The Truly Blessed Man OR The way to be HAPPY here AND For Ever Being the Substance of Divers SERMONS Preached on Psalm XXXII By Samuel Willard Teacher of a Church in Boston N. E. Isa XII 1 2. I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortedst me 2. v. Behold God is my salvation I will trust not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation BOSTON in N. E. Printed by B. Green and I. Allen for Michael Perry 1700. TO THE READER MANS natural and extinguishable cravings are after Happiness God at first put him in a fair way for the securing and obtaining of it having besides the resentments of it imprinted in his nature which still remain given him a Rule to direct him the way to it and a concreated power to conform to that Rule and brought him under strongest obligations to that Conformity But by his unhappy fall he hath reduced himself to a state of misery in which the whole Race of sinful men is involved and under which he must have abode for ever had not God in his rich mercy opened a new and living way for his recovery This is revealed in the Gospel in which life and immortality are brought to light but for which undone man must have groped in the dark and it is certain that those to whom this Revelation is not made do but grasp after shadows instead of substances and lay out their money for that which is not bread Their insatiable desires push them forward in quest of felecity and their crazed and deluded understandings which call good evil and evil good point them to Objects that are empty and courses that will undo them the natural man knows not the root of his misery nor the depth and strength of it much less the only way of his recovery The generality of men are immerged in 〈◊〉 if they can but gratifie their carnal lusts with sensible objects it is enough whence they seek no farther than the things of the World and if they can obtain by all their industry the Profits Pleasures and Honours here below they can bless themselves There are some indeed who have improved the light of nature and the broken fragments of the Law of it remaining in them by the exercise of Reason to a more plausible profession and practice they acknowledge man to be placed in an higher orb than bruits and to stand in need of some better object than those that are meerly sensual to give them satisfaction but therein also they have become vain in their imaginations◠hence the farthest they have reached hath been to place mans felicity in moral vertue of which they have but rude guesses and being ignorant of the state of nature by sin have hoped by their own power and goodness to oblige God and procure their own happiness not knowing either the state of damnation which they were born in or the efficacy of Original Sin in them◠whence it is truly said of them misery destruction in their ways and the way of peace have they not known It then infinitely concerns men to be undeceived With what thankfulness therefore ought w◠to entertain the Sacred Oracles of Gods Word the design whereof is to acquaint us with the New-Covenant in which is shewed us the method of self-ruined man◠recovery as it is laid out by God himself and what enemies are they to the Grace of God and the Souls of men who go about to pervert this method seeking to bring men back again to a Covenant of Works It is by the Word of God that we are acquainted that man by his Apostasy hath lost his Righteousness and Strength that he is fallen under a sentence of death to the execution whereof Gods Justice stands engaged that Satisfaction must be made to that Justice if ever the Sinner be Saved that he cannot pay his own ransom for himself that Jesus Christ became a Surety for Gods Elect and having atoned the Justice of God to them is become the author of Eternal Salvation for them that they must be united to him by a living faith if ever they partake in the benefit of it that they must be Justified in order to their being Glorified that must be by the Imputation of his Mediatorial Righteousness to them that this Justification is ever accompanied with Sanctification that the man who is thus Justified and Sanctified is an happy man that in order to this there is a work of Conversion wrought in men by the Spirit of God in which they are renewed by his Grace and brought to confess and forsake their sins and vain objects of trust and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that all that are so are heirs of life and may triumphantly rejoyce in God How much these truths are derided by many and despised by more in this degonerate and perilous time is obvious to every one that observes the state of Religion in places that are called Christian and never was there more need to Preach and Print in defence of those great Fundamentals of our faith and hope than at this day The excellent portion of Gods Holy Word contained in this Psalm give us abundant light for our acquaintance with and establishment on these Articles which I endeavoured in my course of Preaching to lay open before the Auditory to which I was sent according to the Grace given me and am now perswaded to make publick my care and study was to accommodate it to the meanest hearer chusing rather with the Apostle to speak five words intelligibly than many more in an unknown manner of expression and I hope these truths will relish never the worse to those that love truth for its own sake because they are not garnished with florid language May this following Treatise be any ways serviceable to the Glory of God and good of Souls may it commend Christ so as to render him lovely and acceptable may it help any in the right way to obtain Pardon and Peace may it shew Sinners their misery and drive them from their carnal security and obstinacy to Christ their only refuge and direct Saints in the renewals of their Repentance and their faithful and cheerful Serving of God I have mine highest ambition answered and that it may thus do I commend it and such as shall be at the pains to peruse it to the mercy of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls Who am Less than the least c. Samuel Willard The Truly Blessed Man Or the WAY to be Happy here and for ever PSAL. XXXII 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered 2. v. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile The Text Opened ON what occasion this Psalm was penned we are not told It evidently appears by the matter of it that it
use will â—â— infer this conclusion They may prove their â—â—esent state bad and hazardous but not evidence them past hope 1. The greatness of their sins If they have fallen into some heinous and aggravated transgression and conscience smites them for it Satan presently â—ells them this is to big for a pardon Cain saith â—en 4. 13. My Sin is greater than I can bear or can be forgiven how can the forgiveness of â—â—eh sin be consistent with Gods Justice But â—is is to reflect on the value of Christ's Sacrifice â—â— if the vertue of his blood had only an influence â—â— do away the Guilt of smaller sins whereas we â—re told otherwise 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 7. 25. How â—argumentative then must Davids plea be Psal â—â— 11. Pardon my sin for it is great Yea God â—â—self resolves this doubt Isa 1. 18. â— The multitude of them They are not only â—ormous but their number is not to be reckoned â— they outdo their Arithmetick they are innumerable and every one of them as a great mountain and did ever so great a Sinner obtain mercy and is not Manasseh set forth as a monument of mercy who is scarce to be parallel'd either for magnitude or multitude of sins 2 Chr. 33. begin God hath multiplied pardâ—n for such as have multiplied their transgressions Isa 55. 7. 3. Their long living in their sins They have long driven this trade they began in their youth and have followed it to their ripe and declining years this hath been their course all along and now they are habituated by custom and what saith God Jer. 13 23. Can the Ethiopian c but though by this you have rendred your Conversion and Salvation more difficult in respect of the Subject of it yet it is not hard to Gods Omnipotency we have the case represented Isa 57. 17. 18. Suppose you have made you heart as an adâ—ment yet God can give you a new and a soft one Ezek. 11. 19. 4. Their resisting of the means of Grace If upon the first report of Salvation they had embraced 〈◊〉 there had been hope but they have been brought up under a faithful Ministry and under careful Parents who often told them of their sin and danger who solemnly warned and importunately entreated them to think of it and seek to God for mercy but they despised all and can theâ— be any hope for them Truly the case is lameâ—table but yet not desperate God can bring such a Prodigal home to himself and make him 〈◊〉 turn to his father and if he do he will mâ—â—â— and embrace him Luk. 15. 17 20. was not Ephrasm such an one and yet see how it was Jer. 31. 18 19. 5. The former strivings of the Spirit with them Time was when the Spirit was wont to come in with the means and apply to their consciences and many a time they confessed their sins and promised amendment but they out grew these quenched the Spirit gat carnal quiet and forgat all their purposes and promises and now they can sit under the most awakening Ordinances and be nothing affected with them or at most they are but faint and languishing motions that are on them and this saith to them their time is past To such let me say it is a righteous thing for the Spirit to withdraw his stilvings when such affronts are offered him and your danger is hereby encreased but if he now 〈◊〉 this home upon you with deepest resentments it saith that he is come again to try what you will do and if you take the hint and rightly improve it there is a good hope set before you 6. The near approaching of their dissolution They are spent all their time in sinful neglects of God and are grown old in sin their sun is setting and they ready to drop into the grave all their strength hath been devoted to sin and Satan and will God accept of the dregs of their time â—hen they are sit for no Service Truly it would 〈◊〉 a righteous thing for God to reject such as â—â—he so late and have withstood his invitations long and there are but few of these that truly return to him Yet if God pleaseth to awaken such to look about them he can magnifie his mercy upon them To see an old Sinner going to Eternity without any thoughtfulness is a tremendous sight but to hear such an one crying out of his miserable loss of time and the wretched course he hath led falling down before God and giving him glory is an encouragement for if God give repentance he will give remission and there are some who are born out of time to be the monuments of the admirable patience and grace of God Fly then to Christ and believe that he is able to do this for you In one word let none despair who are under awakenings but hearken to Gods counsel and seek mercy of him and you shall find him merciful and gracious USE II. We here see a reason why it is more hard for some to find God than for others God doth not so readily reveal himself to some that seek him as he doth to others Some receive an answer as soon as they call others bemoan themselves that they have sought him and cannot find him they have been sighing and groaning aâ—ter him but there is no voice or answer and though his Soveraignty is in this to be adored yet there may often be a reason given for iâ— from the thing under consideration Observe then 1. There are some who have put off their heâ—â— season of finding him He hath often come tâ— them in his Word by his Spirit and presented them with alluring invitations to come to and accept of him and possibly sometimes they have bâ—en almost perswaded but their vain minds have recoiled and instead of opening to him have shut the door faster against him whiles they have entertained other lovers He came to them in their Childhood but they delayed him and put him off till afterwards he repeated his calls in their youth but they were wedded to their follies and obstinately refused him He came again to them in their riper years but they had their worldly business to attend and craved his excuse but after all they begin to bethink themselves of their former wickedness and resolve now to seek after him which is wrought in them by a more effectual and irresistible touch of his Spirit on their hearts 2. It is a wonder of his mercy that such as these should find him at all It is rich Grace that he should once offer himself and accept of those that embrace that first offer this is a favour which none of the Fallen Angels share in But that after such Grace hath been so often slighted he should bow such an heart to seek him and after never so long a tarriance at last lift up the light of this countenance and signalize his love to him and receive him into his arms is matter of
tried to the utmost by them and all this notwithstanding their renewed repentance reiterated supplications and gracious answers obtained 2. Whence this is and how it consists with Gods Promise and Covenant faithfulness A. There hath been no small occasion of stumbling on this account God hath made great promises concerning this and though he hath said he will correct them in case of prevarication yet he hath also said that if they confess and pray they shall be pitied and relieved and if they waâ—â— close with him they shall greatly prosper and that after this they shall be thus exposed is an hard chapter carnal reason cries out Where is the Promise Let us then closely weigh this Case 1. In respect of Publick Calamities and their relation to them Observe two things 1. Though God may hear them for themselves â—â—â— forgive them yet he may not forgive the Land they live in and so their being forgiven will have no a fluence to keep off Publick Judgments A peopâ—â— may be guilty and God will not withold â—â— hand their personal repentance doth not remoâ—â— the general impenitency and they cannot stand â—â— the gap to keep off the Wrath of God or slâ—â— the breaking in of floods of misery and if tâ—â— body of a people have corrupted their ways anâ— will not be reformed it is righteous with God bring these waters upon them and sometimes comes to that Jer. 15. 1. Ezek. 14. 14. 2. They may not only see the common â—â— lamity but smart by it and that righteously and there are two reasons for this 1. They are members of that body against which God hath a Controverly That there is an external Dispensation of Gods Covenant in treating with the body of a professing people collectively is a great truth on which account the whole are considered as one and Gods Temporary Providences are accommodaâ—ed to them as so thus sometimes the sâ—n of one may bring Gods Judgments on the â—hole Congregation Josh 22 20. especially when that one mans sins are influential to debauch a whole people a s 2 King 23. 26 27. compare Chap. 21. 11. And when good men suffer on this account it is their infelicity in some regard but therâ— is no unrighteousness with God nor may they charge iniquity on him 2. Their very sins which they have repented of and have obtained forgiveness for may have given occasion for those publick calamities Such was Davids numâ—â—ing of the people 2 Sam. 24. begin Israel indeed had provokâ—d Gods anger however this act of Davids was introductory to the fearful Plague that followed and yet he repented before the plague â—â—me verse 10. Nay the Sins of Gods Children may defile a Land and though they repent perâ—onally yet publick Guilt remains as in the foreâ—â—ted Case David therefore takes it to himself â—nd deprecates it from the people in verse 17. 2. In respect to the personal afflictions they meet with â—â—d those very awful after they are forgiven And â—he consistency of this with the Covenant promise and fidelity may be considered and neâ—e 1. Negatively These afflictions are not properly the punishments of those Sins If we take punishment for the execution of Vindictive Justice this is not to be attributed to that we must beware of their distinction who say God forgives the Guilt but not the punishment Guilt is nothing else but an obligation to suffer punishment and if the Guilt be remitted that obligation is taken off there is nothing legal on this account God doth not sit upon them as a Judge to condemn them for he hath already past an act of Grace upon them in pardoning them 2. Positively God in all this hath an eye and respect to the Covenant of Grace under which be hath taken them And how consonant it is to that will be evident if we Consider 1. God in the New Covenant hath declared that he will chasten the bold Transgressions of his Children Their relation to the promises doth not secure them against this and it would wrong them if it should see how the Covenant runs on this account Psal 89. 30. c. It is one Article in the Covenant Heb. 12. 6. He scourgeth every son whom he receiveth God will maintain a fathers authority over them and use a fathers discretion in it 2. God usually prepares his Children for this Correction by bringing them to his foot on which forgiveness follows This is not that they should escape the rod but be sitted for it A wise father first reason with his Child sheweth him his folly makes him â—o see his desert and this puts him upon asking forgiveness and the same love that pardons his sin makes him smart for it because his wisdom sees it is most convenient thus 2 Sam. 12. 14 15. 3. Hence God doth it for their Spiritual advantage Heb. 12. 9 10. That sin needs not only to be forgiven but to be mortified in them the furtherance of their holiness calls for this dispensation thus they come to see more of the bitterness of their sin and be made the more watchful against it David on this score acknowledgeth the goodness of his affliction and Gods faithfulness in inflicting of it Psal 119. 71 75. 4. God doth it for the vindication of the honour of his own Name There is a reproach they often bring upon the Name of God and the Religion they profess the world hath been scandalized by such sins and when God thus deals with them mens mouths are stopt they cannot say that he can allow any abominations in his own Children hence that 2 Sam. 12. 14. 5. Yea he may exercise his people after he hath forgiven them for their tryal He may exercise their Graces and make proof of them and so make them more fearful of sinning and enable them to bring forth much more fruit to his praise See 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. Now all these things are not repugnant to but included in the Covenant USE I. Learn hence what impenitent sinners may â—xpect to find at Gods hand When Christ himself â—uffered he advised to such an improvement of it Luk. 23. 31. If it be done thus in a green tree what shall be done in the dry And see 1 Pet. 4. 17. If his Children whom God loves with a fathers love may be entertained with such Providences and that although they have humbled themselves sought mercy and obtained pardon hard hearted and obstinate Sinners who will not seek God nor fall down before him but go on in their Transgressions may well expect him to fall upon them in his greatest fury and destroy them for ever from his presence If Sin be so odious to him that he will testify against it in those to whom he is reconciled in Christ they that sin with an high hand and have no Redeemer to appear for them must look to drink up the dregs of the Cup of his indignation and let every Unregenerate Sinner be suitably affected with it and be
amends for all the pains that we can be at in seeking after it USE III. Let it be for a word of Consolatiâ— to all such as are pardoned Are all such blesseâ— men how should the apprehension of this comfort our hearts and certainly if we do not finâ— more sweetness in it than in all that is delight fâ— in this world we never felt the burden of Guâ— thereby and may well question whether we aâ— forgiven or no. Are you delivered from wraâ— to come and can any thing else damp your joyâ— is not here enough to ballance yea to swallow 〈◊〉 all other sorrows whatsoever And that you maâ— suitably express this joy of yours take these twâ— words of direction 1. Bless God for this wonderful gift This 〈◊〉 none of the least of the arguments which the Psâ—mist useth to stir up his Soul to bless God in Psâ— 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities And theâ— is abundant matter of thankfulness in it whethâ— we consider the free benignity which it discoveâ— God owed it not to us he hath not indulgâ— every one with it and we did no more to obtâ— it than they he not only offered it to us bâ— drew us to accept it he gave his only Son to pâ—cure it for us and he sent his Spirit into oâ— hearts to apply it to us or if we consider 〈◊〉 greatness of the benefit it self which is uncoâ—ceivable And can we sufficiently admire blâ— 2. Let us study to live as becomes pardoned â—es What manner of Conversation ought we to â—ad in the world to whom God hath given his â—e forgiveness Shall we not loath Sin more by â—e consideration of the great pardon that is given 〈◊〉 Shall we not abstain from it with the more â—re and abhorrence by considering what it cost â—e Son of God to procure a Remission of it for 〈◊〉 Shall we not make it our constant care and â—deavour to please and serve that God who hath â—alt so bountifully with us Shall we not love â—m who hath so loved us And if we do indeed â—ve him according to this obligation it will cerâ—inly make us willing and unwearied in seeking 〈◊〉 express this love suitably in dayly Dying unto â—n and Living unto Holiness and pursuing of this 〈◊〉 our days Gods forgiveness extends to all Sin DOCTRINE II. GOD'S forgiveness extends to all Sin This is implyed in the threefold expression of Sin â—ere used which contain under them not only â—e errours that men are apt to fall into but also â—e crooked and perverse nature and actions which â—ey are chargable with yea the bold proud and â—gh handed Transgressions which they rebelliously perpetrate against God Give me leave first 〈◊〉 explain the Doctrine and then to give the reasoâ— for it 1. In the Explication we may premise Thâ— there is one Sin which in the Gospel is exempâ—ed from forgiveness and but one It is true 〈◊〉 Sin impenitently persisted in unto death leavâ— the Sinner unpardoned for there is neither Saâ—ing Repentance nor forgiveness to be obtainâ— in another World by one that dies in his Sins bâ— it is not because former impenitency may not 〈◊〉 pardoned upon Repentance but because the Sinâ— hath by persisting in it lost the opportunity of 〈◊〉 day of Grace But there is one that in it 〈◊〉 puts the man in this life out of all hope of pâ—don and that is called The Sin against the Hâ— Ghost of which our Saviour so speaks Mark 〈◊〉 28 29. This is that which is called the Sin 〈◊〉 Death which puts the man out of our Prayeâ— 1 Joh. 5. 16. And this is that which is describâ— to us Heb. 6 4 5. Nor indeed is this Sin unpâ—donable because its Guilt out-bids the value of 〈◊〉 Atonement but because by it the man puts hiâ—self out of the road of forgiveness according 〈◊〉 the Divine Ordination and by a malicious â—nouncing of the Gospel and the Spirit of Gâ— in it after great illuminations and an high pâ—fession he provokes God to give him over to haâ—ness of heart and searedness of Conscience wheâ— by he is Sealed to final impenitence there beâ— a total and final withdrawing of the Spirit froâ— him Concerning which I shall only say thâ— much that the person who is troubled and grieved in himself for fear lest he have commitâ—ed this Sin hath therein a good evidence that â—e hath not since the Gospel seems to give that â—s one inseparable concomitant of it viz. an obâ—inate and a malicious hatred of the Gospel way â—f Salvation But this sin only excepted all oâ—her sins whatsoever are pardonable yea and we â—ave the instances of such as have been guilty â—f them and yet obtained forgiveness Let me 〈◊〉 little open this in the following remarks 1. The greatest and vilest sins in themselves â—ay be forgiven Our Catechism tells us that â—me sinâ— are in themselves more heinous than others â—nd the Scripture is full for it Not but that all â—s are equally transgressions of the Law and â—onsequently incur the guilt of Eternal Death â—et if we consider and compare some with oâ—ers there is in the things themselves more of â—e malignity of the heart discovered in some â—an in others God therefore tells the Prophet â—at he will shew him greater abominations Ezek. 〈◊〉 6 13 15. It is a sin to be angry without cause â—ut greater to commit actual Murder a sin to â—urmur against God but greater to blaspheme â—c Now the greatest and most abominable of â—ese are not out of the reach of a pardon and â—e may well argue that if Gods forgiveness exâ—nds to those that are greater it is not out bid â—y those that are lesser there are scarlet and â—imson sins and yet these may be washed away â—a 1. 18. I might here instance in those that are deservedly reputed the most odious and scandalous and point you to such as have been horribâ— guilty of them and yet obtained mercy and aâ— now glorified Saints in Heaven we have 〈◊〉 whole heap of them numbred together aâ— such an observation made on them 1 Cor. 6â— 10. 11. Murder is an horrible sin and 〈◊〉 blood of the innocent cryes to heaven for vengâ—ance and yet David obtained a pardon for thâ— he prays Psal 51. 14. Deliver me from blood gâ—tiness and the Prophet tells him 2 Sam. 12. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not dy Idolatry is a fearful sin aâ— that which is terribly threatned in the Word 〈◊〉 God and yet God invites such to return upâ— the promise of pardon Jer 3. begin Blasphemy iâ— sin of the first rate for men to rend and teâ— and reproach the Name of the Great God aâ— yet all manner of blasphemies the fore cited 〈◊〉 excepted may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Pâ— though a blasphemer obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Witchcraft is an odious crime for men to 〈◊〉 themselves to Satan and practice his hellish aâ— God would not have such suffered to live aâ— yet there
any thing by not confessing to God is a great folly He doth not need our confession to give him any information he knows them and can set them in order before us when he pleaseth if then he looketh for our acknowledgment and we do not make it this will turn to our damage there is a threatning in that Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper 2. All Sin is against God Men may be injured by it but whether they be or no Gods honour is stricken at by every Sin it is a transgression of his Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. It is a coming â—ort of his glory Rom. 3. 23. And that is an afâ—â—ont offered to him and indeed considered as â—in it is only against him Psal 51. 4. And whom should we make our Confession to but him whom we have provoked by it he is the party firstly concerned and must not be neglected 3. He only can forgive us our sins Our great encouragement to confess is our hope to obtain mercy and pardon and therefore the Gospel which made discovery of forgiveness through Christ is the great motive to poor Sinners to fall down before God and acknowledge their Sins to him Well this is his Prerogative and he will not give it another Dan. 9. 9. To the Lord belong mercies and forgivenesses Men indeed may remit to us the injury done to them so far as they are concerned and too often that is all that we trouble our selves about but the Sin may yet â—y upon us they may do their work but they cannot do Gods work and if he be not atoned that Sin will undo us but if he forgive us all is well and we are happy 4. If we hope to obtain forgiveness of him we must seek it in his way As there is forgiveness with him Psal 130. 4. So there is a course to be taken by such as would obtain it of him and among other things which he requireth this is â—ne viz. that we confess it to him humbly heartily fully hence the promise is connected with 〈◊〉 Prov. 28. 13. Lev. 26. 40. 1 Joh. 1. 9. God will not baulk this and for us to neglect it is tâ— out our selves off from the Gospel hope Noâ— this Confessing to God intends not only a coâ—ming before him in Prayer and laying open thâ— case but a particular reflection and animadversioâ— on the sin under this consideration that it is againâ—â— him to see and bewail before him the wronâ— we have done to his name the dishonour wâ— have brought to his declarative glory the reâ—proach to his Gospel and the profession wâ— have made of it these are the aggravations wâ— are to put to it and by them to lay the greaâ—est weight upon it this was doubtless Davidâ— aim Psal 51. 4. Against thee thee only c. Nâ— that he had forgat the wrong he had done to oâ—thers but the concern of Gods Glory went nearest to him and swallowed up the rest so saithâ— the poor Prodigal Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned againsâ— heaven and before thee 2. It follows to shew how necessary and proâ—per such a Confession is for the relief of a dâ—stressed Conscience Which will be evidenced bâ— the following Conclusions 1. That the great burden lying on the Conscience thâ— distresseth it for Sin is the Guilt A gracious Soâ— indeed is humbled and put into mourning by reâ—son of the pollution that cleaveth to his Sin aâ—â— it is the principal ingredient of a kindly godâ— Sorrow for sin but though that abaseth thâ— man and makes him vile in his own sight yet doth not fill him with those perplexities we aâ— now considering of The terrors of Conscienâ— arise from the apprehension of Gods Wrath and the impression which the Curses of the Law make on the Soul he seeth God coming against him as an enemy armed with revenge and is in fearful expectation of falling into his hand it is this anger that overwhelmeth him Psal 38. 2. 88. 7. And it is the apprehension of Guilt that produceth it God appears to him terrible in his Holiness and Justice and he doth not apprehend the comfort of a Sealed Pardon hence arise all his Soul agonies 2. That hence as long as this Guilt lieth upon the Conscience the distress must abide A man indeed may be under Guilt and yet have much seeming quiet and how many have a stupendous load of Guilt lying on them and do not groan under it because they feel it not because Conscience is asleep and senseless and many get ease again though their Guilt abideth because they have baffled their Consciences and charmed them into a false perswasion but this is certain while the Conscience hath the remorce of the Guilt upon it and apprehends it the man can have no rest all the diversions he can turn to all the carnal delights he seeks to content himself withal give him no relief the Arrow of Gods wrath abides on his Conscience and festers there his pain is not in the least abated and how is it possible that whiles a man is dogged up and down with an accusing condemning Conscience charging on him the Guilt of Death and threatning him with Eternal Damnation he should have any rest he cannot think it a light matteâ— to Dwell with Everlasting Burnings when they arâ— realized to him though he scoffed at them wheâ— he believed them not 3. This Guilt is not removed from the Consciencâ— but by forgiveness Nothing but a pardon can takâ— it away I know Sinners have other courses tâ— benumme their hearts and stupify the sense oâ— their pain and sometimes by Gods awful Judâ—ment they obtain to bring themselves into dedâ—lency it may be carnal confidence and vain prâ—sumption some mens Consciences are stupifieâ— others secure under a refuge of lies but this is â— false peace the wound is but skinned over anâ— the core will fester within and break out agaiâ—â— more fearfully That man who seeks to quiet hâ—â— mind from the trouble which Sin hath broughâ— him into any other way but by seeking forgiveâ—ness doth but cheat his own Soul and lay a founâ—dation for his greater sorrow Isa 50. 11. Till foâ—giveness cometh the Wrath of God abideth hiâ— Justice stands engaged to pursue him to death anâ— the irresistible hand of Omnipotency is ready tâ— do the Execution nor can any thing remedy thâ— but a free pardon the man cannot expiate it aâ— his repentances and reformations will not satisfâ—â— for it till the Blood of Christ be applied to it will certainly remain 4. That this must be witnessed in the Conscience tâ— give it ease There is peace with God upon the apâ—plying of a pardon Rom. 5. 1. The very act oâ— forgiveness past in the Court of Heaven is a fruâ—â— of Gods being reconciled and rendereth the mans late peaceable but this peace doth not influence â—he Conscience to make peace there till it be acâ—uainted with and ascertained of this forgiveness â—he still his Guilt
know what is your present duty If you sit down discouraged you thereby charge God but if you make a through search you may so be set in the right way USE II. For Exhortation to all to the practice of this Duty And there is argument enough in the Doctrine to move us hereto If this be the proper necessary course to relieve us in distress let us then whensoever we find any such trouble coming upon us apply our selves unto this way as we hope to find any relief against it And there is none whose condition this may not be and it is good to be laying in for it Let this be particularly applyed 1. To the Unconverted Such as are yet strangers to forgiveness And there are two sorts to whom distinctly 1. To the secure Sinner who feeleth no trouble on his Conscience but all is quiet and so he looks upon himself unconcerned in this affair Consider 1. You are Sinners That is the condition of all men by nature Rom. 5. 12. Yea your whole course in this world hath been a trade of Sin Gen. 8. 21. You have done nothing else since you were born but sin against God this is the very Character given of a natural man Psal 58. The wicked is estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they are born 2. You are on this account Guilty before God This is the state in which all men are by reason of sin Rom. 3. 19. There is always a Guilt cleaving to sin till by a pardon it be removed where therefore Sin may be charged and is not forgiven it insurreth Guilt and every unpardoned one is under the efficacy of the Sentence 3. Hence you have the matter of this distress on you And what is it that is so bitter and burden-some to the Conscience but a Conviction of Sin and apprehension of the Guilt that attendeth it It is a fear of the wrath of God arising from an expectation of having it fall upon us whiles then you are under Guilt there needs nothing but the awakening of Conscience and making it to feel the impressions thereof upon it to bring the man under the most hellish amazements that can be thought of It is only because Conscience is asleep that you are quiet and God knoweth how to rouse it when he pleaseth and he will certainâ—â— do it sooner or later There is no peace to the wicked Isa 57. 20. 4. Your nourishing your security doth but lay in sâ— make your distress the more terrible You may enjoy a little present ease by it but will be forced to pay interest for it afterwards The calm will be over and a storm will arise there is no preventing it and not only so but the tempest will be the moâ—â— impetuous Your Fair Days are but Weather breeders and all the Sins with which you nourish this security will help to aggravate your Guilt and make the remorces of Conscience more severe Here then 1. Be willing to be convinced of you Sin Have a care of stifling the Convictions which God affordeth you in his Word and Providence take heâ—â— of hardning your hearts against Counsels or shutting your eyes upon the light that is offered you to discover your Sin to you Whatsoever content you find in thus doing for the present it will be bitter in the end God cometh now to shew you your Sin in the way of a Treaty of Peace and saith as Jer. 2. 19. Know that it is an evil and bitter thing c. And if you do not hearken he will shew it you another way 2. See the danger you are in by reason of it If Siâ— lyeth at the door you are in a perilous Condition there is no safety the wrath of God is out against you and Vengeance hangs over your heads Holiness Justice Truth stand engaged to do Execution upon you and all the fearful Curses written in the Book of God are your portion and how can you Escape 3. Be perswaded how vain it is for you to go about to cover it Who ever did so and prospered What a madness is it to think to hide the most secret enormities from the eyes of God who is Omniscient and knows you a great deal more intimately and throughly then you do your selves and can when he will make your sin to find you out 4. Take encouragement to hope for mercy by the Gospel discovery of Christ The great temptation to keep silence is a Spirit of fear that urgeth us to despair of mercy that driveth us to hide our selves as Adam did Now God hath in the Gospel made a Proclamation of peace to Sinners and shewn them the way to pardon think then of this and let it melt your heart and drive you to fall down at his feet and make the most enlarged acknowledgment of your sins asking his pitty This is the most kindly and genuine working of the Evangelical offers of Grace when they work us to the deepest sense and draw forth our most hearty Confessions unto God 2. To the awakened and terrified Sinner whose Conscience is roused and who hath his sins set in order before him and is thereupon under fearful agonies in his mind If you ever hope to find solid comfort â—our next business is to come to this Confession and for your quickning and encouragement Consider 1. You are in the hand of an Holy God A God who stands on his honour and will have his Glory from or by all his Creatures you must therefore voluntarily give it to him or else he will strain for it and so recover it upon you Now all Sin is a falling short of his Glory Rom. 3. 23. It is a dishonouring of him and no little of his Holiness is displayed in his shewing his hatred of it Hab. 1. 13. And you have no other way to glorifie this Holiness but by a free and full Confession 2. He is yet a merciful God Though you have greatly dishonoured and grievously provoked him by sin yet there is mercy with him he hath published and proclaimed this mercy of his lâ—â— the Gospel and inviteth weary and burdened Sinners to come to him for it Mat. 11. 28. All the Messages of peace that are sent to Sinners by the Gospel and the fair tenders therein made to them and the patient waiting of God with the strivings of his Spirit are a witness to thiâ—â— that there is mercy to be had from him if 〈◊〉 be rightly sought 3. But he expecteth that you come for this men with ropes on your heads He looketh that you should give him all the signal testimony of a deâ— conviction that you deserve no mercy from hiâ— but that he do Execution upon you according 〈◊〉 the demerit of your sin and that you ly at 〈◊〉 foot as those that have no injustice to impute him if he should fall upon and destroy you aâ—â— acknowledge his meer mercy in your pardon 4. In this way there is hope for you and in
their Hopes but it ariseth from a groâ—â— mistake there is an aggravation which Satan suggests which will do it to think that we have Sinned beyond the vertue of the atonement buâ— know it there is vertue enough in Christ's Blood 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the greater you apprehend your sins to be the more will you be helped to admire the mercy that brings and applies a pardon to them the more vile you make your selves the more will Christ be exalted by you when you come to taste of his rich forgiveness VERSE VI. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him WE now proceed to the third part of the Psalm in which David directs us how to improve the faith of the Doctrine of this Blessedness arising from a state of pardon â—â—emplified in himself He directeth himself to God in the words but the Doctrine in them is accommodated for the encouragement of all that fear God And here he tell us 1. What is the duty of the People of God on his account For this c. 2. What is the priviledge of such surely c. 3. Professeth his faith in God on this account for encouragement Verse 7. We may take these things up in their order 1. He declares what is the duty of the People of God on this account for this shall c. In the words observe 1. The Subject of this Duty the Godly the â—ord signifieth one that is Benevolent Beneficent Pious or Good A Godly man is called by this â—ord either to signifie that he is merciful and beneficent or that he hath obtained mercy and goodness from God We are here to understand 〈◊〉 for one that hath the saving Grace of God put into him for till this no man can truly seek God 2. The extent of the Subject every one that is Godly It is a disposition that God puts into all that are truly Converted and they shall exert it on the occasions of it 3. The duty it self he shall pray this word when applied to praying implies the bringing our cause to God laying it before him and leaving it with him all of which is proper to a petitionary prayer 4. The Object of this prayer God he shall pray unto thee to pray to any other is Idolatry and to ask help of that which cannot succour us 5. The thing it self prayed for for this i. e. for this forgiveness When they find themselves oppressed with the Guilt of sin or it may point us to the encouragement of so praying for this may be read upon this i. e. upon the reading and being acquainted with my experience and good success in so coming to God 6. The season of this prayer in a time when thou mayst be found Heb in a time of finding Some interpret it of a time of affliction when their sin have found them out but others and so on Translation understand it of an opportune time wherein God is ready to be found of such as indeed seek him Three Doctrines may here be observed Examples of Pardoned Sinners our Encouragement DOCTRINE I. THE instances of Gods forgiving any upon their hearty confessing their sins to him should encourage others to hope for and seek it of him in the same way The very subjoyning of this to what went before intimates this truth if we consider David as turning his speech to God he doth as it were say this is the honour thou shalt get by doing thus graciously by me thou shalt have more Customers others when they hear of it will be animated to seek to thee for mercy The great incentive to this is from the gracious discoveries that God hath made of himself in his Word those alluring promises with which he animates desponding Sinners to seek him but yet his works also have a voice in them and confirm his Word by giving an example in which his Word is verified Here take these conclusions 1. That there are many eminent instances of Gods pardoning mercy on Scripture record He hath set up the monuments of it there who though they had been great Sinners and many ways provoked his just displeasure yet obtained mercy of him or their humble submission and hearty bemoaning themselves before him and though there be no Saint recorded in the Book of God who was not an example of this but for which they had never been saved yet there are some who have a peculiar remark for this What a great Sinner was Manasseh how wofully did David defile himself What a Chief Sinner had Paul been What a prodigious fall was that of Peter and yet we have the register of their obtaining forgiveness with many more 2. That the Word of God gives us a distinct account of divers of these It not only mentions them to be such but mentions the Dispensation towards them in the circumstances for 1. It tells us how they had Sinned Not that God delights to be raking in the kennel of his Childrens follies when he hath cast their iniquities into the depth of the sea but to set the examples of his Grace before others for mans sin is the foil of Gods Grace and the more black that hath been the more orient do the colours of this appear to be their sin therefore is declared in its aggravations so Davids 2 Sam. 11. 12. 2. It acquaints us with what distress they were in after they had so Sinned What Convictions what compunctions they felt in them what pain they were in by reason of their wounds and broken bones what terrible agonies they suffered on the account see Context verse 3 4. and Mat. 26. ult and else where 3. It shews us what course they took to get their Sin pardoned In what way they gat relief and found mercy at Gods hand What confession they made to God how they bemoaned themselves bitterly how earnestly they besought God for mercy with what deep Humiliation and self loathing they prostrated themselves at the footstool of the Throne of Grace to this serve all Davids penitential Psalms and we have such an account of Ephraim Jer. 31. 18 19 4. It particularly notes what success they found in this way How they sped with God in thus doing how they sought a pardon and obtained it so Context verse 5. God did not spurn them out of his presence but when he saw these Prodigals humbling themselves and resolving to return he met and embraced them Luk. 15. 20. So Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. And what tenderness God exprest to Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 20. 3. That this manner of Dispensation continueth to be exemplified in Gods Providence We have not the same ground of assurance now concerning others in that we have only their own Testimony as we have for those recorded in the Book of God however there is a charitable credit
we have an instance of one that fell over and escaped with his life forgetting how many have so fallen and it hath cost them their lives God will be provoked to leave us to perish if thus we affront his mercy 2. When we strengthen our carnal security in sin by it The use of such examples is that when we have fallen through temptation and are terrified at it we may be encouraged hereby to Repentance and make haste to God for a pardon but if instead of this we argue there is no danger we may put off the Conviction and delay our Repentance and get a pardon when we wish and so live and ly under Guilt without remorce this is to prevent the end of such instances and the ready way to be left by the Spirit of God to be hardened in sin to our ruine 3. When we use them only for encouragement and not for direction We take that part of the instance such an one so sinned against God and provoked him and yet God was merciful and forgave him and by this forthy our Presumption that there is no danger we need not be afraid but we never enquire what they did or in what way they found the mercy of God and thus they are so far from being an Example that they become a Snare to us and instead of using them for Gods Glory and advantage we gratily Satan and expose our selves to the greater hazard Take heed then lest we be deceived though Paenitent David got a pardon yet impenitent Sinners have no reason to conclude from thence that they shall fare as he did USE II. Let it then be to direct and help us in the right improvement of such Examples for our benefit Let us rightly apply them and that both for encouragement and direction 1. Let us use them to encourage our hope in God for his mercy whatsoever our sins have been Doth the Guilt of Sin oppress us have we fallen by our iniquity and are conscious of our danger and the Divine anger we ly open to and do our hearts condemn us and Satan urge us to despair of pardon Let us now make use of these Examples to excite our hope And to that end 1. Learn by them to have good thoughts of God We are apt to think hardly of him when his Arrows stick in our sides and his terrours make us afraid look upon these and see what a God he hath been to such as we are and let that perswade us that there is forgiveness with him that he is not an inexorable God these have found him propitious and so may we We shall never come kindly to him for pardon till we can say of him as they oâ— the Kings of Israel 1 King 20. 31. 2. Hence let these Thoughts make us resolve to go to him for Pardon While we look on him in his anger that makes us to keep out of his sight buy when we believe that he is ready to receive poor Sinners and pass by their Iniquities this will encourage us to come into his presence 3. Hence let us oppose these Examples to all the arguments of Despair that are obtruded upon us Satan and a misgiving heart will offer hard at this but let us answer all with these And there is no case in which we may not have one or other of them to do this withal Have our Sins been very Great of the biggest Size and doth the greatness of them terrify us as if they were too big for Pardon consider What were David's Sins What were Manasseh's Yea did not David bring that for a plea Psal 25. 11. Pardon mine Iniquity for it is Great The greatness of them can neither out bid his Grace or his Will to forgive Have they been multiplyed Transgressions and doth this dishearten us See what a fearful Catalogue is recorded of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. begin and yet they did not obstruct his Pardon Yea what saith God himself Isa 55. 7. He will multiply to Pardon Have they been against special Kindnesses bestowed upon us and so rendred us Guilty of horrid Ingratitude to God Remember how God sets forth Davids sin with all such Circumstances 2 Sam. 12. begin and yet he readily forgave him all when he humbled himself before him Have they been against many Means used with us to reclaim us which we have despised thereby sorely aggravated them We have been often warned and threatned and yet persisted and was not this also one circumstance in Manasseh's Sin 2 Chron. 33. 10. Have they been after we have received the Grace of God in converting us and so peculiarly grieved his Holy Spirit this must needs put a very black aspect on them but still remember this was Davids very case and Peters too but yet he did not take his Spirit from them but gave them Repentance and upon it remitted their Sins to them Are they Sins that you have long lain in and been habituated to and this makes you to think you have out lived your day of Grace and it is too late to hope for favour from God and did not David ly a long time remorceless under his great sin yet when at last God roused him and he repented he was forgiven 2. Let us improve them to put us upon the right course to obtain this mercy at Gods hand If we joyn not this to the former it will signifie nothing And here 1. Consider what they did in order to their obtaining forgiveness And therefore 1. They were throughly convinced of their Sin God made them to see it and know it Psal 51. 3. They had a deeply imprinted sense of what they had done and how they transgressed 2. They Confessed their Sins heartily to God They did not hide them under their Tongues they did not excuse or mince or extenuate them whiles they so did they got nothing by it but they acknowledged them Context Vers 5. 2 Sam. 12. 11. 3. They submitted themselves to God They took the shame of their Sins to themselves and acknowledged that all miseries belonged to them for the same and that God was righteous in condemning them Psal 51. 4. Dan. 9. 8. And so they yielded themselves up to God 4. They prayed hard for a pardon They besought God for his mercy yielded that nothing else but mercy could do it that God must do it for his name sake if at all and accordingly pleaded it â— Psal 25. 11. 5. They forsook their sins They turned from and renounced them utterly Judg. 10. 16. 2 Chr. 33. 15. 2 Believe that if they had not thus done they had never found mercy If they had gone on impenitently they had not been made the instances of Gods forgiveness and indeed the Word of God stands for this Prov. 28. 13. 3. Let us follow their steps This is the right improvement if we would fare as they fared let us do as they did take them as our Copy and write after them mourn as they did if we
something pecuâ—iar in this there is a root of Atheism at the botâ—th of it for what difference between saying here is no God and thinking he may be imposed â—pon and we can hide our selves from his knowâ—edge and judgment Hence that challenge Jer. â—3 24 Can any hide c. 4. Hence as long as you thus ly your Sin is not forâ—iven Not only doth not this remove the Guilt â—ut is an evidence that it is not taken away If â—ou were Unregenerate before this proves that you are so still till such Sins are repented of â—here is no evidence of a through Conversion â—or when God pardons a sinner he forgiveth all his past sins and that is in the way of Repentance And if you are Regenerate yet the sin is not forgiven before committed nor then neither but in â—he Gospel way viz. in Confessing and Forsaking 〈◊〉 seeking Mercy through Christ which you cannot do whiles in such a frame And how fearful a thing is it to have Sins lying out against us for which we have no Sealed pardon 5. If therefore God lets you alone in this way it is a fearful Judgment It may be you please your selves in this that you are not molested in your minds but alas there is nothing more tremendous As there is not a greater mercy than to make sin too hot for us and so to drive us to the refuge that is set before us so there is not a greater witness of Gods wrath than to let men alone in their sinful courses to please themselves in them and hope to do well enough for all Hos 4. 17. It is one of the last steps God proceeds to before he brings them to ruine 6. There is a time coming when God will bring you to a reckoning for these things and then Conscience will roar The Holiness and Righteousness of God oblige him to see to his own Glory and the honour of his Law delays then are no discharges nor is there any escaping of his righteous Judgments but by timely betaking to his mercy till we do so weâ—ly open and there will be no avoiding it God hath not forgotten though you have and you shall know it too in due time He will fall upon you and then your drousy Consciences shall be full awake God will set it upon you and yoâ— need not have a worse Fiend to Torment you 7. And this may possibly be when it is too late 〈◊〉 may be not before your Soul stealeth into another World and drops into the hands of Devilâ— There are some such Wretches who dy like Lamb but in a moment this rending Lyon falls upon them It may be on a death bed when you have spent a life in sin and lived secure and now time and opportunity is past and God will not give you Repentance but open your eyes to see what you have been doing and then let you see whether you are going and the pit into which you are entring and what a terrour will this be 8. And if God doth give you Repentance at length this will wofully embitter it If you are his Children you shall repent and be forgiven because your state of Justification is secured but you shall be brought to it by Repentance and what deep wounds will these reflexions give to your Souls Be then warned and perswaded to beware of indulging your selves in this course and if you have done so already Do so no more but bitterly bewail it before God and make hast to get the Sin of it forgiven and be sure to put it into your self judging when you aggravate your sins in your humble acknowledgments 2. We now proceed to consider the Author or Efficient cause of this distress and that is God himself on his Hand that was upon him and brought him into this terrible condition and it was not an ordinary dispensation he therefore sets it forth 1. By the pressure of it it lay heavy on him 2. By the constancy of it it lay so Day Night long and without intermission The hand of God is a Metaphorical expression for he is a Spirit hath no Body and so no members it is therefore frequently used for his executive power by which he doth things whether in a way of Mercy oâ— of Judgment and so the anger and wrath of God is frequently in Scripture expressed by his hand and also it is Metonymically put for the effects themselves in which this anger appeareth viz. The Judgments or Afflictions that men are under and so it is to be understood in our Text So 1 Sam 5. 11. The word Heavy is a Metaphor from 〈◊〉 great weight laid upon one which he is not able to stand under without sinking Hence The distress of Conscience from Gods heavy hand DOCTRINE THe sore distress of Conscience that men are broughâ— into for Sin is because of Gods hand lying heavily and continually upon them That both Godly and wicked are sometimes in such distress hath already been observed and how heavily it lyetâ— on them that which now is before us is to enquire How or whence it cometh that they are iâ— such anxiety It is certain that man himself doth not willingly or upon choise bring himself into this trouble though he doth morally procure 〈◊〉 for himself for he doth all he can to keep 〈◊〉 lence to hide to maintain quiet and security iâ— his mind and to benum his Conscience into deâ—olency yea Conscience it self is through the deâ—lement that is in it prone enough to be rocked asleep and ly still and too often doth so in good men as David Satan also useth it as one of his great stratagems to hinder Unregenerate Men from Conversion by keeping all quiet within and is afraid of the least trouble of mind in â—one of his own lest it should issue in the dethroâ—ning of him and subversion of his Kingdom in the Soul for which end he spares none of his cunning by himself and his instruments to prevent or put a stop to all awakenings of Conscience in them and though he hath a peculiar spite at the peace and tranquility of Gods Children and for that reason when Gods hand is heavy upon them he endeavours to lay on load â—ill he breaks them yet when he hath by his policy drawn them into any sin he would keep them senseless as long as he can hoping so to have greater advantage on them afterwards Now â—ur Doctrine fully resolves this Enquiry Three things may here be searched into 1. That God is the author of this trouble by laying of his angry hand heavy on the man 2. How or after what manner he doth this 3. Why or for what end he doth it 1. That God is the author of this by laying his â—ngry hand heavy on the man There are two â—hings in this Conclusion 1. That God is the author of it It is in it self a â—ore evil though by the over ruling Providence of God it is made to issue
be buisy about other mens Sins and careless of our own Mat. 7. begin If our own Sins do not humble us we cannot be graciously affected with the Sins of other men The High priest was to offer first for his own Sins Heb. 7. 27. Lev. 9. 7. If we pray for others being our selves under Guilt God will not hear us 2. We must charge them home upon our selves There is a word in our Text omitted by Translators generally as redundant which yet seems to have Emphasis in it and is to be read I will confess upon my sins or against hence some read it against my self or against my sins Now we theâ—â— properly confess against our Sins when we lay all we can to their charge to render them vilâ— and odious we not only confess that we have done the thing and transgressed the Law by it But 1. We take the whole blame of it home to our selves It is I that have done it it was mâ— wickedness my vile heart my woful corruption God is clear Psal 51. 4. What though the Devil suggested cursed companions tempted the World was a snare to me Yet it was my naughty heart that complied or I had not done it Thus Paul chargeth on sin dwelling in him Rom. 7. 20. That shall have the blame and it shall not be put off elsewhere 2. We put all the circumstances we can to it to aggravate it We do not mince our Testimony against it but tell the whole truth as near as we can we do not favour our Sin at all or hide the shame of it but put it to the greatest shame that may be 2 Sam. 24. 10. Psal 73. 22. And how large is he on this account Dan. 9. We not only did the thing but against light against conscience against means against mercies against counsels and warnings c. We lay all open that it may appear exceeding sinful 3. Hence we confess our sins with an earnest desire to have them put to death and destroyed Our Text may be an allusion to the Sacrifice on the head whereof the man was to lay his hands and confess his Sins over it and then it was to be Slain So he brings his Sins with a design to have his lusts mortifyed and so confesseth upon them or as Junius renders it I will confess concerning my sins i. e. I will tell all I know about them to forward their Condemnation and this also is requisite in a right Confession PROPOSITION VI. That we are to make this Confession to the Lord. To Jehovah He is the proper object of this duty and all Sin is to be confessed to him though not always to him only There is some times a Confession to be made to men but in no case will that suffice without bringing it to God and to state this aright Let us observe 1. That we are not absolutely bound to confess to men those Sins which Gods Providence hath kept secret from them In some case we ought as anon but in it self it is not a positive duty they are between God and us and we have only to do with him God hath not enjoyned us to expose our selves either in our name or life by publishing them to the world if he will bring us forth it is just but if he will let them so ly hid our business is to see that all be right between him and us 2. That a verbal Confession to men of the wrongs we have done them is not always requisite There is a restoration of wrongs by restitution that is due but this may be done though they know noâ— who wronged them nor is it necessary that they should In some places these are Capital a man by confessing exposeth his life and the wrongâ— may be repaired by another hand and the Sin confessed to God and forgiveness obtained 3. Sins known to others and by which there is 〈◊〉 scandal are to be confessed to men for removing the scandal If it be private and but few know of iâ— it sufficeth to confess it to them Mat. 18. 15. Iâ— we have given them a proof of our Repentance we have removed the scandal so far as we gave it but if the scandal be open and notorious and many are grieved by it the Confession ought to hold in proportion 1 Tim. 5. 20. Them that Sin rebuke before all i. e. If they sin publickly for this doth not cross our Saviours Rule about private offences and the reason for such a Confession is because the Glory of God is concerned in it and as we have dishonoured him by such Sins so we have no other way to give him Glory but by such Confession Josh 7. 19. 4. If God by his Providence brings our secret sins to light we are to make a free Confession of them There are many ways in which God doth this Men think their sins shall never be known being contrived so privately and acted so secretly but God revealeth them and then it is vain for us to hide them thus God dealt by David 2 Sam. 12. and he hath left his sorrowful Confession on record Psal 51. 5. Hence sometimes it is requisite to make a publick Confession when the Sin cannot be legally proved against us Viz. When Gods Providence giveth so much light as our profession is scandalized among men though there be not a full proof When there are such circumstances of discovery as give a moral certainty to men and there are several things known that render us justly suspected as when there is a common fame and such things as make the most charitable suspicious of us and force an enquity to be made Now we are either innocent or guilty and the honour of God requires that we either assert our innocency or acknowledge our Guilt the Apostle reproved the Corinthians on a common report 1 Cor. 5. 1. And he commends their earnestness in clearing themselves 2 Cor. 7. 10. 6. There may be such a distress on Conscience for some sins as will necessitate a Confession to men God sometimes lays the burden heavy on the man and though he confess to God he findeth no ease it is now proper to make use of some or other to unburden our minds unto which may be peculiarly intended in Jam. 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another God hath appointed his Children to be helpful each to other only great caution is to be used here we should chuse such to discover our selves to as will be faithful and secret and are capable of giving us counsel and relief the proper design of it being for the easing of our Consciences But our great business is to make our Confessions to God and this we must never forget and there is great reason for this for 1. God knows all our sins and therefore it is vain to go about to hide them from him They all stand in the light of his Countenance we may hope to escape from men by hiding but to think to get
God in the Conscience of the person A Copy of his pardon thus ratified iâ— given to him and he is made to read and believe it as coming from God himself and from whence resulteth the Testimony of Conscience acquitting of us 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not c. i. e. acquits us on good grounds Now this God giveth to the man when he sees best and this is more peculiarly aimed at in our Text though not in separation from the former for without that this is a delusion nor is there any safety in an acquitting Conscience so long as God condemneth us 3. Wherein this readiness in God to forgive is discovered A. Besides that God hath proclaimed this in his Word to belong to his great and glorious Name as that wherein he delighteth to make himself known to the Children of men Exod. 34. 6 7. There is abundant demonstration that he hath given for the confirmation of the truth of it 1. In that any of the sinful race of men have ever been forgiven Such is the vile nature of Sin so high is the affront that is offered to God by it there is so much of malignity in the least Sin and so great an indignity done to the Declarative Glory of God by it that if he had not an heart in him to pardon there had no such thing ever been heard of One Sinner pardoned though the least that ever was in the world is a Monument of Gods wonderful Grace and proclaimeth him to be a forgiving God One such instance saith that there is forgiveness with him for it must proceed from his own voluntary inclination who found the Sinner to be his Enemy and might justly have destroyed him for ever To see a Sinner saved from hell is a matter of just admiration to all such as ever were acquainted with the nature of Sin and what it hath made men to be 2. In the way which he hath contrived to bring about the forgiveness of Sinners The right consideration of this will shew us how deeply Gods heart was engaged for it in the days of Eternity and how unchangeably it is fixed on it in as much as he laid it out before time and pursued it to effect in the fulness of time and truly this is that which hath surprized the Holy Angels themselves with astonishing wonder and they still gaze upon it with greatest admiration the Psalmist observeth Psal 130. 4. With thee there is forgiveness but how comes it to be with him how came he to have a stock of pardoning mercy laid up by him It is true nothing is more free than forgiveness it cannot be bought by but must be given to the Subject but there must a door be opened for the extending of this though God is prone to pardon Psal 86. 5. Yet there was that which lay in the way of it which must be removed else there could have been no application of it the Justice of God which was concerned in and by which the First Covenant was ratified had righteously doomed man to dy for sin and the truth of God had declared that he would stand by his own Law yea and his Holiness by which he is bound for his own Glory would not admit that that Covenant should be baulked Mat. 5. 18. How then shall the Sentence be Executed and yet the Sinner be pardoned There was but one way in which this could be brought about and that was by the interposition of the Eternal Son of God undertaking to be substituted in the Sinners room and to answer all the demands of the Law in his stead that so Justice being satisfied might conspire with Mercy in the Sinners Salvation Psal 85. 10. In which affair the Son of God must become man and be humbled to death and bear all the weight of Divine Displeasure even all the penalties of sin Isa 53. 4 5 6. Nor was Salvation possibly to be had in any other way Acts 4. 12. And yet such was the kindness of God that all this should not obstruct the matter but he would rather make all wonders to meet in one and not Spare his own Son but give him for us that so he might express his kindness to us in pardoning out sins And what greater discovery of good will could there be 3. In the free offers that he maketh of it to men He hath not only made way for it by the Obedience of his Son who paid the price of our Redemption but published it in the Gospel and tendered it to all that come within the sound of that Proclamation And there are two things that set forth his readiness to apply this forgiveness to Sinners 1. That he maketh offer of and invites Sinners to accept it He hath ordered that man be told that he hath forgiveness and that they be bidden to come for it He doth not wait till miserable Sinners cry to him for it which yet would be a rich favour if so they might find it at his hands but because they sought it not nor ever would have done so he sends them an Embassy about it Isa 65. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 20. And would he do so did he not delight in pardoning 2. That he offereth it freely And if he did not do so the Sinner must for ever go without it for he had nothing to purchase it with The Gospel Invitations come as freely as can be supposed Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. If it be here objected you teach that there are Gospel Conditions on which it is only to be had how then can it be said to be free it may readily be replied there are no other Conditions required in the Gospel but what among men are required in order to receiving and being invested with the freest gift that can be there is nothing but acceptance of this gift and acknowledgment of the kindness of the bestower faith is the hand that receiveth it whereas unbelief puts it away and is it not meet that he who would have the benefit of a gift do accept of it or doth such acceptance derogate from the grace of the Giver and what is our Obedience but our thankfulness to God for so unspeakable a gift and shall any say the gift was not free be cause I was thankful for it the Sinner was worthy of death and deserved no pardon and yet he may have it for receiving and is not God willing 4. In the urgent entreaties he useth with men to accept of this forgiveness He not only offers it but pleads and is very urgent and importunate with them as if it were a kindness done him to take it of him as well as to them in their having it he useth all sorts of arguments to perswade them by he tells them what need they stand in of it that their eternal welfare depend upon it that they are condemned and going to Execution and must need perish if they be not pardoned and therefore how much they
in the hearts of the Godly they are emboldned to sin by it Was there not such a spirit in them Jer. 7. 9 10. and them Psal 50. 21. And if we observe the great allowances that many under the Gospel give themselves in their immoralities and the great security and confidence which for all they nourish themselves in we shall discover them to be built on this rotten foundation and if their tongues do not their lives do plainly utter that Rom. 6. 1. Let us continue in sin that grace may abound as if the kindness to man proclaimed in the Gospel were nothing else but an indulgence granted to the Children of men to live in all manner of licenciousness Be we then warned to beware of thus abusing this precious truth in which God expresseth his rich mercy to sinful men And therefore Consider 1. God is holy and just as well as merciful The Divine Perfections as they are in God are not separate one from another though to us they are distincly discovered because we cannot otherwise entertain the notion of them there can therefore be no clashing among them Now there are other Attributes besides Mercy and Grace which God hath declared in his Word and will display in his Works there is his Justice as well as his Mercy and he will have Monuments of them both Rom. 9 22 23. And when he doth display his mercy it shall be agreeable with his Justice Psal 85. 10. And there is Holiness which is celebrated in the display of every other Attribute Psal 99. ult How vain is it then for any to lean the whole weight of their confidence for eternity upon so weak a foundation as this What though God is wonderfully rich in mercy May he not appear so for ever in others though you be never made sharers of it shall he not be admired in them that believe though Unbelievers perish for ever may not you for all this be Vessels of Wrath and so be made foils of his mercy in others Or do you think that God will stain his Holiness that he may magnifie his Grace Be not deceived 2. God will certainly forgâ—ve no Sinners but in his own way Infinite Wisdom hath contrived a way for the exalting free grace in the Salvation of Sinners so as with it to give lustre to his other Perfections and herein he gives us to see his merciful nature in that he hath found out and brought about such a way to do it in and hath not spared for cost in the effecting it but for Sinners to expect it out of this way is a great madness it is enough there is forgiveness with him Psal 130. 4. And if we may in any way obtain it we shall owe him the praise of it for ever but still God threatens such as neglect this way that there shall be no mercy for them Isa 27. 11. 3. Hence there are none more like to be peculiar monuments of his Wrath than such as thus turn his Grace into wantonness Though God hath a mind to shew compassion to Sinners yet he never designed to shew any favour to Sin but in this very way to let it be seen how odious it is to him If he had indulged it in any it had been in his own Son when he took the imputation of it on him being immaculate in himself but he spared not him Rom. 8. 32. And what do you other than go about to make the Holy God a patron of sin as if he had found out a way to Save Sinners in their sins and encourage them to hold on a course of them What can more derogate from his Glory needs then must this expose you to his more exasperated Wrath See then what he hath to say to such as you Psal 50. 22. Oh take heed USE II. This Doctrine may farther be improved to quicken encourage and direct miserable Sinners As we ought not to be presumptuous so God would not have us to despair or be negligent Hope is the incentive of endeavour and the consideration that we have such a God to do with may weâ—â— be improved by us all to these ends And here 1. Let it quicken secure and confident Sinners â—â— seek forgiveness at Gods hand Let this good news rouse you to ask a pardon and not sit still To move you Consider 1. Your Sin hath destroyed you This is true concerning all men in their natural state they are under the Curse and Condemnation and Stand guilty before God all the world are so Rom. 3. 19. Beware of thinking all well and safe while the Law hath declared you men of death and past the Sentence on you Remember what a God youâ— have to do with and how fearful a thing it is to fall into his hands 2. Know that except God pardon you you muâ—â— needs perish There is but this one way to escape miss of that and your case is hopeless to think to make satisfaction to offended Justice by any Righteousness of your own or find a price to buy off the Sentence any where else is vain It must be an act of Grace that only can give you a discharge from the Execution of the doom past upon you without which Justice will make its demands and pursue you till it hath brought you under the whole weight of Gods Wrath which will issue in your perdition 3. There is a pardon to be had with God This is the glad tidings that is published among a company of perishing Sinners and ought be counted â—â—ortby of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. It is one Letter of his Name a God forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34. 7. And why hath he proclaimed this but to perswade such as want it to â—earken and make out after it and who could have told man that it was possible that Justice should consist with forgiveness if God himself had not revealed it 4. There is no obtaining it but in this way of Confession It is Gods will and there is all reason for it that men must part with their sins as they hope to have them forgiven and if ever they part with them they will confess them or how shall we go to God for his forgiveness but by carrying our sins with us to have them forgiven And in what way can we spread them before him but in an hearty confessing of them how shall God be Glorified by us unless we acknowledge our desert to have suffered his wrath â—or our sins and what exception can Sinners make against this if God should require some great thing of you would you think it too much in order to escaping his wrath What pretenâ—lons did they make Mic. 6. 6 7. How much more then when this is all if you confess and forsake you shall find mercy 5. Be assured that he will not always sit in this Office The Throne of Grace which is now Erected will ere long be removed the Golden Scepter that is now Stretched out will
to be given them yea we often see so much of God in them as greatly establisheth our confidence in the thing how many who have fallen and God hath â—ut them in trouble and brought them to the â—rinks of despair and yet while they have been seeking God with confession and repentance in â—he name of Christ they have been lifted up and received great consolation 4. All these are for our instruction and we â—â—ught so to improve them We are told Rom. 15. 4. That whatsoever is written is for ouâ— learning The design of the whole Scripture is one viz. To enlighten direct and help us in the Glorifying of God Such passages therefore as refer to the dealing of God with such as have sought pardon of him under distress of Conseience are not meerly for our speculation not do we rightly use any Scripture History unless we apply it to our selves and draw some Lessons from it for help us in our great business and that must be suited to the design of it and no Providences pass before us but we ought to observe them so as to use them for our advantage 5. The Lessons that we are to learn from such Examples as these refer to two heads 1. To nourish hope in us against despair When upon the apprehension of our Sins and the aggravations of them we are ready to sink in encouragement we should gather hope to our selves by contemplating these and fetching arguments of hope and they are such as these 1. That there have been those who were in 〈◊〉 case and have done will Unparallel'd cases an apt to put men to a stand and Satan endeavour by them to dishearten us but when we discover how others have been in all points as bad of â—â— as we possibly worse and yet have obtained Mercy of God it tells us there is hope that 〈◊〉 may fare well Paul therefore tells us that thâ—â— was Gods design in him 1 Tim. 1. 16. 2. God herein exhibits his readiness to pardon Hâ— hath declared it fully in his word and if wâ— will follow him in his works of this nature we 〈◊〉 find it plain and there is abundant force in this way of reasoning if God had not delighted in pardoning Sinners certainly those that had done so much to provoke him to the highest would never have found favour David therefore thus pleads Psal 51. 13. Then I will â—â—ach Transgressors thy ways and Sinners shall be converted to thee 3. And hereby God proves his faithfulness to his Promises The promises on this account are so great that one under the apprehension of his own vileness is hardly perswadable to believe that there can be any such thing and puts it away as incredible but when he sees such as himself to have adventured on the promise of Grace and cast themselves upon God and â—ome off pardoned and justified it puts the â—â—uth and fidelity of God beyond all question 2. To direct us what course to take and so strengthen our faith in it Examples do lay the Rule plain before us and give us a Copy to write after and when we see how they did it tells us what we are to do and because they sped it helps us to believe that we may speed too for 1. God is the same still He ever carrieth himself to us like himself what he hath been to his people that he will be there is one way in which he dispenseth his grace from first to last Hence that encouragement Mal. 3. 6. I am God I change not 2. This way is accommodated to the Precept God hath given direction to Sinners what to do and how to seek him so as to find him Now if we compare these examples by this Rule we shall observe that they followed the directions given them by God else they had not sped so that by their good success we may better understand what God requireth of us and this must also help our faith 3. It is a trodden way It is not an untraced path we are not to begin in it but others have gone before us and we are to follow them and as it is thereby the easier to find so it is the more hopeful of success We have leaders in it and so may the better keep it and it may put life into us when we see they have done well in it and are gotten safe through it 4. It is a way in which none ever miscarried A great many have gone in it and if but some had prospered it would be matter of hope but when we see that none have failed but every one hath done well and there cannot be one instance produced of a Soul that hath missed of Gods mercy and a free pardon who hath thus sought it what can be more animating to our faith in the prosecution of it USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence that it is profitable for Christians on occasion to communicate their experiences to others God hath made man to be a sociable Creature and this sociableness cannot better be applied than in a Religious way Gods dealings with us are not for our selves only but for the sake of others too and we should endeavour to make them so Consider 1. This will tend to the Glory of God It is one way in which we have great advantage to Shew forth his Praises David therefore calls on them that fear God to hear him declaring Gods gracious dealings with him Psal 66. 16 17. Hereby we may set forth his precious Attributes and shew how we are the Monuments of them which will glorify him 2. It will serve greatly for the benefit of drooping Souls When they hear us telling what straits we were in what fore Temptations we have been burried withal and how seasonably and suitably while we were waiting for him God came into us and sealed up his love and what impressions we find of it upon our spirits we may by this give a good lift to help them out of trouble and God hath very frequently blessed such a course as this and this also will help farther to establish our own Consolation 2. Be we advised that there is a misimprovement of the Examples of Gods people in this regard which we are to be cautioned against They are good helps in themselves and prove so to them that wisely use them but they may be abused and then they will turn to harm beware of this And there are three ways in which it may be done 1. When we encourage our selves in Sin by them The use of them is to encourage us to Repentances this then is an abuse when we look on the examples of such as sinned grievously and yet found mercy and thence infer that there is no such danger in sinning we may be bold to transgress because they were pardoned what is this but to turn the Grace of God into wantonness and to Sin that Grace may abound to adventure to throw our selves over a precipice because
are most like to find favour and the soul that is truly humbled will fall to prayer but God seeth the proud a far off 3. That God will have no praise for this mercy from such an one He that cannot find in his heart to fall down before God and beg his pardoning mercy will never give him suitable thanks for it if he should confer it on him Where there is no gratitude there is no thanksgiving and where a kindness is not resented how should a person be grateful Take heed then of being deluded with false hopes USE II. Here we have a Rule to judge by in what order we are towards forgiveness And certainly it is a thing very desirable to be known and they who have ever experienced what it is so stand Guilty before God will be sollicitous after satisfaction in this case and the Rule is doth the apprehension of our Guilt and misery so affect us as to drive us to pray to God for his pardoning mercy if so we have a good hope of obtaining it of him for Consider 1. It is of God to spirit us to prayer It is one character of a natural man that he seeks not God Psal 14. 4. A spirit of prayer is his gift and there is a mighty work wrought in bringing the Sinner on his knees and make him pour out his Soul to God in earnest supplication for mercy 2. When God brings a Sinner thus to pray it is that he may forgive him There is ever a gracious design in it God hath made many gracious promises to such in his Word which he cannot deny if it were not his design to bring them within the compass of the promise he would not work the condition in them and therefore when he promiseth that they shall pray he together engageth that he will hear Jer 29. 12. There is no greater sign of forgiveness then a spirit of prayer for it 3. Hence he observes when we do pray and is ready to hear us He waits to be gracious he hearkens whether men will address him for it that so he may take the opportunity to exalt his mercy on them when he had brought Paul to the ground we find how he remarks on it Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayeth q. d. Let him have been never so bitter a Persecuter heretofore yet I will have mercy on him for he prayeth for it USE III. For Exhortation and direction Let it call upon all whensoever under the sense of Guilt to betake our selves to prayer Do we apprehend the anger of God against us for any sin let it put us upon our making our requests to him for the removing of it Consider then 1. If our sin be not forgiven us it will undo us Think it not of little concernment whether our sin be pardoned or no there needs no more but the Guilt of one unpardoned sin to sink you down into the pit of endless miseries that one will condemn you and there will be no hopes of escaping the Wrath of God there is a sentence of death upon every sin which must be taken off or you cannot escape 2. You must pray for this if ever you obtain it God stands on his honour in this regard he will have Sinners to know that it is his Prerogative to forgive sin and will have their petition offered him in order thereto he will else look upon them as obstinate Sinners and such as despise his mercy and if the Sinner hath deserved to dy and hath his life offered him if he will supplicate for it and he will not do that he will provoke God to shew him no mercy 3. God is a prayer hearing God therefore there is hope in this way Thus the Psalmist pleads Psal 65. 2. Oh thou that hearest Prayer he delighteth to hear the cries of distressed Souls that feel their woful misery and have none to help them and do therefore betake themselves to him as a God of Salvations He delights in mercy and therefore hearkens if there be any miserable Sinner that will apply himself to him for it that he may shew it him Let your sins be of what colour or magnitude soever you need not despair do but pray to him and there is hope Isa 55. 7. He will do so for him that prays for it 4. This is the end of all the awakenings and troubles on your minds When God comes to shew us our sins in their colours to terrify us for them and make them a burden too heavy for us it is to drive us to prayer let us not then improve them to drive us from it And would you speed 1. Pray sensibly Cold prayers argue that Sin is not felt bear your burden and carry it with you this is the business of Prayer Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord. Let your groans and sighings be a witness that your sins are an oppressing load that you must sink under them if he do not lift them off by his forgiving mercy 2. Pray confessing Thus did David verse 5. Confession is a proper ingredient of a penitent Prayer Let your petitions carry a resentment of your Guilt and worthiness to dy and that your hope is in his Grace Confess the righteousness of your Condemnation and your unworthiness to cast so rich a favour as you pray for 3. Pray Renouncing all your trust in your Prayers Do not look to be heard for Praying though it must be in this way for your Prayers can lay no engagement upon him should he refuse to hear you you are not wronged Do not make a God of Prayer while you use it as a Medium to obtain Gods favour 4. Pray applying to and believing in the Righteousness of Christ This is the foundation of our hope it is for his sake that we must be forgiven if ever it be so It is Christ only that we must rely on who only can derive a pardon to us through his merits look on the fulness of them and be encouraged to wait for his Salvation 5. Pray perseveringly God though he hears them may yet defer the witnessing your forgiveness in your Consciences but let not this deter you but follow him with importunity as the poor Widow did the Unjust Judge and in this way you may be encouraged because he hath said in Psal 145. 18. The Lord is nigh to them that call upon him that call upon him in truth God to be sought in a finding time DOCTRINE III. THey that hope to find forgiveness from God in the way of Prayer must seek him in a time when it may be found There is emphasis in this they shall not only pray but they shall do it seasonably There are two Propositions in this Doctrine 1. That there is a time wherein God may be found 2. That if we would speed in our Prayers for forgiveness we must take this time to seek him in Prop. I. That there is a time wherein God may be found And
comfort your selves with hope of deliverance yet you look beyond that and subordinate it to Gods glory 1. Is this the sweetest consideration of the deliverance that it will give you an opportunity of glorifying him Life is sweet and so is health and peace c. but that which is our best end is sweetest of all and if Gods glory be that it will have the best relish on our thoughts this lay nearest to Hezekiah in his great sickness Isa 33. 18 18. His enquiry therefore was about his going to the house of the Lord 2 King 20. 8. 2. Do we contrive to glorify God by it Do we say in our selves if God shall grant this request of ours and save us out of this affliction shall we ever be able to pay him due thankfulness What manner of life shall we lead after it Wherein shall we make it to appear that we are truly grateful 3. Are we making ready our Songs of deliverance We are wont when we expect some great day to be providing before hand there is a preparation for Gods Salvation which becomes us and according as our faith is active in our supplications so will it be influential into our preparation and if it be that we may meet with God and give him his glory it is right USE II. Let it exhort and direct us in the right exercise of our faith on this account And we must take pains in it else we shall dishonour God and wrong our selves we are more forward to make our moan and cry hard when we are in the floods of trouble then we are in composing and elevating our songs of Deliverance We had need then to be roused up to this and the way to be râ—gâ—t in it when called for is to be laying in before hand For help 1. Are we entituled to Gods forgiveness We may with confidence believe that we shall be heard and delivered from all our troubles this priviledge belongs to every one of his favourites they may expect it and shall not be ashamed of their expectation God will act his liberty as to the time when and way wherein but the thing is secured 2. Let this faith then excite you to indite your Songs of deliverance For which end 1. Consult how to shew due thankfulness to God To which end meditate before hand of the greatness of the mercy of your former unsuitable entertainment of deliverances and your unworthiness of them and by such thoughts lay in matter of acknowledgment 2. Hence resolve to devote your selves more than â—ver to his Service Purpose by his help to be more watchful diligent chearful in his business that his honour shall be more dear to you and bind your selves to this 3. Let this put you upon it to glorify him in the present condition according to the exigence of it Right carriages with silence and humble submission under trouble will put us into the best posture to Sing to the Lord when we come out of it and the same faith that looks for salvation will influence our patience this will sweeten our present troubles it will profitably divert our â—inking ponderings and be a cordial against fainâ—ing he took this recipe Psal 56. 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee It will also make us ready for deliverance if God afford it us in this life it will graciously fit us for it and if he defers deliverance till we come to Glory it will help us to a chearful passage enable us to leave a Testimony behind us which shall be to his praise and others encouragement VERSE 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye The Text Opened VVE proceed to the fourth part of the Psalm directing the People of God what manner of lives they ought to lead if they would maintain the sense of their pardon blessedness or to shew the necessary connexion between faith and obedience between Justification and Sanctification Here 1. The Psalmist offers himself to teach us in our Duty verse 8. 2. He gives us caution to beware how we receive this teaching verse 9. 3. He shews the misery of the wicked and the happiness of the Godly in this regard ver 10. 1. He offers to teach and instruct us in our Dutâ— If it be enquired what person David bears in this place it may be replied we may either consider him as an Experienced Saint who had been a special instance of Gods great mercy who had heard him in his distress and sealed up his love to him which in token of gratitude he was desirous to impart to others for their benefit Or we may look upon him as a Penitent who had by his great fall dishonoured God and scandalized men and now after his recovery endeavours to do as much to win men to God as he had done to prejudice them at Religion and this he resolved to do Psal 51. 13. Or we may reckon him as a Prophet in Israel and so he accounted himself particularly engaged to promove the Salvation of others and in nothing was he better fitted for this than by being able to preach experiences to them It may also be observed whom the Psalmist directs himself to and some say that is directly to impenitent sinners but I rather suppose that he speaks both to Sinners and Saints The particular case laid down in the Psalm was of one that was truly Godly but had fallen under Guilt and suffered desertion and was now recovered and this affords profitable instruction both to the Godly and Wicked In the offer it self we may observe 1. That he applies it particularly Thee though all be concerned yet he addresseth every one as it were one by one 2. The earnestness of the offer in the vaâ—iation of the expressions urging the same thing 3. The subject matter about which he offen his help The way which thou shal go 4. The nature of the help offered in three things 1. I will instruct thee the word implies an application to the understanding to make it receive intelligence which must in end only his essaying it instrumentally 2. And teach thee the word signifies to point to or shâ—w a thing and a word from it signifies the Law because iâ— shews us our way 3. I will guide thee with mine eye Hebâ— â— will counsel thee mine eye being upon thee The word guide signifies to give counsel it is q d. I will be eyes to thee overlook thee as a Master doth his Scholar Hence Experienced Christians fittest to teach others DOCTRINE I. THE most experienced Christians are fittest â—â— teach others To prevent mistake in the matter Observe 1 That none can teach us effectually and savinglâ—â— but God He is said to teach men knowledge Psa 94. 10. There is beside a natural understanding which belongs to man as he is a man by which he can apprehend the notion of things rationally a spiritual illumination
bear wait and use endeavours and not be weary 2 Tim. 2. 10. USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence a reason why God usually exerciseth such as he will use for the good of others with many temptations When God hath designed to make men eminently serviceable he hath trained them up to it by more than ordinary trials thus it was with Moses Joseph David yea Christ himself It is not because he hath less respect for them than others but to prepare them for the better discharging such services When therefore you see any of Gods Servants thus dealt withal let it not prejudice you at them nor say surely they have given God some special provocation but think God is trying them as gold and expect something observable to be produced by it Jobs friends were thus mistaken in him nor let any of Gods Children be overwhelmed when they find sore temptations upon them say not that God regards you not but wait in hope it may be he hath some special service for you to do for the good of others that by your experience they may be profited 2. This tells us that it is a great mercy to have dequaintance with experienced Christians As God hath made man a sociable creature and we cannot live like men without communion one with another so of all men these are the most desirable and profitable for communion who are the most acquainted with the various dealings of the Spirit of God with them from vain men we can expect nothing by their fellowship but to learn of their ways which will harm us but from good men we may expect to be helped in the ways of God and none more fit to help and advise us than they who have much acquaintance with God and known his methods and dealings with his Children by such acquaintance we may if it be not our own fault get abundance of good and have cause to bless God for them for ever USE II. For EXHORTATION and that in three respects 1. Let Experienced Christians be communicative of their experiences Hath God given you to know much of his dealing with you in the great affairs of his Kingdom be willing to impart these things to others as there is occasion God hath not done this for you only for your selves but for others too Paul thought so 1 Tim. 1. 16. God hath herein given you a Talent which you ought not to hide in a Napkin what said Christ to him Mark 5. 19. We should indeed have a care that we do not shew our pride on this account by needlesly boasting of these things much less to think we may now usurp an Office of publick teaching but on the other hand we should be ready to afford all the help we can to others in our place let us visit those that are tempted as we have been tell them how it was with us and how we found God coming in to us and when they call for our help readily lend it remembring that when we use our experience for Gods glory and our neighbours profit we shall therein have much peace and comfort and others will have the occasion to bless God for us 2. Let tempted Christians be directed to make use of such in their distress It is too frequent for them that are hurried by Temptations to keep silence to go solitarily and shut up their grief in their own bosomes wherein they gratifie Satan and nourish their distemper God hath made man for mutual help we are not only to carry such cases to God but to take the advice and prayers of his people too and we are too apt if we do reveal our griefs to do it to such as are least fit to counsel us here we see who are fittest and let our prudence direct us to such if we have a bodily evil we go to such as are reputed Skilful let us do so on a spiritual account too None but God can deliver us but he hath made it our duty to use the means and the most likely are eligible here you are like to have your case best laid open and prescribed to here you are like to find the greatest pitty tenderness and faithfulness 3. Labour we all to get and maintain a due value for experimental preaching We are to covet the best gifts and seek skilful Teachers that can divide the Word aright and give every one their portion but there is a vast difference between two of these equally thus gifted one of them doth it by common art and skill and the other can set the seal of his experience to it that which comes from the heart is most likely to reach the heart God must make it do so or else an Isaiah may labour in vain however there is a blessing of God upon such persons and a greater likelihood of his blessing on their endeavours and an ear that is not itching but sanctified will find much difference between this man and the other such are most probable to search us to the quick will be most concerned for us most diligent with us and we shall have abundant reason to say that God is with them Let us pâ—ay for such Teachers and if we live under the Ministry of such let us prize them for their work sake and as we have in them a great advantage for our souls so if we despise and neglect to improve them aright our account another day will be the more terrible Particular Application the best way of teaching DOCTRINE II. THE best teaching is when particular application is made of the truths that are taught The Psalmist is not content to lay down the general Doctrine of Blessedness and confirm it with his own experience but proceeds to instruct men how they may come by it and offer them help to direct them and that particularly and personally Here are two Propositions Prop. 1. That for the profitable teaching of Gospel truths there must be application made of them And here we may consider the nature and the necessity of this application 1. Touching the nature of it it is properly a making use of these truths for helping a Christians practice But more particularly there are two general parts of teaching viz Doctrinal and Applicatory which are not to be confounded but put into due subordination The first is Doctrinal consisting in laying open the Truth so as the understanding may apprehend it and be made to give its assent to it we must have a conception and a conviction of it and this must go before application being to prepare for it and therefore to fall to application before the truth be explained and proved is to make confusion The second is Applicatory which takes the Truth so laid open and improves it for our benefit in the Service of God and this hath to do 1. With the practical understanding For besides that the understanding is to be used for discerning the Truth commended to us it is also to be improved
these are inâ—â—â—gated by reason and election How-often therefore are men called upon to Consider Psal 119 59. 39. 3. Isa 1. 3. 3. That which renders this Service pleasing to Gâ—â— is when it is done with cordial love to him and â—â—wayes Though God requireth an outward service and the neglect of it discovers our disobedience to him for if our heart were right it would prompt us to our duty yet this alone will not satisfy him as he knows the heart so he requires it Prov. â—â— 26. Outward services that proceed not from 〈◊〉 principle are Hypocritical hence that complaint Psal 78. 37. Ezek. 33. 31. Now obedience is therefore called love Gal. 5. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hence loving God and keeping of his Commandments 〈◊〉 an infeparable connexion Exod. 20. 6. And indeeâ— love is the closing Affection which carrieth us 〈◊〉 our object and uniteth us with it it saith that 〈◊〉 conceive an infinite amiableness and desirableâ—â—â— in him and his service and therefore we serve 〈◊〉 with delight 4. That men may be driven to this external serâ—â— by a principle of fear There is a two fold 〈◊〉 mentioned in the word of God one proceeds 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Adoption the other from a spirit of â—â—dage the former of these is a filial fear and â—â—â—perly belongs to the Children of God and is essential to new obedience that all Religion frequently called by it and it is proper to that 〈◊〉 we owe to God in as much as he is infinitely love us and the genuine love of an inferiour to superiour involves a fear in it viz. a reverential respect which makes us keep our distance and to be very cautious of doing ought that may displease thus Jacob called God the fear of his father 〈◊〉 Gen. 31. 53. The other fear ariseth from a â—â—â—vile Spirit under which all men in their natural 〈◊〉 are in bondage and though the Children of men do generally suppress it yet God when he â—â—â—aseth toucheth the Conscience and awakens it and then terrours sieze it and the man is horribly 〈◊〉 of the wrath of God And because in this â—â—â—viction he is made to know that his sins have â—â—â—sed him to this wrath and assured him that 〈◊〉 live in them they will bring him to destructiâ—â— it rouseth him up and sets him on doing duty and abstaining from sin but he doth not do this because he loveth obedience and hateth sin but â—â—â—â—use his Conscience terrifieth him he dareth â—â— no otherwise and how many such instances are 〈◊〉 Scripture Hence that remark Psal 78. 34. 5. That Unregenerate and carnal Professors have 〈◊〉 of this love in them and are therefore acted by 〈◊〉 fear To love God and to make a free choise 〈◊〉 his service is a fruit of special saving Grace 〈◊〉 found in none but the Regenerate There is a 〈◊〉 love which men are sometimes for a fit stiâ—â—â—ated by viz. When God hath remarkably devered them from some great trouble they are for while affected with it and very zealous but it is soon over and they grow cold or they Idoliâ—â— the mercy and forget the author but this fear â—â— the root of the carnal mans Obedience Isa 33 â—â— Most Hypocrites have an â—wakened Conscience and a legal spirit attending it which drives theâ— to duty as a drudgery and keeps them to it as â—â— severe master Conscience tells the man there â—â— hell and damnation or there are terrible Juâ—â—â—ments c. and thus like a dog he dares not 〈◊〉 upon the thing that he would â—ain be at lest â—â— should be beaten for it And indeed by this 〈◊〉 God holds the command of mens Consciences and by it he in a great measure governeth the world and restrains the unruly lusts of men from breâ—â—ing forth into that height of exorbitancy which otherwise they would soon rush into iâ— left withâ—â—â— any bridle upon them whose heart is set in them to â—â— evil and would carry them to the height that the greatest monsters of men ever arrived at 6. That there is a mixture of these in Gods 〈◊〉 Children and their love is not always so powerful 〈◊〉 so they are sometimes exposed to this fear What â—â— remarked in 1 Joh. 4 18. is not accomplished â—â— this life perfect love casteth out fear The 〈◊〉 have sinful corruption remaining in them thâ—â— sometimes so prevalent that it suppresseth the â—â—gorous exercise of Grace and they are led captive â—â— the law in their members and as God makes use â—â— the Spirit of bondage in the Conversion of his â—â—lect so sometimes he awakens it in believers whâ—â— they grow remiss in their obedience for thougâ— they do not receive it again yet it not being whoâ—â— taken away it is sometimes roused in them They â—â—ve a rooted love of God but the exercise is â—â—â—ped by sinful temptations and God terrifies â—â—em and makes his judgments to amaze them Psal 119 120. Job 31 23. How often doth David â—â—â—â—lain of terrours that affright him of arroâ—◠〈◊〉 stick in him and drink up his spirits But there â—â—â—â—â—erence between that in the Children of God 〈◊〉 in unregenerate men in these they proceed â—â— further rise no higher whereas in those they 〈◊〉 to awaken their love again and revive their 〈◊〉 these fears help forward their Repentance 〈◊〉 This fear hath a force in it and will carry men â—â— forther than it drives them There is a vast disâ—â—nce between the motives that arise from this 〈◊〉 and those that proceed from love There is â—â—eet attractive in love because it naturally craâ—â—â— union with its object which carrieth it forth 〈◊〉 great spontaneity Love would always be 〈◊〉 and please it s beloved Whereas there is more of compulsion in fear though it also works 〈◊〉 the man and puts him on a choise yet it is not â—â—â—olute but hypothetical In a word love seeth an â—â—â—â—ableness a desirableness in the Service of God 〈◊〉 it is in it self good and pleasant and preferaâ—â—â—â— Psal 19. 10. Whereas fear alone doth not take â—â—ay that natural aversness that is in us to obeâ—â—â—nce it alters not our false principles but we still 〈◊〉 good evil only it makes us apprehend the danâ—â—â— arising from the threatning which we count â—â—reasonable but because we cannot otherwise avoid the threatned misery we chuse rather to abstain from such sins and practice such duties thaâ— suffer what is denounced Hence it is an unâ—â—â—ling willingness that is produced our obediencâ—â—â— like the service of a slave who must do what he â—â— bidden but it is a burden to him Mal. 1. 13. 8. That severe providences are used by God to quicâ—â—â—â—â— this fear in men As the promises are of use to â—â—cite love so the threatnings to stir up fear 〈◊〉 the hardness of mens hearts maketh them to â—â—â—pise threatnings God therefore executeth thâ—◠〈◊〉 so to make men afraid Now to these belong 〈◊〉 awful judgments which men in this life are exâ—â—â—â—â—ed to
Hence when Gods people have declined in their obedience and would not receive counâ—â—â— God hath brought some fearful calamity 〈◊〉 them and this was to let them see that the thâ—â—â—â—nings were not meer scare crows but realities 〈◊〉 that so the terrours of the Lord might frighten 〈◊〉 into better manners and put them upon reforâ—â—tion and this God expected and threatned 〈◊〉 pursue that course till it came to this Levit. 26. â—â— 9. That when God recalls such providences and â—â—â—eth them prosperity again they soon fall from their â—â—â—dience Prosperity hath ever been dangerous to â—â—sound professors See Deut. 32. 15. Hence 〈◊〉 Apostasy under Gods favours hath procured 〈◊〉 their trouble and now in their distress they 〈◊〉 think themselves of a reformation Judg. 10. â—â— Now God pities them and sends them deliveranâ—â— But here is their unhappiness it was only fear 〈◊〉 drave them to reform and now this fear wears way and they forget their promises and turn agaiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 their former vain courses in which they delightâ—â— and their fear did not break them off cordially â—â—om hence that remark Judg. 2. 18 19. 〈◊〉 10. And by this God is put upon it to afflict them afresh and lay a yoke of trouble upon them How often 〈◊〉 such changes in providence befall the Children 〈◊〉 Israel because when God enlarged them they â—â—â—â—rned to their vomit and mire and then God â—â—ovided new troubles to exercise them withal â—sal 78. 40. c. 106. 43. Now when it is thus 〈◊〉 a professing people we may gather two inâ—â—rences from it 1. It saith at least that there is a great power of inâ—â—â—â—lling sin in them This is the best interpretation 〈◊〉 can be put on it Gods own Children are â—â—â—ldren here and very foolish and too ready to 〈◊〉 drawn into sin and neglect and for that reason 〈◊〉 often stand in need of being treated as Child 〈◊〉 and want a rod to awe them We are thereâ—â—â—â— told that there is need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. But it â—â—â—â—eth them this conviction to humble them viz. 〈◊〉 their worser part greatly prevails in them 〈◊〉 whenever we are afflicted by God it should 〈◊〉 us in mind of this 2. There are too often in this dangerous symptoms of 〈◊〉 being Unregenerate There is great reason for â—â—â—m to call their state into question Especially 〈◊〉 1. If it be so alwayes that they never keep to â—â—â—ir work but when they are under the rod if â—â—ey be not always held in with bit and bridle they will revolt and as soon as ever they feel the reigns 〈◊〉 their neck they run away There are the obligations of mercy and kindness which will leave impressions on gracious Souls and be influential to animate them to Obedience as Psal 116. 12. And if nothing will do but affliction it is a sign of a slawish heart 2. If it be to a course of presumptuous sins The best have their infirmities but if they be scandalous breaches of the Command that we had before lived in and been by affliction for a while restrained from but now return to with as much eagerness as ever it bespeaks us altogether flesh Suppose a man hath lived in the neglect of Gods Worship or been addicted to Drunkenness but affliction hath convinced him and he hath began to reform these things if upon deliverance he returns to these things again and grows as bad as ever it awfully bespeaks such an one to be in the gall of bitterness USE I. For INFORMATION in two particulars 1. Learn hence a reason why a Professing People meet with so many Judicial Providences We 〈◊〉 apt to wonder how it comes but let us observe 1. Very often the bigger part of such a people are â—â—rnal It is our Saviours remark Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few chosen And see Rom. 2. 28 9. 5. The Visible Church are a mixt Company and as there are always some so often more tares than wheat growing in that field they take on them the name but have not the heart oâ— Gods people Sin hath dominion in them and 〈◊〉 them seem never so zealous yet it will be ever inclining them to Apostasy 2. The best among them are too much carnal Though not altogether flesh yet they carry too much flesh about them the Children of God have a rebellious party in them Paul complains of it Rom. 7. 23 24. And this corruption in them is unruly and too hard for them which occasionâ—th their growing into spiritual indispositions which are attended with neglect of duty and sometimes woful â—â—â—â—arications 3 Hence they cannot be long without affliction A long continued state of prosperity would do them 〈◊〉 the corruption in them will take advantage â—â— draw them into carnal security and sinful deâ—â—â—â—â—res from God Let ungodly men have their 〈◊〉 desire and they will abuse it and Gods Children cannot bear too much dandling in the lap of Providence if Davids mountain stand strong â—â— grows careless Psal 30. 5. Such a people therefore would gather abundance of filth to themselves as the Sea doth in a calm 4. Hence God is righteous when he afflicteth such a people There is no injustice at all in it see how â—he promise runs Psal 103. 17 18. And no wonder if a fool often feels a rod upon his back if men will return to their foolishness as soon as they come from under correction it is their own fault â—â—d they may blame themselves for it that they â—re brought to it again presently God herein vindicates his Holiness and makes it appear how ill he can endure sin Let it not then be thought strange if they who are so ready to turn asideâ— are laid under straitness again 5. And he is also kind in it to his Children Noâ— only is he just but merciful too a father is aâ— kind in giving his Child seasonable correction aâ— in giving him his daily food It belongs to hiâ— Covenant Heb. 12. 6. And his faithfulness is tâ— be celebrated in it Psal 119. 75. It is the way iâ— which he shews them their folly and teacheâ—â— them wisdom and Godly men have abundâ—ntâ— reason to say that it was in love to their Soâ—â— that he would not suffer them to ruine themselves 1. Cor. 11. 32. 2. Hence then to what a degree of brutishnessâ—â— they grown who will not be reclaimed by sevirity The horse the mule though bâ—uits may be boâ—â—â— and brought to with pains used upon them â—â— to be governed with a bit and a bridle neeâ— then must they be under a character of greater brutishness whom neither mercies will melt â—â— judgments break but they go on in their eviâ— ways after all and are there not many that are grown Judgment proof and beyond the efficaâ—â— of continued smitings as they Isa 1. 5. Hosâ— 4â— 17. Jer. 2. 30. And herein carry in them the very character of fools according to Prov. 27. 22 USE II. Let this then
put us upon trying â—â— selves God hath been visiting this people witâ— repeated Judgments and many in particular havâ— been afflicted again and again Let us then exaâ—mine our selves by the truth in hand and herâ— observe 1. The best of Gods Children may be under affliction when they walk most in their integrity What an account doth that Holy man Heman give of himself Psal 88. It is not a certain argument of a mans being apostatized meerly because he is â—â—cted God 〈◊〉 Soveraign and they must consels him to be so Joh 42. 2. He hath many ways wherein he will be glorified in his people in the â—â—yal of their graces and if when they walk in their integrity they are brought into many sorrows â—or the exercise of their faith patience c. and he affords them his Spirit to help them in it he thereby honours them and they have cause to reâ—â—â— in tribulation 2. But such times do call Gods people to search and â—ry themselves We should acquaint our selves with the reason why God afflicts us how else â—â—all we obtain the end and benefit of it Now usually this is the occasion viz. We grow remiss and wanton and negligent of our selves and God in displeasure brings us into trouble and it â— he this it calls us to Repentance and if we would be able rightly to judge of this we must observe our frame and carriage and that 1. Under the afflictions that we suffer It may be God afflicts us and we are proud and disconâ—ent fret and pine and do not so much as make search for the provocations given him and yet â—e in pitty gives us some respite but then he soon brings another cloud over us here is enough to tell us how it is Our folly remains our dross abides and calls for another furnace 2. After the affliction or under deliverances It may be we confessed our sins promised amendmentâ— and began to attempt it prayed for pity and God hath tried us but now another troublâ— is on us Well did we not do as Pharaoh when â—â— saw there was respite Exod. 8. 15. Let this then instruct us and humble us and make us to Justifie God USE III. Let it be to exhort us that we do noâ—â— put God upon this course Force him not to proceed against us in severity Consider 1. There is a way which is more suited to maâ— I mean which mans frame points him to Maâ— is made a reasonable Creature and ought to hearken to reason why should he forsake that anâ— carry himself like an Horse God pleads Isa â—â— 8. And God shews us the way in his Word anâ— Ordinances 2. This is the way to escape rods God calls thâ— severe course his strange work Isa 28. 21. Nâ—â— meâ—rly because he is a God of mercy and deâ—lighteth not to grieve us but because it is â—â— strange thing that we should put him upon it so that if we would comply with his counsels we might prevent blows 3. It is the way also to be more clear in the knowledge of our good estate The free Obedience oâ— Gods people saith that they are his indeed Psal 110. 3. Whereas our being obedient no longeâ— than we are driven to it must needs give us awâ—ful grounds to call our selves in question Anâ— for help 1. Labour to get the love of God established in our â—â—arts The Apostle could say The love of Christ â—instrains us 2 Cor. 5. 14. And were this active â— it would do more on us than all the beatings that we feel this would make us never well but when we are engaging in his work 2. Study the amiableness of his Service It is always some prejudice entertained at the wayes of God that makes us inconstant in our Obedience and this is the suggestion of the flesh would we be able experimentally to say with him Psal 19. 7 8 9 10. It would knit our hearts to it Did we believe that Wisdoms ways are ways of pleasancy and all her paths peace Prov. 3. 16. It would hind us to them of choice and we should never be well but when exercised in them 3. Labour to taste the sweetness of Obedience and the peace there is in it Psal 119. 165. Every sin leaves a sting behind it on the Conscience but the fear of God gives inward peace and a Child of God is never so comfortable of it as when his heart bears witness to his integrity 2 Cor. 1. 12. Get a freedom in our hearts to this forced Service is always ungrateful but that which is on free choice must needs be delectable VERSE 10. Many Sorrows shall be to the Wicked but he that â—rusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about 〈◊〉 The Words Opened IN these words the Psalmist backs his caution or direction with motives and that is fetcht from a double Topick viz. The infelicity which waits on the disobedient and the great felicity which waits on those that hearken to God Where observe 1. The Character he gives to each of them the former he brands with the title of Wicked The words signifies one that is unquiet in himself and always disturbing of others and is used for one that is under the Guilt and Dominion of Sin the latter he calls those that trust in the Lord therein pointing us to the root of Obedience the word implies such a confidence as makes one hold and to pursue ones work with greatest resolution 2. The different state or condition of these answerable to their Character viz. 1. The misery that waits on Wicked men Many Sorrows Sorrows the word is applied to griefs both of body and mind and signifies the intenseness of them many the word is applied both to quantity and quality and signifies both magnitude and multitude and may be read many and great 2. The felicity of the Believer mercy shall compass him about Here observe 1. What it is that makes him happy Mercy it is here put Metonimically for the fruits or effects of mercy The word signifieth a sacred affection â—â—â—uty pity benignity or good will without any â—â—â— spect to merit 2. The large extent of this mercy it shall composs him round sometimes it signifieth a successive compassing a thing and so the mercy of God is always walking the rounds about a believer to see â—â—at he wants confer it upon him sometimes the compassing a thing at once and then it saith that mercy is a guard to the believer and he goâ—â— through the world in the midst of it Hence 〈◊〉 Untractableness under means a character of a wicked man DOCTRINE I. UNtractableness under the means belongs to the Character of wicked men Those whom before he compared to the horse and mule here he calls the wicked This Doctrine is not so to be understood as if every act of contumacy did declare a man to be really wicked i. e. Unregenerate There have been such unhappy instances in the particular carriage of those that have the
as that is And for help here 1. Is your Obedience weak Let it put you upon endeavour to strengthen your faith If you find duty hard at any time you shall find upon due enquiry that it is occasioned by the languishing of your faith What made the Israelites that they would not hear Moses Exod. 6. 9. but this What made Abraham so readily to go about offering of his Son Heb. 11. 17. but his faith the impossibility of duty which we at any time conceive is because faith hath not its full activity for faith rightly exercised will do wonders this was the reason why the Disciples could not cast out that Devil Mark 9. 23. If when we look on our own impotency we think it vain to attempt we look off to the Grace of Christ and the firmness of the promise engaged for our aid this would make it easy we should engage chearfully 2. Are you discouraged in your way by Temptations 〈◊〉 ply faith You would do duty but you find Satan resisting you you find a body of death withstanding there are allurements and frights set before you and you are ready to be mastered by them now set faith on work by that discover that there are more for you than against you if the troubles of the way begin to sink you look on to the recompence of reward and believe it to be and to be as glorious as the Word of God hath represented it this helped Moses Heb. 11. 26 27. This kept Paul from fainting 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. 3. Would you do any thing well be sure to fetch in faith for your assistance Trust not to your own grace rely not on your own present dispositions think not to go through in your own strength when you find your selves never so much raised in your thoughts but remember you must be helped from on high reject then all reliance upon any but Christ and accordingly let faith stir up prayer in you and drive you with importunity to the Throne of Grace to fetch assistance from him he hath told you Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Keep your eye then upon him in every step you take and take it not off for one moment so shall you be assisted without fail 4. Would you hold on to the end in your Obedience Keep an eye of faith fixt upon the promise and on God through Christ whose the promises are Heb. 12. 2. You are like to be encountred with many trials in this life and whiles you are sincerely serving of God the face of Providence may have such an aspect on it as looks as if it were rather putting a bar in to prevent the fulfilment of the promises and mean while the difficulties in the way will appear hard to bear and now nothing can support you in your resolution and perseverance but the expectation of the accomplishment of the good engaged and the sufficiency in it to compensate all When God had promised Canaan to Abraham he advised him Gen. 13. 17. Arise walk through the Land in the length breadth of it so do you and then remember that Christ is the Surety for the accomplishment and that God himself who hath made the promises cannot fail of his good word nor can his wisdom or power be defeated and whiles your faith holds here what is there that should shake your Obedience The Rewards of Obedience fruits of meer mercy DOCTRINE IV. ALl the rewards of Obedience that are bestowed on believers are the fruits of meer mercy Let a man believe never so strongly and exercise this faith in the Service of God never so fervently yet if God accept and reward him it must be acknowledged to no other fountain but his mercy Here then we may enquire 1. What is the mercy of God here intended A. There are two words most frequently used In the Scriptures to set out the kindness of God which he expresseth to sinful man viz. his Mercy and his Grace Now the conceptions which we entertain of these two Attributes are divers Mercy is conceived to be an inclination to afford succour to those that are miserable and hence it hath a respect to the misery of the Subject Grace is a disposition to bestow a favour freely whether the Subject on whom it is bestowed be miserable or no. So that man in his state of integrity was capable of partaking in Grace from God doubtless there was Grace in the First Covenant wherein God transacted with man Whereas man was not a subject for the application of merey strictly taken till by his fall he had made himself miserable and so an object needing pity and compassion to be shewn him But the Spirit of God useth these two words often promiscuously one for the other or each comprehending both under it and the reason is because fallen man being become miserable there must be mercy mixing in all the Grace that is extended to him which reacheth to all the benefits he partaketh in for being a relief to him in his misery they are mercy and being without his deserving who hath by sin forfeited all they must needs therefore be of Grace and in this large comprehensive sense we are to understand Mercy in our Text. We observed that the word signifieth a sacred affection of piety pity without any regard to the merit of the Subject that partakes in it Now there is a twofold mercy that is ascribed to God in his Word a Common Mercy which he extends to good and bad expresse◠in all the favours which mankind in general are made to share in whom sin had made miserable by exposing them to all the Curses written who had forfeited their lives and all the supports of them and hitherto belongs all that goodness which men partake in in their preservation and the provision made for them and the delight they find in these things all which are fruits of Gods meer benignity and compassion and of this wicked men and his greatest enemies have as large 〈◊〉 share as any and there is a special mercy of God which he extends only to his Elect whom he hath chosen in Christ unto Salvation and accordingly bestows on them such benefits as he vouchsaves to no other in the world but them and we therefore call them special both because they are restrained to these Subjects and also because they are the fruits of his everlasting love which he bare to them before the world was and the displays of it to them in the Works of Efficiency and this is the mercy we have under our present consideration concerning which mercy we may observe both the benefits that belong to it and the mercy discovered in them 1. Touching the benefits that belong to it they are all those things which are by the Spirit of God made servicable to the bringing them to and possessing them of eternal Salvation And here let us observe 1. There are those benefits whereby they are brought into
the New Covenant and entituled to Salvation These are the first special fruits of Election breaking 〈◊〉 in Effectual Vocation Rom. 8. 29. And hitherto â—ong those great works of Faith and Repentance which are wrought in them by the Spirit of God by which they are made to turn from sin to God â—nd from all other trust to rely upon Christ alone according to the terms of the Gospel and these are accompanied with Justification and Adoption by which they are discharged from Condemnation and entituled to life and made heirs of God and coâ—rs with Christ and so have a right to all the good â—id up in the promise and these are not not common favours 2 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise c. 2. There are also those benefits which are bestowed on them after they are brought home to Christ and engaged â—he new Covenant which contain all the good that is 〈◊〉 up in the promise made to them that love God and 〈◊〉 in his Son Jesus Christ and those are specially the Sanctification of the Spirit enabling them to serve and glorify God in their generation the preserving them in a state of grace to perseverance the perfecting of all their graces in them and the â—inging them at length into and possessing them for ever of the Kingdom of Glory comprehended summarily in Psal 84. 11. 3. And there are also the saving operations of common providence by which they are made special mercies to them Those things which they have in the ordinary course of providence and are to wicked men but common mercies and do in their operation tend to their hurt are sanctified to the Children of God so as to be servicable to farther their Salvation Those things that are a Snare to ungodly men and abused by them to dishonour God are helps to their Obedience and they glorify God with them 1 Cor 10. 31. They make them to study gratitude Psal 116. 12. Yea and Afflictions too which are to the wicked the beginnings of sorrows are the happy means to do these great good Psal 119. 71. Isa 27. 9. The means of Grace which are to others a Savour of Death are to them a Savour of Life c. 2. As to the mercy that is discovered in these benefits we may observe it in these things 1. The Creature which is the subject of them is in it self miserable for so had the fall of man made the whole race to be in as much as they were involved in Guilt and a Curse which contained all miseries in it Read the description given of a natural man Rom. 3 10 c. and the doom that is fallen upon him Chap. 5 12. And what a forlorn wretched Creature must we conclude him to be and by this he is a subject capable of mercy 2. The miserable Creature receives inexpressible kindness by these benefits His misery is relieved in it yea and remedied and finally removed by it Common favours give a present relief but these make him of miserable to become happy they take of the guilt and so remove the Curse that was lying upon him and confer on him that which fills him with satisfaction and crowns him with endless felicity hence blessedness is pronounced on all believers Psal 2. 12. 3. And all these flow from the fountain of his freâ— benignity There is no merit of the Creature in it the best of men is less than the least of all mercies Ge◠〈◊〉 They deserve the quite contrary Dan. 9. 8 9. They do nothing for them have nothing to proâ—re them withal are no better than those that go without them God bestows them on them for his 〈◊〉 name sake And when these things meet together what is done for them must needs be called mercy 2. Wherein it appears that all the rewards of Obedience are fruits of this mercy A. We may come at it in the following considerations 1. There is a reward promised to the Obedience of 〈◊〉 Children There are not only great and preâ—ous promises made in the Gospel to the people of God but there are the things mentioned to which they are connected and these are proposed 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God for their encouragment in â—ing him God would have them to know that they serve a good Master and would have them to animate themselves by the contemplation and faith thereof Thus did Moses by respecting the recompensa of reward Heb 11. 26. Hence such encouragements Gal. 6. 9. Isa 3 19. Rom. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. ult 2 Hence their faithful Obedience is the way to receive â—he reward God hath not only told his people what he will do for them but how they are to expect to come by it for the Gospel promises are Covenant promises nay we shall find the connexion so strong that there are awful threatnings against such as neglect to seek to enjoy these benefits in the way prescribed we read Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after he flesh ye shall dy This is not to be understood as 〈◊〉 the Children of God should be left to fall from the promise but to let them know that God hath appointed the means in order to the end and thereby to nourish in them awful fear and quicken them to duty 3. This notwithstanding the reward is every way of mercy It is a great error from the notion of a reward to infer a merit in the person that receives it There is a reward of Grace as well as of Debt and is dayly exemplified among men A father bestows a favour on his Child in testimony of his accepting his fidelity in chearfully doing that which was his duty now that all the rewards which God bestows on his faithful people are fruits of meer mercy is evident for 1. The subjects of them are such as were miserable in their natural state and so stood in need of mercy to relieve them They were every whit as miserable in themselves as those that goe without them and this God would have his people to bear in mind and often reflect on to put the greater value upon his kindness Paul would have them to reflect hither Eph. 2. 2 3. ver 12. And he puts himself together with others in declaring how it was with them before Tit. 3 3 4. 2. It is by these rewards that they are made actually to partake in freedom from that misery and enjoy true felicity This is the very nature of them for all the good that is laid up in the promises is herein contained and that consists in a freeing them from those evils which the Curse of God laid upon them and an enjoyment of that peace grace and happiness which is purchased by Christ the whole of it is summed up in Salvation in which there is something that we are saved from and something that we are made to possess hence Salvation is so often mentioned in the Gospel as the portion of the faithful is the greatest mercy the undone creatures can
partake of 3. It is free grace that they come to receive this reward There can be no merit in it and this will appear if we consider 1. It is mercy that gave them power to obey They were as rebellious and impotent by nature as others they had no power of their own Rom. 5. 6. If God had not Created them to good works Eph. 2. 10. They had not been capable of doing one they were dead and he quickened them Eph. 2. 1. They were made new creatures before they could Serve him in newness of life and they no more deserved this than others nor had they a better inclination 2. It is mercy that proposed such a reward to Obedience The Creature ows it self entirely to God 〈◊〉 he owed it nothing but what he pleased freely to oblige himself in unto it the Creature was liable to damnation for disobedience but could not deserve Salvation for Obedience hence the Obedience of Gods Children is not the cause of but only the way to the reward this being that which Christ hath purchased for his people on whose account it is bestowed on them 3. It is mercy that helps them in their Obedience Not only doth it bestow a new principle on them but supplies them with fresh strength for the performance of every new act so as to do it acceptably Joh 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. So that if at any time he withdraws his influence of assistance from us we are aâ— a stand and cannot go forward he worketh our works in us and for us 4. It is of mercy that they are kept in Obedience Not only is there a corrupt nature remaining in them but it is able when God suffers it to Captivate them Rom. 7. 23. The Grace in them from whence their Obedience flows is maintained by him else it would dy It is indeed called an immortal seed because it shall never dy because he keeps it alive supports defends revives it 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Obliquities which the Children of God sometimes turn aside to say what they would soon be at if God did not preserve them and did he not pity them there is provocation enough in every such fall for him to leave them 5. The best Service they perform needs mercy to accept it The best will not bear a Law trial Psal 130. 3. There is dung in all their Sacrifices 〈◊〉 mixing with their most holy actions which iâ— God did not in pity over look would procurâ— them a rejection their sincerity finds acceptance and that is attended with such short comings thaâ— were there not the Incense of Christ to perfumâ— their duties they would be unsavoury to himâ— the sensible Christian sees enough in it to dislikâ— himself for it What then but mercy can receivâ— it with a Testimony of approbation 6. They owe to God far better Service than thâ— either do or can perform Could they Serve him 〈◊〉 perfectly as man was able to do in his state of integrity it was no more than his due Luk. 17. 10. Surely then the best that imperfect believers perform who have that in them which hinders their doing the good they would must come incomparably short of what is their duty if then for all this it be rewarded by God he therein shews his rich mercy to us 7. There is no proportion between the reward and the Obedience The Service done is so little and the reward given so great that in it self it bespeaks the rich Grace of God 〈◊〉 that he bestows it freely a Crown a Kingdom an Eternal weight of Glory the Apostle speaking of Afflictions in which we Serve God by patience so compares them 2 Cor. 4. 17. A cup of cold water is recompensed with Everlasting Life what a disproportion a few moments serving God crowned with endless joys how superlative surely it is wondrous bounty that confers this USE I. For Caution Let us beware of arguing from hence that there is no need of our Obedience Proud men cast off the Service of God unless they may merit by it It is a great delusion for men to â—hink that if all be of mercy it is all one whether we obey God or neglect to do so We are injuâ—iously charged for discouraging men from good works by asserting that their whole Salvation must be of mercy and that we open a door to â—centiousness but we are assured that Grace saâ—ngly applied teacheth a contrary lesson Tit. 2. 11 12. It is the wickedness of mens hearts that saith let us sin that grace may abound Let us theâ— consider the same mercy that hath provided Salvation for Sinners hath also laid out the way in which we are to come by it so that though 〈◊〉 God prevents the opportunity of our so expressing our love to him in faithfully Serving him as he doth in such as dy in Infancy and cannot prosesâ— their faith his mercy is not hereby impeded yet where he affords the opportunity and men neglect it promising themselves to obtain the rewards of glory though they livâ— their sin they will find themselves to their cost reckoned with the Workers of Iniquity and despisers of mercy Let noâ— Gods mercy nourish in us a neglect of but 〈◊〉 in us a greater zeal in his Service Such are thâ— Redeemed of Christ Tit. 2. 14. USE II. This truth may serve to stigmatize thâ— Doctrine of mans merit Yea let it serve to rooâ— out the very secret opinion of it There is toâ— natural to us a pride on this account though wâ— do not openly profess but reject the Doctrine How impossible is it that a person should receive a reward of mercy and yet for his own merits thâ— is a manifest contradiction We do not here deny Christ's merits for indeed all the benefits we receive from God are bought and paid for by himâ— Salvation is called the purchased possession Eph. 1. 1â— But Christ merited all for us that he might bestoâ— it freely upon us and we must come so for it Iâ— 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. And how should it be possibâ— that they should merit any thing of God by their Obedience whose very Obedience is a fruit of grace and all the power and help to do it is a gift and the Obedience it self a due debt which God may challenge of us whether he gives us strength or no. Let us then entertain a due abhorrence of that which is so directly repugnant to the design of Salvation that is laid in the New-Covenant USE III. Let it advise us to beware what improvement we make of our Obedience in the exercise of faith in prayer There is a great deal of danger of misapplication here and Gods Children are too often guilty of it for help then observe 1. We may fetch much of our evidence and encouragement from our Obedience if it be right Faith works by love True Obedience is a fruit of saving â—th and will be a witness of it so assure us that we are entituled
to the Covenant the promises of it which must needs fortify our faith when we come to ask mercy of God Besides there are promises made to this uprightness careful Serving of God so that by this we may know that we are in the way of receiving the reward which may encourage us to ask believingly Psal 18. 20. 2. And we may make mention of it to God and plead it when we come to him in prayer and seek any mercy at his hand There is a proud mentioning of it which we are to avoid but there is a humble telling him of it which his Servants have been wont to thus Hezekiah Isa 38. 3. And thus that good man once and again begs of God a remembrance of what he had done for his House Neh. 13. 14 22 31. 3 But we must for all this fly to the mercy of God as the fountain of all the good we hope for and ask of him We must not mention it as that which makes us any whit the more to deserve the good we seek of him we must not carry it to him as the price or purchase of these favours so that though we claim the promise made to it yet we still acknowledge it to be a promise of Grace and the reward none of our earnings so he Neh. 13. 22. 4. Hence we must not think our selves wronged if God withold from us the favours we request If we had no such works we should say if I ask and God grant it is meer kindness and if he deny he cannot wrong me now if any thing that we have done abate from this frame and make us more impeâ—ious in our demands or impatient in his denials or delays it saith that we put too high a value on our Obedience and so dishonour the free mercy of God Let us then beware of this and for that end 1. Remember that you owe God for all the Grace 〈◊〉 Strength by which you were helped to do these duties You did them but not of your selves you could do nothing but sin and dishonour God if he had not put his Spirit in you you had never Served him if he had not come in with his strength you had done nothing of this if then he accepts of this he accepts his own Grace and this should keep you humble One would think it a noble act of Gods people so liberally to contribute to the building of the Temple but see how David animadverts upon it 1 Chron. 29. 13 14. 2. That these very acts of Obedience are maimed â—ame things Look on them again compare them with the Rule and that perfection which is the measure of our conformity prescribed in the word of God and you shall find so much deficiency in them that it will make your plumes fall and in stead of being proud you will be ashamed of your selves confessing all to be Rags and this will make you so far from being discontented that they are not that you will wonder that they should ever be accepted and help you to ascribe all the returns of your prayers not to your Obedience but to his rich Grace USE IV. This may also serve to support the Godly under the sense of the imperfection of their Obedience and their fear lest it should not be accepted Here then 1. Remember it is mercy you have to do with David comforts himself with this Psal 130. 3 4. You are not under the rigour of the Covenant of works where every defect incurs the Curse but the Covenant of Grace in which God is pleased to make known the riches of his Grace and hence his Children are encouraged to hope in it under the deepest sense of their own infirmities 2. Know it that this mercy accepts of sincerity and covers imperfections in the Children of God If there be truth in the inward parts God hath a respect to it Paul comforts himself in this 2 Cor. 1. 12. And yet how doth he else where complain of his deficiency Rom. 7. If your hearts are upright you have the evidence of your being accepted and he who accepts of you will pity your infirmity Matt. 26. 40. 41. 3. It is mercy that helps you to be sincere 1 Cor. 7. 25. Though God hath not bestowed on you a legal perfection because he will have you entirely depend on his free Grace for your whole Salvation yet he hath put a principle of integrity into you you had nothing but falshood and deceit in you by nature and it being his own Grace thus bestowed on you he will look on it with a propitious eye and you owe him all thanks for it and should pray as he Psal 25. 21. Let uprightness and integrity preserve me 4. Hence if you rely on this mercy you need not to be afraid The reason why the Children of God are terrified about this is because they so much rely on the Obedience it self whereas while we alone depend on the rich Grace of God the testimony of our sincerity will be a good support under the most humbling sense of our infirmity because hereby we know that God accepts us and will magnify his mercy towards us by taking occasion from our infirmities to commend his love to us in accepting of us through Jesus Christ Every true believer is compassed with mercy DOCTRINE V. EVery true believer is compassed about with the mercy of God We now come to take notice of the greatness of that mercy which is entailed upon him The Antithesis is observable he had said the Sorrows of the wicked are great and many yet for the present they enjoy much mixture of mercy 〈◊〉 he doth not say great and many are the mercies of the Godly but they compass him about q. d. There is nothing but mercy that he shares in several things may here be enquired into 1. What mercy it is that compasseth them A. It was observed under the former Doctrine that Mercy is of two sorts Common and Special the former are called common because good and bad indifferently share in them Matth. 5. 45. Godly men therefore have their share in these so far as infinite wisdom sees convenient God will not beâ—tch to his friends that which he can afford to 〈◊〉 enemies he will not deny that to a Child if he needs it which he gives to a Stranger they are also called common because they are ordinary inferiour things compared with the other and so Godly men may well cxpect that he will not deny to favour them therewithal as they have occasion for them he who counts it not too much to bestow the greatest cannot withold the least if they want them Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his Son c. Common also they are called from the principle whence they proceed there is a Common Benevolence which we ascribe to God who in the day of his forbearance allows such things to the vilest of men though still they are the hated of the Lord but
by this our Saviour encourageth us to rely on God Mat. 6. 25. 2. It sanctifieth every thing to them for their saving advantage It gives the operation of all Ordinances and Providences to contribute to their fartherance to eternal life it makes all to turn to their account if they be in prosperity or adversity if they be full or in want if they enjoy the light of Gods countenance or walk in the dark all shall be managed so as to promove their salvation it shall not hinder but help them to their crown Rom. 8. 28. Phil. 1. 19. 6. They stand in need of this defence and succour as long as they live and this mercy never fails them in it There is no time wherein it withdraws its influence Sometimes indeed they are not so apprehensive of it for want of skill in judging things but it is always so The Psalmist settled here after much shaking Psal 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by Counsel c. and follow every providence to the end and they shall find peace there Psal 37. 37. This mercy guards them through all changes of time and ceaseth not till it hath freed them from all trouble and settled them in Eternal rest 3. What security they have for it A. The Apostle tells us of two immutable things on which this is grounded Heb. 6 17 18. And these are 1. The firm and unchangeable purpose of God He hath from Eternity Ordained them to this mercy and this Counsel of his must stand yea he hath promised it for them before the world was Tit. 1. 2. which was done in the Eternal compact Now in this purpose of his he contrived the way of bringing them to felicity and this was so laid out as might illustrate the Riches of mercy in the subjects of it And this purpose must stand for he is not a God of change But the thoughts of his heart â—fixt and immutable Jam. 1. 17. he had nothing to oblige him to this purpose but his own meer pleasure Nor can the sin of the Creature alter this purpose for he designed to Glorify his Name by the Creatures unworthiness and because God hath appointed them to be the monuments of his mercy in whom it is to shine forth Eternally this mercy of his cannot ly still or cease to be working for them because without it they could never reach the Glory Ordained for them mercy therefore must do all of this and the security of this is sufficient against all Temptations that can offer to discourage the Child of God in his way since the power and policy of Death and Hell cannot force an alteration of this purpose or hinder the execution of it Rom. 8. 38 39. 2. The unrepentable promise that is made to them of it All the Elect are under the safety of a promise made unto Christ but as long as they are in their Natural estate they have none of the Consolation of this since they have no notice of this purpose given to them and may well be afraid of the wrath of God and he useth this fear to drive them to Christ for shelter But when once men are made Believers they are so brought within the Compaâ— of the New Covenant and it is ratified to them this Mercy now appears Tit. 3. 5. This evidenceth that they were comprehended in the purpose oâ— mercy and God hath Sealed them to the day of Redemption his Word is past for it and there is a compleat security in it Joh. 3. 16. He is faithful to his Promises and so the performance is indubitable 1 Thes 5. 23. Mercy hath the management of this so that all the sins and follies of his Children shall not cut off the entail though mercy will humble them c. Psal 89. 30. c. He cannot be provoked to repeal this promise of his This double security must needs be more firm than the foundationâ— of the world Psal 125. 1. 4. What is their happiness by vertue of this priviledge A. This is contained in two things 1. The mercy that thus Composseth them hath all iâ— it that is needful to make them perfectly blessed There is nothing wanting either for the way or for the end What is sufficient to carry them through an evil world to deliver them from all the evil of itâ— supply them with all the good in it which shalâ— serve to their everlasting well-being is enwrapâ— in it and all the glorious entertainment that iâ— prepared for them in another life belongs to itâ— It is an encompassing mercy it answers all cases and concerns they who are under the provision and protection of it are fully laid in there is help in every duty supply in every want succour in the greatest dangers Grace for their whole work comfort in every condition and all this always at hand 2. Hence it follows that by vertue of it they are sure to obtain Eternal Life The security of this mercy is the security of the fruit of it What mercy undertakes to do it will accomplish So that the believer is as certain of coming to Glory as if he were already in the full fruition of it nor is he in more danger of missing it than the Glorified are of losing it they may be sometimes in the dark about it and question either their title or their safety from hazards through darkness and unbelief but the thing it self is certain 2 Tim. 2. 13. For if mercy be able to accomplish it it shall not fail and what was ever too hard for that to do This will give them Victory in their Warfare make them bold in the fight renew their strength when they faint hold them up when ready to fall bring them safe through an evil world and present them before Christ and lodge them in his everlasting arms and what more can be desired to denominate the man blessed than to be under such safe conduct USE I. Let it be to invite Sinners to forsake their wickedness and put their trust in the Lord. And one would think here is enough to rouse up all such here therefore Consider 1. You see the difference between those asserted by the Spirit of God and it is not to be slighted Let your own reason tell you whether is better to be the Subjects of all sorrows and miseries as to be compassed about with all the mercies that are enough to make you happy now and for ever and this is the very case Surely then there is no room for any demur Behold God sets life and death before you and shall it be hard to determine the Choise What should hinder you from avoiding that which will certainly procure your ruine and pursuing that which will assure your happiness 2. Hence it is a woful cheat put upon you when you are perswaded that you shall change for the worse It is hells policy and the cry of corrupt nature to prejudice men against the fair offers of the Gospel They would fain insinuate
5. Do you at any time find your joy interruptted Be restless till you have recovered it again Gods Children are often thus encountred there are Clouds rising and interposing but when it is so 1. Beware of abandoning your selves to sorrow This is a Temptation and you must resist it there is something else to do there is no living thus and therefore you must set your selves to get out of this frame Hence 2. Now enquire into the occasion or reason of the malady and seek the removal of it There is something in the way ask of God to discover it and do you make a diligent enquiry and when you know it seek after the means to help it and set about them And here 1. If it be any outward thing be ashamed of it resist it Is it some cross or disappointment in the world see how beneath a Child of God this is how unreasonable withstand it then to the uttermost and beg Grace of God to help you to overcome it 2. Is it any spiritual desertion that you labour of This is enough to put you into sadness and make you Sick of love However you must expostulate with your selves as he Psal 43. ult Why art thou cast down c. And in this hope you must endeavour to regain the light of his countenance and to that end 1. Search for the sin that hath occasioned it You may well think that you have some way carried it unhandsomely to Christ call your selves to a strict account about is and deal home with your hearts in it Cant. 5. begin 2. Go to Christ confessing it Do not think to hide away from him to cover your transgression and keep it hid and so quiet your selves While David did so it did but torment him Context verse 3 4 Confession is the way Christ knows your frame and can pity you but he expects an ingenious acknowledgment Jer. 3. 13. 3. Renew your Repentance Confessing and Forsaking must go together else the former will not avail Prov 28. 13 Turn from that sin with hatred and detestation of it put it from you and resolve by the help of God to have nothing more to do with it True Repentance will lead the way to have your joy restored again and the more deep and thorow it is the better it will be for you 4. Renew your Covenant It is true every provocation given to Christ by his people is not a violation of the Covenant between him and them for that is Everlasting but yet it is an entrenchment upon it a dealing falsely in it and therefore upon such falls as have made those breaches it is a proper season to revive our engagement to him and bring our selves afresh under the obligations of it 5. Thus wait upon Christ for the Comforter and accept of the Consolation that he brings you It must come from him if you have it but you must ask it of him and ly in a humble penitent posture at his feet for it and when you are brought to this he will in the best season appear to you wipe off your tears turn your mourning into dancing and make your broken bones to rejoyce FINIS ERRATA PAge 3 line 3 read inextinguishable p. 19 l. 6 r. which p. 50. l. 18. for then r. him p. 117. l. 2 for or r. of p. 158 l. 11. for this r. that p. 193. l. 1. for or r. on p. 206. l. 22 r. undreinable p. 310. l. 19. for but r. he p. 354 l. 20 for an r. on p. 358 l. 22 add been p. 370 l. 28 r. troublesome times p. 384 l. 17 dele that evil p. 402 l. 1. for would r. will p. 416 l. 9. add they p. 465 l. 13 add an p. 466. l. 5 for r. as p. 482 l. 17 for now r. new p. 528 l. 2 add be p. 537 l. 20 for are r. am p. 579 l. 5 for their r be p. 628 l. 3 for happy r. unhappy THE Contents Of the principal matters Contained in the foregoing TREATISE 1 A Pardoned Man is a Blessed Man p. 11 2 Gods Forgiveness extends to all Sin p. 27 3 Pardon removes the Load of Sin from the Sinner p. 46 4 Forgiveness Covereth Sin p. 65 5 Pardon consists in the Non-imputation of Sin p. 82 6 A Pardoned man is one without Guile p. 99 7 The distress of a Conscience burdened with Sin p. 131 8 Guilt apprehended distressing to Gods Children p. 144 9 The danger and mischief of sinful silence and evasions p. 160 10 The distress of Conscience from Gods heavy hand p. 174 11 Right Confession its nature and usefulness p. 189 12 Gods readiness to forgive on penitent Confession p. 249 13 Examples of Pardoned sinners our Encouragement p. 277 14 Forgiveness obtained in a way of Prayer p. 289 15 God to be sought in a finding time p. 301 16 The safety of Pardoned ones in worst times p. 361 17 God is the Pardoned mans hiding place p. 383 18 God will keep them from trouble whose hiding place he is p. 392 19 Faith engageth the heart in making returns to God for deliverance p. 403 20 Experienced Christians fittest to teach others p. 414 21 Particular application the best way of teaching p. 423 22 Divine teachings are to guide us in our way p. 434 23 Contumacy to be avoided if we would have true peace p. 457 24 Vntractableness under teachings a note of brutishness p. 467 25 To go no farther in Gods service than forced an ill sign p. 480 26 Vntractableness under means a character of a wicked man p. 495 27 Wicked mens sorrows great and innumerable p 508 28 Faith the foundation of true Obedience p. 539 29 The Rewards of Obedience fruits of meer mercy p. 554 30 Every true believer is compassed with mercy p. 568 31 There are some Righteous in Gods account p. 585 32 Vprightness of heart is inseparable from righteous one p. 591 33 The duty and priviledge of the Righteous and Vpright to rejoyce p 597 34 None but the Righteous can claim this priviledge p 603 35 The Righteous should always rejoyce p. 606 36 The Righteous should rejoyce abundantly p. 611 37 They should give highest expressions of their joy p. 614 38 Our rejoycing should be in the Lord. p. 617