of Sins You are not straitned in me where then are Sinners straitned Oh they are straitned in their own Bowels They cannot find in their Hearts to consider their ways to humble their Soul for their sins to leave them and to turn unto God Thus are they straitned in their own Bowels and they will not come to Christ that they might have Life 2. Secondly To this Suggestion doubtless we are to oppose what the Scripture speaketh of the multitude and abundance of Divine Mercies Psal 134. 18. If I should count them saith Holy David they are more in number than the Sand. So Isaiah 55. v. 6 7. Let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him unto his God for he will abundantly pardon Thus you often read in Scripture of a multitude of Mercies tender Mercies in God Psal 5. 7. I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercies So Psal 51. 1. Have Mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions So Psal 69. 13. Mercy in God is but one thing it is the Goodness of God looking upon one in Misery and helping and relieving him what do we read of a multitude of Mercies certainly it either signifies Gods multiplied Acts of Goodness which are several Branches springing out of the same Root of Goodness and Mercy or else the term is used to signifie unto us that there is a Goodness in God proportionated to the multitudes of Sin and Misery that are in us To what end do we read of multitudes of Mercies in God if it were not to relieve us groaning under multitudes of Sins 3. Again consider It is the same thing with God to pardon multitudes of Sins as few yea he never pardoneth the Sins of any one Soul but he pardons a multitude God must vail his Justice and deny himself in his Vindicative Justice to pardon one Sin There is no one Sin but hath a kind of infiniteness in it or rather contracts an infinite Guilt for every Sin which we commit is against an infinite God against infinite Justice and Goodness and nothing but infinite Goodness can remit it and pass it by And an infinite Remission as easily extendeth to a multitude of Sins as to a few so that as that good Prince said unto God in the recognition of his Power It is easie with thee to save by many as by few So we may say in the case before us It is as easie with God to save from many from the guilt of many many thousands of Sins as from the guilt of a few especially which I should have put in considering there is also an infiniteness in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Redemption Price that is paid if indeed that had been scant something might have been colourably objected but that is commensurate to the Goodness that is in God The Person that died for our Sins was God-man an infinite Person his Blood was of infinite Vertue as to Satisfaction Indeed the Papists strain a great deal too far to say That the least Drop of Christs Blood was sufficient to ransome a World That is an idle Monkish Hyberbole for there must be a powring out of his Life so much of his Blood shed as should have determined his Life But that there is a Nuda Sufficientia we are not speaking now of the Sufficientia Ordinata how far Christ ordained it to be sufficient but that I say there was a bare and naked Sufficiency in the Death of Christ for more than it shall ever be applied to This must be granted by all who will acknowledge an infiniteness in Christs Person Nor yet shall the Papists from hence augment their Churches Treasury to the value of a Farthing Christ never left the Redundancy of the Vertue of his Death to humane Disposal the Vertue of his Blood as to all those who shall by it have any Benefit was ordered and disposed of from before the Foundation of the World even from the time that the Lâ—mb was first slain in Gods Eternal Counsels Let them look to answer the Papists in this Point who maintain Universal Redemption in the latitude of it But I add farther under this Head That God never pardoneth Sin to any Soul but he pardoneth a multitude It is true there is not a parity in Men and Womens Sins either as to the quality or quantity but I say God never pardons any but multitudes of Sins The Righteous falleth seven times in a day Sin is in every Soul and it may say Our Name is Lâ—gion for we are many If multitudes of Sins could not be pardoned no Sinner could be pardoned 2. Temptation But then saith the Tempter or the tempted Soul if you will Ah but my Sins have received very high and great Aggravations I have sinned against Light against Love I knew I ought not to do what I did I was warned by Ministers checkt by my own Conscience otherwise moved by the Spirit of God I had Mercies above thousands of others I sinned against all c. To which I answer 1. This is indeed a very sad circumstance a load of this nature doth often lie very heavy upon the Conscience and a guilt of this nature requireth a further and deeper Humiliation Confession Contrition but the Question is Whether such Sins be capable of a Pardon yea or no If they be capable of Forgiveness from a gracious God all this is no ground for thee to Despair and cast away Hope refusing to be comforted 2. If they be not capable of Pardon it must be so determined in Scripture Now the Revelation of God in his Holy Word hath no where determined that no Person that hath sinned against his Light shall be forgiven and we ought not to conclude to our own Prejudice and Discouragement as to an Act of God what he hath no where in his Word revealed 3. Thirdly There is no Sinner pardoned but hath sinned against his Light and against Love so that the Question seemeth not to be about the Thing but about the Degree not whether one who hath sinned against Light and Love can be Pardoned but whether one who hath sinned against so much Light and so much Love can be forgiven and it will be very hard for thee to asâ—ign Sinnings against such Degrees of Light and Love as none ever sinned against and were saved There are in Scripture great instances of Pardoned Sinners who yet sinned against great Degrees of Light and Love too Take but the instances of David and Peter David was a Man of much Light he was you know one of the Pen-men of Holy Writ he was a Man much beloved of God he is stiled The Man according to Gods own Heart God mindeth him of how much he had done for him taking him from the Sheep-folds and making him King over Israel and Judah giving his Masters Crowns Houses and Wives yea and
as he tells him was ready to have done greater things for him against all this he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba and in the matter of Uriah It is true this cost him many Tears many Prayers yet he obtained Mercy Peter was a Man of great Light and had been made the Object of great Love Christ had said to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church yet this Peter cursed and sware and denied his Master and after this when he had gone out and wept betterly Christ remembred him and I doubt not but you believe Peter is in Heaven Thou canst not say that thou hast sinned against greater Light or greater Love than these two eminent Saints in Glory sinned against To have sinned out our Light indeed that is to such a degree as we have no more Checks no more Rebukes of Conscience this is very sad and the Interpretations of it be to the Enemies of God To be past Feeling that is sad but by thy Trouble and Complaining it appeareth that is not thy Case but it is plain that many have sinned against Light much Light and against much Love too whom God hath from the infiniteness of his Mercy forgiven and rereceived up to Glory 3. Temptation But will such a Soul say It is true had I in time turned unto God there might have been hope but alas time is past time is past with me had I turned to God in my Youth but I am in the declining part of my Life God hath said His Spirit shall not always strive with Man The Fig-tree was Cursed after Three years in vain expecting Fruit. God hath a long time been looking for Fruit of my Soul and hath found none I have sinned wilfully after I had received the Knowledge of the Truth there remaineth now I fear no more Sacrifice of Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10. 26 27. To which I say 1. This is indeed a very sad and bitter Reflection and I desire that such Complaints as these when we hear them may be sanctified to all that have time before them to take heed how they mispend it and trifle it away but where this Counsel is too late the Question that we have in hand is Whether there be a sufficient Warrant for a Souls Despair 2. The sadness Secondly of this Case is aggravated from the appearances of Scripture for this Temptation It is generally held by Divines That as Countries and Nations have their Periods of Grace so particular Persons have their Days of Grace too and Periods beyond which Gods Spirit shall not strive with them and it appeareth by that Text Heb. 10. That there is a wilful Sinning after the Knowledge of the Truth after which there will remain no Sacrifice for Sin But what that degree of wilful Sinning is and how it must be circumstanced that is another Question But to speak more directly to the Temptation 1. In the first place I would have thee scriously consider Whether the Freeness of Divine Grace in the Remission of Sins be duly thought of by thee who objectest thus against thy self Take heed thou hast not some Thoughts within thee that thou shouldest recompence God by thy future Holiness for thy past Provocations and whether that which discourageth thy hoping in God and looking up unto him for Mercy be not a prospect that thou art not like to have time enough to make this Recompence If thou hast any such Thoughts as these thou dost not well attend to the Promise of Pardon which runs thus I will blot out thy Transgressions for mine own Name sake and we have Redemption even Forgiveness of Sins through his Blood The end which God aimeth at in the Forgiveness of any Souls Sin is his own Glory the glorifying of the riches of his Grace not receiving the Homage of an Holy Life though that be thy Duty and what God requireth of thee yet I say that is not Gods great and ultimate end He will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and extend Compassion to whom he will extend Compassion The Consideration upon which God doth it is the Price paid and Satisfaction given by the Blood of his Son It is not for our sake nor for our future Works sake but for his own Name sake and for his dear Sâ—n's sake that he granteth unto any Pardon and Forgiveness of Sin Now although the time of thy Life yet to come in probability will not be commensurate to the time of Life which is past and spent in Sinning and Dishonouring God yet why may not the great God glorifie the Riches of his Grace in the free Forgiveness of thee Why may he not exalt the Blood of his Son in washing thy Soul 2. Secondly It is not for us to know times and seasons which are in Gods Power onely It is true God seemeth to have revealed that every Soul hath a set time beyond which be will shew it no favour and that this is not onely the end of our Life but may be sometime before our dying day but we know not what time that is and therefore it is rashness for any Soul to conclude my time is past Where have we any Directions from the Word of God to fix any such time or to conclude it as to any period of time We know the Master of the Vineyard called to some to come and Work in his Vineyard at the 11th hour and we know also that the Thief upon the Cross was told in the last hour of his Life that he should that Night be with Christ in Paradise Secret things belong unto God Revealed things onely to us and to our Children Unless we had some certain Rule to determine the Time to us we have no Reason to determine it our selves to discourage us from what his Word commandeth us as our certain Duty 3. Thirdly Supposing there be an heart found in us to be sorry for our Sins humbled for them and to turn from them to God and to accept of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Salvation tendred unto us in the Gospel it is certain our time is not yet past The Reason is because the promise of Pardon and Salvation is made unto such So that no Soul hath reason to conclude there is no hope for him in God but that Soul that laboureth under impenitency and hardness of heart and findeth in it self a resolution yet to go on in its sinful courses And therefore you shall observe in that dreadful Text Heb. 6. the Apostle saith of them that have been once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly Gift and the Powers of the World to come and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost c. if they fall away it is impossible they should be renewed again by Repentance if they could Repent it were not impossible they should be Pardoned or obtain Eternal Life and Salvation but
him with whom there is no respect of Persons with a particular Malice or Ill Will to thee in saying God cannot nor will not Pardon thy Sins or there is no hope for thee thou deniest not onely the Power of God as to the Pardon of thy Sins but the Sins also of any other whose Circumstances of sinning are as great as thine are Now seemeth it to thee a light thing O Christian to deny the Divine Goodness and to set Limits to Infinite Mercy 3. Thirdly This Sin always carries with it also A denial of Gods Truth and Faithfulness He hath told thee Mat. 12. 31. That all Sin and Blasphemy wherewith any shall Blaspheme the Son of Man shall be Forgiven That if thy Sins were as Scarlet they shall be as Wooll if as Crimson they shall be as White as Snow No sayest thou I have Sinned I have Blasphemed and it shall not be Forgiven I have Scarlet Sins and God will not make them as Snow I have Crimson Sins and God will not make them as Wooll What is this but to put the lie upon God to deny his Truth and Faithfulness to say he hath said it and he will not do it he hath spoken it but it shall not come to pass But some will say it to me after this rate of Arguing God should save all Men and Women breathing These words are nomore spoken to me than to any other I Answer I do not urge these great and precious Revelations of the Divine Will as grounds for Sinners to conclude that they shall be Saved Pardoned and Saved without any more a-do but onely as general grounds of Hope that there may perhaps be Mercy found with God for us and as Assurances on the part of a gracious God that if we miss of Pardon and Eternal Life and Salvation the fault shall not be justly charged on God he is ready to forgive but in our selves who will not Repent nor leave our Sins and turn unto God who will not come unto Christ that we might have Life still it remaineth the duty of us that would obtain this Pardon to confess its Sins and forsake them and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but the Despairing Soul throws all the blame of its miscarriage upon God and ordinarily doth not say I do not Repent I cannot Repent therefore there is no hope but there is no Mercy in God God cannot or God will not Pardon me now I say This is an Impeachment as of the Power of God to forgive to the utmost and of Christ to save to the utmost so of that Goodness and Grace and Mercy of God yea and of the Truth and Faithfulness of God Besides What a Comparison doth the Soul make here betwixt finite and infinite betwixt which two there is no proportion Let thy Sins be what they will or can they can be but finite The Mercies of God are infinite The Sea is but a finite Creature yet what can you imagine so great that the Sea will not swallow up and cover that it shall not be seen any more It is a Similitude which God himself doth sometimes make use of by it to express the plenty of his Forgiving Mercy See that excellent Text Micah 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in Mercy He will turn again he will have Compassion upon us he will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all their Sins into the depths of the Sea Now Despairing Conclusions That there is no Hope in God that our Iniquities are too many or too great to be forgiven give God the Lie as to this It is no more than the Scripture saith 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not God maketh God a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son and this is the Record that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 2. Secondly This Sin as it implieth these things so it is always attended with Unbelief in Gods Promises and with very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God By Unbelief here I understand the Negation of a Trust and Confidence in God and the Promises he hath made of those good things concerning which the Soul Despaireth So that what ever can be said in aggravation of the Sin of Unbelief is highly applicable in the aggravation of this Sin for Despair speaketh the highest degree of Unbelief imaginable It is one thing for a Soul not to trust in God another thing to conclude That he is not to be trusted in as to my Soul that there is no hope for me in God This speaketh the highest degree of Unbelief that we can imagine 2. Besides it necessarily carrieth along with it very hard and unworthy Thoughts of God The Soul cannot think reverently and worthily of God when it is rooted in such Thoughts as these that although he be a God that Pardoneth Iniquities Transgressions and Sins yea abundantly Pardoneth yet he will shew it no Favour but adjudge it to an Everlasting Misery and Torment nay it is hard to conceive how such a Soul should forbear wishing that there were no God that the Being of God were annihilated 3. Then in the last place The Effects of this Sin of Despair must needs be very sad for as a Lively Hope of obtaining any Good quickeneth the Soul to the use of all those Means which Reason dictateth as probable Means for the obtaining what we desire so the Despair of obtaining any such Good quite deadneth the Heart and taketh it off all Thoughts of using Means to obtain that which it concludeth with it self impossible to be obtained This is manifest upon the Experience of all such Souls as at any time are under any Fits of Despair They cannot be perswaded to hear Sermons to Pray to Read in short not to use any Means of Grace and Salvation So that a greater Sin can hardly be imagined than this Sin of Despair is Oh that those would think of this who find in their Souls any Motions Temptations or Inclinations towards it That they would think how much Dishonour God hath from this Sin above others 3. Again Certainly it must be advantage to such a Soul to reflect upon those great Presidents of Free Grace which we have upon Record in Holy Writ Let them remember the instance of St. Paul who saith of himself That he was a Persecutor he was a Blasphemer and Injurious but yet he obtained Mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. The instance of David restored again to the joy of Gods Salvation after the guilt of Adultery and Murther Of Peter who received kind Looks from Christ after he had thrice denied his Master and that with the addition of Cursing and Swearing that he did not know him Of Mary Magdalen out of whom the Lord had cast out Seven Devils Let such a
may be forgiven This Pareus thinks the most proper Reading That which favoureth our Translation is what followeth in the next Words Behold thou hast driven me this day from the Face of the Earth c. where he complaineth onely of his Punishment Either Reading is what the Original will bear either of them makes the words the Complaint of Cain after he had kill'd his Brother Abel and God had come down and doomed him for it telling him He was Cursed from the Earth which had epened her Mouth to receive his Brothers Blood When he tilled the ground it should not yield unto him her strength A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth To which Cain replyeth either thus My Punishment is greater then I can bear Or Mine Iniquity is greater then that it can be forgiven Whether he complaineth of his Sin or of his Punishment That 's the onely Question nor needs it any Decision Both Readings express the Genius of a Reprobate who either complaineth of his Punishment but not of his Sin or if at any time he complains of Sin it is despairing and without hope of Mercy Onely I cannot agree with Chrysostome and others who Interpret these Words into a full Confession of Sin onely they say it was too late but true Repentance is never too late I shall in my Discourse consider the Words as you have them in the Margents of your Bibles designing onely to make use of them to discourse as to the great Temptation to Despair In my Discourse upon which I shall first Consider 1. The Nature of the Temptation in it self 2. The Tempters inforcing it 3. The means ordinarily made use of in the inforcing of it 4. The most probable means to be used for getting a victory over it As to the first I have already told you That every Evil Temptation is a Motion or Solicitation of the Soul to Sin which when it is more Importune and Impetuous we usually call a Temptation but let us more particularly inquire into the Nature of this Sin of Desperation Despair in the general Notion of it signifieth a casting away of all hope as to the obtaining of some good which we desire and so the Object of it may be any good thing of which we are not possest but may be the Object of our Desires or Hope Thus we may Despair of Life as St. Paul did 2. Cor. 1. 8. of Health of Success in Business c. but in the Notion I am now speaking to it must he limited to the greatest Spiritual Good such as Pardon of Sin Living with God in Glory another day c. And here again we must distinguish betwixt Fear and Despair for although there be no Despair without high degrees of Fear yet there may be Fears great degrees of Fear which may produce some Phrases of Despair or Fits or Passions of it where yet there is no fixed Despair Despair in the Notion of it to which I am now speaking Is a Souls total fixed permanent Want and Rejection of all Hope as to the Pardon of Sins in this Life or any happy Estate in the Life to come When as the Apostle speaks there remaineth nothing in the Soul but a certain dreadful locking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation to devour them as the Adversaries of God Heb. 10. 27. It is an Hell began in the Soul in this Life It is often attended with Dâ—sperate Impressions Blasphemy against God always with intollerable Horrour and Terrour of Conscience But we are not at present so much Considering it in the Effects and Issue of it as in the Nature and first Rise and Beginning of it The next thing we have to consider is the Efficient Causes in this great Temptation I have shewed you that every Temptation to Sin is from our own Lust the Devil or the World The Men of the World have rarely any considerable Efficiciency in this Temptation it is not often we hear them telling us That we have sinned beyond hope of Mercy They rather err on the other hand The two ordinary Efficient Causes in this Temptation are our own Lust and our grand Adversary the Devil 1. Our own Lust Our depraved hearts are enough under some circumstances which we may be under to suggest to us very unworthy thoughts of God and highly derogatory to his Honour and Glory For though in a quiet calm state our Lust suggests ordinarily other things to us yet all the Lust that is in our Hearts doth not discover it self at the same hour We shall find Lusts stirring in us in an hour of Prosperity of which we shall hear nothing in an hour of great Tribulation and Adversity And so on the other side we shall find those Lusts stirring in us in a time of great Affliction and Adversity which we diseerned little of in the halcyon days of our Prosperity When Men come to be under great pressures of Afflictions then those who in Health could think of nothing but their Sensual Satisfactions or Worldly Business begin to be at leisure to think of Dying and of the Eternal State of Souls and tho ordinarily our Lust enclineth us rather to presume and groundlesly to prophecy Good rather than Evil to our selves yet I do not know but under some circumstances our Hearts that of themselves are no better disposed to give God the Glory of his Mercy then of his Justice may though the Devil stand by suggest to us black and hard thoughts of God which may produce Desperation 2. But where the Impressions are fixed strong and abiding and the Soul though out-reasoned refuseth to be comforted or to entertain any better thoughts of God but rather is more stubborn and pertinacious and blasphemeth God I should suspect a great praedominance of a Praeternatural Cause and the Soul under the Violence of Satan for we are naturally inclined to hope well for our selves and to lay hold of every good word that looketh that way 3. Possibly The Devil may also in this Temptation joyn with our own Lusts and the Temptation may be mixt from one or both these Causes are these Temptations and this sinful Habit is begun and perfected in our Souls CHAP. II. What seeming Good is the bait in this Temptation To speak the truth of it self Possibly the serving our Malice upon God An Examination Whether the Doctrines of Election of Persons particularly Redemption and Special Grace conduce to Despair The contrary evinced THe greatest difficulty is to resolve with what Bait it is possible such an Hook as this is should be baited for whereas the Apostle telleth us as I have formerly opened to you That every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own Lust and inticed it might justly pose an ordinary Reason to imagine what seeming Good should entice a Soul to cast away all hopes of Happiness from the Mercy of God all hopes of Eternal Life and Salvation To conclude it shall go to Hell and there
Old in any Sin Secondly Take heed of any kind of prodigious Sinning There are degrees in Sin all Sin is not of the same dy or magnitude There are some Sins that more waste Conscience than others now observe this The greater Violence is done to our Conscience by any Sins the more Advantage the Devil hath from the guilt of them to raise a Temptation to Despair For although it is as easie with God to Pardon the greatest Sins as the smallest yet we shall not find it so easie to believe that God will forgive the greatest Sins as the smallest and so the Devil hath the greater advantage from the Reflection upon them to run us out of a Hope of the Divine Mercy Fear all Sin but above all take heed of notorious Acts of Impiety against God or Unrighteousness toward Men. 3. Thirdly Take heed of all Sinning against Light indeed against any Light whether it be that of Nature or Revelation Take heed of Sinning against those common Notions of Piety and Righteousness which are Planted in all by Nature against the Common Illuminations of the Holy Spirit by the Preaching of the Word of God against the Admonitions of Parents or Governours against the reflex Light of your own Conscience Sins against the direct or reflex Light of Conscience do often Cause a very great Darkness which is felt in the Soul for though in the heat and madness of our Pasnons in our Youth we sometimes run down Conscience and it keepeth silence a while yet it often recoileth and reproveth the Sense and setteth its Sins in order before it and shews them to it to a very great disadvantage and these are a kind of Sins which the Tempter often hangs much upon in order to promove Despair and putting the Soul out of Hope of Mercy 4. Particularly take heed of such Sinnings as border nearest upon the Sin unto Death you know that Christ hath told us That all Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven onely the Sin against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven And the Apostle hath told us That there is a Sin unto Death for which he did not direct the Christians to Pray that it might be forgiven their Brethren Now Divines have much exercised themselves in the finding out what this Unpardonable Sin is nor is it to this day well determined nor shall I undertake to determine what it is or whether it be any single Sin yea or no. We find in experience that the Tempter often maketh use of this Suggestion to drive a Soul to Despair telling it that it hath sinned this Sin and therefore there is no hope for it The vanity of which appears from the Souls thus tempted usual Ignorance What the Sin against the Holy Ghost is as to which indeed the most Judicious Divines have been much at loâ—s to determine or what comes nearest to it upon the Light we have from Scripture to help us to make a determination of it but though we cannot punctually determine in the Case and it be much more easie to determine what it is not then what it is yet we have Light enough from Scripture to shew us what sinning comes nearest to it and it is ill treading upon the brink of such a Pit That Text Heb. 6. v. 4 5 6. instructeth us thus far That it must be the Sin of an Enlightened Soul one upon whom the Light of the Gospel hath Shined and who hath tasted something of the Heavenly Gift and been in some Measure made Partaker of the Holy Ghost and Tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come and after this falleth away From whence these things follow That Heathens who never heard of God nor Christ cannot be Guilty of this Sin no nor titular Christians who never made any profession of Religion or Godliness nor had any degrees of Godliness They must be such as have been Enlightened Tasted of the good Word the Heavenly Gift and the Powers of the World to come and after this shall fall away Yet it is plain that all sinning against Gospel Light and Spiritual Illumination all degrees of falling away from the profession of this Truth is not this Sin The Apostle Heb. 10. 26. and 29. v. seemeth as to this Sin to instruct us further for he is there speaking of some for whom there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Now who are these v. 26. Such as Sin wilfully after they have received the Knowledge of the Truth v. 29. Such as tread under foot the Son of God and count the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was Sanctified an unholy thing and do despite to the Spirit of Grace And this also agreeth with that Phrase Heb. 6. v. 6. Where the Apostle giving a Reason why they cannot be renewed by Repentance assigneth this Seeing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame so that it should seem that to make up this Sin to Apostacy after Illumination or at least having received sufficient Means of Illumiation and making some Profession there must be added some eminent Affront done to or Abuse of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Grace either by Word or Deed and therefore our Saviour calleth it Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Consonant to this is what the Gospel tells us of this Sin you have the first mention of it Matth. 12. 31. If you look into v. 24. you shall find That Christ having healed one that was possessed with the Devil who was both Blind and Dumb and People upon that recognizing him as the true Messias saying v. 23. Is not this the Son of David the Pharises said This Fellow doth cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Christ confuteth them and vindicateth himself by this Argument easily to be diserned and made up from v. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. I either cast out Devils as you say by the Prince of Devils or by the Power of God I will make it out that I do it not by the Prince of Devils 1. For this were a Ruin to Satans Kingdom if one Devil could be employed or would be employed in casting out another the Devils Kingdome would be quickly at an end it could not stand 2. Again saith he not I onely but your Children in my name cast them out for there were some Exorcists amongst the Jews who were the Children that is the Disciples of the Pharises who though they followed not Christ yet used his Name to cast out Devils as you shall find Mar. 9. 38. where John telleth Christ Master we saw one casting out Devils in thy Name and he followeth not us and we forbade him because he followeth not us and as you shall read v. 39. Christ allowed it the like you find Luk. 9. 48 49. So did the Sons of Sceva Acts 19. 12. Now the Jews did
be Pardoned I might be Saved but I have not Repented I do not Repent my Heart is harder than the neather Milstone I weep and howl indeed for my Plagues I see I am a poor undone Creature that makes me complain and wring my hands but I see nothing of the evil of my Sin I shed not a tear upon that account nor cannot therefore there is no hope 1. It must be acknowledged that both Repentance and Faith is the Gift of God and naturally no Man hath a Power to the one or to the other Acts 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 25. and Faith is not of our selves it is the Gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. The Question is not therefore taking Repentance in a full and proPer sense whether thou canst Repent or Believe but whether God hath wrought or will yet work in thee a power truly to Repent and Believe And how doest thou know that God will not do that For thou canst not conclude supposing God hath not done it yet that he will not do it before thy dying hour 2. Possibly thou mayest be mistaken in thy determining that God hath not done it from a mistake concerning the true Nature of Repentance a sense and sorrow for Sin are but the out-works of it True Repentance lies in the Souls displicence to Sin and hatred of it and readiness to take a Revenge upon it self for it and Resolution and endeavour against it for the time to come I know it is not impossible that a Soul under such Horrours as these may not have any true sense of Sin or Hatred of it but even Blaspheme God because of its Horrours Terrours and Affrightments but let me tell you the Instances of Souls are very rare that are under great Terrours and Affrightments for Sin so aâ— to conclude there is no hope and yet at the same time Love Delight in such Sins take pleasure in them and desire but occasions to commit them I would ask thee seriously under these Terrours for some Sins thou hast committed doest thou not from thine heart wish thou hadst not committed them Couldst thou not even tear thy flesh that ever thou shouldest be so far betrayed by the Lusts and Passions of thy depraved Heart Wouldest thou now do the like again What doth this speak but Repentance so far as it can be judged of under thy present Circumstances Indeed it is possible all this may be and yet a Soul recovered out of these sad Circumstances may again return with the Dog to its vomit and the Swine to the wallowing in the mire again but this is not what at present thou canst conclude to hinder thy Souls Hope and Confidence in the Mercy and Free-grace of God 3. But admit thou canst not satisfie thy self that thou hast Repented or Believed yet may not God yet give thee an Heart to Repent and Believe What hindreth Or if he may what hindreth thy hope in the Mercy of God Nay if thou doest what in thee lyeth I dare assure thee that God will not be wanting in the Aids and Assistances of his Grace But I have said enough to evince the first thing that I propoâ—ed That there is no sufficient Reason considering the Covenant of Grace and Gods Revelation of his Mind in the Gospel for any Soul to Despair The Issue of which is this That a Soul thus sinning Transgresseth without a Cause and a Reasonable Soul in this acteth not according to Principles of Reason or any just Conclusion drawn from Gospel Promises or Principles This is the first thing 2. A Second thing which I would offer to such a Souls Reflection is the greatness of the Sin of Despair Presumption is a Sin but yet Despair seemeth to be a far greater Sin To Evidence which I shall desire you to consider 1. What it Implieth 2. What must Accompany it 3. What better Consequents it hath 1. It Implieth and carrieth along with it a denial either of the Power of God Or of the Goodness and Mercy of God or thirdly of his Truth and Faithfulness 1. Of the Power of God It was laid to the charge of the Israelites That they limited the Holy One of Israel Psal 78. 41. They said Can God bring us Water out of the Rock And Can God give us Meat in the Wilderness Thou sayest Can God Pardon such a Sinner as I have been Can God give Repentance Can God give me Faith in Jesus Christ What is this but to limit the Almighty The unbelieving Noble Man of whom you read in the Book of Kings when the Prophet fore-told that Food should by the next day be at so cheap a Rate said If God would make Windows in Heaven the thing could not be The Prophet told him it should be he should see it but he should not Eat of it and the Chapter telleth you he saw it verified he saw it the next day but he was trodden to Death by the Multitude Sarah laughed it was a laughter of unbelief when the Angel told her she should have a Son God punished it gently in her but more severely in Zachary that would not believe that his barren Wife should have a Son he was struck Dumb What doest thou do less than Question the Power of God If God can forgive Sins why mayest thou not hope If he can even in the last hour give Repentance unto Life why should a living Man not hope Ah! but saith this Soul No no I do not doubt but God can do it but he will not do it 2. Secondly Is not this to deny the Lords Goodness and Mercy God hath exalted his Mercy above all his Name when God proclaimed his Name to Moses Exo. 34. you shall find there 8 or 9 Expressions all but one which will by no means clear the Guilty signifying the Goodness and Mercy of God which hath made a very Learned Interpreter v. De Dieu ad Loc. doubt whether we have truly Translated that Phrase God triumpheth more in this than in any other part of his Name he hath chosen to be exalted in his Arttribute of Mercy he hath exalted it above all his Name Now this is that Artribute the Glory of which Despair Robbeth God of Presumption denieth him the honour of his Truth of his Justice and Judgment which indeed he stileth his Work but his strange Work as that which floweth not from himself but is as it were forced from him by a meritorious Cause in the Creature Mercy is the proper and natural Work of God flowing meerly from himself without any Cause in the Creature This is that the Honour of which Despair denieth unto God nor is it to be freed from a questioning the Power of God also for although as thou pretendest thou doest not Universally question the Prerogative and Power of God to Forgive Sins yet thou deniest his Power to Forgive thy Sins yea the Sins of any who are in the like Circumstances of sinning with thee for unless thou canst charge
the unbelieving and the abominable the murderers and the whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and Brimstone which is the second Death It saith 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor effeminate persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall ever enter into the Kingdom of God We own these Scriptures to be the Word of God we see we hear of persons dying daily who we know lived in these some of these Sins and never gave any visible Signs of Repentance and Reformation What did they die without hope No they hoped to be Saved and it may be died with Confidence they should be Saved What was what could be the ground of their hope but either God made them and they hope he will not destroy them Or Christ dyed for all Or though they had their failngs yet they have done such or such good works Or they were Members of the Church Or they have asked God Pardon Or they say they are sorry for their Sins and have been absolved and received the Sacrament or some such things as these O dreadful Is Eternity to be adventured in this Manner Presumption Sirs slayeth its Ten thousands Oh that it might not slay any Soul that heareth me this day Let this be a Second piece of Advice in order to the avoiding this Rock 3. Thirdly Possess your Souls of the Difficulty of getting to Heaven and the small number of those that shall be Saved I say first the Difficulty of getting into Heaven You have it confirmed to you from him who came from Heaven from the Bosom of his Father on purpose to reveal his Fathers Will in the Case Matth. 7. 14. Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to Eternal Life and few there be that find it Oh what an easie thing do Papists make it to get to Heaven What an easie thing do some others make it too But whoever makes it easie makes God a Lyar. Christ hath said Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way If being Baptized If Confessing Sins in the Ears of the Priest and taking Absolution from him if living all your Life in Sensual Satifactions then crying Lord Receive my Soul when you die and Receiving the Sacrament will bring men to Heaven Oh what an easie thing it is to be Saved But if a man must Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if he must deny himself and take up the Cross and follow Christ if he must keep under his body and bring it in subjection to his Spirit and also bring his Spirit in subjection to the Will of God If he must forget what is behind as St. Paul did and press on to what is before unto the price of the high Calling if he must Watch and Pray and Strive and Fight and give all diligence to make his Calling and Election sure then Sirs it is no easie thing Christ judged it no easie thing St. Paul judged not so and is it not ridiculous for any to think that God should send his own Son to die an accursed Death to purchase atonement and reconciliation with God that he should sweat drops of Blood and powre out his Blood on the Cross and be put to cry out My God My God Why hast thou forsaken me and after this a Sinner living in the Church and knowing and hearing of this should think it so easie a thing to get into favour with God and obtain the Application of this Blood for the pardon of Sin and so great a mercy as Eternal Life Brethren let none deceive you it is either no easy thing to get to Heaven or the Scriptures are not to be believed nor Christ to be believed that Christ in whom we alone hope for Salvation those Scriptures which we own as the Revelation of the Will of God to us concerning our Salvation and all those holy servants of God before us who spent their time in Fastings Watchings Prayers Mortifying their Members and in all Examples of an Holy Life and in the constant owning and profession of the Truth unto death were deceived and mistaken and lived and died as fools Let men write and talk what they will possess your Souls of the Difficulty of being Saved you will find them to be at last in possession of a great and useful Truth 2. Yea and Secondly Possess your selves of the Truth of that which you have upon the same credit That there are but few that shall be Saved Matth. 7. 14. One pronounced that Question to our Saviour Luke 13. 23. Lord are there few that shall be saved He replied unto them v. 24. Strive to enter in at the Strait Gate for many I say unto you will seck to enter in and shall not be able It is a Truth that there are but few will be saved and he who observeth what conditions of Salvation the Scripture hath made and considereth the lives of most will see it must be true But our Saviour in that answer teacheth us the true use we ought to make of that Notion Not to conclude that we shall not For who hath ascended into Heaven to bring us news from thence whose Names are or are not written in the Book of Life Or who can tell who will repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Not to deaden us to Duty and make us say then it is in vain for us to do any thing for we shall not be saved do we what we will no Scripture saith so but to quicken us if we be in a state of Ignorance Unbelief and Impenitency to Strive to enter in to give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure For tho it be true That in light matters that are of no great concernment Difficulty discourageth indeavours yet in things that we cannot be without and be happy where our well being is highly concerned Difficulties especially not appearing to us insuperable instead of deadening quicken us to the use of utmost Indeavours Live therefore in the daily view and apprehension of the Difficulty of getting to Heaven and under the daily thoughts of what God hath revealed That there are but few that shall be saved 4. Fourthly Be frequent in the Examination of the grounds of your hope and in the Examination have a care that your grounds have a Scripture Foundation and that as to your Grounds from Holiness you conclude rather from your affections than your actions and if at all from your actions from the course of them not from any single acts and lay more stress upon the Covenant of Grace and the application of your souls unto it than either upon your affections or actions Here is a great deal put together in this one Direction Let me shortly discourse the several
against Nature Piety Justice Charity Of the first I have spoken It appeareth to be against Piety as being against the Authority of God who alone hath Life and Death in his Hand and hath the Power of our Lives 2. Against the Goodness of God from Him and of his Goodness we live and the upholding our Souls in Life ought to be acknowledged to God as a great Piece of the Divine Goodness and Mercy to us 3. Against the Providence of God in the Government of the World disturbing that Order which he hath set A Sin against Justice which will not allow any person to rob or spoil the Kingdom or Common-wealth in which he is a Member at his pleasure Against Charity saith he which ought to begin at our selves and by which we are first obliged to preserve our own lives and then the lives of others From these and such like Arguments Divines do reasonably conclude That Self-murther is in all Cases Sinful in no Case Lawful nor by any Pretence Excusable The next question is 2. Qu. Whether it be to that degree sinful as that no Soul that hath received the Grace of God can commit it And 3. Qu. Whether no Soul that doth commit it can have Eternal Life can be saved Both these seem to make up the Apostle John's Sense when he saith We know that no Murtherer hath Eternal Life I will speak to them both together in some few Conclusions 1. Con. It is very hard to say What Sin one that belongeth to the Election of Grace yea one who is called with an holy Calling and in a State of Grace and who shall certainly be saved may not commit You know into what Sins Lot Noah David and Peter fell in an hour of very high and great Temptation 2. Con. In particular Such a person may be the actual Murtherer of another David was so I mean by Actual not that he immediately committed it but as it is contra-distinguished to murtherous habits in the Heart in the Sense that St. John saith He who hateth his Brother is a Murtherer This is plain in the Case of David 3. Con. Such a Murtherer cannot have the Seed of God at that time working and abiding in him nor upon such a fact have a proximate Right to Eternal Life This is plain for Murthers are no fruits of the Spirit but of the Flesh Gal. 5. 21. And no person under the guilt of Sin before Repentance and the renewed exercise of Faith can either have any Sight of his Grace or any Proximate Right to Eternal Life 4. Con. It is possible That such a great Sinner as the Murthererer of another may be renewed by Repentance and Faith and so may obtain Everlasting Life This appeareth both by the Promise and also by those Presidents of Free Grace which the Holy Scrtptures do furnish us with that we may have Consolation For the Promise it is made to all Sin and Blasphemy Matth. 12. 31. David was a Murtherer so was Manasses c. 5. It is possible That a man may be in a Justified and Sanctified Estate and may put an end to his own Life and yet not be a Self-murtherer That is now supposing him distracted and in a fit of Frenzy not understanding what he doth This man is now not to be judged a Murtherer of himself his Act is not a Rational Humane Act and doubtless shall not be imputed to him This may happen in high Feavors c. But 6. Supposing a Sanctified Person to be in the use of his Reason though not perfectly in a great measure able to guid his actions by the conduct of it he cannot do any such action The Grace of God working or stiring in him Nor obtain Eternal Life without Repentance of it for which he can have but very little time if any at all And this I take to be the Apostle's Sense when he saith That no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him 1. He hath no true Grace working or acting in him 2. In that State of Guilt without true Repentance for which he hath little or no time he dying cannot be saved 3. He can have no proximate Right to Eternal Life I shall add further That I find no great difficulty to determine That a person in the use of his Reason killing himself out-right and presently cannot be saved Men may offer such violence to themselves as they may not presently die by the Act they have done in order to it so as they may have time to repent and be received to Mercy that made me put in the word outright forthwith and there is no Sin that is upon a True Repentance unpardonable They may do it in a Deliration or Distraction when they are not under the guidance and conduct of their Reason and then it is not an Humane Act. But supposing their Act to be an Humane Rational Act and so effectually done as it leaveth no breathing time for Repentance I cannot see a possibility of Salvation in such a Case I can easily agree it that every one who killeth himself doth not murther himself Possibly a man does an Action or makes some Omission by the doing or the omitting of which he dies but he never designed never intended it but possibly hoped for a quite contrary effect of such Action or Omission Such a one may be said to have killed himself but not to have murthered himself Nay although a person had no such intention contrary but by his mistake what he designed for good to himself issueth in such an effect yet he may be no Self-murtherer because not under the perfect guidance of his Reason Suppose a Child or a Fool and Natural Ideot which neither of them are guided by their Reason should do such Acts I think they oughe not to be concluded Murtherers The Case is the same of Frenetick and Distracted Persons Suppose in a Violent Feavour or a Frenzy occasioned some other way a person should destroy him or her self I would be very tender of concluding such a person under this guilt The difficultest Case seemeth to me to be in the Case of that partial Deliration which we see often caused from Melancholy and is commonly attended with violent impulses from Satan The Question is Supposing persons under these circumstances do destroy themselves what is to be determined concerning their Everlasting State If they offer such violence to themselves as doth not produce death presently but gives them a time for Repentance the Determination will be best founded upon our sight of their Behaviour upon the reprieve which the Providence of God giveth them Whether they heartily repent of such attempts and be serious in asking pardon at Gods hands yea or no. If the attempt hath such a speedy issue in Death as leaves no room or place for this That which is to be considered is How they before were in what possession of Reason under what violence of Impulses which may induce us to believe the action not
Flesh ought with Job to make a Covenant with their Eyes that they will not look upon Objects that may minister Fuel to their Lusts Yea and with their Ears too that they will not hear any Discourses of that Tendency The Melancholick Person being naturally inclined to an excess of Fear and Sorrow ought to make a Covenant with his or her Exteriour Senses that they will not fetch in or receive any Objects that have an aptitude or fitness in them to increase Fears and Excessive Sorrow and Sadness c. 2. Take heed of Solitude and delighting too much to be alone It is usually said that every one who is alone much alone proves either a God or a Devil to himself There is nothing of more advantage to a Man or Woman if they be in health and under no disturbances of Mind and Spirit than to be alone It was wont to be said by a great Roman That he was never less alone then when he was alone A Good Christian in clear Circumstances is never more with God then when he is alone nor doth ordinarily ever enjoy more of God But the case is quite contrary if one be under the prevailings of this Distemper He is never more exposed to Temptations he is never mote baited by the Devil then when he is alone Solitude is by no means advisable in an hour of Temptation I observe Matth. 4. 1. That when Christ was to be tempted by the Devil he was by the Spirit carried into the Wilderness 3. Divert thy self by Imployment what thou canst The great Evils which hazard the Soul under this Distemper arise from the too much fixation of the thoughts upon some particular terrible Objects Hence whatsoever is proper to divert the thoughts that they pore not too much upon such terrible things which are most obvious to them is a very rational mean to be used in order if not to the rooting out of the Cause yet to the preventing the sad Effects of this Distemper Hence you shall observe in that Story of Elijah 1 Kings 19. That God would neither suffer him to be Alone nor to be out of Imployment both which he seemed to seek v. 4. He goeth a days Journey into the Wilderness and sitteth under a Juniper Tree there he beggs of God to take away his Life and lyes down and sleepeth v. 5. God sends an Angel which cometh and toucheth him and bids him Arise and Eat v. 7. He sends an Angel the second time and bids him Arise and Eat and sends him to Horeb. Still he was in his Melancholick Fit and goeth into a Cave God v. 9. comes to him a third time and saith to him What doest thou here Elijah v. 13. he lingers still and standeth in the Mouth of the Cave There cometh a Voice to him again saying What doest thou here Elijah Methinks God himself in that Chapter prescribes unto persons under these Distempers what to do and to their friends and relations what they should do as to them and for them by all means to avoid Solitude and to drive them out from their pleasing Solititudes and to imploy them and divert them God sends Elijah a Journey v. 15. to Damascus to anoint Hazael King of Syria and to anoint Jehu King of Israel Other directions of this Nature I leave to Physicians 3. Lastly Religious Means is by no means to be neglected for as the blessing of all Means by which Remedy is given us for any Diseases even those which are most obvious in their Causes Effects and Cures depend upon him whose name is The Lord that healeth us So more especially as to this the Causes of which are so various the Effects so uncertain and the Cure so difficult that I doubt whether any yet have wrote satisfactorily to more considerate persons in the Case There seems to be much hidden even from the Wisest Naturalists and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something Divine beyond what the Accutest Wits and Reasons have discovered I would therefore have such persons by no means omit Reading and Hearing the Word of God Sorrow maketh an heart to stoop saith Solomon but a good word makes it better I have heard a Story of a Good Woman under a great Temptation to destroy her self and going about to drown her self first taking her Bible and casually opening it and casting her Eye on a Text declaring the great Mercy of God to Sinners she presently saith to her self Nay if it be so I will not drown my self yet And if there were nothing as certainly there is very much by persons to be expected upon the Promise of God to persons performing their Duty in Reading and Waiting upon God in his Ordinances yet I know no Reason but the thoughts of persons may be diverted by what they Read and Hear in Sacred and Holy things as well as other things which have not such a Stamp and Impress of God upon them Prayer is the general way of Application and Address unto God in all Cases if we know no due Means Prayer obtains Wisdom and Direction from God if we use due Means Prayer obtaineth a Blessing from God upon the use of them If something must be done for us beyond the Natural Force and Vertue of Means Prayer obtaineth that from God But I shall add no more to this first Direction upon which I had not inlarged so far but that I find it so hard to perswade persons under this Temptation that it is advantaged by this Natural Distemper than which there is nothing more evident upon all Experience that both this and another Sore Temptation as to which I shall speak something in my following Discourse are all highly advantaged and promoved by it and therefore a taking heed to our selves in this Case is also very necessary to prevent them and I intend when I speak to them to add little more upon this Argument but onely refer to what I have said in this Chapter which hath made me willing once for all to discourse it more largely Now I proceed CHAP. V. A Second Direction to prevent Temptations of this Nature The Mortification of Pride The Influence which Pride hath upon the Soul in order to the raising or promoving such thoughts in us as it is the great Mother of Discontent upon Gods altering our External Circumstances Considerations to be digested in order to the keeping of our Souls in a mean opinion of our Selves 2. IN the Second place Take heed of Pride live in the Mortification of that Lust Solomon hath three Wise Sentences in his Book of Proverbs which we should have at all times ingraven in our hearts Prov. 11. 2. When Pride cometh then cometh Shame Prov. 16. 18. Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before a fall The last is Prov. 29. 23. A mans pride shall bring him low I do not think that there are three other pieces of the revealed Will of God that are more verified in daily experience than these are
is no hope for it to the contrary Can there be so much as the least umbrage and appearance of Good that should have preference to these hopes in a Soul under the least conduct of Reason Iâ— it true for a Sensual Despair there may for that is rooted in Aâ—hâ—isme and Unbelief of any such thing as the need of a Pardon for its Sins or a future happy State the obtaining of which the Sensual Man seeing limited to the hard Condition as he thinks of denying himself in all his Sensual Pleasures he may jocularly conclude There is no hope for him believing no reality in the pretended Objects for his hope that he may the more securely cry out with the Epicures Let us eat and drink for to morrrow we shall die or like them Jer. 2. 25. When God said to them With-hold thy Foot from being unshod and thy Throat from thirst said There is no hope no for I have loved Strangers and after them I will go But now for a Sorrowful Despair for a Soul having this Grace and Hell in Prospect it may look for a great Riddle What appearing Good should be a Motive to him to conclude there is no Mercy in God for him no possibility of Eternal Salvation 1. What if we should say That the appearing Good that enticeth him to these thoughts is To speak the truth of himself and not to flatter himself with idle and vain hopes as he now thinks he hath done too long You know we are naturally desirous to know our own Fate or Fortunes as we call them What shall become of us or betide us in the latter end And though we are willing enough sometimes to flatter our selves yet there is a time when we desire the contrary 2. Secondly Is not the appearing Good in some a rooted Malice and Hatred against God and the Satisfaction of that by deregating from his Goodness and Mercy This is indeed of all the most dreadful Account that can be given That Soul is in the Suburbs of Hell it self to whom it is a satisfaction when it can do no more to Blaspheme and speak Evil of God I had rather assign the former as the most ordinary appearance of Good seducing the Soul into this Guilt It now pleaseth the Soul that thinks it hath deceived the World so long by walking in a vain shew to know and speak the truth of it self as it thinketh in its Heart through the Seduction of Sathan but still it must be enquired what the Devil can possibly suggest to a Soul to debauch it into such a misapprehension of God and sad Opinion of it self Now there being nothing in Nature that can alienate God from the Soul but Sin the guilt of the Soul and its state before God by reason of Sin must needs be that and that onely which the Devil can mount this great Gun upon and this is that which Cain saith Mine Iniquity is greater then it can be forgiven But before I come to speak of that let me a little take notice of some other Propositions which many grave Divines take to be most certain truths and others think serve the Devil in great stead in order to his inforcing this great Temptation Let me digress a little to judge whether indeed the guilt of those Propositions be according to the cry by which they are accused They are those concerning the Doctrine of Predestination Redemption and the necessity of Special Grace in order to Salvation I intend not to argue the truth of the Propositions on either side that were too large a Work but onely to consider whether the Devil can use what by some eminent Divines as to them is asserted as advantages for this fiery Dart. I remember Scultetus in his Annals tells us a Story of an honest studious Young Man in Cambridge whom 't is believed the Papists made away That he was found hang'd in his Study with his Finger laid upon a Bible opened before him upon a Text usually brought to confirm Predestination But the Fiction obtained not that credit for which it was devised to induce the World to believe that his imbracing the Doctrine of Predestination put him upon that desperate Practice But to the Matter 1. It is true many great and eminent Divines have thought That God hath passed an Eternal Decree concerning the future state of all Men and Women chusing some to Eternal Life passing by others Suppose we should put it to the highest pitch Determining others to Eternal Death I intend not as I said before to dispute what is truth in this certain it is God from oll Eternity fore-knew the Eternal Issues of all if some can conceive how God should fore-know this without willing it or be willing not to determine how he fore-knew it and what that was or could be but the Will of God which should make a Futurity certain And others cannot conceive any first cause but God nor any way of Divine Fore-knowledge but from his Will and Purpose It is not my Business to intermingle my self in their Quarrel but suppose the one Opinion or the other I would gladly understand what advantage the Devil can take from the one or the other as to this Temptation Some Divines indeed do say That God ordained some to Eternal Life out of his own good pleasure in and through Christ without any consideration of their Faith and good Works fore-seen as moving him so to predestinate them but with all he predestinated them to obtain this Eternal Salvation in the Exercises of Faith and Holiness without which they were never to see the Lord. But do any Divines say That God ordained any to Eternal Death or passed over any in his Eternal Counsel who should be damned otherwise then upon the just demerits of their preceding sins Yes it may be will some ignorant Persons say they that hold an absolute Decree hold Election of Persons and Reprobation of Persons They do indeed hold an Election of Persons in the sense I before opened that the foreseen Faith and Holiness of none moved God to ordain them to Life They do also believe that God hath a Jus Absolutum a Soveraign Power over his Creatures as the Potter over the Clay But they say that God doth not in the Condemnation of any Sinner use this but onely useth a Jus Ordinatum and proceedeth according to his Law The Soul that sinneth shall Die Which now being supposed I would gladly know what Argument Satan draws from hence to perswade any to Despair He can Suggest to the Soul That it is a Reprobate and cannot the Soul Answer That it is more then the Devil knows That there is no Soul but that which sinneth shall Die so that notwithstanding all said upon rhis Argument The Guilt of Sin is all that remaineth to the Devil to object to drive unto Despair It is true that concerning the Extent of the Death of Christ as to Persons there are various Opinions some think he equally
not continuing they are as quickly down So it is with these Men a little thing raiseth their hopes and a little thing again sinketh them Thus it is in the great business of Hope as to the Pardon of Sin and obtaining Eternal Salvation Some Persons build up Hopes upon very light and unjustifiable Grounds their Hope is indeed but a Presumption like the Grass that groweth upon the House Tops which a little Heat of the Sun killeth But other Souls build up their Hopes upon more sure and wary Foundations which are not so soon shaked We use to say that we are certain of nothing more than what we have sometimes been uncertain of We are commanded to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and to rejoyce with trembling Those Souls that have gained their Hope by the Conquest of many Doubts and Fears and Jealousies do not easily lose it whereas those who have hatched it up with more ease seldom keep it in an hour of Temptation 5. I know not what more to advise besides Frequent Self-Examination closâ— walking with God and diligent and constant Prayer Let me inlarge a little upon these I say First Frequent Self-Examination It is the Apostles Precepts Examine your selves prove your selves whether you be in the Faith or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whether we live by Hope or Sight I mean Assurance this is highly necessary for that Soul that would maintain the one or the other Two things I would have Christians much Examine themselves upon 1. The Grounds and Reasons of their Hope 2. The Abatements and Discouragements of them 1. As to the Grounds of their Hope which if good must always be bottomed in some Piece of Divine Revelation for Pardon of Sin and Eternal Life being both of them the free Gift of God it is unreasonable to hope for either but upon the Revelation of the will of him in whose Gift they are In examining therefore the Truth and Ground of your Hope trust to nothing but some portions of the Word of God which though it doth not tell you by name whose Sins are pardoned and whose are not who shall be saved and who shall perish it doth tell you what must be wrought in the Hearts of those whose Sins are Pardoned and how they must live that shall ever see the Face of God in Heaven there 's no trusting to your Interest in God as he that made you nor yet to Christ dying for all Men no nor yet to any Merits or Works of your own God hath no where said that he will save all those whom he hath Created nor all those who believe Christ died for all Men no nor yet all those that do some things that are as to the Matter of them good and such as if Men do not they cannot see God I shall not here run into particulars but in the general I shall tell you that there is nothing but the Revelation of the Will of God in his Word and the experimental finding that God hath wrought those things in your Souls which he in his Word hath made necessary in order to obtaining Pardon and Eternal Salvation that is in this Case to be trusted to Often therefore examine your selves upon these Points 1. What God in his Word hath made necessary to the obtaining of Pardon and Salvation 2. The Work of God upon your Hearts Creating and Working and Maintaining these Habits and Exercises in your Souls Nay do not onely this but examine your selves also about the holding or abating of your Hopes the Increase or Decrease and Discouragements of them in your Souls A faint decaying weakening Hope if not lookt to will grow more and more faint and weak every day than other till it putrisieth into Despair Now the force of this lies here The decays and abatements of our Hope are caused either from some Relapses into Sin or from some eminent with-drawings of the Holy Spirit of God which uphold and maintaineth it in a Soul And a daily examination or frequent examination of our selves how it is with us as to our Spiritual hope will put the Soul both upon frequent Acts of Repentance as it discerneth that its hope is abated by the prevailings of its Lusts and also upon frequent Prayers begging the revivings and upholdings of it from the Spirit of God 2. Live in close Communion with God I propounded to you before the avoiding of Sin all Sin but some especially to prevent Temptations to Despair But this is something more we are at first begotten to a lively Hope by the Word upon fervent Prayer c. and this Hope is maintained in the Soul by the same means by which it is first begotten and bred in the Soul I told you before that we must find the ground and bottom of our Hope in the Word of God Now Preaching where it is done sincerely and faithfully is nothing else but an Explication and Application of the Word of God an Interpretation of the Word to our Souls and a whetting of it upon our Souls and therefore in reason a consciencious Attendance upon it must necessarily be a means to confirm and strengthen our Hopes and to antidote Despair Nor certainly can often Communion in the Lords Supper be useless but contrariwise of very great use for the Lord in that Ordinance having added a Sign to his Word for the confirmation of our Faith it must needs be a proper means to strengthen and increase our Hope In short All Communion with God whether it be more Internal by Meditation and the secret Exercises of the Power of our Souls upon God or more External in such Duties as God hath prescribed us to perform an Homage to him by must be of great use to our Souls in this case For the more Freedom and Acquaintance we have with God the more we be with him the truer and more just Apprehensions we shall have of him and the more we shall understand the loving Kindness of God Now all Despair floweth from unjust and unkind Apprehensions and Impressions of God and from a too great an estrangement from him It is true those that know the Lords Name will trust in him and hope in his Mercy But above all be much in Prayer that obtaineth all Grace all Mercy from God the beginnings of it the growth and encrease of it c. But I shall add no more upon this Subject directing you to what I judge most proper to prevent in the Soul Fits or more settled Habits of Despair and certainly it is most advisable to keep Satan at a distance and more easie to oppose the first Assaults or avoid giving him advantages to it than to grapple with it CHAP. IV. What Despairing Souls should do They ought to consult the Physician if no Bodily Distemper gives a rise to such dark Thoughts What Business they have with God No Argument sufficient to warrant Despair Sometimes none pleaded The usual Arguments pleaded From our many Sins The greatness
Soul think of these great instances and of those who Crucified the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 2. 36 37 38. yet at Peters Sermon were pricked at the Heart encouraged by the great Apostle to Repent and be Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of their Sins and had the Promise of receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost 4. O let no such Soul neglect the Reading or Hearing of the Word of God that is the Proximate Object of our Hope God is indeed the primary and proper Object none can give Remission of Sin or Eternal Life but God but by the Word and from the Revelation of the good will of God in his Word we come to Hope in God I look therefore upon that as a great Conquest which the Devil hath gotten over a Soul Despairing when he hath perswaded it not to hear not to read the Word that is indeed to omit the Means by which its Darkness should be dispelled and a true and lively Hope should be begotten in it 5. To all these should be added Fasting and Prayer the Efficacy of which depends on this That it is Gods Work to beget the Soul to a lively Hope through the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. It is true a Soul in these Fits is not very fit for Prayer how shall it Pray in Faith But yet I would not have it wholly to neglect Prayer But let it call in the Help of godly Ministers and Christians let it send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for it 6. I should have added before I shall now close this Discourse with it Let such a Soul be often whetting upon it self and let others be suggesting to it the most liberal Promises of Free Grace and Pardon and the greatest Presidents of Forgiving Mercy which the Scripture affordeth And let there be frequent Repetitions of them upon and to the Soul possibly though at the first or second offer they may not stick to the Soul nor the Soul take any Comfort from them yet at last they may But so much shall serve to have spoken to this Black and exceeding Dangerous Temptation FINIS Concerning TEMPTATIONS TO Presumption CHAP. I. The Text Deut. 29. 18 19 20. opened The fitness of it to the intended Discourse The Proposition founded in it The Method of handling it proposed What it is to presume The Nature of Presumption opened MOses the Servant of God when he had a second time repeated the Law of God to the Israelites as you shall find in that Book which from that Second Repetition hath its Name Deuteronomy commandeth the People that having passed over Jordan into the Land of Canaan they should set up Stones and Plaister them with Plaister and write the Law upon them and set up these Stones in Mount Ebal Deut. 27. 4. and six of the Tribes were to stand upon Mount Ebal six upon Mount Gerizzim v. 12 13. who were to say Amen to the Levites pronouncing the Blessings or Cursings following after Chap. 27. 28. promised to those that observed the Laws or denounced against those that presumed to violate it after this Moses exhorteth them to Obedience from the great Works of God which they had seen him doing for them Chap. 29. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. and from thence to the 15 verse he ingageth them in a Covenant with God for the observation of his Law And v. 16 17. shortly again mindeth them of what God had done for them both in bringing them out of Egypt and through the Nations of their Enemies After all this that great Man of God from the general Corruption of Humane Nature fore-saw there would be some bâ—ld prâ—fane Persons that would venture obsequiousness to their Sensual Appetite to break this Holy Law and notwithstanding all the Blessings annexed to the Observation of it and all the Curses entailed to the Violation of it would adventure upon their Sensual Satisfactions and yet promise to themselves not onely Impunity and Freedom from the threatned Evils but also the obtaining those good Things for the obtaining of which the Observation of the Divine Law was made a Condition he therefore adds v. 18 19 20 21. Lâ—st there should be amongst you Man or Woman or Family or Tribe whose Heart turneth away from the Lord his God to go and serve the Gods of these Nations lest there should be amongst you a Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood v. 19. and when he heareth the words of this Curse that he blesseth himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine Heart and add Drunkenness to Thirst v. 20. The Lord will not spare him but then the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses of this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven v. 21. And the Lord shall seperate him to Evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant that are written in this Book of the Law It is true these Words are in the Old Testament but Augustine said true That the Old Testament is Occultatio Novi The New Testament in a Mystery the New Testament Revelatio Veteris the Old Testament explained both of them the Revealed Will of God the later onely the more clear Revelation of it And it is as true That as Face answereth Face in a Glass so the Hearts of Men in one Age and Period in the World answer the Hearts of Men in another Period of it Moses in the Text afore-mentioned describeth to you 1. A Sinner one who turneth away his Heart from the Lord his God that walketh according to the imagination of his own Heart that addeth Drunkenness to Thirst and all this after he hath heard the Words of the Law and the Blessing to them that keep the Law and the Curse to them that violate this Law 2. The bold Presumption of this Sinner when he hath heard the Law the Blâ—ssings promised to them that observe it and the Curses denounced against them that violate it yet he will flatter himself he shall have Peace though he walks according to the imagination of his Heart and addeth Sin to Sin Drunkenness to Thirst 3. The Fate of such a Sinner or the Issue of that Presumption The Lord will not spare him but the Anger of the Lord and his Jealousie shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses in Scripture shall lie upon bim and the Lord shall blot out his Name from under Heaven The Lord shall seperate him to Evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant that are written in the Book of the Law God hath also made a Covenant with People under the New Testament even the same for Substance as with the Jews He then gave them a Law A Law for Worship called the Ceremonial Law A