GOD's Thoughts and Ways Above Ours especially in the Forgiveness of Sins IN SEVERAL SERMONS UPON ISAIAH LV. 7 8 9. By John Shower LONDON Printed by the Widow Astwood Iohn Lawrence at the Angel in Poultry MDCXCIX THE PREFACE I Am Encouraged to think that the following Sermons did Good in the Preaching and with the Hope they may be of some further Use they are now Published It hath been desir'd that I would Transcribe them in the Words wherein they were deliver'd which with very little Variation I have consented to as to the First Four It may be the peculiar Turn of Expression tho' popular and less exact in the Pulpit which renders the plain Truths of Christianity Acceptable to most Hearers may be more Useful and more Affecting to several Readers than what is more Concise and in more studied Words I can never reckon it a Fault in a Sermon to a Numerous Auditory that the Stile is different from what is expected in a close and just Discourse Or that what might be said in two Words or Sentences is exprest in three or four Perhaps the greatest Part of the Hearers need such Enlargement and Repetition and their Capacity could not otherwise be reached so as to Profit them any more then that Game may be taken by a Net Unspread Very Wise Men have Thought that it is a Mistake in a Consciencious Preacher to endeavour to please only a few of the more Knowing and Judicious Hearers But that which is suited to do Good to the Generality of those we Preach to will ordinarily be best Thought of by Wise Men whose Capacity and Judgment could reach what was more Accurate For they must needs know that it would not be Proper here They themselves have Sins to be forgiven and Corruptions to be mortify'd and Immortal Souls to be sav'd and so have their Inferiours And there is but one Way for the Learned and Unlearned to get to Heaven that I know of 'T is True the Things treated of will be despis'd by Many who do not Relish what 's contained in such Discourses The Matter is out of their Way They are not Sensible of Sin nor Solicitous about Forgiveness And so think not themselves concerned And it is to be fear'd there are Many Others who hear and read Sermons only to Judge of them without any Desire of Advantage to their Souls They are not better'd for the Sermons they Commend any more than by those they Condemn They may say perhaps it was an Excellent Discouse He 's a Good Orator or a Judicious Preacher and This Sermon exceeded even his Last But their Consciences are not touch'd they feel nothing that doth them any real Good However there are Many I hope in this City and Nation who will be thankfull for any such Assistance to prevent their Despair when convinced of Sin as the Doctrine of God's Free Grace in Forgiveness that is display'd in the First Four Sermons And Others who meet with Objections in Conversation and in Pamphlets against the Christian Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity the Incarnation of Christ and God's Wise Government of the World from the Unaccountable Passages of Providence which are apt to stumble them may be willing to consider and improve this Argument of God's Thoughts not being as Ours but far above our Reach which is the Subject of the Fifth Sermon Let me only add that many Younger Ministers as well as Elder have Dyed of Late And tho' Few of us will be miss'd when we Dye there being such Numbers to Supply our Places yet Every One should endeavour to be as Useful as he can while he lives for the Night is hastening wherein no Work can be done If Any Reader get Good let him give God the Glory I most earnestly beg His Blessing to that End J. S. THE First Sermon ISAIAH LV. 7 8 9. Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him Return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon For My Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways My Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are My Ways higher than your Ways and My Thoughts than your Thoughts THere are Three Things Considerable in this Passage First A Call to Repentance by a Double Precept or Injunction of Duty The Persons concerned in it are set forth under two Names to take in all sorts of Sinners The Wicked and the Vnrighteous And the Duty is doubly exprest to forsake their evil Wayes and Thoughts and to Return to the Lord Which are the Two Parts of true Repentance Turning from Sin and Returning to God Secondly Here 's an Encouraging Promise that God will have Mercy on such Penitents and will abundantly Pardon 'em That He will Interest them in the sure Mercies of David Ver. 3. or in all the Blessings of the Everlasting Covenant by Christ 'T is of him you must understand Ver. 4 5 6. of whom David was only a Type Behold I have given him for a Witness to the People a Leader and Commander to the People c. Thirdly The Ground and Reason why we may believe this Promise shall be made good For my Thoughts are not as your Thoughts saith the Lord God but as high as the Heavens are above the Earth c. i. e. There is a vast Disparity between my Thoughts and yours and mine are Transcendently above yours as far as Heaven is above the Earth And so are My Ways above your Ways This is true as to God's Thoughts and Purposes of Grace in Pardoning Sinners and as to the Effects of those kind Purposes in his Ways and Works And the Highest Assurance of the Truth of all this is added from a Divine Testimony annex'd Thus saith the Lord. He who best knows his own Gracious Designs hath told us this and by our believing it we set to our Seals that God is true Several things might be Observ'd as proper to be Discours'd of from these Words First That if ever Sinners find Mercy with God they must forsake their former Evil Ways and Course of Life Secondly That 't is not enough for such to to reform their outward Practice and forsake their Evil Ways but they must be chang'd and sanctify'd in Heart their Evil Thoughts must be forsaken Thirdly That 't is not sufficient to turn from Sin and Wickedness in Heart and Life without returning unto God Fourthly That the worst of Sinners be they wicked as to Sins against God or unrighteous as to Iniquity against Men yet if they turn from their Evil Wayes and return to the Lord they shall find Mercy Tho' you have sinned as you think so as never any did before and condemn your selves as the chiefest of Sinners and have refus'd the pardoning Mercy of God formerly offer'd c. All this may be forgiven And it is implied that it shall be upon every New Invitation
and Call to Repentance that Where Sin hath abounded Grave shall much more abound Fifthly He will have Mercy and will abundantly pardon let him consider the Certainty of this and thereupon Return We may here Observe That the great Motive and Encouragement which puts Sinners on forsaking their Evil Wayes and turning to God is a sensible Apprehension that there is Mercy and Forgiveness to be had There could be no Repentance without it nor would it be required of us as a Duty to repent and return if there were no Forgiveness with God Sixthly Besides the General Encouragement of finding Mercy with God here is the special kind of Mercy which the Sinner needs and that is Pardon I may here Observe That pardoning Mercy to returning Sinners is Mercy indeed of all others the most suitable and most welcome Seventhly That God will not only show Mercy to Returning Sinners but he will abundantly pardon 'em he will multiply Pardons I. First That if ever Sinners find Mercy with God they must forsake their Evil Ways The ordinary Course of any Man's Life is very fitly called his Way that which is his ordinary Practice his daily Walk Accordingly we read of the Way of a Sinner and the Path of the Wicked and the Way of Evil Men This is often call'd our own Way in Opposition to the Way of Truth and Righteousness which is called the Way of the Lord or God's Way Because he directs and approves it and enables us to walk in it and rewards us for so doing And this is the great difference between the Righteous and the Wicked Their Course and Way is different A good Man may make a false Step he may stumble or step out of the way in a particular Instance but he doth not work Iniquity doth not walk in the way of the Ungodly his Course and Conversation for the main of it is otherwise And 't is not for one or two particular Actions good or bad that a Man 's to be denominated a good or wicked Man but from his ordinary Course of Life If that be wicked he must forsake it or never find Mercy with God And this must be done heartily and unfeignedly speedily and without delay impartially and universally with full purpose of Heart to persevere and never again return to Folly Without this there can be no Converse with God nor Communion with him Wash ye make ye clean put away the Evil of your Doings then come and let us reason together Isa I. 16 17. 'Till this be resolv'd upon and begun you are Impenitent and so abominable in the sight of God For certainly God wil lnto dishonour his Perfections contradict his Word and prostitute his Grace to justifie the Ungodly while they continue such without desiring resolving and endeavouring to forsake their Evil Ways Where-ever Christ is a Saviour to give Remission of Sin he does also give them Repentance Acts V. 31. II. Secondly That 't is not enough for one who expects to find Mercy with God to reform his Practices and forsake his Evil Wayes but he must be inwardly sanctify'd his Heat renewed his very Thoughts changed Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts c. His Thoughts especially his False Unjust Unrighteous Thoughts of God whereof Sinners have very many Here the Change must be because the Heart is the principal Seat of Sin or Grace of Sincerity or Hypocrisie It is in the inward Thoughts and Affections of the Heart that Sanctification or Carnality doth principally discover it self 'Till the Fountain be cleansed the Streams will be polluted The unsanctify'd Heart is the Source of Evil Thoughts Words and Actions Wash thy Heart O Jerusalem how long shall vain Thoughts lodge in thee As a man thinketh in his heart so is he Prov. XXIII 7. The Thoughts of the wicked or wicked Thoughts they are Abomination in the sight of God Prov. XV. 26. And 't is the Design of the Gospel and the Glory of it beyond all the Philosophy in the World to bring our Thoughts into Obedience to Christ While any Wickedness is indulged and allowed in the Heart and Thoughts no outward Reformation as to our Behaviour before the World no Abstinence from gross Pollutions and Disorders in the Life will denominate us truly Penitent or give us Hopes of finding Mercy with God While we regard Iniquity in our Hearts while the Heart goes after Covetousness Filthiness or any allowed Lust Uunless the Thoughts be chang'd as well as the outward Course unless the Heart be sanctify'd as well as the Conversation reform'd there is no Forgiveness You know the Woe which our Saviour denounc'd against the Pharises on this Account Mat. XXIII 25. whom he characteriz'd as Hypocrites because they made clean the outside of the Cup and Platter but within were full of Extortion and Excess that like whited Sepulchers they appear'd Beautiful outward but were within full of dead Mens Bones and all Uncleanness III. Thirdly Observe further That 't is not enough to turn from Sin and Wickedness in Heart and Life but if you would find Mercy with God you must return unto the Lord. To clear this Consider That we are departed and gone off from God by Sin both as he is our Chief Good and Sovereign Lord We have abandon'd and forsaken him as our Portion and Felicity and as he is our Lord and Ruler 'T is necessary therefore that we return to him so as to value his Favour as our very Life place all our Happiness in his Love and Likeness observe his Orders and endeavour to please him that we design his Honour and make it our Business to glorifie him and be entirely devoted to him as our Ultimate End Without resolving on this there 's no ground to expect Mercy in the Pardon of the least Sin and upon this we may hope for Forgiveness of the greatest Men may break off a Course of Notorious Open Wickedness upon various and different Motives and then take up with a Negative Religion without returning to God They may satisfie themselves that now they don't commit the like Crimes as formerly they may think it enough that they are not as bad as others are or as once they were themselves But this is not sufficient if they are destitute of Love to God if they are not careful to please him if his Glory be not their End if they do not eye his Authority if they are not chiefly conconcern'd to be accepted with him if they do not choose him as the Portion of their Soul and by an entire Resignation of themselves make him Lord of all to govern their Actions by the Counsels of his Word and to dispose and order their Conditions by his most Wise and Holy Providence Such a turning to the Lord must be joyn'd with forsaking of Sin IV. Fourthly Let the Wicked and Unrighteous forsake the Evil of his Heart and Wayes and turn to the Lord and he shall find Mercy I Observe That
such a Load of Guilt and so many hainous Crimes to acknowledge In this sense we find the Expression of standing us'd Rom. XIV 4. To his own Master he standeth or falleth that is shall either be acquitted or condemned of God 'T is of the same Import with Psal CXLIII 2. Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight no flesh living shall be justified Consider a little with what a Frame of Spirit doth David use such Language he seems to cry out in the View of his Hainous Sins as ready to Despair if not reliev'd by the Hope that there is Forgiveness with God Lord who can stand that is how justly may I be Condemn'd if I am try'd at thy Bar According to strict Justice I must be cast I cannot answer thee for one much less for all my Abominations I cannot stand in the Judgment This will be and is the Case of all Convinced Sinners of every one of us when we View our Sins and the Majesty of Heaven whom we have offended When we consider how we have affronted God and despised him and how easily he can crush us into Hell and how justly he might When we think how we have preferr'd a Lust a Trifle a Passion an Humour before him How we have slighted his Authority abus'd his Goodness defi'd his Power weari'd his Patience rejected his Grace and by numberless aggravated Transgressions incurr'd the Vengeance he hath threaten'd and made our selves lyable to his intolerable and everlasting Wrath. Under such a Sight and Sense of Sin what can relieve but the Consideration that there 's Mercy and Forgiveness with God and that He 'll abundantly Pardon returning Sinners This I say we are backward to believe There 's so much Ignorance and Blindness in the Minds of Sinners there 's such a proneness in Men to Judge of God by themselves and of his Thoughts and Ways by their own that because they could not Pardon such and such hainous Provocations so often repeated they imagine that God will not And there are so many Fears and Jealousies in our guilty Souls concerning God that without the Encouragement of such a Declaration of Grace as in this Text there could be no Repentance there would be no Returning to God You know what Benhadad's Servants told him 1 Kings XX. 31. We have heard that the Kings of Israel are Merciful Kings let us put Sack-cloath on our Loyns and Ropes about our Necks and go to the King of Israel peradventure he will save thy Life This gracious Method God us'd toward Israel Jer. III. 12. Go and proclaim these words toward the North saying Return O back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am Merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine Iniquity that thou hast Transgressed against the Lord thy God that is Let them not cherish any such hard Thoughts of me as if there were no Forgiveness let them not despair of my Mercy as if I would not receive them when they return This gives the greatest Encouragement to Convinced Sinners that here is a Plank to save them from Shipwrack a Remedy against Despair Here 's a ground for 'em to return to God with Hopes Here 's a Motive to seek Mercy that God hath proclaim'd his Readiness to forgive and abundantly to pardon And methinks 't is very plain that the Doctrine of Repentance would never have been preached if there were no Hope of Forgiveness The fallen Angels having no Mercy offer'd were never call'd to repent for let there be never so deep Conviction of Sin and Sorrow for it there could be no Repenting and Returning to God without believing that Mercy might be had All would end in Death and Desparation Repentance would never be commanded as a Duty nor urg'd upon Sinners as a Duty it could not if we believe the Wisdom Goodness and Faithfulness of God were it not for this Truth that If the wicked forsake his way c. But upon the Consideration of this Sinners begin to have good Thoughts of God many of their Scruples are remov'd many of their Objections answer'd and they are now encourag'd to seek the Mercy of God and prepare to receive it VSE To Conclude therefore Let the vilest and worst of Sinners receive these glad Tydings of God's Grace and not abuse them Don't despise this Message don't neglect it but consider how much you need this Mercy and go home and earnestly beg it Endeavour to welcome it as it is offer'd in the Gospel and then plead it and urge it for Christ's sake according to the Promise as it is Free-Mercy And stir up your Souls to hope in it as knowing that God takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy May I not therfore say that 't is from the Devil for whom there is no Mercy if there be any of you to whom this Doctrine is preached who will yet Conclude There 's no Mercy for you Since God hath told us that If the Wicked forsake his Evil Ways and Thoughts and turn to the Lord they may and ought in that Case most firmly believe that He will have Mercy and that He will abundantly pardon THE Second Sermon ISAIAH LV. 7. Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him Return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon 'T IS of the Sixth Observation from these Words that I would now speak without so much as repeating the other five viz. That Pardoning Mercy to Penitent Sinners is Mercy indeed the most valuable and seasonable Mercy This I shall endeavour to manifest by several Considerations and then Apply it First There 's nothing more suitable to the Case of a Guilty Sinner who hath any Thoughts of returning to God Consider the Perplexities of one that is awakened to a Sense of Sin and is under a Spirit of Conviction His bitter Complaints and loud Cryes tell us that he knows not what to do nor how to be rid of his Burden He apprehends his Danger from unpardoned Sin and feels the want of this Forgiveness He is wounded and nothing but the Voice of Pardoning Mercy can heal him I have greatly sinn'd said David and his Heart smote him 2 Sam. XXIV 10. And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the Iniquity of thy Servant Nothing else could give him Ease and Quiet from an Accusing troubled Conscience The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity Isa XXXIII 24. The meer Patience and Forbearance of God without Forgiveness will not answer the Exigence of his Case Tho' he be yet out of Hell he knows not how long it shall be so or how soon he may there have a Miserable Portion 'T is the Sense of Unpardon'd Sin that breaks his Bones and dryeth up his Marrow
Conscience and you can't presently approach to God with Comfort What then should you do Give up all for lost Run into Excess of Riot and say There is no Hope therfore let us walk after the Imagination of our own Hearts No by no Means But by renewed Acts of Repentance towards God and of Faith in the Blood of Jesus return to God and seek Forgiveness I grant in such Cases it is hard to do this with any Encouragement and Hope Our Hearts misgive us and well they may we shall have a thousand Jealousies and Fears And it can't be otherwise However God's Thoughts are not as ours He will abundantly pardon Returning Sinners tho' you have abus'd his Grace tho' you have dishonour'd his Name revolted after Forgiveness slighted the Redeemer Christ griev'd his Spirit given Advantage to the Devil deserv'd to be cast out of his sight tho' you have broken your solemn Vows and broken your Peace thereby yet let such remember that God will show Mercy to Returning Sinners and he will abundantly pardon ' em He will heal their Backslidings and make them loath themselves and be confounded for all their Abominations even After he is pacify'd towards them Ezek. XVI the last You know the kind Language God us'd to Ephraim Jer. XXXI 18 20. Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself he is my dear Son he is a pleasant Child or rather is he not so though I spake aginst him I remember him still my Bowels are moved for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. Read with Thankfulness Mic. VII 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgressions of his Remnant and retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again and have compassion on us and will subdue our Iniquities and cast our Sins into the Depths of the Sea And how sweet is the Repentance of such a Returning Backslider that is kindly melted humbled and broken and brought to the Foot of God with Hope of Mercy through Christ The Contrition of such a Soul is made up like that of Mary Magdalen of Tears and of Kisses of Sorrow and of Love of Humility and Hope of Confusion and Confidence of Shame and Joy And how will such a Soul love much to whom much is thus forgiven In short God doth abundantly pardon and multiply Pardons as to the Forgiveness of many Sins in that never any one Sin was forgiven to any Man to whom this was not made good Numberless Sins are forgiven wherever one is They are more than the Hairs of our Head or the Sands on the Sea-shore Well might the Psalmist say Have mercy on me O Lord according to thy loving Kindnesses and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies Psal LI. 1. I will abundantly pardon saith God here and in another place I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities whereby they have sinn'd against me whereby they have trespass'd against me saith the Lord Jer. XXXII 8. Who can understand his Errors before Conversion and since by Omission and Commission in Thought in Word and Act How long did God wait on some of us What various Methods did he use to bring us home How graciously did he receive us at first and after many Provocations receive us again Surely if we find Mercy with God any of us he must abundantly pardon us and multiply Forgivenesses And because 't is not so easie a thing to believe this I proceed to the Second Particular to Consider what Reason we have to be perswaded of this Secondly Upon what Grounds may we be firmly perswaded of this Truth That God will thus multiply Pardons 'T is certain to an humbl'd awaken'd convinced penitent Sinner it must be glad Tydings of great Joy that his Case will admit of Hope That he ought not to despair that there is a possibility he may find Mercy with God if no more But to have the Riches of God's Grace display'd to have a free and general Invitation made to all the Hungry and Thirsty the Weary and Heavy laden to have a Promise of Mercy and of Forgiveness whatever thy Sins have been What matter of Rejoycing is this This will answer a thousand Objections which otherwise you could not tell what to say to This is proper to revive the most drooping Spirits to make them adore God and admire his glorious Grace This may cause them to think honourably of him seek earnestly to him and thankfully accept his offered Mercy as poor wretched perishing condemn'd undone Creatures toward whom the God of all Grace will magnifie his Rich and Undeserved Mercy Therfore be perswaded to believe it considering such things as these First That there are large and express Promises and most astonishing Instances in the Holy Scriptures to Encourage your Faith He that best understands his own kind Thoughts to the Children of Men to the chiefest of Sinners hath assured you he will not only have Mercy but abundantly pardon and that where Sin hath abounded Grace shall much more abound toward all of them who will accept of Mercy by Jesus Christ so as God may not lose the Glory of it You think it very hard to be perswaded of this but hath not God told you that as far as the Heavens are above the Earth so are his Thoughts and Ways above yours And tho' your Sins be as Crimson and Scarlet that they shall be as Snow and Wool and that To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness tho' we have rebell'd against him Have we not Instances of this as to others of the worst of Men and Women that have been washed and justify'd through the Blood of Christ and Spirit of Christ of Sinks of Sin that have been made Vessels of Mercy Many Examples in the Old Testament and in the New of Jews and Gentiles What Folly and what aggravated Sin was David guilty of after the Knowledge of God and what great Sins before Conversion was the Apostle Paul charg'd with You have been sometimes told that 't is an Instance of God's Wisdom and Kindness to record the the Example of David's Fall Some it may be think it were better left out lest it should encourage Sinners but doubtless many a Man would have perished in Despair and made away himself if it had not been for the Example of David's Repentance and God's Forgiveness of him after such hainous Transgressions Secondly God hath declared this to be his Nature and Delight He proclaims it as part of his Name Exod. XXXIV 5 6. to be The Lord God Gracious and Merciful Slow to Anger and Abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin He is pleas'd in the Exercise of his Mercy he delights to be Gracious and takes pleasure in them that hope in his Mercy And therfore what pleaseth him and he delights to do he will do abundantly There is an Inexhausted Treasure of Grace in God Exceeding
should speak such Language to me as this Tho' for lying Vanities thou hast forsaken thine own Mercies yet return to me Tho' thou hast play'd the Harlot with many Lovers yet return Tho' thou hast turned a deaf Ear to many Reproofs yet thy Case is not desperate Tho' I offer my Son and Life by him He that hath the Son hath Life and ye would not This Offer was repeated Sabbath after Sabbath for many Years yet you would not hear it you would not stoop to the Terms yet return unto me I will pity and pardon you I will abundantly pardon Long since I might have sworn in my Wrath you shall never enter into my Rest I might have said Let them alone to be undone by their own Obstinate Foolish Choice I might have resolv'd never such an Offer should be made to you more Never any Sermon about it shall ever do you good more But I am God and not Man my Thoughts and Ways are not as yours I invite you again I beseech you turn and live do not go on and dye God speaks this Language to every one of you the worst of you who hear me this Day Let none therfore think or say 't is too late for him or her there 's now no more Mercy for me For Christ yet stands at the Door and knocks tho' you have refus'd formerly and shut the Door formerly yet now if you will open the Door he will come in and sup with you and you with him Rev. III. 20. Nay tho' he has not taken Possession of thy Heart he knocks at thy Door by his Spirit and is ready to enter tho' you refuse him he does not abandon you Tho' his Kindness and Love hath been slighted yet his Mercy is tendered still and his Patience prolonged And will you resolve to go on thus Will ye not return Are you content to perish rather than come to Christ for Life rather than give him the Glory of your Salvation Will you rather dye in your Sins than be beholden to him for your Forgiveness rather than apply to God for it when he hath provided an All-sufficient Saviour and offer'd you that Salvation freely which cost so dear to purchase After this for a poor proud Sinner to turn his Back upon this Grace of God to scorn this Saviour and disdain to be saved by him saying in Effect I will have none of your Christ none of his Grace none of his Mercy I had rather enjoy my Lusts continue in my Sin and put it to the Venture how provoking is such Guilt and how righteous will be the Condemnation of such obstinate Sinners Secondly Apply your self therfore to God in Christ by Earnest Prayer He hath the Words of Eternal Life he is a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance as well as Pardon The Spirit of Faith is the Spirit of Jesus Christ he can open thy blind Eyes and soften thy hard Heart he that commanded the Cripple to take up his Bed and walk at the same time gave him Power to obey There is a Divine Spirit and Power even the Spirit of Life and Power in Christ Jesus that accompanies the Preaching of the Gospel this may be hoped for this ought to be valu'd desir'd and begg'd You ought never to despair of God's Grace to enable you to believe when it continues to be your Duty to believe on Christ and it cannot but continue to be so unless the Gospel be repeal'd Therefore beg with all your Hearts that you may be enabled to look to him and be saved to come to him and find Rest to your Souls to believe on him and receive Remission of Sins For by beholding the Glory of God in the Face of Christ you may be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Beg an Understanding to know him that is true and with all your Hearts to believe on him that you may assent to his Word consent to his Covenant resign to his Will and trust in his Promise depending on his Readiness Willingness Power and Faithfulness to save you Saying Lord draw me and I will run after thee Lord thou art willing to receive Sinners make me willing to receive thee Lord thou hast received Gifts for Men even for the Rebellious O communicate of those Gifts of Grace to me I see my need of Christ and what Reason I have to come to him O lead me to him and work in me to will and to do of thine own good Pleasure Thirdly If you begin to find the Spirit of Christ breathing on your Souls that have been yet unperswaded if you have any Motions of the good Spirit of God by the preaching the Word or by any other means take heed you thankfully cherish and entertain them When you find your Souls begin to turn towards Christ if you find any Beams of Heavenly Light break in upon you any Inclinations started of applying to him besure to obey the Voice of his Spirit Open every Door of your Souls to receive his Light When he works any Conviction of Sin any sence of your need of a Saviour any Desires after him or Purposes of Heart to leave your Sins and give up your selves to God to be saved by Christ according to the Gospel for your Souls sake encourage such Thoughts cherish such Suggestions Beware how you turn them off but presently and thankfully strike in saying Lord I yield I am overcome I have long enough and too long refus'd thy Grace disobey'd thy Will and resisted thy Spirit Thou hast often knockt and I would not open O now enter thou Blessed of the Lord and take Possession of my Soul Let Christ dwell in my Heart by Faith and his Spirit form a Temple there and reside there as in his own Dwelling for ever Lord art thou yet willing after all my Provocations to show Mercy and abundantly to pardon Willing to be my God and my Saviour Blessed be God I am now willing to be thy Servant Thy powerful Grace hath made me willing Thy Spirit open'd my Eyes to see my self undone to see that Christ is able and willing to save me I hope I am now ready to receive him willing to embrace him as Christ Jesus my Lord. I come to thee O God as to the Fountain of Life to be quickned and cleans'd to be wash'd justify'd sanctify'd and sav'd from Sin and Hell by the Blood and Spirit of Jesus through the Free Mercy and Grace of God But to Conclude If after all there be any Such here as are not will not be perswaded to forsake their Evil Ways and turn to God in Christ Let them consider that the longer they continue in their Obstinacy and Unbelief under the preaching of the glorious Grace and Mercy of God to Sinners so much the more Danger they are in of being lost for ever For their Minds must needs be more blinded by sinning against the Light Their Hearts more hardned by misimproving that which should have softned
them The Power of Conscience is weakned after so many Struglings and Combates that they must needs have had with their own Consciences after so many Contests between Corruption and Conviction between Truth in the Mind and Corrupt Inclinations in the Heart Especially if they have formerly been awakned and there have been some Fears and Hopes with good Desires and other Affections formerly stirr'd if by the Common Operations of the Holy Spirit they have had some serious Concern about their Salvation and all this is worn off and gone the Case of such is very bad and their Recovery the less hopeful because their Repentance is the more unlikely And if they persist their Doom will be intolerable But it is to prevent this as to those who may be in such a dangerous Case that I thus speak And therefore I most earnestly invite beseech and entreat them however Wicked and Unrighteous they have been not to make light of this further Offer of the Grace of the Gospel And that by no means they would despair of finding Mercy with God even Now if they will Return to him with all their Hearts whatever their past Sins have been If Now they will return God will abundantly pardon For his Thoughts are not as ours c. THE Third Sermon ISAIAH LV. 7 8. Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the Unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him Return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon For My Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways My Ways saith the Lord. IN Two former Discourses I have consider'd this double Precept or Injunction of Duty which concerns Sinners of all sorts under the two Names of Wicked and Vnrighteous that they must forsake their Evil Ways and Thoughts and return to the Lord which are the two parts of unfeigned Repentance I have also consider'd the encouraging Promise that thereupon God will have Mercy and will abundantly Pardon And I have now to consider what Ground we have to believe this Because God's Thoughts are not as ours nor his Ways as ours c. But there remains something of the Application of the Second General That if the Wicked forsake their evil Ways and Thoughts and return to God he will not only forgive but He will abundantly pardon 1. VSE Be thankful to Heaven for this good News that God will thus mercifully treat returning Sinners He might have insisted on the Terms of the violated first Covenant to the Ruine of all Mankind He might have left us as the fallen Angels without the Proposal Promise or Offer of a Redeemer But God so loved the World that he gave his Son that whoever believeth on him should not perish but have Everlasting Life When we think of the Case of the fallen Angels who are reserv'd in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the Great Day and compare it with our own who have a Proclamation of Mercy and Grace by the Gospel we have Reason to adore the distinguishing Goodness of God to us If a few poor inconsiderable People in a Kingdom of the meanest sort should be found guilty of Treason against a Prince when there are Multitudes of the Nobility and Gentry who have likewise rebell'd against him and a Pardon should be offer'd to those of the poorer meaner sort while the Nobles and Great Men are all Executed and not a Man of them receiv'd to Mercy would not this be Astonishing Goodness to the others Especially if those Great Men the Principal Subjects of the Kingdom were Condemn'd for one Offence for one Act of Treason and the others forgiven many Transgressions and receiv'd to Favour and Honour after many Years of Rebellion You easily know how to apply it How thankful ought we to be that we are not left in the remediless Condition of Devils that there is a Sacrifice offer'd for Sin a full Attonement made a sufficient Price paid a Fountain open'd a new and living Way for God to be glorify'd in the Forgiveness and Salvation of Returning Sinners that believe on his Son It is matter of Continual Admiration and Thankful Praise that we have Forgiveness this way Can we have a fuller Evidence of the Evil and Malignity of Sin or of God's Displeasure against it and consequently of the Worth and Value of a Pardon than by the Sufferings Blood and Sacrifice of Christ And what stronger Proof or clearer Evidence of God's Readiness to forgive Sin than the giving of his Son to dye for our Sins to cleanse us from all Sin even the most hainous grievous Offences Because his Mercy through the Mediator is greater than the Sins of the whole World Let us with Hearty Thankfulness adore him for this glorious Mystery of his Love and Grace And that we may be Thankful indeed let us apply it to our selves in particular Let us think of our own miserable Case under the Guilt of Sin and the Curse of God Let us think of the many thousand Talents we owe without being able to pay one Farthing of the Innumerable Crimes we are guilty of and that the Wages of every one is Death And that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could not procure the Forgiveness of one sinful Thought If you think you have or ever had any serious sense of the Evil of Sin and your lost undone Condition as Sinners how thankfully should you receive these glad Tydings of Mercy by Jesus Christ But if you have gone further and have actually receiv'd the Attonement if you are brought under the Bond of the Covenant if you are united to Christ by Faith and so interested in the sure Mercies of David and by Forgiveness deliver'd from Condemnation what Special Thankfulness is due from such When there are comparatively so Few to whom the Gospel is preached but do receive this Grace of God in vain Lord Who and what am I that I should have good hope through Grace of the Forgiveness of my Sins of mine that have been more aggravated than the Sins of Others When Others not greater Sinners it may be not so bad shall perish for ever and never be forgiven When it may be some of my Companions and Accomplices in Sin are cut off by Death without Repentance and Pardon Were not Others call'd and invited as well as I But he hath open'd mine Ears and Heart to receive him and so hath pardon'd me while others are condemned O Admirable and Astonishing Grace Secondly Take heed of abusing this Declaration of Grace to the worst of Sinners I. First As any Countenance to Sin or Encouragement to continue in it Shall we sin because God is ready to forgive Sin that his Grace may abound God forbid Rom. VI. 1. Far be it from us let it be an abhorred Thought 'T is needful to mention this because in many Instances the most pure and holy Doctrine may be perverted to patronize Sin We read that the Continuance of the Course
the Vilest and most Hainous Transgressors let their Sins be what they will if they penitently return to God they may be assur'd of Pardon Whatever Wickedness against God or Unrighteousness against Men whatever Iniquity or Sin in Heart or Life Open or Secret they are charged with yet is there Mercy with God upon true Repentance The Holy Scriptures are full of this Doctrine How large and general are the Invitations and Calls of God to all sorts of Sinners How Express and Positive are the Declarations of his Word that even Scarlet and Crimson Sins shall be as Snow and Wool that All Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven except that against the Holy Ghost which is joyn'd with Obstinate Impenitence that our Lord Jesus Christ came to save the chiefest of Sinners and that his Blood cleanseth from all Sin What a large and black Catalogue is there of such as shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Fornicators Adulterers Idolaters Sodomites Drunkards Revilers and Extortioners and yet 't is added Such were some of you but ye are washed 1 Cor. VI. 9 10 11. He is a God pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin Mic. VII 18. How affectionately doth God expostulate with Sinners even the Vilest of them and urge them to cast away their Transgressions and assure them that he hath no pleasure in their Ruine How earnestly doth he beseech them to be reconcil'd and hearken to the Voice of his Mercy With what Variety of Arguments doth he plead with them from the Greatness of his Mercy offer'd from the Freeness and Riches of his Grace from the Absolute Necessity of it and from the Hazard they run of being undone for ever if they refuse it What Instances are there of the blackest Crimes forgiven and the most Hainous Offenders received to Favour with an Assurance that Others may be so too if they will return Cease to do Evil Learn to do Well Come now and let us reason together Isa I. 16. that is there is nothing past shall be a Bar to your Reconciliation if you will Now return no Sin that you have ever committed shall be your undoing if you will Now accept of Mercy I may safely say this to every Man and Woman in this Assembly And should there be any that think that they have sinned with such peculiar Aggravations as never any did who were forgiven which I believe is not true Yet suppose it true the Free-grace and Mercy of God hath never yet been try'd to the utmost It can out-do all it hath ever done The Aggravations of thy Guilt can never be such as to condemn thee but the Vertue of the Blood of Christ is greater to pardon thee if thou return to God by Jesus Christ As far as Heaven is above Earth God's Thoughts are above ours in this Matter There is an Instance of this in the beginning of the Bible how different God's Thoughts are from ours and how much above them I will not Curse the ground any more for Man's sake saith God Gen. VIII because the imagination of the Heart of Man is only evil and continually evil One would rather think that God for that reason should do nothing but Curse it but it seems to intimate as if the kind Thoughts of God were to this purpose If I should never leave Cursing 'till Man leaves Sinning I should do nothing but Curse but I will not c. I cann't hope to find Mercy my Sin is so great saith a Convinced Sinner not considering that 't is the Glory of God to forgive a multitude of Sins and that where Sin hath abounded there is an Opportunity for Grace much more to abound The Psalmist useth it as an Argument in Prayer Lord forgive mine Iniquity for it is great Psal XXV 11. An Argument fit to be us'd no where else The greatness of his Sin made him fly to God for Pardon but did not keep him from Returning This is the Scope and Tenour of the whole Gospel To this do all the Prophets and Apostles witness That through the Name of Christ whoever believes on him without distinction shall receive the Forgiveness of Sin If you are weary and heavy laden sensible of Sin and desirous to forsake it if you see your need of Christ and flee to the Refuge of Hope set before you you may you ought to believe that you shall find Mercy Rest and Forgiveness And for the Encouragement of the worst of Sinners to Repent it is Observed in all Ages that many wicked People who find Mercy with God and are forgiven have been much more Vile than several of those that are left to perish in their Sins and shall never be forgiven How many that have been kept from gross Polutions and made a longer and fairer Profession of Religion than others who have abounded in outward Duties who have been of more useful Parts Endowments and Qualifications more considerable for their Wit Learning and other Accomplishments more capable one would think of doing Service in the World and the Church and for the Glory of God if Converted how many such are yet left to perish in their Impenitence and Unbelief while Others have been call'd and turn'd justify'd sanctify'd and sav'd who have labour'd under many contrary Discouragements and Disadvantages as to all these c. especially by the Hainousness of their former Guilt and Rebellion Therfore consider it seriously if thou hast been a great Sinner God is a gracious God and Christ is a mighty Saviour able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him He can as easily forgive five Hundred Talents as fifty Pence though the Debtors are very different in the Parable Luke VII 41. He frankly forgave them both Not only such who have sinned in some lesser Degrees may hope to find Mercy but they who have run out into the grossest Wickedness Impiety Unrighteousness and Iniquity not only such who have neglected one or two or ten Calls to Repentance by the Gospel but if they have done so for many Years to this Hour they may yet find Mercy Now if forsaking their Evil Ways they return to God by Jesus Christ Let your Sins past be what they will say as bad as you will or can of your selves and of the dreadful Aggravations of your Guilt Cloath it with all the Horrour and Darkness possible Yet As high as the Heavens are above the Earth so is the Mercy of God and the Merit and Vertue of the Blood of Christ above your Guilt Object But I have stood out so long will some say persisted in my Wickedness so many years stifled the Motions of God's Spirit so often and been deaf to the Voice of God's Word and my own Conscience that I fear he will never accept of me nor ever shew Mercy to me for he call'd and I would not come he knock'd and I would not open and therefore if I call I may expect to find the Door shut But in Answer to this Consider That
as long as His Word abides faithful and the Covenant of Grace is everlasting and unrepeal'd and the Offers of God's Grace are repeated as long as there 's a New Proclamation of Mercy made in the Name of Christ tho' all the former have been despised you may Now come in and find Mercy and be accepted Now. For every New Offer of God's Grace doth carry in it the Offer and Promise of the Pardon of all your former Refusals if you will Now consent The Promise is as free and the peformance of it as sure now as ever You may come in Now and be pardon'd and sav'd upon as free and gracious Terms as several years agoe 'T is still without Money and without Price Your Unbelief and Obstinacy so long does not raise the Price nor alter the Terms Therefore plead the Riches of his Free-grace and do it the more thankfully and humbly the Viler you have been saying Lord thy Mercy will be the more honour'd thy Free-grace will be the more magnify'd and exalted in the Conversion and Forgiveness of such a Wretch in the purging such a defiled Soul in the healing such a Leper in the pardoning so many and great Transgressions And 't is often Observ'd that such Sinners when they return to God have the Advantage of others upon several Accounts wherein God is more glorify'd by them As that usually they admire the Grace of God more than others love God and Christ more walk more humbly with God are more Charitable Tender and Compassionate to other Christians and are usually more watchful and circumspect for the Time to come and more afraid of falling And commonly they are more abundant in Service for the Honour of God more entirely devoted to him more zealous for his Glory more of a Publick Spirit more ready to do and to suffer any thing for his sake As this tends to the Honour of God so it may be pleaded in Prayer Object But before I close this I must obviate or answer an Objection or two more I may suppose some will say That after all there 's no finding Mercy and Forgiveness with God without Faith in Jesus Christ and I can't for my Heart believe in Christ that he will receive me I cannot perswade my self that such a one as I should be accepted What shall the Invaluable Purchase of the Death of Christ belong to me be bestowed on me if you 'd give me all the World I can't believe that such a Wretch as I have been shall find Mercy You don't know how I have affronted dishonour'd despis'd and disobey'd him I have abus'd his Grace at that dreadful Rate that you cann't imagine the Aggravtion of my Sins or the Sadness of my Case I can't believe that he will ever forgive me receive me justifie me and glorifie me I can't believe it and if I can't believe in Christ I can't be saved by him Answ I Answer Don't mistake the Nature of saving Faith You say you can't believe and you have no Faith Whereas at the bottom you mean no more than this that as yet you are not certain of Salvation you have no Assurance But are you willing to receive Christ Jesus as offer'd in the Gospel Hath the Spirit of God so far convinc'd you of your sinful miserable state that you heartily consent to be saved by Christ in his own Way and upon his own Terms Are you willing to take him as your Teacher Saviour and Lord Are you brought to depend and trust entirely upon the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ as the only Mediator between God and Man To relye upon his Sacrifice and meritorious Righteousness as your only Refuge and Hope Desiring to be found in him alone to be accepted of God only in the Beloved and are truly willing and as far as you know your own Hearts are resolv'd to follow him as the Captain of your Salvation where ever he shall lead you in hope of his purchased and promised Grace and Glory This is Faith and dare you say that there 's nothing of this that appears in the Temper of your Spirits Secondly If you can't with any Confidence say this yet the Case is hopeful if you are in the number of convinced awakened sensible Sinners Are you sensible of your Ignorance Poverty Guilt Impurity Bondage Unrighteousness c. and that you need Christ as a compleat Saviour to be made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to expiate Sin by his Blood and to subdue it by his Spirit to reconcile us to God and begin that blessed Union and Communion here which shall be compleat in Heaven And this comprehends our whole Salvation Christ is the Saviour of Sinners and of such who are lost who apprehend themselves to be so without his help that feel their Sins and their Wants he came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance And is a Physitian not to the Whole but to the Sick He calls and cures not the Proud but the Humble not the Full but the Hungry not the Rich but the Poor not the Free but the Captive who are sensible of their Bonds not the Righteous but Sinners And he makes you by his Spirit thus humble empty hungry and sensible of Sin that you may look to him as the great Reconciler sensible of the need of Pardon If it be thus you may then look for Redemption through the Blood of Jesus even the Forgiveness of Sins Feeling your need of Sanctification you may look to be wash'd and cleans'd and sanctify'd in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by his Spirit feeling your want of Strength to do and suffer the Will of God you may look to Christ to enable you to do all things Now one that is not fully satisfy'd and assur'd that Christ will save him may yet be brought to this frame How is it with you as to this Thirdly Let me ask you further under the Sense of being Vile and Hainous Sinners are you brought earnestly to desire the Mercy of God in Christ and diligently to seek after him Tho' you sometimes fear he will not accept you yet do you not neglect to pray to him What would you not give that you might be interested in God's pardoning Mercy and accepted in Christ Are not your greatest Fears and Concern with respect to this lest he should reject you Are not the strongest Desires of your Souls after this that he would receive you And is it thus not only at a Pinch in Affliction and Trouble as to Outward Affairs or on a sick Bed but in Health and Prosperity Is this the Language of your Souls I have Health and Friends and Money and Credit and many Outward Blessings beyond others I want nothing for my Body or for my Comfortable Passage through this World But I am yet a miserable Creature if I am under the Guilt of Sin if God be not reconcil'd to me O that I were clear as to this what would
I give to be at peace with God and to have an Encouraging Sense of it c. Fourthly Are you sensible of your past Unkindness to this Merciful God and Gracious Saviour so as to bewail it Is it now the ground of your Fear and Trouble not only that you have sinn'd against the Light of Nature tho' it may be you were first awaken'd by the sense of some such Transgression but now you are troubl'd for the Contempt of the Gospel for your Neglect of Christ the Saviour of Sinners for refusing him when he hath call'd and invited you And are ready to say within your selves O with what Earnestness did he call me to accept his Mercy How freely did he offer to forgive me He would have been my Saviour but I would not receive him with what Folly and Obstinacy did I harden my Heart and stop my Ears and turn my Back upon him and resisted him both in his Word and Spirit Doth this greive and trouble you as well as the gross Pollutions of the World which Natural Light will condemn Fifthly Your Case is hopeful notwithstanding the sense of your Vileness and Fears on that Account if you yet resolve to follow on in seeking Mercy and Forgiveness of God by Jesus Christ 'till you obtain it Do you resolve you will wait and pray and wrestle and persevere therein 'till it shall please God to cast an Eye of Pity and Compassion on your miserable Souls That you will continue in the Use of God's appointed Means where he communicates his Spirit and conveys Grace and where he is wont to vouchsafe his Presence That you will enquire of every Body that may assist you how you may be one of those Happy Souls whom God will abundantly pardon Can you say this That tho' I fear and doubt yet I seek and strive and will not give over I will not desist I will not depart from his Door I am undone if he refuse me and if I perish and dye in my Sins and be damned for them it shall be in seeking Mercy and begging Mercy for Christ's sake And if you can say this truly you may be assur'd you shall not perish but find Mercy Can you say and is it the real Language of your Heart Nothing in all the Word shall content and satisfie you or is ever like to do so 'till you have some good hope through Grace of finding Mercy with God You search the Scriptures and search your Hearts and go to Ministers consult Friends and attend Ordinances with this Desire and Design and you pray before you come to hear that some seasonable powerful Word may drop and reach your Case Alas I use to hear formerly after another manner and with other Thoughts judging the Minister passing Sentence on the Sermon or considering only how it concern'd others of my Acquaintance But now I apply all to my self now I look for my own Portion and watch for that which principally concerns me And by the Grace of God I will thus attend and wait and watch at the Posts of Wisdoms Door that I may find Life Prov. VIII 34. Though I I have but a very little Hope and a great many Fears considering what a Vile Sinner I have been yet I do not utterly despair I am told I must not despair and that Despair is a Sin and Hope a Duty And therfore I will yet hold on and wait upon the Lord and seek his Mercy Tho' I can't pray with Confidence I will yet look up tho' I can't say I believe yet I 'le not utterly despair tho' I have sinned against the Grace of the Gospel and the Blood and Spirit of Christ yet I hope not above and beyond the Help and Benefit of his Grace and Gospel and Blood and Spirit I 'le therfore hold on and wait in Hope in the diligent use of all the Means of Salvation V. Fifthly I proceed to another thing observable from these Words Let him return and he will have Mercy and abundantly pardon Let him think of that and return believe that be encouraged to return I Observe That the great Motive and Encouragement to put a Sinner on forsaking his Evil Ways and returning to God is the sensible Apprehension that there 's Mercy to be had viz. that God will forgive and abundantly pardon the Penitent Returning Sinner I confess 't is not an easie matter to be perswaded of the Doctrine of the Forgiveness of Sin Whatever Guess and Conjecture Men may have about it from the Divine Patience and Forbearance to a sinful World in the Continuance of his Forfeited Mercy Yet * See Mr. Nathanael Taylor 's Preservative against Deism Octavo Lately printed without the Gospel Revelation we are at no Certainty about this The Gentiles had some Imaginations and Hopes that their Gods were placable and inclin'd to pardon and that was the Rise of their Expiations and Sacrifices but they had no assured Promise or Covenant to build upon They knew not the Mediator between God and Man by his own Sacrifice of himself to make Attonement 'T is the Language of the Law written on our Hearts that The Soul that sinneth shall dye 'T is the Voice of Natural Conscience that Guilt and Punishment are inseperable And were there not somewhat known of the Doctrine of Forgiveness by the Revelation of it which God hath made this would be the common Sentiment of Mankind I need not consider what particular Ways and Methods God may have to reveal this Pardoning Mercy unto any who are Strangers to the Written Word or whether he hath done so It belongs not to us to be Curious in enquiring about other Men who shall be judged by a Righteous God according to the Law they were under and the Light they had 'T is certain that even among those to whom the Gospel is preached whoever they are that are deeply convinc'd of Sin and Conscience awakened to apprehend the Holiness and Justice of God 't is one of the most difficult things in the World to perswade them that God will have Mercy and abundantly pardon It is one great Work of the Holy Spirit to satisfie the Soul of this There 's no serious Minister of Christ but hath abundant Experience of this in those that are awakened to any Concern for their Souls Salvation There 's Evidence sufficient of this in David's Frame Psal CXXX 3 4. If thou Lord should'st mark Iniquities O Lord who should stand but there is forgiveness with thee c. If God should mark Sin so as to proceed to punish it according to his Righteous Law who could stand who would escape Condemnation or when accused stand in the Judgment so as to be acquitted i.e. 'T is not my own Case alone that if God should be strict and severe with me I am an undone and lost Creature But 't is true of all the World The Holiest Saint on Earth can't be justify'd in his Sight and what then would become of me who have
and sticks like an Arrow in his flesh Whereas Pardoning Mercy is as Health to the Navel and Marrow to the Bones and a Cordial to his Heart yea even as Life from the Dead And dead he is in Law as under a Sentence of Condemnation 'till he be interested in Forgiveness by Faith in the Blood of Jesus Then may he lift up his Head as one Alive from the Dead and admit Consolation when he can hope his Sins are forgiven and that God is reconciled Comfort ye Comfort ye my People say unto Jerusalem her Warfare is Accomplished her Iniquity is forgiven Isa XL. 1 2. Blessed is the Man whose Iniquity is forgiven and Sin covered Psal XXXII 1. 'Till then they are under the Curse of God on Record A Curse that cuts off from God and all gracious Communications from him a Curse which pierceth deep and spreadeth far and makes the whole Creation at Enmity with us And this Curse is intolerable in the Effects of it and unavoidable too There is no Relief or Remedy against it but by the New Covenant and Faith in Jesus Christ 'T is only by the Redemption we have in Jesus Christ through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins In which Forgiveness we can never be interested without Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ There is no Rest in my Bones because of my Sin saith the Psalmist Psal XXXVIII 3. My Sins are an heavy Burden they are too heavy for me v. 4. 'Till this Burden be removed by Forgiveness what Ease or Rest can a Sinner enjoy 'T is true the Deceit of sensual Pleasures or the Hurry and Clatter of Worldly Business may hinder the Sense of this for a while and keep all quiet Yet sooner or later the sinful Soul will have Torment Conscience will awake Men may laugh and be merry for a Time make a shift to be confident and secure under the Wrath and Curse of God they may take their Poyson for their Antidote their Wound for their Plaister their Plague for their Cure their Disease for their Remedy and so make a hard shift to preserve a little false Peace But the End will be the most horrid Despair And the more Jovial and Airy Careless and Presumptuous they have been in Health and Prosperity under the Guilt of great Transgressions the more disconsolate will such be when Conscience awakes to set their Sins in order before them Is there then any Message like that of Forgiveness that will suit the Case of such They can relish nothing else think of nothing else this is what they aim at This is the Subject of their great Enquiry How they may be forgiven They may try in vain what Company Mirth Sports Business or Superstition will do They must come to God for Pardon or they cannot find Rest Hos V. 13. When Ephrahim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assvrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound Did you know the Misery and Danger of a sinful Soul unreconciled to God bound over to his Eternal Wrath every Moment expos'd as a Guilty Wretch to his fiery Vengeance Did you consider the Case of such a One who hath all the Plagues and Curses in the Book of God in force against him and nothing but a little Breath between him and Endless Ruine that can't tell but the next Day or Minute Death may open the Door and let him fall into Damnation Did any one rightly understand this believe it consider it and apply it as his own Case what Mercy will suit such a One but Pardoning Mercy What is all the Pomp and Glory of this World to such a Man without the Forgiveness of Sin How can he eat drink or sleep or trade or do any thing without some Hope of Pardon without seeking after it without endeavouring it without using means in Order to it Secondly Pardoning Mercy is Mercy indeed as 't is the Fruit of Covenant Love an Effect of the special distinguishing Love of God This is the great Priviledge of such whose God is the Lord. This is a Covenant Blessing that 's never given in Anger This is never bestow'd but as a Favour peculiar to God's People This is always accompany'd with Regeneration and Adoption Jer. XXXI 33. I will be their God and will forgive their Iniquity Happy is the Man whose Iniquity is forgiven Happy is the People whose God is the Lord. Thirdly This Mercy is the most Comprehensive Blessing and the Foundation of many other Mercies This secures our State sweetens our other Blessings lays the Foundation for Peace of Conscience gives Freedom of Access to the Throne of Grace and makes way for Communion with God in all Ordinances This clears us from the Accusation of Satan the Condemnation of the Law and of our own Hearts for who shall lay any thing to his Charge whom God forgives We can have no Right and Title to Eternal Life without this For the Legal Bar must be removed by the Pardon of Sin as well as the Moral Incapacity by the Sanctifying Spirit The great Blessings of the Gospel such as the Spirit of Holiness Communion with God c. they are promised to Accompany this of Forgiveness Heb. VIII latter End I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Iniquities I will remember no more By this we not only escape the Punishment due to Sin which would render us deeply miserable but are restored to the Favour of God and accepted in the Beloved and have Grace to overcome the World Flesh and Devil The sanctifying Spirit to purge us from all Filthiness is joyn'd with this Pardon which delivers from the Condemning Guilt of Sin We are translated into the Kingdom and Family of Christ as well as deliver'd from the Kingdom of Satan and the Power of Darkness In a Word the Acceptation of our Persons Sanctification of our Natures the Answer of our Prayers and a Title to Heaven and Eternal Life are connected with and consequent to this Forgiveness of Sin Psal XXXII 1 2 3. Zac. I. 4. Isa LIX 2 3. Psal CIII 2 3. Job VII 21. This also hath respect to all the Comforts and Afflictions of this present Life You ought to Consider that if Sin be forgiven all things shall work for good Take away all Iniquity saith the Church and receive us graciously or do us good Hos XIV 2. Every Providence shall be sanctified if Sin be forgiven For peace I had great bitterness saith Hezekiah but in love to my Soul thou hast deliver'd it from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy Back Isa XXXVIII 17. You have a like Instance Jer. XXXIII 6 8. But if you had all the Plenty Peace Health Riches and Grandeur of this World yet the Guilt of one Sin on the Consclence under the Apprehension of God's deserved Wrath will spoil the Relish of all Where Sin
himself Forgive us like a God not according to our Knowledge but His own And as He is greater than our Hearts to know much more against us than we can remember against our selves so He is greater than our Hearts to forgive even those Faults which our Hearts and Consciences do not Recollect He knows the Value of Christ's Blood and Merits to Forgive all our Sins And by unfeigned Faith we are interested in the Virtue of it God hath more Thoughts of Mercy in him than we have had of Rebellion against him Psal XL. 5. Thy Thoughts to us-ward speaking of his Thoughts of Mercy are more than can be numbred They have been from Everlasting and reach to Everlasting whereas 't is but as of yesterday that the oldest Sinner began to rebel against God There is no Comparison And this leads to the Last Observation from those Words He will abundantly Pardon Last Obs That God will not only show Mercy to Returning Sinners so as to Forgive them but He will abundantly Pardon He will Multiply Forgivenesses The Apostle speaks of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that it was exceeding abundant towards him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. I. 14. superlative superabundant Grace not only sufficient for the Pardon of his Sins but of multitudes more besides And accordingly in other places we read not only of the Grace of God in Forgiveness but of his abounding Grace of the Riches of his Grace Yea of the Exceeding Riches of his Grace Ephes I. 6 7. and this joyn'd with tender Mercies with Loving Kindness and with Multitudes of Mercies And here I may show First In what Respects God will abundantly Pardon Returning Sinners Secondly Consider what Reason we have to believe it and be firmly perswaded of it Thirdly What is the Abuse of this Blessed Doctrine Fourthly I shall assist you to make a Right Improvement of it First In what respects God promiseth Abundantly to Pardon or to Multiply Forgivenesses And this I might show as to Persons and as to Things First If we Consider the Extent of Forgiveness as to Sins With Reference to Time and Place and Persons c. As to Time from the first Promise of the Seed of the Woman made soon after the Fall to the End of the World this door of Mercy is open for Returning Sinners As to Places The Gospel is appointed to be Preach'd to every Creature in every part of the World Neither Jew nor Gentile Bond nor Free Barbarian or Scythian are excepted The Gospel of Grace by Christ Jesus is every where the Power of God to Pardon and Salvation unto all that believe As to Persons none shall Perish for want of a sufficient Price for their Ransom for want of a sufficient Satisfaction to the Justice of God But where-ever the Everlasting Gospel is preached He that Believeth shall be saved Whoever will may come and take of the Waters of Life freely Whoever will Accept of the Mercy of Christ upon the holy Terms of the Gospel shall receive Remission of Sins Joh. III. 10. God hath so Loved the lost World that Whosoever Believeth on Christ shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. XII 46 47. I am come saith our Lord a Light into the World that Whosoever Believeth in me should not abide in darkness If any Man hear my Words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to Judge the World but to save the World 1 Joh. II. 2. He is a Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but for the Sins of the whole World And when we Consider what sort of Persons even the chiefest and vilest of Sinners many of those have been who have been Pardon'd and received to Mercy We must needs say there is no Respect of Persons with God as to this Matter And there are a great Multitude of these considered in themselves For even of Martyrs and Confessors that came out of great Tribulation and had washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb there is a Vast Multitude such as none could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues Rev. VII 9 14. Secondly He doth abundantly Pardon considering the Sins forgiven He is a God pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin i.e. Sins of all sorts Let the Kinds Numbers Repetitions Aggravations be what they will There is a Multitude of tender Mercies to forgive and abundant Vertue in the Blood of Christ to cleanse from all Sin If the multitude of Transgressions could make a Pile as high as from Earth to Heaven God's pardoning Mercy is above the Heavens His Thoughts are above ours in this matter of Forgiveness as far as the Heavens are above the Earth No Sin but final Impenitence Ungodliness and Unbelief is shut out from Pardon for the Sin against the Holy Ghost is attended with that and therfore never to be forgiven And as to Sins after Repentance and Pardon God hath promised to multiply Forgivenesses to heal Backslidings and therfore invites Men to return with a Promise of Pardon Return ye backsliding Children and I will heal your Backslidings In some early Days of the Christian Church the Novatian Doctrine spread that denies Repentance and Pardon to Sins after Baptism upon which Account 't is thought many good Men delay'd their Baptism as long as they could that they might not defile their Garments after they were washed It seem'd to have taken its Rise from the Misunderstanding of Heb. 6. the Beginning But any such Doctrine as would discourage Men's Repentance and return to God after they have sinned must needs be of very dangerous Consequence to the Souls of Men. I confess it is a dismal Symptom to fall often into wilful Sin to repent and then sin again to repent and sin in a Circle This rather argues an Intention of sinning again than a Design of leaving it But for such as have return'd to God and been forgiven and yet by the Power of Temptation have afterwards fallen there is great Encouragement for their Return and Ground to hope for Forgiveness For if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous who was a Propitiation for our Sins If any Man sin 't is not to encourage to sin but to prevent Despair after the Commission of it And since we are to forgive one another as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us it would never have been made our Duty to forgive our Offending Brother once and again Yea unto seventy times seven if there were no Mercy with God for Returning Backsliders You are allowed and commanded in such a Case to return to God and to sue out your Pardon and you ought to believe you shall find Welcome and that your Backslidings shall be healed There is need of urging this because Sins after Repentance and after Vows and Resolutions and Sacraments c. not only defile but disturb the
is able to forgive our greatest Provocations and show Mercy to the vilest Sinners that will return We are prone to revenge we are hardly reconciled we are apt to return Evil for Evil we are not easily brought to Forgiveness But My thoughts are not as yours saith God You know not how far my Mercy can reach I am God and not Man The distance between God and Man between the Creature and Creator is infinitely more than between Heaven and Earth What if you can't imagine that ever I should have such Thoughts of Mercy for poor Sinners Do you consider how high the Heavens are above the Earth so are my Thoughts and Ways higher than yours They are like my self infinite And how many by their own Experience of God's kind and gracious Dealing with them who with holy Wonder and Thankfulness have acknowledg'd and attested the Truth of this Many a time have I called my self a Prodigal to use the Words of an * Mr. Baxter of Conversing with God in Solitude 4â—â— pag. 363 364. Excellent Person a Companion of Swine a miserable hard-hearted Sinner unworthy to be called his Son when he hath called me Child and chid me for my questioning his Love he hath readily forgiven the Sins which I thought would have made my Soul the fuel of Hell he hath entertain'd me with Joy with Musick and a Feast when I better deserv'd to have been among the Dogs without his Doors He hath embrac'd me in his sustaining Consolatory Arms when he might have spurned my guilty Soul to Hell and said Depart from me thou Worker of Iniquity I know thee not O little did I think that he could ever have forgotten the Vanity and Villany of my Youth yea so easily have forgotten my most aggravated Sins When I had sinned against Light when I had resisted Conscience when I had frequently and wilfully injured Love I thought he would never have forgotten it But the greatness of his Love and Mercy and the Blood and Intercession of his Son hath cancelled all O how many Mercies have I tasted since I thought I had sinned away all Mercies How patiently hath he born with me since I thought he would never have put up more Tho' I injure and dishonour him by loving him no more tho' I oft forget him and have been out of the Way when he hath come or called me tho' I have disobediently turned away mine Ears and unkindly refus'd the Entertainments of his Love and unfaithfully play'd with those whose Company he forbad me yet he hath not divorc'd me or turn'd me out of Doors O wonderful that Heaven will be familiar with Earth and God with Man the Highest with a Worm and the most Holy with an unconstant Sinner Man refuseth me when God will entertain me Those whom I never wrong'd reject me with Reproach and God whom I have unspeakably injured doth invite me entreat me and condescendeth to me as if he were beholden to me to be saved Men that I have deserved well of abhor me and God that I have deserved Hell of doth accept me I upbraid my self with my sins but he doth not upbraid me with them I condemn my self for them but he condemns me not I have Peace with him before I can have Peace with my Conscience Object But after all these endearing Expressions of the Grace of God may some say we can't tell how to believe 't is hard to be fully perswaded of this Consider therefore the Verses following the Text where there 's this Objection obviated You say you can't have your Hearts duely affected with these Declarations of God's Grace you can't be brought to accept this Mercy to close with this Offer to be encouraged by such a Promise and trust in it It is therefore added as directly suitable to such a Case Verses 10 11. As the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it That is As the Heavens do not give Light and Heat and Snow in vain but cause a promising Spring and a fruitful Harvest So saith God my Thoughts of Grace manifested by my Declarations of Mercy and Promises of Forgiveness shall have Efficacy and Influence to make you believe to enable you to hope and trust in my Mercy and so to be quiet and satisfy'd that your great and hainous Sins shall be forgiven The very Publication of this Grace shall be attended with a Power to bring Souls to believe it I know my Thoughts toward you are Thoughts of Peace and not of Evil to give you a gracious End and raise your Expectations of it and they shall accordingly be fulfilled The Declarations of this Mercy shall be credited my Word of Grace shall not be in vain it shall take hold of dejected despairing Souls and raise them to Faith and Hope 'T is with this Encouragement we publish the glad Tydings of Salvation and invite Sinners to return to God by Jesus Christ with an Assurance of finding Mercy I say 't is with this Encouragement that we beseech them to be reconcil'd to God and assure 'em that he 's ready to forgive 'T is in Hope that by the Spirit accompanying the Declaration of the Word concerning this Forgiveness with God many Souls might be attracted and won perswaded and overcome and so prevail'd with to return to God and believe the glorious Riches Freeness and Abundance of his Mercy God grant we may find more and more such fruits of preaching the Gospel On the other hand I beseech you take heed how you turn your Backs on this Mercy of God and the Offer of it Beware how you shut your Ears against his gracious Invitation when he thus proclaims and publishes his Readiness to forgive Take heed how you go on in Sin after God freely tenders you the Forgiveness of all your Sins if you will return With the greatest Seriousness I must tell you that one such Sermon of God's forgiving Grace and Mercy rejected slighted and misimprov'd may be of more dreadful Consequence to the Souls of those that hear it and make light of it than I am able to express APPLICATION VSE 1. Let this Mercy Love and Grace overcome your Hearts Consider it again and again Apply it seriously to your selves Is the Lord thus Gracious to me after so long a Rejection of him Will he yet receive me after so many Refusals Doth he invite and call me again after so much Contempt of his Mercy and Grace Will he yet show Mercy to me What strange astonishing Grace what endearing Kindness is this What manner of Love is this How true is it that God's Thoughts and Ways are not as ours That God
of Nature was made a ground of Trust by the Psalmist as an Adorable Evidence and Instance of his Faithfulness and Truth Psalm CXIX 89. Thy Word is settled in the Heavens and thy Faithfulness to all Generations And yet some Atheistically abus'd it 2 Pet. III. 4. saying All things continue as they were Where is the Promise of his Coming The Apostle says The Time is short and the Fashion of the World passeth away therfore let them that have such and such Relations Possessions and Employments in the World carry it as if they had none Whil'st others abuse this and say the Time is short Let us cat and drink for to morrow we may dye So here God is ready to show Mercy to returning Sinners therefore Let the wicked forsake his way c. Others turn this Grace of God into Wantonness and will venture the more boldly upon Sin because God is ready to forgive These things saith the Apostle John I write unto you that ye sin not But if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father There 's a vast difference between the Remission of Sins past and an Allowance of Sin for the future We may take Comfort in the abounding Grace of God and his Readiness to forgive though we must dread the Thought of venturing on Sin that his Grace may abound in the Forgiveness of it This is contrary to all Gratitude and Ingenuity and to the true Nature of Faith and Repentance And there can hardly be a more dangerous Symptom of damnable Ungodliness than for any to presume to sin upon this Consideration That they hope they shall be forgiven The Apostle Jude ver 4. speaks of some such Who turn the Grace of God into Wantonness denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ and he saith of them that They were ordain'd of old to Condemnation For the Grace of God that brings Salvation ought to teach us to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts c. This sinning against God because he will abundantly pardon is in some respects more Aggravated than the Sin of Devils who will curse God and fly in his Face because there 's no hope of Pardon But God offers Pardon to you and declares that he is ready to forgive And will you dare to sin the more If ever you are awakened to a Sense of Sin this of all others will be most likely to sink you into Despair that you ventur'd to sin in hopes of Pardon For what can relieve a convinced awakned Soul but the Free-grace of God in the Forgiveness of Sin Whereas such a One may say Lord this very Mercy I have abus'd I have sinn'd the more because of this Grace And if we should mention to such a one the Instances of Manasseh Paul c. who after great Sins were pardoned he will be ready to reply that they never sinned in hope of Forgiveness or turn'd the Grace of God into Wantonness as I have done There 's Forgiveness with God that he may be fear'd served loved and obey'd But will any say there 's Forgiveness with God that he may be slighted and neglected rebell'd against and disobey'd His abused Goodness will turn to the more intollerable Wrath against all such as presume on his Mercy apprehending that they shall find an Easie Pardon tho' they continue in their Sins 'T is to sin against the very Nature and End of God's Grace to cut off their own Plea for it and the general Ground of their Hope in it 'T is without a Promise and against a Threatning for any to expect Forgiveness if they wilfully continue in sin 'T is to pervert the whole Gospel to imagine that God will justifie the Ungodly while they remain in their Vnbelief and Vngodliness Is not Unbelief a part of Vngodliness as contrary to the most express Command of God to believe on his Son If ever God show Mercy unto any and abundantly pardon them he always gives them Repentance unto Life and Faith unfeigned And let such remember that as God promiseth Mercy and Forgiveness to Returning Sinners and that his Thoughts are far above ours as Heaven above the Earth in this Matter so his Thoughts of Anger Wrath and Fury against Obstinate Wilful Presumptuous Impenitent Sinners are also above our Thoughts as far as the Heavens are above the Earth He will tear in pieces and none shall deliver he that made them will show them no mercy and who knows the power of his Anger he will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their fear cometh He will wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy Scalp of such a one that goes on still in his Trespasses Psal LXVIII 21. Prov. I. latter end II. Secondly Take heed of abusing this Doctrine of God's Grace by admitting slight Thoughts of Sin so as to encourage you to delay seeking after Forgiveness or to seek and expect it any other way but only through Faith in Jesus Christ As to the Matter of Delay the Uncertainty of Life and the Uncertainty of God's giving Grace hereafter to them that refuse it now is sufficient to be said here if duly consider'd That which I now aim at is to discourage any Hopes of obtaining Forgiveness with God but only through the Blood Sacrifice and Righteousness of Christ There is no other Saviour no other Mediator between God and Man If ever you are reconcil'd to God and find Mercy with him it must be through Jesus Christ The Way and Method is fixt and publish'd and declar'd to be unalterable There is no other Name under Heaven but his by which any Man can be saved If God be gracious to any and deliver them from going down to the Pit 't is because he hath found a Ransom Job XXXIII 24. The Absolute Mercy of God is not to be rested in for he hath told us in what Way and Method he will dispence his Mercy and how we shall partake of it That we must honour the Son as we honour the Father receive him as Christ Jesus the Lord the only Mediator between God and Man and that If we believe not that Jesus is he we must dye in our Sins 'T is not enough to cease to do Evil and make Restitution where you have injur'd and wrong'd any which yet is a necessary Fruit of Repentance 'T is not a little outward Reformation or the Performance of some Duties of Religious Worship that before were neglected that will be sufficient if you overlook Jesus Christ and lay the stress of your Hope for Acceptance with God on any thing else If you should fast and pray and weep and mourn and wear Sackcloath and give all you have to the Poor and continue a Life of Austerity and Mortification for many Years this will not avail if you think to pacifie God herewith and substitute this in the room of the Blood and Righteousness of Christ in order to Forgiveness You will but provoke God and dishonour the Redeemer and deceive
your own Souls 'T is certain we are naturally prone to fix upon some other Bottom enclin'd to establish a Righteousness of our own instead of Christ Jesus and his Righteousness But we can never be secure from the Charge of the Condemning Law and the Challenge of Divine Justice but by being united to Christ interested in him found in him and accepted with God on his Account VSE III. Let me beseech you to pity those Sinners who are not return'd to God and interested in his pardoning Mercy and to pity such as desiring and endeavouring to return do yet apprehend and fear that they shall never be pardon'd First As to those as are yet under the Guilt of Sin and are not return'd to God nor interested in his pardoning Mercy Consider their Miserable Case and pity them For First If they are not Partakers of ths abundant Pardon there 's no one sin that they were ever guilty of that is forgiven Without Repentance which includes forsaking our Evil Ways and returning to God there 's no Forgiveness of any Sin Tho' Temporal Judgments have sometimes been diverted upon External Humiliation no one Sin is blotted out but through the Blood of Christ who is exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance as well as Remission of Sins And these are never to be parted Therfore if any have liv'd twenty thirty or forty Years in the World or longer whenever God comes to enter into Judgment with you all the Sins of your past Life with all their several Aggravations will be found in the Indictment and charg'd against you You are under the Guilt of them all as much as if they were committed yesterday As God's pardoning Mercy reaches to all the unknown and forgotten Sins of true Penitents as well as those which they actually remember and repent of so where he doth not forgive all he forgives none And if the Guilt of one sin be enough to sink thee into Hell what is it to have Ten Thousand to answer for If you can't stand in the Judgment when accused but for one sinful Thought or Word what will become of you when you have all the numberless Transgressions of your past Lives to answer for Secondly Consider that 'till sin be forgiven the Guilt of every unpardon'd Sinner encreases every day The longer he lives he is still heaping up Wrath against the Day of Wrath. Upon every failure of our Duty to God or Man there 's a Debt of Punishment resulting from it and every New Sin is a Figure added to the Old Score The longer therfore any one lives in an unpardon'd State the more Guilt he contracts and the more Crimes he has to Answer for Thirdly Consider that upon this Account 'till we are interested in the pardoning Mercy of God we are under the Curse and Condemnation of the Law Whatever Advantages a Man may enjoy above Others whatever Gifts Reputation Prosperity c. he 's still under a Divine Curse he 's condemn'd already and if he dye in this Condition he must perish for ever And how soon may Death put a Period to all thy Hopes of Forgiveness In the mean time you are under a Divine Curse that reaches to all you have and all you enjoy In Health and Sickness Prosperity and Adversity where-ever you go and whatever you do You please God in nothing but abuse his Mercy and are liable every Moment to his Wrath and if you dye that stroak of Death which separates thy Soul from thy Body will separate thee from God and Heaven for ever And this Curse of God will be found to be Intolerable as well as unavoidable When God deals with Sinners as a God of Vengeance they shall not be so weak as to be annihilated by his Wrath or so strong as to resist or avoid his Righteous Vengeance and 't is Everlasting Wrath likewise Without being now reconciled to God and interested in his pardoning Mercy by Jesus Christ the Wrath of God abideth on you and will for ever abide Fourthly Let me add one Consideration more to raise your Pity to Unpardon'd Sinners and that is their present deplorable Case by the Accusations of their own Conscience For sooner or later a guilty Conscience will speak Especially as to those that live under the Preaching of the Gospel The Sinners in Zion shall be afraid Fearfulness shall surprize the Hypocrite They may try various Methods to stop the Mouth of Conscience by the Noise and Clatter and Hurry of Worldly Business they may think to forget their Misery and patch up a kind of Peace for a little while but this is a false Peace that if not speedily broken will end in Everlasting Anguish And if it be as a thousand to one but it will be what Trembling Horror and Despair must be expected How low will such sink when they awake out of their Security How will they roar and cry out under the Terrors of the Lord How bitterly will they complain of the Burden of Sin as a Mountain on their Backs Of the Wounds of Sin as so many poyson'd Arrows in their Hearts How will their Joynts tremble their Lips quiver and their Hearts ake When they shall see their Sins set in Order before them and can't hope for Pardon But whether they feel their Misery or no their Case is dismal for they do but dance about the bottomless Pit and the next Hour may tumble in Conscience may awake sooner than you believe and e're long it will Conscience I say which is an Accuser none can silence a Judge that none can bribe And if they will but give themselves Time and Leisure to think a gloomy Darkness like the Shadow of Death must now overspread their Souls They have no Relief but by endeavouring not to think of their Danger Are not such to be pity'd O do what you can to awaken and save them Secondly There 's another sort who need your Compassion i. e. They who desire and endeavour to return to God and seek after Christ but apprehend there is no Forgiveness for them Tho' God will abundantly Pardon Others they reckon they shall never be interested in his pardoning Mercy They hear of God's multiplying Forgivenesses to Others but dare not think they shall have a Share in it They read of a Saviour but believe they shall never be sav'd by him they hardly dare look into the Bible lest they read their own Condemnation All the Terrible Things in the Scriptures against Impenitent Unbelievers against Apostates and Obstinate Sinners they apply to themselves They dare not look into the Grave nor think of dying because of what follows in the sinal Judgment of Christ and the Everlasting Destruction of Sinners If they had any former Peace they reckon it was all Deceit Mistake and Presumption For after all their Profession and Hearing and Reading and Praying c. they tell you They shall perish and be condemn'd as Hypocrites and There 's no Mercy for them O