the Word Without this generall offer the Elect of Christ before Conversion can have no ground for their Faith to rest upon A pardon through Christ is offered to a man See D. Preston on Faith p. 10. and M Madens Trea. of Christs love and affection towards Jerusalem p 65 and his Epâ—stle to the Reader M. Harris on the Beatitudes p. 25. in the state of Unregeneracy how shall this man know it belongs to him seeing no mans name is particularly mentioned in the pardon There is no other way then by reasoning after this manner Pardon and Forgivenesse belongs to every man that repents and believes the Gospell But I am of that number I repent and believe Therfore pardon and forgive nesse is mine it belongs to me as well as to any other whosoever Thus farre the Doctrine of universall Grace is to be taught and was taught by our blessed Saviour and his Disciples Iohn 7.37 Tit. 2.11 Indeed all are not Elected but it is not for us to judge who are and who are not There is no particular Person who lives within the bosome of the Church but we in Judgment of Charity are to think him to be one of the number for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8.11 Nor doe all Profit by the meanes of Grace They will not apply themselves to God nor serve his Providence in that way and course which he hath laid forth for their good yet may not Gods Ministers be wanting to them though they be wanting to themselves We must do our duties knowing we have to deale with a Nature capable of Salvation and Happinesse without any varying of his Species And with such as may lay claime to Remission and Happinesse upon their acceptance of the conditions Upon which conditions it is necessary we should make a generall Offer without any exception of sins or sinners Act. 13.46 To prevent al mistakes that Distinction which Aquinas hath out of the Fathers of Sufficienter and Efficienter that there is sufficient done by Christ for the Salvation of Man-kind though it shall not be efficient to all for that all apply it not is of good use Saint Austin made it his Buckler against those who charged him to hold that Christ suffered not for all men S. Chrysostome likewise and out of him his Epitomist Theophilact with divers others both antient and modern make use of this distinction in this Question I will conclude the Point with a Relation of what I have read concerning that blessed Marâ—yr of Christ M. Bilney whom Father Latimer called S. Bilney blessing God for the day that ever he knew him He comming into a Church and there hearing a very eloquent Preacher to say thus in his Sermon Behold thou hast lyen rotting in thy lusts for these threescore yeares like a Beast in his â—ung and wilt thou presume in one yeare to goe forward to Heaven and that in thine old age as much as thou weniest forward towards Hell in sixty yeares before He was much offended with the Preacher and said Is not this a goodly Argument Is this preaching of Repentance in the name of Iesus Christ Surely it is said he as much as to say that Christ hath died in vaine Had I heard such preaching in times past I had utterly despaired of Mercy It is a high point of wisedome for Gods Ministers so to preach Christ and Remission of sinnes in his Name that a poore distressed soule may have some twig to hang on and some bottome to rest upon to save himselfe from sinking The Standard is set up for all Nations and Conditions to fly unto Isa 49.22 Cant. 2. Iude v. 3. He preacheth Christ best who holds him up highest He is the Rose of the field and the Flower of the Vallies Salvation by him is no inclosure it is a common Salvation reaching to all Ages Heb. 11. To all Nations Act. 2.5 10 34. And to all Conditions of men Acts 10.12 And to all sorts of sins that against the Holy Ghost excepted He that owes most as well as he who ows least may obtaine a discharge So you see in the Text which saith He forgave them both Them both Text. Not him only who owed the fifty pence but him likewise who was indebted in the sum of five hundred You see then Doct. God forgiveth great debts as well as small hundreds as well as tens We read Math. 18.24 of a debt not only of five hundred as here but often thousand and those not pence but Tallents a mighty Sum arising saith Melancton to three tuns of gold yet that remitted David Psal 103.2 3. blesseth God for forgiving all his Iniquities and healing all his diseases Yet you know some of them were very foule ones And Psal 130.7 he wills Israel to hope in the LORD for that with him There is Mercy and plenteous Redemption to bee had With him is Mercy Exod 34.6 Mich. 7.18 19. The Lord the Lord mercifull and gratious slow to anger c. And who is a God like unto him that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage God is every way Infinite man is a finite Creature And what proportion can there be betwixt the sin of a Creature and the Mercy of an Infinite Creator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.25 The weakenesse of God is stronger then men Were there any sin greater then could be remitted the weakenesse of man for thence comes sin should bee stronger then GOD which neither Religion nor Reason vvill admit of With him likewise is plenteous Redemption Copiosa dicit ne quisquam despa raret de venia arbitrans non se posse pervenire usque ad redeÌ„ptionis precium Aug. in Ps 130 The Redemption that Christ made the Ransome that he paid was not scanty but plenteous enough and enough againe for all the sins of his people how many and how heinous soever so that none need to despaire of pardon There is Redemption to be had for Them as well as for any other A full Satisfaction is made to Divine Iustice through the price of Christs blood as vvell for Tallents as for farthing tokens for the greatest as vvell as for the smallest debt vvho then can doubt Iustice being satisfied but to find God as ready to forgive a thousand Pounds as vvell as one Penny Vse 1 Such highly derogate from Gods mercy and Christs merit as cry out with Caine their sins are more then can be pardoned S. Peter calls on those who murdered the Sonne of God and killed the Prince of life that they would Repent and Convert that so their sinnes might be forgiven them Acts 3.15 19. Now if their sin was not greater then might be forgiven who slew the Sonne of God may we thinke that his was greater then could be forgiven who slew his Brother Was not the betraying and murthering of Iesus a greater sin then that of Abels killing No marvell then though S. Austin in this case gives Caine the lie I spare to speake of those antient Heretiques the Novatians or Catharists who did mainetaine that some sins were irremissible as those committed after Baptisme c. Those excluded mercy One sinne indeed
another world for that which hath made no breach of friendship betwixt him and them and wherewith he never was displeased If they can let us heare it Vse 2 As for our selves and practise let us not thinke any sin contemptible so as to make light of the committing of it seeing every sin stands in need of mercy and forgivenesse And further know we 1. That the Nature of sin stands not in the materiall part which often is little but in the forme or anomy which is the Transgression of the Law And that may be in an Apple as well as in a greater matter You know the most poysonfull sinne of all was taken in an Apple Queque minuâ— laedunt singula multa nocent Quomodo minuta peccata si negligantur occidunt minuta sicut grana arenae sed si multa arena imponatur premit c. Aug Tract 12. in Iob. Quid interest ad naufragium iâ—rum uno grands fluctu navis operiatur an paulatim subrâ—pens aqus in Sentinaâ— Aug. Epist 108. Quid interest utruÌ„te plumbum premat an arena plumbum una massa est arena minuta grana sunt nâ—nne vides c. Aug. Ser. 10. de divers Nolite contemnere venialia quia minima sunâ— sed timete quia plura plerunque enim bestiae minia 〈◊〉 multae necant c. Timenda est ergâ— ruina multitudiâ—is etsâ— non magnitudinis Aug. de decem chordis Si vitari parva negligimus insensibiliter seducti majora etiam perpetramus Greg. 2. Small sins with their Multitude and Number hurt the soule as much as great sins doe with their weight so S. Austin teacheth us How doe small sinnes kill the soule saith he if they be neglected The drops which fill whole Brookes are small and graines of sand are small but yet if many of them be put together they will sink a ship And againe What matters it whether a ship be everwhelmed with one great wave or sunke by a leake in the bottome unespied wherein the water enters drop by drop c. And elsewhere thus What easeth it a man to be pressed to death with a heape of sand more then with a sow of lead Scest thou not that by smallest drops the greatest Rivers are filled They are small but they are many And what they loose in Quantity they get in Number See therefore saith he that you contemne not these sinnes because they are small but feane them because they are many You know that many little boyes about the Market Crosse by their noyse outcry the Cryer 3. Small sins serve to make way for greater Huntsmen first ply the Deere with their little Beagles till it be heated and blowen and then they put on their great Buck-hounds Such use the Divell makes of little sins A long thred of iniquity he hath let in with a small Needle as we finde in Davids case and in Peters c. A great fire hath beene kindled by a little sparke and a great blot made with a little haire hanging in the Pen. If we stick not at small sins saith Gregory ere we be aware we shall swallow downe the greatest You may remember that strong Sampson was led into the roome by a little Boy 4. Small sins are cured with more difficulty then greater A wound made with a Steeletto is more dangerous then a wound made with Goliah's sword here the wound presently closeth up and so bleeds inwardly in greater abundance We watch not so much over those kind of sins as we doe over greater thence it is that we fall oftner into them and being fallen we lie longer in them without Repentance In this respect our Saviour tells the Pharisees that Publicans and sinners shall goe into Gods kingdome before them Mat. 21.31 5. Forget not what Christ suffered for small sins even his pretious blood Heb. 9.7 our great sinnes were as the Speare in his side and as the Nayles in his blessed Hands and Feet and our small sinnes were as the Thornes up-his Head they though small yet put him to paine and griefe How dare we crowne the Sonne of God againe with Thornes and put him by our small sins to an after suffering Wherefore as we desire the wellfare of our soules hearken to this word of Exhortation and make conscience of committing the smallest sins and know it for a truth No sin is small to him who thinks it so Thus wee have heard the case related Now followes the Quere made upon it Tell mee therefore which of them will love him most Text. The Thing Questioned and the Ground of that Demand we have considerable in the words That both these forgiven Debters did love their Creditor is granted The Question is about the Degree of Love Which of them loved most Something from the History many be gathered As first Obser 1 Those who have beene beneficiall and kind unto us ought to be affected and beloved of us Secondly The kinder any one hath beene unto us the more should he be loved and regarded by us A word or two of each Doct. 1 Those who have beene any way beneficiall to us ought to be loved and respected Sinners love those that love them much more should Christs Disciples they should goe beyond all others in the duties of love Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Hereto tends that Prov. 18.24 A man that hath friends must shew himsefe friendly Love and Thankfullnesse must be returned according to what hath beene done for us and received The force of the Rule we may see in sundry Examples 2 Samuel 9.1 c. 2 Sam. 19 31. 2 Kings 2.7 2 Sam 10.1 2. 2 Chron. 24.16 2 Kings 4.13 c. Vse The unthankfullnesse of many cannot be sufficiently taxed If it be no great thing according to our Saviours Doctrine to be loving to the well-deserving for that Heathens and Publicans doe the like then it must needs be worse then Heathenish yea more then Brutish Nihil est quod adeò indignationem provocet altissime sicut ingratitudo ipsa est maloruÌ„ provocatio beneficiorum exinanitio meritorum exterminatio Pet Raven in quad epist 1 Sam. 25. Psal 35.12 13 Jer. 18.20 21. Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris Minius Publicanus to be unkind to those who have shewed us kindnesse I might speake much of the vilenesse of this sinne which is odious to God as appeares by Gods dealing with churlish and unthankfull Nabal 1 Sam. 25.38 And by his own complaint Isa 1.3 And to man as appeares not onely by the complaint which the Godly have made thereof but by that the Heathens themselves have said of it Yea Nature it selfe teacheth us to abhorre this sin I will relate onely to you a Storie or two that may be read one in Gellius that is this There was a Gentleman of a Noble house his name was Androcles being taken Prisoner and made a slave to a Noble man of Rome through hard and cruell dealing ran away from him and fled into certaine
hath its latitude and degree some are bound up in Folio other some in Quarto others in Octavo and the sins of some other in a Decimâ— sextâ— See 2 Kings 3.2 Ier. 3.11 Ezek. 23.11 Iohn 19.11 We read of a Moate or Fescue and of a Beame which may be sawen into many quarters Mat. 7.3 of Gnats and Camells Mat. 23.24 There are Funiculi Vanitatis Cords of vanity Isa 5.18 and there are Funes peecatorum Ropes of sin Pro. 5.22 and Vinculum plaustri Cart-ropes or Waine-ropes Isa 5.18 By which phrases in holy Scripture it appeares in Actuall Transgression all are not alike deepe Vse 1 To say then that no sin is greater then another is one of the grossest errors that ever was It was maintained by the Stoicks as we may find in Tullies Paradoxes against all sense feeling and opinion of mankind as S. Austin sheweth Iovinian sided with them Epist 29. ad Hier. and was strongly confuted by S. Hierom out of the Scripture as S. Austin testifieth and evidently appeareth in that second Booke which S. Hierom wrote against Iovinian The Papists charge us with this error but most untruly Their reason is for that we refuse their distinction of sins Mortall and Veniall what we hold and teach concerning Veniall sinne and wherein we and they differ in that point we shall heare when we speake of the mercy and compassion of this Creditor in the next verse And yet it cannot be denied there are amongst us who seeme to incline this way Reproove them for sinning they will answer you they are sinners as others are c. as if there were no difference to be put betwixt sinner and sinner debter and debter in respect of the score These are ignorant and blinded by the god of this world and in judgement they are given up to believe a lie Paritie of sins we hold it to be an idle dreame besides what hath beene already said the diversity of Sacrifices we read of in Scripture proves the inequality of offences as Levit. 4.3 For the Priest a young Bullocke without blemish must be offered For the Magistrate a male Kid serv'd the turne verse 23. If an Ordinarie man offended for him a Female either Goate or Lamb should be accepted verse 28 32. 2. Greater punishments both Criminall and Capitall were ordained for some then others He that steales a man must die Exod. 21.16 But he that stoale an Oxe or Sheepe should onely restore fourefold Exod. 12.1 He that killed a man unwillingly was to be protected Exod. 21.13 But if he killed him willingly the hornes of the Altar could not save him verse 14. So Adultery of common people was to be punished with common death Levit. 20.10 But if the Priests daughter played the Whore she must be burnt with fire because she prophaned her Father Levit. 21.9 Paenae singulorum inaequales intentione paenae omnium aequales duratione Aquin. And as in this World so in another some shall have soarer punishments then others Heb. 10.29 Mat. 23.15 Luke 12.47 48. and Revel 22.12 God will reward every one according to his workes which had beene superfluous to say were all sins equaâ—l Vse 2 We have learned better and accordingly we should examine of what kind our sins are how much our debt is and as we finde let us put downe in our Account To helpe us a little in this our search take this for a Generall rule Iniuria patientis auget culpaÌ„ facientis Salvian Psal 51.4 the more directly any sin is done against God the greater the sin is to be accounted of and the more the debt Thus the sin against the Holy Ghost is the greatest sin because he who committeth that sin sinneth of malice purposely to despight the Spirit of Grace Hence it followes 1. The sins of the highest degree against the first Table are greater then the sins of the highest degree against the second Table For if we compare the lowest of the first Table with the highest of the second it will not hold Thus Samuell speaketh of Witcheraft and Idolatry as of the greatest sins 1 Sam. 15.23 And our Saviour calls the first Table the first and great Commandement Mat. 22.38 2. Those sins that are committed against the meanes which should keepe us from sin are greater then other Mat. 11.24 So sins against Knowledge are greater then those that are committed out of simple ignorance Luke 12.47 Iames 4.17 And as it is thus in the sinnes of Omission so also in the sinnes of Commission Acts 3.17 1 Tim. 1.13 he found mercy because he did it ignorantly So sinnes against the Gospell are greater then those against the Law for that they are committed against more light This is the condemnation saith Christ that light is come into the world Iohn 3.19 To commit sin in the cleare light of the Gospell is a reproach not much unlike that of Absolom He committed wickednesse in the sight of the Sun A Tapor in the hand of a ghost makes it looke more ghastly Thus the sins of the Rogenerate are more heynous then the sins of the Vnregenerate for that God suffers more by them then by others Deut. 32.6 Levit. 22.31 32. 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 When Simeon and Levi had dealt so lewdly with the Sichemites Iacob told them that they had made him to stinke in the sight of the Inhabitants of the land Gen. 34.30 He had no hand in their sin but did abhorre it yet it is the fashion of the world for the sin of one or two religious men to open their mouth wide against Religion it selfe In which respect David prayeth God that none might be ashamed because of him Psal 69.6 that they might not have the durt of his foule and scandalous sins cast in their faces Indeed this was that the Prophet laid so heavily to Davids charge after his fall By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 3. Sins often committed are greater then those but once committed by us for that here is an abusing of Gods Patience and Forbearance Rom. 2.4 5. Ier. 5.6 2 Pet. 2.22 In Arithmetick a figure in the first place stands for it selfe in the second place it stands for ten and in the third place for a hundred and so higher So here Thus learne we to judge of sin and be assured that thou who art a Christian canst not sin so good cheape as may an Indian or Pagan An Englishman cannot sweare lie be drunk commit whoredome at so easie a rate as a Spaniard or Italian Places of much knowledge are chargeable places to practise sin in We in this Land are more indebted to Gods mercy for the meanes of Grace affoorded then any other Nation under Heaven and in respect of our unthankfullnesse and unworthy walking more indebted to his Iustice And when they had nothing to pay Text. Verse 42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non habentibus illis unde redaerent
Wee passe from the History to the Mystery And so observe we Doct. God is truly loved of all those whose sinnes are pardoned This is a Truth granted and unquestioned If need were it might be further strengthened from sundry other Texts Psal 116.1 18.1 Cant. 13.2 5. Phil. 3.8 9. Psal 119.132 How can it otherwise be For every Act of Gods speciall favour begets another in the heart of the godly like it He chusing them they chuse him againe He calls them Hos 2.23 Rom. 10. 1 Joh. 4.19 they call on him He loving them they must needs againe love him We love him saith S. Iohn because be loved us first The cold stone cannot cast forth heat as you know till it be warmed by the Sun-beames being warmed by them then it reflecteth back some of the heate which it received Thus is it with our cold hearts What may be thought then of such as love not God Can we think them to be of the number of those debters whose debt is forgiven Ob. But is there any man so wretched Whosoever loves not Christ let him be accursed 1 Cor. 15.22 Resp. Every one will be ready to boast of his owne righteousnesse but where shall wee find a faithfull man saith Salomon so say I in this case And as David speakes Psal 36.1 of the feare of God we may say of loving God Wickednesse saith even in my heart that there is no love of God in him many evident demonstrations there be which may convince every naturall man of the Truth hereof First they love not God Probatio amoris exhibitio operis Greg. in that they will doe nothing for GOD. If a man love mee hee will keepe my Commandements saith Christ Iohn 14.15 24. And againe He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And Iohn 15 14. You are my Friends if you doe whatsoever I command you But he that loveth me not keepeth not my Commandements Ioh. 14 24. And why call you me Lord Lora and doe not the things which I command you Luke 6.46 Secondly it appeares they love not God in that they love not to be where God is Love is like sire congregat homogenea it carries things of a nature one to another A lover of God gets himselfe as neere God as he may he resorts often to the place where he may meet God Iohn 17. Bonus Calus tantummodo malus quod Christianus Terr in Apolog Sicut Rex in imagine sua honoratur sic Deus in homine diligitur oditur Chry in Mat. 22 QuemadmoduÌ„ siquiâ— peregrè proficiscens aliquid pignoris ei quem diligit derelinquit ut quotiescunque illud videat possit ejus beneficia amicitias memorare quod ille si perfectè dilexit non potest fine ingenti desiderio videre vel fletu â—c Hierom. Psal 42.1 2. 26.8 2 Cor. 5.8 But these cannot endure Gods house nor presence they have no love to Gods Sanctuary where they may see his Face much lesse any longing desire after the day of Iudgement to see his Person Christs Prayer is little respected by them Father I will that they may be where I am Thirdly they love not God as is evident by this they love not Gods children Every one saith S. Iohn that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of of him 1 Iohn 5.1 If I love my Friend or Father I love his Picture but these hate the godly they mock them and nickname them And for no other cause pretend what they will but for that the Image of God is in them As the Picture of a man doth enrage the Panther so doth the holinesse of the Saints the wicked of the world Fourthly they love not God in that they care not for those Monuments and pledges of his love which hee hath left unto his Church untill his comming againe Where we love truly we love whatsoever may preserve the Monument of the beloved partie But Gods Word Gods Sacraments are nothing set by of many which yet God hath commended to us to be often used in remembrance of him Luk. 22.19 1 Cor 11.25 Fifthly they love not God in that it is evident they love other things more then God And this is expressely averred of such 1 Iohn 2.15 He that truly loves God hath learned to deny himselfe and all things else for his sake His Affections are carryed over hilâ—s and mountaines through flames and fire for love of him as anon we shall see further Nemo magis diligit quam qui maxime veretur offendere Salvianus Sixthly and lastly they love not God as may appeare by this they feare not to offend him nor have they care to please him David loved God and would not transgresse his Law he grieved to see his righteous Lawes by others broken Psal 119.138 139. Lot loved God and could not but vex from day to day with the unlawfull deeds of the Sodomites 2 Cor. 5 9. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. How then can these say they love God yet heare his name blasphemed behold his worship polluted c. yet not mourne So then as our Saviour said unto the Iewes Iohn 5.42 may wee say to these I know by these and such like signes that you have not the love of God in you How then can you beleeve that you have interest in this great priviledge which yet you professe you have the Remission of sinnes And if such as these are debarred of this mercy so as that they cannot for the present lay claime to it what think you then of those who hate God and are Enemies unto him that there are such in the Church appeares by divers Scriptures as Exod 20.5 Deut. 7.10 Zach. 11.8 Luke 19.14 More particularly these are charged with this horrid impiety First all Idolaters and Superstitious persons who worship God after their owne devices these are said to be haters of God Exod. 20.5 Secondly all Worldlings and Covetous Misers for so we finde that the love of the Father is not in them 1 Iohn 2.15 And that their Friendship with the world is enmity to God Iames 4.4 Thirdly all refractory and unruly Christians who refuse to subeject their soules to Christs Scepter and submit themselves to his Ordinances what ever these pretend yet God takes them for his Enemies Ioh. 5.42 Luke 19.27 Fourthly all naturall and unregenerated Persons these have no love of God in them they hate him in their heart so we find Iohn 15.18 23. Nor is this the state of the Reprobate in the world onely but even of Gods Elect before their conversion Coles 1.21 Fifthly all workers of iniquity such as practise any sin Mich. 7.3 and plie it with both hands to use the Prophets phrase these are haters of God as appeares Psal 37.18 20. 92.9 Ioh. 15.10 Quest But how can God be hated he being the chiefe Good Goodnesse wee know is the proper object of Love Resp Wicked men
his Son yet the generall apprehension of these things will but adde a kind of vexation to his Spirit till he have Assurance of some speciall interest he hath in Gods Mercies What a torment is it for a hunger starved beggar to passe by a wedding-House and smell good cheare yet Tantalus like never taste of it What a vexation to a poore man to see a great dole given and multitudes relieved by it yet he get nothing So is it certainly in this case the more any man knoweth of Christ and of the plenteous Redemption that is by him purchased through his blood the greater must the horrour of his Soule be when hee findeth that hee hath no part therin Content not thy selfe then with this in Generall to know That God so loved the world as that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to redeeme all that will beleeve in him but indeavour to be assured of this in Particular that he hath loved thee and given his Son for thee as S. Paul saith Gal. 2.20 Thinke it not enough to know that Remission of sins may he had or to hope well that thou art amongst the number of those pardoned ones but make this sure to thy heart upon good grounds that thy sins in particular are forgiven It is a great Mercy to have fin pardoned but to have it spoken to our hearts and assured us is a greater Mercis VERSE 49. Text. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves who is this that forgiveth sins also Offendutur coÌ„vivae Christi sermone Ex quo apparet plures Juisse Pharisaeos nam hi ubiq hac Christi potestate offenduntur quod non solum corporum sese praebet medicum sed etiam animarum Aretius in loc Interrogation est ex contemptu persona c. Marlorat Improbabile mihi videtur quod nonnulli Interpreterdicum haec verba hominum esse admiramium quasi dicant eportet magnuÌ„ virum aus matoreÌ„ etiam viro ChristaÌ„ esse cum peccata remittat c. Hic nimu bene de malu cogiâ—ant Facilius crediâ—â— est de Pharisaeorum ingenio plerosque enim eoruÌ„ qui simul accumbebant fuisse Pharisaâ—â— verisimile estâ—eos ista muâ—nurando blasphemiae Coristum accusando dixisse Mald. in loc The Guests that sat at meat with Christ questionlesse were Pharisees the Feast-maker was one And who knowes not that these were insolent Justiciaries strict Sectaries and the proud enemies of Christ looking still a crosse at what our Saviour did So Matth. 9.2 Mark 2.7 Luk. 5.21 This Power of our Saviour did especially offend them Indeed these doe not openly charge him with blasphemy as at other times he was charged by them As they were not so Ceremonious so neither it may seeme so Captious as their Fellowes yet they could not but savour of the Leaven of their Profession They began to say within themselves who is this that forgiveth sinnes also Which words I take not with Cajetan and some other as spoken by way of Admiration as if Simon and his Company who before questioned whither or no he were a Prophet should in a kind of amazement observing what had passed say now we see he is a Prophet and more than a Prophet A great man nay more then man to forgive sin But by way of Accusation and Exception against our blessed Saviour who is this that dares be so bold to forgive sin which is Gods Prerogative solely being but a vile and contemptible person they held him to be but Man and by Man sinne could not be remitted In which Exception or Accusation we will consider First the Persons who they were that found fault with our Saviour They that sate at meat Secondly The thing they find fault withall and tooke exception against They began to say within themselves who is this c. Of the Person first They that sat at meat with him Text. Doct. Our blessed Saviour was sociable We do not find that he ever refused to goe to any Table wherto he was invited Luk. 5.29 14.1 Nay sometimes he invites himselfe as he did to Zacheus his house and Table Luke 19.5 Reade before our Text Verse 33 34. They in this respect esteemed Christ a Wine-bibber Reason The Reason I noted to you in the beginning of this Parable It was not for love of the dishes but out of a desire to do his Fathers will Christus omnibus omnia factus est pauper pauperibus dives divitibus cum Maria flet cum Apostolis epulatur cum Samaritana sitit c. Amb. sup Luc. l. 4 which was meate and drinke to Him in seeking up and saving what was lost In which regard Hee was content to become all things to all men that He might win some Catch not at this O yea licentious Libertines Men of all howres as one tearmes you well that can eate with Gluttons drinke with Drunkards sing with Ribaulds scoffe with prophane Scorners and yet talke holely with the Religious Our Saviour never sinned for any mans sake though for our sakes he was thus Sociable that he might keepe us frâ—â— sinning At whose board did he ever sit where he made not better cheare than he found If he sat with Sinners he converted them If with Converts he confirmed them If with the Poore he fed them If with the Rich in substance he made them richer in Grace and if Simon will entertain him his Table shall be honoured with the heavenly Doctrin of Remission and with the publike Remission of a Penitent woman Can you thus converse with lewd good-fellowes as to represse their sinnes redresse their exorbitances win them to God Then indeed you wâ—ke in the stepps of him that stucke not to sit downe and eat with Sinners That which Politiques and Time-servers do for earthly advantages we ought to do for spirituall Frame our selves to all company not in evill but in good yea and in indifferent things Vse Such as do thus should not be censured for so doing Man as I have shewed on Luk. 15.1 2. is animal politicum a sociable Creature every mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries him to Society nor are they more perfect but more extravagant who affect lonenesse The Papists shall not be able to prove their austere vows of a solitary life c. to be preferred before Communion and Society unlesse they will first proove Iohn better than Christ and his austere way more winning than our Saviours sociable carriage Aves praedaria flock not together they love to fly alone and in long experience we have sound it true that those solitaries of the Romish Church and of our own under pretence of more sanctity and contempt of the world have but gaped after the prey and are grown fatter by not dividing the spoyle Object Malorum consortia sugere debemus quoad privataÌ„ consuetudinem non quoad publicam conversationeÌ„ corde non corpore Amâ—ros offic lib â—c o. A malis corde semper
generally spoken but no part of the Ministers to single out any from the rest by Name But if in case the Church using the keyes proceeds against any scandalous and notorious Person Iuridically then the sinner may be named that he may be avoided 1 Tim. 1.20 2. c. 1. v. 17. 4.14 Vse Learne we this point of wisedome so to Reproove as not to blemish so to name our Brother as not to disgrace him We read Exod. 37.23 God required that there should be Snuffers made for the Lampes of the Tabernacle and Snuffe-dishes of pure gold God would teach his Churcy hereby as some conceive First that they who censure and reproove others should themselves be blamelesse the Snuffers were to be of gold Secondly the faults which we reproove our Bretheren for are to be forgot The Rabbins say those snuffe-dishes were filled with sand to bury the snuffes in You know if a man should top a candle as we say and then throw the snuffe about the roome he would offend more with the stench he makes then please by his diligence Remember there are Snuffe-dishes as well as Snuffers use both and take him for a Chirurgion who doth heale the face without a scarre I have somewhat to say unto thee Text. Wee read Isa 53.7 Math. 27.12 13 14. Ioh. 19.9 that our Saviour was dumb as a sheepe before his shearer but no where can we read that he was dumb as a sheapheard before his sheepe See the good Samaritane pa. 12. he had still somewhat to say as occasion was offered Simon had overshot himselfe and our Saviour was desirous to cure him of his maladie he had somewhat to say unto him for this purpose We especially Ministers may learne hence Doct. To say somewhat to our Brother when we see him runne into anerror In such a case we may not be silent Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Observe Here is no Posterne gate closely to entertaine a substitute For reproofe is like the Peace-offering made by fire Levit. 17.30 Thy owne hands must bring it Thou Here is no corner for excuse if thou doest it not a necessity is layed upon thee The command is absolute Shalt in any wise Here is no Exemption of persons all being Neighbours by the condition of our birth mortality and hope of the heavenly inheritance Thy Neighbour Here is no dispensation to be granted for any transgression of what kind soever Sin may not be suffered upon him And as God in the Law so Christ in the Gospell requires this duty of us Math. 18.15 And after him his Apostles 1 Thes 5.14 2 Tim. 2. Yea Law and Gospell Prophets and Apostles like Righteousnesse and Peace Truth and Mercy in the Psalme kisse each other Conforting all in one and in sweetest melody like a Quire of Angels they tune their strings and notes to this ditty The duty of reproofe Vse Nec obmutescas amplius as God said to Exekiell Ezek. 24. ult hold your Faith hold your Truth hold your Profession but hold your Peace no more Thou shalt speak be no longer dumb Breake the strings of thy tongue like the dumb sonne in Herodotus suffer no sinne like the Persian to kill thy Father Brother Neighbour through thy silence It was a Law in Israell Thou shalt not see thy Brothers Oxe or Asse to sall downe by the way and hide thy selfe from them Doth God take care for Oxen nay for us are these things written But pitty it is saith S. Bernard cadit asina succurriturei cadit anima non est qui relevet cam the Asse falls and is succoured a soule falles and there is none which by seasonable reproofe will relieve it These be those latter dayes so long since foretold by our blessed Saviour wherein Iniquity should increase and love waxe cold Iniquity spreadeth her Cockatrices wings from East to West from Dan to Beersheba It hath increased with the encrease of mankind as the Ivie doth with the Oak◠Were love burning in the hearts of men like that fire in the holy Temple or had men their faces one towards another like those Cherubins which covered the mercy seat with their wings Exod. 25.20 they would not onely Returne themselves but likewise by their friendly Admonitions and Reproofe cause others to returne from their transgressions Tot quotidie occidimus quot admortem ire tepidi tacentes videmus Greg. Gods Ministers could not then but have somewhat to say to sinners and not through the silence of one suffer two to die Themselves and their erring Brother Themselves through the omitting of this duty as we reade Ezek 3.18 Their Brother through continuance in his sins that he hath committed Object But this Age will not endure Reproofe Ahab counts Elijah his enemy The Galathians esteemed Paul no better for this service of Love and liberty of speech Resp Why should they be taxed for liberty of speech seeing men set no bounds unto their sins Mihi aliquando arguere permissum Amb. Ser. 65. Audebo peccāti mala sua ostendere vitia ejus si non excidero inhibebo non desinent sed intermittent Fortasse autem desinent si intermittendi cōsuetudinem fecerint Senec. de mor. tibi nunquam peccare saith S. Ambrose we have Commission for the one they have no Commission for the other Why then should we feare to execute it or suffer sin to affront us without smiting it Heathens have beene more bold In the first of the Kings 20.35 we reade of one who entreated his neighbour in the name of God to smite him which he refusing to doe was staine by a Lyon Sin will not say as that man of God did percute me smite me I pray thee yet God hath commanded us to smite it and if we refuse to do so Gods wrath will smite us as it did that Refuser Therefore deale we with it as that other man did with the Prophet verse 37. Smite it where ere we find it Gen. 4.15 God did set a marke on Cain least any one finding him should slay him we may not set a marke on the forehead of any sin or sinner unlesse he be a Scorner for the sparing of it we are to smite it 1 King 2. yea to slay it where ere we find it though with Ioab it flie to the Altars side for shelter To every one is given the dispensation of this Grace in due time and Place As Ioshua said unto the people concerning Ai Josh 8.8 you shall set the City on fire according to the Commandement of the Lord so shall you do may it be said to all the Tribes Rebuke you every one his neighbour set this stubble of sin on fire to consume it according to Gods Command Consentire est silere cum arguere possis saith Saint Bernard Silence in the presence of sin implies a consent unto it Though thou saist not Euge saith Saint Austin yet if
carkasses of men utterly undoing by Executions and perpetuall Imprisonments those who are disabled by Gods immediate hand as by fire water sicknesse c. and not through their own negligence or improvidency I deny not but debts owing are to be required God himself hath given liberty to the Creditor to take a pledge for his security Deut. 24.10 11 12. I likewise grant that more strictnesse and extremity may be used in requiring a Debt of such as rashly cast themselves into it though they be poore or pretend Inability when indeed it is but a pretence as the manner of many in these daies is Prov. 22.26 27.13 But in the behalfe of the poore and needy the well minded Debter the Lord giveth an other charge Exod. 22.26 If thou shalt receive to pawne the garment of thy Neighbour restore it unto him before the Sunne goeth downe for that onely is his covering that is his garment for his skin wherin shall he sleep Therfore when he crieth to me I will heare him for I am mercifull Yet no debt whatever may be axacted without Mercy still remember as man in a Debter unto thee so art thou unto Mercy Thus St. Paul Rom. 15.27 sheweth the Macedonians and Achaians were Whereupon St. Ambrose thus speaketh In tantum nos humanos misericordes vult esse Apostelus Amb. in Rom. cap. 15. ut debitores nos dicat ejus So farre doth the Apostle presse to be mercifull and courteous that he affirmeth us to be debters unto it Therefore so exact thy Debt that God may forgive thee all thy Debts Mystically this sets forth Gods mercifull and gratious disposition towards poore sinners and serves first to informe us of this truth Doct. Remission and Forgivenesse of Sinnes is attaincable there is a possibility for a sinner to have his Debts pardoned and remitted Act. 3 19 19.43 26.18 The Sacrifices under the Law prefigured as much Heb. 5.1 and the gratious promise under the Gospell make it good Isa 1.18 55.7 Ezek. 33.16 Mat. 12.31 And the faithfull performances of those gracious promises in so many Instances put us out of all doubt concerning this truth Psal 32.5 Isa 38.17 44.22 Mat. 9.2 Marke 2.5 9. The grounds are two First Mercy in God who desireth not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33.11 It is his Name to be mercifull an Attribute as infinite as himselfe it suits with his Nature Secondly Merit in Christ By his Sacrifice he satisfied Gods Justice and paid the debt of sin 1 Cor. 15.9 Gal. 1.4 Ephes 1.7 Colos 1.14 1 Iohn 3.5 Heb. 9 26. Hence commeth that sweet concurrence of Mercy and Iustice spoken of by the Psalmist Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousnesse and Peace have kissed each other They met together and that divers times but did never kisse till Christ reconciled them when they met before they met in a kind of opposition as S. Bernard sheweth in Dialogue A great contention there was betwixt them about mans Redemption Ser. 1. de Annun Dom. Mercy pleads hard What hath God forgotten to be gratious will hee cast us of for ever and be no more intreated That by no meanes wils the death of a sinner Iustice steps in and requires that she may have her due and that the soule that sinnes may die Hast not thou said it and shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right Thus the Plea hangs our salvation lies as it were a bleeding we as guilty prisoners still stand at the Barre Christ steps in gives Justice satisfaction ends the quarrell and makes all kind kissing friends For in giving himselfe a ransome for man he did at once pay both Iustice her debt and obtaine for Mercy her desire Vse Great is the comfort that poore sinners may have from hence to looke upon the greatnesse of our debt the infinitenesse of the sum is enough to sinke us but to heare of a possibility to procure a discharge to put a new life and spirit into us as it did into the hearts of the people when they heard Shecaniah tell them that there was hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10 2. It may also encourage us to use speedie meanes for the obtaining of a Pardon seeing in seeking after it we seeke after that which is honourable and worth the having A mercy of all mercies it is to have our sins forgiven there needs no more but that to make us truly happy Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.6 7. Salvation stands in it and under that one benefit all the good that we receive by Christ is comprised It is put for the whole Covenant and for all the priviledges therein contained Acts 10.43 and is esteemed the greatest blessing which flowes from Christs blood Mat. 26.28 That is the Fountaine as it were other blessings are but streames issuing thence the things of this world are made true blessings by it And yet how unworthily is this put in the last place in most mens endeavours Should a man stand with Salomon in the window of his house and looke and consider the courses of men how should we see them busied Some eagerly pursuing wealth other greatnesse other following pride and vaine delights like children they run after Butter-flies But not one amongst many who spends his time and studie this way how to get a pardon of sin and a discharge of that debt he owes to Gods divine Justice Pray you to the Lord said Pharaoh unto Moses that hee may take away the frogs from mee Exod. 8.8 he desired not that his sins might be taken away which were the cause of them so is it with the men of this world they pray to have sicknesse poverty lamenesse c. removed from them but for their sins they passe not that debt least of all troubles them Quest. But whence is it that men are so carelesse in seeking after this one thing necessary Resp Diverse Reasons may be rendered of this great neglect Resp First an erroneous judgement about the thing it selfe Some think it is that which cannot be had or if it be feisable yet it is not so necessary as other blessings which lies them more in hand to seeke after The errour of which opinions what hath beene said before discovers Secondly this great neglect ariseth from want of due consideration of mens present states they spend no thoughts this way like Banquerouts they love not to cast up their accounts Men are not aware how many Bills of particular sins hang upon the file and are upon record against them in the Lords Court of Justice they consider not how they lie open till discharge be had to all Gods plagues and curses which dog and follow them at the heeles in every corner like so many Serjants to arrest them at Gods Suit Deut 28.19 They consider not that after death there is no Redemption If a discharge be not obtained before death lay hold upon them there is no way but one
not damnatio medicina non paena a chastisement not a condemnation a medicine not a punishment as speaketh S. Chrysostome And betwixt these we must learne to distinguish It is true God layeth many things on his dearest children in this life notwithstanding he hath forgiven them their sins but such sufferings of theirs are neither expiatorie nor satisfactorie nor yet vindictive for sin nor can they properly be called punishments but Fatherly chastisements and corrections onely Psal 94.12 Heb. 12.6 Revel 3.19 1 Cor. 11.32 God sends them in love and offers himselfe therein to his as unto children Heb. 12.7 He inflicts them as furtherances to Sanctification not as meanes of Satisfaction Thirdly the Lord doth so and much more fully forgive the sins of the Faithfull as he would have them forgive one another and he makes his forgivenesse the very patterne we should work by Ephes 4 32. But in our forgiving he requires that both the fault and punishment be forgiven 1 Pet. 3.9 And therefore wee must needs conclude that whom God forgives to them are forgiven both As for satisfaction to our Brethren for wrongs to them done by acknowledgement restitution Mulct with asking forgivenesse c. we both teach and practise but they shall not be able to satisfie us in this point that any thing we can doe or suffer can satisfie Gods Justice I spare any further wading in this point Thus much I thought needfull to say on it for that this Popish opinion of Satisfaction cleaves as one saith well very close unto our natures and there is an aptnesse in us to thinke by some act of ours to make amends for the things we have done amisse This we are not able to do for when we have done all we can we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17. Vse This is a Doctrine of singular Comfort to all those that are in Christ and made partakers of this benefit of Remission It is storyed of Caesar to his renowne and praise that after the defeate of Pompey hee had in his custody a Casket wherein he found divers letters written by many of the Nobles under their own hands sufficient evidence to condemn them but he burnt them al that no monument might remain of a future grudge Thus doth God cancell and annihilate the sins of his Elect ones and causeth an act of Oblivion to be made that there may be no quarrell against them in Heaven And to be short being thus fully pardoned whatsoever happens to us or is inflicted on us wee may rest assured comes in Love it is mingled with Love and shall through Love be turned to our good Rom. 8.28 Let our Afflictions smart never so much yet the curse is removed they are but medicinable potions and shall further our salvation in the end Are the Consolations of God small with thee as Eliphaz said to Iob Iob 15.11 doe not these things affect thee to rejoycing surely then we are are as yet Dead Births Gods children have rejoyced in this mercy more then in great spoiles Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. And to conclude be carefull that we lay up safe our discharge and pardon having once obtained it How carefull men are to lock up a Generall discharge from some pecuniarie debts we know well enough but no discharge to this so lay it up that you may not have it to seek in the hower of Temptations and Tryall Such times you must expect and then your Acquittance sealed with Christs blood will stand you in much stead Our carelesnesse this way often causeth God to hide from us the comfort of it to the end that wee may seeke it up and keep it better Thus we lay some peece of plate aside for a while to teach a carelesse child or servant to be more carefull of it after it is returned And thus much of the Fullnesse of Gods pardoning Come we now to the Freenesse of it Hee Frankly forgave them both Whence observe we Remission is of free grace and mercy whom God forgives he forgives gratis The Pope indeed sells Pardons God sells none what God doth this way hee doth freely This Truth is abundantly confirmed and strengthened in the holy Scriptures I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my owne sake c. Isa 43 25. Not for your sakes but for mine owne sake will I purge you and wash away your sinnes O you house of Israel Ezek. 36.25 32. Thus Ephes 1.7 The Apostle speaking of this benefit tells us that he gives it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the riches of his grace And Rom. 3.24 he saith wee are justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratis or freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ Object But here lies the Objection If it be through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ how then is it free that which we get upon a price paid and ransome tendered is from Iustice due to us and not of free grace given us But so was this obtained as the Apostle likewise elsewhere shâ—weth 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Tim. â— 6 Resp Remission of sins was purchased for us and our debts discharged through the satisfaction made by Christ to Gods Justice Not one farthing of that sum wherein we stood indebted to the Lord was forgiven without payment made by Christ who by his Active Obedience paid the Principall that was owing fulfilling all Righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 And by his Passive Obedience paid the Forfeiture in which respect the Prophet saith Wee have received at the Lords hand viz. in our Surety double for all our sinnes Isa 40 2. So that ex parâ—e Christi on Christs part it was not free and yet ex parte hominum on mans behalfe it is every way ingenuous and free And that First in regard of God the Father who was pleased out of the love he bore to mankind to send his onely begotten Sonne to discharge that debt was owing Isa 9.6 Iohn 4.10 And out of the like love and mercy hee was pleased to accept of the satisfaction and payment by him made on our behalfe for nothing bound God to this way but that wherewith he did voluntarily bind himself Heb 6.7 Secondly in respect of Christ who satisfied for us it was to us free He freely and willingly assented to the worke of our Redemption in which respect it is said He laid downe his life and tooke it up againe John 10.15 As likewise in that we are no way able to gratifie Christ for what he did in any measure Psal 116.12 Thirdly in respect of our selves who receive this mercy it is free forgivenesse we conferre no merit to it nor did we add any thing towards that great purchase of his Rom. 11.6 Thus then in speaking of Gods free grace in pardoning sin Christ is not to be excluded he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end or Tribute and wee by his payment are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribute-free And
for the Gospell is a worke of the best sort which God most especially doth regard Thus then there is nothing in our selves wheron to ground any Plea for pardon Nor is there any other Plea to use to God for pardon in respect of any other creature We read Math. 25. that the foolish Virgins hoping to borrow oyle of the wise were denied and plainly told that they had not to spare that they had not enough to lend and spend both No trusting to any other mens Merits whatsoever Papists say Resolve we therfore to fly to the throne of Mercy as from Common Law we flie to Chancerie for reliefe Put wee up our Petitions into the Court of Requests after this forme and no other LORD bee mercifull to mee a Sinner And as we are to begg all of Mercy so learn we here to ascribe all to Mercy we are called Vessels of Mercie Rom. 9.23 Now the Vessell sents of the liquor that is in it The whole worke of our Salvation can be aâ—â—â—ibâ—d to no other thing then to Mercie Election that is of Grace Rom. 11.5 Vocation according to Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 Iustification by Grace Rom. 3.24 Glorification a gift of Grace Rom. 6.23 Why blessed be God which according to his aboundant Mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively Hope c. 1 Pet. 1.3 Say we of all spirituall things as Iacob of his wealth God hath had Mercy on me and therefore I have all these Gen. 33.11 And with the Church let us still acknowledge Lord thou hast wrought all our workes for us Isae 20.12 As for those who take from God and ascribe unto themselves they do that in earnest which wee see boyes doe in jest They stand upon their heads and shake their heeles towards Heaven Vse 3 That we may manifest our Thankefullnesse to God for this free Mercy of his in our Salvation let us shew mercy to our poore distressed Brethren who stand in need of it and be mercifull to them even as our Father is mercifull unto us Mercy in God is as it were his Face Now we are said to resemble others when we are like them in the Face rather then in the hands and feet In nothing can we better resemble God or shew our selves his children then in following his example forgiving those who have done us wrong Even as he hath forgiven us Be the Party who he will be if he say It doth repent mee pardon him For so God pardons the unworthiest of us Be the Fault what it will be God forgives us Iniquity Transgression and Sinne Exod. 34. Yea although we have forgiven him many times already I say not untill seven times but untill seventy times seven times Math. 18.12 So doth God by us And so forgive as not to impute the wrong unto him count the wrong and injurie as if it were not So did S. Paul forgive the Galathians Cap. 4.12 Yea have not injured me at all Still look upon the patterne God hath set us to work by Ephes 4.32 Colos 3.13 Remembring God hath so farre tied his Mercy to this Condition of our Forgiving others that unlesse we do so we can have no comfortable assurance that our sins are pardoned Mat. 6.14 15. 18.32 33. Look as David said of unthankfull Nabal In vaine have I kept all that this fellow had 1 Sam 25.21 22. So will God say of such as will not forgive In vaine have I done all this for him given my Son promised pardon c. seeing he is so unthankfull as not for my sake to passe by such small wrongs and injuries Vse 4 Lastly from what hath beene delivered of the Freenesse of GODS Mercy may a poore Sinner gather Comfort It is that that troubles many a soule they have nothing of worth within them They cannot see why GOD should pardon such as they are But though there be nothing in thee yet there is something in himselfe Bowels of Mercy and a Nature inclined to shew Mercy Where nothing is to pay there he frankely forgives all Besides Christ hath paied for thee that which thou wert not able to discharge Nomon Iesu a pud Hebraeos a litera loth apud Graecos a Iota incipit quae utraque in sua gente denarij numeri est nota deceÌ„ obolos in precium animae suae offerunt qui in Iesum Christum credentes signii no minis ejus quod a denario numero incipit in fronte professione proferuÌ„t Bed-de tab Salomon The first Letter of his Name yeelds Comfort if you consider it well much more the whole You know the Mercy-Seate was upon the Arke and within the Arke the Law was put and over the Arke and Mercy-Seat were Cherubins covering one another What signified all this but that by Christ our Arke the curses of the Law are covered and God become gratious and favourable into which things the Angels desire to pry as S. Peter saith Looke then from off thy selfe and fix thy eye on Christ and when ever thou commest to God for pardon look towards the Mercy-Seat as they who prayed in the Temple did desire him to shew thee Mercy and to forgive thee for his Christs sake and doubt not of Audience Thus much of the Benefit bestowed Next of the Persons who were made partakers of this Benefit Them both Text. And here we see wherin the Condition of these two Debters was Alike There was difference in respect of the Debt owing one ought a greater Summe then the other but no difference in respect of the Discharge Both are forgiven the one as well as the other Hence observe Doct. Forgivenesse and Pardon is generall to all that cast themselves on Gods free mercy for it Ezek. 18.27 Isay 55.1 Iohn 3.16 Acts 2.38 39. Revel 22.17 The Ground of this is The Love of God to Mankind out of which he was mooved to send Christ into the world Christus tametsi non esset omnes lucraturus nihilo minus pro omnibus mortuus est quod suum erat adimplens c. Chrys in RoÌ„ 14 and offer to them life and Salvation upon terms possible 2. The price paid by Christ wherby Justice was satisfied and a way for mercy made was paid for all and made for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Isay 53.6 though it be not Beneficiall to all but onely to such as observe the Condition Vse This being so It is our duty who are the Ministers of Reconciliation so to tender it Our Commission is Preach the Gospell to every creature Marke 16.15 which is not to be understood in a Fryer-like sense of preaching to Birds Beasts Wolves as they say some have done But in our Saviours sense to every reasonable creature tendering Salvation and happinesse to all that will receive it upon those termes and conditions which are expressed in the Covenant of Grace which conditions required are not impossible to be observed and performed through those gratious helps which God affords unto them in the Ministery of
God whom we call Father is the God of Truth Psal 31.5 And he that is of God will speake the Truth 3. By the Band of Redemption For he that hath redeemed us is Via Ioh. 14.6 Vita Veritas The Way Truth and Life and who so lookes to have life by him must follow the way of Truth Ephes 4.15 4. By the Band of Sanctification For the holy Spirit that sanctifieth us is the Spirit of Truth and requireth in our sanctification that we should have our Loynes girt about with Truth Ephes 6.14 In these respects we should have great care that we make no forfeiture of the Truth in any case whatever God loves it in the inward parts Psal 51. S. Gregory expounding these words of Iob Greg. Mer. in Iob. cap. 27. My Lips shall surely speake no wickednesse and my Tongue shall utter no deceit observes thus much that a holy man Pejus est men dacium meditari quam loqui nam loqui plerumque praecipi tationis est medâ—tari vero studiosae pravita tu Mor. 8. to the end he may prefectly cleave unto the Truth suffereth not himselfe either of purpose or of rashnesse to lie for every Lie is greatly to be avoided though there be some greater then other as that which is studied and meditated on as is aequivocating I spare to tell you what the Heathens have thought of this sinne of Lying and how they have punished it Plutarch acquaints us with a Law that Artaxerxes made The Liers Tongue should be pierced triplici clavo with three nailes And Aelian lib. 4. cap. 1. tells us that amongst the Indians he that was thrice convicted of a Lie was enjoyned perpetuall silence and barred from all office De mulier Septies I conclude this point with that which S. Hierom writeth of a young man and woman who were suspected of Adultery and examined by Torments to confesse it The young man being grievously tortured confesseth against himselfe to be freed from further paine and so was put to death But the woman being innocent could not be forced by all those Torments used to tell a lie but in the midst of all her sufferings thus spake Non ideo me negare velle ne peream sed ideo mentiri nolle ne peccem mori ego cupio sed non tanquam Adultera That shee did not denie least shee should die but shee refused to Lie least shee should sinne shee was willing to die but shee would not die as an Adulteresse Thus abide were firme and resolute still to say the Truth holding that for a firme Principle in Divinity wee may not doe evill that good may come of it As for those who say we may their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 Thus much by occasion of the honest and sincere Answer made by Simon though to his owne Conviction now for the Sentence which was given by him Text. I suppose that he to whom hee forgave most You see then Doct. The more mercy in the forgiver the greater Love may be supposed is in the forgiven We read what S. Paul was by his owne confession before Conversion A Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious c. 1 Tim. 1.13 But as he saith hee obtained mercy and the grace of God was exceeding abundant to him with Faith and Love in Christ this put him on to labour more abundantly then the rest as is shewed 1 Cor. 15.10 so that the grace bestowed on him was not in vaine If you aske the Reason why should S. Paul take more paines then all the rest the Answer is The Love of Christ constrained him And why should Love be stronger in him then in the rest the Answer is at hand for that he did thus judge that he received greater mercy in the pardoning of his debt then the rest This is shewed likewise by our Saviour in the Application of this Parable verse 47. Where wee shall speake more fully of this point which yet here I could not let passe without some usefull Observation Vse 1 I would gladly know then why Papists or any other should averre that our Doctrine touching Assurance of Gods Love in Christ is a Doctrine tending to licentious libertie Simon could not but suppose that he must needs love most who had most remitted him But these speake by heare-say as strangers do of that they never knew nor had experience of themselves Assuredly the sence of Gods mercy in the pardoning and forgivenesse of sinne hath that force to restraine a man from loosenesse of life and to knit the heart in all true Love and Obedience unto God as nothing more in the world hath Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes saith David Psal 26.3 therefore I have walked in thy Truth The very scope of S. Iohns Epistle is to further our Assurance of Gods Love as appeares 1 Epist 1.4 5. 5.13 And how farre this is from opening a way to loosenesse of life and liberty the Apostle shewes Chap. 2.1 These things saith he I write to you that you sinne not and if in case you doe sinne the Assurance of Gods Love is the readiest way to recover you For it followes If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father and then Chap. 3.3 is added He that hath this hope and knowes what manner of Love the Father beares him purifieth himselfe as hee is pure So then that man that is carelesse of purifying himselfe hath no true hope that he is made partaker of this speciall Love Vse 2 Secondly the feeblenesse of our Love to God discovers how little sence or Assurance we have of this mercy of God towards us in the forgivenesse of the debt owing to his Justice True it is common favours and fruits of Gods Love may work even in unbeleevers a kind of Love to God but it is Common Ordinarie and Superficiall And the unsoundnesse of that kind of Love so wrought may appeare in these particulars First in that it is but Mercenary for when God giveth over giving them they give over loving him This is that love of Harlots which I have before mentioned Secondly the Love so wrought hath no force to restraine from sinne nor put on to obedience For all this kind of Love that many so much boast of They blesse themselves in their hearts as Moses speaketh saying I shall have peace though I walke in my own imaginations and stubbornnesse c. Deut. 28.19 But the Love wrought in our hearts through the Apprehension of this speciall mercy is of another kind It doth cause a man to love God for his owne goodnesse and excellencies Psal 73.25 Phil. 3.8 and makes a man to give God the highest seate in his heart it putteth a man on to keepe Gods Commandements as before wee heard and makes those Commandements easie which were and are crosse to our natures Wherefore wee may not ground our Comfort or Love on outward and Temporall blessings but on this speciall and particular Love
be warmed with it In Nature we see nothing can moove in desire to this or that till first it hath apprehended it lovely whilst the debtor thinkes of the rigour of his Creditour he doth feare him not affect him truly so our affections cannot in love and desire move to God and unite themselves with God till by Faith we discerne him as reconciled to us and an amiable object for us sinners to imbrace But when once it comes to see Gods love forgiving it many sins then it cannot but love much again Vse And this serves to the overthrowing of their opinion who hold that Assurance of Pardon of Sin cannot in this life be attain'd unto If the Assurance of our Love to God may be had then may the Assurance of the Pardon of our Sins be attaind unto but the former may be had therfore the latter That the Assurance of our Love to God may be had is cleare S. Peter was undoubtedly assured of it and that even in the time of the great dejectednesse of his spirit els he would never have said as he did Joh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee So the faithfull in whose name the Apostle speaketh 1 Iohn 3.14 were undoubtedly assured that they loved the children of GOD by which Love likewise they were assured that they were translated from Death to Life for that none can truely love the Children of God but they must love the Father also Ob. But every Grace hath its counterfit and the heart is deceitfull above all things Resp. This Grace can the hardliest be counterfetted of any other Grace There is scarce any thing els that we can instance in saith one but a Hypocrite may go cheeke by jowle with a good Christian He may do all outward services D. Preston his Treat of Love p. 151. on Effectuall faith page 72. he may abstaine from sinnes a great change may be wrought in him we know how farre the third ground went Matth. 13. And those Hebr. 6. But this they cannot counterfeit to love the LORD A Hypocrite may heare the Word Pray give Almes but to doe these out of Love that is a thing which no Hypocrite is able to reach unto Secondly though saving Graces have their Counterfets yet a man may be assured by the Word that he hath this and other Graces in him in Sincerity so as that he cannot be deceived in them For as God gave Moses in the Mount a Patterne according to which he would have all things made in the Tabernacle Hebr. 8.5 So that when he viewed the worke and saw all was done according to that Patterne he was sure he had done right and blessed them as we read Exod. 39.43 So hath God given us a Patterne in his Word according to which he would have every thing in his spirituall Tabernacle as Faith Repentance Love Obedience c to be wrought And if a man can find that the Grace he hath be according to the Patterne as if he take paines with himselfe to view the work as Moses did he may then he may be sure it is right and shall have cause of rejoycing as the Apostle saith Gal. 6.4 Vse 2 Secondly Learne hence a notable way to establish our hearts in the Assurance of the pardon of Sinne. Thou needest not climbe up into Heaven to search Gods Books whither they be crost or no there to behold the Face of God whither he smile or frowne but dive into thine owne soule and there find out what love thou bearest to thy Maker and blessed Saviour if thou findest that thou lovest him unfainedly that is that thou lovest him more than these lovest him for himselfe for those beauties and excellencies that are in him It is the greatest Comfort that thou canst have in this life for that thou mayest rest assured hereupon that God is reconciled to thee and that thy sins be they never so great or many are forgiven thee Finding this in thee thou mayest be sure and never till than canst thou be assured of it For we may easier carry Coales in our bosome without burning than by Faith apprehend truly this Love of God in the pardoning of sin without finding our hearts burne in Love to him answerably But in finding that we have the giving hand of Love giving to God as Mary here did those duties that are owing we may assure our selves that we have likewise the receiving hand of Faith wherby we have apprehended and laid hold of those mercies which are peculiar to Gods elect in Christ though for the present it may be thou maist have no feeling of it Only see that our Love be rightly qualified that it hath these requisites which Gods Word speaks off that it be with all our hearts with all our soules with all our might Deut. 6.5 Mark 10.30 By which variety of words God would teach us that he must be loved with all whatsoever is in us and in our powers both intensively and extensively as farre as is possible All the affections and powers of the soule must be gathered together and united like the Sunne-beames in a burning-Glasse to make our Love more hot and fervent Our love to him must be greater then to our selves or to any other thing belonging to us Plusquam te plusquam tua plusquam tuos as St. Bernard speaketh otherwise as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus in another case Thou hast neither part nor portion in this businesse In the third place we do observe Doct. That loving much argues much mercy received from the beloved party When men have bin extraordinarily kind unto us you know how marvellously it works with us upon the apprehension of it so was it here with Marie and so with Peter and so with other of the Saints still you shall find the deeper sense they have had of their own sin and wretchednesse the more have their hearts bin instamed with love to Gâ—â—â—â—pon the apprehension of his Mercie in their Râ—â—â—ssion the more zealous have they bin for his Glory the more thankefull for his Mercy the more desirous to please him the more fearefull to offend him and the more ready to turne unto him by Repentance as hath bin before shewed vers 43. Now because the next part or member of this verse is brought in as an Illustration of this Position we will add only a word or two for Application Vse Be informed hence of one Reason why God is delighted in forgiving great offences why he is so ready to forgive much surely he would be loved much And who deserves to be loved much if not this God who hath forgiven much Let a man but consider what God hath done for him in giving him his Son c. every other common mercy would be as bellowes to blow our Love to a greater flame and till we enter upon that thought we shall not love with any great fervency of spirit as follows in the opposite clause
To whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Text. As if our blessed Saviour should say thus to Simon thou performest not those offices of Love that she doth for that thou apprehendest not such mercy in the forgivenesse of so great a debt as she who is of the number of those who owed 500. pence Thou amongst those who owe but 50. therefore blame her not though she manifest so much affection when thou shewest so little So that you see Doct. Proportionable to that assurance we have of the Remission of sin by Faith in Christ will be that Love we beare to Christ. When a man conceives that little is forgiven he will love but little but upon the apprehension and perswasion that much is remitted a man cannot but love much Looke what measure of Love is in any the like measure of Faith is in him For as they are together as before was shewed so commonly they are together in the same degree If no Faith than no Love if but a shew of Faith than but a shew of Love if weake Faith than there is but a weake Love if an interrupted Faith then an interrupted Love Vse 1 So then by the degree of Love we may judge of the degree of Faith there are who boast of the strength and assurance of their Faith that they are perswaded of the Love of God in Christ in the pardon of their many and heynous sinnes c. But is it likely that by the Eye of Faith they see the height depth breadth and length of the Love and Favour of God when they cease not to dishonour him by a lewd and licentious life had these men once felt the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts and did indeed believe that God had done so much for them as they say they would manifest it as David did in powring out the water that he longed for before the Lord when he thought it was displeasing to him that he should get it with the jeopardy of the life of those Worthies Vse 2 We may likewise from hence learne what to judge of the Love which Ethnicks or any other superstitious Persons pretend towards God St. Paul granteth to the Iewes a zealous Love of God but saith he it is not according to Knowledge which is the beginning of Faith Now true Love of God is the Handmaid of Faith If then it comes gadding abroad and attends not on her Mistresse it may well be censured to bee base and blinde Looke what the Apostle speakes of Faith without Charity 1 Cor. 13 1. We may say of Charity without Faith If wee had all the Love in the World and yet had no Faith assuring us of the Remission of our sins our Love would be nothing Vse 3 And further wee may bee informed of the Reason whence it is that GOD is no more beloved in the world Surely hence for that there is little or no Faith in the world they have not a sence of Mercie nor doe they apprehend the greatnesse of it in the pardoning of so great a Debt as they owe to GOD They thinke they are but amongst those penny-men that they are indebted to GOD but in some small Summes they are Sinners as others are and that is all Did they but consider seriously what their sins are what hearts they have what lives they have led they could not but be marvellously affected with Gods love and favour You know how it affected Saul when hee fell into the Hands of David and had no hurt done by him considering how hee had used David before and yet now that David should spare his Life soe unexpectedly and undeservedly Oh! This melted him into Teares Levavit vocem suam flâ—vit saith the Text This made him confesse Thou art more Righteous than I my Sonne David If a man would seriously consiâ—er how wee have beehaved our selves towards GOD from time to time how wee have refused Mercie contemned Grace c. Yet that GOD should still follow us with a Pardon bee content to blot out all the old Scoare and to receive us againe into his Favour this could not but worke upon the hardest heart and enflame the Love of God in our soules dayly VERSE 48 49 50. Text. And hee said unto Her Thy Sinnes are forgiven thee And they said c. Here we have a comfortable Application made by our blessed Saviour unto the woman of that which before he had told Simon Wherin consider we First Her Absolution vers 48 49. Secondly Her Dismission vers 50. In Her Absolution we have First the Sentence pronounced vers 48. Secondly an Exception made against it ver 49. In the former we note 1. The Person absolving He said thy sins are forgiven 2. The Person absolved unto her thy sinnes c. From the Person absolving we learne Doct. The power of Absolution and Remission of sins is a power belonging unto Christ His it is Isay 43.12 Luk. 5.21 24. Matth. 9.6 Revel 3. 1.18 If you aske me how Christ came by it seeing none can forgive sin but God I answer First He had it by Commission from God it was A Power given him by His Father as hee himselfe saith Secondly By meanes of the Vnion of the God-head and Manhood into one Person he had this Power As he was God he had it of Himselfe as he was Man he had it by virtue of the Vnion from God Object But the Apostles had and the Ministers of the Gospell have this Power for so we read Mat. 16.19 which words though in that place directed to S. Peter because he by that Confession which he made in the verses before gave occasion to our Saviour of mentioning this Prerogative and power of the Church yet they were intended for all the Apostles and in them for all Ministers successively as appeareth Matth. 18.18 Ioh. 20.23 In both which places he useth the plurall number and by a solemne Ceremony of breaâ—hing upon them as S. Iohn shews he invâ—sted them all with this Authority Resp They have so but their Power was not Primitive but Derivative not Absolute but Delegate in their owne name they do it not but in the Name of their Lord and Master 2 Cor. 5.18 2 Cor. 2.10 God pardons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Minister onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In respect of supre ame authority in God this Power is authoritativè he pardons in dependenter and ex authoritate primaria In Christ this power is said to be excellenter because he hath by his blood set open the Kingdome of Heaven for all beleevers and he pardons ex commissione by a second and derived authority In Man this Power is ministerialiter he pardons by a ministeriall publication of the word of Pardon the power of which we shall in the next Point shew Object But other men are bound to forgive as well as Minister so we find Matth. 18. If you forgive not saith CHRIST neither will my Father forgive you Resp