BALM in GILEAD Or a SPUR to REPENTANCE As it was lately delivered in a SERMON By James Strong M. A. and Minister of the Gospel Si remorsum conscientiâ propter peccatum sentio serpentem illum eneum Christum in cruce aspicio ibi peccatum aliud invenio contra meum peccatum quod me accusat devorat Peccatum vero aliud scillicet in carne Christi qui tollit peccatum mundi omnipotens est damnat devorat peccatum meum Luth. Tom. 4. fol. 54. a. Idem Omnia alia peccata que agnoscimus non defendimus condonantur peccatum autem quod defenditur est irremissibile Luth. Tom. 4. fol. 294. b. All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men c. Mat. 12. 31. LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for Edward Brewster at the sign of the Crane in St. Pauls Church-yard 1676. Dom. Edvardo Ceely seniori Armigero Religionis petatis fautori Eximio in testimonium summe suae observantiae Chartas has summissime dicat dedicat I. S. To the experienced Christian unto whose hands the ensuing Discourse shall come especially the Hearers and Favourers of it in and about Taunton to whom it was preached Grace Mercy and Peace c. THere 's none that is but initiated in Christianity but will readily confess sin to be his deadly enemy and is convinced that if ever he fall it will be under this enemies hand Were we but safe from this enemy how easie were it to bid a defiance to the rest Death Hell and the Grave What Requiems should we sing to our Souls what heavenly Jubilees should we keep in our hearts But Oh! the conscience of guilt damps all our joys and makes our hearts like Nabals die within us while we are alive Now it hath ever been deemed good policy to know what the strength of an enemy is And though it be true that there 's no sin so small but of it self its damnable yet withal there 's none so great but by repentance is pardonable And this is the subject of this following Discourse 'T is a remarkable passage that Luther hath in a discourse of this nature He reports of one Martinus when the Devil reproached him of his facility in absolving men of their sins even such as were most wicked yea said he and I would absolve thee to couldest thou but say I do repent me of my sin Oh that Repentance which is that only door of hope that is opened to Sinners in the death of Christ we should either shut it our selves or suffer Satan to shut it against us And yet what a root of Novatiasme doth there naturally grow in the hearts of the Sons of Adam How apt are we to have hard thoughts of God and heavy thoughts of our selves especially if Conscience charge upon us the guilt of any scarlet sin we presently conclude our case desparate and our wound past remedy Reader art thou such a sinner thou wilt find thy self deeply concerned in this short Discourse Take heed thou faint not under thy fears lest thy last error be worse than the first Read and Consider Here 's good news for great Sinners Learn this great duty of Repentance and thou mayest cut off Goliah's head with his own sword and foil Satan even in his own wiles by making that sin an argument to repent which thy Adversary designed of purpose for thy ruin Here 's a Mystery worth the studying i.e. the reality of the Christians Charter that all things even sin it self shall work together for good to them that love God Many have blessed God for their crosses and one I have read who had a reach higher 'T is an high expression of Holy Mr. Rutherford Though I do not properly bless God for my sins yet fo far I do as they are an occasion of magnifying Gods mercy in their pardon Sure 't is a double torment to Satan when he is out-shot in his own bow worsted at his own Weapon and God turns his wiles like Achitophel's into foolishness What ever thou be that art a great sinner know thou art such a one whom God hath designed to be an occasion of discovering the unsearchable riches of his mercy Now perhaps thou magnifiest thy own sin make it thy work at last to magnifie the mercy of God and thou art safe Come do not any longer dispute against thy right to that pardon that is sealed and sent to thee in the blood of Jesus Be no longer faithless but believe As incrudelity strengthens Satans arm so it doth in some sense weaken Gods and gives him cause to complain of us as of Nazareth he can do no great things for us because of our unbelief What ever be thy disease try that Soveraign remedy Isa. 55. 3 and thou eanst not miscarry And now that God who alone can perswade Japhet c. perswade every Soul into whose hand this discourse shall come when they know their Masters will to do it which is and shall be the prayer of him who hath no higher Ambition than in his place to be an instrument to serve the Lord Jesus and his people I. S. Psal. the 25. v. 11. For thy names sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great T Was Mans happiness by nature that in his first creation he was made without sin but in his new creation his happiness consisteth in the forgiveness of sin Let the Psalmist witness himself Psal. 32. 1 Blessed is the man whose wickedness is forgiven c. For this blessedness the Psalmist begs and prays as heartily as ever a poor Beggar did for an Alms again and again in this Psalm Outward dangers with inward and spiritual distresses like a complicated disease had now enwrapt poor David on every side Look on him without his enemies pursue him within there the sense of his sins oppresseth him especially the sins of his Youth v. 5 Remember not the sins of my youth c. Well against both these evils he useth one common remedy viz. Prayer but we find him bending the strength of his Soul against the latter of these evils viz. The evil of sin which is the sting that invenoms all other evils No less then three several times is he at it in this Psalm 1. Ver. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindness remember thou me even for thy goodness sake O Lord. The wanton wickedness of his youth is now remembred with new remorse and good reason for the sins of youth are oft-times punisht in old Age Job 13. 26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth 2. After a while he had by Prayer and Meditation strengthned his Faith in God he falls to prayer again in this 11. v. See then that conscience of sin doth not do all its work at one storm no the guilty sinner must look for more assaults than one and in every new assault prayer must be a
how ingenious are distressed Consciences to wrangle with God by framing objections against their own comforts when we ought rather to wrestle with him to put the promises in suit And this is the case sometimes even of good men even that very David himself that now was ready to catch at any thing that might ease his burdened Soul yet at another time acknowledged that his soul refused comfort Psal 77. 2. O 't is sad when the comforter comes and knocks at our door and we refuse to open but oftentimes send him away grieved when he would make us glad This is to flye from our own mercy while with Rachel we refuse to be comforted But this is but the distemper of believers Use. 2. Next then here 's an argument of comfort to thousands of Gods dear Servants who yet walk in darkness and see no light Lo this small crevise lets in light enough to make thee see thy own grace if thou find thy heart ready to seize on the promise to embrace Christ Jesus to catch hold of any offer of mercy that is made in the Gospel If thou art as glad of one suitable promise as he that findeth great spoyls be sure flesh and blood never revealed this to thee As we know there 's life where there 's motion even so by the activity and motion of the believing-Soul toward God and Christ we may discover a work of grace and conclude that God is in us of a truth Use. 3. Learn we next our duty he 's a believer indeed whose Faith proves it self by its Operation Faith lives upon God and inclines always toward him as the Load-stone toward the North-pole O let us be always flocking to Christ even as Eagles to the Carkase shall there be such Wells of Salvation opened and we not draw water of life from them Shall God throw down such lines of love from Heaven to draw poor sinking Souls out of the Sea of sin and misery and we refuse to catch hold of them Or that golden Scepter of peace be held out and none come and touch it Ah how often doth God invite us to take hold of his Arm Isa. 27. 5 and to take hold of his Covenant Isa. 56. 4. O let us clasp him with Simeon in the Arms of our Faith and resolve as Jacob not to let him go until he bless us If God had left us no other advantages yet remember his Name his name is Jehovah Isa. 42. 8 I am the Lord Jehovah that is my name and my glory will I not give unto another Even by this name of Gods he stands bound to make good all his gracious promises to his people O le ts take hold of Gods Arm and of his strength prayer is nothing but a spiritual wrestling with God and we should know though God seem to put us off yet he is willing to yield to us Gods name is but his nature let us plead it to the utmost tell him that he is the Lord strong merciful and gracious pardoning iniquities c. Exod. 34. 6. Doct. 3. That the pardoning of sin tends exceedingly to the Glory of Gods name In this the Mercy and Goodness of God shine forth to the utmost and he convinceth the world that he doth not delight in the Ruin Death and Slaughters of his people but rather in their prosperity If any question this truth I would refer him to that pregnant Scripture Exod. 33. 18 19. When Moses that eminent Servant of the Lord made that Prayer to him That he would shew him his Glory He received a grant of his Prayer in these words I will make my goodness to pass before thee but what 's that Why my name shall be told thee by which I glory to be known and then in the next Chapter when the Divine glory passed by this Proclamation was made v. 5 6 The Lord the Lord strong merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth And 't is added v. 7 Reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin These are the things wherein God delighteth Jer. 9. 24. These we may call the back-parts of God so much of him as may be known to his creatures and thus to know him is life eternal Reas. 1. 'T is an argument of infinite goodness we have heard God makes his goodness now the matter of his Glory 'T was the Honour of Caesar that he never forgot any thing but injuries 't is infinitely more for the Honour of God that he forgiveth and forgetteth nothing but the sins of his people Reas. 2. As God by pardoning sin glorifies himself so he procures Glory from his pardoned people 'T is the proper effect of mercy to bring in a return of Glory read Isa. the 55 and 7. v. When the Lord promiseth pardon of sin to the penitent Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his own imaginations and return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he is ready to forgive and then 't is added v. 13 This shall be to the Lord for a name This name Gods people do most joyfully give him in Micha 7. 18 Who is a God like unto thee c. Reas. 3. That 's the last reason This act of mercy viz. Pardoning sin exalts God above all Idols in the world that must needs be a glorious Act which none in the world can do but God Tu multuantur quidem Gentes circa Divos suos nova quotidie sacra faciunt nunquam tamen conscientiae terroribus liberantur Thus Gualter excellently on that last cited Sripture The heathens make much ado about their Idol-gods and offer new sacrifices to them daily but alas all those bloody offerings never bring the least ease to their guilty Consciences This is Gods Perogative-Royal he is a Sin-forgiving God and in this there is none like him Their Rock is not as our Rock themselves being Judges Use 1. Hence first we see how unlike they are to God who instead of pardoning the wrongs done them by others do mind and meditate nothing but revenge and although vengeance be one of Gods Prerogatives yet hereby dare they usurp upon God and do wrong to him that they may revenge their own dreadful case when men live as if the Scripture were no better than waste Paper Let me ask the Lamech's of the world whether they never read Mat. 5. 44 45 Love your enemies bless them that curse you c. that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven Oh remember that as 't is the glory of God so 't is the glory of a man too to pass by a transgression Prov. 19. 11. Aelian reports of Augustus that he did but laugh at the Satyr and Buffoonries which they had published against him And Socrates when followed home to his House by one that railed at him all day offered the railer a Lanthorn to light him home that he might not stumble in
there is somewhat more reason to expect pardon I do not suppose it necessary here to prove a difference between sins That stoical opinion that there is a parity or equality among all sins hath in all ages been justly exploded as an errour out of the Church He that list may read the Question debated at large in Aquin. prima secund Q. 73. Art 2. Let it satisfie us That though no sin in it self can possibly be small that is committed against the great God yet some sins are more sinful than other and such was the sin for which the Psalmist here begs pardon when he calls it a great sin John 19. 11. This only by the by I shall return to the assertion Let us weigh the case and we shall see mercy so magnified in the pardon of sin that we shall see cause sufficient to magnifie the riches of Gods grace and shame our selves that ever we dared to measure divine compassions by the short line of corrupt reason Musculus on the words thus debates the matter Quid hoc facit ad impetrandum remissionem c. How should the greatness of sin be an argument to provoke God to pardon Certainly with men it would be an argument to hinder pardon and not to procure it should I tell a man Sir I have done you a very great wrong and therefore I hope you 'l pardon me Yet hear and wonder with God 't is not so That which reason would make an argument to drive us to despair faith improves as a ground of hope We see here an eminent Believer plead for pardon by an argument taken from the greatness of his sin which among distressed Consciences is the common reason why men conclude their case desparate Reas. 1. As every sin hath more need of pardon by how much the greater it is so God hath the more glory by forgiving it The deeper is the wound the more mortal is the sickness and the more need the Patient hath of Curing and if the Physician work a cure the greater is his Honour God that great Physician never gets so much glory as by pardoning great sins The greatness of our sin doth commend the greatness of Divne Mercy For where sin abounds grace much more abounds Rom. 5. 20 21 that is where sin abounds with the sense sorrow and detestation of it there grace much more abounds As the sins of wicked men by their greatness do commend the Justice of God in punishing them so the great sins of Believers do commend the Mercy of God in pardoning them 'T is storied of Alexander when he was to attempt any Service that was more difficult and dangerous than ordinary he was wont to say This is a work fit for Alexander 'T is a great God that we have to do with and great things become him His ways are not as ours nor his thoughts as ours Reas. 2. As in pardoning great sins God advances his glory by a discovery of his Mercy so also by ingaging the pardoned Sinner to returns of duty 'T is said of Mary Magdalen she loved much because much was forgiven her Luk. 7. 47. Whose heart is so enlarged or whose mouth is so widened in blessing God as he who hath had larger experience than ordinary of Divine Mercy Reas. 3. Another reason may be drawn from our own necessity For the greater is our sin the more need we have of Mercy and Pardon Men do not send to the Physician for every light distemper but if the disease be sharp they are the more instant and cry out Do something or I die Even thus the Psalmist comes running to God as a wounded man that is every moment bleeding himself to death Heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Psal. 41. 4. And elsewhere Mine iniquities prevail against me c. Psal. 65. 3. Reas. 4. A fourth argument may be drawn from the Merits of Christ. Were the Death and Sufferings of Christ of force only to deliver us from some lesser sins this would darken the glory of Chirsts sufferings but his blood cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. Nullum proinde est peccatum in sanctis quod per sanguinem Christi non remittatur saith Zanchy There is no sin then in Believers 〈◊〉 is not pardoned in Christ and thence infers that a Believer can never possibly commit the sin against the Holy Ghost Oh what unworthy thoughts have we all by nature of the sufferings of the Son of God which were the price of our redemption When the Apostle would shew the excellency of this ransome he searches the hidden treasures of the earth and throws aside silver and gold as base drossie stuff unworthy to be compared with this in 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ c. To raise our hearts a little to some suitable conceptions of the worth of this sacrifice I would but a little ingage your thoughts in considering these dreadful and stupendious concomitants of the Lord Jesus sufferings When Christ was expiring even Nature it self lay gasping The Sun hid his head in a black mantle as ashamed to behold those base indignities that were done to the Sun of Rigâ—â—eousness The earth quaked The â—â—cks were rent The graves opened c. Insomuch that 't is reported That that arch Atheist Porphiry cried out Aut natura dissoluitur aut Deus nature patitur Either nature it self expireth or the God of nature suffereth Well what low thoughts soever we have of the Death of Christ yet God will have us know that the Manhood of Christ only suffered yet the Person that suffered was God and Man And then the vertue of Christs Death is known when 't is applied and improved Phil. 3. 10. Reas. 5. A fourth argument may be drawn from the Covenant of Grace And this is of as large extent as the Death of Christ in whom the Covenant is made Read Jer. 33. 8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me yea I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me c. What sins doth God promise to pardon Some and not all less and not greater No such thing the Covenant makes no difference Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Mat. 12. 31. All without exception gross enormities as well as lesser infirmities As the Sun scatters the thickest mist as well as the least vapour even so God promises to blot the sins of his people though they are as thick as a cloud Isa. 44. 22. We read in John 7. 23 That Christ made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day Christ did not heal him in part such are all God cures whenever he takes a poor sinner in hand There 's no disease can stand before him Omnipotenti medico nullus morbus est insanabilis No disease is incurable when we are in
the hands of an Omnipotent Physician Use 1. The first use is of Caution Corruption is apt to abuse the sweetest Mercies We should take heed that we venture not presumptuouslly to commit great sins because we hear that the greatness of sin should be an argument to make us seek for pardon this is to turn the grace of God into wantonness Jude 4. 'T is sad when the goodness of God should lead us to repent that corruption should abuse it as an occasion to commit sin That Scripture may serve as a flaming sword to keep hardened Sinners from this presumption Deut. 29. 20 If any one hear the words of this curse shall bless himself in heart and say I shall have peace though I walk according to the stubbornness of my own heart c. The Lord will not be merciful unto that man but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against him c. Such blessed truths should not be used as spurs to provoke us to sin but as a bridle to curb corruption and to restrain us from sin Use 2. In the next place it informs us That they are out of the way that seek to get pardon by lessening and extenuating their sin loth to speak the one half of their guilt as Jonathan I did but take a little honey This is not the guise of the godly David acknowledges his sin a great sin and thence pleads for mercy In Exod. 32. 31 Moses interceded for the people after they had made the golden Calf and he makes report of it to God in the fullest aggravation thereof This people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold He doth not only confess that they had sinned but that they had sinned greatly and again they did not only do that that was sinful but they had sinned a sin that 's more And above all this they had sinned a great sin in making them golden gods Oh what divine Rhetorick will grace teach a believing Soul not only in abasing it self for sin but also in exalting Divine Mercy 3. We may learn hence the Admirable Vertue and Efficacy of Faith that reâ—â—rts the arguments of reason drawing grounds of hope from those very suppositions which carnal reason would use as arguments to despair Take one instance for many in the Canaanitish Woman Mat. 15. 27 when Christ seemed to put her off by calling her dog yet by Faith she picks an argument of speeding out of her very repulse truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs c. Use 4. Lift up then your drooping heads ye doubting and despondent Souls whose sins have out-grown your hopes and you are ready to conclude fearful things to your selves saying Verily there is no hope Could we pry into the bosoms of distressed Christians 't is not to be questioned but we should find thousands that are strangers unto peace from a woful mistake of Divine mercy Deal with the one half of the doubting Souls in the world they 'l tell you that that which discourages them to go to God is the greatness of their sin But lo here lyes the art of a Christian to go to God with boldness and tell him Lord the greater are my sins the greater will thy glory be when thou hast pardoned them This art holy David had learnt who for abundance of sin cryes out not for mercy but for abundance of mercy Psal. 51. 1. And for your encouragement let me add but a few Considerations 1. Consider that God in the Salvation of Sinners had a design to magnifie the riches of his mercy and to work it in such a way that the creature might have no cause of glorying in himself Ephes. 2. 7 That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace c. Now know that Gods mercy is not only above all his works but above ours too One depth swallows up another if we sin to our utmost he saves to his utmost And where sin abounds grace much more abounds And thus God so over-rules even sin it self that he keeps it under the reach of his pardoning mercy 2. God doth not pardon sin unwillingly no 't is a very pleasing work to him though he be slow to vengeance yet he is ready to mercy Mic. 7. 18 He retaineth not wrath for ever because mercy pleaseth him Whatsoever thou art Sinner be sure thou wert never so delighted to commit sin as God delights to pardon it 3. 'T was Christs intention in making himself an offering for sin to save the chief of Sinners he suffered not only for small Sinners but for the greatest 1 Tim. 1. 15 This is a faithful saying c. that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Now can we think that Christ Jesus can be defeated of his end Shall Christ dye of purpose to save the greatest Sinners and shall he not obtain it Yea sure he shall see the fruit of the travel of his soul and he shall be satisfied Isa. 53. 11. 4. Consider This suits with the expressions whereby God describes his pardoning of sin he promiseth to blot out our sins Isa. 43 25. Now when the pen is going it will as soon cross a great debt as a small one Besides the more Gods holiness hates sin the more inclined he is to cross and cancel it And to cast our sins unto the bottom of the Sea that covers the greatest rocks c. Mic. 7. 19. 5. Consider what Sinners have been pardoned What think you of Aarons idolatry Lots incest Manasses witchcraft and idolatry Peters denying and forswearing his Master Pauls Persecution and Blasphemy But beyond all what think you of that sin of Adam whom yet God hath set forth as a Monument of his Mercy who though he were advanced above all the creatures and taken into so near communion with God having perfect ability given him to persist in his created holiness yet wilfully rebelled against his Maker and in some sense is guilty of all the sins of his Posterity yet all these saved and pardoned by believing in Christ who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 11. 8. Oh then keep the eye of your Faith on the promises of the Gospel in the darkest day of adversity Hear what God says Isa. 1. 18 Though your sins be as scarlet I will make them as snow Scarlet in the Hebrew signifies twice because 't is twice died though we are died twice thrice or a hundred times in sin though we be never so deep-grained by our recidinations and back slidings yet now there is Balm in Galead God pardons not only seven times but seventy times seven Jer. 8. 22. Mat. 18. 22. Beware of this gulf of despair 't is a high point of Atheism to distruct mercy one well observes that Judas in betraying Christ was an occasion of his death as man but in despairing of mercy he did what in him lay to take away his