desire the sincere milke of the Word And so will it thy prayers as is plaine by that speech of our Saviour Mar. 11.25 When yee stand praying forgive if yee have ought against any Yea when thou sayest the Lords prayer thou prayest God would stand affected to thee as thou standest affected to thine enemies Mat. 6.12 Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespas against us But to leave these there is a second sort and those the greater number by farre that will never absent themselves from the Sacrament for this they thanke God they beare malice to none in the World they are in charity with all men They know they are but beasts that will presume to come to the Sacrament and be out of charity they thanke God they are none of those To these men I will say as the Apostle doth Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked Know you have not to deale with men in this case whom you may easily deceive but with God that cannot be mocked Take heed Satan fill not your hearts to lye unto the Holy Ghost as Peter speaketh to Ananias Acts 5.3 It is good for you therefore to try your hearts well in this point and for your helpe herein I will give you some notes whereby you may know whether you have indeed forgiven them that have wronged you or no. First he that hath truly forgiven him that did him wrong hath cast of all purpose and desire of revenge so as he dares not doe him hurt though it lay in his power Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloved avenge not your selves Nay hee dares not give himselfe liberty to wish evill unto him as Iob professeth of himselfe Iob 31.30 Nay he dares not rejoyce in his hurt though himselfe have had no hand in it Pro. 24.17 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him Hast thou thus forgiven Secondly he that hath truly forgiven his enemy will be willing to doe him good when he needs him and glad of such an opportunity Rom. 12.27 If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drinke Looke to thy patterne thus doth thy father forgive Luk. 6.35 Love ye your enemies and doe good and ye shall be the children of the highest for he is kinde to the unthankefull and to the evill and Ephes. 4.32 Be ye kind to one another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Wilt thou say thou hast forgiven all the world thou malicest no body and yet there bee neighbours of thine that wronged thee as thou thinkest three foure five or sixe yeeres agoe and thou hast beene strange to them ever since thou shewest them no kindnesse but even in such ordinary courtesies as thou dost to the rest of thy neighbours thou balkest them alwaies and leavest them out so as all thy neighbours can witnesse thou art not friends with them Acts 5.3 Why hast Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost Thirdly he that hath truly forgiven and is in charity will strive to forget and will not willingly thinke of the wrongs have beene done him by any â—he would faine learne the art of oblivion for such things because he knoweth the corruption of our nature is such that the thinking of wrongs will make the heart boile with desire of revenge Levit. 19.18 Thou shalt not avenge nor beare any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Shemei knew this and therefore prayeth David 2 Sam. 19.19 that he would not remember what he had done In this manner doth thy father forgive Ier. 31.34 I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Fourthly he that hath truly forgiven and is void of all malice doth unfainedly desire to be at peace with him that hath done him most wrong and to love him and is therefore willing to seeke peace and use all meanes of reconciliation that he can Psal. 34.14 Seeke peace and ensue it Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as in you is have peace with all men 1 Thess. 4.11 Study to be quiet cast about for it strive earnestly for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea 1 though he did the wrong not himselfe Mar. 11.25 Forgive if ye have ought against any 2 Though he be inferiour to himselfe Gen. 13.8 Abraham said to Lot c. For so doth our father he seeketh to his enemies for peace 2. Cor. 5.20 God beseecheth you by us to be reconciled Now what meanes hast thou used What desire hast thou shewed this way Fiftly he that hath truly forgiven is in charity indeed though he have some enemies that are so lewd as that he cannot thinke well of them nor dares shew kindnesse to them nor ought till he see them repent 2. Thess. 3.14 Note such and keepe no company with them that they may be ashamed and we have our fathers example for this Exod. 34.7 as mercifull as he is he will by no meanes cleare the guilty Yet doth he that hath truly forgiven unfainedly desire that the worst man that is would mend that he might thinke well of him He can therefore pray for such Mat. 5.44 I say unto you love your enemies pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you 2 Thess. 3.15 Count him not as an enemy but admonish him So doth thy father he unfainedly desireth the amendment of the worst of his enemies Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turne from his way and live turne ye turne ye from your evill waies for why will ye die O house of Israel Hast thou this charity I know thou pretendest against such as thou hatest he is a bad man c. And dost thou dislike him for his badnesse onely 1. Likest thou none that are as bad 2. Can thy heart witnesse thou hast unfainedly desired his amendment Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked Looke to thy patterne love as thy father loveth Sixtly and lastly He that hath forgiven and is void of malice if the party that hath wronged him and hee thinketh ill of will not be reconciled reclaimed reformed will grieve for it it is a trouble to his mind to thinke ill of any man to be at ods and variance to be strange to any man though this cannot be avoided yet it is a trouble to him Psal. 120.6 7. My soule hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speake they are for warre But see how this troubled him verse 5. Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar For as there is great comfort in love Phil. 2.1 so is there great vexation in variance to a good mind Looke to thy patterne therefore and thou shalt find thy Saviour
6.33 What should I wait for the Lord any longer was the voice of an Atheist and not of a Christian. The faithfull have beene wont to speake after another fashion Psal. 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry Nothing is lost by waiting upon God his promises shall certainely be performed in the sittest season Though it tarry saith the Prophet Hab. 2. â— wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry not a moment after the fittest season They shall not be ashamed that is disappointed of their hope saith the Lord Esa. 49.23 that waâ—â—e for me And thus have I declared to you the second duty that belongeth to us when we pray long and can receive no such answer as our soule desireth The third and last thing we must do in this case is to examine well what the cause should be that we speed no better in our prayers that we receive so little comfort and benefit by them When Saul had sought unto God and he answered him not that day he called all the chiefe of the people together to know and see whose sin had beene the cause of it 1 Sam. 14.37 38. He was none of the best men but certainely in this case his example is worth the following For though the Lord may have other reasons secret to himselfe for which he doth deny or delay our suits yet if we receive not answer from him in any of these five kinds that I told you of the last day it is our part to lay the fault upon our selves and to impuâ—e it to our sins and to say with the Prophet Esa. 59.1 2. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither is his eare heavy that it cannot heare but our iniquities have separated betweene us and our God and our sinnes have had his face from us that he will not heare And Ier. 5.25 Our iniquities have turned away these things and our sinnes have withholden good things from us Surely should every one of us say somewhat hath beene 〈…〉 or in my prayers or els the Lord who is so ready to heare and 〈◊〉 the prayers of his people would have returned me some answer to my prayers before now I aske and receive not because I aske amisse Iam. 4.2 Now the Lords 〈◊〉 to our prayers should cause us to examine well what hath been the faith of our prayers that we amending that fault may hereafter finde more comfort in prayer And for your helpe that way I will shew you some of the principall faults that use to blemish and weaken our prayers so as they become not acceptable and effectuall with God First it may be when thou prayedst thou hadst not first repented thee of and forsaken every knowne sin and that man whose conscience tells him somewhat he doth daily and purposeth still to doe that he ought not somewhat he daily omits to do and doth not yet resolve to doe which he ought to doe can have no hope that God will heare his prayer He that would pray must be carefull first to purge both himselfe and his family also from all knowne sins Iob 11.13 14. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles If I regard iniquity in my heart saith David Psal. 66.18 any iniquity any knowne sinne the Lord will not heare me The promise of audience with God is made onely to such as feare him Psal. 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Secondly it may be that the prayers that thou hast used to make have not been made according to Gods will The prayers that Gods spirit inditeth in us are made according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 And upon this doth the successe of our prayers greatly depend 1 Ioh. 5.14 This is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will â—e heareth us As if he should say we can have no confidence he will heare us but when we pray according to his will But you will say how may we pray according to the will of God I answer 1. When we pray more for spirituall then for earthly things Mat. 6.33 First seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you 2. When we can crave spirituall blessings more importunately this is a prayer according to Gods will Luk. 12.32 It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome and 1 Thess. 4.2 This is the will of God even your sanctification but in craving of temporall blessings yea and of the measure also of spirituall graces we can submit our selves to the will of our heavenly father Mat. 26.39 O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt 3. When we in our prayers doe more importune God for the pardon of our sins then for the removing of any punishment of sin Thus Peter taught Simon Magus to pray Acts 8.22 Pray that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee but he prayed otherwise ver 24. Pray to the Lord for me that none of these things that yee have spoken come upon me 4. When in our prayers we can desire the favour of God more then any of his blessings either corporall or spirituall Thus prayed David Psal. 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good blessings and good things many can desire and pray for but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Till we have learned out of Gods Word to pray thus according to his will our prayer is but the sacrifice of fooles Eccles. 5.1 And as Elihu speaketh Iob 35.13 Surely God will not heare vanity neither will the Almighty regard it Thirdly it may be thy prayers thou hast used to make were carelesse unrevereÌ„t and distracted prayers If we would speed in our prayers we must pray in reverence and feare of the Lords greatnes and majesty and sense of our own vilenes Ps. 2.11 Serue the Lord with feare 5.7 In thy feare will I worship towards thine holy temple Our hearts must be fixed and setled upon him upon the words we utter unto him and not rove and wander up and downe Such a disposition of heart as David found in himselfe when he would praise God we must strive to have when we pray My heart is fixed ô God saith he Ps. 57.7 my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise The sense of the Lords greatnesse must keepe us from speaking any thing rashly without understanding and attention of heart from speaking we wot not what as if we were in a dreame This charge is given us Eccl. 5.2.3 Be not rash with thy mouth let not thine heart be hastly to utter any thing before God
The seven yeeres wherein Iacob did service to Laban a very hard master seemed to him but a very few dâ—yes saith Moses Genes 29.20 because hee loved Rachel And surely our love to God is no lesse forcible this way if it be true it will make us willing to obey him even in his hardest commandements Of this her love to God it is that the Church speaketh when shee saith Cant. 8.6 Love is strong and irresistable as death And this is that which the Apostle meaneth 1 Iohn 5.3 4. This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grievous As if hee had said the love of God will make us carefull to keepe Gods commandements yea it will make those commandements easie to us that are most crosse to our nature they will bee nothing grievous to us if we love the Lord. And thus have I finished the first point I propounded Nothing but faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as may kindle in our hearts a true love to God The second followeth A lively faith is able to do this Faith assureth us of such a love that God hath borne to us so speciall so marvellous a love above that that hee hath done to the greatest part of the world as wee cannot choose but love him againe and love him unfeinedly that is love him for himselfe love him better then any thing else love him so as wee can bee content to goe through thicke and thin to please him Observe the proofe of this in three degrees First There is a marvellous love of God that far surpasseth all other of his loves If you aske me wherin God hath declared this his speciall and marvellous love to his people I answer in giving them his only Son to ransome them from hell and to purchase heaven for them Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 that God loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in this that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us This was a marvellous love of God all the fruits of Gods favour that worldlings doe enjoy are but shels and husks in comparison of this Secondly Whereas this love of God is not alike to all men but peculiar to a few in comparison Feare not little flocke saith our Saviour Luke 12.32 Wheras God in sending his son had not such respect to the greatest part of the world I pray not for the world saith Christ. Iohn 17.9 Faith assureth every true beleever that this wonderfull love of God belongeth to him That God in speciall love to him sent his Sonne to doe and endure all that hee did It maketh him able to say with the Apostle Galat. 2.20 Hee loved me and gave himselfe for me And with David Ps. 31.21 Blessed bee the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse He hath made me able to see that this marvellous love of his belongeth to me Thirdly and lastly When the heart of a man is once by faith assured that God hath so loved him as to send his Sonne to dye for him this must needs breed in him a love unfeined unto God and care to please him and proportionable to the assurance wee have of this love of God shall our love to God bee Mary Magdalene because shee knew by faith that Gods love to her had beene so aboundant as to forgive her so many sinnes therefore did shee love Christ aboundantly Luk 7.47 Thus David professeth of himselfe Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications And what was the prayer that he had made for hearing of which hee did so love the Lord He telleth us ver 3.4 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell got hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord. Hee was in anguish of conscience and feare of damnation and God upon his prayer spake peace to his heart and assured him of his favour in Christ therefore did hee so love the Lord. Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians 3.17 19. that they might bee rooted and grounded in love to God he meaneth and to men for his sake hee desireth to that end that God would make them able fully to comprehend and know in all the dimensions of it the love of Christ that passeth knowledge As if hee should say If men did well know this love of God to us in Christ they could not choose but be so settled and rooted in love to God as nothing could bee able to draw their hearts from him Lecture LXXXI On Psalme 51.6 Febru 19. 1627. LET us now apply this that wee have heard to our selves And that that I will say for the application of this point shall bee by way of exhortation onely even to stirre up and perswade my selfe and every one of you not to rest contented with the fruits of Gods common and generall love bee not satisfied in thy selfe till thou be assured by faith that God loveth thee with his speciall and particular love that thou art one of the world of Gods Elect whom God so loved that hee gave his onely begotten sonne for thee that thou beleeving in him mightest not perish but have life everlasting as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3.16 That God so loveth thee that hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for thee as Rom. 8.32 Till thou canst say with Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ Iesus the Sonne of God loved mee and gave himselfe for mee And with Iohn Revel 1.5 Hee loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Till thou bee assured that God loveth thee with this more then common with this marvellous love nothing should content thee but thou shouldst still cry with David Psal. 17.7 Shew me thy marvellous loving kindnesse make mee able to see and know that thou lovest me with this marvellous love And 106.4 Remember me ô Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people ò visit mee with thy salvation To bee beloved of God with that love that hee beareth to strangers or to his hired servants should not content us but that love onely that hee beareth to his owne people to his deare children None of his gifts should satisfie us without his salvation those good things that accompany salvation but wee should still cry ô visit mee with thy salvation as if hee had sayd give mee a comfortable sense and assurance of that It is said of the faithfull Bereans Acts 17.11 that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better borne and bred more noble then others And as those that are nobly borne aspire after higher estates and conditions of life then other men doe they scorne to live upon a base and mechanicall trade So saith our Saviour Matth. 6.31 33. that all wee that are his Disciples should doe After all these things saith hee
faith that God hath so loved him hee cannot choose but love him againe and serve him out of love and not out of feare onely Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galathians 5.6 As if hee had said The first and chiefe fruit that it putteth forth and whereby it sheweth that life and efficacy that is in it is this it breedeth in the heart that hath it an unfained love unto God Yea proportionable to our faith and the assurance wee have of Gods love to us will our love unto God bee Many sinnes are forgiven her saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth but a little Certainely beloved the true cause why the most of us beare no more love to God and goodnesse then wee doe is this that either wee have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in the pardon of our sinnes or els wee have knowne but few sinnes by our selves and have beene but a little humbled for sinne and therefore we are not much affected with the mercy and love that God hath shewed to us in the pardon of our sinnes Now for the force that is in justifying faith to quicken and enable us unto every good duty which is the second particular that I promised to speake of I might be large in the handling of it There is no good duty either towards God or man that thou findest thy selfe most backward in but if thou hadst faith to assure thee of Gods love to thee in Christ and to beleeve the promises that God hath made unto that duty and if thou wouldst also stirre up and exercise thy faith in meditating of Gods mercy and love and of those particular promises thou shouldst find thy selfe thereby made farre more able to performe that duty and to performe it in a holy and comfortable manner then thou art This is that whereby David was wont to prepare himselfe to Gods publique worship I will goe to thine house saith hee Psalme 5.7 in the multitude of thy mercies But I will instance and that briefly too but in two particular duties that is to say the hearing of the word and prayer For the first No man can heare the Word with any affection and fruit till he have faith and be thereby perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. that you may grow thereby if so bee yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he should say Then and not till then you shall be able to doe it God hath made many promises to such as heare his Word Generall promises 1. Hee will ever assist this ordinance and worke with it Matthew 28.20 Goe teach all nations and loe I am with you to the end of the world 2. That hee will save the soules of his people by this ordinance Iames 1.21 Esa. 55.3 3. That by this ordinance hee will begin grace and convert the soule Psalme 19.7 4. That by this ordinance hee will increase and perfect grace where hee hath begun it Vnto you that heare shall more bee given saith our Saviour Marke 4.24 And Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And particular promises God hath also made to them that attend upon this ordinance 1. That hee will by this ordinance give them strength to overcome their strongest corruptions Even a young man may cleanse his way thereby Ps. 119.9 2. That he will by this ordinance worke peace in their consciences Esa. 57.19 How falleth it out then that many of us heare constantly and find no such thing Surely the cause is rendred Hebrewes 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it In our hearing wee make not use of our faith to make claime to these promises and expect the performance of them unto us Secondly For prayer Till a man have some assurance by faith of the pardon of his sinnes and of Gods favour hee can never pray aright nor with any heart and affection Romanes 10 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved It is the spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplications Zach. 12.10 He that goeth to God must apprehend him and conceive of him as of his father Matthew 6.9 And on the other side hee that is by faith perswaded that God is his gracious father cannot choose but resort much to him in hearty prayer Galathians 4.6 O God thou art my God saith David Psalme 63.1 early will I seeke thee And 86.4 5. Vnto the Lord doe I lift up my soule for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thy name Many are the promises that God hath made unto prayer Generall promises that he will heare and answer us Esa. 30.19 Hee will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when hee shall heare it he will answer thee And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you And particular promises 1. Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psalme 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Or strength and patience to beare it Iames 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him 2. Whatsoever spirituall grace we stand in need of Luke 11.13 Your heavenly father will give his holy spirit to them that aske him 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Iob 33.26 Hee shall pray to God and hee will bee favourable unto him and hee shall see his face with joy Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Iohn 16.24 Why then have wee no more heart to prayer Why receive wee no more good by it Surely wee doe not make use of our faith in thinking of and trusting to these promises of God when we goe to prayer and that is a maine cause of it And let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. And thus have I finished those foure Motives I promised to give for the enforcing of this exhortation Lecture CXLII On Psalme 51.7 March 2. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto those signes and notes that I promised to give you whereby they that have received Christ and are justified by him may be knowne And surely there is great need that we should have signes and notes given us in Gods Word whereby this may be discerned and judged of For we finde by experience of all ages that many doe verily thinke that Christ and all his merits doe belong to them who yet did never receive him nor have any title to him at all Many will say to me in that day saith our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have we not prophesied in
the strong and to feed them with judgement For 1. None but such can heartily and in good earnest seeke for their pardon nor make any great account of it Matth. 9.12 The whole have no need of a Physician but they that be sicke And God maketh more account of his pardons then to cast them away upon such as care not greatly for them 2. None but such can receive their pardon aright nor beleeve it belongeth unto them though Christ and his servants should offer it unto them and perswade them to receive it Marke 1.15 Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel But what repentance could that be that went before faith Surely legall repentance this which I now speake of The second meanes is prayer The man that would obtaine of God the pardon of his sins must pray and cry to God importunatly for it make it thy first and only suit as if thou wouldst have no nay nor crave any thing else till thou hast obtained it 1. So the Lord describeth the poore sinners that shall come to him for mercy and pardon Ier. 3â— 9 They shall come with weeping and with supplications 2. God hath himselfe directed us unto this course Esa. 55.6 Seeke the Lord while he may be found How shall that be Call upon him while he is neare 3. This is a sure way for to it a promise is made as we see in the case of the Publican Luke 18 â—3 He went into the Temple to pray and this was the whole summe and effect of his prayer God be mercifull to me a sinner and see the successe verse 14. I tell you saith our Saviour this man went downe to his house justified rather then the other where by the word rather we are not to understand though neither of them were justified yet of the two this rather then the other but that he went home justified and not the other as Iohn 3 19. Men loved darknesse rather then light and not the light and 1. Tim. 1.4 Endlesse genealogies minister questions rather then edifying as if he had said questions and not edifying 4. Another promise we have for this Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved As if he should say Whosoever can pray and cry to God for the pardon of his sins shall be sure to obtaine it 5. Alas will you say how can we pray till our sins be pardoned and till wee have faith Rom. 10.14 How can they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved I answer 1. As there is a legall repentance so there is a legall prayer which though a man cannot have assurance that it shall speed yet is it as the legall repentance a good preparative to faith and God hath beene pleased to shew respect unto it Of such a prayer read Psalme 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and returned and enquired early after God Did these men pray in faith No verily as we may see verse 37. for their heart was not upright with him Yet had God a gracious respect even to this prayer verse 33. He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not 2. Men may have received some beginnings of true faith and saving grace before they know and perceive that their sins are pardoned and such prayers are most acceptable to God as we may see Zac. 12.10 first God powred upon them the spirit of grace and supplication they cryed unto God and mourned for their sins then 13.1 the fountain was opened unto them for sin and for uncleannes God useth not to open this fountaine unto any but unto such only The third means is humble confession of our sins unto God He that desires to obtaine pardon at Gods hands must accuse and condemne himselfe before God and judge himselfe unworthy of all mercy He that commeth to God by prayer to beg his pardon must come as Benhadads servants did when they came to Ahab to crave mercy 1 Kin. â—0 32. they came with sackcloth on their loines and ropes about their necks as men professing themselves worthy to dye In this manner came the prodigall to his father Lu. 15.18 19. Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son In this manner the Publican prayed and confessed his sins Luk 18.13 He stood afarre off and would not lift up so much at his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast As if he should have said ô wretched heart of mine Lord I am unworthy I am unworthy to find mercy And you know what successe they both had when they came in this manner to crave mercy and how well they sped And no marvell for they that can come thus have a promise 1. Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse And Mat. 2â— 12 He that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted The more we can accuse and condemne vilifie and abase our selves before God the surer we may be that he will justifie and raise us up The fourth and last meanes to be used in this case is faith in Christ. He that desireth to obtaine pardon of his sins must not rest either upon the sense hee hath of his sins or his prayer to God for the pardon of them or his humbling himselfe in the confessing of them but flye out of himselfe to Christ rest upon him by faith and looke to obtaine it only through his merit By this meanes Gods people have ever obtained pardon These are they saith one of the Elders to Iohn Revel 7 1â— which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Thus speakes our Saviour to Mary Magdalene Lu. 7.50 Thy faith hath saved thee as iâ— he should say it is not thy teares but they faith that hath obtained thy pardon For 1. this is able to doe it For it is the blood of Christ and that only that cleanseth us from all sin 1 Iohn 1.7 That is the fountaine that iâ— opened to all Gods people that are thus prepared as you have heard for sinne and for uncleannesse 2. Nothing but this is able to doe it Hebr 9.22 Without shedding of bloud is no remission And thus having finished the means we must use to get our pardon I come to shew you the signes how we may know whether we have gotten our pardon or no which is the third last point I propounded for the enforcing of this exhortation A point of as great use and necessity as either of the former were For 1. In this case that proverb is fulfilled Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing and there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches Many a wicked man is confident that he hath cleared all in Gods debt-booke his sins are pardoned Mic 3.11 Yet will they leane upon the Lord
all helpe and comfort any way els but only in Christ and so to flye to him to obtaine thy pardon Then mayest thou have good hope that thy sins are pardoned Secondly If a man feele himselfe to be sanctified and changed by the spirit of Christ then may he be sure he is justified and washed from his sins by the bloud of Christ. Where God pardoneth sin there he subdueth and destroyeth the power of it Micah 7.18 19. When he had said Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity he addeth hee will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace When Christ hath once procured for a man the pardon of his sin he turneth the heart quite from it and worketh in him such a change as he becommeth another man Acts 3.26 God hath sent his Sonne to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities See some examples and experiments of this What a marvellous change was wrought in those converts of Ephesus that had used curious arts after God had pardoned their sins they did so hate that sin that they had lived in that they burnt the books that had bin the meanes and instruments of that sin though they came to the value of 15000 pieces of silver which was at the least eight hundred pounds sterling Acts 19.19 So after Peters sin of denying Christ for feare was pardodoned what a change was wrought in him None of all the Apostles so bold in confessing Christ afterwards as he was Acts 2.14.3.12.4.8 So when Pauls sin of hating and persecuting of the Saints was pardoned never did any of Gods servants shew that love to the Saints that hee did See how many hee sends speciall salutations to and in how kind a manner Rom. 16. See in what termes hee expresseth his affections to the Saints oft times Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearely beloved and longed for my joy and Crowne And Philem. 12. He calls Onesimus a poore servant his owne bowells Yea where sinne is pardoned not the outward man onely but the very heart is changed Ezechiel 36.25 27. Then will I sprinckle cleane water upon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I give you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Thou therefore that art perswaded thy foule sinnes are pardoned try it by this note Is thy heart now quite turned from these sinnes that above all other thou now hatest them most art most afraid of them shunnest the beginnings and occasions of them Yea thou that hast beene the civilest man dost thou find a change wrought in thee a new heart given thee Then thou mayst have a comfortable assurance that thou hast indeed obtained thy pardon Thirdly if a man feele that the knowledge of Gods love in pardoning his sin hath wrought in his heart a true love to God and that the change I told you of proceedeth from his love to God This note thou shalt find given by our Saviour Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for shee loved much This property of a man whose sinnes are pardoned you shall see in David Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication And what was his supplication Even for pardon of his sinne as you shall see ver 3 4. The sorrowes of death compassed me the paines of bell gat hold on me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord deliver my soule And in Peter whom when Christ would comfort and assure that his sin was pardoned by what note doth he labour to assure him of it Iob. 21 15. Simon thou sonne of Iona lovest thou me more then these For indeed no man can love the Lord and obey him out of love but he that first is perswaded of Gods love to him in the pardon of his sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sins Hast thou no love to God to his Word and servants Dost thou all that thou dost in his service out of by-respects Flatter not thy selfe thy sinnes are not pardoned Fourthly If the love that we beare to God for the pardoning of our sinnes can make us unfainedly willing to forgive all men even those that have most wronged us This note is given with great earnestnesse and asseveration by our blessed Saviour not onely in the fift petition Mat. 6.12 but immediately after the end of the whole prayer Mat. 6.14 15. For if yee forgive men your heavenly father will forgive you if ye forgive not men neither will your father forgive you Canst thou not forgive thy greatest enemies Strivest thou not against the motions to revenge and malice Art thou not humbled for them Certainely thy sinnes are not yet pardoned thou art still in thy sinnes An hypocrite can give much and doe many kindnesses to them that never wronged him A man may bestow all his goods to feed the poore and yet not have charity 1 Cor. 13.3 Luke 6.32 33. If you love them that love you and doe good to them that doe good to you what thanke have ye For sinners also do the same But out of love to God to forgive them that have wronged us and love our enemies that argueth a mans sins are pardoned Lecture XIX On Psal. 51.1 2. March 21. 1625. WE have already heard that in these words there were three things principally to be observed 1. That David in the great distresse he was now in flyeth unto God by prayer and seeketh helpe and comfort that way 2. That in this prayer wherein he seeketh helpe and comfort from God he begs nothing but the pardon of his sinnes 3. That the onely ground of his hope to speed well in this prayer and to obtaine the pardon of his sinnes was the knowledge he had of the mercy of God The two first of these wee have already finished it followeth now that we proceed to the third and last of them It is therefore here to be observed 1. That seeking pardon of his sinnes at the hands of God he pleadeth nothing but mercy hopeth to obtaine it no other way maketh that the onely ground of his hope in this suit and cryeth Have mercy on me ô Lord. 2. That the thing that made him hope he should find this mercy with God was nothing he found in himselfe but onely the knowledge he had of the Lords gracious disposition Have mercy upon mee ô God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies As if he had said ô Lord there is nothing els to move thee to have mercy upon me but onely thine owne gracious and mercifull disposition 3. Yet had David before his fall done
us in his eternall counsell to be of that small number that should receive benefit by him Iohn 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine Thirdly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us the grace to receive Christ by faith being offered to us in the ministery of the Gospell and to obey him Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Fourthly It was the wonderfull mercy of God and nothing else that moved him to accept of the satisfaction which Christ our surety hath made for us and not to exact it at our owne hands For nothing bound him to it but his owne free promise In which respect all the Elect that shall have benefite by Christ are called heires of promise Hebr. 6.17 And therefore the Apostle saith Ephesians 1.6 It was to the praise of the glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in his beloved As though he should say the glory of his grace is wonderfully set forth in this that hee will accept of Christs satisfaction for us Fiftly and lastly It is his wonderfull mercy and nothing else that moveth him to performe this promise and to keepe covenant with us considering how weake and staggering our faith and obedience is and how oft we breake covenant with him And this made Solomon to fall into that admiration 1 Kin. 8.23 O Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepeth covenant and mercy with thy servants that walke before thee with all their heart As if hee had said It is the mercy of God that he keepeth Covenant even with such And thus have I finished the answer to the first objection and shewed you that it doth no whit derogate from the mercy and free grace of God but amplifieth and advanceth it greatly that wee obtaine pardon of our sins by the merit of Christs bloud and no other way The second objection is How can it bee said that wee have no ground of hope to find favour with God and the pardon of our sins but onely in Gods meere mercy and free grace Will a mans good workes do him no good in this case Is there no ground of hope and comfort for us in that goodnesse and grace that God hath wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit The Scripture teacheth us that there bee sundry graces and good workes that may give us much comfort in this case and bee good grounds of hope unto us that wee shall finde favour with God As 1. If a man can find hee doth truly feare God Proverbs 14.26 In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge 2. If a man can find hee hath bin of conscience towards God given unto works of mercy Psal. 18. â—5 With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull and 41 1. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble and Iam. 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth against judgement 3. If a man can find that of conscience towards God he can forgive his enemies Matth. 6.14 If yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father also will forgive you 4. If a man can find that he is able with an upright heart to confesse his sin unto God even that is a good ground of hope that God will forgive it For thus David reasoneth here verse 2 3. Cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledge my transgressions 5. and lastly If a man can but humble himselfe and mourne before God for his sin even that will give him good hope of comfort For Christ saith Mat 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted And the Publican doing so went home justified Luke 18.14 My answer to this objection shall consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how much is to bee ascribed unto good works and to that goodnesse and grace that Gods children may find in themselves 2. I will let you see that this doth nothing derogate from the truth of my Doctrine concerning the reposing all our hope in the mercy of God only For the first I say first of all that these good works and graces we find in our selves though they bee not the causes why God pardoneth our sins yet are they certaine and infallible signes that wee have found mercy with God and that our sins are pardoned For thus runneth the covenant of God Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane and then followeth verse 26. A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you And thus speaketh our Saviour of Mary Lu. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she hath loved much As if he had said shee could not have had this grace to love me as she doth if her sins had not bin forgiven Secondly This grace and goodnesse which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a ground of hope unto him that God will respect his prayers Iohn 9 3. Weâ— know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever wee aske we receive of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The Angell telleth Cornelius Acts 10.4 thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Certainely his almes made his prayers more effectuall with God Thirdly The goodnesse and grace which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a sound ground of comfort unto him even in greatest affliction So was it to Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world So was it to Iob the testimony that his owne heart gave him of the conscience hee had made of all uncleannesse of dealing equally with his servants of his mercifulnesse to the poore of his freedome from covetousnesse and maliciousnesse Iob 31. And of his hearts love to the Word and pure worship of God Iob 23.12 susteined and yeelded him great comfort in his extreame affliction as you may see Iob 31.35 36. If mine adversarie man or Satan had written a booke against mee surely I should take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne to mee So was it to Hezechiah when he had received from God the message of death Esay 38.3 Remember ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Fourthly These good works this goodnesse and grace that a man findeth in himselfe are foundations upon which a man may confidently ground and build
confession which we are to be exhorted unto from the example of David if we desire to finde mercy with God as David did we must above all things be willing and ready to confesse our sins unto the Lord himselfe Of all the three kinds of confession that have beene commended unto us in the example of David this is the principall this all Gods people must strive to make most conscience of This is that kind of confession of sins that Gods Saints have most practised and found comfort in I acknowledged my sin unto thee saith David Psal. 32.5 I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord. I will arise saith the prodigall Luke 15.18 and goe to my father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee This is the confession which the holy Ghost in Scripture doth most urge and commend unto us and for one word he speaketh of the other two kinds he speaketh twenty of this Which is worthy to be observed that even by this one point wee may discerne how contrary the doctrine of the Church of Rome is unto the doctrine of the spirit of God in the holy Scriptures For what is that confession of sins that the Papists speake so much of in all their Catechismes which they urge as a matter of so great necessity which they call a Sacrament which they make one of the three essentiall parts of true repentance without which they say no man can receive absolution and remission of his sins nor entrance into the kingdome of heaven Surely it is not the confession of sins that is made unto God but that which is made in the eares of a Priest unto which they ascribe all this And though they cannot deny but that inward confession of our daily sins unto God is good yet neither doe they account it sufficient for any mans salvation nor doe they urge it as a matter of so great necessity or profit as the confession of sins to a Priest is Now of this confession of sins that is made unto the Lord there be two kinds For first we confesse our sins unto God both in our publike prayers ordinary and extraordinary that we make in the Congregation and in our private prayers likewise both ordinary and extraordinary And this confession of sins made unto God thus is doubtlesse both profitable and necessary to be used for it is a principall part of our prayer comprehended under the name of supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.1 and enjoyned us in the fift petition of the Lords prayer Mat. 6.12 as that indeed that maketh all the rest of our prayers the more acceptable unto God This is that kind of confession that is mentioned by Nehemiah 9.2 and enjoyned by Ezra 10.11 with this in our Liturgie according to the direction of the holy Scripture we begin our publike prayers and all Gods people that desire the benefit of the prayers of the Congregation should make conscience of this to come so soone to the Church that they may joyne with the Congregation even in that Secondly There is a confession of sins that we make unto God in secret when we have none other witnesse of it but the Lord himselfe And this is that which our Saviour chiefely commendeth unto his people under that direction which he giveth us Mat. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut to the doore pray to thy father which is in secret and verse 18. Shew thy selfe to fast and to be humbled for thy sins to thy father which is in secret And this is that confession of our sins unto God which we must labour to bring our hearts unto and even to exercise our selves unto it according to that phrase of the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy selfe unto godlinesse All other outward exercises of mortification as fasting and setting taskes of devotion unto our selves of reading so much saying over so many prayers confessing of our sins to a Priest have no such force as this to bring our hearts either to mortification or comfort but are like those bodily exercises of which the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim. 4 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little Now for the further enforcing of this exhortation and working in us all more conscience of this duty of confessing and bewailing our sins in secret unto God 1. I will give you certaine motives to provoke you unto it 2. I will shew you some helpes and meanes whereby you may be enabled to doe it And the motives shall be but three 1. From the necessity of this duty 2. From the conveniencie of it 3. For the fruit and benefit that is to be reaped by it And first for the necessity of it We know that all men the civilest yea the holiest man that is is bound to make confession of his sins to God So did Nehemiah Neh 15. and Daniel Dan 9.5.7.8 If wee saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.8 10. say wee have no sinne that is as is plaine by the antithesis that he maketh verse 9. if we cannot in our prayers to God finde in our selues sins to confesse unto him wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us yea wee make him a lyar and his word whatsoever profession we make of it is not in us that is in our hearts wee receive it not wee beleeve it not Yea no man can have hope God will pardon his sin till he can bring his heart to confesse it unto God nor have so comfortable assurance of the pardon of any sin that he never yet particularly confessed and accused himselfe of before as he may have of the other For the promise of mercy at least of the comfortable assurance of mercy from God is made upon this condition Returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord â—â—re 3.12 13. and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord onely acknowledge thine iniquity This is plaine in that prayer Solomon maketh for Gods people that should bee in captivity 1 King 8.47 50. If they shall bethinke themselves and repent and make supplication unto thee saying wee have sinned and have done perversly wee have committed wickednesse then heare thou their prayer and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee And thus runneth the promise also 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins If we confesse them we have assurance of the forgivenesse of them but not else Now every man hath some personall and particular siâ—s that cannot be confessed in any of the prayers that we make with others either in publike or private If any other man be our mouth to God he cannot confesse them because he knoweth them not 1 Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of man that is in him If we our selves doe conceive the prayer we will not neither is it fit we should discover it before