Impotent as to his Duty which Impotency is put into the description â—f the Sinful state of Fallen man Rom. 3. 10 11 12. And the man cannot answer the Law so long as â—e is without it and it is a Privation for man â—nce had the habit of it on him and it was Conâ—atural to him 2. Positive Man is in his Natural state filled â—ith the evil habits of Unrighteousness When he â—st the Image of God he contracted the Image of 〈◊〉 in the room of it which consists in the Corâ—uption of the whole Nature as the Crooked bias which is in all his Faculties and Powers forcibly â—clining him to Transgress the Law of God set â—orth Rom. 3. 13. c. And it hath two things 〈◊〉 it 1. An utter Averseness to that which is Good i. e. â—eologically so Man is a Rational Creature chuâ—eth under the notion of Good and refuseth unâ—er an opinion of Evil but he doth this accordâ—ng to Corrupt reason and not by the Rule of Reâ—gion And though sometimes if it be in the matâ—er of it right yet he doth it not aright hence â—roceeds mens refusing Obedience Psal 78. 10. 〈◊〉 5 3. And this is upon Choise flowing from Cursed disposition in them and is Sinful 2. A violent inclination to that which is Evil. â—rue they call Evil Good and under that notion â—ey crave after it Isa 5. 20. But it is a Corrupt â—rinciple in them from whence they so do and â—he insatiable â—eaching of their hearts after it 〈◊〉 of the Sinfulness of their Nature And this is Eminently observable in a Gracious Soul by thâ— reluctancy of it against the better part of whicâ— the Apostle maketh such complaint Rom. 7. 19. c. 2. Actual Sin may also come under a double Coâ—sideration viz. the Act and the Obliquity of it and respect is to be had to both in the righâ— stating of the matter 1. In respect of the Act it self For though 〈◊〉 Act as it is an Act is Sin but hath a naturâ— Goodness yet actual Sin hath an Act which 〈◊〉 the subject in which it is and so there can be 〈◊〉 Confession of Sin without acknowledging the Acâ— Now in Divinity there are two sorts of Actions in which Sin is to be observed 1. Commissions which are usally called Tranâ—gressions When the man doth something thaâ— ought not to be done and this properly respect the Negative Precepts which do prohibit the doing of them The Law saith thou shalt not Kill Steaâ— c. when men do such things these are Sins 〈◊〉 Commission these ought not to be done the doing of them therefore is sinful 2. Omissions which are comings short in duty And are against the Affirmative Precepts which require us to do this or that when we do it noâ— it is an Omission Now though these in commoâ— account are rather a not acting than actings yeâ— in Divinity they come under actual sins because there is the action of the will in them which God hath a regard to and is indeed the principal power in man which the Command hath to do withal and so God chargeth these Omissons on willfulness Psal 81. 12. Jer. 6. 17. Mat. â—3 37. 2. With respect to the Obliquity of the action And this is it that rendereth it Sin No Action â—an be reckoned sinful but as it swerves from thâ— Rule of Obedience given unto man for where there 〈◊〉 no Law there is no Transgression Rom. 4 15. Had â—here been no Law man could no more have â—inned than Beasts can but being put under a â—aw suited to his Nature every warping from it 〈◊〉 excess or defect becometh a Sin Now this â—bliquity is considerable several ways viz. 1. In the matter of the Action i. e. When the Action it self is repugnant to the Precept When â—he Law saith this thou shalt not do and the â—an doth the very thing forbidden or this thou â—alt do and he neglecteth it Hence the denoâ—ination of Sin is put upon such actions Jam. 4. 〈◊〉 Which is to be understood not absolutely as â—ey are actions but relatively as they are actions â—hich the Law prohibits The thing that David 〈◊〉 displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult 2. In the manner of the Action There is not â—ly a doing but a so doing required by the Law â—nto which if men give not attendance but in aâ—y respect decline from it Sin is imputed to 〈◊〉 1 Chron. 15. 13. We sought not after the due 〈◊〉 Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear 3. In the principle from whence the action floweth the heart that is in it Let the matter be never 〈◊〉 right yet if it be done with a false heart it is â—ful this is remarked 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which was right but not with a perfect heart and Psal 78. 38. Their heart was not right wiâ— him Thus are Hypocrites condemned on account of their Prayers and Alms givings Matth. 〈◊〉 begin And for this reason all the actions of Unregenerate men are obliquities Prov 21. 4. 28 9. 4. In the many Circumstances of the Action Hereby the Sin is reputed either greater or less and here a great many things might come undeâ— consideration but this would make too great digression only let us remember that
and that is his trouble and â—ill he can get some good security of his pardon â—he is not satisfied The report indeed that there â—s forgiveness with God and the offer of it made â—o him is some relief and affords him a supportâ—ng hope against utter despair but it must be a â—igned and sealed pardon read to him that will â—estore him to real comfort there is many a Malefactor is Executed for all the mercy of the Prince God may be a God of forgiveness and many may taste of it but he may perish Time was when he pleased himself with a general notiâ—on of mercy but now he considers what God hath â—aid Isa 27. 4. Fury is not in me who will set briâ—rs c. And so he cannot rest till Christ saith â—o him Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven the â—an must have a good ground to believe his â—ardon as he hath been assured of his Condemnation 5. There is no Testimony that can satisfie the Consciâ—nce in this case but that of the Spirit of God He must speak peace to and in the man or it cannot be believed Conscience saith it is God that is â—rovoked he is Judge the Sentence of Condemnation hath proceeded from his mouth and if he do not take it off again none can I must thereâ—ore hear what he saith to me Psal 85. 8. There â—â— indeed the terms of the Covenant to which the promise of forgiveness is connected which beinâ— wrought in the man have the evidence in themâ— and do make the witness of our own spirit buâ— this alone will not satisfie a troubled Soul wiâ—â— object against the reality of them and suspeâ—â— them of fallacy till the Spirit come in and set hâ—â— seal to the truth of them and confirm them byâ— his secret application Godly and skilful Christians may inquire into the mans case and give kinâ— great encouragement judging his condition safe â— but all will signifie nothing to him they are chaâ—ritable and do not know him as he knows himself he knoweth his own state better than they do he therefore can have no quiet till therâ— be a Divine Obsignation upon him till it comes toâ— that Rom. 8. 16. Faith only can receive the consolation and apply it and that cannot build on aâ—ny thing short of a Divine Testimony 6. There must be this forgiveness really past in orâ—der to the Spirits bearing witness to it The maâ— must be forgiven at least in order of nature beâ—fore he can be ascertained of it for this Testimony is to a thing that really is and though God sometimes doth together with pardoning thâ— Sinner let in this light whereby he discerns itâ— yet he doth not always do so he acts his Soveraignty in this matter but he giveth no assurancâ— of a pardon to him before hand he indeed ofâ—fereth it tells him where it is and how to be obtained encourageth him to wait for it offereth him his assistance but all this while the matterâ— is in suspense as to the man and if he complyâ— â—th not with these offers he remaineth in a state of â—ondemnation God is not wont to reveal his â—urpose to the man on this account till he hath â—ven being to it in his Providence and this â—ssurance follows upon that faith by which he â—mbraced the offer of Grace which had been â—ade to him 7. That this Forgiveness is applyed upon the plightâ—g of the New Covenant As to the opinion of Justification from Eternity or upon Christs Reâ—irrection the mistake of it hath been before obâ—erved the promise of it made unto Christ and â—he accquittance given to Christ for his Redeemed â—as to be applyed to them in the Gospel way and â—rder The actual Forgiving their Sins belongâ—th to the work of Application and God hath in â—he Gospel opened a New Covenant in which â—he carrieth on the Reconciliation so that after Christ had Reconciled God to us we are sent to â—nd entreated to be Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And there are the terms of the Covenant accordâ—ng to the tenour whereof it is brought about â—nd therefore called a Covenant of Peace Mal. 2. 5. because upon the making it with the Soul the Peace of God is brought into it to which belongs â—his Forgiveness And so upon every renewal of Covenant upon any difference that Sin hath made this Peace is restored upon a new applicaâ—ion of Forgiveness 8. Hence this Forgiveness is always connected with Faith and Repentance There is great dust raised about the word Condition and whether Faith and Repentance be Conditional in the New Covenantâ— I know no danger in calling them so if rightly understood however it is enough to say that there is a close Connexion between these and the benefits contained in the New Covenant Iâ— grant we may call them Benefits too being fruitsâ— of Gods Everlasting Love and operations of his Spirit in and with the means and things promised to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption inâ— behalf of those whom he was to Dy for But in the New Covenant they are acts of preventing Grace and are not promised on any Conditionâ— to us all the offers of Spiritual Good are there made to Repenting and Believing so that both the Invitations of the Gospel and the Evangelical commands Published in it require this of us though not of our selves but we must wait for them as a Gift from God yet this is a great Truth that there are no other Saving benefiâ— conferred on us without them and there is a reciprocation in them which is as much as is to be understood in calling them Conditions viz. that without Faith and Repentance there is no Forgiveness if God giveth not this Grace neither doth he the other Acts 5. 31. and that whenever God bestowâ— these upon any he together with it brings them into a State of Pardon true Faith hath all Salâ—vation secured to it Heb 10. 39. 9. This Confession of Sin is a necessary concomitanâ— of the Repentance of Faith And there are two things wherein this necessity will be discovered 1. The promise of Forgiveness includes this Hypothesâ— ly it That the Promises of the Covenant do run Hypothetically is not only maniâ—est from the nature of a Covenant but also evident from the tenour of Scripture expressions about it though there be something else besides confession put in yet this is mentioned in Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh 1. 9. Where is intended a penitent confession such as accompanieth true Repentance else Pharaoh may confess c. And see how God insists upon it Jer. 3. 12 13. And not one word of encouragement is given in the whole Book of God for any to hope for pardon who will not confess nay â—hiding and covering is threatned 2. There can be no kindly Repentance expressed without it No other way to testify it For 1. Sin must be seen in its colours if ever it be reâ—ented of There must such a Conviction
God in the Conscience of the person A Copy of his pardon thus ratified iâ— given to him and he is made to read and believe it as coming from God himself and from whence resulteth the Testimony of Conscience acquitting of us 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not c. i. e. acquits us on good grounds Now this God giveth to the man when he sees best and this is more peculiarly aimed at in our Text though not in separation from the former for without that this is a delusion nor is there any safety in an acquitting Conscience so long as God condemneth us 3. Wherein this readiness in God to forgive is discovered A. Besides that God hath proclaimed this in his Word to belong to his great and glorious Name as that wherein he delighteth to make himself known to the Children of men Exod. 34. 6 7. There is abundant demonstration that he hath given for the confirmation of the truth of it 1. In that any of the sinful race of men have ever been forgiven Such is the vile nature of Sin so high is the affront that is offered to God by it there is so much of malignity in the least Sin and so great an indignity done to the Declarative Glory of God by it that if he had not an heart in him to pardon there had no such thing ever been heard of One Sinner pardoned though the least that ever was in the world is a Monument of Gods wonderful Grace and proclaimeth him to be a forgiving God One such instance saith that there is forgiveness with him for it must proceed from his own voluntary inclination who found the Sinner to be his Enemy and might justly have destroyed him for ever To see a Sinner saved from hell is a matter of just admiration to all such as ever were acquainted with the nature of Sin and what it hath made men to be 2. In the way which he hath contrived to bring about the forgiveness of Sinners The right consideration of this will shew us how deeply Gods heart was engaged for it in the days of Eternity and how unchangeably it is fixed on it in as much as he laid it out before time and pursued it to effect in the fulness of time and truly this is that which hath surprized the Holy Angels themselves with astonishing wonder and they still gaze upon it with greatest admiration the Psalmist observeth Psal 130. 4. With thee there is forgiveness but how comes it to be with him how came he to have a stock of pardoning mercy laid up by him It is true nothing is more free than forgiveness it cannot be bought by but must be given to the Subject but there must a door be opened for the extending of this though God is prone to pardon Psal 86. 5. Yet there was that which lay in the way of it which must be removed else there could have been no application of it the Justice of God which was concerned in and by which the First Covenant was ratified had righteously doomed man to dy for sin and the truth of God had declared that he would stand by his own Law yea and his Holiness by which he is bound for his own Glory would not admit that that Covenant should be baulked Mat. 5. 18. How then shall the Sentence be Executed and yet the Sinner be pardoned There was but one way in which this could be brought about and that was by the interposition of the Eternal Son of God undertaking to be substituted in the Sinners room and to answer all the demands of the Law in his stead that so Justice being satisfied might conspire with Mercy in the Sinners Salvation Psal 85. 10. In which affair the Son of God must become man and be humbled to death and bear all the weight of Divine Displeasure even all the penalties of sin Isa 53. 4 5 6. Nor was Salvation possibly to be had in any other way Acts 4. 12. And yet such was the kindness of God that all this should not obstruct the matter but he would rather make all wonders to meet in one and not Spare his own Son but give him for us that so he might express his kindness to us in pardoning out sins And what greater discovery of good will could there be 3. In the free offers that he maketh of it to men He hath not only made way for it by the Obedience of his Son who paid the price of our Redemption but published it in the Gospel and tendered it to all that come within the sound of that Proclamation And there are two things that set forth his readiness to apply this forgiveness to Sinners 1. That he maketh offer of and invites Sinners to accept it He hath ordered that man be told that he hath forgiveness and that they be bidden to come for it He doth not wait till miserable Sinners cry to him for it which yet would be a rich favour if so they might find it at his hands but because they sought it not nor ever would have done so he sends them an Embassy about it Isa 65. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 20. And would he do so did he not delight in pardoning 2. That he offereth it freely And if he did not do so the Sinner must for ever go without it for he had nothing to purchase it with The Gospel Invitations come as freely as can be supposed Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. If it be here objected you teach that there are Gospel Conditions on which it is only to be had how then can it be said to be free it may readily be replied there are no other Conditions required in the Gospel but what among men are required in order to receiving and being invested with the freest gift that can be there is nothing but acceptance of this gift and acknowledgment of the kindness of the bestower faith is the hand that receiveth it whereas unbelief puts it away and is it not meet that he who would have the benefit of a gift do accept of it or doth such acceptance derogate from the grace of the Giver and what is our Obedience but our thankfulness to God for so unspeakable a gift and shall any say the gift was not free be cause I was thankful for it the Sinner was worthy of death and deserved no pardon and yet he may have it for receiving and is not God willing 4. In the urgent entreaties he useth with men to accept of this forgiveness He not only offers it but pleads and is very urgent and importunate with them as if it were a kindness done him to take it of him as well as to them in their having it he useth all sorts of arguments to perswade them by he tells them what need they stand in of it that their eternal welfare depend upon it that they are condemned and going to Execution and must need perish if they be not pardoned and therefore how much they
would be comforted as they were Confess with them if we would have a sealed pardon as they had 4. In thus following them let us wait upon God believingly In this way strengthen our faith from their pattern encourage our Souls with this and these were as I am and thus they did and are now happy I will then trust in God and thus waâ— for his Salvation Forgiveness obtained in the way of Prayer DOCTRINE II. IT is the Duty of all and the disposition of every Gracious Soul to pray to God for as they hope to obtain forgiveness of him They that would have it must pray for it and they that have true Grace in them will so do There are two Propositions in the Doctrine 1. It is the duty of all that hope to be forgiven by God to pray to him for it That this is a duty is evident because God hath required it though God hath purposed to bestow a pardon on all his Chosen yet Prayer is a required medium in order to the obtaining of it Ezek. 36. 37. I will be sought c God therefore connects their Calling and his Hearing together Jer. 29. 12 13. But it â—t be enquired What dependance this forgiveness â—ath on our praying for it We may take this brief account of it 1. That Gods forgiveness is every way free to us â—e cannot deserve it by any thing of ours It is of the very nature of a pardon that it is free We must distinguish between the provision made â—n the Covenant of Redemption for our being pardoned in which we were bought and satisfaction was made to the Justice of God and the Dispensation of it to us in the Covenant of Grace in which it is freely bestowed and the meer mercy of God is celebrated Whatever Christ hath done to merit it for us we our selves never did not could do any thing towards the deserving of it So that our prayers cannot of their own nature oblige God to pardon us and therefore we are in them to confess our own unworthiness of it Luk. 15. 21. 2. Hence all the media by which we come to obtain any favour from him are his free gift He hath prescribed them as an order in which we are to come by his benefits yet not only the benefits themselves but also all the grace and help where by we are enabled so to wait upon him for them is from him He gives Repentance as well as Remission Acts 5. 31. He helps us to pray as well as pardoneth us on prayer Rom. 8. 26. So that his Grace doth equally appear in the one as in the other So that though he hath made promises to such conditions yet he must give them or we can never work them in our selves 3. That Faith in Christ is the great medium by which we apprehend Gods forgiveness We cannot merit it all that we have to do is to receive it which is only by an hand of Faith Hence Justification to which pardon belongs is in the Gospel restrained to believing Rom. 5. 1. But this hath been already insisted on 4. That our faith must be acted on Christ for our apprehension of this pardon I here dispute not whether the habit of Faith doth not put us in a safe state We are here only considering the order of the Oeconomy of the Divine dispensation to us As to Gods dealing with Infants it is dark to us We can readily conceive them Subjects as well capable of the Sanctification of the Spirit as of natural corruption though how they should exert acts of faith and repentance is beyond our conjecture But as to others we know that the habits of Grace are infused for action and to believe in Christ for life is an act of the Soul proceeding from such a principle and not meerly the principle it self though it presumes a power put into us else we could not take hold on Christ Now it is actual believing to which the Gospel promise is made Joh. 3. 16. And therefore it is called a coming to him Math. 11. 28. 5. That this faith is most suitably expressed in Prayer That prayer is a duty of Natural worship the light of Nature as well as the word of God informeth us that we should carry our wants to God in Prayer appears from the nature of it that all our Prayers are to be made in faith we are assured because such Prayers only is Effectual We must ask all in the Name of Christ we have no other way of access to God Now forgiveness is one of our great wants and that to pray in faith for it is most suitable will appear if we consider 1. Herein we testify our felt want of it It is sence of need that drives men to Prayer All formalities without this feeling are but idle strains of complement which God hath no regard for And indeed the end of Prayer is not to acquaint him with our necessities for He knows them before Math 6. 8. but to affect our selves with them God would have us know our need that we may put the better value on his kindness it is therefore upon felt want that we are advised to ask Jam. 1 5. 2. We herein also acknowledge God to be the author of our forgiveness This he expecteth of us It was one clause in his Prayer Dan. 9. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses And if we do not believe and acknowledge it to come from him why do we ask it of him and here is a double exercise of faith we believe that he can forgive and we believe that if ever we be forgiven it must come from him Psal 130. 4. Dan. 9. 9. When we go no whither else but to him for it we give him the glory of it 3. We herein declare that he is a free Agent when he forgiveth us The very asking a pardon if sincere implies that we acknowledge our Guilt otherwise we could not know what we want a pardon for And when we seek to have Guilt removed in way of a pardon we signify by it that we have no satisfaction of our own to make for the offence but it must come from the benignity and compassion of him whom we have offended So that Gods free Grace is fully asserted in our Praying for forgiveness and that it is at his liberty It is therefore asked in his Name Psal 25. 11. 4. Hence this puts us into the best posture to receive it God will magnify his mercy in pardoning our Sin and what posture better becomes us to take it of him than lying prostrate at his feet resigning to his mercy sensible of our own unworthiness Justifying him in his severity against us imploring him to look upon us in tender pity and all this belongs to the very frame of a right praying to God God is most honoured by taking us off from the ground where we ly before him in our shame thus is the Prodigal represented Luk. 15. 21.
them to this purpose by applying them to himself for the mortifying of his lusts and exercising of his graces to his spiritual profit and whiles he looks on them with such an eye he is reconciled to them so as to say of every one as Phil. 1. 19. This shall turn to my account and how happy a condition is this well may it be said of these floods that they do not come nigh him USE I. This points us to our great Duty when we see clouds and storms rising When we see presaging Symptoms of great calamities at the door common reason tells us that these are warnings bidding us to prepare but alas they are vain courses which the most take when it is so but here we may be told what is good and safe for us and here 1. It is certainly now a time for prayer All dangers seen in the face of Providence call Gods people to betake themselves to him and seek his help It is vain to put trust in any other object but God is a refuge and a present help in times of trouble We are directed hither by him Psal 50. 15. David resolved thus to do Psal 57. 1 2. And whether else should they go he only can and is ready to do for them what they want 2. It will tell us what we are to pray for The great thing desirable is to be safe from the harm threatned we are therefore to seek that which will be our security and this will be directive to us in two respects 1. Let it direct those that are in an unpardoned state And here 2. Be you sensible how unprepared you are for such a storm It is the miserable state of such that when the flood comes they have no Ark to fly to and hide themselves in no Rock to settle upon no shelter to betake to but ly open to the utter destruction threatned and how will such carry it then See Rev. 6. 16 17. All refuges of lyes will then come tumbling down Isa 28. 17. How profitable now will such a thought well digested be A See what it is that unfits you and that is your Gunt It is not because you have sinned against God so have his Children but because the Guilt of it abides on you were that removed you might do well enough this binds you over to to wrath of God the Sentence of Death is not reversed you may now expect it to be executed and your sins to find you out 3. Be afraid of the terrours of it Think what will you do when God shall fall upon you with his Judgments and Conscience shall then reflect with horrour on you and lay all your sins open before you and tell you that for these things the wrath of God is upon you to destroy you It is a solemn question that God propounds to those sinners Isa 10. 3. What will you do in the day of visitation And Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine heart endure 4. Let this drive you to God for pardon There is forgiveness with him and you may obtain it if you seek it aright and he gives you warning of trouble before hand to awaken you to seek it of him in time God by these warnings gives men to see their need of it that they may seek it in good earnest Amos 4. 12. Because I will do this prepare to meet thy God O Israel 5. Be not at rest till you have gotten this settled Wait therefore on him for his Spirit to work in you that Repentance and Faith by which you may be brought to a New Covenant Interest in it have those evidences for it which may be sufficient to answer all the accusations of Satan and reflections of a misgiveing Conscience think if you mistake here you are miserable but if this be secure all is out of danger 2. Let it be also to direct the Children of God what to do upon such presages as these Be advised then 1. To examine whether there be no sin standing out against you that is not adjusted between God and you It is now a matter of great moment call therefore your consciences to an account knowing that if there be any provocation which God is angry at that hath not been particularly confessed and repented of it doth so stand out 2. In case there be any such make haste to do your duty in this regard consider what you have to do and use no delays And here 1. Expect this to be the bitterness of the Cup. ' The trials themselves may be irksome and enough to try all your patience in bearing them but this will add an unknown weight to the burden it will be the very poyson of the Cup you will find the difference to your cost if you adventure it and do not speedily prevent it Psal 76. 7. To see God angry will be more dreadful than to feel the whole weight of affliction that can be suffered in this world Yea it may be and sometimes is so that it will make you lose the sight of his love to you and apprehend him as an Enemy and what a terrible thing will that be 2 Hence seek to God in true repentance renewed faith for the actual forgiveness of it Be thorough in this work confess it ingeniously mourn for it bitterly aggravate it particularly beg hard for a pardon and look to the merits of Christ and take hol◠on them for it wait submissively at the footsto◠of the throne of grace till he bestows it 3. Get the evidence of this forgiveness as clear 〈◊〉 you can See that this very sin is pardoned seek to discover it in your selves by such fruits as are witnesses to it and beg earnestly for the witness of his Spirit that you may read the pardon and see his hand and seal to it rest not till he speak peace to and in you USE II. Let it be a word of Consolation to those of Gods Children who carefully keep accounts clear between God and them Who are very heedful to avoid every provocation and observe if there be any and speedily apply themselves to get it made up although you also may meet with floods of great waters yet here is your consolation 1. Your inward peace will give you a good settlement of mind To be able to see and say there is no breach between God and you will be enough there will need no more to quiet your spirits if when you see darkness in the world you can behold the light of his Countenance looking upon you with greatest serenity must not this needs fill you with joy unspeakable and full of glory and make you triumph in midst of afflictions 2. God himself will afford you his comforting presence You shall not only have the witness of your own consciences but the Joy of the Holy Ghost and the manifestations of his love to you to such he speaks comfortably Isa 41. 10. 43. 2. You may now walk through the valley of the shadow
endeavours to compass it it will not let him ly still but pricks him forward to the use of means Prov. 18. 1. 2. That which encourageth to use these particular means is hope by them to obtain the thing desired Desire puts men upon seeking means but that which fixeth them upon these courses rather than others is an apprehension of the suitableness of them to the purpose and the probability at least of gaining the thing in the use of them and this hope putteth life into endeavour for if men did not expect success in the undertaking they would either not begin or presently tire and give out and therefore hope deferred makes the heart to faint Prov 13. 12. And that which nourisheth hâ—pe is a rational connexion between the means and the end 3. Hence there must be an end aimed at which gives motion to this desire and hope Philosophers had in vain placed the end among the causes if it did not influence to the producing of the effect This causality must be referred to the end in intention which is by the influence it hath on the Efficient to set him on work and in all Rational agents this is evident that these two affections are thus excited the means are not desired or hoped in for themselves but for that which is aimed at by them 4. That faith teacheth a believer to make Gods glory his last end in all things Fallen man is come short of this Rom. 3. 23. And hence hath other ends in which he centers but the Grace of God hath taught men to return to their great end again They now renounce their sinful ends and regulate their subordinate ends this is an universal lesson that faith teacheth to do all for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. 5. Hence every prayer of faith hath an eye to this in every petition When we pray for any thing we always propose to our selves what use to make of it when obtained and according to this proposal so are our prayers to be accounted spiritual or carnal we read of some Jam. 4. 3. and Psal 78. 18. These were not prayers of faith but dictates of the flesh When we rightly go to God for any thing we carry that in our aim that we may be able to honour him with it Not but that in its place we may have respect to our deliverance or comfort but we rest not here but would have all for our better serving God 6. Hence the right exercise of faith in prayer layes a foundation for this praise There is a reason of our hope which our faith improves and this makes way for these songs For 1. Faith hath an eye and respect to the power of God This is the first reason why we believe in God nor should we ever trust in him if we did not acknowledge that he can do that for us which we commit to him God thus encouraged Abrahams saith Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty and when we believe that he and no other can we give him the honour of his Omnipotency and so are prepared to put a remark on this Attribute and give him the glory of it when he shall have performed for us so they Exod. 15. 6 7. 2. Faith applies it self to his free Grace in sense of our own unworthiness It teacheth us to come humbly and to acknowledge that we deserve no help but the contrary and accordingly to hope in his mercy thus Jacob. Gen. 32 10. And the Prophet Dan. 9. 8 9. And as this helps against despondencies from sense of our own unworthiness so it disposeth us to celebrate the riches of mercy appearing in these salvations and to study how to render according thereto Psal 116. 12. 3. Hence faith concludes that if God will deliver us we shall be laid under strong obligations to him by it Certainly kindness done for us will bring us under bonds of gratitude and so the more that is resented the stronger hold it will have of us This sense therefore will dispose us to pay our Testimonies of gratitude to our benefactor and all ingratitude proceeds either from insensibleness or forgetfulness of this 7. This makes him to bring himself under obligations A Child of God never puts up a petition to him but either expresseth or supposeth a promise made to him in case he answers him for all transactions between God and his people are in a Covenant way Sometimes they bind themselves by a vow as Jacob Gen. 28. 20. or explicit promise as Psal 80. 18. And it is ever implied according to the method of the Covenant expressed Psal 50. 15. 8. His hope excites in him a premeditation what to do Hope looks out for God to come in this way and makes him to think if or when God answers my requests how shall I best show my self grateful to him in it hence a promise given made them turn a fast into a thanksgiving 2 Chron. 20. 18 19. 9. And this puts him upon a preparation for the work before hand He counts it his concern and therefore addresseth himself to make ready that he may have nothing to do but put it in execution when the time comes Psal 65. 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zaon USE I. We have here a Rule for Trial whether we offer right prayers to God in a time of trouble Many pray and complain they cannot be heard and if they should enquire might here see the reason of it there are things that men reckon for prayers which God receives not as such And here 1. Do we bring all our troubles to him seeking his help in them There are that if some fearful distress overtake them will cry and call and make a loud noise Prov. 1. 26 c. But for ordinary troubles they hope to grapple with them alone and whiles they can either bear them or have a prospect of relief in any other way they will not trouble him with their petitions these have not made him their hiding place and well may be dismiss them to seek help where they have been wont to go for it Jer. 2. 28. 2. What are our designs when deliverance comes It is an usual language if ever I get out of this trouble I will do thus or so and would we take an account of our musings on this account it would let us see much of our hearts And here 1. Do they all center in our selves God observes which way our hearts go on this account and it is good we should do so too knowing they are deceitful and apt to impose on us Do we seek deliverance only to have the more scope to gratifie the lusts that are in us this provoketh God and no wonder if he regard us not Jam. 4. 3. When Israel had long wandred in the wilderness and were now ready to possess the promised Land God observed what projects they were upon Deut. 31. 21. 2. Or are they carried out after the glory of God Though you
in his Integrity by vertue of the first Command which faith was to have been placed upon God according to all that he revealed of himself to man in the first Covenant and was to be the spring of his obedience He was to believe him to be such an one as he manifested himself to be in all his declared perfections to believe the truth of his commands of his promises and threatnings And it was a wound in this faith at which the Apostasy began which if our first Parents had preserved in its vigour they had never yielded to the temptation but man hath lost that There is then a Faith in God which is required in the Covenant of Grace of all those that entertain it and hope to receive the benefits of it and this faith is to be placed in God through Christ and though God or the Divine nature be the Ultimate object of it yet Christ is the next and immediate object through whom we are to come to and believe in God whence it is most frequently in the New Testament called believing in Christ And as there is no performing acceptable Service to God without it Heb. 11. 6. So it is the root from which all sincere Obedience flows Gal. 5. 6. And whatsoever pretences men may make there is no truth in any thing that is not done by the influence of it Concerning this faith let these things be observed 1. That the Faith it self is a trusting in God for life Life and death in the Scriptures are used to express the happiness and misery of the Creature and hence as all miseries are summed up in death so all felicities are contained in life there are the inchoations of it here in Grace and the consummation of it is reserved for Glory Now there is in all men a natural desire of well being but mans Sin hath deprived his natural apprehension of true felicity and perverted him in seeking after it but where God bestows this faith upon men he both discovers himself to them as the only object of it draws forth the affiance of their Souls on him for it and therefore mans blessedness is declared to flow from this trust Psal 2. 12. 2. That which directs us to make choise of this object alone is 1. A discovery of that in him which is sufficient for this Life Man acts his deliberation in making choise of his object and that which comes under debate is whether it will answer the end of it for which it is chosen so far as he apprehends this so far is he guided to his Election This makes wicked men to chuse the world because they are deceived by it and when God draws men to believe in him he makes himself known to them in his glorious perfections Psal 9. 10. He therefore gives the reason of his trust Psal 62. 5 6 7. 2. A conviction that it is no where else to be had Fallen man is diverted to other objects and hath fastened the hold of his choise on them and must have his hands knockt off before he will chuse God for his portion and this is done by letting him see how vain all other things are that they cannot give him the satisfaction he craves after and without which he must be empty miserable hence the vanity of the Creature is no little part of the design of the Spirit to display in the word of God 3. That which encourageth us to trust in this Object is 1. The communicableness of this life to us It is not enough to have an object in our eye which enjoys a fulness of sufficiency in it self for it self for unless he hath a fulness communicable for the Creature he may be happy himself but that will never make us happy Herein therefore God hath manifested his Alsufficiency to us in that he hath enough for himself and more than enough to spare for us He is compared in his word to such things which have a fulness whereof they are communicative to a fountain of living waters Jer. 2. 13. To the Sun Psal 84. 11. And he is commended to us in his works of Efficiency in which his Sufficiency is imparted to the Creature for the encouragement of our faith Psal 89. 11 12. 2. The Invitation given us to come to him for it He hath commended himself to us as such an one for this very end he hath told us what he is in himself and what he hath to bestow upon us if we come to him for it useth arguments to perswade us so to do he offers it and invites men to accept of it Isa 55 1. Rev. 22. 17 Isa 45. 22. Complains of mens wilfulness in refusing to come Matth 23. 37. Luk. 19. 41. And expostulates with men as if he would break their hearts with kindness and take no denial of them Ezek. 33. 11. 4. The way in which we come to place this trust in God is by Christ This is the only Evangelical way of believing nor can fallen man in any other way rightly place his trust on God for 1. We are made to see that God out of Christ is a consuming fire Man in the first Covenant had to do with God immediately but he can no more come at him according to the tenure of that Covenant for mans Apostasy hath armed the Justice of God against him with Vengeance and now God appears to the convinced sinner to be a devouring â—re and everlasting burnings and he dares not approach him lest he be Consumed 2. We are also convinced that we cannot atone him to us by any Righteousness of our own There is a fond opinion which vain men are ready to take up about themselves as if they might satisfy God and obtain his favour by their own works so that when Conscience is awakened they take up a course of legal duties and lay out much cost and pains about them but when God comes to bring us to the faith of the Gospel he makes us to reject all this and acknowledge the raggedness filthiness of it Isa 64. 6. Phil. 3. 8 9. The proud sinner would make money of this but he now sees it is but dross 3. He lets us see the fulness of sufficiency in Christ to make us partakers in this life This fulness is originally in God but Christ is the Mediator between God and man and the dispensation of the fulness of God to men is put into his hand so to be imparted to us Col. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. So that by coming to have a title to Christ we have a sure title to that life 1. Joh. 5. 12. 4. He acquaints us that all this is for those that come to God by him God herein exhibits his Son as an Object of worship to whom we are to pay Divine honour Joh. 5. 22 23. And for this reason he hath given us the assurance that if we come to and believe in him for it we shall not miss of it Joh. 7.
37 38 When therefore God invites men to come he backs it with a promise Isa 55. 3. Hearken and your Souls-shall live 5. The hold which faith takes on God is by the promise The Gospel is filled with great and precious promises amde to all that believe in Christ they bespangle it as so many orient diamonds and these are exhibited with the invitation Mat. 11. 28. Now these are handles which we are to fasten our faith upon and all these are in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. And they are sure and unfailing When we thus entertain the promise we receive him with it he comes by it into the Soul and were it not for this there would be no fastning upon him it would be an over daring for a Sinner to trust in him 6. That which mainly distinguisheth faith from presumption in this matter is that it receives the promisâ— according to the tenour of the New Covenant There are many that pretend to believe who indeed but presume and the reason is because they hear of gracious promises and run away and say they believe them whereas all the Gospel promiseâ— are Covenant promises and so there is a Covenant to be considered to which they belong and according to which they are made over to be a portion to the true believer there is then something that must accompany that faith which embraceth the promise and if we cannot shew that we cannoâ— prove the legitimacy of our faith We must for sake sin self world renounce all take Christ in alâ— his Offices c. Separate these from our trust and it will deceive us but such a trust as this will be our safety 2. What is the influence this faith hath into the Obedience to produce it A. We may take an account of it in the following particulars 1. Faith it self is one piece of Gospel Obedience It is indeed the great Gospel duty The habit is wrought in us without our co-operation we are meerly passive in it but the acts of it are exerted by us though not without Divine Co operation and they are required of us in the Gospel there is a Command for it 1 Joh. 3. 23. 2. This faith also prompts us to our Obedience it is a Grace that stirs us up to the faithful Service of God and that it doth 1. By shewing us that it is the only way to obtain the promise Faith enâ—ertains the promise as laid down in the New Covenant and so it tells us that if we hope to inherit the promises we must comply with the terms of the Covenant and it dares no otherwise to secure them to us 1 King 2. begin 1 Chron. 28. 9. Faith improves the promises not to nourish negligence but to animate our diligence 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2. By displaying to us the obligations that are laid on 〈◊〉 to Obedience It is by faith that we discover the infinite love of God to us in chusing us from Eternity to be partakers in his mercy and thereby putâ—ing a vast difference between us and others the wonderful love of Christ in engaging in and going through the work of Redemption so satisfying the Justice of God for us purchasing us out of the hands of the Law and ransoming us from destruction and â—aying in for us a glorious inheritance and all that â—e might have a seed to serve him hence that 1 Cor. â—6 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God c. And the great kindness of the Holy Spirit in planting the Grace of God in us so restoring us to a new principle of Spiritual life which faith makes us to say what shall I render c Psal 116. 12. 3. By assuring us of the great advantage there is in our Obedience Faith by entertaining the promises and setling us upon them infers what a glorious recompense there is in Obedience Psal 19. 11. It reads over the Inventory of blessings that are laid up in them and saith I shall be no loser but a great gainer which puts life into us and makes us very willing and chearful in our work Gal. 6. 8. We conclude that our labour will not be lost but superabundantly recompensed which oyls ouâ— wheels and helps us to run 4. By setting before us the danger of disobedience Faith hath an eye also on the threatnings why else doth God lay them before his people but to enliven his fear in them Rom. 8. 13. Heb. 12. 14. This as wakens us to our work and makes us to rouse up when we grow dull 2 Cor. 5. 11. He believes that God would accomplish his word of threatning as well as his promise he looks upon him as a jealous God counts it a fearful thing to fall into his hands Heb. 10. 31. Jobs fear excited him Chap. 31. 23. And faith animated that fear 3. This faith also strengthens us to and in our Obedience The Spirit by assisting our Faith helps us in our whole Service of God and this 1. By overcoming the Temptations that would hinder us in it The people of God meet with a great deal from the world and from Satan that offers to stop them in or divert them from their work and when faith is down and out of exercise it is too hard for them but when the Spirit of God stirs that up it bears all down before it The world is â—nquished 1 Joh 5 4 And Satan is withstood 1 Pet. 5. 9. What great temptations did those worthies recorded Heb. 11. encounter but by faith they vanquished them all 2. By fetching in of strength from Christ to obey Gods Children are sensible of their own infirmity and insufficiency so much as for a thought which would discourage them but that by faith they go to Christ and acting faith on the promise depend on him for succour and this carries them through hardest duties Phil. 4. 13. And as Christ hath bidden us to look to him for help and said that he will not fail nor for sake us so faith entertains his word and will not suffer us to set about any thing in our own but in his strength and so we are helped 3. By witnessing to our sincerity It is Gods pleasure that our Obedience shall not be perfect in this life a Paul cannot do good as he would Rom. 7. And this many times disheartens us and we think we had better do nothing than so spoil all but faith puts new vigour into us and makes us chearful in our work by evidencing to us that we are upright cordial true to God in what we do thus we have Paul expressing of himself 2 Cor. 1. 12. And makes him say as David Psal 130. 3 4. 4. By enabling us to resolve our hope for acceptance into Christ. A Child of God upon reflexion on his duties and finding of so many short comings in them is ready to say surely an holy God cannoâ— take delight in such services as these whereas faith now revives his hope by looking on
the Mediator that High Priest through whose hands all go and whose Incense perfumes all our duties Rev. 8. 2. And remembers that his Service is not Meritorious but Eucharistical he believes that Christ will cover the follies and present the uprightness and he shall be accepted in the beloved 5. By enabling us to wait for the reward notwithstanding all the present discouragements that are in our way Faith works in patience faith entertains the promises and maketh realities of them though it seeth them afar off and can live upon them Heb. 11. 13. It dares to trust in God it saith the word is true a God that cannot lye hath given it who can give being to it will not forget Thus it makes us willing to wait Gods time and mean while confidently to hold on in our Obedience nothing doubting of the recompense and thus it supplies our Obedience USE I. For Information in a few particulars 1. Learn hence what to judge of those that profess faith and yet live in all disobedience Gospel times and places afford a great many of these who talk big of their faith and yet declare by their Conversation that they are under the dominion of their lusts these boast of a false gift and that may be applied to them Jam. 2. 18. A dead faith is of the same import with no faith for if there were any it would be active and if so it would have its operations and we are certain that the genuine operation of faith is by love Gal. 5. 6. i. e. Obedience to God which flows from a sincere love to him and though it should sometimes be supprest yet it would recover again and shew it self forth It is then vain for Drunkards vain Company keepers profane Swearers and such like to talk of their faith whose lives say they have none 2. Hence also learn what to think of those who on pretence of faith encourage themselves without Repentance in their Disobedience How many who have made some profession and do something in duties do live in gross neglects and are drawn into great transgressions and though they are convinced of it and cannot deny but that it is sin in them yet make a light matter of it their faith answers all and they do not repent soakingly of it but wipe off all with an easy complement and the Blood of Christ must answer for it though it be a truth that it must so if ever it be forgiven yet there is a way that faith directs to of which they are regardless What is this but to make faith a Cloak for sin which how contrary is it to the nature and end of it and must needs declare that they have it not or do not exercise it aright 3. Hence then how injuriously do our adversaries charge us for pleading for faith to nourish in men a neglect of Obedience This proceeds from the malignity of the proud hearts of men against the Gospel way of Salvation by Christ Rom. 6. 1. When as it is evident that the Doctrine of Faith is the ground of our establishing Evangelical Obedience since without it none can obey God aright and there is nothing that so obligeth quickeneth and helpeth us in our Serving of God as this faith doth if any then improve it to nourish neglect in them and embolden them to live in sin it is their ignorance of the nature of faith and these being without the experience of the efficacy of it None love God so much or are so convinced of the necessity of Circumspect walking or take such delight in the Law of God as those that have large measures of faith 4. See here a reason why Gods Children so often come short in their Obedience it is not because of a strong but of a weak faith If ever there be a defect in our vigorous Serving of God there was first a languishing in our faith if we are bold at any time to neglect our duty or to commit sin it is because our faith is not lively in the belief that God is Holy Just Omniscient that he hates sin c. If ever we are disheartened in duty and take discouragement from the difficulty of it and do it unevenly it is because faith is low in its actings and this may be instanced in every other respect if Peter sinks he is of little faith Mat 14. 31. 5. Here also is a reason why God sometimes leaves his own to fail in their Obedience Though they engage in duty with much confidence and resolution yet they flag and sail and fly off the reason is because they did not set about it in faith denying themselves and their own grace humbly depending on Christ but relied on their own strength eminent was this in Peter we see his confidence Mat. 26 33 35. And how bravely he began vers â—1 compare Joh. 18. 10. And yet see what all this came to verse 69 c. USE II. Let it be for Exhortation and that 1. In general to all As you would ever be able to Serve God aright seek after this faith This is the first thing and without it all other attempts or endeavours will be vain Consider 1. Without it you can do nothing Evangelically Under the First Covenant man had strength in himself yet he needed Divine Influence for the exerting of it for which there was requisite a faith in God but under the Covenant opened to man who hath lost his strength both the will and the deed must be fetched from Christ in whom all our help is Till you are believers you have no strength at all all you do without faith is legal and unprofitable for it will be condemned by the Law under which you are the Gospel life is a life of faith Gal. 2. 20. And till you believe you are dead Eph 2. 1. 2. Hence you cannot please God with any thing you do Heb. 11. 6. If you please your selves and think you do it very well and begin to commend your selves for it and are contented in it and if you please men in it who look on the outside and cannot know the heart and they applaud you for it yet this is all your reward As for God who is the Judge and according to whose judgment actions are weighed and will be determined you have no acceptance with him he loaths your actions and will condemn them because done without faith Would you not then live in vain and lose all your works Seek to be found in the faith Waith therefore on him who is the God of all grace that he would bestow this grace upon you whereby you may serve him acceptably and receive the reward of grace at his hand in the day of recompence 2. To the Children of God Would you lead a life of exact and constant Obedience See then to your faith I know nothing of greater moment for Gods people since faith is to influence the whole of our life and all will be according
as that is And for help here 1. Is your Obedience weak Let it put you upon endeavour to strengthen your faith If you find duty hard at any time you shall find upon due enquiry that it is occasioned by the languishing of your faith What made the Israelites that they would not hear Moses Exod. 6. 9. but this What made Abraham so readily to go about offering of his Son Heb. 11. 17. but his faith the impossibility of duty which we at any time conceive is because faith hath not its full activity for faith rightly exercised will do wonders this was the reason why the Disciples could not cast out that Devil Mark 9. 23. If when we look on our own impotency we think it vain to attempt we look off to the Grace of Christ and the firmness of the promise engaged for our aid this would make it easy we should engage chearfully 2. Are you discouraged in your way by Temptations 〈◊〉 ply faith You would do duty but you find Satan resisting you you find a body of death withstanding there are allurements and frights set before you and you are ready to be mastered by them now set faith on work by that discover that there are more for you than against you if the troubles of the way begin to sink you look on to the recompence of reward and believe it to be and to be as glorious as the Word of God hath represented it this helped Moses Heb. 11. 26 27. This kept Paul from fainting 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 3. Would you do any thing well be sure to fetch in faith for your assistance Trust not to your own grace rely not on your own present dispositions think not to go through in your own strength when you find your selves never so much raised in your thoughts but remember you must be helped from on high reject then all reliance upon any but Christ and accordingly let faith stir up prayer in you and drive you with importunity to the Throne of Grace to fetch assistance from him he hath told you Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Keep your eye then upon him in every step you take and take it not off for one moment so shall you be assisted without fail 4. Would you hold on to the end in your Obedience Keep an eye of faith fixt upon the promise and on God through Christ whose the promises are Heb. 12. 2. You are like to be encountred with many trials in this life and whiles you are sincerely serving of God the face of Providence may have such an aspect on it as looks as if it were rather putting a bar in to prevent the fulfilment of the promises and mean while the difficulties in the way will appear hard to bear and now nothing can support you in your resolution and perseverance but the expectation of the accomplishment of the good engaged and the sufficiency in it to compensate all When God had promised Canaan to Abraham he advised him Gen. 13. 17. Arise walk through the Land in the length breadth of it so do you and then remember that Christ is the Surety for the accomplishment and that God himself who hath made the promises cannot fail of his good word nor can his wisdom or power be defeated and whiles your faith holds here what is there that should shake your Obedience The Rewards of Obedience fruits of meer mercy DOCTRINE IV. ALl the rewards of Obedience that are bestowed on believers are the fruits of meer mercy Let a man believe never so strongly and exercise this faith in the Service of God never so fervently yet if God accept and reward him it must be acknowledged to no other fountain but his mercy Here then we may enquire 1. What is the mercy of God here intended A. There are two words most frequently used In the Scriptures to set out the kindness of God which he expresseth to sinful man viz. his Mercy and his Grace Now the conceptions which we entertain of these two Attributes are divers Mercy is conceived to be an inclination to afford succour to those that are miserable and hence it hath a respect to the misery of the Subject Grace is a disposition to bestow a favour freely whether the Subject on whom it is bestowed be miserable or no. So that man in his state of integrity was capable of partaking in Grace from God doubtless there was Grace in the First Covenant wherein God transacted with man Whereas man was not a subject for the application of merey strictly taken till by his fall he had made himself miserable and so an object needing pity and compassion to be shewn him But the Spirit of God useth these two words often promiscuously one for the other or each comprehending both under it and the reason is because fallen man being become miserable there must be mercy mixing in all the Grace that is extended to him which reacheth to all the benefits he partaketh in for being a relief to him in his misery they are mercy and being without his deserving who hath by sin forfeited all they must needs therefore be of Grace and in this large comprehensive sense we are to understand Mercy in our Text. We observed that the word signifieth a sacred affection of piety pity without any regard to the merit of the Subject that partakes in it Now there is a twofold mercy that is ascribed to God in his Word a Common Mercy which he extends to good and bad expresse◠in all the favours which mankind in general are made to share in whom sin had made miserable by exposing them to all the Curses written who had forfeited their lives and all the supports of them and hitherto belongs all that goodness which men partake in in their preservation and the provision made for them and the delight they find in these things all which are fruits of Gods meer benignity and compassion and of this wicked men and his greatest enemies have as large 〈◊〉 share as any and there is a special mercy of God which he extends only to his Elect whom he hath chosen in Christ unto Salvation and accordingly bestows on them such benefits as he vouchsaves to no other in the world but them and we therefore call them special both because they are restrained to these Subjects and also because they are the fruits of his everlasting love which he bare to them before the world was and the displays of it to them in the Works of Efficiency and this is the mercy we have under our present consideration concerning which mercy we may observe both the benefits that belong to it and the mercy discovered in them 1. Touching the benefits that belong to it they are all those things which are by the Spirit of God made servicable to the bringing them to and possessing them of eternal Salvation And here let us observe 1. There are those benefits whereby they are brought into
then there is a peculiar love which he bears to his chosen which never had beginning Jer. 31. 3. And shall never cease Joh. 13. 1. And thus no mercy is common to a believer but all that he enjoys proceeds from that fountain of love which hath designed his Salvation and causeth all to work for good to him Rom. 8. 28 Whereas all that wicked men enjoy works to their hurt Psal 92. 6. This then is the mercy that compasseth the true believer viz That love of God whereby pitying them in their miserable state which sin had brought them into he doth freely and for his own name sake bestow grace and glory on them and all that is good Psal 84 11. 103 17. So that all the providences that befall them in their way as well as the glory they are brought to in the end of it belong to this mercy and a Child of God may read love in every passage he meets withal whatsoever the outward face of it may be 2 In what respect it compasseth them A. Mercy is here compared either to a Watch that are continually walking the rounds so taking all care for the security of the place they are charged with or to a Guard allowed unto a Prince who are to stand round him to keep off all that would attempt against him Mercy then compasseth them about in preventing all that would hinder them from and supplying of them with all that is needful to bring them to Glory Mercy lies about the believer he is entrenched in mercy it gives him all security But for a more particular account of this affair let these things be observed 1. That there is an eternal life to which God hath appointed them That God hath Ordained some of miserable men to everlasting glory is of Revelation Now though who these are be a secret till he makes it known yet he always lays a foundation for the discovery of it in those whom he makes believers inasmuch as this faith hath the assured promise of life made to it Joh. 3. 36. All that believe are in a state of Salvation and so far as they know themselves to be such they may conclude this concerning themselves 2. There is a way in which they are to be brought to the Enjoyment of this life This life is considered as an end 1 Pet. 1. 9. There is then a medium by which we are to come to the obtaining of it Though there be a certain connexion between Eâ—ion and Glorification yet there are several links between them by which they are so connected The Word of God is frequent in speaking of the way of life and salvation and we have an account of it Rom. 8. 29 30. This life is first inchoated when we are Regenerated and consummated when Grace is perfected when our race is run and our warfare accomplished We are first entituled to it in Vocation made meet for it in progressive Sanctification and at length possessed of it 3. The bottom design of this mercy is to conduct them to it The special Mercy of God applies it self to the Elect either before faith in making them believers and hither belongs all that is done for them by God till such time as they are Effectually called but I pass this Or after they are united to Christ by faith to which are to be reckoned all those things that are done for the making them ready for and bringing them into the Kingdom of Glory that being the Inheritance of which they are made heirs by Adoption Heb. 2. 10. Hence all the effects of Providence are to be judged of by the respect they bear to this and their operation to bring it about 4. There are many things which they meet with in their way which would hinder their obtaining this life against all of which this mercy secures them Believers are to travel to heaven through an evil world where they will encounter much opposition many seek their hurt there is corruption within lusting against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. Satan a buisy Enemy always contriving and attempting their harm 1 Pet. 5. 8. Many snares allurements discouragements afrightments which hazard them Now the mercy of God compasseth them about to defend them from all these and powerfully to preserve them to Salvation and thus it doth 1. By watching over them continually That is the encomium of Israels Keeper that he slumbers not nor sleeps Psal 121. 4. What is the priviledge in this regard of the Church in general belongs to every true member of it Isa 27. 2 3. They have not skill enough to discern all the dangers which they ly open to but the all seeing God both caâ— and doth they can be in no danger but he knows of it and concerns himself with it Psal 142. 〈◊〉 2. By preventing of the mischief designed against them He doth not look on as an idle spectator but therefore observes that he may safeguard them for he is their Keeper and hath undertaken their protection When therefore he seeth any thing plotted against them for their harm he defeats it powerfully he breaks the snares dasheth in pieces all the contrivances that are laid against them hence that challenge Isa 8. 9 10. Associate your selves c. And the people of God have reason to sing as the Church Psal 129. begin Had not the Lord been on our side c. 3. By limiting of them God for holy ends will sometimes suffer his people to be assaulted they shall meet with temptations be vexed by them and their hearts may be cast down and disquieted through unbelief be ready to think that God hath forgotten them but it is a mistake if he had not a praise to gain by them he would not so suffer them and he sets bounds to them that they shall do no more Psal 76. 10. The wrath of man shall praise thee c. And this is true of every other thing that may threaten to hurt them 4. By governing the event of them He ever intends the permission of them for good though the instruments purpose harm by them though he suffers the thing yet he orders the issue of it that instead of harming them it shall do them a kindness The Enemies of Gods people designed nothing less than their ruine but God saith By this shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged c. Isa 27. 9. That which was intended to overturn shall only try their faith and make it the more illustrious advantageous to them 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. 5. There are many things needful to help them to glory which this mercy takes care to supply them with The believer depends on it in every step and it fails him not for 1. It provides for them all that is needful both for Soul and Body Both are concerned in glorifying God and working out their own salvation and mercy takes care of both the promise grasps in both 1 Tim. 4. 8. Hence that Psal 34 9 10. And
Grace It doth not say the man 〈◊〉 whom there is no sin but to whom God imputâ— it not it supposeth that there is sin and thâ— God might impute it if he would and why doâ— he not true it is upon Christ's account so thâ— it is not free to him but purchased by him 〈◊〉 in respect of us there is no merit of ours in thâ— case the Psalmist saith Psal 130. 3 4. If thâ— Lord shouldest mark iniquity c. but for Chriâ— sake he will not so do though the man hâ— been guilty of never so many sins yet he will 〈◊〉 lay any of them to his charge Justice lets 〈◊〉 its action against him and dischargeth him froâ— the arrest that was laid upon him and this 〈◊〉 done through Christ 2 Cor. 5. 18. needs thâ— must it be free grace Well might the Apostâ— say Rom. 3. 24. Justified freely by his Grace thrâ— the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ 2. Hence we have a clear discovery of tâ— blessedness of a pardoned man well might tâ— Psalmist put that remark upon such an one 〈◊〉 indeed one essential part of the misery of Sinnâ— is that they are under the Imputation of Siâ— Whence ariseth their obnoxiousness to the Fâ— Indignation of God which by this Non-Imputatiâ— they are delivered from by this the Wrath of God passeth from them and if God will not charge it their sin can never bring them into Condemnation let them have committed never so many or great sins they can do them no hurt on â—his account they are thus put out of all danger of hell and the miseries of that place and surely â—e is an happy man 3. Learn hence the necessity of Christ's passive Obedience in order to our forgiveness If he had not suffered we could not have been pardoned for such is our relation to the Law of Justice â—hat if once we have contracted Guilt to our selves â—here is a Law Imputation of it to us and to the â—aking that off again nothing less can be necessaâ—y than that the Law be answered and that reâ—res satisfaction and will not take up without 〈◊〉 Nor was there any to be found that was able 〈◊〉 give in this satisfaction for us but the Son of God in our nature if he had not done it no â—ther could so that we must have remained unâ—r the charge how then could God have been â—st and yet Justifie us Rom. 3. 26 to him then â—re we to acknowledge this wonderful benefit 4. This tells us that forgiveness should not â—ke away but encrease our self loathing When God cometh to forgive us he finds us Sinners â—se we should not need forgiveness and in forâ—ving he doth not take away the being of the 〈◊〉 he forgives or make us inherently righteous â—ough together with it he ever Sanctifies us but â—thdraws the Imputation from it but still there is the vileness and odiousness of it lying before us and it is not less odious because God will not impute it but the consideration of this rich favour should make us to abominate it so much the more as it did Paul Rom. 7. 5. This shews us whence the Consolation oâ— Gods people flows under the sense of all their sins What is the reason why a Guilty Sinnerâ— under the awakenings of Conscience and discoveries of Sin is terrified and ready to sink into despair going up and down as one amazedâ— when a Child of God sees and knows as muâ— by himself as many and as great sins that he haâ— committed and yet can look upon them thougâ— not without deep self-abasement yet with a greâ— deal of consolation and triumph Why the oâ— sees not the sin only but the Imputation toâ— whereas this man can say that God doth not impâ— his sins and so his Soul is comforted on that account 6. See here the reason why such as have beeâ— great Sinners and are pardoned do abound iâ— their love to Jesus Christ there are none that arâ— more carried forth with ardent affections to himâ— or more engaged to do or suffer for him our Saviour gives the reason of it Luk. 7. 47. who ever more engaged in setting forth the riches 〈◊〉 Grace than Paul 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. and why 〈◊〉 but because such an one sees that his debt and forfeiture was very great he was Ten thousaâ— Talents in arrears his score was formidable 〈◊〉 it is all crost there is not one that stands on the Account book against him USE II. Let this be to Exhort us all to seek after forgiveness and one would think it should be enough to put us all upon it to see this secured For Consider 1. Till your Sins are forgiven they are imputed All the Sin the Guilt whereof derives to any of the Children of men stands out against them â—ill a pardon removes it by taking away the Imputation his whole account abides on record and â—s not crossed 2. Your danger by this is very great You cannot answer the Justice of God for one of these Sins and what an innumerable Company of them 〈◊〉 there So that you go in continual hazard of â—eing laid up by Justice and prosecuted for them â—nd then what a woful condition are you in Our Saviour therefore adviseth Luk. 12. 48 49. 3. When once you are pardoned there is no more â—putation that passeth oft with it As God seeth â—o Sin so he will charge none he saith of every â—ne whom he forgiveth that none of his Iniquities â—all be remembred against him 4. Hence now you may look upon your selves â—ea your sins without dread This takes away â—e ground of terrours because it blots out the â—and writing that was against you If when the â—ooks are opened there is nothing there to be â—en but it hath the lines of Christ's Blood â—ossing it or his Satisfaction and Payment charged on the other side all is safe and well And for help remember 1. Your sins must be imputed some where The Justice of God requires this 2 Jesus Christ hath enough in his Satisfaction to answer for them and so to remove the Imputation to his score there is nothing wanting iâ— his Righteousness to answer all 3 He offers it to you to be made yours Thâ— is the design of the Gospel treaty to propoâ— Christ to Sinners and that is one thing in it 〈◊〉 be their Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. And what 〈◊〉 this for but that he may discharge the Debt 〈◊〉 Imputation for them 4. If you would have it you must go to Châ— and believe in him for it It comes in by believing and Christ is the author of that faith it mâ— be fetched from him none but Believers 〈◊〉 share in this Imputation of his Obedience Coâ— then to him wait on him seek him to cure yâ— of your Unbelief and give you faith 5. And you must renounce all your other dependencies If you rely on a righteousness 〈◊〉 your own that will never do Justice is not satâ—fyed with
it it cannot answer the Law for yoâ— Come then with your sins and confess your insâ—ficiency address free grace put up that petitioâ— Psal 25. 11. For they name sake Oh Lord pardâ— mine iniquity so shall the Imputation of Sin ceaâ— and you be made blessed A Pardoned Man is one without Guile DOCTRINE VI. THE Pardoned Man is one in whose Spirit there is no Guile It was observed in opening of the Text that these last words of it are put for the evidence of such a person whose happiness is described from his pardoned state or a Characteristical note by which a man may know himself to be such an one Pardon of sin in a Theological sense properly refers to the great benefit of Justification for though among menâ— is one thing to Justifie a person and another thing to pardon him a man is then only Justified at a Civil Bar when he is legally found innocent or not Guilty of the Crime he was Indicted for whereas a pardon supposeth the man to have been found Guilty and a Sentence accordingly to have past upon him to suffer according to the Law and then the supream power doth upon prerogative acquit him from the Sentence and set him at liberty without any satisfaction given for the Crime whereas God in pardoning the Sinner looks upon him in his Surety at whose hands his Justice hath received Satisfaction and accordingly acquits him Judicially as 2 Cor. 5. 21. And so the Justice as well as the Mercy of God doth herein display it self 1 Joh. 1. 9. It is true if we look upon the man in himself and with reference to the Covenant of Works so it is a pardon for the Law hath found him Guilty and condemned him Such is the condition of every one in his natural state and in that regard there is an act of free forgiveness passeth upon him who hath done nothing himself to obtain it and so the wonderful grace of God herein appears But look upon him in Christ as he was indented for in the Covenant of Redemption and is put into him under the Covenant of Grace so the satisfactory Obedience of Christ is reputed as his and on this trial he is sound without iniquity i. e Imputatively and hereupon is acquitted and that is a Justification and belongs to 〈◊〉 as one essential part of it and so is that to be understood Numb 23 21. Now though there be a wonderful change of state that passeth upon the man in Justification for in it he passeth from Condemnation and is adjudged to an Eternal Kingdom yet because it is meerly Relative 〈◊〉 hath not in it self a self-evidence but must be discovered some other way and because it doâ— not pass upon all men since the greater paâ—t oâ— mankind will fall under Condemnation Nor indeed are the Elect Justified as Elected but when the New Covenant is ratified with them nor caâ— they know their Election till they can discenâ— their Justification it therefore concerns ever one to be inquisitive after this and because it is noâ— made known by Immediate Revelation but by coâ— comitant Effects enquiry is to be made after themâ— and therefore we have one of them laid before 〈◊〉 in our Text and Doctrine Here then three things may be enquired into 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile 2. Whether this have any influence into our pardon or Justification 3. What evidence this gives to confirm us in the knowledge and belief of our being pardoned and justified Of these in order 1. What is to be understood by one in whose Spirit there is no Guile A. This manner of expression is used in the Scriptures more than once as a Periphrasis of a Godly man So Joh. 1. 47. Rev. 14. 5. The word Guile signifies Fraud or Deceit but is used equivocally Sometimes in a good sometimes in a bad sense There is an honest Craft 2 Cor. 12. 16. and there is a dishonest one which is pointed at in our Text and there are many things in which this Guile is practised there is Guile in mens words such is Flattery Psal 12. 2 3. and Lying to deceive Mic. 6. 12. And there is Guile in mens carriages when they pretend Friendship and yet lye in wait Psal 55. 21. And there is Guile in a Profession of Religion 2 Tim. 3. 5. But the root of all this lies at the heart the falseness whereof puts men upon these Guileful practises Hence Guile is in the word of God used for Hypocrisy and to be without Guile for Sincerity And when this is referred to the Spirit or Soul it intends that there is an inward principle of it in the man which influenceth into his Life and Conversation and this points us to that Sanctification that is wrought in the man at Conversion But for a more particular opening of this observe these things 1. That in the best of Gods Children here there is a Body of Death remaining We have Paul himself crying out by reason of it Rom. 7. 24. And what else is intended by this but the relicks or remains of the Sinful Corruption which the nature of man is defiled with by the Apostasy It is that Sinfulness in our nature which hath in it a repugnancy to the Law of God and cannot yield subjection to it Rom. 8. 7. And therefore is always Warring against the Law in the Mind Chap. 7. 23. And for any meer man in this Life to exempt himself from it is counted a daring piece of impudence Prov. 20. 9. Hence that Hypothesis 1 Joh. 1. 8. If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves And that positive Conclusion Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not 2. That in this Body of Death there is a remaining Sinful Guile It is therefore called a Body because there is every branch or member of carnal Concupiscence in it for though the whole of it be mortifyed in Sanctification yet there is no member of it is wholly destroyed but remains though not in its reigning power and there is no lust but a Child of God shall find the stirring of 〈◊〉 in him if he warily observe himself Now this Guile is one of those Lusts or rather a quality of them all and all men bring it with them into the World riveted to their corrupt nature Psal 58. 4. On which account we have that assertion of the Prophet Jer. 17 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things 3. That this Guile doth too often wofully break forth in the Lives of Gods people And this is a sufficient evidence that it is there for if they had none they would never discover any but how often doth it appear to others And though it many times acts closely and indiscernibly to the world yet they themselves might observe it if they would be acquainted at home Do not good men sometimes act deceitfully in their treating with others Did