was made in his first dealing with our Parents after their shameful sin and fall Now to make it appear that this is an evidence that carryes along a great conviction with it and is such as faith may securely rest upon and close withall the ensuing Observations are to be considered The first sin in the world was on many accounts the greatest sin that ever was in the world It was the sin as it were of Humane Nature wherein there was a conspiracy of all Individuals omnes eramus unus ille homo in that one man or that one sin we all sinned Rom. 5. 12. It left not God one subject as to moral obedicnce on the earth nor the least ground for any such to be unto Eternity When the Angels sinned the whole race or kind did not prevaricate Thousand thousands of them and ten thousand times ten thousands continued in their obedience Dan. 7. 10. But here all and every individual of mankind he only excepted which was not then in Adam were imbarked in the same crime and guilt Besides it disturbed the Government of God in and over the whole Creation God had made all things in number weight and measure in order and beauty pronouncing himself concerning his whole work that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding beautiful and good Gen. 1. 31. Much of this beauty lay in the subordination of one thing to another and of all to himself by the mediation and interposition of man through whose Prayses and Obedience the rest of the Creation being made subject unto him was to return their tribute of Honor and Glory unto God But all this Order was destroyed by this sin and the very creation made subject to vanity Rom. 8. 20. On which and the like accounts it might be easily made to appear that it was the greatest sin that ever was in the world 2. Man who had sinned subscribed in his heart and consctence unto the righteous sentence of the Law He knew what he had deserved and looked for nothing but the immediate Execution of the sentence of death upon him Hence he meditates not a defence expects no pardon stayes not for a tryal but flyes and hides and attempts an escape Gen. 3. 10. I was afraid saith he and hid my self than which never were there words of greater horror in the world nor shall be until the day of Judgement Poor Creature he was full of expectation of the vengeance due for a broken Covenant 3. God had newly declared in the sinning Angels what his Justice required and how he could deal with sinning man without the least impeachment of his Government Holiness or Goodness See 2 Pet. 2. 4. 4. There was nothing without God himself that should move him in the least so much as to suspend the execution of his wrath for one moment he had not done so with the Angels All things lay now under wrath curse confusion and disorder nothing was left good lovely or desirable in his eye As in the first Creation that which was first brought forth from nothing was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without form and void empty of all order and beauty nothing was in it to induce or move God to bring forth all things in the glory that ensued but the whole design of it proceeded from his own infinite Goodness and Wisdom so was it now again There was an Emptiness and Vanity brought by sin upon the whole creation Nothing remained that might be a motive unto a merciful Restoration but all is again devolved on his Soveraignty All things being in this state and condition wherein all doors stood open to the Glory of Gods Justice in the punishing of sin nothing remaining without him to hold his hand in the least the whole creation and especially the sinner himself lying trembling in Expectation of a dreadful doom what now cometh forth from him the blessed word which we have Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head It is full well known that the whole mysterie of forgiveness is wrapt up in this one word of promise And the great way of its coming forth from God by the blood of the Messiah whose heel was to be bruised is also intimated And this was the first discovery that ever was made of forgiveness in God By a word of pure Revelation it was made and so faith must take it up and receive it Now this Revelation of forgiveness with God in this one Promise was the bottom of all that Worship that was yielded unto him by sinners for many Ages For we have shewed before that without this no sinner can have the least encouragement to approach unto him and this will continue to the end of the world as a notable evidence of the truth in hand a firm foundation for faith to rest and build upon Let a sinner seriously consider the state of things as they were then in the world laid down before and then view God coming forth with a word of pardon and forgiveness meerly from his own Love and those counsells of peace that were between the Father and the Son and he cannot but conclude under his greatest difficulties that yet there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared Let now the Law and Conscience let Sin and Satan stand forth and except against this Evidence enough may be spoken from it whatever the particular case be about which the soul hath a contest with them to put them all to silence II. God revealed this Sacred Truth by his Institution of Sacrifices Sacrifices by blood do all of them respect Attonement Expiation and consequentially forgiveness It is true indeed they could not themselves take away sin nor make them perfect who came unto God by them Heb. 10. 1. but yet they undeniably evince the taking away of sin or the forgiveness of it by what they did denote and typisie I shall therefore look a little back into their Rise and Intendment 1. The Original and first spring of Sacrifices is not in the Scripture expresly mentioned only the practice of the Saints is recorded But it is certain from infallible Scripture Evidences that they were of Gods immediate Institution and Appointment God never allowed that the Will or Wisdom of man should be the spring and Rule of his Worship That solemn word where with he Fronts the command that is the Rule of his Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not make to thy self which is the life of the command that which follows being an explanation and confirmation of the Law it self by Instances cuts off all such pretences and is as a flaming sword turning every way to prevent mens arbitrary approaches to Gods Institutions God will not part with his glory of being the only Law-giver as to the whole concernment of his Worship or any part of it unto any of the sons of men 2. Neither is the time of their Institution mentioned Some of the Papists dispute as there
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâ—w forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting A great sinner saith he the chiefest of sinners I was which he manifests by some notable instances of his sin I was saith he a blasphemer the highest sin against God a Persecutor the highest sin against the Saints Injurious the highest wickednes towards mankind But saith he I obtained mercy I am pardoned and that with a blessed effect First That he should after all this be so accounted faithful as to be put into the Ministry And then that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in him and towards him was exceeding abundant And what was the Reason what was the cause that he was thus dealt withal Why it was that he might be a pattern an Evidence an Argument that there was Grace Mercy Forgiveness to be had for all sorts of sinners that would believe to life Everlasting To conclude then this Evidence Every one who is now in Heaven hath his pardon sealed in the blood of Christ. All these pardons are as it were hanged up in the Gospel they are all enrolled in the Promises thereof for the encouragement of them that stand in need of forgiveness to come and sue out theirs also Fear not then the Guilt of sin but the Love of it and the power of it If we love and like sin better than forgiveness we shall assuredly go without it If we had but rather be pardoned in Gods way than perish our condition is secure V. The same is evident from the Patience of God towards the world and the end of it For the clearing hereof we may observe 1. That upon the first entrance of sin and breach of that Covenant which God had made with mankind in Adam he might immediately have executed the Threatned Curse and have brought eternal death upon them that sinned Justice required that it should be so and there was nothing in the whole creation to interpose so much as for a reprieve or a respite of vengeance And had God then sent sinning man with the Apostate Angels that induced him into sin immediately into eternal destruction he would have been glorified in his Righteousness and Severity by and among the Angels that sinned not or he could have created a new race of innocent creatures to have worshipped him and glorified him for his Righteous Judgement even as all the Elect at the last day shall do for the destruction of ungodly men 2. God hath not taken this course He hath continued the race of mankind for a long season on the earth he hath watched over them with his Providence and exercised exceeding Patience forbearance and longsuffering towards them This the Apostle Paul at large discourseth on Acts 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. as also Rom. 2. 4. And it is open and manifest in their event The whole world is every day filled with tokens of the power and patience of God Every Nation every City every Family is filled with them 3. That there is a common Abuse of this patience of God visible in the world in all Generations So it was of old God saw it to be so and complained of it Gen. 6. 5 6. All the evil sin wickedness that hath been in the world which no heart can conceive no tongue can express hath been all an abuse of this patience of God This with the most is the consequent of Gods patience and forbearance Men count it a season to fulfill all the abominations that their evil hearts can suggest unto them or Satan draw them into a combination with himself in This the state of things in the world proclaims and every ones experience confirms 4. Let us therefore consider what is the true and proper end of this patience of God towards the world enduring it in sin and wickedness for so long a season and suffering one Generation to be multiplyed after another Shall we think that God hath no other design in all this Patience towards mankind in all Generations but meerly to suffer them all and every one without Exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them all It is confessed that this is the Consequent the event of it with the most through their perverse wickedness with their love of sin and pleasure But is this the design of God his only design hath he no other purpose but meerly to forbear them a while in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them Is this his intendment not only towards those who are obstinate in their Darkness Ignorance and Rebellion against him whose damnation is just and sleepeth not but also towards those whom he stirs up by his Grace to seek after a Remedy and Deliverance from the state of sin and death God forbid yea such an apprehension would be contrary to all those notions of the infinite Wisdom and Goodness of God which are ingrafted upon our hearts by nature and which all his works manifest and declare Whatever therefore it be this cannot be the design of God in his patience towards the world It cannot be but that he must long since have cut off the whole race of mankind if he had no other thoughts and purposes towards them 5. If this Patience of God hath any other Intention towards any any other effect upon some upon any that is to be reckoned the principal End of it and for the sake whereof it is evidently extended unto some others consiquentially unto all For those concerning whom God hath an especial design in his patience being to be brought forth in the world after the ordinary way of mankind and that in all Ages during the continuance of the world from the beginning unto the end thereof the patience which is extended unto them must also of necessity reach unto all in that variety wherein God is pleased to exercise it The whole world therefore is continued under the patience of God and the fruits of it for the sake of some that are in it 6. Let us therefore see what is the End of this Patience and what it teacheth us Now it can have no end possible but only that before rejected unless there be forgiveness of sins with God Unless God be ready and willing to forgive the sins of them that come to him according unto his appointment his patience is meerly subservient unto a design of wrath anger severity and a Resolution to destroy Now this is an abomination once to suppose and would reflect unspeakable dishonour upon the Holy God Let a Man but deal thus and it is a token of as evil an habit of mind and perverse as any can befall him Let him bear with these that are in his power in their faults for no other end or with no other design but that he
they were not so Phil. 2. 11. Now if men have lived long in the profession of these things saying that they are so but indeed find nothing of Truth Reality or Power in them have no experience of the effects of them in their own hearts or souls what stable ground have they of believing any thing else in the Gospel whereof they cannot have experience A man professeth that the death of Christ will mortifie sin and subdue corruption Why doth he believe it because it is so affirmed in the Gospel How then doth he find it to be so Hath it this effect upon his soul in his own heart not at all he finds no such thing in him How then can this man believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God because it is affirmed in the Gospel seeing that he finds no real truth of that which it affirms to be in himself So our Saviour argues John 3. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things If you believe not the doctrine of Regeneration which you ought to have experience of as a thing that is wrought in the hearts of men on the earth how can you assent unto those heavenly mysteries of the Gospel which at first are to be received by a pure Act of faith without any present sense or experience Of all dangers therefore in profession let professors take heed of this namely of a customary traditional or doctrinal owning such truths as ought to have their effects and accomplishment in themselves whilst they have no experience of the reality and efficacy of them This is plainly to have a form of godliness and to deny the power thereof And of this sort of men do we see many turning Atheists Scoffers and open Apostates they find in themselves that their profession was a lye and that in truth they had none of those things which they talked of And to what end should they continue longer in the avowing of that which is not Besides finding these things which they have professed to be in them not to be so they think that what they have believed of the things that are without them are of no other nature and so reject them alltogether You will say then What shall a man do who cannot find or obtain an experience in himself of what is affirmed in the Word he cannot find the death of Christ crucifying sin in him and he cannot find the Holy Ghost sanctifying his nature or obtain Joy in believing What shall he then do Shall he not believe or profess those things to be so because he cannot obtaine a blessed Experience of them I answer Our Saviour hath perfectly given direction in this case John 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self Continue in following after the things revealed in the Doctrine of the Gospel and you shall have a satisfactory experience that they are true and that they are of God cease not to act faith on them and you shall find their effects for then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hoseah 6. 3. Experience will ensue upon permanency in faith and obedience Yea the first Act of sincere believing will be accompanied with such a taste will give the soul so much experience as to produce a firm adherence unto the things believed And this is the way to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God which is revealed unto us Rom. 12. 2. 2. Where there is an inward spiritual Experience of the power reality and efficacy of any supernatural truth It gives great satisfaction stability and Assurance unto the soul. It puts the soul out of danger or suspicion of being deceived and gives it to have the Testimony of God in it self So the Apostle tells us He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 John 5. 9. He had discoursed of the manifold testimony that is given in Heaven by all the holy Persons of the Trinity and on earth by Grace and Ordinances unto the forgiveness of sin and eternal life to be obtained by Jesus Christ. And this Record is true firm and stable an abiding foundation for souls to rest upon that will never deceive them But yet all this while it is without us It is that which we have no Experience of in our selves Only we rest upon it because of the Authority and faithfulness of them that give it But now he that actually believeth he hath the Testimony in himself he hath by experience a real evidence and assurance of the things testified unto namely that God hath given us eternal life And that this life is in the Son v. 12. Let us then a little consider wherein this evidence consisteth and from whence this Assurance ariseth To this end some few things must be considered As 1. That there is a great Answerableness and Correspondency between the heart of a Believer and the truth that he doth believe As the Word is in the Gospel so is Grace in the heart yea they are the same thing variously expressed Rom. 6. 17. You have obeyed from the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of Doctrine delivered unto you As our Translation doth not so I know not how in so few words to express that which is emphatically here insinuated by the Holy Ghost The meaning is that the Doctrine of the Gospel begets the form figure image or likeness of it self in the hearts of them that believe So they are cast into the mould of it As is the one so is the other The principle of Grace in the heart and that in the Word are as children of the same Parent compleatly resembling and representing one another Grace is a living Word and the Word is figured limned Grace As is Regeneration so is a Regenerate heart As is the Doctrine of faith so is a Believer And this gives great Evidence unto and Assurance of the things that are believed As we have heard so we have seen and found it such a soul can produce the duplicate of the Word and so adjust all things thereby 2. That the first Original Expression of Divine Truth is not in the Word no not as given out from the infinite Abysse of Divine Wisdom and Veracity but it is first hid laid up and expressed in the Person of Christ. He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first pattern of truth which from him is expressed in the Word and from and by the Word impressed on the hearts of Believers so that as it hath pleased God that all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge should be in him dwell in him have their principal residence in him Col. 2. 3. So the whole Word is but a Revelation of the Truth in Christ or an expression of his Image and likeness to the Sons of men Thus we
Son in this manner to testifie it And he did it because it could no other way be brought about as hath been declared Do we doubt whether there be forgiveness with God or no or whether we shall obtain it if we address our selves unto him for to be made partakers of it Consider the Condition of his Son in the world review his Afflictions Poverty Temptation Sorrows Sufferings Then ask our souls To what end was all this And if we can find any other design in it any other Reason Cause or Necessity of it but only and meerly to testifie and declare that there is forgiveness with God and to purchase and procure the Communication of it unto us let us abide in and perish under our fears But if this be so we have sufficient warranty to assure our souls in the expectation of it 4. Besides all this there ensues upon what went before that great and wonderfull Issue in the death of the Son of God This thing was great and marvellous and we may a little enquire into what it was that was designed therein And hereof the Scripture gives us a full account As 1. That he dyed to make Attonement for Sin or Reconciliation for Iniquity Dan. 9. 24. He gave his life a ransom for the sins of many Matth. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. He was in it made sin that others might become the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 20. Rom. 8. 3. Therein he bare our sins in his body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. This was the state of this matter Notwithstanding all the Love Grace and condescention before mentioned yet our sins were of that nature and so directly opposite unto the Justice and Holiness of God that unless Attonement were made and a Price of Redemption paid there could be no Pardon no forgiveness obtained This therefore he undertook to do and that by the Sacrifice of himself answering all that was prefigured by and represented in the Sacrifices of old as the Apostle largely declares Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. And herein is the forgiveness that is in God copied out and exemplified so clearly and evidently that he that cannot read it will be cursed unto Eternity Yea and let him be accursed for what can be more required to justifie God in his eternal destruction He that will not believe his Grace as testified and exemplified in the Blood of his Son let him perish without remedy Yea but 2. The Curse and Sentence of the Law lyes on record against sinners It puts in its Demands against our acquittance and layes an obligation upon us unto punishment And God will not reject nor destroy his Law unless it be answered there is no acceptance for sinners This therefore in the next place his death was designed unto As he satisfied and made Attonement by it unto Justice that was the fountain spring and cause of the Law so he fulfilled and answered the demands of the Law as it was an Effect of the Justice of God So Rom. 8. 13. He suffered in the likeness of sinful flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled and answered He answered the Curse of the Law when he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And so became as to the Obedience of the Law the end of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe Rom. 10. 3 4. And as to the penalty that it threatned he bore it removed it and took it out of the way So hath he made way for forgiveness through the very heart of the Law it hath not one word to speak against the pardon of them that do believe But 3. Sinners are under the power of Satan he layes a claim unto them and by what means shall they be rescued from his interest and dominion This also his death was designed to accomplish For as he was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. So by death he destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. That is to despoil him of his Power to destroy his Dominion to take away his plea unto sinners that believe as we have at large elsewhere declared And by all these things with many other concernments of his death that might be instanced in we are abundantly secured of the forgiveness that is with God And of his willingness that we should be made partakers thereof 5. Is this all Did his Work cease in his death Did he no more for the securing of the forgiveness of sins unto us but only that he dyed for them Yes he lives also after death for the same end and purpose This Son of God in that nature which he assumed to expiate sin by death lives again after death to secure unto us and to compleat the forgiveness of sins And this he doth two wayes 1. Being raised from that death which he underwent to make Attonement for sin by the Power and Good Will of God he evidenceth and testifieth unto us that he hath fully performed the work he undertook and that in our behalf and for us he hath received a discharge Had he not answered the guilt of sin by his death he had never been raised from it 2. He lives after death a Mediatory Life to make intercession for us that we may receive the forgiveness of sin as also himself to give it out unto us which things are frequently made use of to encourage the souls of men to believe and therefore shall not at present be further insisted on Thus then stands this matter that Mercy might have a way to exercise it self in forgiveness with a consistency unto the Honour of the Righteousness and Law of God was the Son of God so sent for the ends and purposes mentioned Now herein consisteth the greatest Work that God did ever perform or ever will It was the most eminent product of Infinite Wisdom Goodness Grace and Power And herein do all the Excellencies of God shine forth more gloriously than in all the works of his hands Let us then wisely ponder and consider this matter let us bring our own souls with their Objections unto this Evidence and see what exception we have to lay against it I know nothing will satisfie unbelief the design of it is to make the soul find that to be Iso hereafter which it would perswade it of here namely that there is no forgiveness in God And Satan who makes use of this Engine knows full well that there is none for them who believe there is none or rather will not believe that there is any For it will at the last day be unto men according unto their faith or unbelief He that believeth aright and he that believeth not that forgiveness is with God as to their own particulars shall neither of them be deceived But what is it that can be reasonably excepted against this evidence this foundation of our faith in this matter God hath not sent his Son in vain which
he not contain himself but that he must roar and cry out Yea must he roar thus all the day long as he speaks Psal. 32. 3. and groan all the night as Psal. 6. 6. What is the matter with all this roaring sighing tears roaring all the day all night long Ah let him alone his soul is bitter in him he is fallen into depths the Lord is withdrawn from him trouble is hard at hand yea he is full of anxiety on the account of sin there is no quietness nor soundness in him and he must thus earnestly and restlessy apply himself for relief Alas what strangers for the most part are men now adayes to this frame How little of the workings of this Spirit is found amongst us And is not the reason of it that we value the world more and Heaven and heavenly things less than he did that we can live at a better rate without a sense of the love of God in Christ than he could do and is it not hence that we every day see so many withering Professors that have in a manner lost all Communion with God beyond a little lip-labour or talking the filthy savour of whose wounds are offensive to all but themselves and so will they go on ready to dye and perish rather than with this holy man thus stir up themselves to meet the Lord. Heman was also like unto him Psal. 88 11 13. What sense he had of his depths he declares v. 3. My soul saith he is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave And what course doth he steer in this heavy sorrowful and disconsolate condition Why saith he O Lord God of my salvation I have cryed day and night unto thee let my prayer come before thee encline thine ear unto my cry v. 1 2. Day and night he cryes to the God of his salvation and that with earnestness and importunity This was his business this was he exercised about all his dayes This is that which is aimed at if a gracious soul be brought into the depths before mentioned and described by reason of sin when the Lord is pleased to lead him forth towards a recovery he causeth him to be vigorous and restless in all the duties whereby he may make Application to him for deliverance Now wherein this intensness and earnestness of the soul in its Applications unto God doth principally consist I shall briefly declare when I have touched a little upon some considerations and grounds that stir it up thereunto First The greatness of mens concernments may well put them on this earnestness Men do not use to deal with dull and slothful spirits about their greatest concerns David tells us that he was more concerned in the light of Gods countenance than the men of the world could be in their Corn and Wine Psal. 4. 6 7. Suppose a man of the world should have his house wherein all his stock and riches are laid up set on fire and so the whole be in danger under his eye to be consumed would he be calm and quiet in the consideration of it Would he not bestir himself with all his might and call in all the help he could obtain and that because his portion his all his great concernment lyes at stake And shall the soul be slothful careless dull secure when fire is put to its eternal concernments when the light of Gods countenance which is of more esteem unto him than the greatest increase of Corn and Wine can be to the men of the world is removed from him It was an argument of prodigious security in Jonah that he was fast asleep when the Ship wherein he was was ready to be cast away for his â—â—ke And will it be thought less in any soul who being in a storm of wrath and displeasure from God sent out into the deep after him shall neglect it and sleep as Solomon sayes on the top of a Mast in the midst of the Sea How did that poor creature whose heart was mad on his Idols Judg. 18. 24. cry out when he was deprived of them You have taken away my Gods saith he and what have I more And shall a gracious soul lose his God through his own folly the sense of his love the consolation of his presence and not with all his might follow hard after him Peace with God joy in believing such souls have formerly obtained Can they live without them now in their ordinarily walking can they choose but cry out with Job O that it were with us as in former dayes when the candle of the Lord was upon our Tabernacle Chap. 29. 2 3 4. and with David O Lord restore unto me the joy of salvation Psal. 51. 12. for Oh my God I remember former enjoyments and my soul is cast down within me Psal. 42. 6. They cannot live without it But suppose they might make a sorry shift to pass on in their pilgrimage whilst all is smooth about them what will they do in the time of outward tryals and distresses when deep calleth unto deep and one trouble excites and sharpens another Nothing then will support them they know but that which is wanting to them as Hab. 3. 17 18. Psal. 23. 4. So that the greatness of their concernment provokes them to the earnestness mentioned Secondly They have a deep sense of these their great concernments All men are equally concerned in the Love of God and pardon of sin Every one hath a soul of the same immortal constitution equally capable of bliss and wo. But yet we see most men are so stupidly sottish that they take little notice of these things Neither the guilt of sin nor the wrath of God nor death nor Hell are thought on or esteemed by them they are their concernments but they are not sensible of them But gracious souls have a quick living sense of spiritual things For First They have a saving spiritual light whereby they are able to discern the true nature of sin and the terror of the Lord. For though they are now supposed to have lost the comforting light of the Spirit yet they never loose the sanctifying light of the Spirit the light whereby they are enabled to discern spiritual things in a spiritual manner this never utterly departs from them By this they see sin to be exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. 13. By this they know the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 15. 11. And that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. By this they discover the excellency of the love of God in Christ which passeth knowledge the present sense whereof they have lost By this they are enabled to look within the vail and to take a view of the blessed consolations which the Saints enjoy whose communion with God was never interrupted This represents to them all the sweetness pleasure Joy Peace which in former dayes they had whilst God was present with them in Love By this are
temporal dispensations that flow from them Now of this sort is the forgiveness that we are enquiring after It is not a property of the Nature of God but an Act of his Will and a Work of his Grace Although it hath its rise and spring in the infinite Goodness of his Nature yet it proceeds from him and is not exercised but by an absolute free and Soveraign Act of his Will Now there is nothing of God or with him of this sort that can be any wayes known but only by especial Revelation For 1. There is no inbred notion of the Acts of Gods Will in the heart of man which is the first way whereby we come to the knowledge of any thing of God Forgiveness is not revealed by the light of nature Flesh and blood which nature is declares it not By that means No man hath seen God at any time John 1. 8. that is as a God of mercy and pardon as the Son reveales him Adam had an intimate acquaintance according to the limited capacity of a creature with the properties and excellencies of the nature of God It was implanted in his heart as indispensibly necessary unto that natural worship which by the Law of his creation he was to perform But when he had sinned it is evident that he had not the least apprehension that there was forgiveness with God Such a thought would have laid a foundation of some further treaty with God about his condition But he had no other design but of flying and hiding himself Gen. 3. 10. so declaring that he was utterly ignorant of any such thing as pardoning mercy Such and no other are all the first or purely natural conceptions of sinners namely that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judgement of God Rom. 1. 32. that sin is to be punished with death It is true these conceptions in many are stifled by Rumors Reports Traditions that it may be otherwise but all these are far enough from that Revelation of forgiveness which we are enquiring after 2. The consideration of the Works of Gods creation will not help a man to this knowledge that there is forgiveness with God The Apostle tells us Rom. 1. 20. what it is of God that his works reveal even his eternal power and Godhead or the Essential Properties of his nature but no more Not any of the purposes of his Grace not any of the free Acts of his Will not pardon and forgiveness Besides God made all things in such an estate and condition namely of Rectitude Integrity and Uprightness Eccles. 7. 29. that it was impossible they should have any respect unto sin which is the Corruption of all or to the Pardon of it which is their Restituion whereof they stood in no need There being no such thing in the world as sin nor any such thing supposed to be when all things were made of nothing how could any thing declare or reveal the forgiveness of it 3. No works of Gods Providence can make this discovery God hath indeed born Testimony to himself and his Goodness in all Ages from the foundation of the world in the works of his Providence So Acts 14. 15 16 17. We preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein who in times past suffered all Nations to walk in their own wayes nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He left not himself without witness that is by the works of his Providence there recounted he thus far bare Testimony to himself that he is and is good and doth good and ruleth the world so that they were utterly inexcusable who taking no notice of these works of his nor the fruits of his goodness which they lived upon turned away after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain things as the Apostle there calls the Idols of the Gentiles But yet these things did not discover pardon and forgiveness For still God suffered them to go on in their own wayes and winked at their Ignorance So again Acts 17. 23 24 25 26 27. Whom you ignorantly worship him declare I unto you God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is the Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needeth any thing seeing he giveth unto all life and breath and all things and hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the Earth where by the way there is an allusion to that of Gen. 11. 8. the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation that they should seek the Lord if happily they might seek after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us By Arguments taken from the works of God both of Creation and Providence the Apostle proves the Being and properties of God Yea he lets them know with whom he had to do that God designed by his works so far to reveal himself unto them as the true and living God the Maker and Governour of all things as that they ought to have enquired more diligently after him and not to look on him alone as the Unknown God who alone might be known all their Idols being vain and nothing But of the discovery of Pardon and forgiveness in God by these wayes and means he speaks not yea he plainly shews that this was not done thereby For the Great Call to saving Repentance is by the Revelation of forgiveness But now by these works of his Providence God called not the Gentiles to saving Repentance No saith he he suffered them to walk still in their own wayes Chap. 14. 16. and winked at the times of their ignorance but now that is by the Word of the Gospel commandeth them to Repent Chap. 17. 30. II. Whereas there had been one signal Act of Gods Providence about sin when man first fell into the snares of it It was so far from the revealing forgiveness in God that it rather severely intimated the contrary This was Gods dealing with sinning Angels The Angels were the first sinners and God dealt first with them about sin And what was his dealing with them the Holy Ghost tells us 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spared not the sinning Angels he spared them not It is the same word which he useth where he speaks of laying all our iniquities on Christ he undergoing the punishment due unto them Rom. 8. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spared him not that is he laid on him the full punishment that by the Curse and sanction of the Law was due unto sin So he dealt with the Angels
In the foregoing Verses he declares the various wayes that God used to bring men unto Repentance He did it by dreams ver 15 16. by Afflictions ver 19. by the preaching of the Word ver 23. What then doth God aim at in and by all these various wayes of teachings It is to cause man to say I have sinned and perverted that which was right It is to bring him to Repentance What now if he obtaine his end and man cometh to that which is aimed at Why then there is forgiveness for him as is declared ver 28. To improve this evidence I shall confirm by some few obvious considerations these two things 1. That the prescription of Repentance doth indeed evince that there is forgiveness with God 2. That every one in whom there is Repentance wrought towards God may certainly conclude that there is forgiveness with God for him 1. No Repentance is acceptable with God but what is built or leans on the faith of forgiveness We have a cloud of witnesses unto this Truth in the Scripture Many there have been many are recorded who have been convinced of sin perplexed about it sorry for it that have made open confession and acknowledgement of it that under the prâ—ssing sense of it have cryed out even to God for deliverance and yet have come short of mercy pardon and acceptance with God The cases of Cain Pharaoh Saul Ahab Judas and others might be insisted on What was wanting that made all that they did abominable Consider one instance for all It is said of Judas that he repented Mat. 27. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he repented himself but wherein did this repentance consist he was convinced of his sin in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he I have sinned ver 4. 2. He was sensible of the particular sin whereof he stood charged in conscience before God I have saith he betrayed innocent blood I am guilty of blood innocent blood and that in the vilest manner by treachery so that he comes 3. To a full and open confession of his sin 4. He makes Restitution of what he was advantaged by his sin he brought again the thirty pieces of silver v. 3. all testifying an hearty sorrow that spirited the whole Methinks now Judas his Repentance looks like the young mans Obedience who cryed out all these things have I done Is there any thing yet lacking Yea one thing was wanting to that young man he had no true faith nor love to God all this while which vitiated and spoyled all the rest of his performances One thing also is wanting to this Repentance of Judas he had no faith of forgiveness in God that he could not believe and therefore after all this sorrow instead of coming to him he bids him the utmost defiance and goes away and hangs himself Indeed saith of forgiveness as hath been shewed hath many degrees There is of them that which is indispensibly necessary to render Repentance acceptable What it is in particular I do not dispute It is not an Assurance of the Acceptance of our persons in general It is not that the particular sin wherewith it may be the soul is perplexed is forgiven A general so it be a Gospel discovery that there is forgiveness in God will suffice The Church expresseth it Hos. 14. 3. In thee the fatherless findeth mercy and Joel 2. 14. Who knows but he will return and repent I have this ground saith the soul God is in himself gracious and merciful the fatherless the destitute and helpless that come to him by Christ find mercy in him None in Heaven and earth can evince but that he may return to me also Now let a mans convictions be never so great sharp wounding his sorrow never so abundant overflowing abiding his confession never so full free or open if this one thing be wanting all is nothing but what tends to death 2. To prescribe Repentance as a duty unto sinners without a foundation of pardon and forgiveness in himself is inconsistent with the Wisdom Holiness Goodness Faithfulness and all other glorious Excellencies and Perfections of the nature of God for 1. The Apostle layes this as the great foundation of all consolation that God cannot lye or deceive Heb. 6. 18. And again he engageth the faithfulness and veracity of God to the same purpose Tit. 1. 2. God who cannot lye hath promised it Now there is a lye a deceit in Things as well as in Words He that doth a thing which in its own nature is apt to deceive them that consider it with an intention of deceiving them is no less a lyar than he which affirms that to be true which he knows to be false There is a lye in Actions as well as in Words The whole life of an hyocrite is a lye so saith the Prophet of Idolaters there is a lye in their right hand Isa. 44. 20. 2. The proposal of Repentance is a thing fitted and suited in its own nature to beget thoughts in the mind of a sinner that there is forgiveness with God Repenting is for sinners only I came not saith our Saviour to call the righteous but sinners to repentance It is for them and them only It was no duty for Adam in Eden it is none for the Angels in Heaven nor for the damned in Hell What then may be the language of this appointment O sinners come and deal with God by Repentance Doth it not openly speak forgiveness in God and if it were otherwise could men possibly be more frustrated or deceived would not the Institution of Repentance be a lye Such a delusion may proceed from Satan but not from him who is the fountain of Goodness Holiness and Truth His Call to Repentance is a full Demonstration of his readiness to forgive Acts 17. 30 31 32. It is true many do thus deceive themselves They raise themselves unto an expectation of immunity not on Gospel grounds and their disappointment is a great part of their punishment But God deceives none whoever comes to him on his proposal of Repentance shall find forgiveness It is said of some indeed that he will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. He will aggravate their misery by giving them to see what their pride and folly hath brought them unto But who are they only such as refuse his Call to Repentance with the Promises of Acceptation annexed 3. There is then no cause why those who are under a Call to Repentance should question whether there be forgiveness in God or no. This concerns my second Proposition Come saith the Lord unto the souls of men leave your sinful wayes turn unto me humble your selves with broken and contrite hearts Alas say poor convinced sinners we are poor dark and ignorant creatures or we are old in sin or great sinners or backsliders or have fallen often into the same sins can we expect there should be forgiveness for us Why you are under Gods
glorious before the Creation of all or any thing whatever than he will be when he shall be encompassed about with the praises of all the works of his hands And such is his absolute perfection that no Honor given unto him no Admiration of him no Ascription of Glory and praise can add any thing unto him Hence saith the Psalmist My goodness extends not unto thee Psal. 16. 2. It doth not so reach thee as to add unto thee to profit thee as it may do the Saints that are on the Earth As he in Job Chap. 22. 23. Can a man be profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it gain unto him that thou makest thy wayes perfect There is no doubt but that it is well pleasing unto God that we should be righteous and upright But we do him not a pleasure therein as though he stood in need of it or it were advantage or gain unto him And again Chap. 35. 7. If thou be Righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he at thine hand And the Reason of all this the Apostle gives us Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and to him are all things Being the first Soveraign Cause and last absolute End of all things every way perfect and self-sufficient nothing can be added unto him Or as the same Apostle speaks God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth is not worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth unto all life and breath and all things Acts 17. 24 25. As he himself pleads at large Psal. 50. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. 2. Wherefore All the Revenue of Glory that God will receive by his Worship depends meerly on his own voluntary Choice and Appointment All Worship I say depends now on the Soveraign Will and pleasure of God It is true there is a natural Worship due from rational creatures by the Law of their Creation This was indispensably and absolutely necessary at first The very Being of God and order of things required that it should be so Supposing that God had made such creatures as we are it could not be but that Moral Obedience was due unto him namely that he should be believed in trusted and obeyed as the First Cause Last End and Soveraign Lord of all But the entrance of sin laying the sinner absolutely under the Curse of God utterly put an end to this Order of things Man was now to have perished immediately and an end to be put unto the Law of this Obedience But here in the Soveraign Will of God an Interposition was made between sin and the sentence and man was respited from destruction All Worship following hereon even that which was before natural by the Law of creation is now resolved into an Arbitrary Act of Gods will And unto this end is all worship designed namely to give glory unto God For as God hath said that he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him that is in his worship and that therein he will be glorified Lev. 10. 3. and that he that offereth him praise that is performeth any part of his Worship and Service Glorifieth him Psal. 50. 23. So the nature of the thing it self declareth that it can have no other end By this he hath all his glory even from the inanimate Creation 4. Consider That God hath not prescribed any Worship of himself unto the Angels that sinned They are indeed under his Power and he useth them as he pleaseth to serve the ends of his holy Providence Bounds he prescribes unto them by his Power and keeps them in dread of the full execution of his Wrath. But he requires not of them that they should believe in him They believe indeed and tremble They have a natural Apprehension of the Being Power Providence Holiness and Righteousness of God which is inseparable from their Natures and they have an expectation from thence of that punishment and vengeance which is due unto them which is inseparable from them as sinners And this is their faith But to believe in God that is to put their trust in him to resign up themselves unto him God requires it not of them The same is the case with them also as to Love and Fear and Delight all inward Affections which are the proper Worship of God These they have not nor doth God any longer require them in them They eternally cast them off in their first sin And where these are not where they are not required where they cannot be there no outward Worship can be prescribed or appointed For External instituted Worship is nothing but the way that God assigns and chooseth to express and exercise the inward Affections of our minds towards him He rules the fallen Angels per nutum Providentiae not per verbum praecepti Now as God dealt with the Angels so also would he have dealt with mankind had he left them all under the Curse without remedy or hope of relief As he doth with them he eternally satisfies himself in that Revenue of Glory which ariseth unto him in their punishment so also he would have done with these had there been no forgiveness with him for them He would not have required them to fear love or obey him or have appointed unto them any way of Worship whereby to express such affections towards him For to what end should he have done it What Righteousness would admit that Service Duty and Obedience should be prescribed unto them who could not ought not to have any Expectation or hope of Acceptance or Reward This is contrary to the very first notion which God requires in us of his Nature For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. which would not be so should he appoint a voluntary Worship and not propose a Reward to the Worshippers Wherefore 3. It is evident that God by the prescription of a Worship unto sinners doth fully declare that there is forgiveness with him for them For 1. He manifests thereby that he is willing to receive a new Revenue of Glory from them This as we have proved is the end of Worship This he would never have done but with a design of Accepting and Rewarding to his creatures For do we think that he will be beholding unto them That he will take and admit of their voluntary reasonable service according to his Will and Command without giving them a Reward yea and such on one as their Obedience holds no proportion unto no such thing would become his infinite sell sufficiency Goodness and Bounty This the Wife of Manoah well pleads Judg. 13. 23. If saith she the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a meat offering and a burnt-ofsering at our hands His