forth and surpasseth all other his attributes it is that that glorifies God most that honours him yea that God himselfe hrnours most His grace and goodnesse appeared in the creation of the world that was a great mercy mercie budded out then but that was not so great a mercy as the pardon of sinne For nullitie though it be farre off from God yet it is nearer God then sinne and iniquity is because that is more repugnant and contrary to his nature it is more to pardon a sinner then to create a world it is more to pardon one sinner then to make a million of men It is over his works of power over his works of justice Justice is seen in punishing of sin God shews his power in that but there is a greater power seen in the pardoning of sinne it is plain His power in executing of justice it is as the strong man but his power in magnifying his mercy is as the stronger man for it binds the hands of justice the stronger man comes and binds the strong man Grace and mercie are the stronger attributes stronger then justice though both be the same in God yet in manifestation it prevailes and exalts it selfe against justice If Gods power be seen in punishing much more in pardoning because mercie conquers justice Besides see it in our selves for a man that punisheth another it argues he hath power over another but he that pardons him that deserves to be punished shews 〈◊〉 â—ee not only hath power over another but over himselfe because pardon is both an evidence of that power that should have been in punishing and of a further power in sparing So the force of mercy is double to that of justice it magnifies Gods power more it is the last act of divine justice the pardon of sinne Therefore in Scripture mercie hath the prerogative above all other attributes in many respects Of antiquity it is older in regard of manifestation we speake still for mercie and love budded out in the creation of the world we speak of the effects of it but justice was not manifested till man had transgressed It was one day older in the manifestation then judgement was then judgement took place when Adam transgressed mercie was before It hath the prerogative of alliance for though the justice of God be himselfe as well as his mercie as all is but one act in God his justice and wisdome and power and merciâ— all are himselfe yet mercy is his more proper work Therefore in Scripture judgment is called his strangâ— work I will bring a strange worke that is I will execute justice He calls it a strange worke as hetrogenicall and contrary to his nature he is forced to execute judgement our sinnes compell him If it were not for sinne he would not manifest judgements Though both be naturall yet mercy is more naturall in regard of the effect of it It is nearer Thirdly It hath the prerogative of latitude it hath a greater extent he executes justice seldome and upon some few all men tast of his mercie There is no judgement that God executes but mercie is mingled with it Goe over any that were executed since the beginning of the world still there was mercy in it but there is mercie often manifested when there is no judgement in it Here is the difference judgement is never entire but there is some mercie in it mercie is alway entire and there is no mixture of judgement in it See the effects in regard of extent God saith he will punish to the third and fourth Generation the Fathers upon the Children that is a long time but it is nothing to his mercie I will shew mercie to thousands of generations A thousand Generations is longer then the world shall last For there were but 42. generations from the Creation to Christ a hundered generations is like to be longer then the world shall last yet God will be mercifull to thousands of Generations if it last so long or if not hee will be so for ever a large periphrasis Mercy hath the prerogative of extent It hath the prerogative of honour it honours God more and God honours it more He makes mention by his spirit in Scripture when he mentions judgement and mercie mercy goes first My song shall be of mercie and judgement Mercie and truth are met together still mercie is first God gives it the prerogative Nay usually he mentions merâ—â—twice for once righteous Gracious and mercifull is God and righteous And at the last day when these two attributes shall be placed at the two hands of God wee shall see which attribute hath preheminence that hath the highest honour to stand at Gods right hand judgement shall stand at his left hand among the vessels of wrath mercy at his right hand among the sheepe and the elect Last of all it hath the prerogative of duration for though condemnation speaking of eternall condemnation and eternall life though condemnation be a line of as great length as eternall life that lasts for ever yet speaking of temporall punishment compared with the mercie of God so we see mercy out-lives justice in all the expressions of it and that by a great disproportion It is a great disproportion between yeares and months In Rev. 11. The holy Citie shall be trodden down 42. months but they shall reigne with me for a thousand yeares Though moneths be not moneths in that place I come not now to examine the meaning of moneths but see the comparison there is mercy for a thousand yeares there is judgement for 42. moneths they shall be troden under foote but they shall reign a thousand yeares It is a greater disproportion that is betwixt weeks and yeares see that in Dan. 9. Seventy weekes are determined for the transgression of my people that I may compasse them with everlasting kindnesse Seventy weeks are determined for transgression God measures judgements by weekes but hee reckons the continuance of his mercy by many yeares by ages by everlasting duration there shall be everlasting righteousnesse Yet further there is a greater disproportion between yeares and dayes yet in Isa 63. The day of revenge is in mine heart and the yeare of my redeemer is come Here is the day of revenge the yeare of redemption The day of revenge is in mine heart There days are years and years are dayes but in the expression of them God exalts mercie that wee may see it hath a larger sphere to move in Yet further there is a greater disproportion between a moment and a yeare nay between that and eternity For a small moment have I corrected thee but with everlasting mercie I will receive thee as it is in Isaiah God threatens to punish for a small moment but his mercy endures for eternity Now to sum it up the Prophet would make them understand thus much that nothing magnifies Gods grace and goodnesse more then the pardon of sinne that they might professe it that they might make it
publique to his glory his glory it is to passe by transgressions it is a great glory to passe by many transgressions if it be his peculiar glory to passe by any Where sinne hath abounded grace abounds where grace abounds glory abounds where much sinne is pardoned He cals them to acknowledge his mercy and makes it an illustration of the former Take away our transgressions and receive us graciously That is the first it is a clause of illustration Secondly observe it as a clause of inducement a motive and argument to perswade God to forgive them So it stands thus Take away iniquity because thou art gracious because thou usest to receive favourably therefore take away iniquity They begge for grace in the name of grace and mercy in the name of mercy shew mercy because thou art mercifull take away iniquity because thou art gracious and favourable therefore take away iniquity It is the strongest motive of all others to presse God from himselfe to pardon sin The point is this He that comes before God to begge for mercie must bring no other motive but mercie There is no such strong prevalent motive with God to shew mercy as mercy Mercy is the thing we sue for and mercy must make God shew it He expresseth it so I will pardon for my name sake in one place For mine owne sake in another place For my owne sake will I doe this to the House of Israell For my promise sake in another place For my mercy sake in another place Here are four and they are all alike to shew that mercy comes from it selfe it hath a reciprocation it moves circularly it begins in mercy and it ends there For mine owne sake that is for himselfe and his mercy is himselfe For my name sake that is as much as for my mercy Thy name is as Oyle powred out and it appeares that his name is as Oyle by his mercy for mercy is that Oyle that Swims over all liquors it appeares over all other works it is manifest to all For my promise sake that is as much as for his mercy for Gods Promises are Promises of mercy So all agree in this for my name sake it is a name of mercy for my Promise sake they are Promises of mercy for mine owne sake he is a God of mercy But yet more plaine when God speakes of shewing mercy he makes it come round to shew that mercy is the thing that he will give and the ground why he gives it In Exod. 33. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy See how it runs it is thus I will have mercy on whom I will that is because I will so if we presse God for mercy doe it thus Lord be gracious that thou mayest be gracious and be mercyfull because thou art mercyfull Pardon because thou art gracious thy mercy hath an everlasting Duration The Psalmist presseth it so Have mercy on me according to thy great goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies take away mine offences See how sweetly he presseth it Have mercy according to thy goodnesse he makes it come to it selfe Pardon me according to thy goodnesse be mercifull because thou art mercifull he had no other motive In another place he hath the same Reciprocation Doe good for thy name sake because thou art good deliver me because thou art good doe good and deliver me It is the same reciprocation that Isaiah makes Isa 63. He hath beene good to the House of Israell for his goodnesse and because his mercies are everlasting He hath beene good for his goodnesse To instance no more places in the new Testament there is the same reciprocation that John makes John 1. Of his fullnesse we all receive grace for grace mercy for mercy it is not onely grace after grace which is a good interpretation the first grace and the second grace the grace of Acceptation and the grace of Strengthning the grace of pardoning and the grace of reviving and quickning all grace is from God But it hath a fuller signification Grace for grace Grace because he is gracious because he is mercifull he shewes favour he turnes it to himselfe So now the Lession is this that When we come to sue for pardon of sin before the Throne of Grace we have no name to come in but the name of Christ The name of Christ is a name of mercy that is Gods owne name he that comes to plead his owne merit comes in his owne name He that comes to plead the Merits of any other pleads in a Strangers name If merit and satisfaction had been that way then were mercy no more mercy and grace no more grace then all the Saints of God were out of the way for they all went in this path Mercy was the Citty of refuge to which they went and the path by which they went Mercy was the Water in the Well and the Paile they drew it with they sued for mercy in the name of mercy The Publican David Peter St. Austin saith of Peter well I read of Peters Teares but no man ever read of Peters satisfaction Peter could not goe in that name Our blessed Saviour hath taught us therefore so to pray Forgive us our Trespasses he taught us not to pray as the Servant in the Gospell Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Lord be favourable a little longer lend me a little life and I will make thee satisfaction No that is not the Prayer he that goes that way misseth but here is the Prayer Pardon and forgive for thy name sake and for thy mercy sake Take away iniquity and receive us favourably receiue us to grace and Pardon for thy mercy sake This is the Forme that Penitent faith full soules look to God in No Creature is capable of merits therefore let men never trouble themselves with the discussion of that it is so repugnant that the Angells though they never sinned cannot merit they doe but their duty Adam in integrity could not merit if innocency cannot merit sin cannot if the State of Angells cannot merit humane cannot Nay the Saints that are called out of darknesse and sanctified by grace those Saints though it were possible they should never sin not so much as in the circumstances of any good Act that they should not be touched with veniall sins as they call them with no ill thought or idle word or unprofitable gesture if they were borne and sanctified from the womb as John Baptist and Jeremiah and should continue in a course of sanctification without any treading awry they could not merit when they had done all they must say They were unprofitable Servants He that doth his duty cannot merit ye are but Servants when you have done all you can nay when you have done all you should if it were possible that is more then all you can For that grace that God gives us though it be a good evidence of his spirit and of
needs understand it of the Church therefore as in an holy rapture and speaking of Gods government of it he saith Her foundations ye know whom I speake of So in another Psalme the Lord heare thee in the day of trouble one would have thought he had spoken of some body before the Lord hear thee thee afflicted poor soule whosoever In the day of trouble the Lord heare thee so This poore man I know some interpret it in reference to Christ therefore they make it a prophesie of Gods hearing of Christs prayer upon the crosse and in the garden some of the antients interpret it so but yet it runs more directly concerning righteous men according to the phrase of Scripture This poore man that is any poore man any righteous man it is as much as The righteous crie and the Lord hears them This psore man cried and the Lord heard him that is whosoever is in distresse and perplexitie if he seeke to God God will heare him and deliver him Wee see it by experience And we may see it by example too The examples are many in Scripture I will instance only in three that this hath alway been the course that the Saints of God nay that even wicked men have tooke in the time of calamitie and distresse to flie to the Throne of grrace and to turne to God by prayer Moses when God sayd he had a purpose to destroy the congregation of Israel and consume them in a moment presently he betakes himselfe to his knees and he speakes to God O Lord this people have committed a great sinne it was the course that David tooke too when he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem readie to destroy it It is I that have sinned it was the course that Hezekiah tooke when he had a Message of death brought to him He turned to the wall saith the Text and said to God O Lord remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart he turned to the Wall that is he sequestred himself from earthly occasions that he might Turne to the Lord with more libertie of Spirit and largenesse of heart It was the course that Manasses tooke that filled Jerusalem with blood when he was in chaines and captivitie and affliction he turned to the Lord and called upon him and humbled himselfe greatly it was the course that the Prodigall tooke in the new Testament when he had not bread to eate he saith I will goe to my Father that is I will turne to my Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee we see it confirmed by example there cannot be more said To confirme it by reason for this is the most easie and the most equall and the most successefull and most possible course of diverting any ill wee are in or in danger of It is the most equall and reasonable course because God is the person that is provoked by us he is the Judge that sends the punishment it is his Law that is broken his name that is dishonoured to whom should wee goe but to him that wee have provoked by our sinnes It is not possible that the turning away of judgement should be by any other way Vaine is the helpe of man it is not in the Arme of flesh to save any one from that judgement that God sends There is no care no providence no foresight of man can divert judgement we must have recourse to God And it is the most successefull way of all other no man can instance in any example of any soule that ever turned to God by prayer in the time of distresse but if God saw it needfull in his wisedome to turne away plague or famine he turned it away Prayer is the most readie and the most equall way And Prayer is the most easie way can any man desire to have a blessing upon easier tearmes then to aske and have to turn to God and to have him turne to us to turn to God have his judgements turned from us that is the first Proposition there is no hope of turning away calamities over us but by turning to God by Prayer Secondly there is no hope of diverting judgements but by turning to God by repentance that is the second Turne to God by prayer and turne to God by repentance or else prayer will not serve without repentance If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord wll not heare my prayer The prayer of sinners is oft times accepted but it is of penitent sinners but the prayer of sinne never the hands of the blasphemer and the eyes of the Adulterer that looke to Heaven God lookes with indignation upon such hands and eyes and hearts we must purge our hearts from wickednesse if we will turne to God These two cannot stand together God and sinne as on the other side pardon and impenitencie cannot stand together because pardon belongs to repentance so sinne and repentance cannot stand together the one takes away the other sinne removes repentance and repentance removes sinne sinne makes a seperation betweene God and us repentance knits us againe the one destroyes the other sinne makes God turne from the purpose of of mercie Your sinnes have withheld good things from you this I did to you and would have done more but for your transgressions sin makes God turn from the purpose of mercie on the other side repentance makes God turn from the purpose of judgement Lastly Sinne never meets with pardon that is impenitencie though sinne meet with pardon impenitencie doth not it sets a man further from God then sinne when its first committed It is worse to goe on in sinne then to commit it But repentance alway hath pardon First repentance never misseth of forgivenesse if we turne to God he is alway readie to turne to us See in that place of the Psalme The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to those that are of a broken heart and he saves them that be of a contrite Spirt Yet plainer in 2. Chron. 3. If ye will turne to the Lord the Lord will not turne his face from you yet againe Amos 5. Hate the evill and seeke the good it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is peradventure he will Some may say here is some hope some comfort but here is no assurance there is no assurance in this place The Lord is nigh he may be nigh he is nigh to all he may be nigh to me but yet it may be he will not turne to me in mercie it may be he may be too neare me as when he sends judgements what comfort have I by that promise the Lord is nigh I have lesse comfort by that It may be he will turne Is salvation promised with it may be It may be God will be gratious There is but little comfort in that Turne from your evill wayes and God will not turne away his face He hath turned
crosse in suffering or under the axe yet still they must pray forgive us our sinnes And in another place saith he There was never any Saint in the world or shall be but must make this prayer forgive us our trespasses Only that Sanctum-sanctorum Jesus Christ he is excepted he gave the forme he needed it not Yet further and that is a sweet speech the whole Church of God saith it and he is a reprobate that saith it not that he is in that condition of all other there is no greater signe then this it is to be feared he is in a state of reprobation that will not say Lord forgive us our trespasses pardon our sins Therefore there was good reason why the Prophet made them make their prayer against this iniquity that is the transgression of the law iniquity that makes shipwrack of conscience and exposeth to judgment and deprives of all comfort and iniquity that condemneth to hell therefore there they must settle this first petition Take away iniquity Secondly The extent All iniquity there is some reason why he addes that All is a word of universality an indefinite word here is no iniquity mentioned no fin mentioned but all wound up in a clew all in a lump propounded Take away all It is not take away our iniquity that is meant It is not take away this or that pardon our Idolatry or our rebellion pardon our prophanesse or the adulterers that neigh after their neighbours wives there be drunkards of Ephraim pardon these sins no pardon all There is some reason why the Prophet would have it thus pardon all take away all I conceive these three reasons First he would draw them to a generall acknowledgment of sinne for however we are tyed to a particular mention and confession of those sins that our consciences are privy to upon due search and in our acknowledgment and humiliation to name them to God This I have done and this thou hast done deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God So for those sins that are past our memorie as there are many those we wind up in a generall implicite confession as that Publican O God be mercifull to me a sinner as here the Prophet teacheth them to say Take away all He would have them thereby acknowledge their aggravation of sin All that is many exceeding many nay all that is all that can be said Take away all the iniquities that we can name and all that the Prophet can name or that thou canst lay to our charge Lord our sins are great as skarlet for die as sands for number but one wipe with the spunge of thy mercie wil take away all they are more then we can expresse and number there is an all of them It is warrantable by the example of the Saints in Scripture And that is one of the errors of auricular confession that the Church of Rome fastens on men because they tie men to reckon every sinne that is impossible so they lay burthens on the consciences of men It is true it is the glory of Christians to honour God by confession and he that studies his heart most knows his life most but those that we cannot reckon it is an honour to God to reckon them up in generall phrases that we may give God the glory of aggravation I confesse against my selfe whatsoever I know I have done and I confesse what I have forgotten There are sinnes of my sleepe that I cannot remember and of my dreames I confesse them There are sins of my cradle I confesse to thee There are sinnes that I took no notice of before I had knowledge pardon all my iniquities The Prophet would draw them to an acknowledgement of all Every man hath an All. And if hee knew them to have an all O what an all is that with which we are oppressed now He that goes to reckon up the particulars of our general the many species kinds in this age it is an all that fils the world that fils heaven that fils the eares of God our sins we confesse to thee of thought and word and deed of ignorance of knowledge of presumption of infirmitie our secret sins our open sinnes against thee against our neighbours against our selves Thus a Christian goes on to aggravate against himselfe all these and what ever else can bee said He that goes about to reckon our drunkennesse our adulterie our backeslidings the severall degrees of our prophanesse the shedding of innocent blood how it encreaseth there hath been more blood shedde since the sickenesse began more duels about the City then I have heard of in two or three yeares before As if we would aggravate sinne when God comes to reckon with us If a man should reckon the degrees of fraud that is continually practised in shops and trades the prophaning of the Sabbath sin is come to that that it is uncontrollable that all the Magistrates in this Citie are not able to controll a few boyes and disorderly men that wrestle in the fields So boyes give lawes to men and so sin runs on The sin that every man commits if that be so infinite the sin that the whole commits how infinite is it We have an all He would bring them to an acknowledgement that is the first reason Secondly he would bring them to a detestation and protestation against all They come not to distinguish when they make confession before God take away our mortall sins but let our veniall sins alone our greater sins wipe away for our lesse we will shift as well as we can True repentance knowes no such distinction Though there be a difference of sins yet in repentance repentance makes none not the distinction so as to exclude any It makes distinction to mourn more for shipwracking sinnes that burthen conscience and force and streine our teares it mourns most for them but it acknowledgeth all If it be but as a graine of sand that it acknowledgeth an idle word an exorbitant thought an irreligious gesture indiscretion folly they are fruits of the first sin and these and every of these are opposite to the law If it be a transgression of the law it provokes the Divine Majestie and is an obliquity from him and incurs his justice if God should be extreame Therefore when a Christian askes pardon he distinguisheth not here is the sinne that I will lay aside and this is the sin that I wil ask pardon of no he repents of none that repents not of all He distinguisheth not the profitable and the unprofitable sins here is a sinne I am crucified to saith the old man I will aske God pardon of that but covetousnesse sticks to my fingers ends I will not ask pardon of that So when nature is weake in a drunkard he will then acknowledge I have offended God and sinned against the creatures in the intemperate use of them now he dares not for his consumption or he must not for his dropsie It is not
repentance that crucisies this sin but nature but his gamâ—ng and intemperance these he will keep A true convert makes no distinction of pleasant or unpleasant sinnes no here is my Dalilah begin with that first all iniquity is to be relinquished he that expects pardon of all must renounce all Thirdly there is another reason that thereby hee might draw them to an acknowledgment of the great goodnesse of God that he was able to pardon all Take away all iniquity all summed up together By saying all they acknowledg that God could and would remit all if they repent of all and leave all Note that there is no burthen of sinne so great but God can pardon it and take it away There is a greater all of Gods mercie then of our sinnes and of Christs merits then of our sinnes for all the sins of the world put together they are finite he is an infinite Majestie but in themselves God can number them for they are written in his booke The alsufficiency of that merit and sacrifice that Christ layd down and the price of that inestimable blood that is infinite There can be no number made of the vertue of those drops of blood which Christ shed there can be no number made of that mercie the drops of which God comprehends us with therefore mercie and merit is greater then sin If we can confesse all God can pardon all Look as in nature the Philosopher observed that infinite is of that extent that no finite can be proportionable as an infinite number though there can be none because another number may be added but an infinite number ten thousand millions it is as far off of infinite as tenne because there is no proportion because it may be multiplyed and multiplyed So though sins be many as millions it hath no proportion to the merits of Christ why because they are infinite that blood is of excellent vertue it can wash white because it is infinite it hath sufficiency to pardon all sin and do it easily So it is as if he had said O Lord we are ready to confesse all take all away what we can we alleadg against our selves we beseech thee shew mercie We know thy mercie is greater then our sins as we confesse all pardon thou all The Scripture sets it out by an all too the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin God hath made his promise so At what time soever a sinner repenteth I will blot out all his wickednesse That thereby they might be drawn to acknowledge his gooodnesse and mercie to exclude their sins therefore the Prophet expresseth it by this all Their sins were innumerable but Gods mercie is more innumerable their sins were great but Gods mercie is greater if they will have God to pardon all they must confesse all let this be the form you will use that is the second the extent Now the third is the mayn the manner of the removall they pray for Take away But I see the time is past therefore I will break off SERMON IIII. Hosea 14.2 Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously c. AS every Nation in the world hath some peculiar language whereby they doe converse mutually one with another so it is true also of all the graces of God which the Apostle cals the fruit of the Spirit every grace of the spirit it hath a peculiar tongue or language a form of speech whereby Christians converse with God There is one language of faith another of repentance another of prayer another of zeale another of thankefulnesse Each of these they have severall words severall kinds of dialects whereby they expresse themselves The words of faith are victorious words the words of thankfulnesse are glad and chearfull words the words of zeale are fiery the words of prayer are winged the words of repentance bitter and heavy words Each of these languages and all sorts of words they have their particular tones and acccents whereby they expresse themselves whereby pronunciation is made For faith forceth out her words thankfulnesse poures out her words repentance drops them out zeal flames them out and prayer darts them out There is none of all these languages but we have a modell of them in this short Scripture The language of repentance that is in those words Turne to the Lord. The language of prayer in those Take away all iniquity The language of faith in those Receive us graciously Of thankefulnesse in those we will give the calves of our lips And lest any of these should be wanting we may find the fifth too the language of zeale that is in the Prophet that excited the people to these duties Take with you words and turne to the Lord or turne to the Lord and in turning take words and say c. Some of these words I have spoken of already you may remember I divided the whole into two parts A rule of excitement and a rule of direction The excitement to two duties the duty of action Turne to the Lord and the duty of elocution In generall take to you words and in particular it hath reference to this forme say thus to him make your prayers after this if you cannot doe that use this prayer that was the excitement The rule of direction or forme of prayer and thankefulnesse that he gives them followes That consists of two parts One part is for the donation of grace Take away all iniquity The other is promissorie for the returning of grace the grace of thankefulnesse So will wee give the calves of our lips I am yet in the former of these and that consists of two parts the precatory One part is deprecatory for the removall of ill Take away all iniquity The other is supplicatory that is for the pouring out or the effusion of good the best good the good of grace receive us graciously I am yet in the former part I considered three parts according to the three words for they have all their phasis It is not take away sinne but take away iniquity it is a word of weight It is not take away our iniquities or this or that iniquity but all the reason of that I gave also the extent of it for the removing of all you heard it The manner of removall that the people must beg that is in this Take away all a word that is very full of a large signification It is more then forgive Compare it strictly with the nature of the word and it is more then crucifie The forgivenesse of sins that properly concerns culpa Sin may be committed where it is forgiven according to the essence of it it is not alway wholly crucified and taken away It is more then subdue and mortifie and keep under sinne Sin may be mortified though the dregs and lees and seeds of it are still behind it shall never be put out wholly out of any vessel of election in this life But this word in the prayer extends to both Take away
cannot be done but by the bath that is taken from Christ and the mercie of God The Jewes that were ignorant and knew nothing in the time of Christ they knew that who can forgive sinnes but God Though they misapplyed it yet it is was true in the thesis and in the generall who can forgine sinnes out God And Christ unlesse he had been God could not have forgiven sins who can forgive sinnes but God Cyrâ—l well upon the place gives the reason it must needs be so because God is the Law-giver and the Judg saith he to whom can it possibly belong to pardon and passe by and wipe away the transgressions of the law but to him that is the giver of the law Therefore none of the Prophets or Apostles durst ever arrogate this priviledge Nathan when he was sent to David though he had a commission from God durst not speak in his own name but the Lord hath pardoned And if there were no Prophet or Apostle durst assume so much shall we that are men far inferiour in place and piety and those speciall intercourses of the love and knowledge of God It is true there is a power given to Ministers declaratorie to publish and pronounce pardon to the truly repentant but the power of absolution properly so called and the power of taking away and pardoning that onely God keeps in his own custodie Saith Ambrose well the Minister of God doth that that belongs to his duty when he declares and publisheth pardon to the repentant but he exerciseth not any power and authority it is but Ministeriall Therefore Saint Austin observes well that when Christ gave this power to his Apostles and Disciples whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted he first premiseth he breathed on them and said receive yee the holy Ghost Saith he first they received the holy Ghost and then whose sinnes yeremit they are remitted For it is the holy Ghost that puts away sinne and not you It is Austin's observation And we may further observe that Christ when hee healed any commonly hee pronounced forgivenesse of sinnes but the Apostles though they healed many yet we never read that they used this word To note that Christ gave the power of healing to them but he kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Further then it is ministeriall hee kept the power of putting away of sinne to himselfe for it is an act of Majestie it cannot be so to others God may make Angels to declare it or men but the power is proper to him Christ gave the power of healing to the Apostles but hee kept the power of pardoning to himselfe Saint Austin presseth it against the Donatists sweetly who would faine have got the power to themselves Austin askes the question tell me the vertue of whose name takes away sinne He speaks of himselfe is it the name of Austin is it the name of Donatus it is neither the name of Paul nor Peter who is Austin who is Donatus And the Apostle presseth it who is Paul and who is Apollo but the Ministers of CHRIST But who is it that takes away sinnes GOD Himselfe This is the second thing the Prophet would bring them to know and acknowledge in this word O Lord to thee belongs mercie and forgivenesse thou art the Father of mercie we can feel the smart of sinne but cannot remove it thou must either take it away or else it will not be taken away therefore shew mercie and come among us either take it from us or else it will take us from thee remove it from us and remove it from thee Take away sinne and receive us graciously I have done with the first part the precatory part which concernes Malum tollendum the evill to be removed the evill of sin The second is bonum largiendum in these words â—â—ke away all iniquity and receive us graciously It is in the Originall and shew us good Yet in the Originall a little further Take away iniquity and receive good Like that phrase in the Psalm He received gifts for men that is he gave gifts to men Receive good that is shew good shew thy grace that is as it is well interpreted in English receive us graciously Two things are to be considered in it One that I propounded in the forenoon though I came not to it that is the connexion of this part to the other The other is the order of this part with the other why it is joyned or added to the other clause and why it followes it I shall hardly speak of all But let us looke upon the connexion why is this clause added to the other Is not this enough take away all iniquitie It seemes this is superfluous for where-ever sinne is pardoned grace is conveyed where GOD takes away sinne he discovers grace and where hee crucifies the old man he stamps the image of the new where hee frees from death he gives interest to life where sinne is pardoned salvation is stated upon the soule what need this follow this one word take away all iniquitie is all the expression that need to be used But the Prophet would bring them to a greater enlargement and it is added for speciall reasons I will bring them to these three First it is added as a clause of illustration Take away all iniquitie so shew thy self gracious favourable Noting this that there is nothing doth more magnifie the goodness glory of God then the pardon of sin nothing doth more shew his grace then that As if he had said thou art the Father of mercie we have need of mercy thou hast mercy for thousands and we are thousands that beg it we pray thee to pardon our sins and manifest thy mercie in pardoning by receiving us graciously shew us grace in the pardoning our sins It is the greatest evidence of the mercie of God in the pardoning of sinnes it is that that glorifies God most It is well said by the Psalmist that his mercie is over all his works and we may say of the grace of pardoning that it is over all his other mercies There are other mercies that God shewes us that concerne our temporall estate O these come not within compare Nay spirituall mercies if he preserve any it is the grace of custodie If he deliver any from danger it is the grace of liberty If he accept our prayers and receive them at our hands that is a testimonie of mercie the grace of acceptation but if he pardon sinne that hath all in it that is Gods tender mercie in that he shewes bowels of mercie He opens his casket of mercy in all favours but hee opens his owne bowels when he pardons sinne that includes all mercies that David calls his tender mercies Over all our works it is even over the worst workes of ours which is sinne Over all Gods works it is euen over all the best of Gods works besides in creating preserving and keeping It is that that shines and breakes
justification in our hearts yet that grace of sanctification is imperfect and no man makes a perfect improvement of Gods gifts no man lives according to the measure of grace that God bestowes Therefore when we have done all we can we come short of what we ought Nay if we had done all we should all that God requires say you cannot merit you are unprofitable Servants you have done but your duty you have done but what God requires If the state of restitution cannot merit sin and impiety cannot merit There is in the best action that we performe in the work of Preaching and praying and alms and charity and deeds of piety so much Leaven so many infirmities that he that knowes the nature of sin and the latitude and small extent of piety in his heart when he Prayes he prayes not onely for the pardon of his sins but of his Prayers And when he preacheth he prayes not onely for pardon of his silence and neglect but of his performance if there be infirmities in the best there is no plea of merit Our work is onely this to flie to the Throne of grace in the name of grace that is it that is a prevaling forcible word with God to plead for mercy and beg for pardon because he is gracious It is a word that so prevailes that it carries alway mercy with it from Heaven it is that word that God delights in it is that word about which prayer clucks as the Wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-Seate The Wings of Prayer must flutter about the Mercy-seate about mercy That is the second thing to shew what the foundation of the pardon of sin is none but mercy it is founded in grace therefore he adds it to the former Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously as an inducement to perswade God to take away all iniquity That is the second I will but touch the third The Third is he adds it as a clause of perfection that makes up the perfect enumeration of the graces Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously There is nothing that a Christian can beg in this World but it may be brought in the compasse of one of these two These two words are as the two Tables of Prayer like the two Tables of the Law in these two there are all kind of Petitions all the evill that is to be removed is in that Take away all iniquity and all good that is to be conveyed in that Receive us graciously So that he might make a Perfect Prayer for them yet very short and compendious and yet full Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously this is a Prayer that the Prophet studied this was the Prayer that the Spirit guided him to make for them Here are the two hands of Prayer Take away iniquity and receive us graciously If we divide Prayer as the Apostle doth into foure sorts that are rather parts then kinds of Prayer 1. Tim. 2. I beseech that Prayer and intercession and giving of thanks be made to God for all men they are all in this forme that the Prophet prescribes them Here is the deprecatory part for the removing of ill Take away all iniquity here is the supplicatory part for the pouring out of all good Receive us graciously Here is the gratulatory part We will give the Calves of our lips Take the division of Prayer according to that scantling that David makes Psal 34. For obedience gives the Law to Prayer he refers the duty of a Christian to two heads Eschew evill and doe good upon that hangs all the Law and the Prophets according to these two are the parts of Prayer one for the removall of evill another for the infusion of grace here are both the removall of the greatest evill take away iniquity and powre the choicest of thy mercies on us that is mercy Receive us graciously One part of the Prayer is for expelling of darknesse Take away iniquity the other for the shewing of the light of his Countenance Receive us graciously Lastly if we divide it as David divides prayer Psal 25. there he makes his Prayer Remember Lord and remember not these are the two heads an affirmative and a negative remember not my sins but remember me He desires God both to remember and yet to forget here are both these here is one part of the Prayer that God would be mindfull receive us graciously Another that he would not be mindfull Take away iniquity remove it out of thy sight forget our sins Here is one part that God would open his eyes and another that he would shut them shut them upon our sins open them upon our persons The one part of the Prayer fits the sin the other the sinner For sin they pray that God would put it from them and remove it for themselves they pray that God would take them to him and receive them to mercy Men when they punish sin they cut off the Sinner but they cannot take away the sin God is otherwise in his proceeding he takes away the sin and spares the Sinner To make up the perfect part of Prayer here is the evill to be removed and the grace to be bestowed Take away iniquity and receive us graciously here is that that concernes the time past Lord take away iniquity what we have done thou knowest here is that that concernes the time to come that we fall no more strengthen us by thy spirit receive us graciously As Cyprian speaks in another place it is the breviary of the whole Gospell as Tertullian saith it is the Compendium of all Heavenly Doctrine This text here is all the Gospell and all that is good in the Law it is the summe of the Gospell it is like the Lords Prayer here are six words in it answerable to the six Petitions Take away iniquity and receive us graciously as Christ divides that Prayer he refers all to two heads one for deprecation of ill Forgive us our Trespasses and lead us not into temptation deliver us from evill The other for the powring out of all good Hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done and give us dayly bread So here is for the removall of evill and the strengthning to grace take away iniquity and receive us graciously Here is a Patterne for us one halfe of his Prayer is spent for the pardon of sin the other halfe for the powring out of grace For a man to neglect to beg pardon that is to be unmindfull of the time past he that begs not grace is unmindfull of the time to come By pardon we returne and by grace we stand He that hath the consideration of Hell that will stir him up to beg pardon and he that sees the joyes of Heaven will beg grace for that is the path that leads thither to make a perfect prayer joine both The Prophet to give them a full forme he joynes these though briefly None of them could plead that they
so the Saints in all times those that had most experience in the working of Gods grace the holy Fathers of the first times they triumphed much in assurance Bazill he shewes how assurance of the pardon of sin and the favour of God may be had He brings one making the Question O Sir tell me how I may get it I will tell you saith he if there be that spirit in you that was in him that said I have hated all wicked wayes you have it For if there be the worke of the spirit of God in crucifying of sin there is certainly before the comprehending grace in the pardoning of sin Chrysostome he moves the question in another manner then Basile upon handling those words Rom. 8. The spirit witnesseth to our spirits look saith Chrysostome after all this what cause will there be of ambiguity of doubting Who is there that can doubt when he hath the testimony and witnesse of the spirit If the evidence of the spirit shew not it selfe alway in the same measure we must have recourse to those evidences that God gives sometimes And Cyprian goes on though before him and prosecutes the same Question Quis locus erit ambiguitatis c. What place will there be for doubting ambiguity who can be sorrowfull fearfull after these evidences it hath pleased God to communicate to us let him standin fear of death that is afraid to goe with Christ that is not willing to goe with Christ let him be unwilling to goe with Christ that knowes not yet that he hath begun to Reigne with Christ there is no man can be doubtfull saith he Men they will not deny but this oertainty may be had except they be devoyd of all experience of the working of grace Therefore upon this weighty Pillar Hillarie layes the Foundation of justifying faith how shall faith justifie if faith be doubtfull He speakes not of faith in every particular but of the certainty of faith in the generall if there may not be a certainty in the generall how shall it justifie I will add that place onely of St. Austin where he solaceth himselfe by gathering together all those grounds and evidences of certainty God hath promised he hath spoken nay he hath sworne Hoc est promissum c. This is that that God hath sealed with his word nay with his Oath that now there should be no place left to the Children of God to make any doubt of Gods goodnesse in the pardon of their sins when they have those evidences of Sealing it by the fruit We see it here not onely by the consent of the Saints in Scripture but of the Saints in after times that certainty may be had and that the comfort of a mans Conscience doth much consist in this certainty Though faith in the time of Temptation will hold beyond the evidence of these things and though it be not alwayes to be had yet it may be had there is a certainty and it is much comfort Therefore Christians will pray still when they have had Experience of the sweetnesse of Gods grace all that they pray for is the enlargement of their evidence They pray that he would give peace and that he would speake it that he would give Salvation and the earnest of Salvation that he would give the Spirit and the earnest of it Here is the second thing they pray for First that God would pardon and then make it evident that he had pardoned in the continuance of his grace That is the second thing Thirdly as begging the enlargment of the evidence of the thing so begging enlargment in respect of the communication of grace so the order is justifiable For in putting these two together they pray for these two things for the pardon of sin and for the removing of punishment So the order stands good For sin is first to be prayed against before punishment and the first suite that we are to make to God is for pardon of sin and then for removing of Judgment and this method the Prophet teacheth them Take away our sins that presse us and thy hand that presseth us pardon us and spare us remove thy wrath in pardoning our sins and then shew thy selfe gracious in removing thy judgments So the Point is this that A true Saint of God though he be beset with calamities and feare of punishments and judgements on every side yet that is not it that takes up his first thoughts they are taken up for the removing of his sins There he makes his first Prayer there he states the fervency of his soul because he knows the sting of sin is sharper a great deale then the sting of punishment and that the displeasure of God is more heavie then any judgement There is no judgement that is a judgement if the wrath and displeasure of God goe not with it For when Gods love goes with it it is a Chastisement and not a judgement If we compare spiritualls with spiritualls then we shall see it plaine and evident The flame of sin scorcheth more then the very flames of Hell and more galls the Consciences And the fire of Hell is not so terrible as the displeasure of God Againe the fire of Hell is not so terrible as the having of pardon of sin is comfortable misery is not so evill as the enjoying of God is good But if we compare spiritualls and temporalls then the disproportion will easily be seene There is no proportion betweene temporall and spirituall mercies therefore the Children of God pray for spiritualls before temporalls Againe there is no proportion betweene temporall and spirituall judgements therefore they pray against spiritualls judgements strst First against sin Take away iniquity and then receive us to favour Here is the order and method that Christians set in Prayer First they looke to spiritualls to pray for them to spirituall evills to pray against them Though Christ in the Lords Prayer have taught us another method first to pray for Daily bread and then for pardon of sin He did it to condescend to our weaknesse to draw us to the consideration of that that is lesse knowne by that that is better known We see our daily bread and the want of temporalls is discovered to us by sense therefore these things are more familiar and better knowne but the weight of sin we know by the demonstration of the Spirit and the inward man therefore that is not so well knowne therefore that he might give us incouragement to rest on him for all estates he would first draw us on Give us our daily bread and then forgiue us our trespasses Not that there is more necessity of the former but he condescends to lead us from the lesser to the greater and from the experience of Gods mercy in temporalls to rest on him for pardon of sin not because the former is better Therefore this is one true triall a part of that touchstone whereby a Christian may examine himselfe and
on him as the eyes of Servants nay not onely so but if that be not enough we wil not onely wait but hang upon him not onely so but in a holy sence wrestle with him by Prayer as Jacob did that he would be mercifull to his People that he would take care still of that little part of the Ark floating on the Waters Nay we will not onely wait upon him as Servants but as Children and not onely with the eyes of Children but with the Teares of Children with eyes fixed and hands spread and knees bowed with lips opening and hearts mounting we will wait upon him that this hope may be fixed in all our faces and shine in all parts thus if we doe we shall make the Text compleat For conclusion of all There are but two things that may perplex us uncertainty and feare Vncertainty that is one wrack and torment and feare is another This hope and waiting will stablish the soule in both Take the rule of both For uncertainty doe as Hezekiah did take these letters of uncertaine rumours and spread them before the Lord. For the feare let us take our selves and cast our selves before the Lord at his Footstoole For the uncertainty let that be the Scripture Habak 2. The Vision is yet for an appointed time but in the end it shall speake and shall not lie It shall come and shall not tarry Though it tarry yet we will wait for it For the feare let this be the word to fix our hearts that David hath given opportunity to handle this day Behold though our feares be great yet our hopes are some therefore as the eyes of Servants look to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on his people THE Geust-Chamber DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Matth. 22.4 Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come into the Marriage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. LUKE 22.11 12. And ye shall say to the good man of the house the Master saith unto thee where is the Guest Chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples And he shall shew you an upper Room furnished there make ready THIS Text is not the Scripture for the day but it is next of kin to it it is the Story for the day though not the Chapter for it is the very same Story that out of another Evangelist is appointed for the Gospell of this day and you lately heard it read to you But I chose rather to handle it out of St. Luke because that part which makes for my purpose is more fully set downe by him And indeed betweene the two Evangelists in the recording of the Story we shall find that there is some difference though it may be easily salved For St. Matthew in Chap. 26. he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from the Disciples of Christ but St. Luke in this Chapter he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from Christ but the very next words doe make it plaine to us where he shews that the first motion of the thing came from Christ but the first motion of the place came from the Disciples of Christ Therefore St. Matthew when he tells us of the Disciples of Christ propounding to their Master concerning the preparation of the Passover I suppose the first precept went from Christ he gave them charge to goe and prepare as it is in Luke then they goe and propound the Question concerning the place Where wilt thou that we prepare And both these considerations even in the entrance of this Scripture might be usefull for us for in the Narration that is made by St. Matthew we have here propounded to us what is the duty of a godly Servant he will put his Master in mind of matters that are weighty and important not onely such as concerne the world but such as concerne Religion If we follow the relation of St. Luke there is set downe the duty of a godly and religious Master to call upon his Servant to excite him to be frequent and zealous in the work of the Lord in the service of God According to the method that St. Matthew followes there we may see the part of a religious people of a good Flock they will in case even speake to their Pastor and call upon him for the practise of those duties that belong to him and we will take it well at your hands Christ himselfe was pleased to suffer himselfe to be remembred by his Disciples God himselfe suffereth himselfe to be remembred by us when we call for those things we need But if we follow the method of Luke so you shall see what is the duty of a carefull vigilant Pastor he will oft stir up his People his Flock his Parish to consider what they are doing when they come to the service of God to whose house they come whose Table they repaire to whose Word they heare before whome it is that they cast downe themselves still he will call upon them to prepare for the Passover Were I guilty of any great neglect Beloved I would hope that some of you would be so friendly as to call upon me to put me in mind and yet I have cause to suspect that rather the most would be so negligent as to let me alone willing to enjoy in my idlenes their owne security Therefore you shall give me leave now to prevent you as Christ did here his Disciples to speake to you that you make ready for the Passover the Passover why is there any Passover now to be kept among Christians Yes if you doe not know it the Apostle will tell you that Christ is our Passover 1 Cor. 5.7 He that prepares himselfe for the applying of the death of Christ and the procuring of himselfe greater interest in the merit of his Passion he prepares for the Passover You know as Christ said to his Disciples that within these few dayes after two or three dayes the time will come about wherein we celebrate the memoriall of his Passion the time of his Resurrection and this is another Passover the Christians Easter is his Passover and if there were not this yet the remembrance of that work about which we are conversant this day As Christ is the Passover in the substance of the thing so the Sacrament that he instituted his last Supper that is as the Passover in the memoriall of the benefite it is the Sacrament that came in the room of the other the Lords Supper that is the Christians Passover also and you know that those dayes of receiving
is that that breeds inspection this is the second true ground from expectation The third ground or Radix whence this desire comes it is from contentation whereas in humane things contentation makes desire to cease in celestiall things it increaseth desire and from contentation they desire to behold they are ravished with the great mercy of God in the work of redemption O they desire to be more ravished they are satisfied and would be more they are full yet they desire as if they were empty they have all and yet they desire as if they had nothing sayth Gregory they alway see these Mysteries yet they alway desire to see them I joine these two together least any man should have mistaken the nature of Angelicall desire how it stands and though this desire be a bar to contentation when we understand and conceive of desire that comes from want we are onely to limit it to humane things so St. Austin defines desire it is a longing after those things that we have not no man desireth that that he hath when he comes to fruition desire ceaseth but Thomas Aquinas shews well by a good distinction how desire may well stand with contentation and fruition Desiderium habendum c. Desire of things that we have not that we may have it that argues want but desire of the things that we have already that it may be continued that argues not a necessity and want so the Appetite and desire of the Angells what is it not of want but complacency not an Appetite and desire of more but a desire of the continuance of that they have there is desire and there is fruition in their saciety there is no dstiast and in their desire there is no want sayth Gregory well So now it shews us the excellent beatificall estate in Heaven in what it consists in that glory and joy there shall be fullnesse and yet desire there shall be the fruition of all good things promised and yet an earnest longing after the continuation of it Isidore sets it out sweetly there shall be thirst in Heaven and saciety A man would wonder that there should be thirst in Heaven yes sayth he the Saints shall alway be full and shall alway long and thirst but it is not a thirst of necessity and there is no loathing and distast in that fullnesse It shews us an excellent difference between Heavenly and Earthly things the nature of Earthly things how is it Why thus Earthly things are alway desired when we want them desire ceaseth when we have them And againe Earthly things we love them most when we want them and lesse when we have them looke over all Earthly things and you shall find that it is so meat and drink they naâ—ciate after fullnesse all pleasures whatsoever after a man hath taken his fill of pleasure he disgusts them they are unsavory I those very fashions you are so much delighted in that no Preaching Heaven it selfe cannot fetch you out of If Christ himselfe were on Earth I am confident he would not prevaile with you I say those fashions that Heaven it selfe cannot fetch you out of your folly yet after you have used them a while use makes you sick of them and your owne humours make you weary because all things Earthly make weary and happy we are that when we have them we begin to loath and distast them and be sick of them but it is otherwise with celestiall things they are most loved when we enjoy them are most desired when they are had there is no Heavenly thing that nauciates a man is never sick of any thing that is Heavenly there is no loathing of that it is not so with grace and glory the Angells as Peâ—rus Damianus he makes the Observation sayth he they are alway full of that they alway desire and they alway desire that they are alway full of glory cannot be distastfull nay grace is not so how far grace is from being distastfull it is of that sweetnesse that a man never thinks he wants it till he hath it O how sweet is it that grace is of such a Heavenly relish that a man is so far from thinking he hath too much when he enjoys it that he never thinks he hath enough nay he never thinks he hath it till he hath it this is a holy Coveteousnesse as the Apostle sayth the very temper of a Coveteous man is the more he hath the more he desires it is the onely temper commendable in grace the more a man hath the more he longs and thirsts Spirituall things the more they are enjoyed the more they are desired this should more stir up our desire O how should we long for Heaven that are out of it when the Angells long so that injoy it When they long that are in fruition how should not we long for the fruition Yet Heaven we cast behind our backs therefore we should stir up our souls as David As the hart panteth after the Rivers of Water nay let us change the phrase and turne it to a more sublime example not as the hart but as the very Angells pant and long and breath and desire to looke into those Mysteries so doth my soul after thee O God after the place where the Angells are say againe with David O that any would give me to drink of the Water of Bethell Nay save the labour God hath given us to drink of Christ the Water of the Well of Bethell say againe with David O that I had Wings like a Dove that I might fly away and be at rest Nay save the labour he hath given thee Wings of the Dove the holy Ghost descended in fire upon the Apostles the gifts and graces that descended are the Wings of the Dove and you may save that labour Therefore to shut up all with the holy desire of the Angells they are alway conversant about spectacles of happinesse and yet never weary of their speculation and the more they have the more they thirst and the more they are satisfied the lesse they are satisfied and though they have fullnesse yet they desire to have it continued That is the third ground The fourth and last ground that is the Radix of the desire of the Angells it grows from exultation from abundance of joy that they rejoyce in the revelation of those Mysteries and they desire that they may alway rejoyce they alway desire the continuance that they may rejoyce They rejoyce both in respect of Themselves and in respect of Vs There are these two reasons of their joy and so of their inspection and these are the two most proper reasons of all the rest One reason of their joy is a respect they have to themselves they rejoyce in the Mysteries of Salvation because they have the benefite of them the benefite of Christs meditorious work extends to Angells The Apostle Paul shews plainly Ephes 1. It pleased God to recapitulate or gather to one to sum up