him and be forgiven so David Psal 51 4. A full purpose to renounce and reject the sin for having any more to do with it Right confession of sin belongs to true Repentance at least as a proper adjunct of it if therefore it be sincere it will be followed with a forsaking these are therefore connected Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy For a man to think by confessing to quit scores and so run the more securely on new arrears is abominable wickedness it is to do as that Strange Woman Prov. 7. 14 15. And though through the sinfulness of the corrupt part he may be afterward overtaken yet that man who doth not confess his sins with such a â—â—al purpose by the help of God for ever after to avoid such a sin is a dissembler and may not expect to find acceptance PROPOSITION IV. That we must confess our sins fully without any liâ—ding or reserves The Psalmist contents not himself with saying that he resolved to confess his sinâ— and that he did actually acknowledge his transgression and his sin but he adds that he had notâ— hidden it Though there was a time when heâ— kept sinful silence yet when he was brought to confess he did it plumply he made a through work of it and it was his transgressions not thisâ— or that but all And there are two things poinâ—ted at in it 1. That we must confess all without any reserves 2. We must confess them to the height without any extenuation 1. We must confess all our sins without any reserveâ—â— That there is no sort or degree exempted hath been already observed but there are also individuals in these kinds which we should have a regard to in our acknowledgment and though iâ— be not possible for us to come at all yet we should be as particular as we may Compare Psal 19. 12. with Job 34. 32. But that which I more specially here aim at is that when the Spirit of God convinceth us of and humbleth us for any one Sinâ— and puts us upon confessing it we ought not â—â— tarry there but amplify our Confessions fartlier Here observe 1. That the Spirit of God frequently begins a Conâ—viction at some one sin which the man hath been guilty of If in an Afflictive Providence he awakeneth Conscience there is some remarkable sin is brought â—o remembrance as in Josephs Brethren if in an Ordinance he smices the man with a word it most commonly lays some particular thing to his charge and saith Thou art the man as to David 2. The burdened Conscience is now driven to seek ease by confession of the sin from which its trouble proceeds And this a natural Conscience doth more easily put men upon Pharaoh once and again is driven so far as to confess he had Sinned in refusing to let the people of God go And men must be grown to a prodigious hardness of heart if they suppress the confession of a Sin so circumstanced 3. When the Spirit of God designs the man saving good This Conviction is but an introduction to farther discoveries he will show the man to himself in his true colours before he hath done with him by this he opens the door and leads the man into the chambers of his heart and calls him to consider his ways Hag. 1. 5. And this is to bring him to a sight and sense of all his sins in order to the drawing out a full confession of them all it is then our duty not to rest at one but to trace it up as far as we can And here 1. There are often a great many sins that attend the consummation of that one which he ought to see distinctly and confess severally There were sins that gave occasion to the temptation though Satan tempts yet our corruption mostly giveth him the advantage and that is to be lamented David on the house top suffers his eye to wander and it â—â— surprized There were Sins in the entertaininâ— of the temptation some lust or other not guardâ—â— against but neglected if not indulged and thaâ— received the sparks and the heart took fire by iâ— the sin conceived in it when Achan saw the wedgâ— of Gold he coveted it Josh 7. 21. There are sins thaâ— accompany the act it self besides that the man doth the thing he useth much fraud in doing it yea and he breaks a great many commands in that one act yea there are many vile acts in onâ— work of Sin to the finishing of it and there are Sins that adhere to or follow it when it is done â—â— leads to more in the covering and keeping â—â— from taking air how many did David run himself into upon his Adultery and as all these are so many Sins so they require a particular observation and acknowledgment of them 2. There is a Fountain of Corruption within from whence every actual Sin doth stream and we ought to follow it up thither and make Confession of that There is an Evil root of Bitterness to be discerned in every departure from God and when the Spirit of God Convinceth us of any Sin we should ask our own hearts whence cometh this And on enquiry we shall find an undeniable Fountain Mark 7. 21 22. Jer. 6. 7. This then must be Confessed hither David follows his Psal 51. 5 and Paul his Rom. 7. 23 24. And here we see a vile Nature full of all abominations the well head of every Iniquity which affords matter of large and deep Confession And let it be reâ—â—rked that that Sin is not rightly Confessed by us which we are not led from the Act to the Original â—d do not acknowledge the Sin it issued from as well â—â— the Sin it self 3. There are a Multitude of other Sins the man â—â—th been Guilty of and it is now a proper season â—â— reflect on and make Confession of them Now â—â—â— his Evil ways and doings that have not been good â—â—ght to come into consideration This Sin tells show terrible it is to have any Sin stand out unâ—â—rdoned and that will put us upon calling our â—â—lves to an account to enquire what we have â—een and done and what hath been done in orâ—er to obtaining a remission and it is usual â—hat old Sins do now procure new trouble to the â—ind which maketh us to spread them before God David runs up to the very Sins of his youth Psal 25. 7. 2. We must confess them to the height without â—â— extenuation Covering and Confessing are oppoâ—ed Prov. 28. 13. Negatives in Scripture language â—â—clude and intend affirmatives when the Psal â—â—â—st saith he did not hide he intends that he â—aid it open and was very plain and full in his â—onfession And here 1. We must not hide the matter of fact by any â—â—ful Concealment David had attempted this beâ—â—re and greatly encreased his Sin thereby but â—ow he will do so no more There is a Concealment from men and Concealment from God which men
Hence when Gods people have declined in their obedience and would not receive counâ—â—â— God hath brought some fearful calamity 〈◊〉 them and this was to let them see that the thâ—â—â—â—nings were not meer scare crows but realities 〈◊〉 that so the terrours of the Lord might frighten 〈◊〉 into better manners and put them upon reforâ—â—tion and this God expected and threatned 〈◊〉 pursue that course till it came to this Levit. 26. â—â— 9. That when God recalls such providences and â—â—â—eth them prosperity again they soon fall from their â—â—â—dience Prosperity hath ever been dangerous to â—â—sound professors See Deut. 32. 15. Hence 〈◊〉 Apostasy under Gods favours hath procured 〈◊〉 their trouble and now in their distress they 〈◊〉 think themselves of a reformation Judg. 10. â—â— Now God pities them and sends them deliveranâ—â— But here is their unhappiness it was only fear 〈◊〉 drave them to reform and now this fear wears way and they forget their promises and turn agaiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 their former vain courses in which they delightâ—â— and their fear did not break them off cordially â—â—om hence that remark Judg. 2. 18 19. 〈◊〉 10. And by this God is put upon it to afflict them afresh and lay a yoke of trouble upon them How often 〈◊〉 such changes in providence befall the Children 〈◊〉 Israel because when God enlarged them they â—â—â—â—rned to their vomit and mire and then God â—â—ovided new troubles to exercise them withal â—sal 78. 40. c. 106. 43. Now when it is thus 〈◊〉 a professing people we may gather two inâ—â—rences from it 1. It saith at least that there is a great power of inâ—â—â—â—lling sin in them This is the best interpretation 〈◊〉 can be put on it Gods own Children are â—â—â—ldren here and very foolish and too ready to 〈◊〉 drawn into sin and neglect and for that reason 〈◊〉 often stand in need of being treated as Child 〈◊〉 and want a rod to awe them We are thereâ—â—â—â— told that there is need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. But it â—â—â—â—eth them this conviction to humble them viz. 〈◊〉 their worser part greatly prevails in them 〈◊〉 whenever we are afflicted by God it should 〈◊〉 us in mind of this 2. There are too often in this dangerous symptoms of 〈◊〉 being Unregenerate There is great reason for â—â—â—m to call their state into question Especially 〈◊〉 1. If it be so alwayes that they never keep to â—â—â—ir work but when they are under the rod if â—â—ey be not always held in with bit and bridle they will revolt and as soon as ever they feel the reigns 〈◊〉 their neck they run away There are the obligations of mercy and kindness which will leave impressions on gracious Souls and be influential to animate them to Obedience as Psal 116. 12. And if nothing will do but affliction it is a sign of a slawish heart 2. If it be to a course of presumptuous sins The best have their infirmities but if they be scandalous breaches of the Command that we had before lived in and been by affliction for a while restrained from but now return to with as much eagerness as ever it bespeaks us altogether flesh Suppose a man hath lived in the neglect of Gods Worship or been addicted to Drunkenness but affliction hath convinced him and he hath began to reform these things if upon deliverance he returns to these things again and grows as bad as ever it awfully bespeaks such an one to be in the gall of bitterness USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence a reason why a Professing People meet with so many Judicial Providences We 〈◊〉 apt to wonder how it comes but let us observe 1. Very often the bigger part of such a people are â—â—rnal It is our Saviours remark Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few chosen And see Rom. 2. 28 9. 5. The Visible Church are a mixt Company and as there are always some so often more tares than wheat growing in that field they take on them the name but have not the heart oâ— Gods people Sin hath dominion in them and 〈◊〉 them seem never so zealous yet it will be ever inclining them to Apostasy 2. The best among them are too much carnal Though not altogether flesh yet they carry too much flesh about them the Children of God have a rebellious party in them Paul complains of it Rom. 7. 23 24. And this corruption in them is unruly and too hard for them which occasionâ—th their growing into spiritual indispositions which are attended with neglect of duty and sometimes woful â—â—â—â—arications 3 Hence they cannot be long without affliction A long continued state of prosperity would do them 〈◊〉 the corruption in them will take advantage â—â— draw them into carnal security and sinful deâ—â—â—â—â—res from God Let ungodly men have their 〈◊〉 desire and they will abuse it and Gods Children cannot bear too much dandling in the lap of Providence if Davids mountain stand strong â—â— grows careless Psal 30. 5. Such a people therefore would gather abundance of filth to themselves as the Sea doth in a calm 4. Hence God is righteous when he afflicteth such a people There is no injustice at all in it see how â—he promise runs Psal 103. 17 18. And no wonder if a fool often feels a rod upon his back if men will return to their foolishness as soon as they come from under correction it is their own fault â—â—d they may blame themselves for it that they â—re brought to it again presently God herein vindicates his Holiness and makes it appear how ill he can endure sin Let it not then be thought strange if they who are so ready to turn asideâ— are laid under straitness again 5. And he is also kind in it to his Children Noâ— only is he just but merciful too a father is aâ— kind in giving his Child seasonable correction aâ— in giving him his daily food It belongs to hiâ— Covenant Heb. 12. 6. And his faithfulness is tâ— be celebrated in it Psal 119. 75. It is the way iâ— which he shews them their folly and teacheâ—â— them wisdom and Godly men have abundâ—ntâ— reason to say that it was in love to their Soâ—â— that he would not suffer them to ruine themselves 1. Cor. 11. 32. 2. Hence then to what a degree of brutishnessâ—â— they grown who will not be reclaimed by sevirity The horse the mule though bâ—uits may be boâ—â—â— and brought to with pains used upon them â—â— to be governed with a bit and a bridle neeâ— then must they be under a character of greater brutishness whom neither mercies will melt â—â— judgments break but they go on in their eviâ— ways after all and are there not many that are grown Judgment proof and beyond the efficaâ—â— of continued smitings as they Isa 1. 5. Hosâ— 4â— 17. Jer. 2. 30. And herein carry in them the very character of fools according to Prov. 27. 22 USE II. Let this then
amends for all the pains that we can be at in seeking after it USE III. Let it be for a word of Consolatiâ— to all such as are pardoned Are all such blesseâ— men how should the apprehension of this comfort our hearts and certainly if we do not finâ— more sweetness in it than in all that is delight fâ— in this world we never felt the burden of Guâ— thereby and may well question whether we aâ— forgiven or no. Are you delivered from wraâ— to come and can any thing else damp your joyâ— is not here enough to ballance yea to swallow 〈◊〉 all other sorrows whatsoever And that you maâ— suitably express this joy of yours take these twâ— words of direction 1. Bless God for this wonderful gift This 〈◊〉 none of the least of the arguments which the Psâ—mist useth to stir up his Soul to bless God in Psâ— 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities And theâ— is abundant matter of thankfulness in it whethâ— we consider the free benignity which it discoveâ— God owed it not to us he hath not indulgâ— every one with it and we did no more to obtâ— it than they he not only offered it to us bâ— drew us to accept it he gave his only Son to pâ—cure it for us and he sent his Spirit into oâ— hearts to apply it to us or if we consider 〈◊〉 greatness of the benefit it self which is uncoâ—ceivable And can we sufficiently admire blâ— 2. Let us study to live as becomes pardoned â—es What manner of Conversation ought we to â—ad in the world to whom God hath given his â—e forgiveness Shall we not loath Sin more by â—e consideration of the great pardon that is given 〈◊〉 Shall we not abstain from it with the more â—re and abhorrence by considering what it cost â—e Son of God to procure a Remission of it for 〈◊〉 Shall we not make it our constant care and â—deavour to please and serve that God who hath â—alt so bountifully with us Shall we not love â—m who hath so loved us And if we do indeed â—ve him according to this obligation it will cerâ—inly make us willing and unwearied in seeking 〈◊〉 express this love suitably in dayly Dying unto â—n and Living unto Holiness and pursuing of this 〈◊〉 our days Gods forgiveness extends to all Sin DOCTRINE II. GOD'S forgiveness extends to all Sin This is implyed in the threefold expression of Sin â—ere used which contain under them not only â—e errours that men are apt to fall into but also â—e crooked and perverse nature and actions which â—ey are chargable with yea the bold proud and â—gh handed Transgressions which they rebelliously perpetrate against God Give me leave first 〈◊〉 explain the Doctrine and then to give the reasoâ— for it 1. In the Explication we may premise Thâ— there is one Sin which in the Gospel is exempâ—ed from forgiveness and but one It is true 〈◊〉 Sin impenitently persisted in unto death leavâ— the Sinner unpardoned for there is neither Saâ—ing Repentance nor forgiveness to be obtainâ— in another World by one that dies in his Sins bâ— it is not because former impenitency may not 〈◊〉 pardoned upon Repentance but because the Sinâ— hath by persisting in it lost the opportunity of 〈◊〉 day of Grace But there is one that in it 〈◊〉 puts the man in this life out of all hope of pâ—don and that is called The Sin against the Hâ— Ghost of which our Saviour so speaks Mark 〈◊〉 28 29. This is that which is called the Sin 〈◊〉 Death which puts the man out of our Prayeâ— 1 Joh. 5. 16. And this is that which is describâ— to us Heb. 6 4 5. Nor indeed is this Sin unpâ—donable because its Guilt out-bids the value of 〈◊〉 Atonement but because by it the man puts hiâ—self out of the road of forgiveness according 〈◊〉 the Divine Ordination and by a malicious â—nouncing of the Gospel and the Spirit of Gâ— in it after great illuminations and an high pâ—fession he provokes God to give him over to haâ—ness of heart and searedness of Conscience wheâ— by he is Sealed to final impenitence there beâ— a total and final withdrawing of the Spirit froâ— him Concerning which I shall only say thâ— much that the person who is troubled and grieved in himself for fear lest he have commitâ—ed this Sin hath therein a good evidence that â—e hath not since the Gospel seems to give that â—s one inseparable concomitant of it viz. an obâ—inate and a malicious hatred of the Gospel way â—f Salvation But this sin only excepted all oâ—her sins whatsoever are pardonable yea and we â—ave the instances of such as have been guilty â—f them and yet obtained forgiveness Let me 〈◊〉 little open this in the following remarks 1. The greatest and vilest sins in themselves â—ay be forgiven Our Catechism tells us that â—me sinâ— are in themselves more heinous than others â—nd the Scripture is full for it Not but that all â—s are equally transgressions of the Law and â—onsequently incur the guilt of Eternal Death â—et if we consider and compare some with oâ—ers there is in the things themselves more of â—e malignity of the heart discovered in some â—an in others God therefore tells the Prophet â—at he will shew him greater abominations Ezek. 〈◊〉 6 13 15. It is a sin to be angry without cause â—ut greater to commit actual Murder a sin to â—urmur against God but greater to blaspheme â—c Now the greatest and most abominable of â—ese are not out of the reach of a pardon and â—e may well argue that if Gods forgiveness exâ—nds to those that are greater it is not out bid â—y those that are lesser there are scarlet and â—imson sins and yet these may be washed away â—a 1. 18. I might here instance in those that are deservedly reputed the most odious and scandalous and point you to such as have been horribâ— guilty of them and yet obtained mercy and aâ— now glorified Saints in Heaven we have 〈◊〉 whole heap of them numbred together aâ— such an observation made on them 1 Cor. 6â— 10. 11. Murder is an horrible sin and 〈◊〉 blood of the innocent cryes to heaven for vengâ—ance and yet David obtained a pardon for thâ— he prays Psal 51. 14. Deliver me from blood gâ—tiness and the Prophet tells him 2 Sam. 12. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not dy Idolatry is a fearful sin aâ— that which is terribly threatned in the Word 〈◊〉 God and yet God invites such to return upâ— the promise of pardon Jer 3. begin Blasphemy iâ— sin of the first rate for men to rend and teâ— and reproach the Name of the Great God aâ— yet all manner of blasphemies the fore cited 〈◊〉 excepted may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Pâ— though a blasphemer obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Witchcraft is an odious crime for men to 〈◊〉 themselves to Satan and practice his hellish aâ— God would not have such suffered to live aâ— yet there
to look to his Son for it This was indented for in the Covenant of Suretyship the Father offered it and the Son complied with it and there were Articles concluded about it â—sa 53. 10. God Sent his Son about it and he came accordingly Gal. 4. 4 5. his business was â—o take away his peoples sins Joh. 1. 29. and one â—hing that belonged to this was the taking away their Guilt by forgiveness and when he was engaged in this affair his Father witnessed â—o his acceptance of him in it Mat. 3. 17. 3. That in Christ's satisfaction there is a â—ufficiency to expiate the Guilt of all sin Such â—as the vertue of this One Sacrifice which he â—ffered up to the Justice of God Heb. 1â— 14. â—ence is he said to be able to save to the utter-â—ost Heb. 7. 25. It was not only enough for â—maller trespasses but for the Chief Sins and Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. and this will be very evident if we consider what he did for the expiation oâ— the Guilt of our Sins and that was he suffereâ— for them the whole punishment that was bâ— Law due to us for them it is fully exprest iâ— Isa 53 4 5 6. he underwent the whole weighâ— of the Wrath which we should have undergoneâ— he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. and then leâ— us add to consider that he was the Son of Goâ— a Divine Person that suffered all this though 〈◊〉 was his Humane Nature that bare it yet the persoâ— that sustained it was God and therefore it is caâ—led his blood Acts 20. 28. and this put an infiniâ— value and vertue into his Obedience So thâ— there is a stock of pardon laid in that cannot 〈◊〉 exhausted all the sin of all the Sinners in tâ— World cannot exhaust it 2. That the Gospel design is most of all aâ—vanced by his forgiving of all Sin and this 〈◊〉 reason sufficient why he not only can but wâ— do it Here observe 1. That the Gospel great design is the illustraâ— on of the special Grace of God By Gods speâ— Grace I intend that which is to be shewn in 〈◊〉 Salvation of fallen man there is common grâ— exprest in many other things but this is thâ— which God hath a peculiar design of commâ—ding to the undone creature and this is thâ— which is discovered in the Gospel the grâ— contrivances in Gods Eternal Decree with â—spect to his Elect had an aim at this Eph. 1. 〈◊〉 and those astonishing Providences which wâ— concerned in our fall by the First Adam and being repaired again by the Second were media subordinated to this purpose all was to make way for the Grace of God to appear in its most splendent lustre So that our whole Salvation is ascribed to this grace Eph. 2. 8. 2. That the forgiveness of Sins is an expression of rich Grace The not doing of it without the satisfaction of Christ is no obstruction of the Grace of it as some fondly dream but doth the more enâ—ance it What is Grace but an act of free favour bestowed on the Subject which he no way deserved nor could have laid any claim unto had it not been so conferred and such is this forgiveness hence said to be done freely Rom. 3. 24. The pardoned Sinner deserved to dy all miseries belonged to him he had nothing to offer to atone God to himself withal Christ freely satisfied for him and God freely applies the merit of this to him and it must needs be rich Grace for we have already observed that the man is made a blessed one by it 3. That the more and greater sins it extends unto the more illustrious is the Grace of it There is so much of malignity in the least sin and so just a provocation given to God by it and the merit of death in it is so righteous that it is a wonder that God should forgive one Sin how then is this admiration justly encreased when the Sins of the Creature have risen to a most formidable multitude and magnitude Paul puts a great Emphasis on this 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Who was a blasphemer a Persecutor injurious c. and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant c. What is the forgiving of an Hundred pence to ten Thousand Talents Paul tells us that he was by this made a pattern verse 16. and David makes this an argument to plead for pardon withal Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine iniquity for it is great we are therefore told that where Sin abounded grace much more abounded Rom. 5. 20. hereby the great love of God is manifested and the incomputable value of Christ's Obedience is discovered 4 Hence the exhibition and offer of this pardon is made to the greatest Sinners the Gospel invites all without exception whatsoever they have been or done See how God invites and what an argument he useth to back this invitation Isa 55. 7 8. 9. q. d. you may think your Sins to be so many and great that there is no hope for you but remember I have other manner of thoughts about it and I can do that which you cannot so much as think hence he useth that encouragement Isa 45. 22. I am Godâ— Hos 11. 9. I am God and not man yea he promiseth that upon their accepting of his offer he will not remember one of their sins against them any more Jer. 31. 34. but pardon them all Chap. 33. 8. and the reason is because he doth it for his own name sake Isa 43. 25. and what more needs to be said for clearing of this truth USE I. For Caution Be we advised to beware of abusing this precious Doctrine by encouraging our selves to live and ly in Sin Such is the baseness in the heart of sinful men and so ready is Satan to insinuate himself into it â—hat they are exceeding apt to take encouragement to Sin from that which should be the most heart breaking incentive of them to haâ—red against it Oh! say they is there forgiveness for all Sin then there is no danger Let us follow the sight of our eyes and the way of our hearts let us sin that grace may abound as the Apostle brings them in with abhorrence Rom. 3. 8. 6. 1. How many Drunkards Sweaâ—ers Whoremasters Profane Wretches haden themselves in their wickedness by this and if we tell them of their vileness they have a ready answer there is forgiveness and they fear not but let such consider 1. This is to turn the Grace of God into wanâ—onness It is the highest affront that can be given to the rich mercy of God and in nothing can you give him more horrible provocation This is to make the strongest poyson of the most refreshing cordial It is the best news that ever was reported in the world that great Sinners may have a pardon but this is to make â—t the worst and most pernicious to you and â—ndeed this misimprovement carries the most fearful symptom of Reprobation
he would not be concerned in it God is angry at nothing but Sin and Sinners for it and that which brings them under this wrath is their Sin that hath engaged his Revenging Justice against them on account of his Law by which he Governs the reasonable Creature Gods anger as it is an Attribute in him would hurt none of his Creatures but if they become the butt against which it shooteth its arrows then they have put themselves in the way of it and woe to them and none but Guilty Sinners so do The holy Angels have no burden by it it never toucheth or comes near them they that are reconciled to God in and through Christ by the application of his Blood to them cannot be hurt by it No it is the Sentence which tells the Sinner from the Mouth of an Holy and True God Thou must dy this this is the burden and what is it that receives this but a Conscience convicted of Guilt 3. Hence as long as this Guilt abides he must needs be under that load This is it that chains him down to it which Concludes him under it let him be otherwise circumstanced to his hearts desire yet all avails not Guilt maintains the Curse against him Guilt for all pronounceth him a man of Death whiles he is under Guilt the Law is his enemy it thundereth out its threatnings against him and he is every moment exposed to feel the dint of the Curse Psal 7. 11. And it is certain that if it abide it will sooner or later work his bane the arrow is upon the string ready to fly and bath it self in his hearts blood Verse 12â— 13. And hence there is no Peace to be hoped foâ— in this Condition Isa 57. ult 4. God in pardoning the Sinner takes off thiâ— Guilt from him This is the great benefit thaâ— comes in to him by it And here observe 1. That pardon bears a proper respect to Guilâ— There are several Considerations under which Siâ— cometh but of them all that which a pardon 〈◊〉 concerned about and extends to is Guilt It doth nothing to the taking away the being of Sin to the removing of the defilement of it that belongs to Sanctification but it is conversant about the Guilt Pardon is the act of the Judge and it respects the Crime as it exposeth the Sinner to punishment and that ariseth from his Guilt 2. Hence in it the Sentence of the Law Condemning him is removed This is the very thing it doth The penalty of the Law was Death and he by being exposed to it was a man of Death but a pardon brings with it a revoking of that Sentence God when he pardons the Sinner saith that he shall not Dy but Live the Curse of the Law shall not take place upon him but he shall be delivered from it It is excellently expressed Job 33 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit Hence that conclusion Rom. 8. 1. There is now no more Condemnation the Sin remains for that which hath once been done cannot be undone the merit abides it will be for ever true That the man hath done things worthy of Death but the Sentence it self is revoked How this is done consistent with the Justice of God will be enquired in a following Doctrine but so it is a pardoned man is out of the reach of the Law in its Curses He is for ever delivered from his Judge 3. Hereupon in the account of the Law his Sins are as if they had never been When Guilt is translated by a pardon the Law hath no more to charge the man with than if he had never committed any Sin at all It is true he hath reason to remember his faults and to be humbled for them but the Law hath discharged him and this is part of the meaning of that Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law Sin doth not reign to death in such an one the pardoned Sinner is made the Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. and this is the meaning of that strange expression Numb 23. 21. He hath seen no iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel it cannot be intended of his Omniscience for if there be any sins committed by his people as cetainly there are he must needs so see and know them Nor can it be intended of his dealing with them in the Discipline of the New-Covenant for so he both seeth and is displeased at the bold transgression of his Children 2 Sam. 11. ult The thing that David did displeased the Lord and he corrects them severely on this account as he did David It must therefore aim at him as a Judge he seeth nothing in them for which to condemn them and why so but because their Guilt is removed 4. This makes way for the easing Conscience of its load It is true as there are some whose Sins ly upon them and they are insensible of it as was before observed so there are some whose Sins are taken off by this forgiveness and yet they feel burden by them because they have not the clear apprehension of a Pardon sealed in their Consciences The thing may be done and they not know it but be afraid about it hence to the easing of the mind there is necessary the inward assurance witnessed by the Spirit of God in the â—earts of his people but the foundation of it is â—id here When a pardon is written signed and â—aled in Heaven the man is put out of danger â—d the thing it self is done which is afterwards â—itnessed to and confirmed in him and his state 〈◊〉 the same before and after this Assurance though â—e comfort of it is so enjoyed which the Psalâ—ist prays for Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of â—y Salvation USE I. This may afford a word of Aâ—akening to all Unpardoned Sinners and let all â—ch be solemnly advised to listen to the truth in â—nd And there is a double awakening that I â—ave to offer to all such 1. Be awakened to see and be affected with â—our present misery Take heed of sleeping in â—rnal security you have little reason for it if â—ou understand how the case is with you Conâ—der then 1. You are under Guilt Who is there in the World that can wash his hands from being a sinâ—l creature It is the Wise mans challenge Prov. â—0 9. Who can say I am pure from my sins and I â—are every Soul to whom this Doctrine may â—ome to make an answer to it and if Sin can â—e charged on you how can you excuse your â—lves from being Guilty except you have alreaâ—y obtained a pardon You are in your natural â—tate under the Law and your outward relatiâ—n to the Gospel doth not discharge you from it how vainly soever you please your selves with itâ— and if so consider Rom. 3. 19. Every mouth shâ— be stopped and all the world found Guilty Thaâ— Law which hath hold on you saith
are prisoners of Justice under a Sentence of Death and in danger of being turned into Hell the next moment It â—s therefore a Spiritual frenzy that is on them that makes them regardless of their danger 2. They have a Conscience in them though they stiffle 〈◊〉 A natural Conscience is inseparable from a Reasonable Creature and though it be asleep for the present it may be roused and when it is it will do its work to purpose and the more terribly by how much more it hath been imposed upon nor is it so asleep but that it keeps true records When Guilt and Conscience meet together there will be fearful work and unless men could extinguishâ— Conscience which they never can they will not always keep them from so meeting 3. Hence there will a time come when Conscience shall reflect on this Guilt and then they will be 〈◊〉 distress We are told there is such a time coming Prov. 1. 27. God did not put a Conscience inâ— man for nothing and he will make it do its Offiâ— to purpose before he hath done with it Though men do not yet God doth See their day is comiâ— and laughs at their present sport Psal 37. 13. And there is no escaping it 4. This Reprobate sense is a fearful Judgment of Gâ— on profligate Sinners Suppose they are brawnâ— and have out grown the sense of reflexions thâ— is no priviledge but indeed one of the awfuleâ— witnesses of Gods fearful anger Rom. 1. 18. Eâ— 4. 19. Nor is there any thing that carryeth in it greater symptom of Reprobation USE II. See here one reason why Conversâ— is called a Strait Gate It is so Mat. 7. 14. Thâ— word implieth that which distresseth a man bâ— straitning and putting him to pain and hence thâ— Verb of it signifieth To Groan The work 〈◊〉 Conviction is the first work of the Spirit Joh. 16. Now the Conscience is the Subject of this Conviction and the matter of it is the Guilt arising from sin or Sin and Guilt which are inseparable according to the tenour of the First Covenant and though the way of the Spirit of God with Infants be to us a secret yet in grown persons who are Converted by the Word and Ordinances God leaves this Conviction upon them in order to his drawing of them to Christ and they are distressed by it the next Invitation therefore is to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God acts arbitrarily â—n measuring the degrees of this and usually when men have been most notorious for sin the distress is the greatest but there are such impressions of it on all who are thus drawn so as to bring them into a lost state and make them apprehensively perishing and by this means God embitters Sin to them so that he may hereby make his grace the more welcome and acceptable to them that being oppressed they may cry out for help USE III. Let this help to bring secure Sinners into Distress And Sinner Beware of flying from it How afraid are men of trouble of mind how do they shun it And how fearful are many of bringing them into it how many preposterous courses are used to comfort them against it Well you that live in sin and are quiet that sleep and care not to be awakened let me tell you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that he would bring you into this distress Oh that you would think and consider of the Guilt that is lying upon you that you did but feel the Curse that is upon you for sin and had the Sentence of Death and Damnation upon you And be not angry at me for such wishes and requests as these are for Consider 1. You are certainly under all this Guilt whether you will believe it or no. You brought it with you into the World and if Christ hath not removed it by his Grace it abides on you yea and you have encreased it by every sin you have committed since you were born the least vain thought hath laid in more for your Condemnation and if you are Guilty you may well think what is like to become of you if you so abide that is one of Gods Attributes as well as those that vain men feed their presumption with Exod. 34. 7. That will by no means clear the Guilty 2. Hence you will unavoidably be brought into Distress sooner or later Guilt will not always ly still nor suffer the Conscience ever to be quiet but there will be a time when you shall be roused by it to purpose the Damnation of Guilty Impenitent Sinners doth not slumber the Sentence past will be Executed the Wrath that is out against them will fall upon them and then they will be in distress When the Sinner shall have his eyes opened and see himself just dropping into endless Woes it will put him into agonies 3. If now you were in distress there would be hope you might do well for all Christ is now exhibited in the Gospel inviting all such to come to him Shortly your distress will come too late for an escape but now it may be a step to it Next to the Joy over a Sinner that is Converted to God is that of a Sinner in anguish of Soul crying out How shall I be Saved And of all the sights in the World there is none more dreadful than to see a Sinner manacled with the Chains of Guilt and unconcerned as if nothing ailed him USE IV. Let this serve to direct distressed Sinners what to do This will follow to be particularly spoken of afterwards here only in general Are there any that can on experience feal the Truth of the Doctrine and say I am the person that you speak of I find all to be true that you tell me nay there is none that can tell the load the burden that my afflicted Soul is sinking under and is there ever a word of relief to be spoken that may under-prop me To such let me say 1. There is hope in Israel concerning this thing As he Ezra 10. 2. God hath in rich mercy provided one to give succour to such and this is the good news which the Gospel declares he was Anointed to it read how his Commission runs Isa 61. begin And he is Mighty to Save Chap. 63. 1. 2. Hearken then after the counsel that he shall give you and resolve by his help to follow it There is a way for the obtaining of this and though his grace only is sufficient to lead us into it yet he calls upon you to hearken to and wait upon him and if you find your hearts enclined to this you may be encouraged to hope for anâ— escape What is incumbent on you in this affair will fall to be discoursed at Verse 5. Guilt apprehended Distressing to Gods Children DOCTRINE II. THat Gods Children themselves are sometimes almost overwhelmed with the apprehension of Guilt David is here speaking and we observed that it
way that will not be grateful to us Anger 〈◊〉 God is not a passion as it is in us for such cannot belong to him by reason of the Infinite perfection of his nature but it is the acting and manifestation of his will in which he shews his displeasure at sin and is therefore to be seen in the effects of it the moving cause of it is sin but the anger it self is to be read in the Efficiency of God and that is the Testimony he beareth in which he makes men to know that he will not bear sin at their hands but they shall smart for it so that though he may keep silence a while and men grow secure upon it and presume on â—mpunity yet he will not so let it pass but find an opportunity to let men see that Sin is not pleasing but provoking to him Psal 50. 21 22. For this God himself keeps a book of records and maketh Conscience to keep the accounts that in due season he may reckon with men and animadvert upon them 5. If God intend the man good he will bring him to Repentance of such sins There is but one way to forgiveness and Repentance belongs to it Acts 5. 3. And this not only concerns such as are not Justified in order to the Justification of their persons but the Children of God in order to the forgiveness of such sins as they fall into after Justification for though God will forgive them yet he will not do it in any other way but this and indeed the Glory of God is concerned in his applying a pardon to them in this way it is in this Repentance that he makes their sin bitter to them and so they are made to see the rich mercy that appears to them in their forgiveness In this Repentance they are made to justifie God in his righteous Judgments and so to ascribe their pardon to his rich Grace In this Repentance they are made to loath themselves and their sins and are so broken off from them and turned from sin to God and so fitted to live to his glory all which tends to his honour 6. In order to this Repentance God will awakeâ— Conscience and make it to charge the sin home upon the man For God deals with him as a reasonable Creature Now the very reason of Repentance is a discovery that we make of our great folly in what we have done and the mischief arising from it which maketh us ashamed of it sorry for it loath our selves by reason of it confess and bewaâ— it to God ask his pardon and draw up a purposâ— to relinquish it and never again to have any thing to do with it there must therefore be such a discovery made to us and in us in order hereunto for we naturally approve of sin and call gooâ— evil which approbation is that which draws 〈◊〉 to the commission of it which we must be madâ— to see the folly of and for this Conscience is 〈◊〉 sed both to put us in mind of the sins to chargâ— them upon us to shew us the Law and our danger by it and all the aggravations attending ou◠〈◊〉 Thus God sets mens sins in order before them 〈◊〉 50. 22. 7. And now all these cunning tricks and covers will 〈◊〉 to the stings of Conscience Doubtless they are â—â—eat aggravations of the sin both in that they â—iscover abundance of the malignity of the heart â—nd because there are so many more sins added 〈◊〉 the first by seeking to hide it and the wound â—lso must needs fester and grow more hard to 〈◊〉 by all the hardness of heart that is hereby â—ontracted So that it must needs be a bitter reâ—â—ection to remember I not only fell into such a â—in but lived in it I hid it I was loth to let it go I neglected the means of recovery I hardened mine heart I thought to abscond from an all seeâ—ing eye I used Guile c. All of which giveth Conscience advantage to reflect the more furiously USE Let this then be a solemn word of warning to all that use this course and please themselves in 〈◊〉 And let me address this word both to the Regenerate and the Unregenerate Are there any that have been drawn through Temptation into sins which your own Consciences say ought not to be done and hath this been the course that you have taken to ease your selves of the trouble of them by hiding dissembling excusing denying or putting them from your thoughts and have you present quietness upon your so doing and it may be it hath been some years since and you still find no molestation and now you hope all is well and you shall hear no more of them Let me offer these few things to your solemn consideration 1. All this doth not remove the Guilt contracted by such sins There is a certain Guilt cleaves to every Sin as it is a transgression of the Law of God and exposeth us to suffer the evil threatned which it highly concerns every one to get removed and the man is in a woful case so long aâ— that abideth on him and all endeavours that wilâ— not help to take it off are unprofitable Well this course you take is not the way to remove it but will encrease it it is but to add sin to sin and a new Guilt to an old one This hiding is of it self a Sin and the means used for it are so many Sins How deeply then do you run on the score in this way whiles you hide your sins you will never fly to the Blood of Christ to have them washed away and so long the imputation remains and they are your Sins 2. When you have done all you cannot hide them from God What though you keep them from the sight and knowledge of men They believe your denials or are satisfyed with your excuses and hereby you prevent censures or reproach for the present How poor a thing is this Man is not to be your Judge but God who knows all your secrecy is to him as the Sun light midnight and noon day are alike to his all knowledge when no eye seeth he looketh on and maketh an entry your denyals signify nothing to him who know and cannot be mistaken your fig-leaf excuses cannot cover your nakedness but he seeth through 〈◊〉 to what purpose then will this be when he â—hall tell you I know and am a witness Believe â—e truth of Psal 90. 8. Thou hast set our secret â—ins in the light of thy Countenance 3. All these tricks are a provocation to him and he 〈◊〉 them foolishness You may think your selves 〈◊〉 and politick when you thus wind and douâ—le but he Laughs at your egregious folly in it â—sal 2. begin And needs must he be angry at these â—ourses for what are they but an essay to put a heat upon him than which what higher affront â—an be offered And if they be sinful they must â—eeds displease him but there is
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
pass upon the man as shall make him to know the sinfulâ—ess of his sin so as to discover it vile and hateâ—ul else he will not repent of it Every natural man is in love with Sin natural corruption calls â—t good approves of it he hath chosen it and â—ll he hath another discovery made of it to him â—e will hold it fast not let it go In true Repenâ—nce there is a turuing from sin and it is the act of a â—asonable Creature and therefore he must see â—eason for it else he will not because his heart knit to it and there are two things necessary to â—e seen in it viz. The miseries it hath exposed him â—â— and the vileness of its nature for though a â—al Repentance may be wrought by the former â—t that which is Evangelical will not be without the latter hence both are put together Jer. 2. 1â— The end of Conviction is to drive the man so Repentance and hence will naturally draw some such a Confession of it 2. The Sin thus seen must be heartily bewaile There is a Sorrow for Sin that accompanieth truâ— Repentance and helps to make it unrepentable and is to be a witness that it is sincere It is not enough that the man leave off the former practise of the Sin but Repentance requires that he express real grief of heart that ever he was guilty 〈◊〉 sinning so Ephraim Jer. 31. 18. And God promiseth to put such a spirit into his people when he cometh to turn them graciously Zech. 12. 10. 〈◊〉 In which bewailing of Sin there is besides him grief for it a lamentable crying out against it that which hath brought all our misery upon 〈◊〉 so Paul in Rom. 7. And this also carrieth in an implicit confession especially when we consider that he must bewail it as his own Ezek. 17. 16. 3. The man must judge himself for it In tâ— Repentance there is a formal process in the mâ—â— against himself Conscience doth in the naâ— of God call a Court in the man he Summoâ— himself to the Tribunal he indicts himself 〈◊〉 sinning against God in transgressing his Hâ— Law chargeth it on himself as done voluntanâ— by the naughtiness of his own heart finds him self Guilty and ratifieth the threatning of God Word against himself all this is contained in tâ—â— one Hypothesis 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our heart condâ—â— us The word is used for the â—pronouncing Sentence on a Guilty Malefactor Now what â—â—dence doth the man use in this process but his â—n Conscience which is done by a free and â—ll confession acknowledging that he hath done â—â—e thing and done sinfully in it Psal 106. 6. 4. He must turn away from it by an utter rejecting Repentance is a turning and that supposeth â—o terms now the term from which is his 〈◊〉 and what manner of turning this is the word of God acquainteth us There is a turning â—â—m it by abstinence or leaving off and that supâ—â—seth a being perswaded of the unprofitableness â—â—d vileness of it which carrieth in it an acknowledgment Job 33. 27. But there is also in this â—â—ning an abjuration of it the man is divorced â—n his sin he casteth it off resolving never to â—â—ve to do with it any more Hos 14. 8. Job 34. â— And this is attended with a self loathing and â—â—red of his sin and putting it to open shame â—â—ich must needs carry such a confession in it 5. He must turn unto God This is the term to â—hich all true Repentance leads so God points â—â—em Jer. 4. 1. If you will return return to me a man leaveth off one sin and diverteth to either this is only a traversing of his way and â—â—veth that he hath left no sin heartily Now â—our turning from Sin to God there are two â—â—ngs aimed at without both which there is acceptable turning and both of them call confession we turn to him for his favour â—â—d that we may obtain reconciliation and we 〈◊〉 of him pardon which that we may gain he expecteth our hearty confession and we dâ— it with a full purpose to devote our selves to 〈◊〉 Service thence forward and that presumes a confession that we have before been uneven in it aâ—â— seek of him grace to carry it more upright afterwards Psal 80. 18. 10. The Glory of God is much concerned in the Confession It is suitably accommodated to the way in which God will exalt his name in the Salvation of Sinners for 1. Forgiveness of Sins is an act of Gods free favâ—â— to the Sinner He was fallen under the Condemnation of the Law and into the hand of Revenging Justice the Sentence was past upon hâ—â— that he must dy and it was righteous he himself was utterly unable to satisfie for his oâ—â— Guilt nor was there a ransom price to be fouâ— in heaven or earth among created beings tâ—â— would answer the demands of Justice or buy 〈◊〉 his penalty from him If ever then he be 〈◊〉 livered from the Wrath to come God must provide his own Satisfaction and conferr it upâ—â— the Sinner gratis and he must have it with money and price Gods pardon is bestowed 〈◊〉 his own name sake Psal 25. 11. 2. Gods design in this is the Exaltation of 〈◊〉 Glory of his Grace in pardoning the Sinner 〈◊〉 must have some design in all his Works beâ— a wise and intelligent Agent this design mâ— ultimately refer to his own Glory for beâ— the chief Good he must be the last end of things hence though he aimeth at the Sinâ— Salvation in it yet that must be in order and subordination to his own Glory which can be no other than his Declarative Glory for as to that which is essential to him it is perfect nor can it be greater or lesser Now though his Justice doth receive a wonderful illustration and sits in State â—n the way which he hath contrived to bring this about yet the great Attribute which is celebrated â—n and by this effect is his Grace nor can we conceive how this Attribute could be more eminently illustrated than in this way What greater Grace can we think of than that the great God â—he hath no need of the Creature was highly provoked by it and could have gotten himself a â—ame for ever in its eternal ruine should without â—o much as being sought to by the Sinner of his â—wn meer good will provide so richly for its deâ—â—â—erance from Wrath as not to spare his own Son â—â—t give him for a ransome Well might the Apoâ—â—le ascribe it hither Eph. 1. 5 6. 3. Hence this rich grace of his is to be celebrated by â—s in it As we are the monuments of it so he expects of us suitably to be acknowledged for 〈◊〉 We must not only be the instances but the proclaimers of this Grace we are not only to be â—assive but active in Glorifying God and he hereby layeth on us the most potent obligation â—ereto We can never recompence him
for his â—â—ndness and if we give him not the praise of it 〈◊〉 do nothing at all all the acclamations in the 〈◊〉 Temple are to be Grace Grace Heavens Halâ—â—â—jah's are to be celebrated with the acknowledgments of this free Grace and how much have pardoned men counted themselves obliged to give him the glory of it here Psal 10. begin Isa 12. 1. 4. To the due acknowledgment of this grace it is requisite 1. That we be sensible how vile we have made our selves by Sin Sin is by Gods holy and wise Oâ—dination become the foil of Grace It did not come into the world but by Divine permission and had not God had some wise and holy end in it he had not permitted it now this end iâ— regard of his Chosen was to take occasion by iâ— to exalt his Grace in their Salvation hence the viler they have made themselves by sin the mâ—â— exalted is this Grace in their Salvation Rom. 5. 20. According to the resentments that men have of sâ—â— such will be the esteem they put upon the Grace by which it is forgiven Luk. 7. 47. God wâ—â— therefore make men to know that their Sin haâ— been great and horrible that it hath run them iâ— arrears Ten thousand Talents to Justice made them men of Death and bound them over to everlasting misery that so they may know what kindness is shewn them in bestowing a pardon on them 2. That we address God humbly for forgiveness He indeed giveth it freely yet he will have the Sinner humbly petition him for it Ezek. 36. 3â— I will be sought to by the house of Israel to do this foâ— them God must give us the Grace rightly to let him his preventing mercy is first in this work but yet he cometh in this way He first makeâ— the Sinner sensible of his misery and with it revealeth the remedy and stirreth him up to petition his favour and in this way he applyeth the pardon to him and how else should he be acknowledged the forgiver of it 3. That hence we Celebrate his Justice in Condemning us The way for us to obtain Gods pardon is not only to come to him for it but to come with ropes on our heads making it to appear that we not only know our selves under a Sentence of Death but that he would be righteous if he should execute it upon us Dan. 9. 8. Psal 51. 4. Nor can there be a right apprehension of Gods Grace till first there be a confession of our merit till we believe it was right for us to dy we cannot think it a meer favour for us to live 4. That we seek this pardon in Christ's name acknowledging our unworthiness of it It is through Christ that we obtain forgiveness and therefore it is to be sought in him or for his sake for it is through his Mediation that all this grace cometh to be communicated to us and we shall never go on his account till we find that we have no other account to go upon as long as we have a righteousness or worthiness of our own Christ is disregarded Rom. 10. 2 3. That therefore must be rejected that this may be sought after Phil. 3. 9. Now all this involveth in it such a confession as we have been considering of cannot be without it II. This therefore is one great end of Gods bringing us into distress Terrours of Conscience and trouble of mind are part of the Curse fallen upon man for sin and in the ungodly are often but the beginning of sorrows but in Gods Elect whether in order to Conversion or after they were Converted they are on a gracious design and what is that but to make way for bringing them to a more settled and stable peace we are very hard to be brought to confess so give Glory to God he is therefore put upon it to bring us into trouble to terrify our Consciences to make our Sins extreamly bitter to us that we may be excited to seek our peace of him and now he bringeth us upon our knees makes us to open our hearts and mouths in the deepest resentments and most self abasing acknowledgments of out vileness by reason of sin Hos 5. 15. Now God will attain his own design in and by it 〈◊〉 then he bringeth us into trouble that we may be made to take the shame to our selves and confess unto him the next and proper way to get out of the trouble again is by a ready and free Confession of the sin which hath procured this sore distress for us USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many ly so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience It is a thing observable that there are many who though they have made a good profession are much exercised in their minds and greatly perplexed in spirit by reason of their sins and find no relief against it they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven but are apt to think that all their sins ly out against them to their Condemnation and there must be some reason why it is so with them which it concerns them carefully to enquire after Here observe 1. That God may have forgiven their sin and not â—r the present witness it in their Consciences As a â—an may be in a pardoned state and yet question whether he be so or no by reason of darkness in his mind and the Spirits witholding his testimony so it may be in respect of the actual forgiveness of this or that sin that he hath fallen into â—e may have repented confessed sought forgiveness and God hath pardoned him and yet doth not instantly proclaim it in his Conscience and â—e acteth much of his Holy Soveraignty herein â—or reasons known to himself so that we have a â—reat deal of reason charitably to think this of â—ome that are under the hurries of such perplexiâ—es And let not such be overborn with the misâ—ivings of their hearts but say to themselves as he Psal 43. 5. Why art thou cast down c. God will have his time to let them know it though now they are in the dark about it 2. But usually the reason of the distress lyeth in the â—ant of a right confession It is good therefore in such 〈◊〉 searching time to enquire whether we have not â—alled on this account and this may be discovered in several respects for either 1. Instead of confessing our Sins we have sought to â—bide them And this is a fault that not only Unâ—generate men are guilty of but the Godly too often are overtaken withal Either we seek to hide it from God by a vain presumption that he will not â—ake notice of it if not directly yet indirectly and by consequence as the Psalmist Context vâ— Or we seek to hide it from our own Consciences by flattering our selves into a fond perswasion that we have done nothing amiss seeking 〈◊〉 justice our selves and nourishing an opinion thâ—â— we are
know what is your present duty If you sit down discouraged you thereby charge God but if you make a through search you may so be set in the right way USE II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto If this be the proper necessary course to relieve us in distress let us then whensoever we find any such trouble coming upon us apply our selves unto this way as we hope to find any relief against it And there is none whose condition this may not be and it is good to be laying in for it Let this be particularly applyed 1. To the Unconverted Such as are yet strangers to forgiveness And there are two sorts to whom distinctly 1. To the secure Sinner who feeleth no trouble on his Conscience but all is quiet and so he looks upon himself unconcerned in this affair Consider 1. You are Sinners That is the condition of all men by nature Rom. 5. 12. Yea your whole course in this world hath been a trade of Sin Gen. 8. 21. You have done nothing else since you were born but sin against God this is the very Character given of a natural man Psal 58. The wicked is estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they are born 2. You are on this account Guilty before God This is the state in which all men are by reason of sin Rom. 3. 19. There is always a Guilt cleaving to sin till by a pardon it be removed where therefore Sin may be charged and is not forgiven it insurreth Guilt and every unpardoned one is under the efficacy of the Sentence 3. Hence you have the matter of this distress on you And what is it that is so bitter and burden-some to the Conscience but a Conviction of Sin and apprehension of the Guilt that attendeth it It is a fear of the wrath of God arising from an expectation of having it fall upon us whiles then you are under Guilt there needs nothing but the awakening of Conscience and making it to feel the impressions thereof upon it to bring the man under the most hellish amazements that can be thought of It is only because Conscience is asleep that you are quiet and God knoweth how to rouse it when he pleaseth and he will certainâ—â— do it sooner or later There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. 20. 4. Your nourishing your security doth but lay in sâ— make your distress the more terrible You may enjoy a little present ease by it but will be forced to pay interest for it afterwards The calm will be over and a storm will arise there is no preventing it and not only so but the tempest will be the moâ—â— impetuous Your Fair Days are but Weather breeders and all the Sins with which you nourish this security will help to aggravate your Guilt and make the remorces of Conscience more severe Here then 1. Be willing to be convinced of you Sin Have a care of stifling the Convictions which God affordeth you in his Word and Providence take heâ—â— of hardning your hearts against Counsels or shutting your eyes upon the light that is offered you to discover your Sin to you Whatsoever content you find in thus doing for the present it will be bitter in the end God cometh now to shew you your Sin in the way of a Treaty of Peace and saith as Jer. 2. 19. Know that it is an evil and bitter thing c. And if you do not hearken he will shew it you another way 2. See the danger you are in by reason of it If Siâ— lyeth at the door you are in a perilous Condition there is no safety the wrath of God is out against you and Vengeance hangs over your heads Holiness Justice Truth stand engaged to do Execution upon you and all the fearful Curses written in the Book of God are your portion and how can you Escape 3. Be perswaded how vain it is for you to go about to cover it Who ever did so and prospered What a madness is it to think to hide the most secret enormities from the eyes of God who is Omniscient and knows you a great deal more intimately and throughly then you do your selves and can when he will make your sin to find you out 4. Take encouragement to hope for mercy by the Gospel discovery of Christ The great temptation to keep silence is a Spirit of fear that urgeth us to despair of mercy that driveth us to hide our selves as Adam did Now God hath in the Gospel made a Proclamation of peace to Sinners and shewn them the way to pardon think then of this and let it melt your heart and drive you to fall down at his feet and make the most enlarged acknowledgment of your sins asking his pitty This is the most kindly and genuine working of the Evangelical offers of Grace when they work us to the deepest sense and draw forth our most hearty Confessions unto God 2. To the awakened and terrified Sinner whose Conscience is roused and who hath his sins set in order before him and is thereupon under fearful agonies in his mind If you ever hope to find solid comfort â—our next business is to come to this Confession and for your quickning and encouragement Consider 1. You are in the hand of an Holy God A God who stands on his honour and will have his Glory from or by all his Creatures you must therefore voluntarily give it to him or else he will strain for it and so recover it upon you Now all Sin is a falling short of his Glory Rom. 3. 23. It is a dishonouring of him and no little of his Holiness is displayed in his shewing his hatred of it Hab. 1. 13. And you have no other way to glorifie this Holiness but by a free and full Confession 2. He is yet a merciful God Though you have greatly dishonoured and grievously provoked him by sin yet there is mercy with him he hath published and proclaimed this mercy of his lâ—â— the Gospel and inviteth weary and burdened Sinners to come to him for it Mat. 11. 28. All the Messages of peace that are sent to Sinners by the Gospel and the fair tenders therein made to them and the patient waiting of God with the strivings of his Spirit are a witness to thiâ—â— that there is mercy to be had from him if 〈◊〉 be rightly sought 3. But he expecteth that you come for this men with ropes on your heads He looketh that you should give him all the signal testimony of a deâ— conviction that you deserve no mercy from hiâ— but that he do Execution upon you according 〈◊〉 the demerit of your sin and that you ly at 〈◊〉 foot as those that have no injustice to impute him if he should fall upon and destroy you aâ—â— acknowledge his meer mercy in your pardon 4. In this way there is hope for you and in
shortly be withdrawn if now you slight the offers of a pardon you will ere long seek one and nor obtain it God will hereby be incensed read how he declareth it Prov. 1. 24. c. Take heed of delaying the Proclamation is out against you Justice hath you in chase if you make not hast to the City of Refuge you will be overtaken Now prevent it lest you mourn too late 2 Let it be to encourage drooping and desponding Sinners When Satan can no longer cherish presumption in men but the Spirit awakens and puts them in fear he now seeks to overwhelm them with fears and put them out of hope here then is a precious cordial for such For Encouragement Consider 1. You have a gracious God to do withal who delighteth in pardon He is indeed holy and just but be not disheartened by that he is for all that merciful those Attributes cannot hinder his being so all that he hath done to make way for this forgiveness stands to let us understand how much his heart is in it Would he ever have given his own Son to be made an offering for sin had he not taken pleasure in exalting his pardoning grace among a company of sinful Creatures 2. He hath laid in enough for your pardon whatsoever you have been It may be the greatness of your sins terrifie you or the multitude of them or your long continuing in them and the many aggravations circumstancing of them which makes you think them to outbid a pardon but know it that because God delighted in forgiveness he provided for the glorifying of it by laying it upon one mighty to save and hence in the Satisfaction made by Christ there is sufficient to answer all the demands of Justice for the greatest Sins and Sinners Such are therefore encouraged Isa 55. 7. There can be no wrong done to the Law of God abundance is added to the manifestation of his grace by this there is therefore no room leâ—t for your doubting on this account Nay you may make a plea of it Psal 25. 11. 3. He urgently offereth this pardon to you You may question but will God entertain me if I come to him for it Will he not reject me but if it were so surely he would not send so many messages to you use so many entreaties with you to accept and come up to the terms of forgive ness nor come himself by the secret addresses of his Spirit moving on you in the means God doth not dissemble with men It was once used as an argument of consolation Mark 10. 49. He calleth thee and the same may be said to you What mean all those pleadings in the Ministry those repeated Calls and Invitations What intends this long continued patience used with you notwithstanding your unbelief and standing off Why should you say he meaneth not me he himself hath invited every one that thirsteth and is weary and if you are such you are specified 4. He is grieved at your unbelief and despondency He takes it ill that troubled Sinners should question the truth of his protestations that they should rather credit Satans discouragements than his invitations that when their adversary tells them there is no hope you have sinned beyond a pardon he shall be believed and that when he himself tells them he hath a pardon provided and it shall be theirs upon acceptance that he is a merciful God and is willing to be reconciled they should suppose he meaneth not as he saith this unbelief grieves his Holy Spirit and you have grieved him â—â—ough already 5. He asks nothing of you to purchase this forgiveness You are apt to say What shall I bring I have nothing I can do nothing to procure it and this disheartens you but without reason for he knows your poverty and so hath himself laid in for that the work is already done Justice is satisfied the demands of the Law are answered Jesus Christ hath gone through that Province and nothing is left to be done by you he therefore expects that you come empty handed Isa 55. 1 And if you think to bring any thing with you and lay in for it it will be the ready way to be rejected it is his Grace that he seeks to exalt in your forgiveness and you must compâ—â— with it 6. Hence he only expects that you should Confess This is the great thing he stands upon you humble and cordial acknowledgment Jer. 3. 11 I know proud nature had rather to do somethinâ— else than come to this but God will have â—â— thus to testifie our Humiliation and acknowledgment of his grace to us if then you 〈◊〉 heartily confess he will readily forgive 7. He counts himself Glorified by this Confessâ—â—â— Josh 7. 19. And indeed by it we acknowledge our own merit and his Righteousness in the Sentence of Death past upon us as he Psal 51 4. By this we lay our selves down at-his feeâ— and acknowledge that if ever he forgive us it must be for his own name sake and so we ascribe our pardon to him and give him the praise of his grace 3. Let it be to direct Sinners in this affair how Confession is rightly to be made was opened under the former Doctrine Only for our help in it take these Rules 1. Be duly affected with your Guilt Till we rightly apprehend that we shall never kindly confess our sin the want of this is the reason why some confess not at all and others do it so slightly whereas when once the Soul is under the burden of this and finds himself justly condemned this will draw forth a free and full Confession Psal 51. 3. 2. Know your own impotency to remove this Guilt This is the undoing of many a convinced Sinner who finds himself under Condemnation and not being humbled but acted by a legal spirit hopeth to make up all by a Righteousness of his own and so instead of duly consessing falls to his Reformations sets upon abstinence from sin and takes a task on him to perform moral duties hoping so to make up ill and thus deceiveth himself Know that you cannot do any thing to purchase Gods favour Isa 64. 6. 3. Renounce all other hopes of pardon but what must derive to you through the free Grace of God If you expect it may come in any other way it will spoil your Confession either it will prevent it or make it a meer legal thing it will lose its direct end which is to carry us off from every other bottom to cast our selves upon the meer mercy of God in Christ and if we have our hope on any other thing our pride will keep us from this Resolve then as Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall shall not save us c Conclude positively if Grace save us not we perish for ever 4. Be not afraid to confess your Sins with all the aggravations It is a foolish fear in some lest 〈◊〉 they do aggravate their sins they should thereby damp
we have an instance of one that fell over and escaped with his life forgetting how many have so fallen and it hath cost them their lives God will be provoked to leave us to perish if thus we affront his mercy 2. When we strengthen our carnal security in sin by it The use of such examples is that when we have fallen through temptation and are terrified at it we may be encouraged hereby to Repentance and make haste to God for a pardon but if instead of this we argue there is no danger we may put off the Conviction and delay our Repentance and get a pardon when we wish and so live and ly under Guilt without remorce this is to prevent the end of such instances and the ready way to be left by the Spirit of God to be hardened in sin to our ruine 3. When we use them only for encouragement and not for direction We take that part of the instance such an one so sinned against God and provoked him and yet God was merciful and forgave him and by this forthy our Presumption that there is no danger we need not be afraid but we never enquire what they did or in what way they found the mercy of God and thus they are so far from being an Example that they become a Snare to us and instead of using them for Gods Glory and advantage we gratily Satan and expose our selves to the greater hazard Take heed then lest we be deceived though Paenitent David got a pardon yet impenitent Sinners have no reason to conclude from thence that they shall fare as he did USE II. Let it then be to direct and help us in the right improvement of such Examples for our benefit Let us rightly apply them and that both for encouragement and direction 1. Let us use them to encourage our hope in God for his mercy whatsoever our sins have been Doth the Guilt of Sin oppress us have we fallen by our iniquity and are conscious of our danger and the Divine anger we ly open to and do our hearts condemn us and Satan urge us to despair of pardon Let us now make use of these Examples to excite our hope And to that end 1. Learn by them to have good thoughts of God We are apt to think hardly of him when his Arrows stick in our sides and his terrours make us afraid look upon these and see what a God he hath been to such as we are and let that perswade us that there is forgiveness with him that he is not an inexorable God these have found him propitious and so may we We shall never come kindly to him for pardon till we can say of him as they oâ— the Kings of Israel 1 King 20. 31. 2. Hence let these Thoughts make us resolve to go to him for Pardon While we look on him in his anger that makes us to keep out of his sight buy when we believe that he is ready to receive poor Sinners and pass by their Iniquities this will encourage us to come into his presence 3. Hence let us oppose these Examples to all the arguments of Despair that are obtruded upon us Satan and a misgiving heart will offer hard at this but let us answer all with these And there is no case in which we may not have one or other of them to do this withal Have our Sins been very Great of the biggest Size and doth the greatness of them terrify us as if they were too big for Pardon consider What were David's Sins What were Manasseh's Yea did not David bring that for a plea Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine Iniquity for it is Great The greatness of them can neither out bid his Grace or his Will to forgive Have they been multiplyed Transgressions and doth this dishearten us See what a fearful Catalogue is recorded of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin and yet they did not obstruct his Pardon Yea what saith God himself Isa 55. 7. He will multiply to Pardon Have they been against special Kindnesses bestowed upon us and so rendred us Guilty of horrid Ingratitude to God Remember how God sets forth Davids sin with all such Circumstances 2 Sam. 12. begin and yet he readily forgave him all when he humbled himself before him Have they been against many Means used with us to reclaim us which we have despised thereby sorely aggravated them We have been often warned and threatned and yet persisted and was not this also one circumstance in Manasseh's Sin 2 Chron. 33. 10. Have they been after we have received the Grace of God in converting us and so peculiarly grieved his Holy Spirit this must needs put a very black aspect on them but still remember this was Davids very case and Peters too but yet he did not take his Spirit from them but gave them Repentance and upon it remitted their Sins to them Are they Sins that you have long lain in and been habituated to and this makes you to think you have out lived your day of Grace and it is too late to hope for favour from God and did not David ly a long time remorceless under his great sin yet when at last God roused him and he repented he was forgiven 2. Let us improve them to put us upon the right course to obtain this mercy at Gods hand If we joyn not this to the former it will signifie nothing And here 1. Consider what they did in order to their obtaining forgiveness And therefore 1. They were throughly convinced of their Sin God made them to see it and know it Psal 51. 3. They had a deeply imprinted sense of what they had done and how they transgressed 2. They Confessed their Sins heartily to God They did not hide them under their Tongues they did not excuse or mince or extenuate them whiles they so did they got nothing by it but they acknowledged them Context Vers 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11. 3. They submitted themselves to God They took the shame of their Sins to themselves and acknowledged that all miseries belonged to them for the same and that God was righteous in condemning them Psal 51. 4. Dan. 9. 8. And so they yielded themselves up to God 4. They prayed hard for a pardon They besought God for his mercy yielded that nothing else but mercy could do it that God must do it for his name sake if at all and accordingly pleaded it â— Psal 25. 11. 5. They forsook their sins They turned from and renounced them utterly Judg. 10. 16. 2 Chr. 33. 15. 2 Believe that if they had not thus done they had never found mercy If they had gone on impenitently they had not been made the instances of Gods forgiveness and indeed the Word of God stands for this Prov. 28. 13. 3. Let us follow their steps This is the right improvement if we would fare as they fared let us do as they did take them as our Copy and write after them mourn as they did if we
be so now And I am sure that will â—â— the favour of God 2. Lay aside all that will hinder and subordinate every other affair to this When vain and unprofitable things press hard to be minded resolutely tell them you have a more important business on your hands and time little enough to attend that and if the neeful affairs of this life would impoâ—â— upon you see that you entertain them not to the hindrance of this great concern but to make them to serve under it to this end beware of any weight that should impede your race Heb. 12. 1. 2. Reckon all time lost which doth not advance your communion with God 3. Apply your selves to the use of all means by which you may find God Give diligence in attendance on the Gospel Ordinances whiles you have the liberty of them read hear pray meditate when any such opportunity offers think it may be I shall have no more such in this world time may be done with me before another comes and let this thought make deep impression on your hearts and rouse you up not only diligently to attend these means but make it your business to seek that you may find God in them all USE III. To excite and encourage us to endeavour to bring others to seek God Are there noâ— those to whom we are bound in duty to endeavour their Salvation and for whom we are sollicâ—tous that they may be saved Let us then from the consideration of the truth in hand 1. Be excited to do it presently Do not delay it call upon them now use means with them now let us not adjourn the duty but use all earnestness and importunity in pursuance of it Consider then 1. It is now the time for it This is a finding time are they young it is the best season for them to seek and find God in Prov. 8. 17. Hence that advice Eccl. 12. 1. You have now all advantages before you to pursue this business to effect they enjoy the Gospel means it is also the best opportunity to press them to this whiles there are these helps to promote it you will never have a more convenient season 2. This finding time may be gone before we are aware It is very uncertain whether if now we delay it it will not slip by irrecoverably for 1. Our time may be past Let us do as much good this way as we can while we live for when once we are dead we shall be past doing Eccles 9. 10. We resolve to speak to this person and deal seriously with that other but to morrow or the next week but our mouths are stopt are then and so our good thoughts perish Isaac desired to bless his Son before he died Gen. 27. begin 2. Their time may be over If we should live they may dy and then they are past hearing of us they are liable to many casualties which we can neither foresee nor prevent A sudden death may surprize them which will not give us leave to drop one counsel upon them or make one prayer over them 3. If the time thus slip through our neglect it will â—â— bitter to us Whatever the event of our endeayour be yet if we have been faithful to our trustâ— in this way it will afford us inward peace but if we have grosly neglected it it will procure a sad remorce and leave a sting on our Consciences When we come to ly on a death bed it will disquiet our tranquility or if they be taken from us it will be the most afflicting consideration to think we have neglected to do our part toward theiâ— spiritual and eternal welfare and now it is tâ—â— late and because we did it not when we might ought we shall no more have any advantage for itâ— 2. Be encouraged to pursue this work Though you have been faithful according to your opportunity and see little good come of it you have been earnest and serious with them and told them of their miserable state by nature necessity of seeking and finding God the folly of their coâ—ses the hazards they are exposed to and with bleeding hearts entreated them but your comâ—sels are neglected your warnings slighted your entreaties disregarded Do not for this abandâ—â— all hope but take heart renew your sollicitationâ— Consider 1. They are still within the compass of time â— that were done you must have done too they aâ— among the living and what saith he Isa 38. 1â— Though they are gone far they may return theâ— is a who knows left and that is an encouragâ—ment in a desperate case 2. They are within the reach of the means they were beyond the opportunity of Gospâ— Ordinances of our counsels and prayers our bâ— siness with them would be over but while they enjoy these priviledges they may be taken by them God may still send a word which may stop them in their wicked and vain courses and rouse them up to seek after him though they have despised offered mercy God can be too hard for them and melt them 3. There are the examples of such as have sought God at last and found him In their month they were taken Yea What doth God himself say of such Isa 57. 17 18. He knows how to glorifie his grace and get him honour on such and he will have them to be monuments of his mercy in whom he will be admired for ever Despair not there are some whom we must save with fear Jude 25. USE IV. Let this be to prevent despair in such who fear they have outlived their time God righteously suffers some to be hurried by this Temptaâ—â—on and Satan takes advantage by it they are under awakening terrours they have had a long â—ay of Grace many calls serious counsels loud â—cries potent strivings of the Spirit but they have withstood and refused to seek God and now â—here is no more hope for them their day is â—one finding time is over with them To such â—et me offer these considerations after I hav epreâ—nised that it is a dangerous thing for any to run â—he adventure of such a presumption It is a wonder of grace that ever God should make an â—offer of grace to such as have despised ten thouâ—and counsels and warnings and are now grown old in sin and such had need be very speedy and deeply humbled for all the affronts given toâ— God Yet let me say to such 1. You are yet in the place where there is room for repentance and forgiveness You are not in the pit from which there is no Redemption if you were there you were gone for ever but you are alive still and within the compass of a treaty you are there where proclamation is made that it you seek God with all your heart you shall find him God hath no where said that he will not give you the grace to seek him or that you shall not find him if you so do Secret things belong to God but the offer
pleads with young ones to husband their youth well Eccl 12. begin There will be many encumbrances of life afterward which now burthen them not and when old age siezeth them it will greatly unfit them for it who did not engage in it before 2. Whiles the Gospel is dispensed to them powerfully and faithfully This is another special season Here observe 1. That the Gospel Ministry and Ordinances are the ordinary instruments by which God Converteth Sinners He hath seen meet to make this the appointed way of promoving the Salvation of men 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 10. 17. Where he sendeth not these it is an awsul sign that he hath none of this work to do there 2. That they are the Gospel truths by the dispensation whereof he useth them as instruments They are moral instruments and therefore their business is to treat with men and the matter of the treaty is these great truths that declare the Counsel of God and the way wherein Sinners may come to enjoy him in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. 3. Hence the faithful dispensation of these truths is that which gives men all the advantage to seek and find God Their work is an Embassy 2 Cor. 5. 20. And the business is Reconciliation which is to be advanced by opening the terms and urging of them suitably If then they are faithful and do seriously and solemnly pursue this design there is all that can be expected of instruments by way of information and excitation Legal Preaching sufficeth not for this but Preaching Christ and the way of Peace by him and the more there is of this the more is the advantage of such a people 4. Hence when these fail this advantage is greatly impeded If then the Gospel is no longer Preached among a people it is a Judgment and a sign of his departure If instead of such dispensations there be such who Preach false Doctrines who blow up men with opinion of their own abilities who corrupt the pure stream of Gospel Truth or Proach unprofitable things needs must these impede this affair 3. Whiles the Spirit is pleased to accompany the means with his powerful influences This is a special finding time And here observe 1. That our sincere seeking of God depends on the Spirits operation He first seeks us if ever we seek him We must have a principle of Grace for it else we cannot do it and that must derive from him who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. All our own moral powers can never exert this 2. There are times when he is more plenteously poured out upon men Not only is there a more powerful Ministry at one time than another but also more of the efficacy of Grace on the hearts of men when Sinners come flocking in apace at the call of the Gospel and the reason why it is so at any time is because the Spirit sets in powerfully with the means They may be the same and the labour in dispensing them as great Isa 33. 15. 3. There are times when he applieth himself to this and that person in particular as he did to Lydia Act 16. 14. And this is not always but at certain seaâ—sons which are arbitrary and he acts his liberty therein This he doth sometimes to one sometimes to another and when it is so it is an happy opportunity he is now very near and ready to be found when he stands at the door and knocks it is but opening to him 4. There are times of his withdrawing in both respects He sometimes lets a faithful Ministry be an unprofitable one to such as sit under it his Servants toil all night and catch nothing they complain as he Isa 49. 4. I have laboured in vain c. And then it becomes an hardning Ministry as Isa 6. 9 10. a savour of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. It will be hard finding of God at such a time as this 5. And there are times when after a great while he cometh again The Spirit withdraws and mens hearts grow hard but afterwards sometimes he comes again before he utterly giveth them up they have awakenings and remorces and now he is also near 4. When God brings his Judgments on a people And here 1. These Judgments whether publick or personal are Testimonies of Gods displeasure at men for neglecting to seek him He herein witnesseth his righteous anger at them and the reason is because they have not sought him but something else instead of him Jer. 2. 17. Isa 57. 17. If they had not forgotten him he had not fallen upon them 2. The proper design of these Judgments is to awaken them to seek him A professing people may so far provoke him as to fall upon them in his fury and make his Judgments a Sword to cut them off but it is not so at first they are part of his Discipline hence called his Corrections and God speaking after the manner of men tellâ— them what he expected Zeph. 3. 17. I said thouâ— wilt receive instruction c. 3. He is wont to stir up some at least of his Servanâ—â— to take this occasion to be earnest with men He affecteth them and makes them to cry aloud they see his anger and are afraid and upon it blow the Trumpet Thus in the times of the Apostasy of Israel and Judah God sent such Prophets to them who dealt faithfully with them 4. And he usually toucheth mens hearts at sucâ— times Indeed it is a natural operation of Judgments to put men upon thoughtfulness but thâ— Spirit is wont to set in and put such a people atâ—least many of them upon enquiring after hiâ— mind and to affect them with Convictions of sinâ— and fear of his Wrath. And this is a great advantage now to seek him 5. If all this be neglected he is hereby grievouslyâ— incensed It is an high provocation and he now thinks of withdrawing Hos 5. 15. Nay someâ— times it arrives at that that because all means aâ—ineffectual and they grow worse by them he deâ—clares resolutely to come at them in this way nâ— more but abandon them to destruction Ezek. 2â— 13. And then what a wo case are they in USE 1. For caution Let none from the prâ—mises conclude that his time is past I know somâ— troubled hearts are apt to be shaken by such awâ—ful truths and the adversary is ready to set iâ— and perswade them that their day is done anâ— so sink them into despondency To prevent this â—â— me offer these things 1. That none hath Scripture warrant so to conclude Gods purposes concerning individual persons on this account are reserved with himself nor hath he given us any Rules in Scripture to determine it concerning our selves or others there being but one Sin there branded for unpardonable all others may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Now we are to â—â—tch our hope and regulate our selves in our duties by the revealed will of God 2. The arguments that such are wont to
likelihood he will use you in some eminent Service for him and put some special honour upon you here or at least will make you soon ripe and fit for glory and probably you shall have the most joyful communion with him in this world 5. You will thus prevent abundance of Repentance and Sorrow If now without delay you will forsake all vain things for Christ and seek him with your whole heart you shall never repent of it but rejoyce in it You never heard of a sincere convert that complained of making too much hast 〈◊〉 was sorry that he took not a little more liberty in his sinful ways but on the contrary if ever 〈◊〉 be truly converted who hath lost his youth in pâ—â—suit of sin he will bitterly bewail his former times together with celebrating the Grace which appeared in bringing him home to God at last How doth he cry our how much time have I lost what opportunities have I slipt how miserably have I consumed my days Besides there is abundance that old Sinners lay in for repentance which will make the pangs of the New birth very terrible which by this may be prevented Can you thinâ— to go on in sin and not smart for it and truly there is enough already to make the New birth sharp and severe be wise then and add not to 〈◊〉 by delays 6. If you will not be perswaded to seek God now 〈◊〉 may be you shall never find him When God begins early he often leaves off early if resisted How many that bad fair in youth have out grown all fallen into debauoheries vilest abominations been left to dy in their impenitency they would have their own courses in despite of calls and counsels and God hath cut them off in their sins and let them for examples and it is a righteous thing for him so to do See how God complains of such Jer. 2. 30. 5. 7. Ezek. 20. 21. And how fearfully he threatens them Jer. 6. 11. 9 21. 11. 22. 18. 21. And God hath been calling a loud to young men in his providence by many Judgments in which the flower of our youth have been immaturely taken away and what doth it speak to their survivours but that they take heed of putting off Repentance provoking a jealous God against them And if 〈◊〉 will not take warning by others how seen may you be made amazing warnings to others Accept then of the Exhortation and reject all the sollicitations of your cursed companions and make hast to seek God Let me address you in the words of the wise man Prov. 23. 15. My son if thine heart 〈◊〉 wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine But if you reject this counsel let me leave that memento with you Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth c. but know thou that for all these things God will 〈◊〉 thee into judgment 2. Let us all take hold of the opportunity wherein the Gospel is freely dispensed to us I believe the Gospel truths have been as fully and soundly Preached in this land as in any part of the Christian world and that God hath thrust forth such Laboureâ—â— into his Harvest as have made it their business to feed his people with knowledge and understanding and though he hath by manifold Judgments been pleading his Conâ—roversy with us yet he haâ—â— not brought a famine of hearing his Word but 〈◊〉 eyes see our Teachers and by this he testifyeth that although he is angry he yet waits to be gracious and it is still a finding time Let us then so improve it Consider therefore 1. How great a price there is in our hands 〈◊〉 shall we not improve it We shall shew our seâ—â—â—â— notorious fools if we do not Prov. 17. 16. Here by we have all directions encouragements quicknings to this duty by these God is calling and inviting us to seek after him shewing us the wâ—â— in which we may find him which the best improvement of the light of nature would not have discovered Herein he lets us know that he 〈◊〉 not departed from us thus heavens market 〈◊〉 kept open and everlasting mercies are waiting 〈◊〉 on us Why then do we sit still and not regard them Can we promise our selves ever to have 〈◊〉 fairer season This is certainly a day of grace why then should we sit idle all the day and 〈◊〉 nothing 2. How fearful a thing would it be if it should 〈◊〉 otherwise with us God can easily order it to 〈…〉 The Gospel means and Ministers are his gift he can put out the Lights in the Candlesticks when he will and nothing will more readily provoke him to it than not to walk in the light while wâ— enjoy it he can take away the Shepherds and suffer grievous Wolves to come in their stead who â—hall devour the Flock How many places are â—here in the world where the Truth once flourished gloriously are now turned aside to lies and though they bear the name of Christians yet are sed with husks instead of bread where ignorance error formality neglect of feeding the Flock and woful debaucheries prevail and the 〈◊〉 lead the blind this is a fore calamity and â—ould it be our lot it would make an amazing change among us and what would you give then for such an opportunity as you now despise 3. What grounds there are to fear lest corruption in Doctrine and Manners should come upon us a a flood 〈◊〉 avert the Omen but methinks there are sad symptoms of it They are the last and perillous times in which we are told that such things shall 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. begin The woful ignorance of fundamental Truths that many labour of and the â—oo general neglect of instructing Children in Gospel principles the giddy spirit that many are infected withal that love to run after novelties that awful contempt of the Gospel Ministry attended with the little regard in many whether they enjoy it or no looking upon it as a burden the little apparent success of the Gospel and how fearful a threatning is out against such 2 Thes 2. 9 10. Add to this the unsuccessfulness of Gods other Judgments which hath a moral tendency hereto for if God strives in Judgment and men will not be perswaded he is wont to give them up Hos 4. 17. All these things speak sadly to considerate Souls 4. What if God should take the Gospel away from you This also is a Judgment threatned Mat. 21. 43. Rev. 2. 5. And God is wont to execute it when other means fail and an Apostatizing people will not be reclaimed How many famoâ—â— Churches have there been in the world which are utterly ruined and ly in rubbish or swallowed up in Paganism or Mahomeâ—anism Nor are we mâ—â—â— secure How doleful a thing would it be to â—â— the whole face of a Church altered all the meâ—â— of grace lost and gone God forsaking his house and removing from us if ever it come to this
afraid of this holy God USE II. Let it be to caution the Children of God against mis judging about this affair Possibly you have fallen into some sin your hearts have smitten you you have been humbled confessed sought earnestly to be forgiven for Christ sake and had some iâ—ward witness that your prayer hath been heard but now you meet with floods of affliction and temptation and are particularly tempted on this to question your being forgiven but suffer not this Temptation to remove you from many good evidences and that on a double account 1. Let it not make you to call your state of forgiveness in doubt Such Providences indeed call us to try our selves but not to entertain sinful doubts say not that your persons are not Justified you will so condemn David and other of Gods precious Saints Your state may be good and yet God angry at you and there may be sins not actually forgiven Justified persons may be under Gods displeasure and need new forgiveness if once you were Justified that remains you can never fall out of the Grace of God 2. Neither let it make you to conclude that this very Sin is not forgiven You are ready to say surely God is angry else he would not follow me with such afflictions if he had forgiven me this anger had been turned away and he pacified to me herein you argue on a mistaken principle God doth not always afflict in anger he is angry at his own so long as they ly under sin unrepented of but he can administer correction in love Heb. 12. 6. And though there be an anger of love in some Corrections yet there is a Chastisement which is without anger at us in meer pitty wisdom and tenderness toward his Children USE III. Let us take heed of rash judging of Gods people on this account It may be we have known them to fall into some sins that have been scandalus or we hear them complain of some sins that distress them we have seen their sorrow and bitterness and the most satisfying testimoniâ—s of their Repentance but for all God follows them with remarkable grievous afflictions and we are ready to think God is still angry something stands out against them they have dissembled c. But let us take heed of this Gods Judgments are a great deep He may have freely forgiven them and yet for holy ends thus exercise them to humble and do them good in the latter end Let not such unsearchable things weaken our Charity USE IV. To exhort us suitably to acknowledge and submit to God in this respect Find no fault though it be so be very thankful for any evidence of his gracious forgiveness and adore him In all that he doth Believe that you need such things as these and that he can and will make them work for your good and accordingly endeavour to do your duty by being humbled under his mighty hand labouring hereby to embitter sin to your selves and especially such sins as have more peculiarly dishonoured him and let it make you more watchful to your selves and put you upon the exercise of faith patience humility so shall you in due time reap the peaceable fruits of righteousness by it Prop. 2. That if by prayer they have settled their pardon these floods cannot come nigh them to hurt them if forgiveness be secured afflictions shall noâ— harm them That which lies before us to enquire is Whâ—â— security against harm by these floods those whose pardoâ— is settled do enjoy That their lot may be to live in trouble sometimes hath already been observedâ— Jeremiah Baruch Ezekiel did so and that they may have a deep share in those troubles besideâ— many grievous personal afflictions befalling them they have no illimited promise of security against these things we are therefore to enquire How this notwithstanding they shall not hurt them And so we may see what advantage their Justification and forgiveness affords them in a day of sore affliction above other men Here then observe 1. What difference there is between the Children of God and other men at such a time 2. What difference between the Children of God who are under the guilt of some sin not actually forgiven and those that have in a way of true Repentance and renewed faith recovered their peace 1. What difference there is between the Children of God and ungodly men at such a time And that it is very great will appear if we consider 1. Though both suffer from Gods anger yet there is a vast difference in that anger God may be displeased at his own Children and in that displeasure smite them but yet his anger at them and that which he expresseth to ungoldly men though alike in the Providences yet are of a divers nature in the principle whence they proceed He treats them as enemies but these as Children he not only is angry at but hates them but though offended at these he loves them see the difference Isa 27. 11. Psal 89. 32 33. They may be thrown into the same furnace but one as dross to be dealt with accordingly the other as good mettal which though mixt with dross must be melted and separated 2. The operation of those Afflictions is vastly divers and thereby God discovers what his thoughts are concerning the one and the other They do not alike improve these providences which is from the influence of grace on the one which is with held from the other for 1. The everlasting state of the Justified Believer is safe under all these afflictions Whatever tossings and changes he here passeth under it is certain he shall never finally miscarry if he loseth every thing else even life it self he shall not lose his Soul the Everlasting Covenant stands fast and cannot be broken 2 Sam. 23. 5. The end will be peace Psal 37. 37. This is all the trouble that he shall over meet with and when it is over he shall have peace for ever nothing shall separate him from Gods love Rom. 8. 38 39. But the wicked are not so these are the beginnings of sorrows and a prologue to more awful miseries that are to come afterwards they are the fruits of the Curse whose operation will be to bring them to the pit where there is no hope 2. The afflictions themselves are under a promise of a good issue Though they are for a while molestful and hard to bear yet they shall work to an happy end the Psalmist could allot on this Psal 73. 24. And the Apostle confirms it Heb. 12. 11. The furrows are watered with affliction but there is is a joyful harvest to be produced Psal 97. 11. 126. 5 6. Whereas ungodly men are under a threatning we are told Psal 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day and this anger will work till it hath brought them to a fearful end the Godly have light beyond their darkness but the Wicked are led through the present obscurity to outer
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 judging of the goodness of the Truth so exhibited and accordingly commend it to the will for practice this is made by Information or drawing practical inferences from the general truth which are for our Instruction and this improvement may be made of every Gospel Truth 2. With the Will and Affections for goodness is the proper object of the will which exerts it self by the affections And here Application serves to Reprove us for our neglects by convincing us of them and shewing the sin and danger in them and rousing us to reform what is amiss Hence there are uses of Conviction and Reprehension It serves also to guide us to the right doing of Duty and keeps us from turning aside To Direct quicken and encourage us and finally to corroborate and animate us in our Serving of God and hence Consolation is hither to be referred and we shall find all these in the Word of God 2. That such Application is necessary to be used by such as teach others this will appear in these Conclusions 1. That all the truths of the Christian Religion are Practical The design of it is to teach men to live to God and so every Rule of it is a Rule of life this being the end of the Gospel every part of it must lead hereunto We have the design of it set forth T it 2. 11 12. Mans great end is to glorify God he must have a Rule to direct him how to do it and this is the Christian Religion and that consists in practice all the Theory of Divinity leads to practice 2. Hence Christians are no further profited by these Truths than as they apply them to practice That they may so do they must know them and its vain for men to pretend that though they know less than others yet they live as well for without knowledge the mind cannot be good but on the other hand if men only study to know that they may talk and be admired by their neighbours for men of understanding but lead a loose and ungirt life they deceive themselves and their knowledge will aggravate their Guilt and procure them the more wrath Luk. 12. 47. Hence that Joh. 13. 17. 3. Hence it is certainly the duty of every one that bears the Gospel to apply the truths of it to himself It is not enough for us to receive them into our heads but we must let them sink into our hearts there are many sorts of hearers but there is but one of them that get good by hearing compared to good ground and these bear fruit Mat. 13. 23. And we have a profitable hearer described Jam. 1. 25. 4. The end of teaching is to farther the end of the Gospel and that is practice God appoints some to teach others because he would have them Serve to farther the Gospel design if then that be appointed to lead and bring men to practice they are to design and seek how they may promove it hence they are said to Minister the Gospel Rom. 15. 16. 5. That men need the help of Application as much as of Doctrine For not only is our understanding dark and for that end needeth Illumination erronious and therefore needs to be better informed but our hearts also are corrupt our wills dead and our affections disordered yea and our practical understanding is indisposed to draw particular inferences from general truths so that these need to be roused quickned and drawn to their work there is an indisposition in all the parts and they need to be excited the Apostle thought it necessary to inculcate known truths for this end 2 Pet. 1. 12 17. 6. Hence the Word of God is suited for this end God hath not only delivered the Rule of Religion in general precepts as men use to do in the Systems of other Arts but hath accommodated the Scriptures to the ends of practical Holiness and we are told the usefulness of them 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. The perfection there intended consists in an universal respect to the will of God and conforming of the life according thereto this was it that David gained by the Word of God Psal 19. 11. 7. Hence this was the course taken by Gods Servants in Scripture record We shall find in all Pauls Epistles that though he begin with matters Doctrinal yet he ever descends to things practical we find that after the reading the Law in the Synagogues mere was a word of Exhortation Acts 13. 15. And Christ himself took this course Luk. 4. 20 21. And such direction Paul gave to Timothy 2 Tim. 4. begin Thus only are men like to be profitable Teachers Prop. 2. That this Application must be particular and that with respect to the matter that is to be applied and the subject to whom the application is made I will teach thee c. In the singular For a right taking of this up let us observe 1. As to the ground of particular Application respecting the matter it follows from the former Proposition For if all the Truths of Religion be for practice then every truth ought to be so applied for none of the counsel of God is to be shunned Acts 20. 27. And consequently all the Duties belonging to every part of that counsel are to be urged there is no duty but Christians are in hazard of forgetting or neglecting and we shall not be faithful to those with whom we are concerned if we neglect to stir them up 2. As to application to particular persons Though in private it is proper to apply things plainly and distinctly as Nathan did to David and indeed the ground of private application is mainly for this end that without reproaching mens persons openly we may convince them of their particular sins yet in publick teaching care and prudence is to be observed lest instead of doing them good we harden them in sin we should beware lest we give them occasion to think it is not their sins but their persons we seek to reproach Here then observe 1. If persons have been notoriously scandalously sinful their sins ought to be laid open that they may be ashamed others warned When their crimes are publick and they impenitent they are to be openly rebuked and others advised by their example 1 Tim. 5. 20. 2. It is our duty to speak to the whole as if we spake to every one personally Our manner of application ought to be as if we were talking with but one and so we are to call upon all to apply to themselves holy men therefore on Scripture record for the most part apply precepts and warnings in the singular number thus all the Commands in the Decalogue are delivered and innumerable instances of like nature might be produced 3. And we ought to apply Truths so as those that are specially concerned may understand that God is now speaking to them Though we ought not to vilify men or lay them open to the Assembly yet if we can wisely and closely touch their
Consciences and make them know that their sin is now testified against it is very proper hence in laying open duties and sins very distinctly we may come so close to men that they verily believe that some body hath been babling something against them and acquainting us with such sins of theirs as we had not the least intimation of now the ground of this will appear if we consider 1. That we in our Application are but the Instruments of the Spirit of God Ministerial Teaching is no farther profitable than he is pleased to set in with it 1 Cor 3. 6. Our business therefore is to comply with him and endeavour in our place to promove his design Ministers are called Under-rowers 1 Cor. 4. 1. He is the Pilot and they are to endeavour to act according to his directions 2. It is certain that all the Spirits applications are personal When he comes to set home Gospel Truths and make them effectual he toucheth the hearts of men individually Hence it is that some are perswaded and won by the same means by which others are hardned and it must be so because every man must give an account of himself to God and the great Judgment will be a reckoning with individuals 3. And it is equally certain that moral application must needs determine here Moral applications are made to Causes by Counsel and are entertained by a rational consideration and answerable improvement and this no man can do for another Though counsels are given among many yet if they fix any where it must be upon these and those individuals Acts 13. 48. 16. 24. 4. Hence it is the duty of every one that hears to apply to himself This is the only way to get good by what we hear If men put these things from themselves they lose the benefit of them hence that Acts 13. 46. USE I. Learn hence that there is a great deal requisite to accomplish us to be profitable teachers of others The right and suitable application of truths as it is the life and spirit of teaching so it requires much skill and prudence Besides that it is necessary that we be acquainted with the principles of Religion from whence we are to fetch all without which we are more fit to be taught than to be teachers there is a great deal more requisite to accommodate us for this viz. 1. We we must be acquainted with all the Cases of Conscience that refer to these principles If Religion be practical it hath to do with mens Consciences and hence there are those practical enquiries which refer to every common place in Divinity which must be distinctly resolved for the illumination and direction of Conscience therein and if we are not skilled in them how shall we teach others 2. We must observe and acquaint our selves with the present state of Religion that is among a people There is no Truth of God but may at any time be suitably and profitably applied but there are the special concerns of a people which vary God would have us to suit our Ministrations to the occasion thus did the Prophets of old and thus did Paul in his Epistles All sins but more especially the sins of the times are to be born witness against c. 3. We must also study men personally All that we have to do with are not of the same temper not the same circumstances and so not to be applied to after the same manner Some are proud and profane and obstinate these are to be more roughly treated others are tender troubled apt to be discouraged another manner of application belongs to them Jude 22 23. 4. Hence there is a great deal of prudence necessary â—â— this affair It is is not enough to know what is right and what is wrong but much discretion is to be used in the manner of applying it the want whereof may make good designs to miscarry We see how Nathan used this in his addressing himself to David 2 Sam 12. begin 5. It requires courage also We have the corruption of men to deal with and may expect when we have done our best to meet with hard entertainment the lusts of men are not easily opposed but are apt to rise up against counsels reproofs how did Asa though a good man entertain the Prophet 2 Chron. 16 10. And see Jer. 1. 17 18. 〈◊〉 2. 6 7. And they most need that can least bear 6. It also calls for fidelity We must be faithful in God and to men too whose everlasting concerns are interested in our applying to them with whom we must deal plain and home Isa 58 1. â—â—â— which things shew how much is required to the right discharge of this duty USE II. To direct us how we may approve our selves for the best hearers of the Word of God Teaching and Hearing are correlates and from the Duty on one part we may argue to the Duty on the other Would we then be profitable hearers 1. We ought carefully to hearken to and get acquainted with the Doctrines of Religion To be well informed in the great truths of the Word of God And they that are negligent in this respect will never make good proficiency in any thing else Those that are not careful to furnish themselves with knowledge are never like to be firm fixt stable in the things of God The Apostle joyns these together grow in grace and knowledge c. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 2. But we must not rest here They that think all Religion consists in head knowledge usually deceive themselves we must be making Addition to this 2 Pet. 1. 5. c. we must endeavour to make particular application of these Doctrines to our selves personally without which we shall lose the benefit of the other and lay in a more fearful account they that take up Religion only to talk will find it a vain Religion when their knowledge will be an Article against them to aggravate the Guilt of their neglect For Direction 1. Let us be in love with practical preaching and the more particular and pressing it is let it please us the better Many love to hear learned and accurate Discourses on principles of Religion but when these Truths are brought home to mens Consciences and they search and make discoveries of their lives and practices now they care not for them but we ought to account this the life of preaching 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. 11. 2. Let us our selves enquire what every truth saith to us If we hear any Gospel Doctrine laid open let us often be asking our hearts what doth this say to us What would God have me to learn by this Doth it lay open no Sin of mine Is not this a Duty that I have too much neglected c. This is better than to apply it to others and say there is a word for such an one 3. Beware of prejudice against the close application of truths Suppose they come home to us and make deep incision and
5. If you are found among the wicked at last â—â— see your doom The assertion is positive and admâ— oâ— no exceptions but only that the man who oâ— â—as wicked be so no more for if he continues so 〈◊〉 is his lot from the hands of God and what a â—â—iseâ—y will it be to please our selves with a deceivâ—d hope that we are escaped the danger and conâ—â—ary to all our expectation to fall into all these sorâ—ows and be swallowed up of them in eternal perdition and let our hopes be never so strong yet if they be Hypâ—eritical in the foundation of them we see what they will come to Job 8 12. Let us â—hen see to it and bâ—ing our selves to the touchâ—one of the word prove our selves with greatest â—xactness USE II. Let it be for a word of solemn awakening â—â— every wicked person to whom it shall come And â—â—stake me not I do not only speak â—o such as are â—uilty of and live in flagicious câ—imes such as the â—â—ght of nature and common Morality testiâ—y aâ—ainst but to all that are not yet gotten out of â—heir natural state by a true Conversion but reâ—â—in under the dominion of sin and never felt the â—fficacy of the Grace of God in bringing of them â—ut of themselves unto a Saviour and turning them â—rom Sin to Himself that are strangers to the Savâ—â—â— change wrought by the Spirit in all those whom â—â— makes the Children of God and there are seâ—eral practical lessons I have to offer to such and â—â—treat them to set about in good earnest 1. Let this help to wean your affections from sin There is a natural delight which all ungodly men 〈◊〉 in their wicked courses they are so eager afâ—â—â— them that they lose their rest for them Prov 4. 16. â—â—d there is nothing so sweet to them as that which God hath forbidden Chap 9. 16. But it is from their prodigious ignorance of the after claps of such courses Ver. 17. It is indeed the disposition of corrupt nature to call evil good and so pursue it with its closing Affections but sure this is enough to take off the edge of these affections to consider and believe what a fearful reckoning men must come to after their pleasant morsels what sorrows men lay in for themselves by their delightful Sins and that in proportion to the content they take therein Rev. 187. Is it not enough to make a man throw a cup of the most inviting drink on the ground to consider that it is mixed with the most deadly poyson Such is the case here hence such a caution Prov. 23. 31 32. Who but a mad man will for a moments pleasure expose himself unavoidably to eternal sorrows 2. Hence let it help to quench in you the temptations to sin It Satan and your wicked hearts incite you to the Commission of sin they use arguments to allure you to entertain this invitation and endeavour to accommodate them to your carnal inclinations which readily work on the lusts that are in you and how shall we supâ—ress these Certainly it is best to do it with such arguments as may carry more force in them to deter us and if the respect we have for God wiâ—â— not do it who calls it the abominable thing that he hâ—teth which argument is of no force with a wicked man who is fallen short of the Glory of God yet one would think pity to our selves shouâ—â— have some efficacy upon us who have a self loâ— rooted in us although horribly defiled by Origâ—nal Sin Well you see what it will come to at length Lay then all in the ballance say there is a certain destruction attends uncountable and incomparable sorrows will be the exit and now ask seriously is there that in any in all of the allurements offered which will countervail and make amends for this and if not say I will not cast my self into eternal torments for a moments content in sin 3. Let it mar your mirth in the commission of sin It is horrible to see what mirth and pleasancy Sinners take in their leud courses how jocund they are when they get together singing and drinking and taking Gods Name in vain but here is a thought that will spoil all and it would be well if thus they might prevent that which is infinitely worse Think with your selves in the midst of your Cups and Cards and lascivious dalliances and debauched Songs what makes me thus merry who are an heir of sorrow It is the Wise mans observation Prov. 14. 13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that laughter is heaviness and so it is of all wicked mens carnal sports Think then thus am I damning my own Soul filling up the Cup of bitter wrath that must be given me to drink ere long if I follow such courses as these are 4. Let it embitter sin to you after the commission of it It is none of the least infelicities of ungoldly men and that which tends to harden them in sin to destruction that they not only sport themselves in sin whiles they are committing of it but take a great deal oâ— sinâ—ul pleasure in ruminating on it afterwards wiâ—h what pleasancy do they think how dâ—liâ—htfully do they â—alk of their merry bouts but I can tell you a more profiâ—able recollection or review of these things though it be more troublesome for the present yet let me advise you to it and that is set Conscience to work and think I have been dishonouring God provoking him by my leud carriages and daring of him â—o fall upon me in his wrath I have been carrying Wood to my Pile of vengeance and laying up sorrows for my self Let Conscience solâ—mnly enquire What have I done And feâ—ch in the Word of God that will tell you a fearful story how might this tend to your deliverance 5. Let it make you rest less till you are delivered from the Guilt and Dominion of sin When God comes to Convert Sinners to himself and win them to a compliance with tâ—e offered grace of the Gospel he is wont to begin with awakenings and terrors to shew them their misery and danger so to sire them out of their refuges of lies and break the league between them and their lusts for which he applies such things to their consideration as shall convince them and put them into a concernedness about themselves and the Gospel Ordinances are appointed as means for this end Now there is no consideration of more weight on this accouut than this before us be then advised to right improving of it and to that end 1. Think much and often of these sorrows The threatnings of the Word of God the miserieâ— contained in the Curse and included in the death which Sinners are doomed too is a common place very profitable for them to be much in the contemplation of it is the neglect of this that makes them secure and confident God would have
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.
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
tried to the utmost by them and all this notwithstanding their renewed repentance reiterated supplications and gracious answers obtained 2. Whence this is and how it consists with Gods Promise and Covenant faithfulness A. There hath been no small occasion of stumbling on this account God hath made great promises concerning this and though he hath said he will correct them in case of prevarication yet he hath also said that if they confess and pray they shall be pitied and relieved and if they waâ—â— close with him they shall greatly prosper and that after this they shall be thus exposed is an hard chapter carnal reason cries out Where is the Promise Let us then closely weigh this Case 1. In respect of Publick Calamities and their relation to them Observe two things 1. Though God may hear them for themselves â—â—â— forgive them yet he may not forgive the Land they live in and so their being forgiven will have no a fluence to keep off Publick Judgments A peopâ—â— may be guilty and God will not withold â—â— hand their personal repentance doth not remoâ—â— the general impenitency and they cannot stand â—â— the gap to keep off the Wrath of God or slâ—â— the breaking in of floods of misery and if tâ—â— body of a people have corrupted their ways anâ— will not be reformed it is righteous with God bring these waters upon them and sometimes comes to that Jer. 15. 1. Ezek. 14. 14. 2. They may not only see the common â—â— lamity but smart by it and that righteously and there are two reasons for this 1. They are members of that body against which God hath a Controverly That there is an external Dispensation of Gods Covenant in treating with the body of a professing people collectively is a great truth on which account the whole are considered as one and Gods Temporary Providences are accommodaâ—ed to them as so thus sometimes the sâ—n of one may bring Gods Judgments on the â—hole Congregation Josh 22 20. especially when that one mans sins are influential to debauch a whole people a s 2 King 23. 26 27. compare Chap. 21. 11. And when good men suffer on this account it is their infelicity in some regard but therâ— is no unrighteousness with God nor may they charge iniquity on him 2. Their very sins which they have repented of and have obtained forgiveness for may have given occasion for those publick calamities Such was Davids numâ—â—ing of the people 2 Sam. 24. begin Israel indeed had provokâ—d Gods anger however this act of Davids was introductory to the fearful Plague that followed and yet he repented before the plague â—â—me verse 10. Nay the Sins of Gods Children may defile a Land and though they repent perâ—onally yet publick Guilt remains as in the foreâ—â—ted Case David therefore takes it to himself â—nd deprecates it from the people in verse 17. 2. In respect to the personal afflictions they meet with â—â—d those very awful after they are forgiven And â—he consistency of this with the Covenant promise and fidelity may be considered and neâ—e 1. Negatively These afflictions are not properly the punishments of those Sins If we take punishment for the execution of Vindictive Justice this is not to be attributed to that we must beware of their distinction who say God forgives the Guilt but not the punishment Guilt is nothing else but an obligation to suffer punishment and if the Guilt be remitted that obligation is taken off there is nothing legal on this account God doth not sit upon them as a Judge to condemn them for he hath already past an act of Grace upon them in pardoning them 2. Positively God in all this hath an eye and respect to the Covenant of Grace under which be hath taken them And how consonant it is to that will be evident if we Consider 1. God in the New Covenant hath declared that he will chasten the bold Transgressions of his Children Their relation to the promises doth not secure them against this and it would wrong them if it should see how the Covenant runs on this account Psal 89. 30. c. It is one Article in the Covenant Heb. 12. 6. He scourgeth every son whom he receiveth God will maintain a fathers authority over them and use a fathers discretion in it 2. God usually prepares his Children for this Correction by bringing them to his foot on which forgiveness follows This is not that they should escape the rod but be sitted for it A wise father first reason with his Child sheweth him his folly makes him â—o see his desert and this puts him upon asking forgiveness and the same love that pardons his sin makes him smart for it because his wisdom sees it is most convenient thus 2 Sam. 12. 14 15. 3. Hence God doth it for their Spiritual advantage Heb. 12. 9 10. That sin needs not only to be forgiven but to be mortified in them the furtherance of their holiness calls for this dispensation thus they come to see more of the bitterness of their sin and be made the more watchful against it David on this score acknowledgeth the goodness of his affliction and Gods faithfulness in inflicting of it Psal 119. 71 75. 4. God doth it for the vindication of the honour of his own Name There is a reproach they often bring upon the Name of God and the Religion they profess the world hath been scandalized by such sins and when God thus deals with them mens mouths are stopt they cannot say that he can allow any abominations in his own Children hence that 2 Sam. 12. 14. 5. Yea he may exercise his people after he hath forgiven them for their tryal He may exercise their Graces and make proof of them and so make them more fearful of sinning and enable them to bring forth much more fruit to his praise See 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. Now all these things are not repugnant to but included in the Covenant USE I. Learn hence what impenitent sinners may â—xpect to find at Gods hand When Christ himself â—uffered he advised to such an improvement of it Luk. 23. 31. If it be done thus in a green tree what shall be done in the dry And see 1 Pet. 4. 17. If his Children whom God loves with a fathers love may be entertained with such Providences and that although they have humbled themselves sought mercy and obtained pardon hard hearted and obstinate Sinners who will not seek God nor fall down before him but go on in their Transgressions may well expect him to fall upon them in his greatest fury and destroy them for ever from his presence If Sin be so odious to him that he will testify against it in those to whom he is reconciled in Christ they that sin with an high hand and have no Redeemer to appear for them must look to drink up the dregs of the Cup of his indignation and let every Unregenerate Sinner be suitably affected with it and be