Sin and renewing us into the Image of God are obtained by the Gospel The Law is called the Law of Sin and Death which must be understood not as consider'd in it self but relatively to our depraved Nature The Law supposes Men in a State of uncorrupted Nature and was given to be a Preservative of our Holiness and Felicity not a Remedy to recover us from Sin and Misery It was directive of our Duty but since our Rebellion the Rod is turn'd into a Serpent The Law is hard and imperious severe and inexorable the Tenor of it is Do or die for ever It requires a Righteousness entire and unblemish'd which one born in Sin cannot produce in the Court of Judgment Man is utterly unable by his lapsed Powers to recover the Favour of God and to fulfil his Obligation by the Law to Obedience But the Gospel discovers an open easy way to Life to all that will accept of Salvation by the Redeemer The Apostle expresses the Difference between the Condition of the Law and the Gospel in a very significant manner Moses describes the Righteousness which is of the Law that the Man that does those things shall live in them but the Righteousness which is of Faith speaks on this wise Say not in thine Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above Who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Jesus Christ again from the dead but what saith it The Word is nigh thee that if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth and shalt believe in thy Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved The meaning of the Apostle is that things in Heaven above or in the Depths beneath are of impossible Discovery and Attainment so 't is equally impossible to be justified by the Works of the Law The anxious Sinner seeks in vain for Righteousness in the Law which can only be found in the Gospel It may be objected that the Condition of the Law and the Condition of the Gospel compar'd relatively to our deprav'd Faculties are equally impossible The carnal Mind and Affections are as averse from Repentance and receiving Christ as our Lord and Saviour as from obeying the Law Our Saviour tells the Jews Ye will not come to me that ye may have Life and no Man can come to me unless the Father draw him Which Words are highly expressive of our utter Impotence to believe savingly in Christ. But there is a clear Answer to this Objection the Difference between the two Dispensations consists principally in this The Law requires compleat and constant Obedience as the Condition of Life without affording the least supernatural Power to perform it But the Gospel has the Spirit of Grace a Concomitant with it by whose Omnipotent Efficacy Sinners are revived and enabled to comply with the Terms of Salvation The Spirit of the Law is stiled the Spirit of Bondage from its rigorous Effects it discover'd Sin and terrified the Conscience without implanting a Principle of Life that might restore the Sinner to a State of Holy Liberty As the Flame in the Bush made the Thorns in it visible without consuming them so the firy Law discovers Mens Sins but does not abolish them But the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus i. e. the Gospel has freed us from the Law of Sin and Death I will more particularly consider the gracious Terms prescribed in the Gospel for the obtaining Pardon Repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The requiring of them is not an arbitrary Constitution but founded in the unchangeable Nature and Congruity of things Repentance signifies a sincere Change of the Mind and Heart from the Love and Practice of Sin to the Love and Practice of Holiness upon Evangelical and Divine Motives The principal Ingredients in it are Reflections with Grief and Shame upon our past Sins with stedfast Resolutions of future Obedience 'T is a vital Principle productive of Fruits sutable to it 'T is call'd Repentance from dead Works Repentance unto Life 'T is the Seed of new Obedience Repentance in order of Nature is before Pardon but they are inseparably join'd in the same Point of Time David is a blessed Instance of this I said I will confess my Transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin The Sum and Tenour of the Apostles Commission recorded by St. Luke is That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in the Name of Christ to all Nations That a repentant Sinner only is qualified for Pardon will be evident in considering 1. That an impenitent Sinner is the Object of revenging Justice and 't is utterly inconsistent that pardoning Mercy and revenging Justice should be terminated upon the same Person at the same time in the same respect 'T is said The Lord hateth all the Workers of Iniquity and his Soul hates the Wicked The Expression implies the intense Degrees of Hatred In the glorious Appearance of God to Moses when proclaim'd with the highest Titles of Honour The Lord God gracious and merciful pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin 't is added he will by no means spare the Guilty i. e. impenitent Sinners We must suppose God to be of a changeable flexible Nature which is a blasphemous Imagination and makes him like to sinful Man if an impenitent Sinner may be received to Favour without a Change in his Disposition God cannot repent of giving a holy Law the Rule of our Duty therefore Man must repent of his breaking the Law before he can be reconciled to him The Truth is Man consider'd merely as a Sinner is not the Object of God's first Mercy i. e. of Pity and Compassion for as such he is the Object of God's Wrath and 't is a formal Contradiction to assert that he is the Object of Love and Hatred at the same time and in the same respect But Man consider'd as God's Creature involv'd in Misery by the Fraud of the Tempter and his own Folly was the Object of God's Compassion and the Recovery of him from his forlorn wretched State was the Effect of that Compassion 2. Tho Mercy consider'd as a separate Attribute might pardon an impenitent Sinner yet not in Conjunction and Concord with God's essential Perfections Many things are possible to Power absolutely consider'd which God cannot do for his Power is always directed in its Exercise by his Wisdom and limited by his Will It would disparage God's Wisdom stain his Holiness violate his Justice to pardon an impenitent Sinner The Gospel by the Promise of Pardon to such would foil it self and frustrate its principal End which is to purify us from all Iniquity and to make us a People zealous of good Works 3. If an impenitent Sinner may be pardoned as such he may be glorified for that which qualifies a Man for Pardon qualifies him for Salvation and the Divine Decree establishes an inseparable Connexion between them
Thoughts than your Thoughts The Distance is so great between the Heavens and the Earth that the Sun so vast a Globe of Light seems to be of a small Circumference and the Stars of the first Magnitude tho many times bigger than the Earth appear like glittering Points of Light This Comparison is so convincing as may assist us in our Contemplation of his Mercy The Apostle saith God is rich in Mercy 'T is not said that he is rich in Substance tho the Earth be the Lord's and the Fulness thereof He is rich in his own Perfections not in external things 'T is not said God is rich in Power tho he is Almighty nor in Justice but in Mercy This signifies that of all the Divine Perfections none do shine so radiantly as his Mercy This reflects a Lustre upon his other Attributes His Goodness is the Foundation of his Glory He pardon'd ten thousand Talents to the Servant that was insolvent and his Treasure is unwasted I will consider the Extent of his pardoning Mercy and the Entireness of it 1. The Extent of it with Respect to the Number and Quality of the Sins that are pardoned 1 st The Number of them David after an attentive Consideration of the Purity and Perfection of God's Law breaks forth in a very great Anxiety Who can understand his Errors Who can enumerate the many Defections from that strait Rule of our Duty In many things we offend all We are obliged perpetually to obey and glorify God yet in every Action even in our religious Duties there are many Defects and Defilements that want Pardon How many Swarms of vain and unprofitable Thoughts of carnal covetous proud envious and revengeful Thoughts and Desires lodg in the Hearts of Men What a Torrent of idle sensual vain-glorious and passionate Words flow from their Lips How many thousand sinful Actions proceed from them When the inlightned Conscience seriously reflects upon our Sins of Omission and Commission how astonishing is their vast Number What a mountainous Heap appears They reach as low as Hell and rise as high as Heaven It would tire the Hand of an Angel to write down the Pardons that God bestows upon one penitent Believer 2 dly Divine Forgiveness extends to Sins of all kinds and degrees habitual and actual Tho no Sins are absolutely small being committed against the Majesty of God yet comparatively with respect to their Quality and Circumstances there is a manifest Difference between them Some are of a weaker Tincture some are of a deeper Die Some slightly wound the Conscience some waste it and let out its vital Blood Some do as it were whisper against the Sinner some cry for Vengeance Sins of Ignorance and Infirmity Sins of sudden Surreption that steal upon us without observing Sins by surprise of the Passions when there is no time to deliberate have extenuating Circumstances but Sins against Light wherein there is more of the Nature of Sin Sins against Mercies which in the Language of the Apostle are a despising of God's Goodness Sins against solemn Vows wherein Men break double Bands the Law of God and their sacred Ingagements Sins committed habitually and presumptuously as if God were ignorant or indifferent and unconcern'd or impotent and without Power to punish Offenders These Sins derive a greater Guilt and expose to a more terrible Punishment Now a gracious Pardon is offer'd in the Gospel to all Sinners whatever the Quality and Circumstances of their Sins be if they apply and address themselves to the Father of Mercy through the compassionate Mediator and forsake their Sins Of this we are assured from the most solemn Declaration of God to Moses The Lord is merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sin The Promise is comprehensive of all sorts of Sins how manifold and mighty soever Besides to encourage us to repent and believe God promises Pardon for Sins of the fiercest Provocation Judah had violated the Marriage-Covenant with God by their impure Idolatries yet he offers to receive them Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Relapses into rebellious Sins argue a strong Propensity to them and exceedingly aggravate their Guilt yet God promises Pardon for them Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your Backslidings There are eminent Instances of God's pardoning Mercy recorded in the Scripture The Apostle having enumerated many sorts of Sinners guilty of enormous Crimes Idolaters Adulterers Abusers of themselves with Mankind tells the Corinthians And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God There is one sort of Sinners excepted from the general Promise of Mercy those who sin against the Holy Ghost The Reason of the Exception is not that the Holy Spirit is superiour in Dignity to the Father and the Son for they are all coeternal and coequal but from his Operations i. e. the revealing the Truth and Grace of God in the Gospel Now the obstinate malicious contradicting the Truth of the Gospel shining in the Minds of Men and the perverse despising the Grace of the Gospel is unpardonable to infinite Mercy Those who are guilty of that Sin have transform'd themselves into the Image of the Devil and Salvation cannot save them But no others are excluded from Repentance and Pardon 2. As the Extent so the Intireness of Pardon offer'd to Sinners declares God's abundant Mercy 1 st The Pardon is as full as free according to his excellent Goodness The Imputation of the Fault ceases and the Obligation to Punishment is abolish'd We have clear Evidence of this from the Scripture God assures those who repent and reform Tho your Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow tho they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool Pardon is more than a Reprieve or Suspension of Judgment 't is a perfect Freedom from it A repenting Believer is as clear from the Charge of the Law as an innocent Angel There is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Our cleansing from the Defilements of Sin is imperfect therefore we must be always purifying our selves till we attain to absolute Purity but our Pardon is perfect 'T is irrevocable we are assured that as far as the East is from the West God removes our Transgressions from us As soon those distant Points may be united as Guilt may be fastned upon those whom God has pardoned The Prophet declares that God will subdue our Iniquities and cast them into the Bottom of the Sea From whence they can never rise God promises I will forgive their Iniquities and remember them no more Pardon is compleat and final 'T is the Misery of the Wicked they are condemned already they live by
had never been born or made in a lower Rank of Creatures uncapable of Damnation According to the Conviction of the Greatness of our Misery our Longings will be for Deliverance The Desire accomplish'd is a Tree of Life The Tree of Life was in the midst of Paradise the Centre of its Pleasures According to the Degrees of our Desires such is the Sweetness of Fruition Now when the Soul is overwhelm'd with the fearful Apprehensions of everlasting Death how ardent are the Desires of Pardon how unsatisfied without it and what Impressions of Joy are felt from the sealing its Pardon Solomon tells us That good News from a far Country is like cooling Water to one burnt up with Thirst. How much more refreshing is the Testimony of the blessed Comforter from Heaven to one fainting in the Estuations of Conscience that his Sins are pardoned David expresses his Valuation and earnest Longing for the Favour of God and his joyful Sense of it There be many that say Who will shew us any Good Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me Thou hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine increased An inward cordial Joy that far exceeds the counterfeit Joy in the Countenance that ends in Heaviness Now the thankful Sense of a Benefit is correspondent to the joyful Sense of it and the joyful according to our languishing longing after it Fervent Prayer for the pardoning Mercy of God and a frozen Acknowledgment of it are utterly inconsistent There is no Joy in the World so sensible and affecting as the Joy of one saved from present Death A condemned Man values and rejoices more in receiving two Lines where his Pardon is contained than in the Conveyance of a Kingdom Hezekiah when under the Sentence of Death in his Sickness how passionate were his Addresses for Recovery how exuberant were his Joy and Thankfulness for his Rescue from perishing The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day He resolves to renew the Praises of his gracious Preserver every day The Lord saved me therefore we will sing my Songs to the stringed Instruments all the Days of our Life in the House of the Lord. Had he so quick and warm a Sense of the Divine Mercy that saved him from the Grave how much more ardent should our Acknowledgments be for the saving us from Hell If we have the Feeling of Sin as we have of Sickness and are as duly sensible how much the Life of the Soul our excellent and immortal Part is to be preferred before the Life of the frail and perishing Body our Joy and Thankfulness would be in the highest Elevation in remembring forgiving Mercy This will be the Argument of the high and everlasting Praise of God in Heaven I shall conclude with this Advice Let us not content our selves with verbal Acknowledgments of this real and glorious Benefit Let our Thanksgiving be joined with Thanksdoing then we shall be accepted Of this we have the most comforting Assurance from God himself He that offers Praise glorifies me and to him that orders his Conversation aright I will shew the Salvation of God FINIS BOOKS writ by William Bates D.D. and sold by B. Aylmer THE Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the Contrivance and Accomplishment of Man's Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ Or Discourses wherein is shewed how the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness Power and Truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed Work Considerations of the Existence of God and of the Immortality of the Soul with the Recompences of the future State To which is now added The Divinity of the Christian Religion c. The Four Last Things Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell practically considered and applied The Danger of Prosperity discovered in several Sermons The great Duty of Resignation in Times of Affliction c. A Funeral-Sermon on Dr. Thomas Manton who deceased October 18 1677. With the last publick Sermon Dr. Manton preached The Sure Trial of Uprightness opened in several Sermons upon Psal. 18. v. 23. A Description of the blessed Place and State of the Saints above on John 14.2 Preached at the Funeral of Mr. Clarkson The Way to the highest Honour on John 12.26 Preached at the Funeral of Dr. Jacomb The speedy Coming of Christ to Judgment on Rev. 22.12 Preached at the Funeral of Mr. Benj. Ashhurst A Sermon on the Death of the Late Queen Mary Ver. 3. Isa. 43. Mal. 3. Mic. 7. Psal. 86. Rom. 8. Rom. 10. Psal. 32. Luke 24. Rom. 8. Acts 5. Jonah 2. Jam. 3.10 Luke 2. 1 Tim. 1. Isa. 6. 2 Cor. 5. Phil. 3. Ephes. 2. Rom. 4. Jer. 7.16 Hos. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 1 John 1. Heb. 6.18 Joh. 8.24 Hos. 11.8 Prov. 1. Lam. 3. Acts 11. Ephes. 2. Rom. 8. Prov. 9. ult John 5. Gen. 6. Ephes. 2. Rom. 8. Psal. 103. Mich. 7. Jer. 31.34 Heb. 9.14 Cor. 11. Heb. 12. Mal. 3. Mic. 7. Rom. 1. Deut. 29. Prov. 29. Psal. 116. Exod. 33. Mic. 7. Hos. 11. Isa. 43.25 1 Tim. 1. Prov. 28.13 Alitur vitium vivitque tegendo Psal. 32.2 Gen. 3.10 Exod. 32. 1 Sam. 15.15 Jer. 31. Psal. 73. * Nam pro jucundis aptissimae quaeque dabunt Dii charior est illis homo quam sibi Juven Lev. 5.13 Gal. 5. Mark 11.25 26. Psal. 103.1 2. Psal. 32.1 Acts 26.18 Psal. 48. 2 Sam. 24.24 Isa. 33. ult Psal. 118. Psal. 5. Isa. 38.19 Ver. 20. Psal. 50. ult
SERMONS UPON Psalm CXXX Ver. 4. But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared BY WILLIAM BATES D. D. LONDON Printed by J. D. for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1696. SERMONS OF THE Forgiveness of Sins PSAL. CXXX 4. But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared THE Psalmist in the first and second Verses addresses to God with earnest Desires for his saving Mercies Out of the Depths have I cried to thee O Lord Lord hear my Voice let thine Ear be attentive to my Supplication He humbly deprecates the severe Inquiry of Divine Justice ver 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand If God should with an exact Eye observe our Sins and call us to an account who can stand in Judgment who can endure that firy Trial The best Saints tho never so innocent and unblameable in the sight of Men tho never so vigilant and watchful over their Hearts and Ways are not exempted from the Spots of humane Frailty which according to the Rigour of the Law would expose them to a condemning Sentence He relieves and supports himself under this fearful Apprehension with the Hopes of Mercy But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 'T is in thy Power and thy Will to pardon repenting and returning Sinners that thou mayst be feared The Fear of God in Scripture signifies the humble holy Reverence of him as our heavenly Father and Soveraign that makes us cautious lest we should offend him and careful to please him For this Reason the Fear of God is comprehensive of all Religion of the whole Duty of Man to which it is introductive and is a principal Ingredient in it The Clemency and compassionate Mercy of God is the Cause of an ingenuous filial Fear mix'd with Love and Affiance in the Breasts of Men. Other Attributes his Holiness that fram'd the Law Justice that ordain'd the Punishment of Sin Power that inflicts it render his Majesty terrible and cause a Flight from him as an Enemy If all must perish for their Sins no Prayers or Praises will ascend to Heaven all Religious Worship will cease for ever But his tender Mercy ready to receive humble Suppliants and restore them to his Favour renders him amiable and admired and draws us near to him There are two Propositions to be considered in the Verse 1. That Forgiveness belongs to God 2. That the forgiving Mercy of God is a powerful Motive of Adoration and Obedience I propound to discourse of the first and to touch upon the second in the Application In managing the Point with Light and Order 't is requisite to consider 1 st What is contain'd in Forgiveness 2 dly The Arguments that demonstrate that Forgiveness belongs to God 1. What is contained in Forgiveness This necessarily supposes Sin and Sin a Law that is violated by it The Law implies a Sovereign Law-giver to whose declared Will Subjection is due and who will exact an Account in Judgment of Mens Obedience or Disobedience to his Law and dispense Rewards and Punishments accordingly God by the clearest Titles is our King our Law-giver and Judg for he is our Maker and Preserver and consequently has a full Propriety in us and absolute Authority over us and by his sovereign and singular Perfections is qualified to govern us A derived Being is necessarily in a State of Dependance and Subjection All the Ranks of Creatures in the World are order'd by their Maker his Kingdom rules over all Those in the lowest degree of Being are order'd by Power Sensitive Creatures are determin'd by the Impulses of Nature to their Actions for having no Light to distinguish between moral Good and Evil they have no Choice and are incapable of receiving a Law Intelligent Creatures endowed with judicious and free Faculties an Understanding to discern between moral Good and Evil and a Will to choose or reject what is propounded to them are capable of a Law to direct and regulate their Liberty To Man a Law was given by the Creator the Copy of his Wisdom and Will that has all the Perfections of a Rule 'T is clear and compleat injoining what is essentially good and forbidding what is essentially evil God governs Man conveniently to his Nature and no Service is pleasing to him but the Result of our Reason and Choice the Obedience of our supreme leading Powers Since the Fall the Light of the Understanding compared with the bright Discovery it afforded of our whole Duty in our Original State is either like the Twilight of the Evening the faint and dim Remains of the Light of the Day when Night draws a dark Vail over the World or like the dawning of the Morning when the rising Sun begins to scatter the Darkness of the Night The latter Comparison I think is more just and regular for 't is said that the Son of God enlightens every Man that comes into the World The innate Light discovers there is a streight Line of Truth to regulate our Judgment and a streight Line of Vertue to regulate our Actions Natural Conscience is a Principle of Authority directing us to choose and practise Vertue and to avoid Vice and according to our Neglect or Compliance with its Dictates reflects upon us 'T is hardly presumable that any are so prodigiously wicked as not to be convinc'd of the natural Rectitude in things they can distinguish between what is fair and what is fraudulent in Dealings and acknowledg in the general and in judging of others the Equity of things tho they elude the Force of the Conviction in the Application to themselves Now since common Reason discovers there is a common Rule there must be a common Judg to whom Men are accountable for the Obliquity or Conformity of their Actions to that Rule The Law of God is revealed in its Purity and Perfection in the Scripture The Law binds first to Obedience and in neglect of it to Punishment Sin is defin'd by St. John to be the Transgression of the Law The Omission of what is commanded or doing what is forbidden is a Sin Not only the Lusts that break forth into Action and Evidence but inward Inclinations contrary to the Law are Sin From hence results a Guilt upon every Sinner which includes the Imputation of the Fault and Obligation to Punishment There is a natural Connexion between the Evil of Doing and the Evil of Suffering the Violation of the Law is justly revenged by the Violation of the Person that breaks it It is an impossible Imagination that God should give a Law not enforc'd with a Sanction This would cast a Blemish upon his Wisdom for the Law would cancel it self and defeat his Ends in giving it it would reflect a high Dishonour upon his Holy Majesty as if he were indifferent with respect to Vertue or Vice and disregarded our Reverence or Rebellion against his Authority The Apostle declares
that all the World are become guilty before God that is justly chargeable with their Crimes and liable to his Judgment The Act of Sin is transient and the Pleasure vanishes but the Guilt if not pardoned and purged away remains for ever in the Records of Conscience The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and with the Point of a Diamond it is graven on the Tables of the Heart When the Books of eternal Life and Death shall be opened at the Last Day all the unpardoned Sins of Men with their killing Aggravations will be found written in indelible Characters and shall be set in order before their Eyes to their Confusion The righteous Judg has sworn he will forget none of their Works According to the Number and Heinousness of their Sins a Sentence shall pass upon them No Excuses shall suspend the Judgment nor mitigate the immediate Execution of it The Forgiveness of Sins contains the Abolition of their Guilt and Freedom from the deserved Destruction consequent to it This is express'd by various Terms in Scripture Pardon relates to some Damage and Offence which the offended Party may severely vindicate Now altho the blessed God in strictness of speaking can receive no Damage by rebellious Creatures being infinitely above the Impression of Evil yet as our Saviour speaks of one that looks upon a Woman with an impure Desire that he has committed Adultery with her in his Heart tho the Innocence of the Woman be unstained so the Sins of Men being Acts of foul Ingratitude against his Goodness and notorious Unrighteousness against his Authority are in a Sense injurious to him which he might justly revenge upon them but his Clemency spares them The not imputing Sin is borrowed from the Accounts of Servants with their Masters and implies the Account we are obliged to render the supreme Lord for all his Benefits which we have so wretchedly misimproved he might righteously exact of us ten thousand Talents that are due to him but he is graciously pleased to cross the Book and freely to discharge us The purging from Sin implies 't is very odious and offensive in God's Eyes and has a special respect to the expiatory Sacrifices of which 't is said that without Blood there was no Remission This was typical of the precious Blood of the Son of God that purges the Conscience from dead Works from the deadly Guilt of Sin that cleaves to the Conscience of the Sinner By the application of his Blood the crimson Guilt is wash'd away and the pardoned Sinner is accepted as one pure and innocent 2. I shall next demonstrate that Forgiveness belongs to God This will be evident by the following Considerations 1 st 'T is the high and peculiar Prerogative of God to pardon Sin His Authority made the Law and gives Life and Vigour to it therefore he can remit the Punishment of the Offender This is evident from the Proportion of humane Laws For tho subordinate Judges have only a limited Power and must acquit or condemn according to the Law yet the Soveraign may dispense with it This is declared in Scripture by God himself I even I am he that blots out thy Transgressions for my Name sake He repeats it with an Emphasis He is proclaimed with this Royal Title The Lord gracious and merciful pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin 'T is a Dispensation of Divine Soveraignty to pardon the Guilty 'T is true God pardons as a Father according to that most gracious Promise I will spare them as a Father spares his Son that serves him but as invested with the Dignity of a Soveraign Our Saviour directs us in the perfect Form of Prayer dictated to his Disciples to pray to God for the Forgiveness of our Sins as our Father sitting in Heaven upon a high Throne from whence he pronounces our Pardon His Majesty is equally glorious with his Mercy in that blessed Dispensation His Royal Supremacy is more conspicuous in the Exercise of Mercy towards repenting Sinners than in the Acts of Justice upon obstinate Offenders As a King is more a King by the pardoning humble Suppliants by the Operation of his Scepter than in subduing Rebels by the Power of the Sword For in Acts of Grace he is above the Law and over-rules its Rigour in Acts of Vengeance he is only superiour to his Enemies 'T is the peculiar Prerogative of God to pardon Sin The Prophet challenges all the reputed Deities of the Heathens as defective in this Royal Power Who is a God like unto thee pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin The Pharisees said true Who can forgive Sins but God only for 't is an Act of Empire The judicial Power to pardon is a Flower inseparable from the Crown for 't is founded in a Superiority to the Law therefore inconsistent with a depending Authority A Creature is as incapable of the Supremacy of God in pardoning Sin as of his Omnipotence to create a World for they are both truly infinite Besides the Power of pardoning Sins necessarily implies an universal Knowledg of the Minds and Hearts of Men which are the Fountains of their â—ctions and according to their Ingredâ—â—ncy the moral Good or Evil of them rises The more deliberately and wilfully a Sin is committed the Sinner incurs a greater Guilt and is obnoxious to a more heavy Punishment Now no Creature can dive into the Hearts of Men They are naked and open to the piercing Eye of God alone Add farther the authoritative Power to pardon has necessarily annex'd to it the active Power of dispensing Rewards and Punishments Now the Son of God alone has the Keys of Life and Death in his Hands It may be objected That our Saviour declares that the Son of Man has Power to forgive Sins The Answer to this will be clear by considering there are two Natures in Christ the Divine Nature that originally belongs to him and is proper to his Person and the Humane Nature which is as it were adoptive and was voluntarily assumed Now the Divine Person is the sole Principle and Subject of this Royal Dignity but 't is exercised in its Conjunction with the humane Nature and attributed to the Son of Man As in the Humiliation of Christ the Principles of his Sufferings and the actual Sufferings are solely in the humane Nature but upon the Account of the personal Union they are attributed to the Divine Person 'T is said The Lord of Glory was crucified and the Blood of God redeemed his Church The Church of Rome with high Presumption arrogates to their Priests a judicial Power of forgiving Sins and by the easy Folly of the People and crafty Deceit of their Instructors exercise a Jurisdiction over Conscience To avoid the Imputation of Blasphemy they pretend there is a double Power of Forgiving supreme and subordinate the first belongs to God the other is delegated by Commission to the Ministers of the Gospel But this is an irreconcileable Contradiction for
be saved by the Death of Christ upon the Terms of the Gospel This Constitution is grounded upon the eternal Articles between the Father and the Son in the Covenant of Redemption Our Saviour declares that God gave his Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal Life Notwithstanding the full Satisfaction made for our Sins yet without our Consent i. e. an applicative Faith no Benefit could accrue to us He dwells in our Hearts by Faith and by that vital Band of our Union we have Communion with him in his Death and as entire an Interest in all the blessed Benefits purchased by it as if whatsoever he did and suffered had been for us alone He is a Propitiation by Faith in his Blood Of this full Consent of the Sinner there is an excellent Example in the Apostle He expresses it with the greatest Ardency of Affection I count all things but Dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ. Like as a poor insolvent Debtor ready to be cast into a perpetual Prison longs for a Surety rich and liberal to make Paiment for him Thus St. Paul desir'd to be found in Christ as an all-sufficient Surety that he might obtain a Freedom from the Charge of the Law The Establishment of the Gospel that Faith be the Condition of our Pardon so that none can be justified without it is from pure Grace The Apostle assigns this Reason why all Works are excluded those performed in the State of Nature or by a Principle of Grace from being the procuring Cause of our Salvation that it is to prevent Vain-glory in Men that would result from it You are saved by Grace through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God The Pardon of Sin is a principal Part of our Salvation He positively declares that Justification is therefore of Faith that it might be by Grace If Justification were to be obtain'd by a Condition of impossible Performance it were no Favour to offer that blessed Benefit to us but it being assur'd to a Believer that humbly and thankfully accepts of it the Grace of God is exceedingly glorified To make this more clear Faith may be considered as a productive Grace or a receptive As a productive it purifies the Heart works by Love and in this Consideration we are not justified by it Faith hath no Efficiency in our Justification 't is the sole Act of God But Faith as a receptive Grace that embraces Christ with his precious Merits offer'd to us in the Promise entitles us to Pardon And in this way Divine Grace is exalted for he that entirely relies upon the Righteousness of Christ absolutely renounces his own Righteousness and ascribes in solidum the obtaining of his Pardon to the Clemency and Favour of God for the sake of the Mediator 3. That God is ready to forgive is fully proved by many gracious Declarations in his Word the infallible Expression of his Will We are commanded to seek his Face for ever his Favour and Love for the Countenance is the Christal wherein the Affections appear Now all the Commands of God assure us of his approving and Acceptance of our Obedience to them it follows therefore that 't is very pleasing to him that we pray for the Pardon of our Sins and that he will dispense it if we pray in a due manner When he forbad the Prophet to pray for Israel it was an Argument of decreed Ruine against them Pray not for this People for I will not hear thee To encourage our Hope God is pleased to direct us how to address our Requests for his Mercy He directs Israel that had fallen by Iniquity to take Words and turn to the Lord and say unto him Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Praise of our Lips To this is added a solemn renouncing of those Sins that provoked him to Anger His gracious Answer follows I will heal their Backslidings I will love them freely If a Prince draws a Petition for an humble Suppliant to himself 't is a strong Indication that he will grant it God joins Intreaties to his Commands to induce Men to accept this Mercy The Apostle declares Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God Astonishing Goodness how condescending how compassionate The Provocation began on Man's part the Reconciliation is first on God's That the King of Heaven whose Indignation was incens'd by our Rebellions and might justly send Executioners to destroy us should send Embassadors to offer Peace and beseech us to be reconciled to him as if it were his Interest and not ours is a Mercy above what we could ask or think With Commands and Intreaties he mixes Promises of Pardon to encourage us to come to the Throne of Grace Whoever confesses and forsakes his Sins shall find Mercy This Promise is ratified by the strongest Assurance If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness The Pardon of a repenting Sinner is the Effect of most free Mercy but 't is dispensed to the Honour of God's Faithfulness and Justice who is pleased to engage himself by his Promise to do it And tho the Word of God be as sacred and certain as his Oath for 't is impossible for him to change his Will or to deceive us in the one as well as the other yet to overcome the Fears to allay the Sorrows and satisfy the Desires of repenting Sinners he was pleased to annex his Oath to the Promise which is the most infallible Character and Note that the Blessing promised is unchangeable He adds Threatnings to his Invitations that Fear which is an active and strong Passion may constrain us to seek for his Mercy Our Saviour said to the Jews who did blind and harden themselves in their Infidelity If ye believe not that I am he the promised Messiah and come to me to obtain Life ye shall die in your Sins The Threatning implies a State final and fearful beyond all Expression for they who die in their Sins shall die for them to Eternity Hell is the sad Mansion of lost Souls fill'd with extreme Wrath and extreme Despair and where Despair is without Remedy Sorrow is without Mitigation for ever From hence we may be convinc'd how willing God is to pardon and save us in that knowing how we are intangled with pleasant Sins he reveals to us what will be the eternal Consequence of Sins unrepented and unforgiven a Punishment above all the Evils that are felt or fear'd here and above all the Patience and Strength of Sinners to endure If Men yield themselves to the Call of his Word without and of his Spirit within
every day The Scripture gives an Account why Execution is respited The Lord is not slack as some Men count Slackness but is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He waits to be gracious and spares Men in order to their Salvation 5. It appears that God is ready to forgive in that upon the first Suit of humble and penitent Believers he presently pardons them If we consider how long Men continue in a Course of voluptuous or profitable Sins how many Repulses to the Offers of Mercy they are guilty of it might justly be expected that God should with Disdain reject their Petitions or not be intreated without a long Exercise of Repentance and continued submissive and earnest Solicitations for his Mercy But the King of Heaven keeps no State the Throne of Grace is always open and accessible to humble Penitents When their Hearts are prepar'd his Ear is inclin'd to hear them David after his commission of very foul Sins and long continuing in a State of Impenitency yet upon his melting in the Sense of his Wickedness and Resolution to humble himself by a mournful Acknowledgment of it he was restor'd to the Divine Favour I said I would confess my Sins and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Repenting Ephraim is an admirable Instance of God's relenting Bowels to Sinners I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustom'd to the Yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the Reproach of my Youth Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have Mercy on him saith the Lord. The Prodigal upon his Resolution to return to his Father and debase himself as utterly unworthy of being received as a Son while he was in the way his Father saw him at a distance and ran to him fell on his Neck and kiss'd him and entirely forgave his past Rebellion The Soul-wounded Publican said Lord be merciful to me a Sinner and was justified rather than the proud Pharisee 6. 'T is a convincing Argument that God is ready to forgive Sin in that he affords Grace to Men to prepare them for his pardoning Mercy Repentance and Faith are sacred Plants that do not spring from our Earth but have their Roots in Heaven God gives Repentance unto Life Faith is not of our selves 't is the Gift of God In our corrupt State Sin is natural to Man and hath entirely possess'd all his leading Faculties The carnal Mind is Enmity against God and judges according to the carnal Affections which deprave it The Will is rebellious and strongly inclin'd to charming Lusts Temptations are so numerous and delightful that Sinners will venture to be miserable for ever to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin that die in the tasting 'T is true such are the inviolable Inclinations of the humane Nature to Happiness that no Man can love undisguised Death nor choose Damnation for it self yet the Affection to Sin is so over-ruling that they will not forsake it tho complicated with Death The Wisdom of God tells us Those that hate me love Death i. e. constructively Our Saviour compassionately reproves the Jews Ye will not come to me that ye may have Life This is the Cause of their remaining in a State of Guilt for ever Now such is the Mercy of God that he gives his Spirit to assist Men by his illuminating preventing restraining and exciting Grace to forsake their Sins that they may be saved and if they did faithfully improve the lower degrees of Grace tho they can claim nothing by right he would from his good Pleasure afford them more Grace but they are so averse from God and strongly bent to the present World that they so long resist the pure Motions of Grace in their Hearts till the Gales of the Spirit expire and revive no more according to that terrible Threatning My Spirit shall no longer strive with Man for he is Flesh. Besides the common Grace afforded to natural Men there is a Super-effluence of Grace bestowed upon some to convert them which infallibly obtains its end Those who are the Patrons of Free Will methinks should allow that God is Master of his own Will and the free Dispenser of his own Grace This special Grace works powerfully yet conveniently to the reasonable Nature There is no Charm so sweet no Constraint so strong as the Operation of it For the Understanding is convinc'd by so clear and strong a Light of our being undone for ever without God's pardoning Mercy that his Loving-kindness is better than Life and this is represented to the Will with that powerful Application that the Will certainly chooses it When there is a Wavering and Indifferency of the Will to a propounded Object 't is either from some Defects in the Object or in the Apprehension of it but when the supreme Good is so represented that it fills all the Capacities of the Soul the Will as certainly embraces it as one that is burnt up with Thirst and near a cool Stream stoops and drinks to quench it The Holy Spirit who knows the manner of his own Operations expresses the Efficacy of them in the Resemblances of the Creation and Resurrection wherein the Divine Power cannot be frustrate yet 't is so congruous to the Frame of Man's Nature that the Freedom of the Will is then in its most noble Exercise Men are drawn to Christ by the Teachings of God not by over-ruling Violence upon their Faculties but by Instruction and Perswasion sutable to them Now from hence 't is evident that all the Persons in the Godhead concur in bestowing this admirable Blessing the Pardon of our Sins they all willingly join in this undivided Work tho with different Operations The Father pronounces our Pardon from the Throne his Majesty shines without Diminution or Condescension of his Person in forgiving us The Son purchased our Pardon by the sacred Treasure of his Blood The Holy Spirit qualifies us and applies the Pardon of our Sins to us 3. I now come to the third general Head that God is abundant in Forgiveness This God has declar'd in Words so full and expressive as may exceedingly satisfy the most tender and fearful Spirits Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways my Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my Ways than your Ways and my
in the Pardon of our Sins which is an infallible Assurance of freeing us from the Punishment of Sin in Hell and of our obtaining the Joys of Heaven Our Saviour has by his meritorious and voluntary Sufferings paid our Ransom from eternal Death and purchased for us a Right to eternal Life accordingly whom God justifies he glorifies The formal Effect of Justification is the restoring us to the forfeited Favour of God and from that Fountain all blessed Benefits flow God declares concerning his People They shall be mine in the day that I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a Man spares his Son that serves him Which two Acts of the Divine Mercy are inseparable The APPLICATION The first Use shall be of Caution lest Men abuse carelesly and contemptuously the Doctrine of Divine Forgiveness Many sin freely as if they believed the Permission of Sins or presumed upon a ready Remedy and are without Fear of Judgment to come This is the Language of their Actions tho not of their Tongues There are not a worse sort of Sinners out of Hell If that which should soften and reclaim Sinners hardens them the Case is desperate and incurable To correct the vile Conceits Men have of obtaining an easy Pardon of their Sins tho habitually committed upon that Account let them consider 1. The Angels who were the first and brightest Offspring of the Creator for one Sin were decreed and doom'd to an Exclusion from the Glory of Heaven for ever Mercy did not suspend the Sentence Their mighty Numbers and the Nobility of their Nature did not incline the Judg of the World to spare them They are now in the Chains of powerful Justice and have perpetual Hell within them And shall rebellious Men who are but Dust in their original Composition and final Resolution expect to escape Vengeance If we should see a hundred Noble Men executed in a Day the Sight would strike us with Terror How much greater Reason is there awfully to adore the inflexible Judg for such a dreadful Execution and Example of Justice upon an innumerable Company of Angels 2. To pardon Sin is an Act of greater Power than to create the World If we consider the Distance of the Terms and the Difficulty of the Means there is a wider Distance between a righteous God infinitely provoked by Sin and the guilty Creature than between a State of not being and the actual Existence of the World One powerful Word rais'd this great World from its native nothing But to accord the Divine Attributes between which there seem'd a Repugnance and reconcile God to sinful Men cost the dearest Price The anxious Sinner makes Inquiry Shall I give the First-born of my Body for the Sin of my Soul that is too mean an Offering no less than the First-born of the Almighty could by the Sacrifice of himself make an Atonement for our Offences 3. Vengeance belongs to God as well as Forgiveness The Wrath of God is reveal'd from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men. It was decreed in Heaven 't is denounced in his Word and shall be executed by his just Power in its Season There is a time to pardon and a time to punish God is stiled the God of Patience in the present World his Patience has its perfect Work But in the next World Justice will gloriously appear against the Wicked who are devoted to Destruction Forbearance is not Forgiveness The last Day will close the Accounts of the Judg of the World with Sinners and a terrible Arrear will be exacted of them for all the Treasures of his Goodness and Clemency wasted by them 4. Those who indulge themselves in a Course of Sin upon the Presumption of an easy Pardon are the most unworthy and uncapable of the Divine Mercy They sin against the Nature and End of Grace and by an immediate and direct Opposition to it in the proper Notion of Grace cut off all their Pleas for it 'T is true God is very merciful and easy to be intreated by those who sincerely repent and reform their Lives but he is inexorable to all those who harden themselves in their Sins by the false and presumptuous Hopes of his Mercy He declares in his Word that when Sinners despise the Curse threatned against them and bless themselves in their Hearts that they shall have Peace tho they walk in the Imagination of their own Hearts to add Drunkenness to Thirst the Lord will not spare them but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoke against them and all the Curses written in this Book shall lie upon them without Mitigation or Intermission No less Punishment than eternal Damnation is equal to their Sin They resist and renounce Mercy by their abusing it to the worst ends yet are confident of their Interest in it What a prodigious Contradiction is there between the Hopes of presumptuous Sinners and their Practices They kindle his Anger every day and inflame Anger into Wrath and Wrath into Vengeance and yet strongly fancy they shall find Mercy What a diabolical Wonder is it as astonishing as extraordinary Miracles but that 't is commonly seen that Men without a Promise and against the Threatning should expect the Favour of God that is the Portion of his Children and continue in high and actual Rebellion If a Spark of Reason or Grain of Faith were shining in their Breasts they would be restless in the Apprehension of his firy Displeasure The Tempter over-reaches their Minds by a double Delusion that they shall have Time and Grace to repent and over-rules their Wills that the most terrible Threatnings and Divine Disswasives are not effectual to make them forsake their Sins They are secure tho not safe one Hour for 't is in the Power of their Judg and they have Reason to fear in his Purpose to destroy them suddenly and without Remedy The presumptuous Conceit of immense Mercy has so fully possess'd their Minds that like a powerful Opiate it makes them sleep securely upon the Brink of Ruine but Conscience is of an immortal Nature and tho it may be stupified it cannot be extinguish'd In the present Life sometimes a sharp Affliction awakens it into a furious Activity and then presuming Sinners that have been indulgent to their Lusts despair of Pardon for when Mercy that is our only Advocate in his Bosom to avert Wrath for Sins against the other Attributes shall turn our Accuser and solicite Justice to revenge its Dishonour upon those who have abused it there remains no Shadow of Hope to refresh their Sorrows But suppose the Charm be not unbound and the Self-deceiver continues his evil Course to the end of Life and perishes pleasantly with the vain Hopes of Mercy yet immediately after Death his Conscience will be irresistibly convinc'd of his outragious Provocations of the righteous God and be more tormenting than the hottest Flames of Hell Let us attend to the
instructive Inference in the Text There is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared that is with a Fear of Reverence for his amiable Excellencies for the Attractives of his pardoning Mercy and of Caution lest by abusing we should make a deadly Forfeiture of it If God should appear as an irreconcileable Judg arm'd with Terrour against all Offenders the Apprehension would produce Hatred and a dreadful Flight from him it would make Men boldly wilful and harden them in their Rebellions for if they cannot be pardoned for their past Sins and can be but damned for their Continuance in them they will give Licence to their roving and impetuous Appetites and commit Iniquity with Greediness Now God has appointed a Way for the Pardon of Sin wherein there is a bright and equal Discovery of his Greatness and Goodness his Purity and Righteousness that his Law may be more sacred and inviolable more remembred and obeyed by us He has declared in the Death of his Son wherein the equal Extreams of Ignominy and Torment were combin'd what an Evil Sin is that requir'd such a mighty Expiation We may from the Depth of his Sufferings conceive the Excess and Height of our Provocations We may understand the deadly Guilt of Sin that can only be wash'd away in the Blood of Christ the Fountain of Remission To turn the Grace of God into Wantonness to be more loose and secure in committing Sin is to turn the Antidote into Poison and defeat his blessed End 'T is a main Article of our Reconciliation The Lord will speak Peace to his People but let them not return to Folly We may conceive that God speaks to the pardon'd Sinner what our Saviour said to the Man whom he miraculously heal'd Go away sin no more lest a worse thing befal you 'T is both the Duty and Disposition of those who have received the Pardon of their Sins to fear the Lord and his Goodness There is no Principle more clearly natural and sensible than this Dependance includes Observance the receiving Benefits obliges a Person to the Benefactor Accordingly the Psalmist expresses the Affections of the humane and the holy Nature What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits and breaks out in an Extasy of Thankfulness O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant thou hast broken my Bands The repenting Believer receives Pardon from God with joyful Admiration that fastens his Mind in the Contemplation of his glorious Mercy the serious Thought of it kindles a sacred Fire in his Breast as 't is said of Mary Magdalen Much was forgiven her for she loved much Love to God that results from his pardoning Love to us is singular and supreme and necessarily produces an ardent Desire to please and glorify him and an ingenuous grateful Fear of offending him The Soul that has felt the Terrors of the Lord as the holy and righteous Judg of the World and afterward has been revived by the Light of his Countenance and has tasted how good the Lord is how is it possible to resist such dear and immense Obligations How prodigious to turn the strongest and sweetest Ingagement to Reverence and Obedience into an Encouragement to do that which is odious and offensive in his Sight To sin against Light heightens a Sin into Rebellion but to sin against revealed Love makes it above-measure sinful This is so contrary to natural Conscience and super-natural Grace that 't is the Leprosy of the Wicked not the Spot of God's Children Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish People and unwise The upbraiding reduces them to a defenceless Silence and covers them in black Confusion When Divine Grace pardons our past Sins it cures our depraved Inclinations to future Sins The clearest Discovery of the Heart is by Reflections on God's Mercy The Fear of God's Justice is natural the reverent Regard of his Goodness is a spiritual Affection There is a great Difference between filial Fear of the divine Goodness that is so becoming the Breast of a Christian and so congruous to our present State and servile Fear that is the proper Character of one in the Bondage of Sin The Filial Fear of God is an ingenuous voluntary Affection flowing from Love and freely exercis'd and esteem'd the Treasure of the Soul Servile Fear the Sequel of Guilt is a judicial Impression from the sad Thoughts of the provoked Majesty of Heaven and if the Offender could dissolve the Bands of Conscience he would throw it off Filial Fear is mix'd with Joy 't is the Preservative of God's Favour to us it makes us more circumspect but not less comfortable it opposes Security but establishes the Assurance of Faith the Fear of the Lord and Hope in his Mercy are united Graces Servile Fear has Torment 't is an Alarm within that disturbs the Rest of the Sinner 't is a fretting Fire that secretly torments him in his most luscious Fruitions Filial Fear restrains from all Sin in the Heart and Life because it dishonours and displeases God it denies the carnal Appetites with Sweetness and Satisfaction to the Soul it excites us to obey God with Choice and Complacency Servile Fear induces an Abstinence from some Sins which fly in the Face of Conscience and which the Sinner loves and urges to the outward Performance of Duties which he hates The slavish Spirit is afraid to burn not to sin he is fearful to be damn'd not to displease God Filial Fear is a serious and habitual Constitution of the Soul inseparable from it in all Times and Places 't is influential into the whole Life Servile Fear is a sudden Passion and transient sometimes a sharp Affliction a piercing Sermon awakens a secure Wretch into a Fit of Terror Filial Fear keeps the Soul close to God makes it solicitous lest any Sin should intercept the Light of his Countenance and obstruct Communion with him which is the Paradise of a Saint 't is the gracious Promise of God to his Children I will put my Fear into their Hearts and they shall never depart from me Servile Fear makes the Sinner shy of God's Presence and as unwilling to find him as a Saint is to lose him He is not pleased with Solitude lest the guilty Conscience should have time of Recollection and should look to the Judg above He takes no Delight in the Society of the Saints and the Enjoyment of the Ordinances because God is peculiarly present there and above all things he is afraid to die because then the Spirit returns to God that gave it In short the filial Fear of God ascends with the Soul to Heaven and is the eternal Respect that the blessed Spirits continually pay to his adorable Perfections Servile Fear attends the Sinner to Hell and settles into Despair for ever 2 dly The Doctrine of Divine Forgiveness affords strong Consolation to those who are wounded in Spirit in the Sense of their Sins Those only who feel the intolerable Burden of
Sinners that will humbly submit to the gracious Terms proposed in the Gospel for our obtaining it Besides what has been said of Faith and Repentance I will more particularly consider what God requires of guilty Creatures in order to their Pardon First The Confession of our Sins is indispensably required to qualify us for Pardon The Promise is express and full He that confesses and forsakes Sin shall find Mercy That we may not be deceived in the Application of this Promise I will briefly consider what is preparatory to this Duty the Properties of it and the Connection of Pardon with it 1 st The Understanding must be enlightned by the Divine Law to discover Sin The Law is the Rule of our Duty and the Obligation to obey it is immediately conveyed by Conscience While there is a Cloud of Darkness in the Mind there will be a Silence in the Conscience Paul declares that he was once alive without the Law i. e. not understanding his Guilt he presum'd of his Justification but when the Commandment came in its Light to convince him of the Transgression of it the Apparition of Sin in the clear Glass of the Law struck him dead There must be a Discussion of Conscience a comparing our Actions with the Rule to discover their Obliquity for Sins unknown and unconsider'd cannot be confest Some Sins are notorious and present themselves to our Knowledg and Memory others are of a weaker Evidence Inquiry must be made after them 'T is an unpleasant Work to rake in the Sink of a corrupt Heart but 't is necessary 2 ly The Properties of Confession are 1. It must be free and ingenuous That which is extorted by bitter Constraint is of no Value and Acceptance Pharaoh an obstinate Rebel upon the rack acknowledg'd he had sinned 'T is true the Penal Effects of Sin may be the first Excitation of Sinners to consider their Ways but the Holy Spirit by that Means so deeply affects them with the Evil of Sin that they voluntarily confess them before the all-discerning Judg. David declares When I kept Silence my Bones waxed old I said I will confess my Sins and thou forgavest them He came to a deliberate Resolution I will confess them 2. Confession must be sincere and full that our Sins may be more evident and odious to us The covering of Sins is like the keeping a Serpent warm that will sting more fiercely The concealing Sin argues the Love of it and is a Bar against Pardon Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputes no Iniquity in whose Spirit there is no Guile 'T is not said In whose Spirit there is no Sin but no Guile no reserved allowed Sin The sincere Penitent pours forth his Heart like Water before the Lord. Of all Liquids none are so clearly pour'd out of a Vessel as Water Wine or Oil leave a Tincture We should in Confession pour out all our Sins and leave no Tincture of Affection to them If it be said How can we confess our Sins that are above our counting 'T is true but we must reserve none We must confess the kinds of our Sins against the first and second Table that were both written with God's Hand Sins of Omission and Commission and particular Sins of greater Guilt we must wash off their deceitful Colours that they may appear in their hellish Shape and more deeply affect us Men are very averse from this Duty and apt to conceal or extenuate their Sins The Art of concealing and Excuses is learnt from the first Transgressor When God called to Adam Where art thou tho his Dread to appear before the Divine Presence was a tacit Confession of his Fault and his hiding himself discovered his Sin yet he does not acknowledg his Sin but alledges the Consequence of it his Shame to be the Cause of his guilty Fear I heard thy Voice and was afraid because I was naked And to extenuate his Offence transfers his Guilt on the Woman and constructively reflects upon God as the Cause of it The Woman which thou gavest me gave me of the Fruit and I did eat The wicked Excuse did infinitely aggravate his Sin The Woman lays her Fault at the Serpent's door The Serpent beguiled me Aaron pretends that the People compell'd him to Idolatry and that the golden Calf was not the Effect of Design and Art but of Chance I cast the Gold into the Fire and there came out this Calf Saul coloured his Rebellion with the Pretence of Religion He kept the best of the Cattel for Sacrifice In short as in Sweating 't is observed that a general Sweat of the Body is for its Advantage but the Sweat of a Part only is the Symptom of a Disease So a clear unfeigned Confession is for our Profit but a semi-Confession is counterfeit an Indication of Hypocrisy 3. Confession must be mix'd with Sorrow and Shame in the Remembrance of our past Sins 1. A piercing deep Sorrow from spiritual Principles and Perswasives is the Ingredient of an acceptable Confession There is a natural Sorrow proceeding from the Impression of afflicting Evils Sense is very tender and apt to resent what is oppressive to it A Sinner that has wasted his Estate blasted his Reputation shortned his Life by his Excesses and hasten'd his Damnation may feel Anguish in his Breast for his Sins the procuring Causes of his Punishment But this Sorrow proceeds only from the Sense of external Evils not from the melted Heart for the intrinsick Evil of Sin As Marble Pillars are wet from the Moisture of the ambient Air. 'T is the miserable Man not the miserable Sinner that mourns This Sorrow is consistent with the Love of Sin and when the penal Evil is removed the Sinner returns to the Practice of it Carnal Sorrow only respects a Man's self as a Sufferer 't is in Hell in the extreme Degrees there is weeping for ever There is a godly Sorrow of which the Holy Spirit is the Spring 'T is the Promise of God to his People I will pour forth the Spirit of Grace and Supplication upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and they shall see him whom they have pierced and mourn over him as one mourns for the Death of his First-born The Perswasive of our Sorrow is answerable to its Principle The serious Contemplation of our bleeding dying Saviour is a spiritual and powerful Motive to melt us into the Tears of Repentance How congruous is it if the Purchase of our Pardon cost our Saviour his bloody Agony that the applying of the Pardon to us should cost us the most bitter Sorrow Divine Grief is more from the Memory of the Evils we have committed against our heavenly Father than from the Evils we suffer Carnal Sorrow is barren and unprofitable It may be said of it what the wise Preacher says of wild Mirth What dost thou only that Sorrow that comes from Heaven is accepted there One spiritual Tear is of more Value and
Efficacy with God than a Torrent of natural Sorrow Repenting Sorrow is an indispensable Qualification in order to our Pardon not merely from the Will of the Law-giver as the Reason of our Duty but from the Congruity of the thing it self 'T is observable that 't is the Wisdom and Kindness of the God of Nature that the Food that preserves Life is pleasant to our Taste to invite us every Day to eat and renew our Strength but Physick that is necessary for the Recovery of Health is very distastful that our Aversion from it may make us circumspect to prevent all Excesses that are the Causes of Diseases Thus the sorrowful Confession of Sin which is medicinal to the Soul is very afflicting it wounds the Spirit and breaks the Heart that we may be jealous of our selves lest we eat of the forbidden Fruit that requires so bitter a Remedy Godly Sorrow tho it be very afflicting to Nature yet the Exercise of it is more satisfying to a sincere Penitent than all the Pleasures of Sin In two cases Grief is pleasant when 't is upon the account of a Person dearly loved a Parent indulges his Sorrow for the Death of a Child that was the Life of his Life Or when Pain is beneficial and an Advantage as in the Application of a Plaister we are pleased with the Pain it causes that being a Sign and Effect of its healing Operation Now both these Considerations are mix'd with repenting Sorrow for it principally arises from the Reflection upon Sin as that which has so dishonour'd and displeased the blessed God our Maker Preserver and Redeemer that we have preferr'd the pleasing our corrupt and licentious Appetites before the obeying his holy just and good Will The repenting Sinner declares his Love to God by his Grief for offending him and voluntarily remembers his past Sins and is pleased in overflowing Sorrow for them And this Sorrow is preparative for Peace Vnutterable Groans are introductive of unspeakable Joys the Holy Spirit that convinces of Sin is the blessed Comforter 2. The Confession of Sin must be mix'd with Shame All the just Causes of Shame Guilt Turpitude Folly and Disappointment are complicated in Sin The repenting Sinner by Consciousness and Reflection upon Sin that induces so heavy a Guilt that defiles the Soul with so deep a Pollution that no Ray of its Original Purity remains that debases it infinitely below its heavenly Descent mourns with Tears of Confusion for what he has done Repenting Ephraim bemoans himself that he had been rebellious against the Methods of God's Mercy like a refractory Bullock unaccustom'd to the Yoke and his recoiling Thoughts made him to smite on his Thigh to be ashamed to the degree of Confusion for his Disobedience How affecting an Object he was in God's Eye the immediate Answer declares Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have Mercy upon him saith the Lord. The Psalmist reflecting upon his being almost vanquish'd by a vexatious Temptation degrades and vilifies himself so foolish was I and ignorant and like a Beast before thee Ezra in the Confession of the Holy Seed's mixing with Heathen Idolaters saith O Lord I blush and am ashamed at the foul Deformity of their Sin The Apostle upbraids the Romans with a stinging Reproach What Fruit have you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed the End whereof is Death When a foolish Choice is made and the Folly is detected and Experience disappoints the Expectation the natural Consequent is Shame At the last Day when the Filthiness and Folly of Men shall be publish'd before God and all the Angels and Saints how much rather would they be hid in the Darkness of their Graves than be clothed with Confusion before that glorious and immense Theatre The sorrowful Confession of Sin with deep Shame here will prevent the exposing the Sinner to publick Shame hereafter 4. Confession must have Concomitant with it the judging our selves as unworthy of the least Mercy and deserving severe Punishment The Apostle assures us If we would judg our selves we should not be judged He does not say if we are innocent we shall not be condemn'd for then who can appear before the high and inlightned Tribunal of Heaven but if we acknowledg our Guilt and the Righteousness of the Sentence to which we are obnoxious we shall be spared We cannot satisfy God's Justice but we must glorify it In this the admirable Mercy of God appears Suppose a Court on Earth wherein the Rule of Judgment were that all the Faults which the Guilty confess and condemn themselves for should be pardoned and only those they conceal should be deadly to them how willingly and humbly would those who are conscious of many capital Crimes and are summon'd to appear accuse themselves In the Court of Heaven if we are faithful to God and our own Souls in the confessing our Sins and passing Sentence upon our selves we prevent his Sentence against us 5. Prayer for Pardon must be joined with the Confession of Sin The Lord is good and ready to forgive and plenteous in Mercy unto all that call upon him God who is rich in Mercy has appointed Prayer as the Means of our receiving it it being most honourable to him that we should have a serious Sense of our Wants and Unworthiness and our absolute Disability to supply them and by our Desires we should glorify his Power and Love whereby he is all-sufficient and ready to bestow upon us his Blessings Prayer for Pardon must have these Ingredients 1 st Humility is the most becoming Qualification of a Suppliant to the high Judg of the World to reverse the Sentence of eternal Death The deep Apprehension of our Guilt will humble us before his dreadful Tribunal 2 dly Fervency which is the Life of Prayer A cold Prayer the spiritless Motion of the Lips is so far from inclining the Divine Mercy to pardon us that it increases our Guilt and provokes God's Displeasure If our Apprehensions were as real and quick of our spiritual Wants as of our temporal our Prayers would be as ardent for Supplies Our Desires should be raised in the most intense degrees in some proportion to the Value of the Blessing they should be strong as our Necessity to obtain it The Pardon of our Sins is the Effect of God's highest Favour of that Love that is peculiar to his Children 't is the Fruit of our Saviour's bloody Sufferings without it we are miserable for ever and can we expect to obtain it by a formal superficial Prayer It deserves the Flower and Zeal of our Affections How solicitous and vehement and unsatisfied should we be till we have the clear Testimony that we are in a State of Divine Favour Only fervent Prayers are regarded by God and recorded in Heaven We disvalue his Pardon by our
Indifferency and faint Desires In our Petitions for temporal things our Affections should be temperate always mix'd with resign'd Submission to the Will and Wisdom of our Heavenly Father who knows what is better for us than we do and loves us better than we do our selves but in praying for the Pardon of our Sins our Affections should be inflamed we should as it were offer Violence to the King of Heaven and be unsatisfied without it What ardent and repeated Addresses were made by David for this great Blessing Have Mercy upon me O Lord according to thy Loving-kindness according to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgression Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation He prays as if the Ghost of Vriah were always in his View covered with Blood and reproaching him for his treacherous Cruelty The Affairs and Pleasures of his Kingdom could not divert and calm his Spirit till he was restored to the joyful Sense of God's saving Mercy If it be said that David's complicated Sins were of a crimson Guilt and justly terrified his Conscience with the Apprehension of Vengeance I answer 't is true but supposing that preventing Grace has kept us from Sins of a high Nature whereby we should have incurr'd greater Guilt and been exposed to greater Punishment yet even the best Men are in infinite need of pardoning Grace for the least Sin makes us guilty of eternal Death and the infinite Number of our Sins tho according to the carnal Conceits of Men small would be over-whelming What is weaker than a Drop of Water yet the Sea that is a Collection of innumerable Drops of Water does often by an irresistible Inundation drown the Land The Wind is a Collection of many Vapours which singly are of no Force yet it often tears up the strongest Trees and overthrows the firmest Buildings If the numerous Sins of one Man's Life were set in order before his Eyes he would sink into the Depths of Despair were not the Divine Mercy superabundant to our abounding Sins We must renew our Requests for Pardon every day 't is more necessary than to pray for our daily Bread We contract new Guilt every day and as our Saviour tells us he that is washed needs to wash his Feet i. e. the Sins of Frailty and daily Incursion must be purged away by serious Repentance and the Application of the Blood of Christ and our earnest Prayer for Pardon 'T is the cruel Character of Satan he accuses the Saints before God Day and Night He is an ardent Accuser and watchful always to find Matter to provoke God's Displeasure against us 'T is therefore a Duty of daily Revolution to pray for our Pardon Besides the Neglect of seeking for the daily Pardon of our Offences against God argues the despising his Anger and consequently the despising his Love which is infinitely provoking We are commanded not to let the Sun go down upon our Wrath much less upon God's Repentance is not an initial Act of Sorrow but must be renewed all our Lives God's pardoning us is not a transient Act but continued as Conservation is a continued Creation Prayer for Pardon must be mix'd with Faith in our blessed Advocate who ever lives to make Intercession for us If we could fill the Air with our Sighs and Heaven with our Tears we could not incline the righteous and holy God to pardon us his Justice is inflexible and his pardoning Mercy a sealed Fountain 't is by the precious Merits and Mediation of his Son we are reconciled to him Jesus Christ is the same powerful compassionate Saviour yesterday to day and for ever His obedient Sufferings are of infinite Value and everlasting Efficacy Lastly Confession of Sin is a relative Duty and must be joined with forsaking of Sin The sharpest Sorrow the most confounding Shame for Sin the strongest Desires for Mercy without the forsaking of Sin are ineffectual There must be a renouncing of Sin in our Hearts a Resolution firm and permanent against it an avoiding the Appearance and Approaches of Sin and an actual leaving it If it be said 't is impossible we should preserve our selves from all Sin St. John tells us If any Man saith he has no Sin he is a Liar there is no Truth in him I answer we must distinguish between Sins there are some which while we are united to Flesh that is a Principle of Weakness and are in this open State surrounded with Temptations we cannot absolutely be freed from Such are Sins of Ignorance and Inadvertence and of sudden Surreption for Grace is not bestowed in such a degree of Eminence to the Saints here whereby they may obtain a clear and final Victory over them but if we pray and watch and strive against them and mourn for their Adherence to us God will spare us as a Father spares his Son that serves him And 't is a certain Sign of our Sincerity if we are gradually cleansing our selves from them If they grow and increase 't is a sad Indication as 't is said if a Scald in the Head spreads 't is a Leprosy But there are Sins of a more heinous Nature the not forsaking whereof excludes from Heaven such are enumerated by the Apostle The Works of the Flesh are manifest Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I have told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Besides if the Love of any Sin remains in the Heart of a Man he cannot be justified here nor glorified hereafter An indulged Sin tho small in the Matter is great in the Disposition of the Sinner In short God requires sincere Repentance express'd in the confessing of our Sins not to inform him for neither the Solitude or Secrecy wherein Sin is committed can hide us from his all-discerning Eye tho there is no Witness to accuse and give Evidence nay if the Sinner could extinguish his Conscience yet God will set the Sins of Men in order before them and convince the Guilty he needed not their Confession to discover them but the humble ingenuous and sorrowful Confession of Sin is required that his Mercy may be more illustrious in the Pardon of our Sins and that the Sinner may fear to return to Folly And this Confession must be attended with the forsaking of Sins in order to our Pardon because of his immutable Perfections A Malefactor may justly be condemned for his Crimes and tho he remains impenitent and obstinate in Evil may be pardoned because a temporal Prince is capable of various Apprehensions and Passions and may deflect from the Rule of Justice but the Judg of the World is unchangably