our abiding with God Both these are weakned by a conquering prevailing sense of sin without some relief from the discovery of forgiveness though at a distance And therefore our perplexed soul stayes not here but presseth on towards that discovery Secondly There is a resting on this frame that is noxious and hurtful also Some finding this sense of sin with those other things that attend it wrought in them in some measure begin to think that now all is well this is all that is of them required They will endeavour to make a life from such arguments of comfort as they can take from their trouble They think this a ground of peace that they have not peace Here some take up before conversion and it proves their ruine Because they are convinced of sin and troubled about it and burdened with it they think it shall be well with them But were not Cain Esau Saul Ahab Judas convinced of sin and burdened with it Did this profit them Did it interest them in the promises Did not the wrath of God overtake them notwithstanding So is it with many daily they think their conviction is conversion and that their sins are pardoned because they have been troubled This then is that which we reject which the soul in this condition doth carefully avoid so to satisfie it self with its humiliation as to make that a ground of supportment and consolation being thereby kept off from exercising faith for forgiveness For this is First A fruit of self-righteousness For a soul to place the spring of its peace or comfort in any thing of its own is to fall short of Christ and to take up in self We must not only be justified but glory in him also Isa. 45. 25. Men may make use of the evidence of their graces but only as mediums to a farther end not as the rest of the soul in the least And this deprives mens very humiliations of all Gospel humility True humility consists more in believing than in being sensible of sin That 's the souls great self-emptying and abasing this may consist with an obstinate resolution to scamble for something upon the account of self endeavours Secondly Though Evangelical sense of sin be a Grace yet it is not the uniting Grace it is not that which interests us in Christ not that which peculiarly and in its own nature exalts him There is in this sense of sin that which is natural and that which is spiritual or the matter of it and its spirituality The former consists in sorrow trouble self-abasement dejection and anxiety of mind with the like passions Of these I may say as the Apostle of Afflictions they are not joyous but grievous They are such as are accompanied with the aversation of the object which they are conversant about In their own nature they are no more but the souls retreat into it self with an abhorrency of the objects of its sorrow and grief When these Affections are spiritualized their nature is not changed The soul in and by them acts according to their nature and doth by them as such but retreat into it self with a dislike of that they are exercised about To take up here then must needs be to sit down short of Christ whether it be for life or consolation Let there be no mistake There can be no Evangelical sense of sin and humiliation where there is not Union with Christ Zech. 12. 10. Only in its self and in its own nature it is not availing Now Christ is the only rest of our souls in any thing for any end or purpose to take up short of him is to lose it It is not enough that we be prisoners of hope but we must turn to our strong hold Zech. 9. 12. not enough that we are weary and laden but we must come to him Matth. 11. 27 28. It will not suffice that we are weak and know we are weak but we must take hold on the strength of God Isa. 27. 4 5. Thirdly Indeed pressing after forgiveness is the very life and power of Evangelical humiliation How shall a man know that his humiliation is Evangelical that his sorrow is according to God Is it not from hence he may be resolved that he doth not in it as Cain did who cryed his sin was greater than he could bear and so departed from the presence of God nor as Judas did who repented and hanged himself nor as Felix did tremble for a while and then return to his lusts nor as the Jews did in the Prophet pine away under his iniquities because of vexation of heart nor doth he divert his thoughts to other things thereby to relieve his soul in his trouble nor fix upon a Righteousness of his own nor slothfully lye down under his perplexity but in the midst of it he plyes himself to God in Christ for pardon and mercy And it is the souls Application unto God for forgiveness and not its sense of sin that gives unto God the glory of his Grace Thus far then have we accompanied the soul in its depths it is now looking out for forgiveness which what it is and how we come to have an interest in it the principal matter in this discourse intended is nextly to be considered Verse 4. The Words explained and the design or scope of the Psalmist in them discovered THe state and condition of the soul making Application unto God in this Psalm is recounted v. 1. It was in the depths not only Providential depths of Trouble Affliction and perplexities thereon but also depths of conscience distress on the account of sin as in the opening of those words hath been declared The Application of this soul unto God with restless fervency and earnestness in that state and condition its consideration in the first place of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice in a proceedure thereon with the inevitable ruine of all sinners if God insist on that way of dealing with them have also been opened and manifested from the foregoing Verses Being in this estate perplexed in its self lost in and under the consideration of Gods marking iniquity according to the tenor of the Law that which it fixes on from whence any relief stay or supportment might be expected in such a condition is laid down in this Verse Ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared I shall first open the words as to their signisication and importance then shew the design of the Psalmist in them with reference to the soul whose condition is here represented and lastly propose the general Truths contained in them wherein all our concernments do lye There is forgiveness ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã say the LXX and Hierom accordingly Propitiatio propitiation which is somewhat more than venia or pardon as by some it is rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã condonatio ipsa forgiveness its self It is from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to spare to pardon to forgive to be
the thing it self They take it for granted that so it is and are never put seriously upon the enquiry how it comes to be so and that because indeed they have no real concernment in it How many thousands may we meet withall who take it for granted that forgiveness is to be had with God that never yet had any serious exercise in their souls about the grounds of it and its consistency with his holiness and justice But those that know it by faith have a sense of it fixed particularly and distinctly on their minds They have been put upon an enquiry into the rise and grounds of it in Christ so that on a good and unquestionable foundation they can go to God and say there is forgiveness with thee They see how and by what means more glory comes unto God by forgiveness then by punishing of sin which is a matter that the other sort of men are not at all solicitous about If they may escape punishment whether God have any glory or no for the most part they are indifferent Secondly The first Apprehension ariseth without any tryal upon enquiry in the Consciences of them in whom it is They have not by the power of their convictions and distresses of Conscience been put to make enquiry whether this thing be so or no. It is not a perswasion that they have arrived unto in a way of seeking satisfaction to their own souls It is not the result of a deep enquiry after peace and rest It is antecedent unto Tryal and Experience and so is not Faith but Opinion For although Faith be not Experience yet it is inseparable from it as is every practical habit Distresses in their consciences have been prevented by this Opinion not removed The reason why the most of men are not troubled about their sins to any purpose is from a persuasion that God is merciful and will pardon when indeed none can really on a Gospel account ordinarily have that perswasion but those who have been troubled for sin and that to the purpose So is it with them that make this discovery by faith They have had conflicts in their own spirits and being deprived of peace have accomplished a diligent search whether forgiveness were to be obtained or no. The perswasion they have of it be it more or less is the issue of a tryal they have had in their own souls of an enquiry how things stood between God and them as to peace and acceptation of their Persons This is a vast difference the one sort might possibly have had trouble in their consciences about sin had it not been for their Opinion of forgiveness this hath prevented or stifled their convictions not healed their wounds which is the work of the Gospel but kept them from being wounded which is the work of security Yea here lyes the ruine of the most of them who perish under the preaching of the Gospel They have received the general notion of pardon it floats in their minds and presently presents it self to their relief on all occasions Doth God at any time in the dispensation of the Word under an Affliction upon some great sin against their ruling light begin to deal with their consciences before their conviction can ripen or come to any perfection before it draw nigh to its perfect work they choak it and heal their consciences with this notion of pardon Many a man between the Assembly and his dwelling house is thus cured You may see them go away shaking their heads and striking on their breasts and before they come home be as whole as ever Well! God is merciful there is pardon hath wrought the cure The other sort have obtained their perswasion as a result of the discovery of Christ in the Gospel upon a full conviction Tryals they have had and this is the issue Thirdly The one which we reject worketh no Love to God no Delight in him no Reverence of him but rather a contempt and commonness of Spirit in dealing with him There are none in the world that deal worse with God than those who have an ungrounded perswasion of forgiveness And if they do fear him or love him or obey him in any thing more or less it is on other motives and considerations which will not render any thing they do acceptable and not at all on this As he is good to the Creation they may love as he is great and powerful they may fear him but sense of pardon as to any such ends or purposes hath no power upon them Carnal boldness formality and despising of God are the common issues of such a notion and perswasion Indeed this is the generation of great sinners in the world men who have a general apprehension but not a sense of the special power of pardon openly or secretly in fleshly or spiritual sins are the great sinners among men Where faith makes a discovery of forgiveness all things are otherwise Great Love Fear and Reverence of God are its attendants Mary Magdalen loved much because much was forgiven Great Love will spring out of great forgiveness There is forgiveness with thee saith the Psalmist that thou maist be feared No unbeliever doth truly and experimentally know the truth of this inference But so it is when men fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 5. 1 say then where pardoning mercy is truly apprehended where faith makes a discovery of it to the soul it is endeared unto God and possessed of the great springs of Love Delight Fear and Reverence Psal. 116. 1 5 6 7. Fourthly This notional apprehension of the pardon of sin begets no serious through hatred and detestation of sin nor is prevalent to a relinquishment of it nay it rather secretly insinuates into the soul encouragements unto a continuance in it It is the nature of it to lessen and extenuate sin and to support the soul against its convictions So Jude tells us that some turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness v. 4. and sayes he they are ungodly men let them profess what they will they are ungodly men But how can they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness Is Grace capable of a conversion into Lust or Sin Will what was once Grace ever become Wantonness It is Objective not Subjective Grace the Doctrine not the real substance of Grace that is intended The Doctrine of forgiveness is this Grace of God which may be thus abused From hence do men who have only a general notion of it habitually draw secret encouragements to sin and folly Paul also lets us know that carnal men coming to a doctrinal acquaintance with Gospel Grace are very apt to make such conclusions Rom. 6. 1. And it will appear at the last day how unspeakably this glorious Grace hath been perverted in the world It would be well for many if they had never heard the name of forgiveness It is otherwise where this Revelation is received indeed in the soul by believing Rom. 6.
We will then bring our guilty souls into his presence and attend the pleasure of his Grace what he speaks concerning us we will willingly submit unto And this sometimes proves an Anchor to a tossed soul which though it gives it not rest and peace yet it saves it from the rock of despair Here it abides until Light do more and more break forth upon it Thirdly Faith dealing about forgiveness doth commonly eye in a peculiar manner its relation to the mediation and blood of Christ. So the Apostle directs 1 John 2. 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins If any one hath sinned and is in depths and entanglements about it what course shall he take how shall he proceed to obtain deliverance why he must unto God for pardon but what shall he rely upon to encourage him in his so doing saith the Apostle consider by faith the Attonement and propitiation made for sin by the blood of Christ and that he is still pursuing the work of Love to the suing out of pardon for us and rest thy soul thereon This I say most commonly is that which faith in the first place immediately fixes on Fourthly Faith eyes actual pardon or condonation So God proposeth it as a motive to further believing Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Actual pardon of sin is proposed to faith as an encouragement unto a full returning unto God in all things 2 Sam. 23. 5. And the like may be said of all the other particulars which we have insisted on There is not any of them but will yield peculiar relief unto a soul dealing with God about forgiveness as having some one special concernment or other of forgiveness in wrapped in them Only as I said they do it not exclusively but are the special doors whereby believing enters into the whole And these things must be spoken unto afterwards Let us now take along with us the end for which all these considerations have been insisted on It is to manifest that a real discovery of Gospel Forgiveness is a matter of greater consequence and importance than at first proposal it may be it appeared unto some to be Who is not in hopes in expectation of pardon Who thinks not that they know well enough at least what it is if they might but obtain it But men may have general thoughts of impunity and yet be far enough from any saving acquaintance with Gospel mercy Forgiveness discovered or Revealed only to Faith Reasons thereof For a close of this Discourse I shall only add what is included in that Proposition which is the foundation of the whole namely that this discovery of forgiveness is and can be made to faith alone The nature of it is such as that nothing else can discover it or receive it No Reasonings no enquiries of the heart of man can reach unto it That guess or glimpse which the Heathens had of old of somewhat so called and which false Worshippers have at present is not the forgiveness we insist upon but a meer imagination of their own hearts This the Apostle informs us Rom. 1. 17. The Righteousness of God is in the Gospel revealed from faith to faith Nothing but faith hath any thing to do with it It is that Righteousness of God whereof he speaks that consists in the forgiveness of sins by the blood of Christ declared in the Gospel And this is revealed from the faith of God in the Promise to the faith of the Believer to him that mixes the Promise with faith And again more fully 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The wayes whereby we may come to the knowledge of any thing are by the seeing of the eye or the hearing of the ear or the Reasonings and meditations of the heart but now none of these will reach to the matter in hand by none of these wayes can we come to an acquaintance with the things of the Gospel that are prepared for us in Christ. How then shall we obtain the knowledge of them that he declares v. 10. God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit Now it is faith only that receives the Revelations of the Spirit nothing else hath to do with them To give evidence hereunto we may consider that this great mysterie 1. Is too Deep 2. Is too Great for ought else to discover and 3. That nothing else but faith is suited to the making of this discovery First It is too deep and mysterious to be fathomed and reached by any thing else Reasons line is too short to fathom the depths of the Fathers Love of the blood of the Son and the Promises of the Gospel built thereon wherein forgiveness dwells Men cannot by their rational considerations launch out into these deeps nor draw water by them from these Wells of Salvation Reason stands by amazed and cryes how can these things be it can but gather Cockle shells like him of old at the shoar of this Ocean a few Criticisms upon the outward letter and so bring an evil report upon the Land as did the Spies All it can do is but to hinder faith from venturing into it crying spare thy self this attempt is vain these things are impossible It is among the things that faith puts off and layes aside when it engageth the soul into this great work This then that it may come to a discovery of forgiveness causeth the soul to deny it self and all its own Reasonings and to give up it self to an infinite fulness of Goodness and Truth Though it cannot go into the bottom of these depths yet it enters into them and finds rest in them Nothing but faith is suited to rest to satiate and content it self in mysterious bottomless unsearchable depths Being a soul emptying a Reason denying Grace the more it meets withal beyond its search and reach the more satisfaction it finds This is that which I looked for saith Faith even for that which is infinite and unsearchable When I know that there is abundantly more beyond me that I do not comprehend than what I have attained unto for I know that nothing else will do good to the soul. Now this is that which really puzzles and overwhelms Reason rendring it useless What it cannot compass it will neglect or despise It is either amazed and confounded and dazled like weak eyes at too great a light or fortifying of it self by inbred pride and obstinacy it concludes that this preaching of the Cross of forgiveness from the Love of God by the blood of Christ is plain folly a thing not for a wise man to take notice of or to trouble himself about So it appeared to the wise Greeks
unto a Resolution of waiting in the condition wherein the soul is This the Church comes unto Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. I will not give over my expectation I will not make haste nor limit God but I will lye at his foot until his own appointed time of mercy shall come Expectation and Quietness make up waiting These the soul attains unto with this supportment It looks upwards as a servant that looks to the hands of his Master still fixed on God to see what he will do to hear what he will speak concerning him missing no season no opportunity wherein any discovery of the Will of God may be made to him And this he doth in quietness without repining or murmuring turning all his complaints against himself and his own vileness that hath cut him short from a participation of that fulness of Love and Grace which is with God That this Effect also attends this Faith will fully appear in the close of the Psalm 3. It supports unto waiting in the use of all means for the attainment of a sense of forgiveness and so hath its Effect in the whole course of our obedience There is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared To fear the Lord is an expression comprehensive of his whole Worship and all our duty This I am encouraged saith the Psalmist unto in my depths because there is forgiveness with thee I will abide in all duties in all the wayes of thy Worship wherein thou maist be found And however it be for a while the latter end of that soul who thus abideth with God will be peace Let us then nextly see by what wayes and means it yields this supportment 1. It begets a liking of God in the soul and consequently some love unto him The soul apprehends God as one infinitely to be desired and delighted in by those who have a share in forgiveness It cannot but consider him as good and gracious however its own estate be hazardous Psal. 73. 1 2. Yet God is good to Israel to such as are of a clean heart as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt However the state stands with me yet I know that God is good good to Israel and therewith shall I support my self When once this ground is got upon the soul that it considers God in Christ as one to be delighted in and loved great and blessed effects will ensue 1. Self-abhorrency and Condemnation with Resignation of all to God and permanency therein do certainly attend it 2. Still somewhat or other in God will be brought to mind to relieve it under faintings some new springs of hope will be every day opened 3. And the soul will be insensibly wrought upon to delight it self in dealing with God Though in its own particular it meets with frowns chidings and repulses yet this still relieves him that God is so as hath been declared so that he sayes however it be yet God is good and it is good for me to wait upon him Without this discovery the soul likes not God and whatever it doth with respect unto him it is because it dares do no otherwise being overawed with his terror and greatness And such Obedience God may have from Devils 2. It removes sundry overwhelming difficulties that lye in the souls way before it close with this discovery of forgiveness As 1. It takes away all those Hinderances that were formerly insisted on from the Greatness Holiness and severity of God the inexorableness and strictness of the Law and the natural actings of conscience rising up against all hopes of forgiveness All these are by this faith removed and taken out of the way Where this faith is it discovers not only forgiveness as hath been shewed but also the true nature of Gospel forgiveness It reveals it as flowing from the Gracious Heart of the Father through the blood of the Son Now this Propitiation in the blood of the Son removeth all these difficulties even antecedently unto our special sense of an interest therein It shews how all the properties of God may be exalted and the Law fulfilled and yet forgiveness given out to sinners And herein lyes no small advantage unto a soul in its approaches unto God All those dreadful Apprehensions of God which were wont to beset him in the first thoughts of coming to him are now taken out of the way so that he can quietly apply himself unto his own particular concernments before him 2. In particular it removes the overwhelming consideration of the unspeakable greatness of sin This presseth the soul to death when once the heart is possessed with it Were not their sins so great such as no heart can imagine or tongue declare it might possibly be well with them say distressed sinners They are not so troubled that they are sinners as that they are great sinners Not that these and those sins they are guilty of but that they are great sins attended with fearful aggravations Otherwise they could deal well enough with them Now though this discovery free men not from the entanglement of their sins as theirs yet it doth from the whole entanglement of their sins as great and many This consideration may be abstracted The soul sees enough in God to forgive great sins though it doth not as yet to forgive his sins That great sins shall be pardoned this discovery puts out of Question Whether his sin shall be pardoned is now all the enquiry Whatever any faith can do that this faith will do unless it be the making of particular Application of the things believed unto it self The soul then can no longer justly be troubled about the greatness of sin the infiniteness of forgiveness that he sees in God will relieve him against it All that remains is that it is his own sin about which he hath to deal whereof afterwards These and the like difficulties are removed by it 3. It gives some Life in and Encouragement unto duty And that First Unto duty as duty Eying God by faith in such a fulness of Grace the soul cannot but be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty and to lay hold upon him thereby Every way leading to him as leading to him must be well liked and approved of and Secondly To all duties and herein lyes no small advantage God is oftentimes found in duties but in what or of what kind he will be found of any one in particular is uncertain This faith puts the soul on all So it did the Spouse in the parallel to that in hand Cant. 3. 2 3 4. Now what supportment may be hence obtained is easily apprehended supportment not from them or by them but in them as the means of entercourse between God and the soul. From these Effects of this discovery of forgiveness in God there things will ensue which are sufficient to maintain the spiritual life
the soul for the receiving of that consolation and deliverance out of its pressures by an evidence of a special interest in forgiveness which it waiteth for 1. For this makes men to hearken after it It makes the soul like the Merchant who hath great Riches all his wealth in a far Country which he is endeavouring to bring home safe unto him If they come he is well provided for if they miscarry he is lost and undone This makes him hearken after tydings that they are safe there and as Solomon sayes Good news in this case from a far Countrey is as cold water to a thirsty soul Prov. 25. 25. full of refreshment Though he cannot look upon them as his own yet absolutely because he hath them not in possession he is glad they are safe there So is it with the soul These Riches that it so values are as to its apprehensions in a far Country So is the Promise that he shall behold the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 17. He is glad to hear newes that they are safe to hear forgiveness preached and the Promises insisted on though he cannot as yet look upon them as his own The Merchant resis not here but he hearkeneth with much solicitousness after the things that should bring home his riches especially if they have in them his All. Hence such Ships are called Ships of desire Job 9. 26. Such a man greatly desires the speeding of them to their Port. He considers the Wind and the Weather all the occasions and inconveniences and danger of the way And blame him not his All is at stake The soul doth so in like manner it hearkneth after all the wayes and means whereby this forgiveness may be particularly brought home unto it is afraid of sin and of Temptation glad to find a fresh Gale of the Spirit of Grace hoping that it may bring in his Return from the Land of Promise This prepares the heart for a spiritual sense of it when it is revealed Secondly It so prepares the soul by giving it a due Valuation of the Grace and Mercy desired The Merchantman in the Gospel was not prepared to enjoy the Pearl himself until it was discovered to him to be of great price then he knew how to purchase it procure it and keep it The soul having by this acting of faith upon the discovery of forgiveness insisted on come to find that the pearl hid in the field is indeed precious is both stirred up to seek after possession of it and to give it its due Saith such a soul How excellent how precious is this forgiveness that is with God Blessed yea ever blessed are they who are made partakers of it What a life of Joy Rest Peace and Consolation do they lead Had I but their Evidence of an interest in it and the spiritual consolation that ensues thereon How would I despise the world and all the temptations of Satan and rejoyce in the Lord in every condition And this Apprehension of Grace also exceedingly prepares and fits the soul for a receiving of a blessed sense of it so as that God may have glory thereby 3. It fits the soul by giving a Right Understanding of it of its Nature its Causes and Effects At the first the soul goes no further but to look after impunity or freedom from punishment any way What shall I do to be saved is the utmost it aims at Who shall deliver me how shall I escape And it would be contented to escape any way by the Law or the Gospel all is one so it may escape But upon this discovery of forgiveness treated of which is made by faith of Adherence unto God a man plainly sees the nature of it and that it is so excellent that it is to be desired for its own sake Indeed when a soul is brought under trouble for sin it knows not well what it would have It hath an uneasiness or disquietment that it would be freed from a dread of some evil condition that it would avoid But now the soul can tell what it desires what it aims at as well as what it would be freed from It would have an interest in Eternal Love have the gracious kindness of the heart of God turned towards it self a sense of the everlasting purpose of his Will shed abroad in his heart have an especial interest in the precious blood of the Son of God whereby Attonement is made for him and that all these things be testified unto his Conscience in a word of promise mixed with faith These things he comes for this way alone he would be saved and no other It sees such a Glory of Wisdom Love and Grace in forgiveness such an Exaltation of the Love of Christ in all his Offices in all his undertaking especially in his Death Sacrifice and bloodshedding whereby he procured or made Reconciliation for us that it exceedingly longs after the participation of them All these things in their several degrees will this discovery of forgiveness in God without an evidence of an especial interest therein produce And these will assuredly maintain the spiritual life of the soul and keep it up unto such an obedience as shall be accepted of God in Christ. Darkness sorrow storms they in whom it is may meet withal but their eternal condition is secured in the Covenant of God their souls are bound up in the bundle of life From what hath been spoken we may make some Inferences in our passage concerning the true notion of believing For 1. These Effects ascribed to this faith of forgiveness in God and alwayes produced by it make it evident that the most of them who pretend unto it who pretend to believe that there is forgiveness with God do indeed believe no such thing Although I shall on set purpose afterwards evince this yet I cannot here utterly pass it by I shall then only demand of them who are so forward in the profession of this faith that they think it almost impossible that any one should not believe it what Effects it hath produced in them and whether they have been by it enabled to the performance of the duties before mentioned I fear with many things on the account of their pretended faith are quite otherwise They love sin the more for it and God never the better supposing that a few barren words will issue the controversie about their sins they become insensibly to have slight thoughts of sin and of God also This perswasion is not of him that calls us Poor souls your faith is the Devils greatest Engine for your ruine the highest contempt of God and Christ and forgiveness also that you can be guilty of a means to let you down quietly into Hell the Pharisees Moses trusted in and will condemn you As none is saved but by faith so you if it were not for your faith as you call it might possibly be saved If a mans Gold prove counterfeit his Jewels painted Glass
Invitation to Repentance and to disbelieve forgiveness is to call the Truth Holiness and Faithfulness of God into question If you will not believe forgiveness pretend what you please it is in truth because you hate Repentance You do but deceive your souls when you pretend you come not up to Repentance because you cannot believe forgiveness For in the very Institution of this duty God engageth all his Properties to make it good that he hath pardon and mercy for sinners 4. Much less cause is there to doubt of forgiveness where sincere Repentance is in any measure wrought No soul comes to Repentance but upon Gods call God calls none but whom he hath mercy for upon their coming And as for those who sin against the Holy Ghost as they shut themselves out from forgiveness so they are not called to Repentance 5. God expresly declares in the Scripture that the forgiveness that is with him is the foundation of his prescribing repentance unto man One instance may suffice Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a perverse wicked one ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy and to our God for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he will multiply to pardon You see to whom he speaks to men perversely wicked and such as make a trade of sinning What doth he call them unto plainly to Repentance to the duty we have insisted on But what is the ground of such an invitation unto such profligate sinners Why the abundant forgiveness and pardon that is with him super-abounding unto what the worst of them can stand in need of as Rom. 5. 20. And this is another way whereby God hath revealed that there is forgiveness with him and an infallible bottom for saith to build upon in its approaches unto God it is Nor can the certainty of this Evidence be called into question but on such grounds as are derogatory to the Glory and Honour of God And this connexion of Repentance and forgiveness is that principle from whence God convinces a stubborn unbelieving people that all his wayes and dealings with sinners are just and equal Ezek. 18. 25. And should there be any failure in it they could not be so Every soul then that is under a call to Repentance whether out of his natural condition or from any back-sliding into folly after Conversion hath a sufficient foundation to rest on as to the pardon he enquires after God is ready to deal with him on terms of mercy if out of love to sin or the power of unbelief he refuse to close with him on these terms his condemnation is just And it will be well that this consideration be well imprinted on the minds of men I say notwithstanding the general presumptions that men seem to have of this matter yet these principles of it ought to be inculcated For 1. Such is the Atheism that lyes lurking in the hearts of men by nature that notwithstanding their pretences and professions we have need to be pressing upon them Evidences of the very Being and Essential Properties of God In so doing we have the assistance of inbred notions in their own minds which they cannot eject to help carry on the work How much more is this necessary in reference unto the free Acts of the Will of God which are to be known only by meer Revelation Our Word had need be line upon line And yet when we have done have cause enough to cry out as was said Lord who hath believed our report and to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. What was spoken before of the obstacles that lye in the way hindring souls from a saving reception of this Truth ought to be remembred Those who have no experience of them between God and their souls seem to be ignorant of the true nature of Conscience Law Gospel Grace Sin and Forgiveness 3. Many who are come to a saving perswasion of it yet having not received it upon clear and unquestionable grounds and so not knowing how to resolve their faith of it into its proper principles are not able to answer the Objections that lye against it in their own Consciences and so do miserably fluctuate about it all their dayes These had need to have these principles inculcated on them Were they pondred aright some might have cause to say with the Samaritans who first gave credit to the report of the woman John 4. They had but a report before but now they find all things to be according unto it yea to exceed it A little experience of a mans own unbelief with the Observation that may easily be made of the uncertain progresses and fluctuations of the spirits of others will be a sufficient conviction of the necessity of the work we are engaged in But it will yet be said that it is needless to multiply Arguments and Evidences in this case The Truth insisted on being granted as one of the fundamental principles of Religion As it is not then by any called in question so it doth not appear that so much time and pains is needful for the confirmation of it For what is granted and plain needs little confirmation But several things may be returned in Answer hereunto all which may at once be here pleaded for the multiplication of our Arguments in this matter That it is generally granted by all is no Argument that it is effectually believed by many Sundry things are taken for granted in point of opinion that are not so believed as to be improved in practice We have in part shewed before and shall afterwards undeniably evince that there are very few that believe this Truth with that faith that will interest them in it and give them the benefit of it And what will it avail any of us that there is forgiveness of sin with God if our own sins be not forgiven no more than that such or such a King is rich whilst we are poor and starving My aim is not to prove it as an opinion or a meer speculative Truth but so to evidence it in the principles of its Being and Revelation as that it may be believed whereon all our blessedness depends 2. It needs never the less confirmation because it is a plain fundamental Truth but rather the more and that because both of the Worth and Weight of it This is a faithful saying saith the Apostle worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners So say I of this which for the substance of it is the same with that It is worthy of all acceptation namely that there is forgiveness with God And therefore ought it to be fully confirmed Especially whilst we make use of no other demonstrations of it but those only which God hath furnished us withal to that purpose and this he would not have done but that he knew them
be encouraged by it to use it unto the end and purpose for which it is exercised towards us You that are yet in doubt of your condition consider that the patience of God was extended unto you this day this very day that you might use it for the obtaining of the remission of your sins Lose not this day not one day more as you love your souls For wosul will be their condition who shall perish for despising or abusing of the patience of God VI. The faith and experience of the Saints in this world give in testimony unto this truth and we know that their Record in this matter is true Let us then ask of them what they believe what they have found what they have Experience of as to the forgiveness of sin This God himself directs and leads us unto by appealing unto our own experience whence he shews us that we may take relief and supportment in our distresses Isa. 40. 28. Hast thou not heard hast not thou known Hast not thou thy self who now cryest out that thou art lost and undone because God hath forsaken thee sound and known by experience the contrary from his former dealings with thee And if our own Experiences may confirm us against the workings of our unbelief so may those of others also And this is that which Eliphas directs Job unto Chap. 6. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou look It is not a supplication to them for help that is intended but an enquiry after the Experience in the case in hand wherein he wrongfully thought they could not justifie Job ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to which of the Saints on the right hand or left wilt thou have regard in this matter Some would foolishly hence seek to confirm the Invocation of the Saints departed when indeed if they were intended it is rather forbidden and discountenanced than directed unto But the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here are the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Psal. 16. 2. The Saints that are in the Earth whose experiences Job is directed to enquire into and after David makes it a great encouragement unto waiting upon God as a God hearing prayers that others had done so and found success Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed unto the Lord and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles If he did so and had that blessed Issue why should not we do so also The experiences of one are often proposed for the confirmation and establishment of others so the same David Come saith he and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. He contents not himself to mind them of the Word Promises and Providence of God which he doth most frequently but he will give them the encouragement and supportment also of his own Experience So Paul tells us that he was comforted of God in all his tribulation that he might be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. That is that he might be able to communicate unto them his own experience of Gods dealing with him and the satisfaction and Assurance that he found therein So also he proposeth the example of Gods dealing with him in the pardon of his sins as a great motive unto others to believe 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. And this mutual communication of satisfying experiences in the things of God or of our spiritual sense and evidence of the Power Efficacy and Reality of Gospel Truths being rightly managed is of singular use to all sorts of Believers So the same Great Apostle acquaints us in his own Example Rom. 1. 11 12. I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established that is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me He longed not only to be instructing of them in the pursuit of the work of the Ministry committed unto him but to confer also with them about their mutual faith and what Experiences of the peace of God in Believing they had attained We have in our case called in the Testimony of the Saints in Heaven with whom these on earth do make up one family even that one family in Heaven and Earth which is called after the name of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 14 15. And they all agree in their Testimonie as becomes the Family and Children of God But these below we may deal personally with whereas we gather the Witness of the other only from what is left upon record concerning them And for the clearing of this Evidence sundry things are to be observed As 1. Men living under the profession of Religion and not experiencing the power vertue and efficacy of it in their hearts are whatever they profess very near to Atheism or at least exposed to great temptations thereunto If they profess they know God but in works deny him they are abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 16. Let such men lay aside Tradition and Custome let them give up themselves to a free and a rational consideration of things and they will quickly find that all their profession is but a miserable self-deceiving and that indeed they believe not one word of the Religion which they profess For of what their Religion affirms to be in themselves they find not any thing true or real And what Reason have they then to believe that the things which it speaks of that are without them are one jot better If they have no Experience of what it affirms to be within them what confidence can they have of the Reality of what it reveals to be without them John tells us that he who saith he loves God whom he hath not seen and doth not love his Brother whom he hath seen is a lyar Men who do not things of an equal concernment unto them wherein they may be tryed are not to be believed in what they profess about greater things whereof no tryal can be had So he that believes not who experienceth not the power of that which the Religion he professeth affirms to be in him if he sayes that he doth believe other things which he can have no Experience of he is a lyar For instance he that professeth the Gospel avows that the death of Christ doth crucifie sin that faith purifieth the heart that the Holy Ghost quickens and enables the soul unto duty that God is good and gracious unto all that come unto him that there is precious Communion to be obtained with him by Christ that there is great Joy in believing These things are plainly openly frequently insisted on in the Gospel Hence the Apostle presseth men unto Obedience on the account of them and as it were leaves them at liberty from it if
Acceptance of Worship from us is an infallible Demonstration that he will not execute against us the severity of the first curse And this is clearly evidenced in the first Record of solemn instituted Worship performed by sinners Gen. 4 4. God had Respect unto Abel and his Offering Some think that God gave a visible pledge of his acceptance of Abel and his Offering it may be it was by fire from Heaven For how else should Cain so instantly know that his Brother and his Offering were accepted but that he and his were refused However it were it is evident that what Testimony God gave of the Acceptance of his Offering the same he gave concerning his Person and that in the first place he had respect unto Abel and then to his Offering And therefore the Apostle saith that hereby he obtained witness that he was Righteous Heb. 11. 4. that is the Witness or Testimony of God himself Now this was in the forgiveness of his sins without which he could neither be Righteous nor accepted for he was a sinner This God declared by Acceptance of his Worship And thus we also if we have any Testimony of Gods Acceptance of us in any part of his Worship should employ it to the same end Hath God enlarged our hearts in prayer hath he given us an Answer unto any of our supplications hath he refreshed our hearts in the preaching and dispensation of the Word or any other Ordinance We are not to rest in the particular about which our communion with him hath been Our doing so is the cause why we lose our experiences They lye scattered up and down separated from their proper root and so are easily lost But this is that which we should first improve such particular experiences in the Worship of God unto namely that God hath pardoned our sins and accepted our persons thereon for without that none of our Worship or Service would please him or be accepted with him 2. Hereby God lets us know that he deals with us upon new Terms so that notwithstanding sin we may enjoy his love and favour For this we have the engagement of his Truth and Veracity and he cannot deceive us but yet by this command of his for his Worship we should be deceived if there were not forgiveness with him For it gives us encouragement to expect and Assurance of finding Acceptance with him which without it cannot be obtained This then God declares by his Institution of and command for his Worship namely that there is nothing that shall indispensably hinder those who give-up themselves unto the Obedience of Gods commands from enjoying his love and favour and communion with him 4. For matter of fact it is known and confessed that God hath appointed a Worship for sinners to perform All the Institutions of the Old and New Testament bear witness hereunto God was the Author of them And men know not what they do when either they neglect them or would be intermixing their own Imaginations with them What can the mind of man conceive or invent that may have any influence into this matter to secure the souls of Believers of their Acceptance with God Is there any need of their Testimony to the Truth Faithfulness and Goodness of God These things he hath taken upon himself This then is that which is to be fixed on our souls upon our first Invitation unto Religious Worship namely that God intends a new Revenue of Glory from us and therefore declares that there is a way for the taking away of our sins without which we can give no Glory to him by our Obedience and this is done only by forgiveness 5. There are some Ordinances of Worship appointed for this very end and purpose to confirm unto us the forgiveness of sin Especially in that Worship which is instituted by the Lord Jesus under the New Testament I shall instance in one or two First The Ordinance of Baptism This was accompanied with the dawning of the Gospel in the Ministry of John Baptist And he expresly declared in his Sermons upon it that it was instituted of God to declare the Remission of sins Mark 1. 4. It is true the Lord Christ submitted unto that Ordinance and was baptized by John who had no sin But this belonged unto the Obedience which God required of him as for our sakes he was made under the Law He was to observe all Ordinances and Institutions of the Worship of God not for any need he had in his own Person of the especial Ends and significations of some of them yet as he was our Sponsor surety and Mediator standing in our stead in all that he so did he was to yield obedience unto them that so he might fulfill all Righteousness Matth. 3. 13. So was he circumcised so he was baptized both which had respect unto sin though absolutely free from all sin in his own Person and that because he was free from no Obedience unto any Command of God But as was said Baptism it self as appointed to be an Ordinance of Worship for sinners to observe was a Declaration of that forgiveness that is with God It was so in its first Institution God calls a man in a marvellous and miraculous manner gives him a Ministry from Heaven commands him to Go and Baptize all those who confessing their sins and professing Repentance of them should come to him to have a Testimony of forgiveness And as to the especial nature of this Ordinance he appoints it to be such as to represent the certainty and truth of his Grace in pardon unto their senses by a visible pledge He lets them know that he would take away their sin wherein their spiritual defilement doth consist even as Water takes away the outward filth of the body and that hereby they shall be saved as surely as Noah and his Family were saved in the Ark swimming upon the waters 1 Pet. 3. 21. Now how great a deceit must needs in this whole matter have been put upon poor sinners if it were not infallibly certain that they might obtain forgiveness with God After the Entrance of this Ordinance in the Ministry of John the Lord Christ takes it into his own hand and commands the observation of it unto all his Disciples I dispute not now who are the proper immediate objects of it whether they only who actually can make profession of their faith or Believers with their infant seed For my part I believe that all whom Christ loves and pardons are to be made partakers of the pledge thereof And the sole Reason which they of old insisted on why the infants of Believing Parents should not be baptized was because they thought they had no sin and therein we know their mistake But I treat not now of these things only this I say is certain that in the prescription of this Ordinance unto his Church the great Intention of the Lord Christ was to ascertain unto us the forgiveness of sins
And sinners are invited to a participation of this Ordinance for that End that they may receive the pardon of their sins that is an infallible pledge and Assurance of it Acts 2. 38. And the very nature of it declareth this to be its End as was before intimated This is another engagement of the Truth and Faithfulness and Holiness of God so that we cannot be deceived in this matter There is saith God forgiveness with me saith the soul how Lord shall I know how shall I come to be assured of it for by reason of the perpetual Accusations of Conscience and the Curse of the Law upon the guilt of my sin I find it a very hard matter for me to believe Like Gideon I would have a Token of it why behold saith God I will give thee a pledge and a token of it which cannot deceive thee When the world of old had been overwhelmed with a deluge of waters by reason of their sins and those who remained though they had just cause to fear that the same Judgement would again befall them or their posterity because they saw there was like to be the same cause of it the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men being evil still and that continually to secure them against these fears I told them that I would destroy the earth no more with water and I gave them a token of my faithfulness therein by placing my bow in the cloud And have I failed them though the sin and wickedness of the world hath been since that day unspeakably great yet mankind is not drowned again nor ever shall be I will not deceive their expectation from the token I have given them Wherever then there is a word of promise confirmed with a token never fear a disappointment But so is this matter I have declared that there is forgiveness with me and to give you assurance thereof I have ordained this pledge and sign as a seal of my word to take away all doubts and suspicion of your being deceived As the world shall be drowned no more so neither shall they who believe come short of forgiveness And this is the Use which we ought to make of this Ordinance It is Gods security of the pardon of our sins which we may safely rest in 2. The same is the End of that other Great Ordinance of the Church the Supper of the Lord. The same thing is therein confirmed unto us by another Sign Pledge Token or Seal We have shewed before what respect Gospel forgiveness hath unto the death or blood of Jesus Christ. That is the Means whereby for us it is procured the Way whereby it comes forth from God unto the Glory of his Righteousness and Grace which afterwards must be more distinctly insisted on This Ordinance therefore designed and appointed on purpose for the Representation and calling to Remembrance of the death of Christ with the communication of the benefits thereof unto them that believe doth principally intend our faith and comfort in the Truth under consideration And therefore in the very Institution of it besides the General End before mentioned which had been sufficient for our security there is moreover added an especial mention of the forgiveness of sin for so speaks our Saviour in the Institution of it for the use of the Church unto the end of the world Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of sins As if he had said The end for which I have appointed the Observance of this Duty and Service unto you is that I may testifie thereby unto you that by my Blood the Sacrifice of my self and the Attonement made thereby I have purchased for you the Remission of your sins which you shall assuredly be made partakers of And more I shall not add unto this consideration because the death of Christ respected in this Ordinance will again occurr unto us 3. What is the end of all Church Order Assemblies and Worship What is a Church Is it not a company of sinners gathered together according unto Gods appointment to give glory and praise to him for pardoning Grace for the forgiveness of sins and to yield him that obedience which he requires from us on the account of his having so dealt with us This is the nature this is the end of a Church He that understandeth it not he that useth it not unto that End doth but abuse that great Institution And such abuse the world is full of Some endeavour to make their own secular Advantages by the pretence of the Church Some discharge the duty required in it with some secret hopes that it shall be their Righteousness before God Some answer only their Light and Convictions in an empty profession This alone is the true end the true Use of it We assemble our selves to learn that there is forgiveness with God through Christ to pray that we may be made partakers of it To bless and praise God for our Interest in it to engage our selves unto that Obedience which he requires upon the account of it And were this constantly upon our minds and in our designs we might be more established in the faith of it than it may be the most of us are 4. One particular instance more of this nature shall conclude this Evidence God hath commanded us the Lord Christ hath taught us to pray for the pardon of sin which gives us unquestionable security that it may be attained that it is to be found in God for the clearing whereof observe 1. That the Lord Christ in the Revelation of the Will of God unto us as unto the duty that he required at our hands hath taught and instructed us to pray for the forgiveness of sin It is one of the Petitions which he hath left on record for our use and imitation in that summary of all prayer which he hath given us Matth. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts our trespasses our sins Some contend that this is a form of prayer to be used in the prescript limited words of it All grant that it is a Rule for prayer comprizing the heads of all necessary things that we are to pray for and obliging us to make supplications for them So then upon the Authority of God revealed unto us by Jesus Christ we are bound in duty to pray for pardon of sins or forgiveness 2. On this supposition it is the highest Blasphemy and reproach of God imaginable to conceive that there is not forgiveness with him for us Indeed if we should go upon our own heads without his Warranty and Authority to ask any thing at his hand we might well expect to meet with disappointment For what should encourage us unto any such boldness But now when God himself shall command us to come and ask any thing from him so making it thereby our Duty and that the neglect thereof should be our great sin and Rebellion against him to
unto us that is wanting in this matter For 1. There is forgiveness with God and this manifested revealed declared This manifestation of it is that which makes it the Object of our faith We believe things to be in God and with him not meerly and formally because they are so but because he hath manifested and revealed them so to be 1 John 1. 2. What he so declares it is our duty to believe or we frustrate the end of his Revelation 2. We are expresly commanded to believe and that upon the highest Promises and under the greatest penalties This Command is that which makes believing formally a duty Faith is a Grace as it is freely wrought in us by the Holy Ghost the root of all Obedience and duties as it is radically fixed in the heart But as it is commanded it is a duty and these Commands you know are several wayes expressed by Invitations Exhortations Propositions which all have in them the nature of Commands which take up a great part of the Books of the New Testament 3. It is a duty as we have shewed of the greatest concernment unto the Glory of God 4. Of the greatest importance unto our souls here and hereafter And these things were necessary to be added to bottom our ensuing Exhortations upon Evidences that most men do not believe Forgiveness That which should now ensue is the peculiar improvement of this Truth all along aimed at namely to give Exhortations and encouragements unto believing But I can take few steps in this work wherein methinks I do hear some saying Surely all this is needless Who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove And so these pains are spent to little or no purpose I shall therefore before I perswade any unto it endeavour to shew that they do it not already Many I say the most of men who live under the dispensation of the Gospel do wofully deceive their own souls in this matter They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe and what they think they believe Men talk of fundamental Errors this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall into and the most pernitious It is made up of these two parts 1. They do not indeed believe forgiveness 2. They suppose they do believe it which keeps them from seeking after their only remedy Both these mistakes are in the foundation and do ruine the souls of them that live and die in them I shall then by a brief enquiry put this matter to a tryal By some plain Rules and Principles may this important Question whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no be answered and decided But to the Resolution intended I shall premise two Observations 1. Men in this case are very apt to deceive themselves Self-love vain Hopes liking of Lust common false Principles sloth unwillingness unto self-examination Reputation with the World and it may be in the Church all vigorously concurr unto mens self-deceivings in this matter It is no easie thing for a soul to break through all these and all self-reasonings that rise from them to come unto a clear judgement of its own acting in dealing with God about forgiveness Men also find a Common Presumption of this Truth and its being an easie relief against gripings of Conscience and disturbing thoughts about sin which they daily meet withall Aiming therefore only at the removal of trouble and finding their present Imagination of it sufficient thereunto they never bring their perswasion to the tryal 2. As men are apt to do thus so they actually do so they do deceive themselves and know not that they do so The last day will make this evident if men will no sooner be convinced of their folly When our Saviour told his Disciples that one of them twelve should betray him though it were but one of twelve that was in danger yet every one of the twelve made a particular enquiry about himself I will not say that one in each twelve is here mistaken But I am sure the Truth tells us That many are called and but few are chosen they are but few who do really believe forgiveness Is it not then incumbent on every one to be enquiring in what number he is likely to be found at the last day Whilst men put this enquiry off from themselves and think or say it may be the Concernment of others it is not mine they perish and that without remedy Remember what poor Jacob said when he had lost one Child and was afraid of the loss of another Gen. 43. 14. If I be bereaved of my Children I am bereaved As if he should have said if I lose my Children I have no more to lose they are my all Nothing worse can befall me in this world Comfort Joy yea Life and all go with them How much more may men say in this Case If we are deceived here we are deceived all is lost hope and life and soul all must perish and that for ever There is no help or relief for them who deceive themselves in this matter They have found out a way to go quietly down into the pit Now these things are premised only that they may be incentives unto self-examination in this matter and so render the ensuing Considerations usefull Let us then address our selves unto them 1. In General This is a Gospel Truth yea the great fundamental and most important Truth of the Gospel It is the turning point of the two Covenants as God himself declares Heb. 7. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Now a very easie Consideration of the wayes and walkings of men will satisfie us as to this Enquiry whether they do indeed believe the Gospel the Covenant of Grace and the fundamental Principles of it Certainly their Ignorance Darkness Blindness their Corrupt Affections and Worldly Conversations their Earthly-mindedness and open disavowing of the Spirit Wayes and Yoke of Christ speak no such language Shall we think that proud heady worldly self-seckers haters of the people of God and his wayes despisers of the Spirit of Grace and his work Sacrificers to their own lusts and such like do believe the Covenant of Grace or Remission of sins God forbid we should entertain any one thought of so great dishonour to the Gospel Where ever that is received or believed it produceth other effects Tit. 2. 11 12. Isa. 11 6 7 8 9. It teacheth men to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts It changeth their hearts natures and wayes It is not such a barren impotent and fruitless thing as such an Apprehension would represent it 2. They that really believe forgiveness in God do thereby obtain forgiveness Believing gives an interest in it it brings it home to the soul concerned This is the inviolable Law of the Gospel Believing and forgiveness are inseparably conjoyned Among the Evidences that we may have of any one being interested in forgiveness I shall only name one They prize and value
nature of this conviction of sin which you say you have Is it not made up of these two ingredients 1. A general notion that you are sinners as all men also are 2. Particular troublesome reflections upon your selves when on any eruption of sin Conscience accuses rebukes condemns You will say yes what would you require more This is not the Conviction we are enquiring after That is a work of the Spirit by the Word this you speak of a meer Natural work which you can no more be without than you can cease to be men This will give no Assistance unto the receiving of forgiveness But it may be you will say you have proceeded farther than so and these things have had an improvement in you Let us then a little try whether your process have been according to the mind of God And so whether this invincible barr in your way be removed or no. For although every convinced person do not believe forgiveness yet no one who is not convinced doth so Have you then been made sensible of your condition by Nature what it is to be alienated from the life of God and to be obnoxious to his wrath Have you been convinced of the Universal Enmity that is in your hearts to the mind of God and what it is to be at Enmity against God Hath the unspeakable multitude of the sins of your lives been set in order by the Law before you And have you considered what it is for sinners such sinners as you are to have to deal with a Righteous and a holy God Hath the Holy Ghost wrought a serious Recognition in your hearts of all these things and caused them to abide with you and upon you If you will answer truly you must say many of you that indeed you have not been so exercised You have heard of these things many times but to say that you have gone through with this work and have had Experience of them that you cannot do Then I say you are strangers to forgiveness because you are strangers unto sin But and if you shall say that you have had thoughts to this purpose and are perswaded that you have been throughly convinced of sin I shall yet ask you one Question more what Effects hath your Conviction produced in your hearts and lives Have you been filled with perplexities and consternation of Spirit thereupon Have you had fears dreads or terrors to wrestle withall It may be you will say No Nor will I insist upon that enquiry but this I deal with you in Hath it filled you with self-loathing and Abhorrency with self-condemnation and abasement If it will do any thing this it will do If you come short here it is justly to be feared that all your other pretences are of no value Now where there is no work of conviction there is no faith of forgiveness whatever is pretended And how many vain boasters this sword will cut off is evident 7. We have yet a greater evidence than all these Men live in sin and therefore they do not believe forgiveness of sin Faith in general purifies the heart Acts 15. 19. Our souls are purified in obeying the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 22. and the life is made fruitful by it James 2. 22. Faith worketh by works and makes it self perfect by them And the Doctrine concerning forgiveness hath a special influence into all Holiness Tit. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny all unrighteousness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And that is the Grace whereof we speak No man can then believe forgiveness of sin without a detestation and relinquishment of it The ground of this might be farther manifested and the way of the Efficacy of faith of forgiveness unto a forsaking of sin if need were But all that own the Gospel must acknowledge this principle The real belief of the Pardon of sin is prevalent with men not to live longer in sin But now what are the greatest number of those who pretend to receive this Truth Are their hearts purified by it Are their consciences purged Are their lives changed Do they deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Doth forgiveness teach them so to do Have they found it effectual to these purposes Whence is it then that there is such a bleating and bellowing to the contrary amongst them Some of you are Drunkards some of you Swearers some of you unclean persons some of you lyars some of you worldly some of you haters of all the wayes of Christ and all his concernments upon the Earth proud covetous boasters self-seekers envious wrathful backbiters malitious praters slanderers and the like And shall we think that such as these believe forgiveness of sin God forbid Again Some of you are dark ignorant blind utterly unacquainted with the mysterie of the Gospel nor do at all make it your business to enquire into it Either you hear it not at all or negligently slothfully customarily to no purpose Let not such persons deceive their own souls to live in sin and yet to believe the forgiveness of sin is utterly impossible Christ will not be a Minister of sin nor give his Gospel to be a Doctrine of licentiousness for your sakes Nor shall you be forgiven that you may be delivered to do more Abominations God forbid If any shall say that they thank God they are no such Publicans as those mentioned they are no drunkards no swearers no unclean persons nor the like so that they are not concerned in this consideration Their lives and their duties give another account of them then yet consider further That the Pharisees were all that you say of your selves and yet the greatest despisers of forgiveness that ever were in the world and that because they hated the light on this account that their deeds were evil And for your duties you mention what I pray is the root and spring of them are they influenced from this Faith of forgiveness you boast of or no May it not be feared that it is utterly otherwise you do not perform them because you love the Gospel but because you fear the Law If the truth were known I doubt it would appear that you get nothing by your believing of pardon but an encouragement unto sin Your Goodness such as it is springs from another root It may be also that you ward your selves by it against the strokes of Conscience or the guilt of particular sins this is as bad as the other It is as good be encouraged unto sin to commit it as be encouraged under sin so as to be kept from humiliation for it None under Heaven are more remote from the belief of Grace and Pardon than such persons are All their Righteousness is from the Law and their Sin in a great measure from the Gospel 8. They that believe forgiveness in a due manner believe it for the Ends and Purposes for which it is revealed of God
of us This is that which gives life unto our duties without which the best of our works are but dead works and renders them acceptable unto the Living God It is not my business at large to pursue and declare these things I only mention them that persons who are kept back from a participation of the Consolation tendred from the forgiveness that is with God because they cannot comfortably conclude that they are born again as knowing that it is unto such persons alone unto whom these Consolations do truly and really belong may know how to make a right judgement of themselves Let such persons then not fluctuate up and down in Generals and Uncertainties with heartless complaints which is the ruine of the peace of their souls but let them really put things to the trial by the examination of the Causes and Effects of the work they enquire after It is by the use of such means whereby God will be pleased to give them all the Assurance and Establishment concerning their State and Condition which is needfull for them and which may give them incouragement in their course of obedience But supposing all that hath been spoken what if a man by the utmost search and enquiry that he is able to make cannot attain any satisfactory perswasion that indeed this great work of Gods Grace hath passed upon his soul is this a sufficient ground to keep him off from accepting of supportment and consolation from this Truth that there is forgiveness with God which is the design of the Objection laid down before I say therefore further that 1. Regeneration doth not in Order of time precede the souls interest in the forgiveness that is with God or its being made partaker of the pardon of sin I say no more but that it doth not precede it in order of time not determining which hath precedency in order of nature That I confess which the method of the Gospel leads unto is that Absolution Acquitment or the pardon of sin is the foundation of the communication of all saving Grace unto the soul and so precedeth all Grace in the sinner whatever But because this Absolution or pardon of sin is to be received by faith whereby the soul is really made partaker of it and all the benefits belonging thereunto and that faith also is the radical grace which we receive in our Regeneration for it is by faith that our hearts are purified as an Instrument in the hand of the great purifier the Spirit of God I place these two together and shall not dispute as to their priority in nature but in time the one doth not precede the other 2. It is hence evident that an Assurance of being Regenerate is no way previously necessary unto the believing of an interest in forgiveness so that although a man have not the former it is or may be his duty to endeavour the latter When convinced persons cryed out What shall we do to be saved the answer was believe and you shall be so Believe in Christ and in the remission of sin by his blood is the first thing that convinced sinners are called unto They are not directed first to secure their souls that they are born again and then afterwards to believe But they are first to believe that the Remission of sin is tendred unto them in the blood of Christ and that by him they may be justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law Nor upon this proposition is it the duty of men to question whether they have faith or no but actually to believe And faith in its operation will evidence it self See Acts 13. 38 39. Suppose then that you do not know that you are Regenerate that you are born of God that you have no prevailing refreshing constant evidence or perswasion thereof should this hinder you should this discourage you from believing forgiveness from closing with the promises and thereby obtaining in your selves an interest in that forgiveness that is with God Not at all Nay this ought exceedingly to excite and stir you up unto your duty herein For 1. Suppose that it is otherwise that indeed you are yet in the state of sin and are only brought under the power of Light and Conviction this is the way for a translation into an estate of spiritual life and Grace If you will forbear the acting of faith upon and for forgiveness until you are Regenerate you may and probably you will come short both of Forgiveness and Regeneration also Here lay your foundation and then your building will go on This will open the door unto you and give you an entrance into the Kingdom of God Christ is the door do not think to climb up over the wall enter by him or you will be kept out 2. Suppose that you are born again but yet know it not as is the condition of many This is a way whereby you may receive an evidence thereof It is good embracing of all signs tokens and pledges of our spiritual condition and it is so to improve them But the best course is to follow the genuine natural actings of faith which will lead us into the most setled apprehensions concerning our Relation unto God and acceptance with him Believe first the forgiveness of sin as the effect of meer grace and mercy in Christ. Let the faith hereof be nourished and strengthened in your souls This will insensibly influence your hearts into a comforting Gospel perswasion of your state and condition towards God which will be accompanied with assured rest and peace To winde up this discourse remember that that which hath been spoken with reference unto the state of Regeneration in General may be applyed unto every particular objection or cause of fear or discouragement that may be reduced to that head Such are all Objections that arise from particular sins from Aggravations of sin by their greatness or circumstances or relapses into them The way that the consideration of these things prevail upon the mind unto fears is by begetting an apprehension in men that they are not Regenerate for if they were they suppose they could not be so overtaken or entangled The Rules therefore laid down are suited to the streights of the souls of sinners in all such particular cases Lastly There was somewhat in particular added in the close of the Objection which although it be not directly in our way nor of any great importance in it self yet having been mentioned it is not unmeet to remove it out of the way that it may not leave intanglement upon the minds of any Now this is that some know not nor can give an account of the Time of their conversion unto God and therefore cannot be satisfied that the saving work of his grace hath passed upon them This is usually and ordinarily spoken unto And I shall therefore briefly give an account concerning it 1. It hath been shewed that in this matter there are many things whereon
we may regularly found a Judgement concerning our selves and it is great folly to wave them all and put the issue of the matter upon one circumstance If a man have a tryal at law wherein he hath many evidences speaking for him only one circumstance is dubious and in question He will not cast the weight of his Cause on that disputed circumstance but will plead those Evidences that are more clear and testifie more fully in his behalf I will not deny but that this matter of the time of conversion is oftimes an important circumstance In the affirmative when it is known it is of great use tending to stability and consolation but yet it is still but a circumstance such as that the being of the thing it self doth not depend upon He that is alive may know that he was born though he know neither the place where nor the time when he was so And so may he that is spiritually alive and hath ground of evidence that he is so that he was born again though he knew neither when nor where nor how And this Case is usual in persons of quiet natural Tempers who have had the advantage of education under means of light and Grace God ofttimes in such persons begins and carries on the work of his Grace insensibly so that they come to good growth and maturity before they know that they are alive Such persons come at length to be satisfied in saying with the blind man in the Gospel How our eyes were opened we know not only one thing we know whereas we were blind by nature now we see 2. Even in this matter also we must it may be be content to live by faith and to believe as well what God hath done in us if it be the matter and subject of his promises as what he hath done for us the ground whereof also is the promise and nothing else Objections from the present state and Condition of the Soul Weakness and imperfection of Duty Opposition from Indwelling Sin 3. There is another Head of Objections against the souls receiving Consolation from an interest in forgiveness arising from the consideration of its present state and condition as to actual Holiness Duties and sins Souls complain when in Darkness and under Temptations that they cannot find that Holiness nor those fruits of it in themselves which they suppose an interest in pardoning mercy will produce Their hearts they find are weak and all their Duties worthless If they were weighed in the ballance they would be all found too light In the best of them there is such a mixture of Self Hypocrisie Unbelief vain Glory that they are even ashamed and confounded with the Remembrance of them These things fill them with discouragements so that they refuse to be comforted or to entertain any refreshing perswasion from the Truth insisted on but rather conclude that they are utter strangers from that forgiveness that is with God and so continue helpless in their depths According unto the method proposed and hitherto pursued I shall only lay down some such general Rules as may support a soul under the despondencies that are apt in such a condition to befall it that none of these things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold of forgiveness And First This is the proper place to put in execution our seventh Rule to take heed of heartless complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are expected at our hands If it be thus indeed why lye you on your faces why do you not rise and put out your selves to the utmost giving all diligence to add one Grace to another untill you find your selves in a better frame Supposing then the putting of that Rule into practice I add that 1. Known Holiness is apt to degenerate into self righteousness What God gives us on the account of Sanctification we are ready enough to reckon on the score of Justification It is a hard thing to feel Grace and to believe as if there were none We have so much of the Pharisee in us by nature that it is sometimes well that our Good is hid from us We are ready to take our Corn and Wine and bestow them on other Lovers Were there not in our hearts a spiritually sensible principle of corruption and in our duties a discernable mixture of self it would be impossible we should walk so humbly as is required of them who hold communion with God in a Covenant of Grace and pardoning mercy It is a good life which is attended with a faith of Rightcousness and a sense of corruption Whilest I know Christs Righteousness I shall the less care to know my own Holiness To be holy is necessary to know it sometimes a Temptation 2. Even Duties of Gods Appointment when turned into self-righteousness are Gods great abhorrency Isa. 66. 2 3. What hath a good Original may be vitiated by a bad End 3. Oftentimes Holiness in the heart is more known by the Opposition that is made there to it than by its own prevalent working The Spirits Operation is known by the flesh's opposition We find a mans strength by the burdens he carryes and not the pace that he goes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death is a better evidence of Grace and Holiness than God I thank thee I am not as other men a heart pressed grieved burdened not by the guilt of sin only which reflects with trouble on an awakened conscience but by the close adhering power of Indwelling sin tempting seducing soliciting hindring captivating conceiving restlesly disquieting may from thence have as clear an evidence of holiness as from a delightful fruit-bearing What is it that is troubled and grieved in thee What is it that seems to be almost killed and destroyed that crys out complains longs for deliverance is it not the new Creature is it not the principle of spiritual life whereof thou art partaker I speak not of trouble and disquietments for sin committed nor of fears and perturbations of mind left sin should break forth to loss shame ruine dishonour nor of the contending of a convinced Conscience lest Damnation should ensue but of the striving of the spirit against sin out of a hatred and a loathing of it upon all the mixt Considerations of Love Grace Mercy Fear the beauty of Holiness Excellency of communion with God that are proposed in the Gospel If thou seemest to thy self to be only passive in these things to do nothing but to endure the Assaults of sin Yet if thou art sensible and standest under the stroke of it as under the stroke of an Enemy there is the root of the matter And as it is thus as to the substance and Being of Holiness so it is also as to the degrees of it Degrees of Holiness are to be measured more by Opposition than self operation He may have more Grace than another who brings not forth so much fruit as the other
for with him there is Redemption All other grounds of hope are false and deceiving Obs. 3. Inexhaustible stores of Mercy and Redemption are needful for the incouragement of sinners to rest and wait on God With him is plentiful Redemption Such is your misery so pressing are your fears and disconsolations that nothing less than boundless Grace can relieve or support you there are therefore such Treasures and stores in God as are suited hereunto With him is Plenteous Redemption Obs. 4. The Ground of all the dispensation of Mercy Goodness Grace and forgiveness which is in God to Sinners is laid in the blood of Christ. Hence it is here called Redemption Unto this also we have spoken at large before Obs. 5. All that wait on God on the account of Mercy and Grace shall have an undoubted Issue of peace He shall redeem Israel let him saith God lay hold of my Arm that he may have peace and he shall have peace Isa. 27. 3. Obs. 6. Mercy given to them that wait on God shall in the close and issue be every way full and satisfying He shall redeem his people from all their Iniquities And these Propositions do arise from the words as absolutely considered and in themselves If we mind their Relation unto the peculiar Condition of the soul represented in this Psalm they will yet afford us the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. They who out of depths have by faith and waiting obtained mercy or are supported in waiting for a sense of believed mercy and forgiveness are fitted and only they are fitted to Preach and declare Grace and mercy unto others This was the Case with the Psalmist Upon his emerging out of his own depths and streights he declares the mercy and redemption whereby he was delivered unto the whole Israel of God Obs. 2. A saving participation of Grace and forgiveness leaves a deep Impression of its fulness and excellency on the soul of a sinner So was it here with the Psalmist Having himself obtained Forgiveness he knows no bounds or measure as it were in the extolling of it There is with God Mercy Redemption Plenteous Redemption redeeming from all Iniquity I have found it so and so will every one do that shall believe it Now these Observations might all of them especially the two last receive an useful improvement But whereas what I principally intended from this Psalm hath been at large insisted on upon the first verses of it I shall not here further draw forth any Meditations upon them but content my self with the Exposition that hath been given of the design of the Psalmist and sense of his words in these last verses FINIS 1. Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. 2. Lord hear my voice let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption 8. And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities General Scope of the whole Psalm The two first Verses opened Depths of trouble on the account of Sin Depths of Sin wherein they consist The Nature and Extent of supplies of Grace according to the Covenant The Power of Indwelling Sin Gods Soveraignty in dealing with Believers in their sins Sins occasioning great distresses Aggravations of sins causing distresses The second Verse opened Actings of a Believer under distress from sin False ways of relieving souls in distress Earnestness of a distressed soul in its Applications unto God Grounds of earnestness in Applications unto God Earnestness c. wherein it consisteth Verse 3. opened Propositions from Verse 3. Terror arising from a sense of the guilt of sin Gods marking sin and mans salvation inconsistent The souls actings towards a Recovery Sense of sin wherein it consists Nature and Causes of Gospel convictions of sin Acknowledgement of sin the true nature of it Self-condemnation wherein it consists Miscarriages in persons convinced of sin The fourth Verse opened Doctrinal Observations from V. 4. No approaching unto God without a discovery of forgiveness Forgiveness a great Mysterie Testimony of a natural consciscience against the forgiveness of sin Testimony of the Law against the forgiveness of sin False Presumptions of Forgiveness The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness Forgiveness as it relates to the Nature of God Forgiveness as it relates to the free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness as it hath respect to the blood of Christ. Forgiveness as it relates unto the Promise What faith respects in Forgiveness Forgiveness discovered to Faith alone Discovery of Forgiveness a great supportment Particular Assurance attainable Duty of Believers to endeavour Assurance Causes and Effects of Assurance Saving Faith where there is no Assurance Discovery of forgiveness a great supportment to intangled souls Effects of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Means whereby a Discovery of Forgiveness yields supportment Abiding with God wherein it consisteth Waiting on God from a Discovery of Forgiveness Discovery of Forgiveness prepares the soul to receive it Vain pretences of Faith discovered Essential properties of Gods nature how made known Free Acts of Gods Will how they may be known Forgiveness not revealed by the work of Providence about the first sin Forgiveness discovered in the first Promise Sacrifices an Evidence of Forgiveness Forgiveness with God manifested by his Prescription of Repentance Confirmation of the Truth of Forgiveness necessary Necessity of producing Arguments to prove forgiveness Some sinners actually pardoned and accepted with God Patience of God towards the World an evidence of forgiveness Experience of the Saints giveing Testimony to Forgiveness The Evidence that is in Spiritual Experience Religious Worship of sinners an Evidence of Forgiveness with God Especial Ordinances evidencing forgiveness Prayer for the Pardon of sin commanded Forgiveness manifested in the New Covenant Nature Use and End of the first Covenant Reason of Alteration of the first Covenant Forgiveness confirmed by the Oath of God Forgiveness confirmed by the Name of God ãâã of Gods Nature manifesting Forgiveness What it is to give Glory to God Glory arising to God by Forgiveness Forgiveness manifested in the Death of Christ. Our Obligation unto mutual forgiveness proves forgiveness in God Properties of Divine forgiveness Forgiveness believed by Few Exhortations unto Believing Terms of Peace with God Equal and Holy Certainty of the final Ruine of them who believe not Exhortation to Believing enforced Christ the only Judge of our spiritual condition Self-condemnation consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace Gospel Assurance wherein it consisteth Sense of sin consistent with Assurance Sorrow for sin consistent with Assurance Sense of the power of sin consistent with Assurance Fears and Temptations consistent with Assurance The Nature and Effects of Gospel Assurance Effects of Gospel Assurance in Believers Waiting necessary to obtain Peace Search of Sin necessary to consolation Unbelief and Jealousie distinguished Different Effects of Unbelief and Jealousie Differences between faith and spiritual sense Spiritual sense wherein it consists Foundation and Spiritual Building distinguished Complaints fruitless and heartless to be avoided Hasty Expressions concerning God to be avoided Judgement of mens states in the hand of Christ alone The least Appearances of Grace to be improved Afflictions a cause of spiritual disquictments Means of the Aggravation of Affliction Rules to be observed concerning Afflictions Objections against Believing from the State of the Soul Two different estates whereunto all men belong Saving Grace specifically distinct from common Grace Difference between the State of Grace and Nature discernable Believers may know themselves to be born of God Rules whereby men may judge of their Condition in respect of Inherent Grace Objections from weakness in Duty and the power of Sin V. 5 6. V. 5 6. opened Waiting the first fruit of Faith in a way of Duty Waiting on God wherein it consists God himself the Object of our Waiting Waiting on God whence so necessary Considerations of Gods Being and Attributes rendring Waiting necessary Considerations of Gods Righteousness in his Judgements Considerations of our own Condition tending to Humble us Supportment in trouble from the Word of Promise Psal. 130. v. 7 8. Exposition of vers 7 8.
By the Fear of the Lord in the Old Testament the whole Worship of God moral and instituted all the Obedience which we owe unto him both for matter and manner is intended Whatever we are to perform unto God being to be carried on and performed with Reverence and godly fear by a Metonymy of the Adjunct that name is given to the whole That thou mayst be feared then is that thou maist be served worshipped that I who am ready to faint and give over on the account of sin may yet be encouraged unto and yet continue in that Obedience which thou requirest at my hands And this appears to be the sense of the whole Verse as influenced by and from those foregoing Although O Lord no man can approach unto thee stand before thee or walk with thee if thou shouldst mark their sins and follies according to the tenor of the Law nor could they serve so great and holy a God as thou art yet because I know from thy Revelation of it that there is also with thee on the account of Jesus Christ the propitiation pardon and forgiveness I am encouraged to continue with thee waiting for thee worshipping of thee when without this discovery I should rather chuse to have Rocks and Mountains fall upon me to hide me from thy presence But there is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared The words being thus opened we may take a full view in them of the state and condition of the soul expressed in this Psalm and that answering the experiences of all who have had any thing to do with God in and about the Depths and Entanglements of sin Having in and from his great depths v. 1. addressed himself with servent redoubled cryes yea outcryes to God and to him alone for relief v. 1 2. having also acknowledged his iniquities and considered them according to the tenor of the Law v. 3. he consesseth himself to be lost and undone for ever on that account v. 3. But he abides not in this state of self-condemnation and dejection of soul He sayes not there is no hope God is a jealous God an holy God I cannot serve him his Law is a fiery Law which I cannot stand before so that I had as good give over sit down and perish as contend any longer no but searching by faith into the discovery that God makes of himself in Christ through the Covenant of Grace he finds a stable foundation of encouragement to continue waiting on him with expectation of mercy and pardon Propositions or Observations from the former Exposition of the words The first proposed to confirmation No encouragement for any sinner to approach unto God without a discovery of forgiveness From the words unfolded as they lye in their contexture in the Psalm the ensuing Propositions do arise 1. Faiths discovery of forgiveness in God though it have no present sense of its own peculiar interest therein is the great supportment of a sin perplexed soul. 2. Gospel Forgiveness whose discovery is the sole supportment of sin distressed souls relates to the gracious heart or good will of the Father the God of forgiveness the propitiation that is made by the blood of the Son and free condonation or pardon according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace 3. Faiths discovery of Forgiveness in God is the sole bottom of adherence to him in acceptable Worship and reverential obedience The first of these is that whose confirmation and improvement I principally aim at and the other only so far as they have a coincidence therewith or may be used in a subserviency to the illustration or demonstration thereof In the handling then of this truth that it may be of the more advantage unto them whose good is sought and intended in the proposal and management of it I shall steer this course and shew 1. That there is not the least encouragement to the soul of a sinner to deal with God without this discovery 2. That this discovery of forgiveness in God is a matter great holy and mysterious and which very few on Gospel abiding grounds do attain unto 3. That yet this is a great sacred and certain Truth as from the manifold Evidences of it may be made to appear 4. That this is a stable supportment unto a sin distressed soul shall be manifested and the whole applyed according to the several concernments of those who shall consider it First There is not the least encouragement for the soul of a sinner to entertain any thoughts of approaching unto God without this discovery All the rest of the world is covered with a deluge of wrath This is the only Ark whereunto the soul may repair and find rest All without it is darkness curse and terror We have an instance and example of it beyond all exception in Adam When he knew himself to be a sinner and it was impossible for him as we shall shew afterwards to make a discovery of any such thing as forgiveness with God he laid aside all thoughts of treating with him the best of his foolish contrivance was for an escape Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voyce saith he to God in the Garden and was AFRAID because I was naked and I HID my self Nothing but thou shalt dye the death founded in his ears In the morning of that day he was made by the hand of God a few hours before he had converse and communion with him with boldness and peace why then doth nothing now but FEAR Flying and HIDING possess him Adam had sinned the Promise was not yet given no Revelation made of forgiveness in God and what other course than that vain and foolish one to fix upon he knew not No more can any of his Posterity without this Revelation What else any of them hath fixed on in this case hath been no less foolish than his hiding and in most more pernicious When Cain had received his sentence from God it is said he went out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the presence or face of the Lord Gen. 4. 16. From his providential presence he could never subduct himself So the Psalmist informs us at large Psal. 139. 7 8 9. The very Heathen knew by the light of nature that guilt could never drive men out of the reach of God Quo fugis Encelade quascunque accesseris oras Sub Jove semper eris They knew that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Vengeance of God would not spare sinners nor could be avoided Acts 28. 4. From Gods Gracious Presence which he never enjoyed he could not depart It was then his Presence as to his Worship and all outward acts of Communion that he forsook and departed from He had no discovery by faith of forgiveness and therefore resolved to have no more to do with God nor those who cleaved to him for it respects his course and not any one particular action This also is stated Isa. 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness
hath surprised the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings The persons spoken of are sinners great sinners and Hypocrites conviction of sin and the desert of it was fallen upon them a light to discern forgiveness they had not they apprehend God as devouring fire and everlasting burnings only One that would not spare but assuredly inflict punishment according to the desert of sin and thence is their conclusion couched in their Interrogation that there can be no entercourse of peace between him and them there is no abiding no enduring of his Presence And what condition this consideration brings the souls of sinners unto when conviction grows strong upon them the Holy Ghost declares Mich. 6. 6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Ramms or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl shall I give my first born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Sense of sin presseth forgiveness is not discovered like the Philistins on Saul Samuel not coming to his direction and how doth the poor creature perplex it self in vain to find out a way of dealing with God Will a sedulous and diligent observation of his own Ordinances and Institutions relieve me Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings and Calves of a year old Alas thou art a sinner and these Sacrifices cannot make thee perfect or acquit thee Heb. 10. 1. Shall I do more than ever he required of any of the Sons of men O that I had thousands of Ramms and ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl to offer to him Alas if thou hadst all the Bulls and Goats in the world it is not possible that their blood should take away sins v. 4. But I have heard of them who have snatched their own Children from their Mothers breasts and cast them into the fire until they were consumed so to pacifie their consciences in expiating the guilt of their iniquities shall I take this course Will it relieve me I am ready to part with my first born into the fire so I may have deliverance from my Transgressions Alas this never came into the heart of God to approve or accept of And as it was then whilst that kind of Worship was in force so is it still as to any duties really to be performed or imaginarily Where there is no discovery of forgiveness they will yield the soul no relief no supportment God is not to be treated upon such terms Greatness and rareness of the Discovery of Forgiveness in God Reasons of it Testimonies of Conscience and Law against it c. Secondly This discovery of Forgiveness in God is great holy and Mysterious and which very few on Gospel grounds do attain unto All men indeed say there is most men are perswaded that they think so Only men in great and desperate extremities like Cain or Spira seem to call it into question But their thoughts are empty groundless yea for the most part wicked and Atheistical Elihu tells us that to declare this aright to a sinful soul it is the work of a Messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand Job 33. 23. that is indeed of Christ himself The common thoughts of men about this thing are slight and foolish and may be resolved into those mentioned by the Psalmist Psal. 50. 21. They think that God is altogether such a one as themselves That indeed he takes little or no care about these things but passeth them over as slightly as they do themselves That notwithstanding all their pretences the most of men never had indeed any real discovery of forgiveness shall be afterwards undeniably evinced and I shall speedily shew the difference that is between their vain credulity and a Gracious Gospel discovery of forgiveness in God For it must be observed that by this Discovery I intend both the Revelation of it made by God and our understanding and Reception of that Revelation to our own advantage as shall be shewed immediately Now the grounds of the difficulty intimated consist partly in the hinderances that lye in the way of this discovery and partly in the nature of the thing it self that is discovered of both which I shall briefly treat But here before I proceed somewhat must be premised to shew what it is that I particularly intend by a discovery of forgiveness It may then be considered two wayes First For a doctrinal objective discovery of it in its truth 2. An experimental subjective discovery of it in its power In the first sense forgiveness in God hath been discovered ever since the giving out of the first Promise God revealed it in a word of Promise or it could never have been known as shall be afterwards declared In this sense after many lesser degrees and advancements of the light of it it was fully and gloriously brought forth by the Lord Jesus Christ in his own Person and is now revealed and preached in the Gospel and by them to whom the Word of Reconciliation is committed And to declare this is the principal work of the Ministers of the Gospel Herein lye those unsearchable Treasures and Riches of Christ which the Apostle esteemed as his chiefest Honour and Priviledge that he was intrusted with the declaration and dispensation of Ephes. 3. 8 9. I know by many it is despised by many traduced whose Ignorance and blindness is to be lamented But the day is coming which will manifest every mans work of what sort it is In the latter sense how it is made by faith in the soul shall in its proper place be further opened and made known Here many men mistake and deceive themselves Because it is so in the Book they think it is so in them also Because they have been taught it they think they believe it But it is not so They have not heard this voyce of God at any time nor seen his shape it hath not been revealed unto them in its power to have this done is a great work For First The constant voyce of Conscience lyes against it Conscience if not seared inexorably condemneth and pronounceth Wrath and Anger upon the soul that hath the least guilt cleaving to it Now it hath this advantage it lyeth close to the soul and by importunity and loud speaking it will he heard in what it hath to say It will make the whole soul attend or it will speak like thunder And its constant voyce is that where there is guilt there must be judgement Rom. 2. 14 15. Conscience naturally knows nothing of forgiveness Yea it is against its very trust work and office to hear any thing of it If a man of courage and honesty be entrusted to keep a Garrison against an Enemy let one come and tell him that there is peace made
between those whom he serves and their Enemies so that he may leave his Guard and set open the Gates and cease his watchfulness how wary will he be lest under this pretence he be betrayed No saith he I will keep my hold until I have express order from my Superiours Conscience is entrusted with the power of God in the soul of a sinner with command to keep all in subjection with reference unto the Judgement to come it will not betray its trust in believing every report of peace No! but this it sayes and it speaks in the name of God Guilt and punishment are inseparable twins If the soul sin God will judge What tell you me of forgiveness I know what my commission is and that I will abide by you shall not bring in a Superior Commander a cross Principle into my trust for if this be so it seems I must let go my Throne another Lord must come in not knowing as yet how this whole business is compounded in the blood of Christ. Now whom should a man believe if not his own Conscience which as it will not flatter him so it intends not to affright him but to speak the truth as the matter requireth Conscience hath two works in reference unto sin one to condemn the Acts of sin another to judge the Person of the sinner both with reference to the Judgement of God When forgiveness comes it would sever and part these employments and take one of them out of the hand of conscience It would divide the spoil with this strong one It shall condemn the fact or every sin but it shall no more condemn the sinner the Person of the sinner that shall be freed from its sentence Here Conscience labours with all its might to keep its whole dominion and to keep out the power of forgiveness from being enthroned in the soul. It will allow men to talk of forgiveness to hear it preached though they abuse it every day but to receive it in its power that stands up in direct opposition to its dominion in the Kingdom saith Conscience I will be greater than thou and in many in the most it keeps its possession and will not be deposed Nor indeed is it an easie work so to deal with it The Apostle tells us that all the Sacrifices of the Law could not do it Heb. 10. 2. they could not bring a man into that estate wherein he should have no more conscience of sin that is Conscience condemning the Person for conscience in a sense of sin and condemnation of it is never to be taken away And this can be no otherwise done but by the blood of Christ as the Apostle at large there declares It is then no easie thing to make a discovery of forgiveness unto a soul when the work and employment which Conscience upon unquestionable grounds challengeth unto it self lyes in opposition unto it Hence is the souls great desire to establish its own Righteousness whereby its natural Principles may be preserved in their power Let self-righteousness be enthroned and natural conscience desires no more it is satisfied and pacified The Law it knows and Righteousness it knows but as for forgiveness it sayes whence is it Unto the utmost until Christ perfects his conquest there are on this account secret struglings in the heart against free pardon in the Gospel and fluctuations of mind and Spirit about it Yea hence are the doubts and fears of believers themselves They are nothing but the strivings of Conscience to keep its whole dominion to condemn the sinner as well as the sin More or less it keeps up its pretensions against the Gospel whilst we live in this world It is a great work that the blood of Christ hath to do upon the Conscience of a sinner for whereas as it hath been declared it hath a power and claims a right to condemn both sin and sinner the one part of this its power is to be cleared strengthened made more active vigorous and watchful the other to be taken quite away It shall now see more sins than formerly more of the vileness of all sins than formerly and condemn them with more abborrency than ever upon more and more glorious accounts than formerly but it is also made to see an interposition between these sins and the Person of the sinner who hath committed them which is no small or ordinary work Secondly The Law lyes against this discovery The Law is a beam of the Holiness of God himself What it speaks unto us it speaks in the name and Authority of God And I shall briefly shew concerning it these two things 1. That this is the voyce of the Law namely that there is no forgiveness for a sinner 2. That a sinner hath great reason to give credit to the Law in that Assertion 1. It is certain that the Law knows neither mercy nor forgiveness The very sanction of it lyes wholly against them The soul that sinneth shall dye Cursed is he that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Deut. 27. 26. Hence the Apostle pronounceth universally without exception that they who are under the Law are under the curse Gal. 3. 10. And saith he v. 12. The Law is not of faith There is an inconsistency between the Law and believing they cannot have their abode in power together Do this and live fail and dye is the constant immutable voyce of the Law This it speaks in general to all and this in particular to every one 2. The sinner seems to have manifold and weighty Reasons to attend to the voyce of this Law and to acquiesce in its sentence For 1. The Law is connatural to him his Domestick his old acquaintance It came into the world with him and hath grown up with him from his Infancy It was implanted in his heart by nature is his own Reason he can never shake it off or part with it It is his Familiar his Friend that cleaves to him as the flesh to the bone so that they who have not the Law written cannot but sheâ forth the work of the Law Rom. 2. 14. 15. and that because the Law it self is inbred to them and all the faculties of the soul are at peace with it in subjection to it It is the bond and ligament of their union harmony and correspondency among themselves in all their moral actings It gives life order motion to them all Now the Gospel that comes to controll this sentence of the Law and to relieve the sinner from it is forraign to his nature a strange thing to him a thing he hath no acquaintance or familiarity with it hath not been bred up with him nor is there any thing in him to side with it to make a party for it or to plead in its behalf Now shall not a man rather believe a Domestick a Friend indeed himself than a forraigner a stranger that comes with uncouth Principles and such as
suit not its Reason at all 1 Cor. 1. 18. 2. The Law speaks nothing to a sinner but what his Conscience assures him to be true There is a constant concurrence in the Testimony of the Law and conscience When the Law sayes this or that is a sin worthy of death conscience sayes it is even so Rom. 1. 42. And where the Law of it self as being a general Rule rests Conscience helps it on and sayes This and that sin so worthy of death is the soul guilty of then dye saith the Law as thou hast deserved Now this must needs have a mighty efficacy to prevail with the soul to give credit to the report and Testimony of the Law it speaks not one word but what he hath a witness within himself to the truth of it These witnesses alwayes agree and so it seems to be established for a truth that there is no forgiveness 3. The Law though it speak against the souls interest yet it speaks nothing but what is so just righteous and equal that it even forceth the souls consent So Paul tells us that men know this voyce of the Law to be the Judgement of God Rom. 1. 32. They know it and cannot but consent unto it that it is the Judgement of God that is good righteous equal not to be controlled And indeed what can be more righteous than its sentence It commands Obedience to the God of life and death promiseth a Reward and declares that for non-performance of duty death will be inflicted On these terms the sinner cometh into the world they are good righteous holy the soul accepts of them and knows not what it can desire better or more equal This the Apostle insists upon Rom. 7. 12 13. Wherefore the Law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good was then that which was good made death unto me Godforbid but sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful Whereever the blame falls the soul cannot but acquit the Law and confess that what it says is righteous and uncontrollably equal And it is meet things should be so Now though the Authority and credit of a Witness may go very far in a doubtful matter when there is a concurrence of more witnesses it strengthens the Testimony but nothing is so prevalent to beget belief as when the things themselves that are spoken are just and good not liable to any reasonable exception And so is it in this case unto the Authority of the Law and concurrence of conscience this also is added the Reasonableness and equity of the thing it self proposed even in the Judgement of the sinner namely that every sin shall be punished and every transgression receive a meet recompence of reward 4. But yet further What the Law sayes it speaks in the name and authority of God What it sayes then must be believed or we make God a Lyar. It comes not in its own name but in the name of him who appointed it you will say then is it so indeed Is there no forgiveness with God for this is the constant voyce of the Law which you say speaks in the name and Authority of God and is therefore to be believed I answer briefly with the Apostle What the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law It doth not speak to them that are in Christ whom the Law of the Spirit of life hath set free from the Law of sin and death but to them that are under the Law it speaks and it speaks the very Truth and it speaks in the name of God and its Testimony is to be received It sayes there is no forgiveness in God namely to them that are under the Law and they that shall flatter themselves with a contrary perswasion will find themselves wofully mistaken at the great day On these and the like considerations I say there seems to be a great deal of Reason why a soul should conclude that it will be according to the testimony of the Law and that he shall not find forgiveness Law and Conscience close together and insinuate themselves into the thoughts mind and judgement of a sinner They strengthen the Testimony of one another and greatly prevail If any are otherwise minded I leave them to the tryal If ever God awaken their Consciences to a through performance of their duty if ever he open their souls and let in the light and power of the Law upon them they will find it no small work to grapple with them I am sure that eventually they prevail so far that in the preaching of the Gospel we have great cause to say Lord who hath believed our report We come with our Report of forgiveness but who believes it by whom is it received neither doth the light nor conscience nor conversation of the most allow us to suppose it is embraced Thirdly The ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men concerning the Nature and Justice of God lye against this discovery also There are in all men by nature indelible characters of the Holiness and purity of God of his Justice and hatred of sin of his invariable Righteousness in the Government of the world that they can neither depose nor lay aside For notions of God whatever they are will bear sway and rule in the heart when things are put to the tryal They were in the Heathens of old they abode with them in all their darkness as might be manifested by innumerable instances But so it is in all men by nature their inward thought is that God is an Avenger of sin that it belongs to his Rule and Government of the world his Holiness and Righteousness to take care that every sin be punished This is his Judgement which all men know as was observed before Rom. 1. 32. They know that it is a Righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners From thence is that dread and fear which surprizeth men at an apprehension of the Presence of God or of any thing under him above them that may seem to come on his errand This notion of Gods avenging all sin exerts it self secretly but effectually So Adam trembled and hid himself And it was the saying of old I have seen God and shall dye When men are under any dreadful Providence thundrings lightnings tempests in darkness they tremble not so much at what they see or hear or feel as from their secret thoughts that God is nigh and that he is a consuming fire Now these inbred notions lye universally against all Apprehensions of forgiveness which must be brought into the soul from without doors having no Principle of nature to promote them It is true Men by nature have presumptions and common ingrafted notions of other properties of God besides his Holiness and Justice as of his Goodness Benignity Love of his Creatures and the like But all these have this supposition inlaid with
14. Our being under Grace under the power of the belief of forgiveness is our great preservative from our being under the power of sin Faith of forgiveness is the Principle of Gospel Obedience Titus 2. 11 12. Fifthly The general notion of forgiveness brings with it no sweetness no Rest to the soul. Flashes of joy it may abiding rest it doth not The truth of the Doctrine fluctuates to and fro in the minds of those that have it but their Wills and Affections have no solid delight nor rest by it Hence not withstanding all that profession that is made in the world of forgiveness the most of men ultimately resolve their peace and comfort into themselves As their apprehensions are of their own doing good or evil according to their ruling light whatever it be so as to peace and rest are they secretly tossed up and down Every one in his several way pleaseth himself with what he doth in answer unto his own convictions and is disquieted as to his state and condition according as he seems to himself to come short thereof To make a full life of contentation upon pardon they know not how to do it One duty yields them more true repose than many thoughts of forgiveness But faith finds sweetness and Rest in it being thereby apprehended it is the only harbour of the soul. It leads a man to God as Good to Christ as Rest. Fading evanid joyes do oft-times attend the one but solid delight with constant Obedience are the fruits only of the other Sixthly Those who have the former only take up their perswasion on false grounds though the thing it self be true and they cannot but use it unto false ends and purposes besides its natural and genuine tendency For their grounds they will be discovered when I come to treat of the true nature of Gospel forgiveness For the End it is used generally only to fill up what is wanting Self-righteousness is their bottom and when that is too short or narrow to cover them they piece it out by forgiveness Where conscience accuses this must supply the defect Faith layes it on its proper foundation of which afterwards also and it useth it to its proper End namely to be the sole and only ground of our Acceptation with God That is the proper use of forgiveness that all may be of Grace for when the foundation is pardon the whole superstructure must needs be Grace From what hath been spoken it is evident that notwithstanding the pretences to the contrary insinuated in the Objection now removed it is a great thing to have Gospel forgiveness discovered unto a soul in a saving manner The true Nature of Gospel forgiveness It s Relation to the Goodness Grace and Will of God To the blood of Christ. To the Promise of the Gospel The Considerations of Faith about it The difficulties that lye in the way of faiths discovery of forgiveness whence it appears to be a matter of greater weight and importance than it is commonly apprehended to be have been insisted on in the foregoing Discourse There is yet remaining another ground of the same Truth Now this is taken from the Nature and Greatness of the thing it self discovered that is of forgiveness To this end I shall shew what it is wherein it doth consist what it comprizes and relates unto according to the importance of the second Proposition before laid down I do not in this place take forgiveness strictly and precisely for the act of pardoning nor shall I dispute what that is and wherein it doth consist Consciences that come with sin entanglements unto God know nothing of such disputes Nor will this Expression there is forgiveness with God bear any such restriction as that it should regard only actual condonation or pardon That which I have to do is to enquire into the nature of that pardon which poor convinced troubled souls seek after and which the Scripture proposeth to them for their relief and rest And I shall not handle this absolutely neither but in Relation to the Truth under consideration namely that it is a great thing to attain unto a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness First As was shewed in the opening of the words the forgiveness enquired after hath Relation unto the Gracious Heart of the Father Two things I understand hereby 1. The Infinite Goodness and Graciousness of his Nature 2. The Soveraign purpose of his Will and Grace There is considerable in it the infinite Goodness of his nature Sin stands in a contrariety unto God It is a Rebellion against his Soveraignty an Opposition to his Holiness a Provocation to his Justice a Rejection of his yoke a casting off what lyes in the sinner of that dependance which a Creature hath on its Creator That God then should have pity and compassion on sinners in every one of whose sins there is all this evil and inconceivably more than we can comprehend it argues an infinitely Gracious Good and loving heart and nature in him For God doth nothing but suitably to the Properties of his Nature and from them All the Acts. of his Will are the Effects of his Nature Now what ever God proposeth as an encouragement for sinners to come to him that is of or hath a special influence into the Forgiveness that is with him For nothing can encourage a sinner as such but under this consideration that it is or it respects forgiveness That this Graciousness of Gods nature lyes at the head or spring and is the root from whence forgiveness doth grow is manifest from that solemn Proclamation which he made of old of his name and the Revelation of his nature therein for God assuredly is what by himself he is called Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniuity and transgression and sin His forgiving of iniquity flows from hence that in his nature he is merciful gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness Were he not so infinite in all these it were in vain to look for forgiveness from him Having made this known to be his Name and thereby declared his Nature he in many places proposeth it as a relief a refuge for sinners an encouragement to come unto him and to wait for mercy from him Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee It will encourage them so to do others have no foundation of their confidence but if this name of God be indeed made known unto us by the Holy Ghost what can hinder why we should not repair unto him and rest upon him So Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Not only sinners but sinners in great distress are here spoken unto Darkness of state or
his own Soveraign Will and pleasure This is his great Glory Exod. 33. 18 19. Shew me thy glory saith Moses And he said I will make all my Goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and I will be Gracious to whom I will be Gracious Upon that proclamation of the name of God that he is merciful gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness some might conclude that it could not be otherwise with any but well he is such a one as that men need scarce be beholding to him for Mercy Nay saith he but this is my great glory that I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious There must be an interposition of a free Act of the Will of God to deal with us according to this his abundant goodness or we can have no interest therein This I call the purpose of his Grace or the good pleasure that he hath purposed in himself Ephes. 1. 9. or as it is termed v. 5 6. The good pleasure of his Will that he hath purposed to the praise of his glorious grace This free and gracious pleasure of God or purpose of his Will to act towards sinners according to his own abundant goodness is another thing that influences the forgiveness of which we treat Pardon flows immediately from a Soveraign Act of free Grace This free purpose of Gods will and Grace for the pardoning of sinners is indeed that which is principally intended when we say there is forgiveness with him That is he is pleased to forgive and so to do is agreeable unto his nature Now the Mysterie of this Grace is deep It is eternal and therefore incomprehensible Few there are whose hearts are raised to a contemplation of it Men rest and content themselves in a general notion of mercy which will not be advantagious to their souls freed they would be from punishment but what it is to be forgiven they enquire not So what they know of it they come easily by but will find in the issue it will stand them in little stead But these fountains of Gods actings are revealed that they may be the fountains of our comforts Now of this purpose of Gods Grace there are several Acts all of them relating unto Gospel forgiveness First There is his purpose of sending his Son to be the great means of procuring of purchasing forgiveness Though God be infinitely and incomprehensibly gracious though he purpose to exert his Grace and Goodness toward sinners yet he will so do it do it in such a way as shall not be prejudicial to his own Holiness and Righteousness His Justice must be satisfied and his holy indignation against sin made known Wherefore he purposeth to send his Son and hath sent him to make way for the exercise of Mercy so as no way to eclipse the glory of his Justice Holiness and hatred of sin Better we should all eternally come short of forgiveness than that God should lose any thing of his glory This we have Rom. 3. 25. God set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past The Remission of sins is the thing aimed at but this must be so brought about as that therein not only the mercy but the Righteousness of God may be declared and therefore must it be brought forth by a propitiation or making of an Attonement in the blood of Christ. So John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 9. Rom. 5. 8. This I say also lyes in the mysterie of that forgiveness that is administred in the Gospel It comes forth from this eternal purpose of making way by the blood of Christ to the dispensation of pardon And this greatly heightens the excellency of this discovery Men who have slight thoughts of God whose hearts were never awed with his dread or greatness who never seriously considered his purity and holiness may think it no great matter that God should pardon sin But do they consider the way whereby it was to be brought about even by the sending of his only Son and that to dye as we shall see afterwards Neither was there any other way whereby it might be done Let us now lay aside common thoughts Assent upon reports and tradition and rightly weigh this matter Doubtless we shall find it to be a great thing that forgiveness should be so with God as to be made out unto us we know somewhat what we are by sending his only Son to dye Oh how little is this really believed even by them who make a profession of it and what mean thoughts are entertained about it when men seek for pardon Immunity from Punishment is the utmost that lyes in the aims and desires of most and is all that they are exercised in the consideration of when they deal with God about sin Such men think and will do so that we have an easie task in hand namely to prove that there is forgiveness in God but this ease lyes in their own ignorance and darkness If ever they come to search after it indeed to enquire into the Nature Reasons Causes fountain and springs of it they will be able to give another account of these things Christ is the center of the mysterie of the Gospel and forgiveness is laid up in the heart of Christ from the love of the Father in him are all the Treasures of it hid And surely it is no small thing to have the heart of Christ revealed unto us When Believers deal about pardon their faith exercises it self about this that God with whom the soul hath to do hath sent the Lord Christ to dye for this end that it may be freely given out General notions of impunity they dwell not on they pass not for They have a closer converse with God than to be satisfied with such thoughts They enquire into the graciousness of his Nature and the good pleasure of his Will the purpose of his Grace they ponder and look into the mysterie of his Wisdom and Love in sending his Son If these springs be not clear unto them the streams will yield them but little refreshment It is not enough that we seek after salvation but we are to enquire and search diligently into the nature and manner of it These are the things that the Angels desire to bow down and look into 1 Pet. 1. 11 12 13. And some think if they have got a form of words about them they have gotten a sufficient comprehension of them It is doubtless one Reason why many who truly believe do yet so fluctuate about forgiveness all their dayes that they never exercised saith to look into the springs of it its eternal fountains but have meerly dwelt on actual condonation However I say these things lye utterly out of the consideration of the common pretenders to an acquaintance with the truth we have in hand Secondly There is another Soveraign Act of Gods Will to be considered in
this matter and that is his eternal designation of the persons who shall be made partakers of this mercy He hath not left this thing to hazard and uncertainties that it should as it were be unknown to him who should be pardoned and who not Nay none ever are made partakers of forgiveness but those whom he hath eternally and graciously designed thereunto So the Apostle declares it Eph. 1. 5 6 7. the rise is his eternal Predestination the end the glory of his Grace the means Redemption in the blood of Christ the thing it self forgiveness of sins None ever are or can be made partakers thereof but by vertue of this Act of Gods Will and Grace which thereupon hath a peculiar influence into it and is to be respected in the consideration of it I know this may be abused by pride profaneness and unbelief and so may the whole work of Gods Grace and so it is even the blood of Christ in an especial manner but in its proper place and use it hath a signal influence into the glory of God and the consolation of the souls of men There are also other Acts of this purpose of Gods Grace as of giving sinners unto Christ and giving sinners an interest in Christ which I shall not insist upon because the nature of them is sufficiently discovered in that one explained already Secondly Forgiveness hath respect unto the Propitiation made in and by the blood of Christ the Son of God This was declared in the opening of the words Indeed here lyes the knot and center of Gospel forgiveness It flows from the Cross and springs out of the Grave of Christ. Thus Elihu describes it Job 33. 24. God is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom The whole of what is aimed at lyes in these words 1. There is Gods gracious and merciful heart towards a sinner He is gracious unto him 2. There is Actual Condonation it self of which we shall treat afterward He saith deliver him from going down to the pit And 3. There is the center of the whole wherein Gods gracious heart and actual pardon do meet and that is the ransome the propitiation or attonement that is in the blood of Christ of which we speak I have found a ransome The same is expressed Isa. 53. 11. My rightoous servant shall justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Of the justification of sinners Absolution or pardon is the first part This ariseth from Christs bearing of their iniquities Therein he finished the transgression made an end of sin and made Reconciliation for iniquity Dan. 9. 24. Even all the Sacrifices and so consequently the whole worship of the Old Testament evinced this Relation between forgiveness and bloodshedding whence the Apostle concludes that without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. that is all pardon ariseth from bloodsheding even of the blood of the Son of God So that we are said in him to have Redemption even the forgiveness of sins Ephes. 1. 17. Our Redemption in his blood is our forgiveness not that we are all actually pardoned in the blood of his Cross for thereunto must be added Gospel condonation of which afterwards but thereby it is procured the grant of pardon is therein sealed and security given that it shall in due time be made out unto us To which purpose is that discourse of the Apostle Rom. 3. 24 25 26. The work there mentioned proceeds from Grace is managed to the interest of Righteousness is carryed on by the blood of Christ and issues in forgiveness now the blood of Christ relates variously to the pardon of sin First Pardon is purchased and procured by it Our Redemption is our forgiveness as the cause contains the effect No soul is pardoned but with respect unto the blood of Christ as the procuring cause of that pardon Hence he is said to have washed us in his blood Rev. 1. 5. In himself to have purged our sins Heb. 1. 3. by one offering to have taken away sin and for ever to have perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. to be the ransome and propitiation of our sins 1 John 2. 2. to have made an end of sin Dan. 9. 24. and to have made Reconciliation for the sins of his people Heb. 2. 17. God hath enclosed his rich stores of pardon and mercy in the blood of Jesus Secondly Because in his blood the Promise of pardon is ratified and confirmed so that nothing is wanting to our compleat forgiveness but our pleading the Promise by faith in him 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen that is faithfully and irrevocably and immutably established And therefore the Apostle having told us that this is the Covenant of God that he would be merciful to our sins and iniquities Heb. 8. 12. He informs us that in the undertaking of Christ this Covenant is become a Testament Chap. 9. 15 16 17. So ratified in his blood that mercy and forgiveness of sin is irrevocably confirmed unto us therein Thirdly Because he hath in his own Person as the Head of the Church received an acquitment for the whole body His Personal discharge upon the accomplishment of his work was a pledge of the discharge which was in due time to be given to his whole mystical body Peter tells us Acts 2. 24. That it was impossible he should be detained by death And why so because death being penally inflicted on him when he had paid the debt he was legally to be acquitted Now for whom and in whose name and stead he suffered for them and in their name and stead he received his acquitment Fourthly Because upon his death God the Father hath committed unto him the whole management of the business of forgiveness Acts 5. 31. He now gives repentance and the forgiveness of sins It is Christ that forgives us Col. 3. 13. All forgiveness is now at his disposal and he pardoneth whom he will even all that are given unto him of the Father not casting out any that come to God by him He is intrusted with all the stores of his Fathers purpose and his own purchase and thence tells us that all things that the Father hath are his John 16. 15. In all these respects doth forgiveness relate to the blood of Christ. Mercy Pardon and Grace could find no other way to issue forth from the heart of the Father but by the heart blood of the Son and so do they stream unto the heart of the sinner Two things are principally to be considered in the respect that forgiveness hath to the blood of Christ. 1. The way of its Procurement 2. The way of its Administration by him The first is deep mysterious dreadful It was by his blood the blood of the Cross the travel of his soul his undergoing wrath and curse 2. The other is gracious merciful and tender whence so many things
of old 1 Cor. 1. 24. Hence when a soul is brought under the power of a real conviction of sin so as that it would desirously be freed from the galling intanglements of it it is then the hardest thing in the world to perswade such a soul of this forgiveness Any thing appears more rational unto it any self Righteousness in this world any Purgatory hereafter The greatest part of the world of convinced Persons have forsaken forgiveness on this account Masses Penances Merits have appeared more eligible Yea men who have no other desire but to be forgiven do chuse to close with any thing rather than forgiveness If men do escape these Rocks and resolve that nothing but pardon will relieve them yet it is impossible for them to receive it in the Truth and power of it if not enabled by faith thereunto I speak not of men that take it up by hearsay as a common report but of those souls who find themselves really concerned to look after it When they know it is their sole concernment all their hope and relief when they know that they must perish everlastingly without it and when it is declared unto them in the words of truth and soberness yet they cannot receive it What is the Reason of it What staves off these hungry creatures from their proper food Why they have nothing to lead them into the mysterious depths of eternal Love of the blood of Christ and Promises of the Gospel How may we see poor diseased souls standing every day at the side of this Pool and yet not once venture themselves into it all their dayes Secondly It is too Great for any thing else to discover Forgiveness is a thing chosen out of God from all Eternity to exalt and magnifie the glory of his Grace and it will be made appear to all the world at the day of Judgement to have been a great thing When the soul comes in any measure to be made sensible of it it finds it so great so excellent and astonishable that it sinks under the thoughts of it It hath dimensions a length breadth depth and height that no line of the rational soul can take or measure There is exceeding Greatness in it Eph. 1. 19. That is a great work which we have prescribed Ephes. 3. 19. Even to know the Love of Christ that passeth knowledge Here I suppose Reason will confess it self at a stand and an issue to know that which passeth knowledge is none of its work It cannot be known saith Reason and so ends the matter But this is faiths proper work even to know that which passeth knowledge To know that in its power vertue sweetness and efficacy which cannot be throughly known in its nature and excellency to have by believing all the Ends of a full comprehension of that which cannot be fully comprehended Hence Heb. 11. 1. It is said to be the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of things not seen their subsistence though in themselves absent yet faith gives them a present subsistence in the soul. So it knows things that pass knowledge by mixing it self with them it draws out and communicates their benefit to the soul. From all which is evident what in the third place was proposed of faiths being only suited to be the means of this discovery so that I shall not need farther to insist thereon Discovery of Forgiveness in God a great supportment to sin entangled souls Particular Assurance attainable There yet remains a brief confirmation of the Position at first laid down and thus cleared before I come to the improvement of the words especially aimed at I say then this discovery of forgiveness in God is a great supportment for a sin entangled soul although it hath no special perswasion of its own particular interest therein Somewhat is supposed in this Assertion and somewhat affirmed First It is supposed that there may be a gracious perswasion and Assurance of faith in a man concerning his own particular interest in forgiveness A man may many do believe it for themselves so as not only to have the benefit of it but the comfort also Generally all the Saints mentioned in Scripture had this Assurance unless it were in the case of depths distresses and desertions such as that in this Psalm David expresseth his confidence of the Love and favour of God unto his own soul hundreds of times Paul doth the same for himself Gal. 2. 20. Christ loved M E and gave himself FOR ME 2 Tim. 4. 8. There is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that day And that this boasting in the Lord and his Grace was not an enclosure to himself he shewes Rom. 8. 38 39. Nothing can be more vain than what is usually pleaded to remove this Sheat Anker of the Saints Consolation namely that no mans particular name is in the Promise It is not said to this or that man by name that his sins are forgiven him But the matter is far otherwise To think that it is necessary that the names whereby we are known among our selves and are distinguished here one from another should be written in the Promise that we may believe in particular every one for himself is a fond conceit The new name of every Child of God is in the Promise And believing makes it very legible to him Yea we find by Experience that there is no need of Argumentation in this case The soul by a direct Act of faith believes its own forgiveness without making inferences or gathering conclusions and may do so upon the Proposition of it to be believed in the Promise But I will not digress from my work in hand and therefore shall only observe one or two things upon the Supposition laid down First It is the duty of every Believer to labour after an Assurance of a Personal interest in forgiveness and to be diligent in the cherishing and preservation of it when it is attained The Apostle exhorts us all unto it Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near in full Assurance of faith that is of our Acceptance with God through forgiveness in the blood of Jesus This he plainly discourseth of And this Principle of our faith and confidence he would have us to hold fast unto the end Chap. 3. 14. It is no small evil in Believers not to be pressing after perfection in believing and obedience Oft-times some sinful indulgence to self or the world or sloth is the cause of it Hence few come up to Gospel Assurance But yet most of our Priviledges and upon the matter all our comforts depend on this one thing A little by the way to encourage unto this duty I shall desire you to consider both whence this Assurance is produced and what it doth produce what it is the fruit of and what fruit it bears First It is in general the product of a more plentiful communication of the Spirit than ordinary
of the soul. 1. A Resolution to abide with God and to commit all unto him This the word as was observed teaches us There is forgiveness with thee and therefore thou shalt be feared Because this I found this I am perswaded of therefore I will abide with him in the way of his Fear and Worship This our Saviour calls unto John 15. 4. Abide in me except you do so ye can hear no fruit So the Lord representing his taking of the Church unto himself under the Type of the Prophets taking an Adulteress in vision doth it on these terms Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt abide for me many dayes Thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so will I also be for thee Now this abiding with God intimates two things 1. Oppositions Solicitations and Temptations unto the contrary 2. Forbearing to make any other choice as unto that end for which we abide with God 1. It argues Oppositions To abide to be stable and permanent is to be so against Oppositions Many discouragements are ready to rise up in the soul against it In Fears especially that it shall not hold out that it shall be rejected at last that all is nought and âypocritical with it that it shall not be forgiven that God indeed regards it not and therefore it may well enough give over its hopes which seem often as the giving up of the Ghost will assault it Again Oppositions arise from corruptions and temptations unto sin contrary to the Life of faith And these often proceed to an high degree of prevalency so that the guilt contracted upon them is ready to cast the soul quite out of all expectation of mercy I shall one day perish by these means saith the soul if I am not already lost But now where faith hath made this discovery of forgiveness the soul will abide with God against all these discouragements and Oppositions It will not leave him it will not give over waiting for him So David expresseth the matter in the instance of himself Psal. 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt and v. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain but yet after all his conflicts this at last he comes unto v. 26. Though my flesh and my heart faileth yet v. 28. It is good for me to draw near unto God I will yet abide with God I will not let go his fear nor my profession Although I walk weakly lamely unevenly yet I will still follow after him As it was with the Disciples when many upon a strong temptation went back from Christ and walked no more with him Jesus said unto them will ye go away also to which Peter replyes in the name of the rest of them Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life John 6. 66 67 68. It is thus and thus with me saith the soul I am tossed and afflicted and not comforted little life little strength real guilt many sins and much disconsolation What then faith God by his word Wilt thou go away also no saith the soul there is forgiveness with thee thou hast the words of Eternal Life and therefore I will abide with thee 2. This abiding with God argues a forbearance of any other choice Whilst the soul is in this condition having not attained any evidences of its own special interest in forgiveness Many Lovers will be soliciting of it to play the harlot by taking them into its embraces Both self-righteousness and sin will be very importunate in this matter The former tenders it self as exceeding useful to give the soul some Help Assistance and supportment in its condition Samuel doth not come saith Saul and the Philistins invade me I will venture and offer Sacrifice my self contrary to the Law The Promise doth not come to the soul for its particular relief it hath no evidence as to an especial interest in forgiveness Temptation invades the mind try thy self sayes it to take relief in somewhat of thine own providing And this is to play the harlot from God To this purpose self-righteousness variously disguises it self like the Wise of Jeroboam when she went to the Prophet Sometimes it appears as duty sometimes as signs and tokens but its end is to get somewhat of the faith and trust of the soul to be fixed upon it But when the soul hath indeed a discovery of forgiveness it will not give ear to these solicitations No saith it I see such a Beauty such an Excellency such a desireableness and suitableness unto my wants and condition in that forgiveness that is with God that I am resolved to abide in the Gospel desire and expectation of it all the dayes of my life here my choice is fixed and I will not alter And this Resolution gives glory to the Grace of God When the soul without an evidence of an interest in it yet prefers it above that which with many reasonings and pretences offers it self as a present relief unto it Hereby is God glorified and Christ exalted and the spiritual life of the soul secured 2. This discovery of forgiveness in God with the effects of it before mentioned will produce a Resolution of waiting on God for peace and consolation in his own time and way He that believeth will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. not make haste to what not to the enjoyment of the thing believed Haste argues precipitation and impatience this the soul that hath this discovery is freed from resolving to wait the time of Gods appointment for peace and consolation God speaking of his accomplishment of his Promises sayes I the Lord will hasten it Isa. 60. 22. Well then if God will hasten it may not we hasten to it nay saith he I will hasten it but in its time All oppositions and impediments considered it shall be hastned but in its time its due time its appointed time And this the soul is to wait for and so it will As when Jacob had seen the beauty of Rachel and loved her he was contented to wait seven years for the enjoyment of her to be his wife and thought no time long no toyle too hard that he might obtain her so the soul having discovered the beauty and excellency of forgiveness as it is with God as it is in his gracious Heart in his eternal purpose in the Blood of Christ in the Promise of the Gospel is resolved to wait quietly and patiently for the time wherein God will clear up unto it it s own personal interest therein Even one experimental embracement of it even at the hour of death doth well deserve the waiting and obedience of the whole course of a mans life And this the Psalmist manifests to have been the Effect produced in his heart and spirit For upon this discovery of forgiveness in God he resolveth both to wait upon him himself and encourageth others so to do 3. This prepares
his Silver lead or dross he will not only be found poor when he comes to be tryed and want the benefit of Riches but have withal a fearful aggravation of his poverty by his disappointment and surprizal If a mans faith which should be more precious than Gold be found rotten and corrupt if his light be darkness how vile is that faith how great is that darkness Such it is evident will the faith of too many be found in this business 2. The work we are carrying on is the rising of a sin entangled soul out of its depths and this we have spoken unto is that which must give him his first relief Commonly when souls are in distress that which they look after is Consolation What is it that they intend thereby that they may have Assurance that their sins are forgiven them and so be freed from their present perplexities What is the issue Some of them continue complaining all their dayes and never come to Rest or Peace so far do they fall short of Consolation and Joy And some are utterly discouraged from attempting any progress in the wayes of God What is the Reason hereof Is it not that they would fain be finishing their building when they have not laid the foundation They have not yet made through work in believing forgiveness with God and they would immediately be at Assurance in themselves Now God delights not in such a frame of Spirit for 1. It is selfish The great design of faith is to give glory unto God Rom. 4. 20. The end of Gods giving out forgiveness is the praise of his glorious grace Ephes. 1. 6. But let a soul in this frame have peace in it self it is very little solicitous about giving glory unto God He cryes like Rachel Give me children or I dye give me peace or I perish That God may be honoured and the forgiveness he seeks after be rendred glorious It is cared for in the second place if at all This selfish earnestness at first to be thrusting our hand in the side of Christ is that which he will pardon in many but accepts in none 2. It is impatient Men do thus deport themselves because they will not wait They do not care for standing afar off for any season with the Publican They love not to submit their souls to lye at the foot of God to give him the glory of his Goodness Mercy Wisdom and Love in the disposal of them and their concernments This waiting comprizeth the universal subjection of the soul unto God with a resolved Judgement that it is meet and right that we and all we desire and aim at should be at his Soveraign disposal This gives glory to God a duty which the impatience of these poor souls will not admit them to the performance of and both these arise 3. From weakness it is weak it is weakness in any condition that makes men restless and weary The state of Adherence is as safe a condition as the state of Assurance only it hath more combats and wrestling attending it It is not then fear of the event but weakness and weariness of the combat that make men anxiously solicitous about a deliverance from that state before they are well entered into it Let then the sin entangled soul remember alwayes this Way Method and Order of the Gospel that we have under consideration First Exercise faith on forgiveness in God and when the soul is fixed therein it will have a ground and foundation whereon it may stand securely in making Application of it unto it self Drive this principle in the first place unto a stable issue upon Gospel evidences Answer the Objections that lye against it and then you may proceed In believing the soul makes a conquest upon Satans Territories Do then as they do who are entring on an Enemies Countrey secure the passages fortifie the Strong holds as you go on that you be not cut off in your progress Be not as a Ship at Sea which passeth on and is no more possessed or Master of the Water it hath gone through than of that whereunto it is not yet arrrived But so it is with a soul that fixeth not on these foundation principles he presseth forwards and the ground crumbles away under his feet and so he wilders away all his dayes in uncertainties Would men but lay this principle well in their souls and secure it against assaults they might proceed though not with so much speed as some do yet with more safety Some pretend at once to fall into full Assurance I wish it prove not a broad presumption in the most It is to no purpose for him to strive to flye who cannot yet go to labour to come to Assurance in himself who never well believed forgiveness in God Now that we may be enabled to fix this perswasion against all opposition that which in the next place I shall do is to give out such unquestionable evidences of this Gospel truth as the soul may safely build and rest upon And these contain the confirmation of the principal Proposition before laid down Evidences of Forgiveness in God No inbred Notions of any free Acts of Gods Will. Forgiveness not revealed by the Works of Nature nor the Law 1. The things that are spoken or are to be known of God are of two sorts 1. Natural and Necessary such as are his Essential properties or the Attributes of his nature his Goodness Holiness Righteousness Omnipotency Eternity and the like These are called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God And there are two wayes as the Apostle there declares whereby that which he there intimates of God may be known 1. By the inbred light of Nature ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 19. It is manifest in themselves in their own hearts They are taught it by the common conceptions and presumptions which they have of God by the light of nature From hence do all mankind know concerning God that He is that he is Eternal infinitely Powerful Good Righteous Holy Omnipotent There needs no special Revelation of these things that men may know them That indeed they may be known savingly there is and therefore they that know these things by nature do also believe them on Revelation Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh unto God must BELIEVE that he is and that he is a rewarder Though men KNOW God by the light of nature yet they cannot COME to God by that knowledge 2. These Essential properties of the nature of God are revealed by his WORKS So the Apostle in the same place ver 20. The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead See also Psalm 19. 1 2 3. And this is the first sort of things that may be known of God 2. There are the free Acts of his Will and Power or his free eternal purposes with the
needful for us And for the plainness of this Truth it is well if it be so unto us This I know nothing but the Spirit of God can make it so Men may please themselves and others sometimes with curious notions and make them seem to be things of great search and attainment which when they are well examined it may be they are not true or if they are are yet of a very little consequence or importance It is these fundamental Truths that have the mysteries of the Wisdom and Grace of God in wrapped in them which who so can unfold aright will shew himself a workman that needs not be ashamed These still waters are deep and the farther we dive into them the greater discovery shall we make of their depths And many other Sacred Truths there are whose mention is common but whose depths are little searched and whose efficacy is little known 3. We multiply these Evidences because they are multitudes that are concerned in them All that do believe and all that do not believe are so Those that do believe that they may be established and those that do not believe that they may be encouraged so to do Among both these sorts some evidences may be more profitable and useful one to one some to another It may be amongst all all will be gathered up that no fragments be lost They are all I hope instruments provided by the Holy Ghost for this end and by this Ordinance do we endeavour to put them into his hand to be made effectual as he will One may reach one soul another another according to his pleasure One may be of use to establishment another to consolation a third of encouragement according as the necessities of poor souls do require However God who hath provided them knows them all to be needful 4. They are so also upon the account of the various conditions wherein the Spirits of Believers themselves may be One may give help to the same soul at one season another at another one may secure the soul against a temptation another stir it up to Thankfulness and Obedience These things have I spoken that you may not think we dwell too long on this consideration And I pray God that your Consolation and Establishment may abound in the reading of these Meditations as I hope they have not been altogether without their fruit in their preparation Further Evidences of Forgiveness with God Testimonies that God was well pleased with some that were sinners The Patience of God towards the world an evidence of Forgiveness Experience of the Saints of God to the same purpose IV. Let us then in the fourth place as a fourth Evidence of this truth consider those both under the Old Testament and the New concerning whom we have the greatest Assurance that God was well pleased with them and that they are now in the enjoyment of him And this Argument unto this purpose the Apostle insists upon and presseth from sundry instances Heb. 11. How many doth he there reckon up who of old obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God ver 2. 5. All these inherited the Promises through believing that is obtained the forgiveness of sin For whereas by nature they were children of wrath and under the Curse as well as others obtaining an infallible interest in the favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him it could no otherwise be For without this on a just account every one of them would have continued in the state wherein Adam was when he heard the voyce of God and was afraid Wherefore it being evident that some persons in all Generations have enjoyed the friendship love and favour of God in this world and at their departure out of it have entred into Glory it makes it evident that there is forgiveness of sin with him without which these things could not be Let us after the example of the Apostle mention some particular instances in this matter Look unto Abraham He was the friend of God and walked with God God made a solemn Covenant with him and takes it for his memorial throughout all generations that he is the God of Abraham And he is doubtless now at rest with God Our Saviour calls the place or condition whereinto blessed souls are gathered Abrahams Bosom He is at rest with whom others are at rest The condition was the same with Isaac and Jacob. They also are Heaven being alive unto and with God Our Saviour proves it from the tenour of the Covenant I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. They are yet alive alive unto God and with him by vertue of the Covenant or after their death God would not be said to be their God This is the force of our Saviours Argument in that place that after their death God was still their God Then death had not reached their whole persons They were still alive with God in Heaven and their bodies by vertue of the same Covenant were to be recovered out of the dust The same is the state with David He was a man after Gods own heart that did all his Will and fulfilled all his pleasure And although he dyed and his body saw corruption yet he is not lost he is with God in Heaven Hence he ended his dayes triumphantly in a full apprehension of Eternal Rest beyond what could in this world be attained and that by vertue of the Covenant For these are the last words of David Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ascertaining unto him sure and eternal mercies 2 Sam. 23. 5 Peter also is in Heaven Christ prayed for him that his faith should not fail and in his death he glorified God John 21. 19. So is Paul He also is in Heaven he knew that when he wis dissolved he should be with Christ. Here then we are encompassed about with a cloud of witnesses For 1. It is most certain that they were all sinners They were all so by nature for therein there is no difference between any of the Children of men And personally they were sinners also They confessed so of themselves and some of the sins of all of them stand upon record Yea some of them were great sinners or guilty of great and signal miscarriages Some before their Conversion as Abraham who was an Idolater Josh. 24. 2 3. and Paul who was a Persecutor and a Blasphemer Some after their Conversion Some in sins of the flesh against their Obedience as David and some in sins of Profession against saith as Peter Nothing then is more evident than that no one of them came to rest with God but by forgiveness Had they never been guilty of any one sin but only what is left upon Record concerning them in Holy Writ yet they could be saved no other way For he that
transgresseth the Law in any one point is guilty of the breach of the whole James 2. 10. What shall we now say Do we think that God hath forgiveness only for this or that individual person No man questions but that all these were pardoned Was it by vertue of any especial personal priviledge that was peculiar unto them Whence should any such priviledge arise seeing by nature they were no better than others nor would have been so personally had not they been delivered from sin and prepared for Obedience by Grace Mercy and Pardon Wherefore they all obtained forgiveness by vertue of the Covenant from the forgiveness which is with God And this is equally ready for others who come to God the same way that they did that is by faith and Repentance 2. Many of those concerning whom we have the Assurance mentioned were not only sinners but great sinners as was said which must be also insisted on to obviate another objection For some may say that although they were sinners yet they were not such sinners as we are And although they obtained forgiveness yet this is no Argument that we shall do so also who are guilty of other sins than they were and those attended with other Aggravations than theirs were To which I say that I delight not in aggravating no nor yet in Repeating the sins and faults of the Saints of God of old Not only the Grace of God but the sins of men have by some been turned into lasciviousness or been made a cloak for their lusts But yet for the ends and purposes for which they are recorded by the Holy Ghost we may make mention of them That they may warn us of our duty that we take heed lest we also fall that they may yield us a relief under our surprizals are they written So then where the mention of them tends to the advancement of Soveraign Grace and Mercy which is the case in hand we may insist on them I think then that without mention of particulars I may safely say that there is no sin no degree of sin no aggravating circumstance of sin no kind of continuance in sin the one only sin excepted but that there are those in Heaven who have been guilty of them It may be yet some will say that they have considered the sins and falls of Lot David Peter Paul and the Thief himself on the Cross and yet they find not their own condition Exemplified so as to conclude that they shall have the same success with them A. 1. I am not shewing that this or that man shall be pardoned but only demonstrating that there is forgiveness with God and that for all sorts of sins and sinners which these Instances do assuredly confirm And moreover they manifest that if other men are not pardoned it is meerly because they make not that Application for forgiveness which they did 2. Yet by the way to take off this Objection also consider what the Apostle says in particular concerning the several sorts of sinners that obtained mercy 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you But you are washed but you are sanctified but you are justified Hell can scarce in no more words yield us a sadder Catalogue Yet some of all these sorts were justified and pardoned 3. Suppose this Enumeration of sins doth not reach the condition of the soul because of some especial Aggravation of its sin not expressed Let such a one add that of our Saviours Matth. 12. 31. I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost They are not they shall not be all actually remitted and pardoned unto all men but they are all pardonable unto those that seek to obtain pardon for them according unto the Gospel There is with God forgiveness for them all Now certainly there is no sin but only that excepted but it comes within the compass of all manner of sins and blasphemy and so consequently some that have been guilty of it are now in Heaven We take it for a good token and evidence of a vertuous healing water when without fraud or pretence we see the crutches of cured Criples and impotent persons hung about it as a memorial of its efficacy And it is a great demonstration of the skill and ability of a Physitian when many come to a sick person and tell him that we had the same distemper with you it had the same symptoms the same effects and by his skill and care we are cured Oh saith the sick man bring him unto me I will venture my life in his hand Now all the Saints of Heaven stand about a sin sick soul for in this matter we are compassed with a cloud of witnesses Heb. 12. 1. And what do they bear witness unto What say they unto a poor guilty sinner As thou art so were we so guilty so perplexed so obnoxious to wrath so fearing destruction from God And what way did you steer what course did you take to obtain the blessed condition wherein now you are Say they We went all to God through Christ for forgiveness and found plenty of Grace Mercy and Pardon in him for us all The rich man in the Parable thought it would be a great means of conversion if one should rise from the dead and preach But here we see that all the Saints departed and now in glory do jointly preach this fundamental Truth that there is forgiveness with God Poor souls are apt to think that all those whom they read or hear of to be gone to Heaven went thither because they were so good and so holy It is true many of them were eminently and exemplarily so in their generations All of them were so according to their degrees and measures for without holiness no man can see God And it is our duty to labour to be like unto them in Holiness if ever we intend to be so in Happiness and Glory But yet not one of them not any one that is now in Heaven Jesus Christ alone excepted did ever come thither any other way but by forgiveness of sin and that will also bring us thither though we come short of many of them in Holiness and Grace And this Evidence of forgiveness I the rather urge because I find the Apostle Paul doing of it eminently in his own person 1 Tim. 1. 12 13 14 15 16. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry who was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of
whom I am chief Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shâw 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
want of power or pity in me but of faith in thee My power is such as renders all things possible so that they be believed So it is with many who would desirously be made partakers of forgiveness If it be possible they would be pardoned but they do not see it possible Why where is the defect God hath no pardon for them or such as they are and so it may be they come finally short of pardon What because God cannot pardon them it is not possible with him Not at all but because they cannot they will not believe that the forgiveness that is with him is such as that it would answer all the wants of their souls because it answers the infinite largeness of his heart And if this doth not wholly deprive them of Pardon yet it greatly retards their Peace and Comfort God doth not take it well to be limited by us in any thing least of all in his Grace This he calls a Tempting of him a provoking Temptation Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God they limited the Holy One of Israel This he could not hear with If there be any pardon with God it is such as becomes him to give When he pardons he will abundantly pardon Go with your half forgiveness limited conditional Pardons with reserves and limitations unto the Sons of men it may be it may become them it is like themselves That of God is absolute and perfect before which our sins are as a Cloud before the East Wind and the rising Sun Hence he is said to do this work with his whole heart and his whole soul ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã freely bountifully largely to indulge and forgive unto us our sins And to cast them into the bottom of the Sea Mic. 7. 19. into a bottomless Ocean an Emblem of infinite mercy Remember this poor souls when you are to deal with God in this matter all things are possible unto them that do believe Secondly This forgiveness is in or with God not only so as that we may apply our selves unto it if we will for which he will not be offended with us but so also as that he hath placed his great Glory in the Declaration and communication of it nor can we honour him more than by coming to him to be made partakers of it and so to receive it from him For the most part we are as it were ready rather to steal forgiveness from God than to receive from him as one that gives it freely and largely We take it up and lay it down as though we would be glad to have it so God did not as it were see us take it for we are afraid he is not willing we should have it indeed We would steal this fire from Heaven and have a share in Gods Treasures and Riches almost without his consent At least we think that we have it from him aegre with much difficulty that it is rarely given and scarcely obtained That he gives it out ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with a kind of unwilling willingness as we sometimes give Alms without Chearfulness And that he loseth so much by us as he giveth out in Pardon We are apt to think that we are very willing to have forgiveness but that God is unwilling to bestow it and that because he seems to be a loser by it and to forego the glory of inflicting punishment for our sins which of all things we suppose he is most loth to part withal And this is the very nature of unbelief But indeed things are quite otherwise He hath in this matter through the Lord Christ ordered all things in his dealings with sinners to the praise of the glory of his Grace Eph. 1. 6. His design in the whole mysterie of the Gospel is to make his Grace glorious or to exalt pardoning mercy The great fruit and product of his Grace is forgiveness The forgiveness of sinners This God will render himself Glorious in and by All the Praise Glory and Worship that he designs from any in this world is to redound unto him by the way of this Grace as we have proved at large before For this cause spared he the world when sin first entred into it for this cause did he provide a New Covenant when the old was become unprofitable For this cause did he send his Son into the world This hath he testified by all the Evidences insisted on Would he have lost the praise of his Grace nothing hereof would have been done or brought about We can then no way so eminently bring or ascribe glory unto God as by our receiving forgiveness from him he being willing thereunto upon the account of its tendency unto his own Glory in that way which he hath peculiarly fixed on for its manifestation Hence the Apostle exhorts us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. That is with the Confidence of faith as he expounds boldness Chap. 10. 19 20. We come about a business wherewith he is well pleased such as he delights in the doing of as he expresseth himself Zeph. 3. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy He will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing This is the way of Gods Pardoning he doth it in a rejoycing triumphant manner satisfying abundantly his own holy soul therein and resting in his love We have then abundant encouragement to draw nigh to the Throne of Grace to be made partakers of what God is so willing to give out unto us And to this end serves also the Oath of God before insisted on namely to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning Gods Unwillingness to give Mercy Grace and Pardon unto sinners See Heb. 6. 17 18. where it is expressed Therefore the tendency of our former Arguments is not meerly to prove that there is forgiveness with God which we may believe and not be mistaken but which we ought to believe It is our duty so to do We think it our duty to pray to hear the Word to give alms to love the Brethren and to abstain from sin and if we fail in any of these we find the guilt of them reflected upon our Conscience unto our disquietment But we scarce think it our duty to believe the forgiveness of our sins It is well it may be we think with them that can do it but we think it not their fault who do not Such persons may be pityed but as we suppose not justly blamed no not by God himself Whose Conscience almost is burdened with this as a sin that he doth not as he ought believe the forgiveness of his sins And this is meerly because men judge it not their duty so to do For a non-performance of a duty apprehended to be such will reflect on the Conscience a sense of the guilt of sin But now what can be required to make any thing a duty
answer these Enquiries in reference unto it Think it then no great matter if you are put to answer this Question also by what way or means came you to the knowledge of forgiveness which you boast of Was it by any of those before mentioned or some other if you cannot answer distinctly to these things only you say you have heard it and believed it ever since you can remember so those said that went before you so they say with whom you do converse you never met with any one that called it into question nor heard of any unless it were one or two despairing wretches it will be justly questioned whether you have any portion in this matter or no. If uncertain rumours reports general notions lye at the bottom of your perswasion do not suppose that you have any Communion with Christ therein 5. Of them who profess to believe forgiveness how few are there who indeed know what it is They believe they say but as the Samaritans Worshipped they know not what With some a bold presumption and crying peace peace goes for the belief of forgiveness A General Apprehension of impunity from God and that though they are sinners yet they shall not be punished passeth with others at the same rate Some think they shall prevail with God by their prayers and desires to let them alone and not cast them into Hell One way or other to escape the Vengeance of Hell not to be punished in another world is that which men fix their minds upon But is this that forgiveness which is revealed in the Gospel that which we have been treating about The Rise and Spring of our forgiveness is in the heart and Gracious Nature of God declared by his Name Have you enquired seriously into this Have you stood at the shore of that infinite Ocean of Goodness and Love Have your souls found supportment and relief from that Consideration And have your hearts leaped within you with the thoughts of it Or if you have never been affected in an especial manner herewithal have you bowed down your souls under the Considerations of that Soveraign Act of the Will of God that is the next spring of forgiveness that glorious acting of free Grace that when all might justly have perished all having sinned and come short of his Glory God would yet have mercy on some Have you given up your selves to this Grace Is this any thing of that you do believe Suppose you are strangers to this also What communion with God have you had about it in the blood of Christ We have shewed how forgiveness relates thereunto how way is made thereby for the exercise of mercy in a consistency with the Glory and Honour of the Justice of God and of his Law how Pardon is procured and purchased thereby with the mysterious Reconciliation of Love and Law and the new disposal of Conscience in its work and duty by it What have you to say to these things Have you seen pardon flowing from the heart of the Father through the blood of the Son Have you looked upon it as the price of his life and the purchase of his blood Or have you general thoughts that Christ dyed for finners and that on one account or other forgiveness relates unto him but are strangers to the mysterie of this great work Suppose this also Let us go a little further and enquire whether you know any thing that yet remains of the like importance in this matter Forgiveness as we have shewed is manifested tendred exhibited in the Covenant of Grace and Promises of the Gospel The Rule of the Efficacy of these is that they he mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. It is well if you are grown up hereunto but you that are strangers to the things before mentioned are no less to this also Upon the matter you know not then what forgiveness is nor wherein it consists nor whence it comes nor how it is procured nor by what means given out unto sinners It is to no purpose for such persons to pretend that they believe that whereunto either notionally or practically or both they are such utter strangers 6. Another Enquiry into this matter regards the State and Condition wherein souls must be before it be possible for them to believe forgiveness If there be such an Estate and it can be evinced that very many of the Pretenders concerning whom we deal were never brought into it it is then evident that they neither do nor can believe forgiveness however they do and may delude their own souls It hath been shewed that the first discovery that was made of pardoning Grace was unto Adam presently after the fall What was then his State and Condition How was he prepared for the reception of this great mysterie in its first discovery that seems to be a considerable Rule of proceeding in the same matter That which is first in any kind is a Rule to all that follows Now what was Adams condition when the Revelation of forgiveness was first made to him it is known from the Story convinced of sin afraid of punishment he lay trembling at the foot of God Then was forgiveness revealed unto him So the Psalmist states it Psalm 130. v. 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand Full of thoughts he is of the desert of sin and of inevitable and eternal ruine in case God should deal with him according to the Exigence of the Law In that state is the great support of Forgiveness with God suggested unto him by the Holy Ghost We know what work our Saviour had with the Pharisees on this account Are we say they blind also No saith he you say you see therefore your sin remaineth John 9. 40 41. It is to no purpose to talk of forgiveness to such persons as you are you must of necessity abide in your sins I came not to call such righteous persons as you are but sinners to Repentance who not only are so as you are also and that to the purpose but are sensible of their being so and of their undone condition thereby The whole have no need of the Physitian but the sick Whilst you are seeming Righteous and whole it is to no End to tell you of forgiveness you cannot understand it nor receive it It is impossible then that any one should in a due manner believe forgiveness in God unless in a due manner he be convinced of sin in himself If the fallow ground be not broken up it is to no purpose to sow the seed of the Gospel There is neither Life Power nor sweetness in this Truth unless a door be opened for its Entrance by Conviction of sin Let us then on this ground also continue our Enquiry upon the ordinary boasters of their skill in this mysterie You believe there is forgiveness with God Yes but have you been convinced of sin Yes you know that you are sinners well enough Answer then but once more as to the
in themselves from them they draw conclusions arguing from one thing unto another and in the end oft-times either deceive themselves or sit down no less in the dark than they were at the entrance of their self-debate and Examination A mans judgement upon his own reasonings is seldom true more seldom permanent I speak not of self-examination with a due discussion of Graces and Actions but of the final sentence as to state and condition wherein the soul is to acquiesce This belongs unto Christ. Now there are Two wayes whereby the Lord Jesus Christ gives forth his decretory sentence in this matter 1. By his Word He determines in the Word of the Gospel of the state and condition of all men indefinitely Each Individual coming to that Word receives his own sentence and doom He told the Jews that Moses accused them John 5. 45. His Law accused and condemned the transgressors of it And so doth the acquit every one that is discharged by the Word of the Gospel And our self-judging is but our receiving by faith his Sentence in the Word His process herein we have recorded Joh 33. 22 23. His soul that is of the sinner draweth neer to the grave and his life to the destroyers This seems to be his state it is so indeed he is at the very brink of the grave and hell What then why if there be with him or stand over him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Angel interpreting or the Angel of the Covenant who alone is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the one of a thousand what shall he doe He shall shew unto him his uprightness He shall give in unto him a right determination of his interest in God and of the state and frame of his heart towards God whereupon God shall speak peace unto his Soul and deliver him from his entanglements v. 24. Jesus Christ hath in the Word of the Gospel stated the condition of every man He tells us that sinners of what sort soever they are that believe are accepted with him and shall receive forgiveness from God that none shall be refused or cast off that come unto God by him The Soul of whom we are treating is now upon the work of coming unto God for forgiveness by Jesus Christ. Many and weighty Objections it hath in and against its self why it should not come why it shall not be accepted Our Lord Jesus the Wisdom of God foresaw all these Objections he foreknew what could be said in the case and yet he hath determined the matter as hath been declared In General mens arguings against themselves arise from Sin and the Law Christ knowes what is in them both He tryed them to the uttermost as to their penalties and yet he hath so determined as we have shewed Their particular Objections are from particular considerations of sin their Greatness their Number their Aggravations Christ knows all these also And yet stands to his firmer determination Upon the whole matter then it is meet his Word should stand I know when a Soul brings it self to be judged by the Word of the Gospel it doth not alwayes in a like manner receive and rest in the sentence given But when Christ is pleased to speak the word with power to men they shall hear the voyce of the Son of God and be concluded by it Let the Soul then that is rising out of depths and pressing towards a sence of forgiveness lay it self down before the Word of Christ in the Gospel Let him attend to what he speaks and if for a while it hath not power upon him to quiet his heart let him wait a season and light shall arise unto him out of darkness Christ will give in his sentence into his Conscience with that power and efficacy as he shall finde rest and peace in it 2. Christ also judgeth by his Spirit not only in making this sentence of the Gospel to be received effectually in the Soul but in and by peculiar Actings of his upon the heart and soul of a Believer 1. Cor. 2. 11. We have received the Spirit of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The Spirit of Christ acquaints the Soul that this and that Grace is from him that this or that duty was performed in his strength He brings to mind what at such and such times was wrought in men by himself to give them supportment and relief in the times of depths and darkness And when it hath been clearly discovered unto the Soul at any time by the Holy Ghost that any thing wrought in it or done by it hath been truely saving The Comfort of it will abide in the midst of many shakings and Temptations 2. He also by his Spirit bears witness with our Spirits as to our state and condition Of this I have spoken largely elsewhere and therefore shall now pass it by This then is our first General Rule and Direction Selfdeterminations concerning mens spiritual state and condition because their minds are usually influenced by their distempers are seldom right and according to Rule Mistakes in such determinations are exceedingly prejudicial to a Soul seeking out after relief and sence of Forgiveness let Christ then be the Judge in this Case by his Word and Spirit as hath been directed RULE II. Self-condemnation and abhorrency for sin consistent with Gospel Justification and Peace The nature of Gospel-Assurance what is consistent with it What are the Effects of it Self-Condemnation and Abhorrency do very well consist with Gospel-Justification and Peace Some men have no peace because they have that without which it is impossible they should have peace Because they cannot but condemn themselves they cannot entertain a sence that God doth acquit them But this is the mystery of the Gospel which unbelief is a stranger unto Nothing but faith can give a real subsistence unto these things in the same Soul at the same time It is easie to learn the notion of it but it is not easie to experience the power of it For a man to have a sight of that within him which would condemn him for which he is troubled and at the same time to have a discovery of that without him which will justifie him and to rejoyce therein is that which he is not lead unto but by Faith in the mystery of the Gospel We are now under a Law for Justification which excludes all boasting Rom. 3. 27. So that though we have joy enough in another yet we may have we alwayes have sufficient cause of humiliation in our selves The Gospel will teach a man to feel sin and believe Righteousness at the same time Faith will carry Heaven in one hand and Hell in the other shewing the one deserved the other purchased A man may see enough of his own sin and folly to bring Gehennam è Coelo a Hell of wrath out of Heaven and yet see Christ bring Coelum ex inferno a Heaven of blessedness out of an
Hell of punishment And these must needs produce very divers yea contrary effects and operations in the Soul And he who knows not how to assign them their proper duties and seasons must needs be perplexed The work of self-condemnation then which men in these depths cannot but abound with is in the disposition of the Covenant of Grace no way inconsistent with nor unsuited unto Justification and the enjoyment of Peace in the sence of it There may be a deep sence of sin on other considerations besides Hell David was never more humbled for sin than when Nathan told him it was forgiven And there may be a view of Hell as deserved which yet the Soul may know it self freed from as to the issue To evidence our intendment in this discourse I shall briefly consider what we intend by Gospel Assurance of Forgiveness that the Soul may not be solicitous and perplexed about the utter want of that which perhaps it is already in some enjoyment of Some men seem to place Gospel Assurance in an high unassaulted Confidence of Acceptance with God They think it is in none but such as if a man should go to them and ask them are you certain you shall be saved have boldness and confidence and ostentation to answer presently yea they are certain they shall be saved But as the blessed Truth of Assurance hath been reproached in the World under such a notion of it so such expressions become not them who know what it is to have to do with the Holy God who is a consuming fire Hence some conclude that there are very few Believers who have any Assurance because they have not this confidence or are more free to mention the oppasition they meet with than the supportment they enjoy And thus is it rendred a matter not greatly to be desired because it is so rarely to be obtained most of the Saints serving God and going to Heaven well enough without it But the matter is otherwise The importance of it not only as it is our life of comfort and joy but also as it is the principal means of the flourishing of our Life of Holiness hath been declared before and might be further manifested were that our present business Yea and in times of tryall which are the proper seasons for the Effectual working and manifestation of Assurance it will and doth appear that many yea that most of the Saints of God are made partakers of this Grace and Priviledge I shall then in the pursuit of the Rule laid down do these two things 1. Shew what things they are which are not only consistent with Assurance but are even necessary concomitants of it which yet if not duely weighed and considered may seem so far to impeach a mans comfortable perswasion of his condition before God as to leave him beneath the Assurance sought after And 2. I shall speak somewhat of its nature Especially as manifesting its self by its Effects 1. A deep sense of the evil of sin of the guilt of mans own sin is no way inconsistent with Gospel assurance of Acceptance with God through Christ and of Forgiveness in him By a sense of the guilt of sin I understand two things 1. A clear conviction of sin by the Holy Ghost saying unto the Soul Thou art the man and 2. A sense of the displeasure of God or the wrath due to sin according to the sentence of the Law Both these David expresseth in that complaint Psal. 31. 10. My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine Iniquity and my bones are consumed His Iniquity was before him and a sense of it pressed him sore But yet notwithstanding all this he had a comfortable perswasion that God was his God in Covenant v. 14. I trusted in thee O Lord I said thou art my God And the tenor of the Covenant wherein alone God is the God of any person is that he will be mercifull unto their sin and iniquity To whom he is a God he is so according to the Tenor of that Covenant so that here these two are conjoyned Saith he Lord I am pressed with the sense of the guilt of mine Iniquities and thou act my God who forgivest them And the ground hereof is that God by the Gospel hath divided the work of the Law and taken part of it out of its hand It s whole work and duty is to condemn the sin and the sinner The sinner is freed by the Gospel but its right lyes against the sin still that it condemns and that justly Now though the sinner himself be freed yet finding his sin layd hold of and condemned it fills him with a deep sense of its guilt and of the displeasure of God against it which yet hinders not but that at the same time he may have such an insight as faith gives into his personal interest in a Gospel acquitment A man then may have a deep sense of sin all his dayes walk under the sense of it continually abhorr himself for his ingratitude unbelief and rebellion against God without any impeachment of his Assurance 2. Deep sorrow for sin is consistent with Assurance of forgiveness Yea it is a great means of preservation of it Godly sorrow mourning humiliation contriteness of Spirit are no less Gospel Graces and fruits of the Holy Ghost than Faith it self and so are consistent with the highest flourishings of faith whatever It is the work of Heaven it self and not of the Assurance of it to wipe all tears from our eyes Yea these Graces have the most eminent Promises annexed to them as Isa. 57. 15. chap. 66. 2. with blessedness it self Math. 5. 4. yea they are themselves the matter of many Gracious Gospel Promises Zech. 12. 10. so that they are assuredly consistent with any other Grace or Priviledge that we may be made partakers of or are promised unto us Some finding the weight and burden of their sins and being called to mourning and bumiliation on that account are so taken up with it as to lose the sense of Forgiveness which rightly improved would promote their sorrow as their sorrow seems directly to sweeten their sense of forgiveness Sorrow absolutely exclusive of the faith of forgiveness is legall and tendeth unto death Assurance absolutely exclusive of Godly sorrow is presumption and not a perswasion from him that calleth us But Gospel Sorrow and Gospel Assurance may well dwell in the same breast at the same time Indeed as in all worldly Joyes there is a secret wound So in all Godly sorrow and mourning considered in its self there is a secret Joy and refreshment Hence it doth not wither and dry up but rather enlarge open and sweeten the heart I am perswaded that generally they mourn most who have most Assurance And all True Gospel mourners will be found to have the root of Assurance so grafted in them that in its proper season a time of trouble it
will undoubtedly flourish 3. A deep sense of the indwelling power of sin is consistent with Gospel Assurance Sense of indwelling sin will cause manifold perplexities in the Soul Trouble disquietments sorrow and anguish of heart expressing themselves in sighs mourning groaning for deliverance alwayes attend it To what purpose do you speak to a Soul highly sensible of the restless power of indwelling sin concerning Assurance Alas saith he I am ready to perish every moment my lusts are strong active restless yea outragious they give me no rest no liberty and but little success do I obtain Assurance is for Conquerours for them that live at rest and peace I lie groveling on the ground all my dayes and must needs be uncertain what will be the issue But when such an one hath done all he can he will not be able to make more wofull complaints of this matter than Paul hath done before him Rom. 7. and yet he closeth the discourse of it with as high an expression of assurance as any person needs to seek after v. last and chap. 8. 1. It is not Assurance but Enjoyment that excludes this sense and trouble But if men will think they can have no Assurance because they have that without which it is impossible they should have any it is hard to give them relief A little Cruse of Salt of the Gospel cast into these bitter waters will make them sweet and wholsom Sense of the guilt of sin may consist with faith of its pardon and forgiveness in the blood of Christ. Godly sorrow may dwell in the same heart at the same time with Joy in the Holy Ghost and groaning after deliverance from the power of sin with a Gracious perswasion that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the Law but Grace 4. Doubtings Fears Temptations if not ordinarily prevailing are consistent with Gospel Assurance Though the Devils power he limited in reference unto the Saints yet his hands are not tyed Though he cannot prevail against them yet he can assault them And although there be not an evil heart of unbelief in Believers yet there will still be unbelief in their hearts Such an evidence conviction and perswasion of Acceptance with God as are exclusive of all contrary reasonings that suffer the Soul to hear nothing of Objections that free and quiet it from all assaults are neither mentioned in the Scripture nor consistent with that state wherein we walk before God nor possible on the account of Sathans will and ability to tempt or of our own remaining unbelief Assurance encourageth us in our Combate it delivereth us not from it We may have peace with God when we have none from the assaults of Sathan Now unless a man do duly consider the tenor of the Covenant wherein we walk with God and the nature of that Gospel Obedience which he requires at our hands with the state and Condition which is our Lot and portion whilest we live in this World the dayly sense of these things with the trouble that must be undergone on their account may keep him in the dark unto himself and hinder him from that establishment in believing which otherwise he might attain unto On this account some as holy persons as any in this World being wholly taken up with the consideration of these home bred perplexities and not clearly acquainted with the way and tenor of assuring their Souls before God according to the Rule of the Covenant of Grace have passed away their dayes in a bondage frame of spirit and unacquaintance with that strong consolation which God is abundantly willing that all the Heirs of promise should receive 5. Evangelical Assurance is not a thing that consisteth in any point and so incapable of variation It may be higher or lower greater or less obscure or attended with more Evidence It is not quite lost when it is not quite at its highest God sometimes marvellously raiseth the Souls of his Saints with some close and neer approaches unto them gives them a sense of his Eternal Love a taste of the embraces of his Son and the inhabitation of the Spirit without the least intervening disturbance then this is their Assurance But this life is not a season to be alwayes taking wages in our work is not yet done we are not alwayes to abide in this Mount we must down again into the battle fight again cry again complain again Shall the Soul be thought now to have lost its assurance Not at all it had before assurance with Joy Triumph and Exultation it hath it now or may have with wrestling cryes tears and supplications And a mans Assurance may be as Good as true when he lyes on the earth with a sense of sin as when he is carryed up to the third Heaven with a sense of Love and foretaste of Glory In brief this Assurance of Salvation is such a Gracious Evangelical perswasion of Acceptance with God in Christ and of an interest in the promises of preservation unto the End wrought in Believers by the Holy Ghost in and through the exercise of Faith as for the most part produceth these effects following 1. It gives delight in obedience and draws out Love in the duties that unto God we do perform So much Assurance of a Comfortable Issue of their Obedience of a blessed End of their labours and duties of their purifying their hearts and pressing after universal Renovation of mind and life as may make them Chearfull in them as may give Love and Delight in the pursuit of what they are engaged in is needfull for the Saints and they they do not often go without it and where this is there is Gospel Assurance To run as men uncertain to fight as those that beat the Air to travel as not any way perswaded of a comfortable entertainment or refreshment at the Journeys End is a state and condition that God doth not frequently leave his people unto And when he doth it is a season wherein he receives very little of Glory from them and they very little increase of grace in themselves Many things as hath been shewed do interpose many doubts arise and intangling perplexities but still there is a Comfortable perswasion kept alive that there is a Rest provided which makes them willing unto and chearfull in their most difficult duties This prevaileth in them that their labour in the Lord their watchings praying suffering alms mortification fighting against temptation crucifying the flesh with the lusts thereof shall not be in vain This gives them such a delight in their most difficult duties as men have in a hard Journey towards a desirable home or a place of Rest. 2. It casts out fear tormenting fear such as fills the soul with perplexing uncertainties hard thoughts of God and dreadfull apprehensions of wrath to come There are three things spoken concerning that fear which is inconsistent with the Assurance of forgiveness First With respect unto
its principle it is from a spirit of bondage Rom. 18. 15. We have not again received the spirit of bondage unto fear It is not such a fear as makes an occasional incursion upon the mind or soul such as I se xcited and occasioned by incident darkness and Temptation such as the best and persons of the highest assurance are liable and obnoxious unto but it is such as hath a compleat abiding principle in the soul even a spirit of bondage a prevailing frame constantly inclining it to fear or dreadful apprehensions of God and its own condition Secondly That it tends to bondage it brings the soul into bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. He dyed to deliver them who by fear of death were in bondage all their daies Fear of death as penal as it lyes in the curse which is that fear that proceeds from a spirit of bondage brings the persons in whom it is into bondage that is it adds weariness trouble and anxiety of mind unto fear and puts them upon all waies and means imaginable unduly and disorderly to seek for a remedy or relief Thirdly It hath torment fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. It gives no rest no quietness unto the mind now this is so cast out by Gospel Assurance of forgiveness that though it may assault the soul it shall not possess it though it make incursions upon it it shall not dwell abide and prevail in it 3. It gives the soul an hope and expectation of the Glory that shall be revealed and secretly stirs it up and enlivens it unto a supportment in sufferings tryals and Temptations This is the hope which makes not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. and that because it will never expose the soul unto disappointment Where ever there is the root of Assurance there will be this fruit of hope The proper object of it is things absent invisible eternal the promised reward in all the notions respects and concernments of it This hope goes out unto in distresses temptations failings and under a sense of the guilt and power of sin Hence ariseth a spring of secret relief in the soul something that calms the heart and quiets the spirit in the midst of many a storm Now as where ever Assurance is there will be this hope so where ever this secret relieving hope is it grows on no other root but a living perswasion of a personal interest in the things hoped for 4. As it will do many other things so that I may give one comprehensive instance it will carry them out in whom it is to dye for Christ. Death unto men who saw not one step beyond it was esteemed of all things most terrible The way and means of its approach add unto its terrour But this is nothing in comparison of what it is unto them who look through it as a passage into ensuing Eternity For a man then to chuse death rather than life in the most terrible manner of its approach expecting an Eternity to ensue it argues a comfortable perswasion of a Good State and Condition after death Now I am perswaded that there are hundreds who upon Gospel saving accounts would embrace a stake for the Testimony of Jesus who yet know not at all that they have the Assurance we speak of and yet nothing else would enable them thereunto But these things being besides the main of my Intendment I shall pursue them no further only the Rule is of use Let the soul be sure to be well acquainted with the nature of that which it seeks after and confesseth a sense of the want of RULE III. Continuance in waiting necessary unto Peace and Consolation The fourth Rule Remove the Hinderances of Believing by a searching out of sin Rules and Directions for that Duty Whatever your Condition be and your Apprehension of it yet continue waiting for a better issue and give not over through weariness or impatience This Rule contains the summ of the Great Example given us in this Psalm Forgiveness in God being discovered though no sense of a particular interest therein as yet obtained that which the soul applies it self unto is diligent carefull constant persevering waiting which is variously expressed in the 5 and 6 verses The Holy Ghost tells us that light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97. 11. Light and Gladness are the things now enquired after Deliverance from darkness misapprehensions of God hard and misgiving thoughts of his own condition is that which a soul in its depths reacheth towards Now saith the Holy Ghost These things are sown for the Righteous Doth the Husbandman after he casts his seed into the Earth immediately the next day the next week expect that it will be harvest doth he think to reap so soon as he hath sown or doth he immediately say I have laboured in vain here is no return I will pull up the hedge of this field and lay it waste or I see a little grass in the blade but no corn I will give it to the beasts to devour it No his God as the Prophet speaks instructs him unto discretion and teacheth him namely what he must do and how he must look for things in their season And shall not we be instructed by him behold the Husbandman saith James waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and the latter rain Jam. 5. 7. And is Light sown for them that are in darkness and shall they stifle the seed under the clods or spoil the tender blade that is springing up or refuse to wait for the watering and dews of the Spirit that may bring it forth to perfection Waiting is the only way to Establishment and Assurance we cannot speed by our haste yea nothing puts the end so far away as making too much haste and speed in our Journey The ground hereof is that a sense of a special interest in forgiveness and acceptance is given into the soul by a meer act of Soveraignty It is not it will not be obtained by or upon any rational conclusions or deductions that we can make All that we can do is but to apply our selves to the removal of hinderances For the Peace and Rest sought for come from meer prerogative When he giveth quietness who can give trouble and when he hideth his face who can behold him Job 34. 29. Now what is the way to receive that which comes from meer Soveraignty and prerogative doth not the nature of the thing require humble waiting If then either Impatience cast the soul into frowardness or weariness make it slothfull which are the two waies whereby waiting is ruined Let not such an one expect any comfortable Islue of his contending for deliverance out of his depths And let not any think to make out their difficulties any other way their own Reasonings will not bring them to any establishing conclusions for they may lay down propositions and have no
considerable objections to lye against either of them and yet be far enough from that sweet consolation joy and assurance which is the product of the conclusion when God is not pleased to give it in yea a man may sometimes gather up consolation to himself upon such terms but it will not abide So did David Psal. 30 6 7. He thus argues with himself He whose mountain is made strong to whom God is a defence he shall never be moved nor be shaken but I am thus settled of God therefore I shall not be moved and therein he rejoyceth It is an expression of exultation that he useth but what is the Issue of it In the midst of these pleasing thoughts of his God hides his face and he is troubled he cannot any longer draw out the sweetness of the conclusion mentioned It was in him before from the shines of Gods Countenance and not from any arguings of his own No disappointment then no tediousness or weariness should make the soul leave waiting on God if it intend to attain Consolation and Establishment So dealeth the Church Lam. 3. 21. This I recall to mind therefore have I hope What is it that she calls to mind this that it is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not vers 22. I will yet hope I will yet continue in my Expectation upon the account of never failing-compassion of endless mercies in him whatever my present condition be And thence she makes a blessed conclusion vers 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And this is our third Rule It is good to hope and wait whatever our present condition be and not to give over if we would not be sure to fail whereunto I speak no more because the close of this Psalm insists wholly on this duty which must be further spoken unto RULE IV. Seeing in the course of our believing and obedience that which is chiefly incumbent on us for our coming up to establishment and consolation is spiritual diligence in the removal of the hinderances thereof Let the soul that would attain thereunto make through work in the search of sin even to the sins of youth that all scores on that account may clearly be wiped out If there be much rubbish left in the foundation of the building no wonder if it alwaies shake and totter Mens leaving of any sin unsearched to the bottom will poison all their consolation David knew this when in dealing with God in his distresses he prayes that he would not remember the sins and transgressions of his youth Psal. 5. 7. Youth is oftentimes a time of great vanity and unmindfulness of God many stains and spots are therein usually brought upon the consciences of men Childhood and youth are vanity Eccles. 11. 10. Not because they soon pass away but because they are usually spent in vanity as the following advice of chap. 12. 1. to remember God in those daies doth manifest The way of many is to wear such things out of mind and not to walk in a sense of their folly and madness never to make through work with God about them I speak of the Saints themselves for with others that live under the Means of Grace whom God intends any way to make usefull and industrious in their Generation this is the usual course by convictions restraining Grace Afflictions Love of Employment and Repute God gives them another heart than they had for a season Another heart but not a new heart Hence another course of life another profession other actions than formerly doe flow with this change they do content themselves they look on what is past perhaps with delight or as things fit enough for those daies but not for those they have attained unto here they rest and therefore never come to rest But I speak of the Saints themselves who make not such through full close work in this kind as they ought An after-reckoning may come in on this hand to their own disturbance and an inconquerable hinderance of their peace and settlement be brought in on this account So was it with Job chap. 13. 26 He makes me possess the sins of my youth God filled his heart his thoughts his mind with these sins made them abide with him so that he possessed them they were alwaies present with him He made the sins of his youth the sufferings of his age And it is a sad thing as one speaks when young sins and old bones meet together as Zophar chap. 20. 11. His bones are filled with the sins of his youth The joyous frame of some mens Youth makes way for sad work in their Age. Take heed young ones you are doing that which will abide with you to Age if not to Eternity This possessing of the sins of youth Job calls the writing of bitter things against him As indeed it is impossible but that sin should be bitter one time or other God calls it a root that beareth Gall and Wormwood Deut. 29. 18. A root of bitterness springing up into defilement Heb. 12. 15. This then is to be searched out to the bottom Israel will not have success nor peace whilst there is an Achan in the Camp Neither success in Temptation nor consolation in believing is to be expected whilst any Achan any sin unreckoned for lyes in the conscience Now for them who would seriously accomplish a diligent search in this matter which is of such importance unto them let them take these two Directions 1. Let them go over the consideration of those sins and others of the like nature which may be reduced unto the same General heads with them which we laid down before as the sins which generally cast men into depths and intanglements And if they find they have contracted the guilt of any of them let them not think strange that they are yet bewildred in their condition and do come short of a refreshing sense of peace with God or an interest in forgiveness Rather let them admire the riches of Patience Grace and forbearance that they are not cast utterly out of all hopes of a recovery This will speed an end unto their trouble according to the direction given 2. Let them cast the course of their times under such heads and seasons as may give them the more clear and distinct view and apprehension of the passages in them between God and their souls which may have been provoking unto him As First For the state of their inward man let them consider First The unregenerate part of their lives that which was confessedly so before they had any real work of God upon their hearts and therein enquire after two things 1. If there were then any great and signal eruptions of sins against God for of such God requires that a deep sense be kept on our souls all our daies How often do we find Paul calling over the sins of his
this spiritual sense which you must learn to distinguish faith from and to know that true faith interesting the soul in forgiveness may be without it that so you may not conclude unto a real want of pardon from the want of the refreshing sense of it Grace in general may be referred unto two heads 1. Our Acceptation with God through Christ the same upon the matter with the forgiveness of sin that we are treating of And 2. Grace of Sanctification from God in Christ Of each of these there is a spiritual sense or Experience to be obtained in both distinguished from faith that gives us a real Interest in forgiveness Of the first or the spiritual sense that we have of Acceptance with God there are sundry parts or degrees As first hereunto belongs peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God This peace is the Rest and composure of the soul emerging out of troubles upon the account of the Reconciliation and friendship made for it by the blood of Christ. And it hath as all peace hath two parts First a freedom from war trouble and distress and Secondly Rest Satisfaction and Contentment in the condition attained And this at least the second part of it belongs unto the spiritual sense that we enquire after Again there is in it Joy in the holy Ghost called joy unspeakeable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. as also glorying in the Lord upon the account of his Grace Esa. 45. 26. with many the like Effects preceding from a shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. Yea you say these are the things you aim at these are the things you would attain and be filled withall It is this Peace this Joy this glorying in the Lord that you would alwaies be in the possession of I say you do well to desire them to seek and labour after them They are purchased by Christ for Believers but you will do well to consider under what notion you do desire them If you look on these things as belonging to the Essence of Faith without which you can have no real interest in forgiveness or acceptance with God you greatly deceive your own souls and put your selves out of the way of obtaining of them These these things are not believing nor adequate effects of it so as immediately to be produced where ever faith is But they are such consequents of it as may or may not ensue upon it according to the Will of God Faith is a seed that contains them virtually and out of which they may be in due time educed by the working of the Word and Spirit And the way for any soul to be made partaker of them is to wait on the Soveraignty of God's Grace who createth peace in the exercise of faith upon the promises He then that would place believing in these things and will not be perswaded that he doth believe until he is possessed of them he doth both lose the benefit advantage and comfort of what he hath and neglecting the due acting of faith puts himself out of the way of attaining what he aimeth at These things therefore are not needfull to give you a real saving interest in forgiveness as it is tendered in the promise of the Gospel by the blood of Christ. And it may be it is not the Will of God that ever you should be entrusted with them It may be it would not be for your good and advantage so to be Some servants that are ill husbands must have their wages kept for them to the years end or it will do them no good It may be some would be such spendthrifts of satisfying peace and joy and be so diverted by them from attending unto some necessary duties as of humiliation mortification and self-abasament without which their souls cannot live that it would not be much to their advantage to be entrusted with them It is from the same Care and Love that Peace and Joy are detained from some Believers and granted unto others You are therefore to receive forgiveness by a pure Act of believing in the way and manner before at large described And do not think that it is not in you unless you have constantly a spiritual sense of it in your hearts See in the mean time that your Faith bringeth forth Obedience and God in due time will cause it to bring forth Peace The like may be said concerning the other head of Grace though it be not so direct unto our purpose yet tending also to the relief of the soul in its depths This is the Grace that we have from God in Christ for our sanctification When the soul cannot find this in himself when he hath not a spiritual sense and experience of its in being and power when it cannot evidently distinguish it from that which is not right or genuine It is filled with fears and perplexities and thinks it is yet in its sin He is so indeed who hath no Grace in him but not he alwaies who can find none in him But these are different things A man may have Grace and yet not have it at some times much acting he may have Grace for life when he hath it not for fruitfulness and comfort though it be his duty so to have it Rev. 3. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 6. And a man may have Grace acting in him and yet not know not be sensible that he hath acting Grace We see persons frequently under great temptations of apprehension that they have no Grace at all and yet at the same time to the clearest conviction of all who are able to discern spiritual things sweetly and genuinely to act Faith Love Submission unto God and that in an high and eminent manner Psa. 88. Heman complains that he was free among the dead a man of no strength vers 4 5. as one that had no spiritual life no Grace This afflicted his mind and almost distracted him vers 15. and yet there can be no greater expressions of Faith and Love to God than are mixed with his complaints These things I say then are not to be judged of by spiritual sense but we are to live by faith about them And no soul ought to conclude that because it hath not the one it hath not the other that because it hath not Joy and Peace it hath no interest in pardon and forgiveness RULE VII The seventh Rule Mix not foundation and building work together The eighth spend no time in heartless complaints c. Mix not too much foundation and building work together Our foundation in dealing with God is Christ alone meer Grace and Pardon in him Our Building is in and by Holiness and Obedience as the fruits of that faith by which we have received the Attonemont And great mistakes there are in this matter which bring great intanglements on the souls of men Some are all their daies laying of the foundation and are never able to
the words themselves that he uses according as we opened them before 2. In the Emphatical reduplication yea triplication of his expression of it I wait for God my soul waiteth for God my soul for the Lord. 3. In the Comparison instituted between his discharge of his duty and others performances of a corporal watch with the greatest care and diligence more than they that watch for the morning So that we have 1. The duty he performed earnest Waiting and Expectation 2. The Object of his waiting Jehovah himself 3. His Supportment in that duty the Word of promise 4. The Manner of his performance of it 1. With Earnestness and diligence 2. With Perseverance Let us then now Consider the Words as they contain the frame and working of a sin entangled soul. Having been raised out of his depths by the discovery of forgiveness in God as was before declared yet not being immediately made partaker of that forgiveness as to a comforting sense of it he gathers up his soul from wandring from God and supports it from sinking under his present condition It is saith he Jehovah alone with whom is forgiveness that can relieve and do me good his favour his loving kindness his communication of mercy and Grace from thence is that which I stand in need of on him therefore do I with all heedfulness attend on him do I wait my soul is filled with expectation from him surely he will come to me he will come and refresh me though he seem as yet to be afar of and to leave me in these depths yet I have his word of promise to support and stay my soul on which I will lean untill I obtain the enjoyment of him and his kindness which is better than life And this is the frame of a sin entangled Soul who hath really by faith discovered forgiveness in God but is not yet made partaker of a comforting refreshing sense of it And we may represent it in the ensuing Observations Obs. 1. The first proper fruit of faiths discovery of forgiveness in God unto a sin distressed soul is waiting in patience and Expectation Obs. 2. The proper Object of a sin distressed souls waiting and expecting is God himself as reconciled in Christ I have waited for Jehovah Obs. 3. The Word of promise is the souls great supportment in waiting for God in thy Word do I hope Obs. 4. Sin distressed Souls wait for God with earnest intention of mind diligence and expectation from the redoubling of the Expression Obs. 5. Continuance in waiting untill God appears to the soul is necessary and prevailing Necessary as that without which we cannot attain assistance and prevailing as that wherein we shall never fail Obs. 6. Establishment in waiting where there is no present sense of forgiveness yet gives the soul much secret Rest and Comfort This Observation ariseth from the influence that these Verses have unto those that follow The Psalmist having attained thus far can now look about him and begin to deal with others and exhort them to an Expectation of Grace and mercy And thus though the soul be not absolutely in the haven of Consolation where it would be yet it hath cast out an Anchor that gives it Establishment and Security Though it be yet tossed yet it is secured from Shipwrack and is rather sick than in danger A waiting Condition is a condition of Safety Hence it is that he now turns himself to others and upon the Experience of the discovery that he had made of forgiveness in God and the Establishment and consolation he found in waiting on him he calls upon and incourageth others to the same duty v. 7 8. The Propositions laid down I shall briefly pass through still with respect unto the State and Condition of the Soul represented in the Psalm Many things that might justly be insisted on in the improvement of these Truths have been anticipated in our former General Rules To them we must therefore sometimes have recourse because they must not be again repeated On this account I say we shall pass through them with all briefness possible yet so as not wholly to omit any directions that are here tendred unto us as to the guidance of the soul whose condition and the working of whose faith is here described This therefore in the first place is proposed The first proper fruit of faiths discovery of forgiveness in God unto a sin-distressed soul is waiting in patience and expectation This the Psalmist openly and directly applies himself unto and expresseth to have been as his duty so his practice And he doth it so emphatically as was manifested in the opening of the words that I know not that any duty is any where in the Scripture so recommended and lively represented unto us You must therefore for the right understanding of it call to mind what hath been spoken concerning the state of the soul inquired into its depths intanglements and sense of sin with its Application unto God about those things As also remember what hath been delivered about the nature of forgiveness with the Revelation that is made of it unto the faith of Believers And that this may be done where the soul hath no refreshing sense of its own interest therein It knows not that its own sins are forgiven although it believes that there is forgiveness with God Now the principal duty that is incumbent on such a soul is that laid down in the proposition namely patient waiting and expectation Two things must be done in reference hereunto First The nature of the duty it self is to be declared And secondly The necessity and usefulness of its practice is to be evinced and demonstrated For the Nature of it something hath been intimated giving light into it in the opening of the words here used by the Psalmist to express it by But we may observe that these duties as required of us do not consist in any particular acting of the soul but in the whole spiritual frame and deportment of it in reference unto the End aimed at in and by them And this waiting as here and elsewhere commended unto us and which is comprehensive of the especial duties of the soul in the case insisted on and described comprehends these three things 1. Quietness in Opposition to haste and tumultuating of spirit 2. Diligence in Opposition to spiritual sloth despondency and neglect of means 3. Expectation in Opposition to despair distrust and other proper immediate actings of unbelief 1. Quietness Hence this waiting it self is sometimes expressed by silence To wait is to be silent Lam. 3. 6. It is good both to hope ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and to be silent for the salvation of the Lord that is to wait quietly as we have rendred the word And the same word we render sometimes to rest as Psal. 37. 7. Rest on the Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be silent unto him where it is joyned with hoping or waiting as that which belongs unto
the nature of it and so in sundry other places And this God in an especial manner calleth souls unto in straights and distresses In quietness and confidence saith he shall be your strength Isa. 30. 15. And the effect of the Righteousness of God by Christ is said to be Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa. 32. 17. First Quietness and then Assurance Now this silence and quietness which accompanieth waiting yea which is an essential part of it is opposed first to Haste and Haste is the souls undue lifting up its self proceeding from a weariness of its condition to press after an end of its troubles not according to the conduct of the Spirit of God Thus when God calleth his people to waiting he expresseth the contrary acting unto this duty by the lifting up of the soul Hab. 2. 3 4. Though the vision tarry wait for it behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the Just shall live by faith God hath given unto the soul a vision of Peace through the discovery of that forgiveness which is with him but he will have us wait for an actual participation of it unto rest and comfort He that will not do so but lifts up his soul that is in making haste beyond the Rule and Method of the Spirit of God in this matter his heart is not upright in him nor will he know what it is to live by faith This ruines and disappoints many a soul in its attempts for forgiveness The Prophet speaking of this matter tells us that He that believeth shall not nor will not make haste Isa. 28. 16. Which words the Apostle twice making use of Rom. 9. 33 chap. 10 11. in both places renders them Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed or confounded And that because this Haste turns men off from believing and so disappoints their hopes and leaves them unto shame and confusion Men with a sense of the guilt of sin having some discovery made to them of the Rest Ease and Peace which they may obtain to their souls by forgiveness are ready to catch greedily at it and to make false unsound undue applications of it unto themselves They cannot bear the yoak that the Lord hath put upon them but grow impatient under it and cry with Rachel Give me children or I dye Any way they would obtain it Now as the first duty of such a soul is to apply its self unto waiting so the first entrance into waiting consists in this Silence and Quietness of heart and spirit This is the souls endeavour to keep its self humble satisfied with the soveraign pleasure of God in its condition and refusing all waies and means of Rest and Peace but what it is guided and directed unto by the Word and Spirit 2. As it is opposed unto Haste so it is unto tumultuating thoughts and vexatious disquietments the soul is silent Psal. 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it He redoubles the expression whereby he sets out his endeavour to quiet and still his soul in the Will of God In the condition discoursed of the soul is apt to have many tumultuating thoughts or a multitude of perplexing thoughts of no use or advantage unto it How they are to be watched against and rejected was before declared in our General Rules This Quietness in waiting will prevent them And this is the first thing in the duty prescribed Secondly Diligence in Opposition unto spiritual sloth is included in it also Diligence is the activity of the mind in the regular use of means for the pursuit of any end proposed The End aimed at by the soul is a comforting refreshing interest in that forgiveness that is with God For the attaining hereof there are sundry means instituted and blessed of God A neglect of them through regardlesness or sloth will certainly disappoint the soul from attaining that end It is confessedly so in things natural He that soweth not must not think to reap he that cloatheth not himself will not be warm nor he enjoy health who neglects the means of it Men understand this as to their outward concerns And although they have a due respect unto the blessing of God yet they expect not to be rich without industry in their waies It is so also in things spiritual God hath appointed one thing to be the means of obtaining another in the use of them doth he bless us and from the use of them doth his Glory arise because they are his own appointments And this diligence wholly respecteth practice or the regular use of means A man is said to be diligent in business to have a diligent hand though it be an Affection of the mind yet it simply respects Practice and Operation This diligence in his waiting David expresseth Psal. 40. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã We render it I have waited patiently that is waiting I have waited that is diligently earnestly in the use of means So he describes this duty by an elegant similitude Psal. 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy on us Servants that wait on their Masters and look to their hands it is to expect an intimation of their minds as to what they would have them do that they may address themselves unto it So saith he do we wait for mercy not in a slothfull neglect of duties but in a constant readiness to observe the Will of God in all his commands An instance hereof we have in the Spouse when she was in the condition here described Cant. 3. 1 2. She wanted the presence of her Beloved which amounts to the same state which we have under consideration For where the presence of Christ is not there can be no sense of forgiveness At first she seeks him upon her bed by night upon my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not She seems herein to have gone no further than desires for she was in her bed where she could do no more and the issue is she found him not but doth she so satisfie her self and lye still waiting until he should come there unto her no she sayes she will rise now and go about the City in the streets and in the broad waies I will seek him whom my soul loveth She resolves to put her self into the use of all means whereby one may be sought that is wanting In the City Streets and Fields she would enquire after him And the blessed success she had herein is reported vers 4. She found him she held him she would not let him go This then belongs unto the waiting of the soul. Diligence in the use of means whereby God is pleased ordinarily to communicate a sense of pardon and forgiveness is a principal part of it What these means
iniquities that is of the Elect Israel and every individual amongst them But the word signifies trouble as well as sin especially that trouble or punishment that is for sin So Cain expresseth himself upon the denunciation of his sentence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã my sin that is the punishment thou hast denounced against my sin is too great or heavy for me to bear Gen. 4. 13. There is a near affinity between sin and trouble noxam poena sequitur punishment is inseparable from iniquity ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then the word here used signifies either sin with reference unto trouble due to it or trouble with respect unto sin whence it proceeds And both may here be well intended God shall redeem Israel from all his sins and troubles that have ensued thereon And this is the signification of the words which indeed are plain and obvious And these words close up the Psalm He who began with depths his own depths of sin and trouble out of which and about which he cryed out unto God is so incouraged by that prospect of grace and forgiveness with God which by faith he had obtained as to preach unto others and to support them in expectation of deliverance from all their sin and trouble also And such for the most part are all the exercises and trials of the children of God Their Entrance may be a strom but their close is a calm Their beginning is oftentimes trouble but their latter end is peace peace to themselves and advantage to the Church of God For men in all ages coming out of great trials of their own have been the most instrumental for the good of others For God doth not greatly exercise any of his but with some especial end for his own glory Secondly The sense and intendment of the Psalmist in these words is to be considered and that resolves it self into three general parts 1. An Exhortation or Admonition Israel hope in the Lord or expect Jehovah 2. A ground of Incouragement unto the performance of the Duty exhorted unto Because with the Lord there is much plenteous abundant precious Redemption 3. A gracious Promise of a blessed issue which shall be given unto the performance of this duty He shall redeem Israel from all his sins and out of all his troubles In the Exhortation there occurs 1. The persons exhorted that is Israel not Israel according to the flesh for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9. 6. But it is the Israel mentioned Psal. 73. 1. The whole Israel of God to whom he is good such as are of a clean heart that is all those who are interested in the Covenant and do inherit the promise of their forefathers who was first called by that name All Believers and the Psalmist treats them all in general in this matter 1. Because there is none of them but have their trials and intanglements about sin more or less As there is none that liveth and sinneth not so there is none sinneth and is not intangled and troubled Perhaps then they are not all of them in the same condition with him in the depths that he was plunged into Yet more or less all and every one of them is so far concerned in sin as to need his direction All the Saints of God either have been or are or may be in these depths It is a good saying of Austin on this place Valde sunt in profundo qui non clamant de profundo None so in the deep as they who do not cry and call out of the deep They are in a deep of security who are never sensible of a deep of sin 2. There is none of them whatever their present condition he but they may fall into the like depths with those of the Psalmist There is nothing absolutely in the Covenant nor in any Promise to secure them from it And what befalleth any one Believer may befall them all If any one Believer may fall totally away all may do so and not leave one in the world and so an end be put to the Kingdom of Christ which is no small evidence that they cannot so fall But they may fall into depths of sin that some of them have done so we have testimonies and instances beyond exception It is good then that all of them should be prepared for that duty which they may all stand in need of and a right discharge of it Besides the duty mentioned is not absolutely restrained to the condition before described But it is proper and accommodate unto other seasons also Therefore are all the Israel of God exhorted unto it 2. The duty it self is hoping in Jehovah with such an hope or trust as hath an expectation of relief joyned with it And there are two things included in this duty 1. The Renuntiation of any hopes in expectation of deliverance either from sin or trouble any other way hope in Jehovah this is frequently expressed where the performance of this duty is mentioned see Hos. 14. 3. Jer. 3. 22 23. And we have declared the nature of it in the exposition of the 1 and 2. verses 2. Expectation from him and this also hath been insisted on in the Observations from the verses immediately preceding wherein also the whole nature of this duty was explained and directions were given for the due performance of it Secondly The incouragement tendred unto this duty is the next thing in the words for with the Lord is plenteous Redemption wherein we may observe 1. What it is that he professeth as the great incouragement unto the duty mentioned and that is Redemption the Redemption that is with God upon the matter the same with the forgiveness before mentioned Mercy Pardon Benignity Bounty He doth not bid them hope in the Lord because they were the seed of Abraham the peculiar people of God made partakers of priviledges above all the people in the world much less because of their worthiness or that good that was in themselves but meerly upon the account of mercy in God of his Grace Goodness and Bounty The Mercy of God and the Redemption that is with him is the only ground unto sinners for hope and confidence in him 2. There are two great Concernments of this Grace the one expressed the other implied in the words The first is that it is much plenteous abundant That which principally discourageth distressed souls from a comfortable waiting on God is their fears lest they should not obtain mercy from him and that because their sins are so great and so many or attended with such circumstances and aggravations as that it is impossible they should find acceptance with God This ground of despondency and unbelief the Psalmist obviates by representing the fulness the plenty the boundless plenty of the mercy that is with God It is such as will suit the condition of the greatest sinners in their greatest depths the stores of its treasures are inexhaustible And the force of the
A Practical EXPOSITION ON THE 130th Psalm WHEREIN The Nature of the Forgiveness of Sin is declared the truth and reality of it asserted AND The Case of a Soul distressed with the Guilt of Sin and relieved by a discovery of Forgiveness with God is at large discoursed By John Owen D. D. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-Street 1669. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE ensuing Exposition and Discourses are intended for the benefit of those whose spiritual state and condition is represented in the Psalm here explained That these are not a few that they are many yea that to some part or parts of it they are all who believe both the Scriptures and their own Experience will bear Testimony Some of them it may be will inquire into and after their own concernments as they are here declared To be serviceable to their Faith Peace and Spiritual consolation hath been the whole of my design If they meet with any discovery of Truth any due application of it to their consciences any declaration of the sense and mind of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures suitable unto their condition and usefull to their edification much of my end and purpose is obtained I know some there are that dislike all discourses of this nature and look upon them with contempt and scorn But why they should so do I know not unless the Gospel it self and all the mysteries of it be folly unto them Sin and Grace in their original causes various respects consequents and ends are the principal subjects of the whole Scripture of the whole Revelation of the Will of God to Mankind In these do our present and eternal concernments lye and from and by them hath God designed the great and everlasting exaltation of his own Glory Upon these do turn all the transactions that are between God and the souls of men That it should be an endeavour needless or superfluous to inquire into the Will of God about and our own interest in these things who can imagine Two waies there are whereby this may be done First Speculatively by a due investigation of the nature of these things according as their Doctrine is declared in the Scripture An endeavour according to the mind of God herein is just and commendable and comprehensive of most of the chief heads of Divinity But this is not to be engaged in for its own sake The knowledge of God and spiritual things have this proportion unto practical Sciences that the end of all its notions and Doctrines consists in practice Wherefore Secondly These things are to be considered practically that is as the souls and consciences of men are actually concerned in them and conversant about them How men contract the guilt of sin what sense they have and ought to have thereof what danger they are liable unto thereon what perplexities and distresses their souls and consciences are reduced to thereby what courses they fix upon for their relief as also what is that Grace of God whereby alone they may be delivered wherein it consists how it was prepared how purchased how it is proposed and how it may be attained what effects and consequents a participation of it doth produce how in these things Faith and obedience unto God dependance on him submission to him waiting for him are to be exercised is the principal work that those who are called unto the dispensation of the Gospel ought to enquire into themselves and to acquaint others withall In the right and due management of these things whether by writing or oral-instruction with prudence diligence and zeal doth consist their principal usefulness in reference unto the Glory of God and the everlasting welfare of the Souls of men And they are under a great mistake who suppose it an easie and a common matter to treat of these practical things usefully to the edification of them that do believe Because both the nature of the things themselves with the concerns of the souls and consciences of all sorts of Persons in them require that they be handled plainly and without those intermixtures of secular Learning and additions of ornaments of speech which discourses of other natures may on ought to be composed and set off withall some judging by meer outward appearances especially if they be of them from whom the true nature of the things themselves treated of are hid are ready to despise and scorn the plain management of them as that which hath nothing of wisdom or learning accompanying of it no effects of any commendable ability of mind for which it should be esteemed But it is not expressible how great a mistake such persons through their own darkness and ignorance do labour under In a right spiritual understanding in a due perception and comprehension of these things the things of the sins of Men and Grace of God consists the greatest part of that wisdom of that soundness of mind of that knowledge rightly so called which the Gospel commands exhibits and puts a valuation upon To reveal and declare them unto others in words of Truth and Soberness fit and meet to express them unto the understandings of men opened and enlightned by the same spirit by whom the things themselves are originally revealed to derive such sacred spiritual Truths from the Word and by a due preparation to communicate and apply them to the Souls and Consciences of men contains a principal part of that ministerial skill and ability which are required in the dispensers of the Gospel and wherein a severe exercise of sound learning judgement and care is necessary to be found and may be fully expressed Into this Treasurie towards the Service of the House of God it is that I have cast my mite in the ensuing Exposition and discourses on the 130th Psalm The design of the Holy Ghost was therein to express and represent in the Person and condition of the Psalmist the case of a soul intangled and ready to be overwhelmed with the guilt of sin relieved by a discovery of Grace and Forgiveness in God with its deportment upon a participation of that relief After the Exposition of the words of the Text my design and endeavour hath been only to enlarge the Pourtraicture here given us in the Psalm of a Believing soul in and under the condition mentioned to render the lines of it more visible and to make the Characters given in its description more legible and withall to give unto others in the like condition with the Psalmist a light to understand and discern themselves in that Image and representation which is here made of them in the Person of another To this end have I been forced to enlarge on the two great heads of Sin and Grace especially on the latter here called the forgiveness that is with God An Interest herein a participation hereof being our principal concernment in this World and the
unto thee O Lord Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 2. His enquiry after relief and therein are two things that present themselves unto him the one whereof which first offers the consideration of its self to him in his distress he deprecates ver 3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand The other he closeth withal and finds relief in it and supportment by it ver 5. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Upon this his discovery and fixing on relief there is the acting of his Faith and the deportment of his whole Person 1. Towards God ver 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 2. Towards the Saints ver 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his Iniquities All which parts and the various concernments of them must be opened severally And this also gives an account of what is my design from and upon the words of this Psalm namely to declare the perplexed intanglements which may befall a gracious soul such a one as this Psalmist was with the nature and proper workings of Faith in such a condition Principally aiming at what it is that gives a soul relief and supportment in and afterward deliverance from such a perplexed estate The Lord in Mercy dispose of these Meditations in such a way and manner as that both he that writes and they that read may be made partakers of the benefit relief and consolation intended for his Saints in this Psalm by the Holy Ghost The State and Condition of the soul represented in the Psalm The two first Verses opened The State and Condition of the soul here represented as the Basis on which the process of the Psalm is built with its deportment or the general acting of its Faith in that state is expressed in the two first Verses Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord. Lord hear my voyce let thine ears be attentive to the voyce of my supplications 1. The present state of the soul under consideration is included in that expression out of the Depths Some of the Antients as Chrysostom suppose this expression to relate unto the depths of the heart of the Psalmist ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not from the mouth or tongue only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but from the depth and bottom of the heart ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the deepest recesses of the mind And indeed the word is used to express the depths of the hearts of Men but utterly in another sense Psal. 64. 6. The heart is deep But the obvious sense of the place and the constant use of the word will not admit of this Interpretation è Profund is from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã profundus fuit is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the plural number Profunditates or depths It is commonly used for Vallies or any deep places whatever but especially of Waters Vallies and deep Places because of their Darkness and Solitariness are accounted places of horror helplesness and trouble Psal. 23. 4. When I walk in the Valley of the shadow of Death that is in the extremity of danger and trouble The Moral use of the word as expressing the state and condition of the souls of men is metaphorical These Depths then are difficulties or pressures attended with fear horror danger and trouble And they are of two sorts 1. Providential in respect of outward distresses Calamities and Afflictions Psal. 69. 1. Save me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul I stick in the mire of the deep and there is no standing I am come ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into the depths of waters and the flood overflows me It is trouble and the extremity of it that the Psalmist complains of and which he thus expresseth He was brought by it into a condition like unto a man ready to be drowned being cast into the bottom of deep and miry waters where he had no firm foundation to stand upon nor ability to come out as he farther explains himself ver 15. 2. There are internal Depths Depths of Conscience upon the account of sin Psal. 88. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps What he intends by this expression the Psalmist declares in the next words v. 7. Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me Sense of Gods wrath upon his conscience upon the account of sin was the deep he was cast into So v. 15. speaking of the same matter saith he I suffer thy terrors and v. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me Which he calls water waves and deeps according to the Metaphor before opened And these are the deeps that are here principally intended Clamat sub molibus fluctibus iniquitatum suarum sayes Austin on the place He cryes out under the weight and waves of his sins This the ensuing Psalm makes evident Desiring to be delivered from these depths out of which he cryed he deals with God wholly about mercy and forgiveness and it is sin alone from which forgiveness is a Deliverance The Doctrine also that he preacheth upon his Delivery is that of Mercy Grace and Redemption as is manifest from the close of the Psalm And what we have deliverance by is most upon our hearts when we are delivered It is true indeed that these deeps do oftentimes concurr as David speaks Deep calleth upon deep Psal. 4. 2. 7. The deeps of Affliction awaken the Conscience to a deep sense of sin But sin is the Disease Affliction only a Symptome of it and in attending a Cure the disease it self is principally to be heeded the symptome will follow or depart of its self Many Interpreters think that this was now Davids condition by great trouble and distress he was greatly minded of sin and we must not therefore wholly pass over that intendment of the word though we are chiefly to respect that which he himself in this address unto God did principally regard This in general is the state and condition of the soul mannaged in this Psalm and is as the key to the ensuing discourse or the hinge on which it turns As to my intendment from the Psalm That which ariseth from hence may be comprized in these two Propositions 1. Gracious souls after much Communion with God may be brought into inextricable depths and intanglements on the account of sin For such the Psalmist here expresseth his own condition to have been and such he was 2. The inward root of outward distresses is principally to be attended in all pressing tryals sin in Afflictions Gracious souls may be brought into depths on the account of sin What those Depths are Before I
fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as to the prevailing apprehension of their minds And Sixthly God secretly sends his Arrows into the soul that wound and gall it adding pain trouble and disquietness to its disconsolation Psalm 38. 2. Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore Ever and anon in his walking God shot a sharp piercing arrow fixing it on his soul that galled wounded and perplexed him filling him with pain and grievous vexation These arrows are Gods rebukes Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity God speaks in his Word and by his Spirit in the Conscience things sharp and bitter to the soul fastning them so as it cannot shake them out These Job so mournfully complains of Chap. 6. 4. The Lord speaks words with that efficacy that they piecce the heart quite through and what the issue then is David declares Psal. 38 3. There is no soundness saith he in my flesh because of thine anger nor is there any rest in my bones because of my sin The whole person is brought under the power of them and all health and rest is taken away and Seventhly Unspiritedness and disability unto Duty in doing or suffering attend such a condition Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up His spiritual strength was worn away by sin so that he was not able to address himself unto any communion with God The soul now cannot pray with life and power cannot hear with joy and profit cannot do good and communicate with cheerfulness and freedom cannot meditate with delight and heavenly mindedness cannot act for God with zeal and liberty cannot think of suffering with boldness and resolution but is sick weak feeble and bowed down Now I say a gracious soul after much communion with God may on the account of sin by a sense of the guilt of it be brought into a state and condition wherein some more or all of these with other the like perplexities may be its portion And these make up the Depths whereof the Pfalmist here complains What are the sins or of what sorts that ordinarily cast the souls of Believers into these depths shall be afterwards declared I shall now shew both whence it is that Believers may fall into such a condition as also whence it is that oftentimes they actually do so Whence it is that Believers may be brought into depths on the account of sin Nature of the supplies of Grace given in the Covenant How far they extend Principles of the power of sin First The Nature of the Covenant wherein all Believers now walk with God and wherein all their whole provision for obedience is enwrapped leaves it possible for them to fall into these depths that have been mentioned Under the first Covenant there was no mercy or forgiveness provided for any sin It was necessary then that it should exhibit a sufficiency of Grace to preserve from every sin or it could have been of no use at all This the Rigteousness of God required and so it was To have made a Covenant wherein there was no provision at all of pardon and not a sufficiency of Grace to keep the Covenanters from need of pardon was not answerable to the Goodness and Righteousness of God But he made man upright who of his own accord sought out many inventions It is not so in the Covenant of Grace There is in it pardon provided in the blood of Christ It is not therefore of indispensible necessity that there should be administred in it Grace effectually preserving from every sin Yet is it on all accounts to be preferred before the other For besides the relief by pardon which the other knew nothing of there is in it also much provision against sin which was not in the other First There is provision made in it against all and every sin that would disannull the Covenant and make a final separation between God and a soul that hath been once taken into the bond thereof This provision is absolute God hath taken upon himself the making of this good and the establishing this Law of the Covenant that it shall not by any sin be disannulled Jor. 32. 40. I will saith God make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The security hereof depends not on any thing in our selves All that is in us is to be used as a means of the accomplishment of this Promise but the event or issue depends absolutely on the faithfulness of God And the whole certainty and stability of the Covenant depends on the efficacy of the Grace administred in it to preserve men from all such sins as would disanull it Secondly There is in this Covenant provision made for constant peace and consolation notwithstanding and against the guilt of such sins as through their infirmities and temptations believers are daily exposed unto Though they fall into sins every day yet they do not fall into depths every day In the tenour of this Covenant there is a consistency between a sense of sin unto humiliation and peace with strong consolation After the Apostle had described the whole conflict that Believers have with sin and the frequent wounds which they receive thereby which makes them cry out for deliverance Rom. 7. 24. He yet concludes Chap. 8. 1. that there is no condemnation unto them which is a sufficient and stable foundation of Peace So 1 John 2. 1. These things have I written unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Our great business and care ought to be that we sin not but yet when we have done our utmost if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves Chap. 1. 8. What then shall poor sinful guilty creatures do why let them go to the Father by their Advocate and they shall not fail of pardon and peace And saith Paul Heb 6. 17 18. God is abundantly willing that we might have strong consolation who fly for resuge to lay hold on the hope set before us What was his condition who fled of old to the City of refuge for safety from whence this expression is taken He was guilty of blood though shed at unawares and so as that he was to dye for it if he escaped not to the City of Refuge Though we may have the guilt of sins upon us that the Law pronounceth death unto yet flying to Christ for refuge God hath provided not only safety but strong consolation for us also Forgiveness in the blood of Christ doth not only take guilt from the soul but trouble also from the conscience And in this respect doth the Apostle at large set forth the Excellency of his Sacrifice Heb. 10. The Sacrifices of the Old Law he
is spoken relates to the sense of sinners in their own souls and not to the nature of the thing it self There is in the Gospel consolation provided against the greatest as well as the least sins The difference ariseth from Gods Soveraign communication of it according to that tenor of the Covenants Administration which we have laid down Hence because under Moses's Law there was an exception made of some sins for which there was no Sacrifice appointed so that those who were guilty of them could no way be justified from them that is carnally as to their interest in the Judaical Church and Polity Paul tells the Jews Acts 13. 38 39. That through Jesus Christ was preached unto them the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses There is now no exception of any particular sins as to pardon and peace but what we have spoken relates unto the manner and way wherein God is pleased to administer consolation to the souls of sinning Believers And this is the Evidence which I shall offer to prove that the souls of Believers after much Gracious Communion with God may yet fall into inextricable depths on the account of sin whence it is that actually they oftentimes do so shall be farther declared The Principles of this Assertion are known I shall therefore only touch upon them First The nature of Indwelling-sin as it remains in the best of the Saints in this life being a little considered will evidence unto us from whence it is that they are sometimes surprized and plunged into the depths mentioned For First Though the strength of every sin be weakned by Grace yet the root of no sin is in this life wholly taken away Lust is like the stubborn Canaanites who after the general conquest of the Land would yet dwell in it still Judg. 17. 12. Indeed when Israel grew strong they brought them under tribute but they could not utterly expell them The Kingdom and Rule belongs to Grace and when it grows strong it brings sin much under but it will not wholly be driven out The Body of Death is not utterly to be done away but in and by the Death of the Body In the flesh of the best Saints there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 8. but the contrary is there that is the root of all evil The flesh lusteth against the Spirit as the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. As then there is an Universality in the actings of the Spirit in its opposing all evil so also there is an Universality in the actings of the flesh for the furtherance of it Secondly Some Lusts or branches of original corruption do obtain in some persons such advantages either from Nature Custom Employment Society or the like Circumstances that they become like the Canaanites that had iron Chariots it is a very difficult thing to subdue them Well it is if War be maintained constantly against them for they will almost alwayes be in actual Rebellion Thirdly Indwelling-Sin though weakned retaineth all its properties the properties of a thing follow its nature Where the nature of any thing is there are all its natural properties What are these properties of Indwelling Sin I should here declare but that I have handled the whole power and efficacy the nature and properties of it in a Treatise to that only purpose In brief they are such as it is no wonder that some Believers are by them cast into depths but it is indeed that any do escape them But hereof the Reader may see at large my Discourse on this particular subject Secondly Add hereunto the power and prevalency of temptation which because also I have already in a special Discourse to that purpose insisted on I shall not here farther lay open Thirdly The Soveraign pleasure of God in dealing with sinning Saints must also be considered Divine Love and Wisdom work not towards all in the same manner God is pleased to continue Peace unto some with a non-obstante for great provocations Love shall humble them and rebukes of kindness shall recover them from their wandrings Others he is pleased to bring into the depths we have been speaking of But yet I may say generally signal provocations meet with one of these two events from God First Those in whom they are are left unto some signal barrenness and fruitlesness in their Generations they shall wither grow barren worldly sapless and be much cast out of the hearts of the people of God Or Secondly They shall be exercised in these depths from whence their way of deliverance is laid down in this Psalm Thus I say God deals with his Saints in great variety Some shall have all their bones broken when others shall have only the gentle strokes of the rod. We are in the hand of Mercy and he may deal with us as seems good unto him but for our parts great sins ought to be attended with expectations of great depths and preplexities And this is the state of the soul proposed in this Psalm and by us unto consideration These are the depths wherein it is entangled these the wayes and means whereby it is brought into these depths It s deportment in and under this state and condition lyes next in our way But before I proceed thereunto I shall annex some few things unto what hath been delivered tending to the farther opening of the whole Case before us And they are 1. What are or of what sort those sins are which usually cast the souls of Believers into these depths and then 2. Insist on some Aggravations of them What sins usually bring Believers into great spiritual distresses Aggravations of those sins First Sins in their own nature wasting Conscience are of this sort Sins that rise in opposition unto all of God that is in us that is the light of Grace and Nature also Such are the sins that cast David into his depths Such are the sins enumerated 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Be not deceived saith the Apostle neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind Nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God Certain it is that Believers may fall into some of the sins here mentioned Some have done so as is left on record The Apostle says not those who have committed any of these sins but such sinners shall not inherit the Kingdom of God that is who live in these or any of these sins or any like unto them There is no provision of mercy made for such sinners These and the like are sins which in their own nature without the consideration of aggravating circumstances which yet indeed really in Believers they can never be without are able to plunge a soul into depths These sins cut the locks of mens spiritual strength and it is in vain for them to say
As ever you desire to come to rest avoid not this entrance of your passage unto it Weigh well and attend unto what the Law speaks of your sin and its desert or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness As ever you would have your souls justified by Grace take care to have your sins judged by the Law Secondly There is a respect in it to the Love of God And this breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner Sorrow from the Law shuts it self up in the soul and strangleth it Sorrow from the thoughts of the Love of God opens it and causseth it to flow forth Thoughts of sinning against the Love of God managed by the Holy Ghost what shall I say their effects in the heart are not to be expressed This made Ezra cry out O my God I blush and am ashamed to lift up my face to thee Chap. 9. 6. and v. 10. What shall we say after this After what why all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of Thoughts of love and sin laid together make the soul blush mourn be ashamed and confounded in its self So Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good When shall they do so when thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them and saith he then shall you loath your selves in your own sight The soul now calls to mind what Love what kindness what mercy what grace what patience hath been exercised towards it and whereof it hath been made partaker The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water Such Mercy such Communion such Priviledges such hopes of Glory such tastes of Heaven such Peace such Consolation such Joy such Communications of the Spirit all to a poor wretched cursed lost forlorn sinner and all this despised neglected the God of them all provoked forsaken Ah saith the soul Whither shall I cause my sorrow to go This fills him with shame and confusion of face makes him mourn in secret and sigh to the breaking of the loyns and then Thirdly The blood and Cross of Christ is also brought to remembrance by the Holy Ghost Ah saith the soul have I thus requited the wonderful astonishing Love of my Redeemer Is this the return the requital I have made unto him Are not Heaven and Earth astonished at the despising of that Love at which they are astonished This brake Peters heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ will in this condition sound in the ears of the soul. Did I love thee and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake Did I not think my life and all that was dear unto me too good for thee to save thee from the wrath to come Have I been a Wilderness unto thee or a land of darkness What could I have done more for thee when I had nothing left but my life blood and soul they went all for thee that thou mightest live by my death be washed in my blood and be saved through my souls being made an offering for thee And hast thou thus requited my love to prefer a lust before me the world before me or by meer sloth and folly to be turned away from me go unkind and unthankful soul and see if thou canst find another Redeemer This overwhelms the soul and even drowns it in tears and sorrow And then the bitterness also of the sufferings of Christ are brought to mind They look on him whom they have pierced and mourn Zech. 12. 10. They remember his gall and wormwood his cryes and tears his agony and sweat his desertion and anguish his blood and death the sharpness of the Sword that was in his soul and the bitterness of the Cup that was put into his hand Such a soul now looks on Christ bleeding dying wrestling with wrath and curse for him and seeth his sin in the streams of blood that issued from his side And all this encreaseth that sense of sin whereof we speak Also Fourthly It relates to the communion and consolations of the Holy Ghost with all the priviledges and fruits of Love we are by him made partakers of The Spirit is given to Believers upon the promise of Christ to dwell in them He takes up their hearts to be his dwelling place to what ends and purposes that he may purifie and sanctifie them make them holy and dedicate them to God to furnish them with Graces and gifts to interest them in priviledges to guide lead direct comfort them to seal them unto the day of Redemption Now this Spirit is grieved by sin Ephes. 4. 30. and his dwelling place defiled thereby 1 Cor. 6. 19. and 3. 17. Thoughts hereof greatly sharpen the spiritual sense of sin in a recovering soul. He considers what Light what Love what Joy what Consolation what Priviledges it hath by him been made partaker of what motions warnings workings to keep it from sin it hath found from him and sayes within it self What have I done whom have I grieved whom have I provoked what if the Lord should now for my folly and ingratitude utterly take his holy Spirit from me What if I should have so grieved him that he will dwell in me no more delight in me no more What dismal darkness and disconsolation yea what utter ruine should I be left unto However what shame and confusion of face belongs to me for my wretched disingenuity and ingratitude towards him This is the first thing that appears in the returning souls actings and frame a sincere sense of sin on the accounts mentioned wrought in it by the Holy Ghost And this a soul in the depths described must come unto if ever it expect or look for deliverance and a recovery Let not such persons expect to have a renewed sense of mercy without a revived sense of sin Secondly From hence proceedeth an ingenious free gracious Acknowledgement of sin Men may have a sense of sin and yet suffer it to lye burning as a fire shut up in their bones to their continual disquietment and not be able to come off unto a free soul opening acknowledgement Yea confession may be made in general and mention therein of that very sin wherewith the soul is most intangled and yet the soul come short of a due performance of this Duty Consider how the case stood with David Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long How could David keep silence and yet roar all the day long What is that silence which is consistent with roaring It is a meer negation of that duty which is expressed v. 5. that is intended I acknowledge my sins unto thee and mine iniquities I have not hid It was not a silence of submission and waiting on God that he intends That would not have produced a wasting of his spiritual strength as he complains
in all this dispensation aimed at by God Ephes. 1. 6. That which he is now doing is to bring the soul to glory in him 1 Cor. 1. 31. which is all the return he hath from his large and infinitely bountiful expence of Grace and Mercy Now nothing can render Grace conspicuous and glorious until the soul come to this frame Grace will not seem high until the soul be laid very low And this also suits or prepares the soul for the receiving of mercy in a sense of pardon the great thing aimed at on the part of the sinner And it prepares it for every duty that is incumbent on him in that condition wherein he is This brings the soul to waiting with diligence and patience If things presently answer not our expectation we are ready to think we have done what we can if it will be no better we must bear it as we are able which frame God abhors The soul in this frame is contented to wait the pleasure of God as we shall see in the close of the Psalm Oh saith such an one if ever I obtain a sense of Love if ever I enjoy one smile of his countenance more it is of unspeakable Grace Let him take his own time his own season it is good for me quietly to wait and to hope for his salvation And it puts the soul on prayer yea a soul alwayes in this frame prayes alwayes And there is nothing more evident than that want of a through engagement into the performance of these duties is the great cause why so few come clear off from their entanglements all their dayes Men heal their wounds slightly and therefore after a new painful festering they are brought into the same condition of restlesness and trouble which they were in before Grounds of miscarriages when persons are convinced of sin and humbled Resting in that state Resting on it The soul is not to be left in the state before described There is other work for it to apply it self unto if it intend to come unto Rest and peace It hath obtained an eminent advantage for the discovery of Forgiveness But to rest in that state wherein it is or to rest upon it will not bring it into its harbour Three things we discovered before in the souls first serious address unto God for deliverance sense of sin acknowledgement of it and self-condemnation Two evils there are which attend men oftentimes when they are brought into that state Some rest in it and press no farther some rest upon it and suppose that it is all which is required of them The Psalmist avoids both these and notwithstanding all his pressures reacheth out towards forgiveness as we shall see in the next verse I shall briefly unfold these two evils and shew the necessity of their avoidance First By resting or staying in it I mean the souls desponding through discouraging thoughts that deliverance is not to be obtained Being made deeply sensible of sin it is so overwhelmed with thoughts of its own vileness and unworthiness as to sink under the burden Such a soul is afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted Isa. 54. 11. until it is quite weary As a Ship in a storm at Sea when all means of contending are gone men give up themselves to be driven and tossed by the Winds and Seas at their pleasure This brought Israel to that state wherein he cryed out My way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Isa. 40. 27. and Zion The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Chap. 49. 14. The soul begins secretly to think there is no hope God regardeth it not it shall one day perish relief is far away and trouble nigh at hand These thoughts do so oppress them that though they forsake not God utterly to their destruction yet they draw not nigh unto him effectually to their consolation This is the first evil that the soul in this condition is enabled to avoid We know how God rebukes it in Sion Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Isaiah 49. 14. But how foolish is Sion how froward how unbelieving in this matter what ground hath she for such sinful despondencies such discouraging conclusions Can a woman saith the Lord forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee The like reproof he gives to Jacob upon the like complaint Chap. 40. 28 29 30. There is nothing that is more provoking to the Lord nor more disadvantagious unto the soul than such sinful despondency For First It insensibly weakens the soul and disenables it both for present duties and future endeavours Hence some poor creatures mourn and even pine away in this condition never getting one step beyond a perplexing sense of sin all their dayes Some have dwelt so long upon it and have so intangled themselves with a multitude of perplexed thoughts that at length their natural faculties have been weakned and rendred utterly useless so that they have lost both sense of sin and every thing else Against some Satan hath taken advantage to cast in so many intangling objections into their minds that their whole time hath been taken up in proposing doubts and objections against themselves with these they have gone up and down to one and another and being never able to come unto a consistency in their own thoughts they have spent all their dayes in a fruitless sapless withering comfortless condition Some with whom things come to a better issue are yet for a season brought to that discomposure of Spirit or are so filled with their own apprehensions that when the things which are most proper to their condition are spoken to them they take no impression in the least upon them Thus the soul is weakned by dwelling too long on these considerations until some cry with those in Ezek. 33. 10. Our sins are upon us we pine away in them and how should we then live Secondly This frame if it abides by its self will insensibly give countenance unto hard thoughts of God and so to repining and weariness in waiting on him At first the soul neither apprehends nor fears any such issue It supposeth that it shall condemn and abhorr it self and justifie God and that for ever But when relief comes not in this resolution begins to weaken Secret thoughts arise in the heart that God is austere inexorable and not to be dealt withall This sometimes casts forth such complaints as will bring the soul unto new complaints before it comes to have an issue of its tryals Here in humiliations antecedaneous to conversion many a convinced person perisheth They cannot wait Gods season and perish under their impatience And what the Saints of God themselves have been overtaken withal in their depths and tryals we have many examples and instances Delight and Expectation are the grounds of
propitious and is opposed to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a word composed of the same letters varied which is common in that Language signifying to cut off and destroy Now it is constantly applyed unto Sin and expresseth every thing that concurrs to its pardon or forgiveness As First It expresseth the Mind or Will of pardoning or Gods gracious readiness to forgive Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ready to forgive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã benign and meek or sparing propitious Of a gracious merciful heart and nature So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art O God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã propitiationum of propitiations or pardons or as we have rendered it ready to forgive a God of forgivenesses or all plenty of them is in thy gracious heart Isa. 55. 8. So that thou art alwayes ready to make out pardons to sinners The word is used again Dan. 9. 9. to the same purpose Secondly It regards the act of pardoning or actual forgiveness it self Psal. 103. 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who forgiveth all thine iniquities actually dischargeth thee of them which place the Apostle respecting renders the word by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Col. 3. 13. Having freely forgiven you for so much the word imports all your trespasses And this is the word that God useth in the Covenant in that great Promise of Grace and Pardon Jer. 31. 34. It is warrantable for us yea necessary to take the word in the utmost extent of its signification and use It is a word of favour and requires an interpretation tending towards the enlargement of it We see it may be rendered ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or propitiation ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Grace and venia or pardon and may denote these three things First The gracious tender merciful Heart and Will of God who is the God of pardons and forgiveness or one ready to forgive to give out mercy to add to pardor Secondly A respect unto Jesus Christ the only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or propitiation for sin as he is expresly called Rom. 3. 25. 1 John 2. 2. And this is that which interposeth between the gracious heart of God and the actual pardon of sinners All forgiveness is founded on propitiation Thirdly It denotes condonation or actual forgiveness it self as we are made partakers of it comprizing it both actively as it is an Act of Grace in God and passively as terminated in our souls with the deliverance that attends it In this sense as it looks downwards and in its effects respects us it is of meer Grace as it looks upwards to its causes and respects the Lord Christ it is from propitiation or attonement And this is that pardon which is administred in the Covenant of Grace Now as to the place which these words enjoy in this Psalm and their Relation to the state and condition of the soul here mentioned this seems to be their importance O Lord although this must be granted that if thou shouldst mark iniquities according to the tenor of the Law every man living must perish and that for ever yet there is hope for my soul that even I who am in the depths of sin-entanglements may find acceptance with thee for whilst I am putting my mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope I find that there is an Attonement a propitiation made for sin on the account whereof thou sayest thou hast found a Ransome and wilt not deal with them that come unto thee according to the severity and exigence of thy Justice but art gracious loving tender ready to forgive and pardon and dost so accordingly THERE IS FORGIVENESSE WITH THEE The following words therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared though in the Original free from all Ambiguity yet are so signally varyed by Interpreters that it may not be amiss to take notice of it in our passage The Targum hath it that thou mayst be seen This answers not the word but it doth the sense of the place well enough God in his displeasure is said to hide himself or his face Isaiah 8. 17. The Lord hideth his face from the house of Jacob. By forgiveness we obtain again the light of his countenance This dispels the darkness and clouds that are about him and gives us a comfortable prospect of his face and favour There is forgiveness with him that he may be seen Besides there is but one letter different in the Original words and that which is usually changed for the other The LXX render them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for thy names sake or thy own sake that is freely without any respect unto any thing in us This also would admit of a fair and sound construction but that there is more than ordinary evidence of the places being corrupted For the Vulgar Latin which as to the Psalms was translated out of the LXX renders these words propter legem tuam for thy Laws sake which makes it evident that that Translator reads the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as now we read Now though this hath in its self no proper sense for forgiveness is not bestowed for the Laws sake yet it discovers the original of the whole mistake ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The Law differs but in one letter from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that thou maist be feared by a mistake whereof this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for thy Law sake crept into the Text. Nor doth this any thing countenance the corrupt figment of the novelty of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents as though this difference might arise from the LXX using a copy that had none that is before their invention which might occasion mistakes and differences for this difference is in a Letter as well as the Vowels and therefore there can be no colour for this conceit unless we say also that they had Copies of old with other Consonants than those we now enjoy Bellarmine in his Exposition of this place endeavours to give countenance unto the reading of the Vulgar Latin for thy Laws sake affirming that by the Law here not the Law of our Obedience is intended but the Law or Order of Gods dealing with us that is his Mercy and Faithfulness which is a meer new Invention to countenance an old error which any tolerable ingenuity would have confessed rather than have justified by so sorry a pretence For neither is that expression or that word eyer used in the sense here by him faigned nor can it have any such signification Hierom renders these words utsis terribilis that thou maist be dreadful or terrible doubtless not according to the intendment of the place It is for the relieving of the soul and not for the increasing of its dread and terror that this observation is made there is forgiveness with thee But the words are clear and their sense is obvious ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã therefore thou shalt be feared or that thou maist be feared
them in the souls of men namely that all things stand between God and his Creatures as they did at their first Creation and as they have no natural notion of forgiveness so the interposition of sin weakens disturbs darkens them as to any improvement of those Apprehensions of Goodness and Benignity which they have If they have any notion of forgiveness it is from some corrupt Tradition and not at all from any universal Principle that is inbred in nature such as are those which they have of Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice And this is the first ground from whence it appears that a real solid discovery of forgiveness is indeed a great work many difficulties and hinderances lye in the way of its accomplishment False Presumptions of Forgiveness discovered Differences between them and Faith Evangelical Before I proceed to produce and manage the remaining Evidences of this Truth because what hath been spoken lyes obnoxious and open to an Objection which must needs rise in the minds of many that it may not thereby be rendered useless unto them I shall remove it out of the way that we may pass on to what remains It will then be said doth not all this lye directly contrary to our daily experience Do we not find all men full enough most too full of Apprehensions of Forgiveness with God What so common as God is merciful Are not the Consciences and Convictions of the most stifled by this Apprehension Can you find a man that is otherwise minded Is it not a common complaint that men presume on it unto their eternal ruine Certainly then that which all men do which every man can so easily do and which you cannot keep men off from doing though it be to their hurt hath no such difficulty in it as is pretended And on this very account hath this weak endeavour to demonstrate this Truth been by some laughed to scorn men who have taken upon them the teaching of others but as it seems had need be taught themselves the very first Principles of the Oracles of God Answ. All this then I say is so and much more to this purpose may be spoken The solly and presumption of poor souls herein can never be enough lamented But it is one thing to embrace a cloud a shadow another to have the truth in reality I shall hereafter shew the true nature of forgiveness and wherein it doth consist whereby the vanity of this self-deceiving will be discovered and laid open It will appear in the issue that notwithstanding all their pretensions that the most of men know nothing at all or not any thing to the purpose of that which is under consideration I shall therefore for the present in some few Observations shew how far this delusion of many differs from a true Gospel discovery of forgiveness such as that we are enquiring after First The common notion of forgiveness that men have in the world is twofold 1. An Atheistical Presumption on God that he is not so Just and Holy or not Just and Holy in such a way and manner as he is by some represented is the ground of their perswasion of forgiveness Men think that some Declarations of God are fitted only to make them mad That he takes little notice of these things and that what he doth he will easily pass by as they suppose better becomes him Come Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye This is their inward thought the Lord will not do good nor will he do evil which sayes the Psalmist is mens thinking that God is such a one as themselves Psal. 50. 21. They have no deep nor serious thoughts of his Greatness Holiness Purity Severity but think that he is like themselves so far as not to be much moved with what they do What thoughts they have of sin the same they think God hath If with them a slight ejaculation be enough to expiate sin that their consciences be no more troubled they think it is enough with God that it be not punished The generality of men make light work of sin and yet in nothing doth it more appear what thoughts they have of God He that hath slight thoughts of sin had never great thoughts of God Indeed mens-undervaluing of sin ariseth meerly from their contempt of God All sins concernments flow from its Relation unto God And as mens apprehensions are of God so will they be of sin which is an Opposition to him This is the frame of the most of men they know little of God and are little troubled about any thing that relates unto him God is not reverenced sin is but a trifle forgiveness a matter of nothing who so will may have it for asking But shall this Atheistical wickedness of the heart of man be called a discovery of forgiveness Is not this to make God an Idol He who is not acquainted with Gods Holiness and Purity who knows not sins desert and sinfulness knows nothing of forgiveness Secondly From the doctrine of the Gospel commonly preached and made known there is a general notion begotten in the minds of men that God is ready to forgive Men I say from hence have a doctrinal Apprehension of this truth without any real satisfactory foundation of that Apprehension as to themselves This they have heard this they have been often told so they think and so they are resolved to do A general perswasion hereof spreads it self over all to whom the sound of the Gospel doth come It is not fiducially resolved into the Gospel but is an Opinion growing out of the Report of it Some relief men find by it in the common course of their Conversation in the duties of Worship which they do perform as also in their troables and distresses whether internal and of conscience or external and of Providence so that they resolve to retain it And this is that which I shall briefly speak unto and therein manifest the differences between this common prevailing Apprehension of forgiveness and Faiths discovery of it to the soul in its power First That which we reject is loose and general not fixed ingrafted or planted on the mind So is it alwayes where the minds of men receive things only in their notion and not in their power It wants fixedness and foundation which defects accompany all notions of the mind that are only retained in the memory not implanted in the Judgement They have general thoughts of it which they use as occasion serves They hear that God is a merciful God and as such they intend to deal with him For the true bottom rise and foundation of it whence or on what account the pure and holy God who will do no iniquity the Righteous God whose judgement it is that they that commit sin are worthy of death should yet pardon iniquity transgression and sin they weigh it not they consider it not or if they do it is in a slight and notional way as they consider
condition in the Scripture denotes every thing of disconsolation and trouble To be then in darkness where yet there is some light some relief though darkness be predominant is sad and disconsolate but now not only to be but also to walk that is to continue a course in darkness and that with no light no discovery of help or relief this seems an overwhelming condition yet sinners in this estate are called to trust in the name of the Lord. I have shewed before that nothing but forgiveness or that which influenceth it and encourageth to an Expectation of it is of any use unto a sinner much more one in so great distress upon the account of sin yet is such an one here sent only to the NAME of the Lord wherein his gracious heart and nature is revealed That then is the very Fountain and Spring of forgiveness And this is that which John would work a sense of upon our souls where he tells us that God is Love 1 Ep. Chap. 4. 8. or one of an infinitely Gracious Tender Good Compassionate Loving Nature Infinite Goodness and Grace is the soyl wherein forgiveness grows It is impossible this flower should spring from any other root Unless this be revealed to the soul forgiveness is not revealed To consider pardon meerly as it is terminated on our selves not as it flows from God will bring neither profit to us nor Glory to God And this also which is our design in hand will make it appear That this discovery of forgiveness whereof we speak is indeed no common thing is a great discovery Let men come with a sense of the guilt of sin to have deep and serious thoughts of God they will find it no such easie and light matter to have their hearts truly and throughly apprehensive of this loving and gracious nature of God in reference unto pardon It is an easie matter to say so in common but the soul will not find it so easie to believe it for it self What hath been spoken before concerning the ingrafted notions that are in the minds of men about the Justice Holiness and severity of God will here take place Though men profess that God is Gracious yet that Aversation which they have unto him and communion with him doth abundantly manifest that they do not believe what they say and profess if they did they could not but delight and trust in him which they do not for they that know his name will put their trust in him So said the slothful servant in the Gospel I knew that thou wast austere and not for me to deal withal it may be he professed otherwise before but that lay in his heart when it came to the tryal But this I say is necessary to them unto whom this discovery is to be made even a spiritual apprehension of the gracious loving heart and nature of God This is the spring of all that follows And the fountain must needs be infinitely sweet from whence such streams do flow He that considers the glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth with the things in them contained must needs conclude that they were the product of infinite Wisdom and Power nothing less or under them could have brought forth such an effect And he that really considereth forgiveness and looks on it with a spiritual eye must conclude that it comes from infinite Goodness and Grace And this is that which the Hearts of sinners are exercised about when they come to deal for pardon Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness And Micah 7. 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity because he delighteth in Mercy And God encourageth them hereunto whereever he says that he forgives sins and blots out iniquities for his own sake or his names sake that is he will deal with sinners according to the Goodness of his own Gracious Nature So Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man Were there no more Mercy Grace Compassion to be shewed in this case than it is possible should be treasured up in the heart of a man it would be impossible that Ephraim should be spared But saith he I am God and not Man Consider the infinite largeness bounty and goodness of the heart of God and there is yet hope When a sinner is in good earnest seeking after forgiveness there is nothing he is more solicitous about than the heart of God towards him nothing that he more labours to have a discovery of There is nothing that Sin and Satan labour more to hide from him This he rolls in his mind and exercises his thoughts about and if ever that voyce of God Isa. 27. 4. Fury is not in me sound in his heart he is relieved from his great distresses And the fear of our hearts in this matter our Saviour seems to intend the prevention or a removal of John 16. 26 27. I say not that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you They had good thoughts of the tender heart and care of Christ himself the Mediator towards them but what is the heart of the Father what acceptance shall they find with him Will Christ pray that they may find favour with him Why saith he as to the Love of his heart there is no need of it for the Father himself loveth you If this then belongeth to forgiveness as who ever hath sought for it knoweth that it doth it is certainly no common discovery to have it revealed unto us To have all the clouds and darkness that are raised by sin between us and the Throne of God dispelled to have the fire and storms and tempests that are kindled and stirred up about him by the Law removed to have his glorious face unvailed and his holy heart laid open and a view given of those infinite treasures and stores of Goodness Mercy Love and Kindness which have had an unchangeable habitation therein from all Eternity to have a discovery of these eternal springs of sorbearance and forgiveness is that which none but Christ can accomplish and bring about John 17. 6. Secondly This is not all This eternal Ocean that is infinitely satisfied with its own fulness and perfection doth not naturally yield forth streams for our refreshment Mercy and pardon do not come forth from God as Light doth from the Sun or Water from the Sea by a necessary consequence of their natures whether they will or no. It doth not necessarily follow that any one must be made partaker of forgiveness because God is infinitely Gracious For may he not do what he will with his own Who hath given first unto him that it should be recompenced unto him again Rom. 11. 35. All the fruits of Gods Goodness and Grace are in the sole keeping of
are spoken of his mercifulness and faithfulness to encourage us to expect forgiveness from him This also adds to the mysterious depths of forgiveness and makes its discovery a great matter The soul that looks after it in earnest must consider what it cost How light do most men make of pardon What an easie thing is it to be acquainted with it and no very hard matter to obtain it But to hold Communion with God in the blood of his Son is a thing of another nature than is once dreamed of by many who think they know well enough what it is to be pardoned God be merciful is a common saying and as common to desire he would be so for Christs sake Poor Creatures are cast into the mould of such expressions who know neither God nor Mercy nor Christ nor any thing of the mysterie of the Gospel Others look on the outside of the Cross to see into the mysterie of the Love of the Father working in the blood of the Mediator to consider by faith the great transaction of Divine Wisdom Justice and Mercy therein how few attain unto it To come unto God by Christ for forgiveness and therein to behold the Law issuing all its threats and curses in his blood and loosing its sting putting an end to its obligation unto punishment in the Cross to see all sins gathered up in the hand of Gods Justice and made to meet on the Mediator and eternal love springing forth triumphantly from his blood flourishing into Pardon Grace Mercy Forgiveness this the heart of a sinner can be enlarged unto only by the Spirit of God Thirdly There is in forgiveness free condonation discharge or pardon according to the tenor of the Gospel and this may be considered two wayes First As it lyes in the Promise it self and so it is Gods gracious declaration of pardon to sinners in and by the blood of Christ his Covenant to that end and purpose which is variously proposed according as he knew needful for all the ends and purposes of ingenerating faith and communicating that consolation which he intends therein This is the Law of his Grace the declaration of the mysterie of his love before insisted on Secondly There is the bringing home and Application of all this mercy to the soul of a sinner by the Holy Ghost wherein we are freely forgiven all our Trespasses Col. 2. 13. Gospel Forgiveness I say respects all these things these Principles they have all an influence into it And that which makes this more evident wherewith I shall close this consideration of the nature of it is that Faith in its Application of it self unto God about and for Forgiveness doth distinctly apply it self unto and close with sometimes one of these severally and singly sometimes another and sometimes jointly takes in the consideration of them all expresly Not that at any time it fixes on any or either of them exclusively to the others but that eminently it finds some special encouragement at some season and some peculiar attractive from some one of them more than from the rest and then that proves an inlet a door of entrance unto the treasures that are laid up in the rest of them Let us go over the severalls by Instances First Sometimes faith fixes upon the Name and infinite Goodness of the nature of God and draws out forgiveness from thence So doth the Psalmist Psal. 86. 6. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive He rolls himself in the pursuit and expectation of pardon on the infinite goodness of the nature of God So Nehem. 9. 17. Thou art a God of pardons or ready to forgive of an infinite gracious loving nature not severe and wrathful And this is that which we are encouraged unto Isa. 50. 10. to stay on the name of God as in innumerable other places And thus Faith oftentimes finds a peculiar sweetness and encouragement in and from the consideration of Gods gracious nature Sometimes this is the first thing that it fixes on and sometimes the last that it rests in and oft-times it makes a stay here when it is driven from all other holds It can say however it be yet God is gracious and at least make that conclusion which we have from it Joel 2. 13 14. God is gracious and merciful who knoweth but he will return And when faith hath well laid hold on this consideration it will not easily be driven from its expectation of relief and forgiveness even from hence Secondly Sometimes the soul by saith addresseth it self in a peculiar manner to the Soveraignty of Gods Will whereby he is gracious to whom he will be gracious and merciful to whom he will be merciful which as was shewed is another considerable Spring or Principle of forgiveness This way Davids faith steared him in his great streight and perplexity 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do unto me as seemeth good unto him That which he hath in consideration is whether God have any delight in him or no that is whether God would graciously remit and pardon the great sin against which at that time he manifested his indignation Here he layes himself down before the Soveraign Grace of God and awaits patiently the discovery of the free Act of his Will concerning him and at this door as it were enters into the consideration of those other springs of pardon which Faith enquires after and closeth withal This sometimes is all the cloud that appears to a distressed soul which after a while fills the Heavens by the addition of the other considerations mentioned and yields plentifully refreshing showers And this condition is a sin entangled soul oft-times reduced unto in looking out for relief It can discover nothing but this that God is able and can if he graciously please relieve and acquit him All other supportments all springs of relief are shut up or hid from him The springs indeed may be nigh as that was to Hagar but their eyes are withheld that they cannot see them Wherefore they cast themselves on Gods Soveraign pleasure and say with Job though he slay us we will put our trust in him we will not let him go In our selves we are lost that is unquestionable how the Lord will deal with us we know not we see not our signs and tokens any more evidences of Gods Grace in us or of his Love and favour unto us are all out of sight To a present special interest in Christ we are strangers and we lye every moment at the door of Eternity what course shall we take what way shall we proceed If we abide at a distance from God we shall assuredly perish who ever hardned himself against him and prospered Nor is there the least relief to be had but from and by him for who can forgive sins but God
as to a sense and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Christ procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the Attonement It flourisheth not without his sealing witnessing establishing and shedding abroad the Love of God in our hearts See Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. And what Believer ought not to long for and press after the enjoyment of these things Nay to read of these things in the Gospel not experiencing them in our own hearts and yet to sit down quietly on this side of them without continual pressing after them is to despise the blood of Christ the Spirit of Grace and the whole work of Gods Love If there are no such things the Gospel is not true if there are and we press not after them we are despisers of the Gospel Surely he hath not the Spirit who would not have more of him all of him that is promised by Christ. These things are the hundred fold that Christ hath left us in this world to counterpoise our sorrows troubles and losses And shall we be so foolish as to neglect our only abiding riches and treasures In particular it is the product of an exercised vigorous active faith That our faith should be such alwayes in every state and condition I suppose it our duty to endeavour Not only our comforts but our Obedience also depends upon it The more faith that is true and of the right kind the more obedience For all our obedience is the obedience of faith 2. For its own fruit and what it produceth they are the choicest actings of our souls towards God as Love delight rejoycing in the Lord Peace Joy and Consolation in our selves readiness to do or suffer chearfulness in so doing If they grow not from this root yet their flourishing wholly depends upon it So that surely it is the duty of every Believer to break through all difficulties in pressing after this particular Assurance The Objections that persons raise against themselves in this case may afterwards be considered 2. In ordinary dispensations of God towards us and dealings with us it is mostly our own negligence and sloth that we come short of this Assurance It is true it depends in a peculiar manner on the Soveraignty of God He is as absolute in giving Peace to believers as in giving Grace to sinners This takes place and may be proposed as a relief in times of tryals and distress He createth light and causeth darkness as he pleaseth But yet considering what Promises are made unto us What encouragements are given us what love and tenderness there is in God to receive us I cannot but conclude that ordinarily the cause of our coming short of this Assurance is where I have fixed it And this is the first thing that is supposed in the foregoing Assertion Secondly It is supposed that there is or may be a saving perswasion or discovery of forgiveness in God Where there is no Assurance of any particular interest therein or that our own sins in particular are pardoned This is that which hath a Promise of gracious Acceptance with God and is therefore saving Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is the fear of the Lord and Obedience with a blessed encouragement to rest in God and his Alsufficiency yet no Assurance nor light but darkness and that walked in or continued in for a long season For he cannot walk in darkness meet with nothing but darkness without any beam or ray of Light as the words signifie who is perswaded of the Love of God in the pardon of his sins And yet the faith of such an one and his Obedience springing from it have this Gracious Promise of Acceptance with God And innumerable testimonies to this purpose might be produced and instances in great plenty I shall only tender a little Evidence unto it in one Observation concerning the nature of faith and one more about the proposal of the thing to be believed or forgiveness And 1. Faith is called and is a cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4. 4. Ye that did cleave or adhere unto the Lord that is who did believe Josh. 23. 8. cleave or adhere unto the Lord your God The same word is used also in the New Testament Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord or continue stedfast in believing It is also often expressed by trusting in the Lord rolling our burden or casting our care upon him by committing our selves or our wayes unto him Now all this goes no further than the souls Resignation of it self unto God to be dealt withall by him according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace ratified in the blood of Christ. This a soul cannot do without a discovery of forgiveness in God But this a soul may do without a special Assurance of his own interest therein This faith that thus adheres to God that cleaves to him will carry men to conclude that it is their Duty and their Wisdom to give up the disposal of their souls unto God and to cleave and adhere unto him as revealed in Christ waiting the pleasure of his Will It enables them to make Christ their choice and will carry men to Heaven safely though it may be at some seasons not very comfortably 2. The Revelation and discovery of forgiveness that is made in the Gospel evidenceth the same truth The first proposal of it or concerning it is not to any man that his sins are forgiven No but it is only that there is Redemption and forgiveness of sins in Christ. So the Apostle layes it down Acts 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses All this may be believed without a mans Assurance of his own personal interest in the things mentioned Now where they are believed with the faith the Gospel requires that faith is saving and the root of Gospel acceptable Obedience The Ransome I say the Attonement by Christ the fulness of the Redemption that is in him and so Forgiveness in his blood for Believers from the Good Will Grace and Love of the Father is the first Gospel discovery that a sinner in a saving manner closeth withal Particular Assurance ariseth or may arise afterwards and this also is supposed in the Assertion 2. That which is affirmed in it is That a discovery of forgiveness in God without any particular Assurance of personal interest therein is a great supportment to a sin entangled soul. And let no man despise the day of this small thing small in the eyes of some and those good men also as
if it did not deserve the name of faith Now as hath been made to appear this discovery of forgiveness is the souls perswasion on Gospel grounds that however it be with him and whatever his state and condition be or is like to be yet that God in his own Nature is infinitely gracious and that he hath determined in a Soveraign Act of his Will from Eternity to be gracious to sinners and that he hath made way for the Administration of forgiveness by the Blood of his Son according as he hath abundantly manisested and declared in the Promises of the Gospel However it be with me yet thus it is with God There is forgiveness with him This is the first thing that a soul in its depths riseth up unto And it is a supportment for it enabling it unto all present duties until consolation come from above Thus hath it been to and with the Saints of old Hos. 14. 3. Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy A solemn Renunciation we have of all other helps Reliefs or Assistances Civil or Religious that are not Gods Therein a solemn Resolution in their great distress of cleaving unto God alone Both which are great and blessed effects of faith What is the bottom and foundation of this blessed Resolution namely that Proposition in thee the fatherless findeth mercy that is there is forgiveness with thee for helpless sinners This listed up their hearts in their depths and supported them in waiting unto the receiving of the blessed Promises of Mercy Pardon Grace and Holiness which ensue in the next Verses Until they came home unto them in their Efficacy and Effects they made a Life on this in thee the fatherless findeth mercy The state and condition of things seems to lye yet lower in that proposal we have Joel 2. 13 14. Rend your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing That which is proposed to the faith of those here spoken unto is that the Lord is gracious and merciful that there is forgiveness in him The Duty they are provoked unto hereupon is Gospel Repentance The Assent unto the Proposition demanded as to their own interest amounts but unto this who knowes but that the Lord may return and leave a blessing or deal with us according to the manifestation he hath made of himself that he is merciful and gracious This is far enough from any comfortable perswasion of a particular interest in that Grace mercy or Pardon But yet saith the Prophet come but thus far and here is a firm foundation of dealing with God about further discoveries of himself in a way of Grace and Mercy When a soul sees but so much in God as to conclude well Who knoweth but that he may return and have mercy upon me also it will support him and give him an entrance into further light The Church in the Lamentations gives a sad account of her state and condition in this matter For she maketh that hard conclusion against her self Chap. 3. 8. My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. And when I cry and shout he shuts out my prayer v. 18. So far is she from a comfortable perswasion of a particular interest in Mercy and Acceptance that under her Pressures and in her Temptations she is ready positively to determine on the other side namely that she is rejected and cast off for ever What course then shall she take Shall she give over waiting on God and say there is no hope no saith she I will not take that way for v. 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of God But yet there seems small encouragement for her so to do if things be with her as was expressed Things indeed saith she are very sad with me My soul hath them still in remembrance and is bowed down in me v. 20. but yet somewhat I recall to mind and therefore have I hope v. 21. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not There is mercy and never failing compassion in God so that though my own present condition be full of darkness and I see no deliverance Yet I purpose still to abide waiting on him who knows what those infinite stores and treasures of mercy and relief that are with him may at length afford unto me and many instances of the like kind might be added We may observe by the way how far this Relief extends it self and what it enables the soul unto As 1. The soul is enabled thereby to resign it self unto the disposal of Soveraign Grace in self-abhorrency and a Renunciation of all other wayes of Relief Lam. 3. 29. He putteth his mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope What God will is his Language Here he lyes at his disposal humble broken but abiding his pleasure Though he slay me saith Job yet I will trust in him Chap. 13. 15. It is all one how he deals with me whatever be the event I will abide cleaving unto him I will not think of any other way of extricating my self from my distress I will neither fly like Jonah nor bide like Adam nor take any other course for deliverance Saith the soul God is a God that hideth himself from me Isa. 45. 15. I walk in darkness and have no light Chap. 50. 10. My flesh faileth and my heart faileth Psal. 73. 26. So that I am overwhelmed with trouble Mine Iniquities have taken such hold on me that I cannot look up Psal. 40. 12. The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Every day am I in dread and terror and am ready utterly to saint and no relief can I obtain What then shall I do Shall I curse God and dye or cry this evil is of the Lord why should I wait for him any longer Shall I take the course of the world and seeing it will be no better be wholly regardless of my latter end No I know what ever my lot and portion be that there is forgiveness with God This and that poor man trusted in him they cryed unto him and were delivered So did David in his greatest distress he encouraged his heart in the Lord his God 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. It is good for me to cast my self into his arms it may be he will frown it may be he is wroth still but all is one this way I will go as it seems good unto him to deal with me so let it be And unspeakable are the Advantages which a soul obtains by this self Resignation which the faith treated of will infallibly produce 2. It extends it self
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
that sinned he spared them not but inflicted on them the punishment due to sin shutting them up under chains of darkness for the Judgement of the great Day Hitherto then God keeps all thoughts of forgiveness in his own Eternal Bosom There is not so much as the least dawning of it upon the world And this was at first no small prejudice against any thoughts of forgiveness The world is made sin enters by the most glorious part of the Creation whose recovery by pardon might seem to be most desirable but not the least appearance of it is discovered Thus it was hid in God from the foundation of the world Eph. 3. 9. III. God gave unto Man a Law of Obedience immediately upon his Creation Yea for the main of it he implanted it in him by and in his Creation This Law it was supposed that man might transgress The very nature of a Law prescribed unto free Agents attended with Threatnings and Promises of Reward requires that supposition Now there was not annexed unto this Law or revealed with it the least intimation of pardon to be obtained if Transgression should ensue Gen. 2. 17. we have this Law In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely dye dying thou shalt dye or bring upon thy self assuredly the guilt of death temporal and eternal There God leaves the sinner under the power of that commination Of forgiveness or pardoning mercy there is not the least intimation To this very day that Law which was then the whole Rule of life and Acceptance with God knows no such thing Dying thou shalt dye O sinner is the precise and final voyce of it From these previous considerations added to what was formerly spoken some things preparatory to the ensuing discourse may be inferred as 1. That it is a great and rare thing to have forgiveness in God discovered unto a sinful soul. A thing it is that as hath been shewed Conscience and Law with the inbred Notions that are in the heart of man about Gods Holiness and Vindictive Justice do lye against A matter whereof we have no natural presumption whereof there is no common notion in the mind of man A thing which no consideration of the Works of God either of Creation or Providence will reveal and which the great Instance of Gods dealing with sinning Angels renders deep admirable and mysterious Men who have common and slight thoughts of God of themselves of Sin of Obedience of the Judgement to come of Eternity that feed upon the ashes of rumors reports hearsayes traditions without looking into the reality of things may and do take this to be an ordinary and acknowledged truth easie to be entertained which upon the matter no man disbelieves But convinced sinners who make a tryal of these things as running into Eternity have other thoughts of them And as to that which it is pretended every one believes we have great cause to cry out Lord who hath believed our report to whom hath this arm of the Lord been revealed 2. That the discovery of forgiveness in God being a matter of so great difficulty is a thing precious and excellent as being the foundation of all our Communion with God here and of all undeceiving Expectation of our enjoyment of him hereafter It is a pure Gospel truth that hath neither shaddow footstep nor intimation elsewhere the whole creation hath not the least obscure impression of it left thereon so that 3. It is undoubtedly greatly incumbent on us to enquire diligently as the Prophets did of old into this Salvation to consider what sure Evidences faith hath of it such as will not as cannot fail us To be slight and common in this matter to take it up at random is an Argument of an unsound rotten heart He that is not serious in his enquiry into the Revelation of this matter is serious in nothing wherein God or his soul is concerned The Holy Ghost knows what our frame of heart is and how slow we are to receive this blessed truth in a gracious saving manner Therefore doth he confirm it unto us with such weighty considerations as Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation It is of forgiveness of sin that the Apostle treats as hath been made evident by the description of it before given Now to give evidence hereunto and to beget a belief of it in us he first engages a Property of Gods Nature in that business He with whom we deal is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Tit. 1. 2. The God that cannot lye that cannot deceive or be deceived It is impossible it should be so with him Now as this extends it self in general to all the Words and Works of God so there is peculiarly in this whereof he treats ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an especial immutability of his counsel Men may think that although there be words spoken about forgiveness yet it is possible it may be otherwise no saith the Apostle it is spoken by God and it is impossible he should lye Yea but upon the manifold provocations of sinners he may change his mind and thoughts therein no saith the Apostle there is a peculiar immutability in his counsel concerning the execution of this thing there can be no change in it But how doth this appear that indeed this is the counsel of his will Why saith he he hath declared it by his Word and that given in a way of promise which as in its own nature it is suited to raise an expectation in him or them to whom it is made or given so it requires exact faithfulness in the discharge and performance of it which God on his part will assuredly answer But neither is this all but that no place might be left for any cavilling Objection in this matter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he interposed himself by an oath Thus we have this Truth deduced from the veracity of Gods nature one of his Essential Excellencies established in the immutable purpose of his Will brought forth by a word of promise and confirmed by Gods interposing himself against all occasions of exception so to put an end unto all strife about it by an Oath swearing by himself that so it should be I have mentioned this only to shew what weight the Holy Ghost layes upon the delivery of this great Truth and thence how deeply it concerns us to enquire diligently into it and after the grounds and evidences which may be tendred of it which among others are these that follow Discovery of Forgiveness in the first Promise The Evidence of the Truth that lyes therein And by the Institution of Sacrifices Their Use and End Also by the prescription of Repentance unto sinners The first Discovery of forgiveness in God and which I place as the first Evidence of it
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
are a generation of philosophiâââ disputers amongst them by whom their tottering cause is supported that there should have been Sacrisices in Paradice if man had not sinned But as in all their opinions our first enquiry ought to be what do they get by this or that their whole Religion being pointed unto their carnal interest so we may in particular do it upon this uncouth Assertion which is perfectly contradictious to the very Nature and End of most Sacrifices namely that they should be offered where there is no sin Why they hope to establish hence a general rule that there can be no true Worship of God in any state or condition without a Sacrifice What then I pray Why then it is evident that the continual Sacrifice of the Mass is necessary in the Church and that without it there is no true Worship of God and so they are quickly come home to their advantage and profit the Mass being that inexhaustible Spring of Revenue which feeds their pride and lust throughout the world But there is in the Church of Christ an Altar still and a Sacrifice still which they have rejected for the a bominable figment of their Mass namely Christ himself as the Apostle informs us Heb. 13. 10. But as the Sacrifices of Beasts could not have been before the entrance of sin so it may be evidenced that they were instituted from the foundation of the world that is presently after the entrance of sin Christ is called the Lamb of God John 1. 29. which he was in reference unto the Sacrifices of old as 1 Pet. 2. 18 19. whence he is represented in the Church as a Lamb slain Rev. 5. 6. or giving out the efficacy of all Sacrifices to his Church Now he is said to be a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13. 8. which could not be unless some Sacrifice prefiguring his being slain had been then offered For it denotes not only the efficacy of his Mediation but the way Besides the Apostle tells us that without shedding of blood there was no remission Heb. 9. 22. That is God to demonstrate that all pardon and forgiveness related to the blood of Christ from the foundation of the world gave out no word of pardon but by and with blood Now I have shewed before that he revealed pardon in the first promise and therefore there ensued thereon the shedding of blood and Sacrifices and thereby that Testament or Covenant was dedicated with blood also ver 18. Some think that the Beasts of whose skins God made garments for Adam were offered in Sacrifices Nor is their conjecture vain Yea it seems not to want a shaddow of a Gospel Mysterie that their nakedness which became their shame upon their sin whence the pollution and shame of sin is frequently so termed should be covered with the skins of their Sacrifices For in the true Sacrifice there is somewhat answerable thereunto And the Righteousness of him whose Sacrifice takes away the guilt of our sin is called our cloathing that hides our pollution and shame 3. That after the giving of the Law the greatest most noble and solemn part of the Worship of God consisted in Sacrifices And this kind of Worship continued with the approbation of God in the world about four thousand years that is from the entrance of sin until the death of the Messiah the true Sacrifice which put an end unto all that was typical These things being premised we may consider what was the mind and aim of God in the Institution of this Worship One instance and that of the most solemn of the whole kind will resolve us in this enquiry Lev. 16. 5. Two Kids of the Goats are taken for an offering for sin Consider only that we do not enlarge on particulars how one of them was dealt withal ver 20 21 22. He shall bring the live Goat and Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live Goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgression in all their sins putting them upon the head of the Goat and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the Wilderness and the Goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a Land not inhabited Let us see to what end is all this Solemnity and what is declared thereby Wherefore should God appoint poor sinful men to come together to take a Goat or Lamb and to confess over his head all their sins and transgressions and to devote him to destruction under that confession Had men invented this themselves it had been a matter of no moment But it was an Institution of God which he bound his Church to the observation of upon the penalty of his highest displeasure Certainly this was a solemn declaration that there is forgiveness with him Would that God who is infinitely Good and so will not who is infinitely True holy and faithful and so cannot deceive call men out whom he loved to a solemn Representation of a thing wherein their chiefest their eternal concernment did lye and suffer them to feed upon Ashes Let men take heed that they mock not God for of a Truth God mocketh not man until he be finally rejected by him For four thousand years together then did God declare by Sacrifices that there is forgiveness with him and lead his people by them to make a publick Representation of it in the face of the world This is a second uncontrolable Evidence of the Truth asserted which may possibly be of use to souls that come indeed deeply and seriously to deal with God for though the Practice be ceased yet the Instruction intended in thern continues III. Gods appointment of Repentance unto sinners doth reveal that there is forgiveness in himself I say the prescription of Repentance is a Revelation of forgiveness After the Angels had sinned God never once called them to Repentance He would not deceive them but let them know what they were to look for at his hands he hath no forgiveness for them and therefore would require no Repentance of them It is not nor ever was a duty incumbent on them to repent Nor is it so unto the damned in Hell God requires it not of them nor is it their duty There being no forgiveness for them what should move them to repent Why should it be their duty so to do Their eternal anguish about sin committed hath nothing of Repentance in it Assignation then of Repentance is a Revelation of forgiveness God would not call upon a sinful creature to humble it self and bewail its sin if there were no way of recovery or relief And the only way of recovery from the guilt of sin is pardon so Job 33. 27 28. He looketh on men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not he will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light
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 prâssing 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. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he repented himself but wherein did this repentance consist he was convinced of his sin in general ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
may take advantage to bring a greater punishment and revenge upon them and what more vile affection what more wretched corruption of heart and mind can he manifest and shall we think that this is the whole design of the Patience of God God forbid It may be objected that this Argument is not cogent because of the instance that lyes against it in Gods dealing with the Angels that sinned It is evident that they fell into their transgression and Apostacy before mankind did so For they lead and seduced our first Parents into sin And yet God bears with them and exerciseth patience towards them to this very day and will do so unto the consummation of all things when they shall be cast into the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And yet it is granted that there is no forgiveness in God for them so that it doth not necessarily follow that there is so for man because of his patience towards them I answer That this must be more fully spoken unto when we come to remove that great Objection against this whole Truth which was mentioned before taken from Gods dealing with the sinning Angels whom he spared not at present two or three Observations will remove it out of our way For 1. That the case is not the same with the sinning Angels and the race of mankind in all Generations There are no other Angels in this condition but only those individuals who first sinned in their own persons They are not in the Providence and Patience of God multiplyed and encreased in ensuing times and seasons but they continue the same individual persons who first sinned and no more So that immediate execution of the whole punishment due unto their sin would not have prevented any encrease of them But now with man it is otherwise For God continues his patience towards them to the production of millions of other persons who were not actually in the first sin Had not God so continued his forbearance their Being and consequently their sin and misery had been prevented so that the case is not the same with sinning Angels and Men. 2. Indeed God exerciseth no patience toward the Angels that sinned and that because he had no forgiveness for them So Peter tells us 2 Epistle 2. 6. God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into Hell and delivered them into chains of darkness Immediately upon their sin they were cast out of the presence of God whose vision and enjoyment they were made for and which they received some experience of And they were cast into Hell as the place of their ordinary retention and of their present anguish under the sense of Gods curse and displeasure And although they may some of them be permitted to compass the earth and to walk to and fro therein to serve the ends of Gods holy wise Providence and so to be out of their prison yet they are still in their chains for they were delivered unto chains of darkness to be kept unto the last Judgement And in these things they lye actually under the execution of the curse of God So that there is indeed no patience exercised towards them If a notorious Malefactor or Murtherer be committed unto a Dungeon and kept bound with Iron chains to prevent his escape untill the appointed day of his solemn Judgement and Execution without the least intention to spare him None will say there is patience exercised towards him Things being disposed only so as that his punishment may be secure and severe And such is the case such is the condition of the Angels that sinned who are not therefore to be esteemed objects of Gods patience 3. The reason why the full and final punishment of these Angels is reserved and respited unto the appointed season is not for their own sakes their good benefit or advantage at all but meerly that the end of Gods patience towards mankind might be accomplished When this is once brought about they shall not be spared a day an hour a moment So that Gods dispensation towards them is nothing but a meer withholding the infliction of the utmost of their punishment until he hath accomplished the blessed ends of his patience towards mankind But you will say Secondly Is it not said that God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endures with much long-suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22. So that it seems that the End of Gods endurance and longsuffering to some at least is only their fitting unto destruction Answ. 1. It is one thing to endure with much long suffering another thing to exercise and declare patience The former only intimates Gods withholding for a season of that destruction which he might justly inflict which we speak not of the other denotes an acting in a way of Goodness and kindness for some especial end 2. The next Verse declares the great end of Gods patience and answers this Objection That he might make known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy which he had prepared for glory ver 23. This is the great End of Gods patience which whilst he is in the pursuit of towards the Vessels of mercy he endureth others with much long-suffering and forbearance This then is fully evident that there could be no sufficient Reason assigned of the patience of God towards sinners but that there is forgiveness prepared for them that come to him by Christ. And this the Scripture clearly testifies unto 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Question is what is the reason why God forbears the Execution of his Judgement upon wicked and ungodly men Some would have it that God is slack that is regardless of the sins of men and takes no notice of them No saith the Apostle God hath another design in his patience and long-suffering what is this It is to manifest that he is not willing we should perish That is it which we have proved For our freedom from destruction is by Repentance which necessarily infers the forgiveness of Sin So Paul tells us that in the Gospel is declared what is the End of Gods patience and forbearance it is saith he the remission of sins Rom. 3. 25. Let us therefore also mind this Evidence in the Application of our selves to God for pardon It is certain that God might have taken us from the womb and have cast us into utter darkness And in the course of our lives we have been guilty of such provocations as God might justly have taken the Advantage of to glorifie his Justice and Severity in our ruine But yet we have lived thus long in the patience and forbearance of God And to what end hat he thus spared us and let pass those Advantages for our destruction that we have put into his hand Is it not that he might by his patience give us leave and space to get an interest in that forgiveness which he thus testifies to be in himself Let us then
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
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
suppose he hath not the thing in his Power to bestow on us or that his Will is wholly averse from so doing is to reproach him with want of Truth Faithfulness and Holiness and not to be God For what sincerity can be in such proceedings Is it consistent with any Divine Excellency Could it have any other end but to deceive poor creatures either to delude them if they do pray according to his command or to involve them in further guilt if they do not God forbid any such thoughts should enter into our hearts But 3. To put this whole matter out of question God hath promised to hear our prayers and in particular those which we make unto him for the forgiveness of sin So our Saviour hath assured us that what we ask in his name it shall be done for us And he hath as we have shewed taught us to ask this very thing of God as our Heavenly Father that is in his name For in and through him alone is he a Father unto us I need not insist on particular Promises to this purpose they are as you know multiplyed in the Scriptures What hath been spoken may suffice to establish our present Argument namely that Gods prescription of Religious Worship unto sinners doth undeniably prove that with him there is forgiveness especially considering that the principal parts of the Worship so prescribed and appointed by him are peculiarly designed to confirm us in the faith thereof And this is the design of the words that we do insist upon There is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared The fear of God as we have shewed in the Old Testament doth frequently express not that gracious Affection of our minds which is distinctly so called but that whole Worship of God wherein that and all other Gracious Affections towards God are to be exercised Now the Psalmist tells us that the foundation of this fear or Worship and the only motive and encouragement for sinners to engage in it and give up themselves unto it is this that there is forgiveness with God Without this no sinner could fear serve or worship him This therefore is undeniably proved by the Institution of this Worship which was proposed unto confirmation The end of all these things as we shall afterwards at large declare is to encourage poor sinners to believe and to evidence how inexcusable they will be left who notwithstanding all this do through the power of their lusts and unbelief refuse to come to God in Christ that they may be pardoned Yea the laying open of the certainty and fulness of the evidence given unto this truth makes it plain and conspicuous whence it is that men perish in and for their sins Is it for want of Mercy Goodness Grace or Patience in God Is it through any defect in the Mediation of the Lord Christ Is it for want of the mightiest encouragements and most infallible Assurances that with God there is Forgiveness Not at all but meerly on the account of their own obstinacy stubbornness and perversness They will not come unto this Light yea they hate it because their deeds are evil They will not come to Christ that they may have life It is meerly darkness blindness and love of sin that brings men to destruction And this is laid open and all pretences and excuses are removed and the shame of mens lusts made naked by the full confirmation of this Truth which God hath furnished us withal Take heed you that hear or read these things if they are not mixed with faith they will add greatly to your misery Every Argument will be your Torment But these considerations must be insisted on afterwards Moreover if you will take into your minds what hath been delivered in particular concerning the nature and end of the Worship of God which you attend unto you may be instructed in the use and due observation of it When you address your selves unto it remember that this is that which God requires of you who are sinners That this he would not have done but with thoughts and intention of mercy for sinners Bless him with all your souls that this is laid as the Foundation of all that you have to do with him You are not utterly cast off because you are sinners Let this support and warm your hearts when you go to hear to pray or any duty of Worship Consider what is your principal work in the whole You are going to deal with God about Forgiveness in the Being Causes Consequents and Effects of it Hearken what he speaks declares or reveals about it mix his Revelation and Promises with faith Enquire diligently into all the Obedience and Thankfulness all those duties of Holiness and Righteousness which he justly expects from them who are made partakers of it so shall you observe the Worship of God unto his Glory and your own Advantage The giving and establishing of the New Covenant another Evidence of Forgiveness with God The Oath of God engaged in the confirmation thereof VIII Another Evidence hereof may be taken from the making establishing and ratifying of the New Covenant That God would make a new Covenant with his people is often promised often declared See among other places Jer. 31. 31 32. and that he hath done so accordingly the Apostle at large doth manifest Heb. 8. 8 9 10 11 12. Now herein sundry things unto our present purpose may be considered For 1. It is supposed that God had before made another Covenant with mankind With reference hereunto is this said to be a new one It is opposed unto another that was before it and in comparison whereof that is called old and this said to be new as the Apostle speaks expresly in the place before mentioned Now a Covenant between God and man is a thing Great and Marvellous whether we consider the nature of it or the Ends of it In its own nature it is a Convention Compact and Agreement for some certain ends and purposes between the Holy Creator and his poor creatures How infinite how unspeakable must needs the Grace and Condescention of God in this matter be For what is poor miserable man that God should set his heart upon him that he should as it were give bounds to his Soveraignty over him and enter into terms of Agreement with him For whereas before he was a meer object of his Absolute Dominion made at his Will and for his Pleasure and on the same reasons to be crushed at any time into nothing Now he hath a bottom and ground given him to stand upon whereon to expect good things from God upon the account of his Faithfulness and Righteousness God in a Covenant gives those holy properties of his Nature unto his Creatures as his hand or arm for him to lay hold upon and by them to plead and argue with him And without this a man could have no foundation for any entercourse or Communion with God or of any expectation from
lost no more glory and honour by the sin of man than by the sin of Angels which in his infinite Wisdom and Righteousness is become a great Theatre of his Eternal Glory For he is no less Excellent in his Greatness and Severity than in his Goodness and Power Wherefore we may now return unto our former enquiry All things being thus excellently and admirably disposed in infinite Wisdom and Holiness in this Covenant the whole Duty and Blessedness of man being fully provided for and the Glory of God absolutely secured upon all Events what was the Reason that God left not all things to stand or fall according to the terms of it Wherefore doth he reject and lay aside this Covenant and Promise to make another and do so accordingly Certain it is that he might have continued it with a blessed security to his own Glory and he makes all things for himself even the wicked for the day of evil God himself shews what was the only and sole Reason of this dispensation Heb. 8. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. The summ of it is this Notwithstanding the blessed Constitution of the first Covenant yet there was no provision for the pardon of sin no room or place for forgiveness in it but on supposition that man sinned he was in that Covenant left remediless God had not in it revealed that there was any such thing as forgiveness with him nor had any sinner the least hope or grounds of expectation from thence of any such thing in him Dye he must and perish and that without remedy or recovery Now saith God this must not be Mercy Goodness Grace require another state of things This Covenant will not manifest them their effects will not be communicated to poor sinners by it Hence saith he it is faulty that is defective I will not lose the glory of them nor shall sinners be unrelieved by them And therefore although I may strictly tye up all mankind unto the terms of this yet I will make another Covenant with them wherein they shall know and find that there is forgiveness with me that they may fear me Now next to the Blood of Christ whereby this Covenant was ratified and confirmed this is the greatest Evidence that can possible be given that there is forgiveness with God To what end else doth God make this great alteration in the effects of his Will in his way of dealing with mankind As forgiveness of sin is expresly contained in the tenor and words of the Covenant so set it aside and it will be of no more use or advantage than the former For as this Covenant is made directly with sinners nor was there any one in the world when God made it that was not a sinner nor is it of use unto any but sinners so is forgiveness of sins the very life of it Hence we may see two things First The greatness of forgiveness that we may learn to value it and Secondly The certainty of it that we may learn to believe it First The greatness of it God would not do so great a thing as that mentioned but for a great the greatest end Had it not been a matter of the greatest importance unto the glory of God and the good of the souls of men God would not for the sake of it have laid aside one Covenant and made another We may evidently see how the heart of God was set upon it how his Nature and Will were engaged in it All this was done that we might be pardoned The old glorious fabrick of Obedience and Rewards shall be taken down to the ground that a new one may be erected for the honour and glory of forgiveness God forbid that we should have slight thoughts of that which was so strangely and wonderfully brought forth wherein God had as it were embarked his great Glory Shall all this be done for our sakes and shall we undervalue it or disesteem it God forbid God could if I may so say more easily have made a new world of Innocent Creatures and have governed them by the Old Covenant than have established this new one for the salvation of poor sinners but then where had been the glory of forgiveness It could never have been known that there was forgiveness with him The Old Covenant could not have been preserved and sinners pardoned Wherefore God chose rather to leave the Covenant than sinners unrelieved than Grace unexalted and Pardon unexercised Prize it as you prize your souls and give glory unto God for it as all those that believe will do unto Eternity Secondly For the security of it that we may believe it What greater can be given God deceiveth no man no more than he is deceived And what could God that cannot lye do more to give us satisfaction herein than he hath done Would you be made partakers of this forgiveness Go unto God spread before him this whole matter plead with him that he himself hath so far laid aside the first Covenant of his own Gracious Will as to make a new one and that meerly because it had no forgiveness in it This he hath made on purpose that it might be known that there is forgiveness in him And shall not we now be made partakers of it Will he now deny that unto us which he hath given such Assurance of and raised such expectations concerning it Nothing can here wrong us nothing can ruine us but unbelief Lay hold on this Covenant and we shall have pardon This God expresseth Isa. 27. 4 5. Will we continue on the old bottom of the first Covenant All that we can do thereon is but to set thorns and bryars in the way of God to secure our selves from his coming against us and upon us with his indignation and fury Our sins are so and our Righteousness is no better And what will be the issue both they and we shall be trodden down consumed and burnt up What way then what remedy is left unto us only this of laying hold on the arm and strength of God in that Covenant wherein forgiveness of sin is provided Therein alone he saith fury is not in me and the end will be that we shall have peace with him both here and for ever IX The Oath of God engaged and interposed in this matter is another Evidence of the truth insisted on Now because this is annexed unto the Covenant before mentioned and is its establishment I shall pass it over the more briefly And in it we may consider 1. The Nature of the Oath of God The Apostle tells us that he sware by himself And he gives this Reason of it because he had no greater to swear by Heb. 6. 13. An Oath for the confirmation of any thing is an Invocation of a Supream Power that can judge of the truth that is spoken and vindicate the breach of the engagement This God hath none other but himself Because he could swear by no greater he swear by himself
Now this God doth 1. By express Affirmation that he hath so sworn by himself which was the form of the first solemn Oath of God Gen. 22. 16. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord. The meaning whereof is I have taken it upon my self as I am God or let me not be so if I perform not this thing And this is expressed by his soul Jer. 51. 14. The Lord of Hosts hath sworn by his soul that is by himself as we render the words Secondly God doth it by the especial Interposition of some such Property of his nature as is suited to give credit and confirmation to the Word spoken as of his Holiness Psal. 89. 35. I have sworn by my Holiness So also Amos 4. 2. Sometime by his life As I live saith the Lord. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I live saith God it shall be so And sometimes by his Name Jer. 44. 26. God as it were engageth the Honour and Glory of the Properties of his Nature for the certain accomplishment of the things mentioned And this is evident from the manner of the Expression as in that place of Psal. 89. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David so we in the Original the words are eliptical If I lye unto David that is Let me not be so nor be esteemed to be so if I lye unto David Secondly For the End of his Oath God doth not give it to make his Word or Promise sure and stedfast but to give Assurance and Security unto us of their accomplishment Every Word of God is sure and certain truth it self because it is his and he might justly require of us the belief of it without any further Attestation But yet knowing what great Objections Satan and our own unbelieving hearts will raise against his Promises at least as to our own concernment in them to confirm our minds and to take away all pretences of unbelief he interposeth his Oath in this matter What can remain of distrust in such a case If there be a matter in doubt between men and an Oath be interposed in the confirmation of that which is called in question it is an End as the Apostle tells us unto them of all strife Heb. 6. 16. How much more ought it to be so on the part of God when his Oath is engaged And the Apostle declares this End of his Oath it is to shew the immutability of his counsel Heb. 6. 17. His counsel was declared before in the Promise but now some doubt or strife may arise whether on one occasion or other God may not change his counsell or whether he hath not changed it with such conditions as to render it useless unto us In what case soever it be to remove all doubts and suspicions of this nature God adds his Oath manifesting the unquestionable immutability of his counsel and Promises What therefore is thus confirmed is ascertained unto the height of what any thing is capable of And nor to believe it is the height of Impiety Thirdly In this Interposition of God by an Oath there is unspeakable condescention of Grace which is both an exceeding great motive unto faith and a great Aggravation of Unbelief For what are we that the holy and blessed God should thus condescend unto us as for our satisfaction and surety to engage himself by an Oath One said well of old Foelices nos quorum causa Deus jurat O infoelices si nec juranti Deo credimus It is an inestimable advantage that God should for our sakes engage himself by his Oath So it will be our misery if we believe him not when he swears unto us What can we now object against what is thus confirmed What pretence colour or excuse can we have for our unbelief How just how righteous how holy must their destruction be who upon this strange wonderful and unexpected Warranty refuse to set their seal that God is true These things being premised we may consider how variously God hath engaged his Oath that there is forgiveness with him First He sweareth that he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and live Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Now without forgiveness in him every sinner must dye and that without remedy Confirming therefore with his Oath that it is his will the sinner should return repent and live he doth in the first place swear by himself that there is forgiveness with him for these sinners that shall so repent and turn unto him Again Whereas the great means he hath appointed for the forgiveness of sins is by the Mediation of the Lord Christ as we shall afterwards shew he hath on several occasions confirmed his purpose in him and the counsel of his Will by his Oath By this Oath he promised him unto Abraham and David of old which proved the foundation of the Churches stability in all generations and also of their Security and Assurance of Acceptance with him see Luke 1. 73 74 75. And in his taking upon him that Office whereby in an especial manner the forgiveness of sins was to be procured namely of his being a Priest to offer Sacrifice to make an Attonement for sinners he confirmed it unto him and him in it by his Oath Heb. 7. 20. He was not made a Priest without an Oath And to what end Namely that he might be a surety of a better Testament v. 22. And what was that better Testament Why that which brought along with it the forgiveness of sin Chap. 8. 12 13. So that it was forgiveness which was so confirmed by the Oath of God Further the Apostle shews that the great Original Promise made unto Abraham being confirmed by the Oath of God all his other Promises were in like manner confirmed Whence he draws that blessed conclusion which we have Heb. 6 17 18. As to every one saith he that flyes for refuge to the hope that is set before him that is who seeks to escape the guilt of sin the curse and the sentence of the Law by an Application of himself unto God in Christ for pardon he hath the Oath of God to secure him that he shall not fail thereof And thus are all the concernments of the forgiveness of sin testified unto by the Oath of God which we have manifested to be the highest security in this matter that God can give or that we are capable of The Name of God confirming the Truth and Reality of Forgiveness with him As also the same is done by the Properties of his Nature X. Another foundation of this Truth and infallible Evidence of it may be taken from that especial Name and Title which God takes unto himself in this matter For he owns the name of the God of Pardons or the God of forgiveness So is he called Nehem. 9. 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã we have rendred the
the like kind But his Soveraignty Righteousness and Holiness how are they declared hereby either not at all or not in so evident a manner as is necessary that he might be fully glorified in them or for them What then doth he do leave them in darkness vailed undiscovered satisfying himself in the glory of those Properties which his work of Creation had made known Was there any Reason why he should do so designing to do all things for himself and for his own glory Wherefore he gives his holy Law as a Rule of Obedience unto men and Angels This plainly reveals his Soveraignty or Authority over them his Holiness and Righteousness in the Equity and Purity of things he required of them so that in and by these Properties also he may be glorified As he made all things for himself that is the manifestation of his Greatness Power Wisdom and Goodness so he gave the Law for himself that is the manifestation of his Authority Holiness and Righteousness But is this all Is there not Remunerative Justice in God in a way of Bounty Is there not Vindictive Justice in him in a way of severity There is so and in the pursuit of the design mentioned they also are to be manifested or God will not be glorified in them This therefore he did also in the Rewards and Punishments that he annexed unto the Law of Obedience that he had prescribed To manifest his Remunerative Justice he promised a Reward in a way of Bounty which the Angels that sinned not were made partakers of and in the penalty threatned which sinning Angels and Men incurred he revealed his Vindictive Justice in a way of severity So are all these Properties of God made known by their Effects and so is God glorified in them or on their account But after all this are there no other Properties of his Nature Divine Excellencies that cannot be separated from his Being which by none of these means are so much as once intimated to be in him It is evident that there are such are Mercy Grace Patience Long-suffering Compassion and the like concerning which observe 1. That where there are no Objects of them they cannot be declared or manifested or exercised As Gods Power or Wisdom could not be manifest if there were no Objects of them no more can his Grace or Mercy If never any stand in need of them they can never be exercised and consequently never be known Therefore were they not revealed neither by the Creation of all things nor by the Law or its Sanction nor by the Law written in our hearts For all these suppose no objects of Grace and Mercy For it is sinners only and such as have made themselves miserable by sin that they can be exercised about 2. There are no Excellencies of Gods nature that are more expressive of Divine Goodness Loveliness and Beauty than these are of Mercy Grace Long-suffering and Patience and therefore there is nothing that God so requireth our likeness unto him in our conformity unto his Image as in these namely Mercy Grace and readiness to forgive And the contrary frame in any he doth of all things most abhor They shall have judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy And therefore it is certain that God will be glorified in the manifestation of these Properties of his Nature 3. These Properties can be no otherwise exercised and consequently no other wayes known but only in and by the pardon of sin which puts it beyond all question that there is Forgiveness with God God will not lose the glory of these his Excellencies he will be revealed in them he will be known by them he will be glorified for them which he could not be if there were not forgiveness with him So that here comes in not only the Truth but the necessity of forgiveness also Forgiveness manifested in the sending of the Son of God to dye for sin And from the Obligation that is on us to forgive one another XII In the next place we shall proceed unto that Evidence which is the Center wherein all the lines of those foregoing do meet and rest The fountain of all those streams of Refreshment that are in them that which animates and gives life and efficacy unto them This lyes in Gods sending of his Son The consideration hereof will leave no pretence or excuse unto unbelief in this matter To make this Evidence more clear and legible as to what is intended in it we must consider 1. What was the Rise of this sending we speak of 2. Who it was that was sent 3. How or in what manner he was sent 4. Unto what end and purpose First the Rise and spring of it is to be considered It came forth from the Eternal mutual consent and counsel of the Father and the Son Zech. 6. 13. The Counsel of Peace shall be between them both It is of Christ the Branch of whom he speaks He shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory And shall sit and rule upon his Throne and shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the Counsel of Peace shall be between them both That is between God the Father who sends him and himself There lay the Counsel of Peace making between God and Man in due time accomplished by him who is our Peace Eph. 2. 16. So he speaks Prov. 8. 30 31. Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him Rejoycing in the habitable parts of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of men They are the words of the Wisdom that is of the Son of God When was this done Then I was with him Why before the Mountains were setled whilst as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields That is before the creation of the world or from eternity v. 25 26. But how then could he rejoyce in the habitable parts of the Earth And how could his delight be with the Sons of men seeing as yet they were not I answer It was the Counsel of Peace towards them before mentioned in the pursuit whereof he was to be sent to converse amongst them on the earth He rejoyced in the fore-thoughts of his being sent to them and the work he had to do for them Then with his own consent and delight was he fore-ordained unto his work even before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. and received of the Father the Promise of eternal life even before the world began Tit. 1. 2. That is to be given unto sinners by way of Forgiveness through his blood So is this whole Counsel expressed Psalm 40. 7 8. Whence it is made use of by the Apostle Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Then said I lo I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O God Thy Law is in the midst of my heart There is the Will of the Father in
this matter and the Law of its performance And there is the Will of the Son in answer thereunto and his delight in fulfilling that Law which was prescribed unto him Let us now consider to what purpose was this Eternal Counsel of Peace This Agreement of the Father and Son from Eternity about the State and Condition of Mankind If God would have left them all to perish under the guilt of their sins there had been no need at all of any such thoughts design or Counsel God had given unto them a Law Righteous and Holy which if they transgressed he had threatned them with eternal destruction Under the Rule disposal and power of this Law he might have righteously left them to stand or fall according to the verdict and sentence thereof But now he assures us he reveals unto us that he had other thoughts in this matter that there were other Counsels between the Father and the Son concerning us And these such as the Son was delighted in the prospect of his Accomplishment of them What can these thoughts and counsels be but about a way for their deliverance which could no otherwise be but by the forgiveness of sins For whatever else be done yet if God mark iniquities there is none can stand Hearken therefore poor sinner and have hope God is consulting about thy deliverance and freedom And what cannot the Wisdom and Grace of the Father and Son effect and accomplish And to this end was the Son sent into the world which is the second thing proposed to Consideration 2. Whom did God send about this business The Scripture layes great weight and Emphasis on this consideration faith must do so also John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son So 1 John 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him And again v. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiations of our sins And who is this that is thus sent and called the only begotten Son of God Take a double description of him one out of the Old Testament and another from the new The first from Isa. 9. 6. To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace The other from Heb. 1. 2 3. God hath spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high This is he who was sent in Nature he was glorious even over all God blessed for ever In Answerableness unto the Father the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his person possessed of all the same essential Properties with him So that what we find in him we may be assured of in the Father also for he that hath seen him hath seen the Father who is in him In Power Omnipotent for he made all things and upholding all things with an unspeakable facility by the Word of his power In Office exalted over all sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high In Name the Mighty God the Everlasting Father so that whatever he came about he will assuredly accomplish and fulfill for what should hinder or let this Mighty One from perfecting his design Now this consideration raiseth our Evidence to that height as to give us an unquestionable Assurance in this matter Here is a near and a particular Object for faith to be exercised about and to rest in Wherefore did this glorious Son of God come and Tabernacle amongst poor sinners We beheld the glory of the Eternal Word the glory of the only begotten of the Father and he was made flesh ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and pitched his Tabernacle amongst us John 1. 14. To what end It was no other but to work out and accomplish the Eternal Counsel of Peace towards sinners before mentioned to procure for them and to declare unto them the forgiveness of sin And what greater evidence what greater Assurance can we have that there is forgiveness with God for us he himself hath given it as a Rule that what is done by giving an only begotten or an only beloved Son gives assured Testimony of reality and sincerity in the thing that is confirmed by it So he sayes unto Abraham Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God seeing that thou hast not withheld thy Son thy only Son from me This way it may be known or no way And they are blessed Conclusions that faith may make from this consideration now I know that there is forgiveness with God seeing he hath not withheld his Son his only Son that he might accomplish it To this purpose the Apostle teacheth us to reason Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things What further can any soul desire What ground remains for unbelief to stand upon in this matter Is there any thing more to be done herein It was to manifest that there is forgiveness with him and to make way for the exercise of it that God sent his Son that the Son of God came into the world as will afterwards more fully appear 3. To this sending of the Son of God to this purpose there is evidence and security added from the Manner wherein he was sent How was this Not in Glory not in Power not in an open discovery of his Eternal Power and Godhead Had it been so we might have thought that he had come meerly to manifest and glorifie himself in the world And this he might have done without thoughts of mercy or Pardon towards us But he came quite in another manner He was seen in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8 3. In the form of a servant Phil. 2. 10. Being made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. What he endured suffered underwent in that state and condition is in some measure known unto us all All this could not be meerly and firstly for himself All that he expected at the close of it was to be glorified with that glory which he had with the Father before the world was John 17. 5. It must then be for our sakes and for what to save and deliver us from that condition of wrath at present and future expectation of Vengeance which we had cast our selves into by sin that is to procure for us the forgiveness of sin Had not God designed Pardon for sin he would never have sent his
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
prayer Hence he teacheth and enjoyns us to pray or plead for the forgiveness of our debts to God that is our sins or trespasses against him which make us debtors to his Law and Justice even as we forgive them that so trespass or offend against us as to stand in need of our forgiveness Matth. 6. 12. Many are ready to devour such as are not satisfied that the Words of that Rule of Prayer which he hath prescribed unto us are to be precisely read or repeated every day I wish they would as heedfully mind that prescription which is given us herein for that frame of heart and spirit which ought to be in all our supplications It might possibly abate of their wrath in that and other things But here is a Rule for all prayer as all acknowledge as also of the things that are requisite to make it acceptable This in particular is required that before the searcher of all hearts and in our addresses unto him in our greatest concernments we profess our sincerity in the discharge of this duty and do put our obtaining of what we desire upon that issue This a great Crown that is put upon the head of this duty that which makes it very eminent and evidenceth the great concern of the Glory of God and our own souls therein 2. We may observe that no other duty whatever is expresly placed in the same series order or rank with it which makes it evident that it is singled out to be professed as a token and pledge of our sincerity in all other parts of our Obedience unto God It is by Christ himself made the instance for the tryal of our sincerity in our Universal Obedience which gives no small honour unto it The Apostle puts great weight on the Fifth Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother because it is the first Commandment with promise Ephes. 6. 2. All the Commandments indeed had a promise Do this and live life was promised to the observance of them all But this is the first that had a peculiar promise annexed unto it and accompanying of it And it was such a Promise as had a peculiar foundation through Gods Ordinance in the thing it self It is that the Parents should prolong the lives of their Children that were obedient ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Exod. 20. 11. They shall prolong thy dayes that is by praying for their prosperity blessing them in the name of God and directing them in those wayes of Obedience whereby they might live and possess the Land And this Promise is now translated from the Covenant of Canaan into the Covenant of Grace The blessing of Parents going far towards the interesting their Children in the Promise thereof and so prolonging their dayes unto eternity though their dayes in this world should be of little continuance So it is said of our Saviour that he should see his seed and prolong his dayes Isa. 53. 10. Which hath carried over that Word and that which is signified by it unto eternal things But this by the way As the singular Promise made to that Command renders it singular so doth this especial instancing in this duty in our prayer render it also For though as all the Commandments had a Promise so we are to carry a Testimony with us of our sincerity in Universal Obedience in our addresses unto God yet the singling out of this instance renders it exceeding remarkable and shewes what a value God puts upon it and how well he is pleased with it 3. That God requires this forgiveness in us upon the account of the forgiveness we receive from him which is to put the greatest obligation upon us unto it that we are capable of and to give the strongest and most powerful motive possible unto its performance See Ephes. 4. 32. 4. That this duty is more directly and expresly required in the New Testament than in the Old Required then it was but not so openly so plainly so expresly as now Hence we find a different frame of Spirit between them under that dispensation and those under that of the New Testament There are found amongst them some such Reflections upon their enemies their Oppressors Persecutors and the like as although they were warranted by some actings of the Spirit of God in them yet being suited unto the Dispensation they were under do no way become us now who by Jesus Christ receive grace for grace So Zechariah when he dyed cryed the Lord look on and require but Stephen dying in the same cause and manner said Lord lay not this sin to their charge Elijah called for fire from Heaven But our Saviour reproves the least inclination in his Disciples to imitate him therein And the reason of this difference is because forgiveness in God is under the New Testament far more clearly especially in the nature and cause of it discovered in the Gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light than it was under the Law For all our Obedience both in matter and manner is to be suited unto the discoveries and Revelation of God unto us 5. This Forgiveness of others is made an express Condition of our obtaining Pardon and Forgiveness from God Mat 6. 14 15. And the nature hereof is expresly declared Chap. 18. 24. Such Evangelical Conditions we have not many I confess they have no causal influence into the accomplishment of the Promise but the non-performance of them is a sufficient barr against our pretending to the Promise a sufficient evidence that we have no pleadable interest in it Our forgiving of others will not procure forgiveness for our selves But our not forgiving of others proves that we our selves are not forgiven And all these things do shew what weight God himself layes on this duty Secondly Observe that this Duty is such as that there is nothing more comely useful or honourable unto or praise worthy in any than a due performance of it To be morose implacable inexorable revengeful is one of the greatest degeneracies of humane nature And no men are commonly even in this world more branded with real infamy and dishonour amongst Wise and Good men than those who are of such a frame and do act accordingly To remember Injuries to retain a sense of Wrongs to watch for Opportunities of Revenge to hate and be malitiously perverse is to represent the Image of the Devil unto the world in its proper colours He is the great Enemy and self avenger On the other side no Grace no Vertue no Duty no Ornament of the mind or Conversation of man is in it self so lovely so comely so praise worthy or so useful unto mankind as are Meekness Readiness to forgive and pardon This is that principally which renders a man a good man for whom one would even dare to dye And I am sorry to add that this Grace or duty is recommended by its raritie It is little found amongst the Children of men The consideration of the defect of men herein as
it above all the world Let us enquire what Esteem and valuation many of those have of forgiveness who put it out of all question that they do believe it Do they look upon it as their Treasure their Jewel their Pearl of price Are they solicitous about it Do they often look and examine whether it continues safe in their possession or no Suppose a man have a pretious Jewel laid up in some place in his house Suppose it be unto him as the poor Widdows two mites all her substance or living will he not carefully ponder on it Will he not frequently satisfie himself that it is safe We may know that such an house such fields or lands do not belong unto a man when he passeth by them daily and taketh little or no notice of them Now how do most men look upon forgiveness What is their common deportment in reference unto it Are their hearts continually filled with thoughts about it Are they solicitous concerning their interest in it Do they reckon that whilst that is safe all is safe with them When it is as it were laid out of the way by sin and unbelief do they give themselves no rest untill it be afresh discovered unto them Is this the frame of the most of men The Lord knows it is not They talk of forgiveness but esteem it not prize it not make no particular enquiries after it They put it to an ungrounded venture whether ever they be partakers of it or no for a relief against some pangs of Conscience it is called upon or else scarce thought of at all Let not any so minded flatter themselves that they have any acquaintance with the mysterie of Gospel forgiveness 3 Let it be enquired of them who pretend unto this perswasion how they came by it that we may know whether it be of him who calleth us or no that we may try whether they have broken through the difficulties in the Entertaining of it which we have manifested abundantly to lye in the way of it When Peter confessed our Saviour to be the Christ the Son of the living God He told him that flesh and blood did not reveal that unto him but his Father who is in Heaven Matth. 16. 17. It is so with them who indeed believe forgiveness in God Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto them It hath not been furthered by any thing within them or without them but all lyes in opposition unto it This is the work of God that we believe John 6. 29. A great work the greatest work that God requireth of us It is not only a great thing in it self the Grace of believing is a great thing but it is great in respect of its Object or what we have to believe or forgiveness it self The great honour of Abrahams faith lay in this that deaths and difficulties lay in the way of it Rom. 4. 18 19 20. But what is a dead body and a dead womb to an accusing Conscience a killing Law and apprehensions of a God terrible as a consuming fire all which as was shewed oppose themselves unto a soul called to believe forgiveness What now have the most of men who are confident in the profession of this faith to say unto this thing Let them speak clearly and they must say that indeed they never found the least difficulty in this matter they never doubted of it they never questioned it nor do know any reason why they should do so It is a thing which they have so taken for granted as that it never cost them an hours labour prayer or meditation about it Have they had secret reasonings and contendings in their hearts about it No Have they considered how the Objections that lye against it may be removed Not at all But is it so indeed that this perswasion is thus bred in you you know not how Are the corrupted Natures of men and the Gospel so suited so complying Is the New Covenant grown so connatural to flesh and blood Is the greatest secret that ever was revealed from the bosom of the Father become so familiar and easie to the wisdom of the flesh Is that which was folly to the wise Greeks and a stumbling block to the Wondergazing Jews become on a suddain Wisdom and a plain path to the same principles that were in them But the truth of this matter is that such men have a general useless barren notion of Pardon which Satan Presumption Tradition Common Reports and the Customary hearing of the Word have furnished them withal But for that Gospel discovery of forgiveness whereof we have been speaking they are utterly ignorant of it and unacquainted with it To convince such poor creatures of the folly of their presumption I would but desire them to go to some real Believers that are or may be known unto them Let them be asked whether they came so easily by their Faith and Apprehensions of forgiveness or no Alas saith One these twenty years have I been following after God and yet I have not arrived unto an abiding Chearing perswasion of it I know what it cost me what tryals difficulties temptations I wrestled with and went through withal before I obtained it saith another What I have attained unto hath been of unspeakable mercy And it is my daily prayer that I may be preserved in it by the exceeding greatness of the Power of God for I continually wrestle with storms that are ready to drive me from my Anchor A little of this discourse may be sufficient to convince poor dark carnal creatures of the folly and vanity of their confidence 4. There are certain Means whereby the Revelation and discovery of this Mysterie is made unto the souls of men By these they do obtain it or they obtain it not The mysterie it self was a secret hidden in the Counsel of God from Eternity nor was there any way whereby it might be revealed but by the Son of God And that is done in the Word of the Gospel If then you say you know it Let us enquire how you came so to do And by what means it hath been declared unto you Hath this been done by a Word of Truth by the Promise of the Gospel Was it by preaching of the Word unto you or by reading of it or meditating upon it Or did you receive it from and by some seasonable word of or from the Scriptures spoken unto you Or hath it insensibly gotten ground upon your hearts and minds upon the strivings and conflicts of your souls about sin from the truth wherein you had been instructed in General Or by what other wayes or means have you come to that acquaintance with it whereof you boast You can tell how you came by your wealth your Gold and Silver you know how you became learned or obtained the knowledge of the mysterie of your trade who taught you in it and how you came by it There is not any thing wherein you are concerned but you can
which I made with their Fathers in which Administration of the Covenant as far as it had respect unto Typical mercies much depended on their personal obedience But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws c. and I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more Let then this way stand and the way of mans Wisdom and self Righteousness perish for ever 2. This is the way that above all others atends directly and immediately to the Glory of God God hath managed and ordered all things in this way of forgiveness so as no flesh should glory in his presence but that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 29. 31. Where then is Boasting it is excluded by what Law by the Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. It might be easily manifested that God hath so laid the design of saving Sinners by Forgiveness according to the Law of Faith that it is utterly impossible that any Soul should on any account whatever have the least Ground of Glorying or boasting in its self either absolutely or in comparison with them that perish If Abraham saith the same Apostle were justified by works he had whereof to glory but not before God Chap. 4. 2. The Obedience of works would have been so infinitely disproportionate to the Reward which was God himself that there had been no glorying before God but therein his Goodness and Grace must be acknowledged yet in comparison with others who yielded not the Obedience required he would have had wherein to glory But now this also is cast off by the way of forgiveness and no pretence is left for any to claim the least share in the Glory of it but God alone and herein lyes the excellency of Faith that it gives glory unto God Rom. 4. 20. the denyal whereof under various pretences is the issue of proud unbelief And this is that which God will bring all unto or they shall perish Namely that shame be ours and the whole Glory of our salvation be his alone So he expresseth his design Isa. 45. 22 23 24 25. v. 22. he proposeth himself as the only relief for Sinners Look unto me saith he and be saved all ye ends of the Earth But what if men take some other course and look well to themselves and so decline this way of meer Mercy and Grace whâ saith he v. 23. I have sworn by my self the Word is gone out of my mouth in Righteousness and shall not return that unto me every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear Look you unto that but I have sworn that you shall either do so or answer your disobedience at the day of Judgement whereunto Paul applyes those words Rom. 14. 11. what do the Saints hereupon v. 24 25. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I Righteousness and strength In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory They bring their hearts to accept of all Righteousness from him and to give all Glory unto him God at first placed Man in a blessed state and condition in such a dependance on himself as that he might have wrought out his Eternal happiness with a great Reputation of Glory unto himself Man being in this honour saith the Psalmist abode not God now fixes on another way as I said wherein all the Glory shall be his own as the Apostle at large sets it forth Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. Now neither the way from which Adam fell nor that wherein some of the Angels continued which for the substance were the same is to be compared with this of Forgiveness as to the bringing Glory unto God I hate curiosities and conjectures in the things of God Yet upon the account of the interposition of the blood of Christ I think I may boldly say there comes more glory to God by saving one sinner in this way of Forgiveness than in giving the reward of blessedness to all the Angels in Heaven So seems it to appear from that solemn Representation we have of the Ascription of Glory to God by the whole Creation Revel 5. 9. 10 11 12 13. All centers in the bringing forth Forgiveness by the blood of the Lamb. I insist the more on this because it lyes so directly against that cursed Principle of Unbelief which reigns in the hearts of the most and often disquiets the best That a poor ungodly sinner going to God with the guilt of all his sins upon him to receive Forgiveness at his hand doth bring more Glory unto him than the obedience of an Angel men are not over-ready to think nor can be prepared for it but by it self And the formal nature of that unbelief which worketh in Convinced Sinners lyes in a refusal to give unto God the whole glory of Salvation There are many hurtfull Controversies in Religion that are managed in the World with great noyse and clamour but this is the greatest and most pernicious of them all and it is for the most part silently transacted in the souls of men although under various forms and pretences It hath also broken forth in writings and disputations that is Whether God or man shall have the Glory of Salvation or whether it shall wholly be ascribed unto God or that man also on one account or other may come in for a share Now if this be the state and condition with any of you that you will rather perish than God should have his Glory what shall we say but Go ye cursed souls perish for ever without the least compassion from God or any that love him Angels or Men. If you shall say for your parts you are contented with this course let God have the glory so you may be forgiven and saved There is yet just cause to suspect lest this be a selfish contempt of God It is a great thing to give Glory unto God by believing in a due manner Such slight returns seem not to have the least relation unto it Take heed that instead of believing you be not found mockers and so your bands be made strong But a poor Convinced Sinner may here finde encouragement Thou wouldst willingly come to Acceptance with God and so attain Salvation Oh my soul longeth for it wouldst thou willingly take that course for the obtaining those ends which will bring most Glory unto God Surely it is meet and most equal that I should do so What now if one should come and tell thee from the Lord of a way whereby thou poor sinfull self condemned creature mightst bring as much Glory unto God as any Angel in Heaven is able to doe Oh if I might bring the least glory unto God I should rejoyce in it Behold then the way which himself hath fixed on for the exaltation of his Glory Even that thou shouldst come to him meerly upon the account of Grace in
a Second The Commandement indeed which was the matter of that Covenant the same Apostle informs us to be holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. But it was faulty as to all ends of a Covenant considering our state and condition as sinners it could not bring us unto God So he acquaints us Rom. 8. 3. It was made weak through the flesh that is by the entrance of sin and so became unusefull as to the saving of souls Be it so then through our sin and default this good and holy Law this Covenant was made unprofitable unto us But what was that unto God was he bound to desert his own Institution and Appointment because through our own default it ceased to be profitable unto us Not at all He might righteously have tyed us all unto the terms of that Covenant to stand or fall by them unto Eternity But he would not do so But Secondly In his Love and Grace he finds fault with it v. 8. not in its self and absolutely but only so farre as that he would provide another way which should supply all its defects and wants in reference to the end aimed at What way that is the Apostle declares in the following Verses to the end of that Chapter The summe is v. 12. I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more It is the way of pardon and forgiveness This is substituted in the room of that insufficient way that was removed Let us consider then whether the infinitely Wise and Holy God pursuing his purpose of bringing souls unto himself laying aside one way of his own appointment as useless and infirm because of the coming in of sin against which there was no relief found in it and substituting another way in the room of it would not provide such an one as should be absolutely free from the faults and inconveniencies which he charged upon that which he did remove That which alone rendred the former way faulty was sin it could do any thing but save a sinner this then was to be and is principally provided against in this way of Forgiveness And we see here how clearly God hath severed yea and in this matter opposed these two things 1. Namely the way of personal Righteousness and the way of forgiveness He finds fault with the first what then doth he do what course doth he take doth he mend it take from it what seems to be redundant mitigate its severity and supply it where it was wanting by Forgiveness and so set it up anew This indeed is the way that many proceed in in their notions and the most in their practice But this is not the way of God He takes the one utterly away and establishes the other in its place And mens endeavours to mix them will be found of little use to them at the last I can have no great expectation from that which God pronounced faulty 2. The unchangeable Principles and Foundations that this Way is built upon render it secure and safe for sinners for 1. It is founded on the Purpose of God Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith God would do so he had purposed and determined to proceed this way and all the purposes of God are attended with immutability and 2. His Promise also is engaged in it and that given out in the way of a Covenant as hath been already declared and 3. This Promise is confirmed by an Oath and it may be observed that God doth not in any thing interpose with an Oath but what relates to this way of coming to himself by Forgiveness For the Oath of God wherever it is used respecteth either Christ Typically or personally or the Covenant established in him for 4. This Way is confirmed and ratified in his Blood from whence the Apostle at large evinceth its absolute security and safety Heb. 9. Whatever soul then on the invitation under consideration shall give up himself to come to God by the way proposed he shall assuredly find absolute peace and security in it Neither our own weakness or folly from within nor the opposition of any of all our Enemies from without shall be able to turn us out of this Way See Isa. 35. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. 3. In the other way every individual person stands upon his own bottom and must do so to the last and utmost of his continuance in this World You are desirous to go unto God to obtain his favour and come to an enjoyment of him What will you doe What course will you fix upon for the obtaining of these Ends if you were so holy so perfect so righteous so free from sin as you could desire you should have some boldness in going unto God why if this be the way you fix upon take this along with you You stand upon your own personal Account all your dayes And if you fail in the least you are gone for ever For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. And what peace can you possibly obtain were you as holy as ever you aimed or desired to be whilest this is your Condition But in this way of Forgiveness we all stand upon the Account of one common Mediator in whom we are compleat Col. 3. 10. And a want of a due improvement of this Truth is a great principle of disconsolation to many Souls Suppose a man look upon himself as loosed from the Covenant of Works wherein exact and perfect Righteousness is rigidly required and to be called unto Gospel Evangelical Obedience to be performed in the room thereof in sincerity and integrity yet if he be not cleared in this also that he stands not in this way purely on his own account he will never be able to make his Comforts hold out to the end of his Journey There will be found in the best of men so many particular failings as will seem in difficult seasons to impeach their integrity And so many questionings will after arise through the darkness of their minds and Power of their Temptations as will give but little rest unto their Souls Here lyes the great security of this way We abide in it on the account of the faithfulness and Ability of our Common Mediator Jesus Christ. And this is another Consideration strengthening our invitation to a closure with the way of coming unto God under proposal There is nothing wanting that is needfull to give infallible Security to any Soul that shall venture himself into it and upon it There are Terms of peace proposed as you have heard These terms are excellent and holy and chosen of God tending to the interest of his Glory free safe and secure unto sinners What hath any soul in the World to object against them or wherein do men repose their Trust and Confidence in the neglect of this so great Salvation Is it in
their Lusts and sins that they will yield them as much satisfaction and contentment as they shall need to desire Alas they will ruine them and bring forth nothing but death Is it in the World it will deceive them the figure of it passeth away Is it in their Duties and Righteousness they will not relieve them for did they follow the Law of Righteousness they could not obtain the Righteousness of the Law Is it in the continuance of their lives Alas it is but a shadow a vapour that appeareth for a little while Is it in a future Amendment and Repentance Hell is full of souls perishing under such Resolutions Only this way of pardon remains and yet of all others is most despised But yet I have one consideration more to adde before I further enforce the Exhortation 6. Consider that this is the only Way and means to enable you unto obedience and to render what you do therein acceptable unto God It may be that some of you are under the power of Convictions and have made Engagements unto God to live unto him to keep your selves from fin and to follow after holiness It may be you have done so in Afflictions dangers sicknesses or upon the receipt of mercies but yet you find that you cannot come unto stability or constancy in your course you break with God and your own Souls which fills you with new disquietments or else hardens you and makes you secure and negligent so that you return unto your purposes no oftner than your Convictions or Afflictions befall you anew This condition is ruinous and pernitious which nothing can deliver you from but this closing with forgiveness For 1. All that you do without this however it may please your minds or ease your Consciences is not at all accepted with God Unless this foundation be laid all that you do is lost All your Prayers all your Duties all your amendments are an abomination unto the Lord. Untill peace is made with him they are but the Acts of Enemies which he despiseth and abhorreth You run it may be earnestly but you run out of the way you strive but not lawfully and shall never receive the Crown True Gospel-obedience is the fruit of the Faith of Forgiveness Whatever you do without it is but a building without a foundation a Castle in the ayre You may see the order of Gospel Obedience Eph. 2. 7 8 9 10. The foundation must be laid in Grace Riches of Grace by Christ in the free pardon and forgiveness of sin From hence must the works of obedience proceed if you would have them to be of Gods appointment or finde acceptance with him Without this God will say of all your Services Worship Obedience as he did to the Israelites of old Amos 5. 21 22 23 24 25. I despise all reject it all it is not to him nor to his Glory Now if you are under convictions of any sort there is nothing you more value nothing you more place your confidence in than your Duties your Repentance your Amendment what you do and what in good time you will be Is it nothing unto you to lose all your hopes and all your Expectations which you have from hence To have no other Reception with God than if all this while you had been wallowing in your sins and lusts Yet thus it is with you if you have not begun with God on his own Terms if you have not received the Atonement in the Blood of his Son if you are not made partakers of Forgiveness if your persons are not pardoned all your Duties are accursed 2. This alone will give you such Motives and Encouragements unto Obedience as will give you Life Alacrity and Delight in it You perform Duties abstain from sins but with heaviness fear and in bondage Could you do as well without them as with them would Conscience be quiet and hope of Eternity hold out you would omit them for ever This makes all your Obedience burdensome and you cry out in your thoughts with him in the Prophet behold what a weariness it is the service of God is the only drudgery of your lives which you dare not omit and delight not to perform From this wretched and cursed frame there is nothing can deliver you but this closing with forgiveness This will give you such motives such encouragements as will greatly influence your hearts and souls It will give you freedom liberty delight and chearfulness in all duties of Gospel Obedience You will finde a constraining power in the love of Christ therein a freedom from bondage when the Son truely hath made you free Faith and love will work genuinely and naturally in your spirits and that which was your greatest burden will become your chiefest joy 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thoughts of the Love of God of the Blood of Christ or the Covenant of Grace and sence of pardon in them will enlarge your hearts and sweeten all your duties You will find a new life a new pleasure a new satisfaction in all that you doe Have you yet ever understood that of the Wiseman Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of Wisdom are pleasantness and her paths are peace Have the wayes of Holyness of Obedience of Duties been so unto you Whatever you pretend they are not they cannot be so whilst you are strangers unto that which alone can render them so unto you I speak unto them that are under the Law Would you be free from that bondage that galling yoke in dutyes of Obedience Would you have all that you do towards God a delight and pleasantness unto you this and this alone will effect it for you 3. This will place all your Obedience upon a sure foot of account in your own Souls and Consciences even the same that is fixed on in the Gospell For the present all that you do is indeed but to compound with God for your sin you hope by what you do for him and to him to buy off what you have done against him that you may not fall into the hands of his Wrath and Vengeance This makes all you doe to be irksom As a man that labours all his dayes to pay an old debt and brings in nothing to lay up for himself how tedious and wearisome is his work and labour to him It is odds but that at one time or other he will give over and run away from his Creditor So it is in this case men who have secret reserves of recompensing God by their Obedience every day find their debt growing upon them and have every day less hopes of making a satisfactory payment This makes them weary and for the most part they faint under their discouragements and at length they fly wholly from God This way alone will state things otherwise in your Consciences It will give you to see that all your debts are paid by Christ and freely forgiven unto you by God So that what you doe is of Gratitude or thankfulness hath an influence
wrath of the Great God who will prevail at last upon you and there shall be none to deliver If you shall say Nay This is not our state we rely on Mercy and Forgiveness then let me in the fear of the Great God entreat a few things yet further of you 1. That you would seriously consider whether the forgiveness you rest on and hope in be that Gospel Forgiveness which we have before described or is it only a General Apprehension of Impunity though you are Sinners That God is mercifull and you hope in him that you shall escape the Vengeance of Hell-fire If it be thus with you forgiveness it self will not relieve you This is that of the presumptuous man Deut. 29. 19. Gospel-pardon is a thing of another nature It hath its spring in the Gracious heart of the Father is made out by a Soveraign Act of his Will rendred consistent with the Glory of his Justice and Holyness by the blood of Christ by which it is purchased in a Covenant of Grace as hath been shewed If you shall say yea this is the forgiveness we rely upon it is that which you have described Then I desire further that you would 1. Examine your own hearts how you came to have an interest in this Forgiveness to close with it and to have a right unto it A man may deceive himself as effectually by supposing that True Riches are his when they are not as by supposing his false and counterfeit ware to be good and currant how then come you to be interested in this Gospel-forgiveness If it hath befallen you you know not how if a lifeless barren inoperative perswasion of it hath crept upon your minds be not mistaken God will come and require his forgiveness at your hands and it shall appear that you have had no part nor portion in it If you shall say Nay but we were convinced of sin and rendred exceeding unquiet in our Consciences and on that account looked out after Forgiveness which hath given us Rest. Then I desire 2. That you would diligently consider to what ends and purposes you have received and do make use of this Gospel-forgiveness Hath it been to make up what was wanting and to piece up a peace in your own Consciences that whereas you could not answer your Convictions with your dutyes you would seek for relief from Forgiveness This and innumerable other wayes there are whereby men may lose their souls when they think all is well with them even on the account of Pardon and Mercy Whence is that caution of the Apostle Looking diligently lest any one should seem to fail or come short of the Grace of God Heb. 12. 15. men miss it and come short of it when they pretend themselves to be in the pursuit of it yea to have overtaken and possessed it Now if any of these should prove to be your Condition I desire 3. That you would consider seriously whether it be not high time for you to look out for a way of deliverance and escape that you may save your selves from this evil World and fly from the wrath to come The Judge stands at the door Before he deal with you as a Judge he knocks with a tender of mercy Who knows but that this may be the last time of his dealing thus with you Be you old or young you have but your season but your day it may perhaps be night with you when it is day with the rest of the World Your Sun may go down at Noon And God may swear that you shall not enter into his Rest. If you are then resolved to continue in your present condition I have no more to say unto you I am pure from your blood in that I have declared unto you the counsel of God in this thing and so I must leave you to a naked Tryal between the Great God and your Souls at the last day poor Creatures I even tremble to think how he will tear you in pieces when there shall be none to deliver Me thinks I see your poor destitute forlorn souls forsaken of lusts sins world friends Angels Men Trembling before the Throne of God full of horror and fearfull expectation of the dreadfull sentence Oh that I could mourn over you whilest you are joyned to all the living whilest there is yet hope oh that in this your day you knew the things of your peace But now of you shall say Nay but we will seek the Lord whilest he may be found we will draw nigh unto him before he cause darkness then consider I pray 4. What Joshua told the children of Israel when they put themselves upon such a Resolution and cryed out We will serve the Lord our God chap. 24. v. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins Go to him upon your own Account and in your own strength with your own best endeavours and dutyes you will finde him too great and too holy for you to deal withall You will obtain neither Acceptance of your persons nor Pardon of your sins But you will say this is heavy tidings If you sit still you perish and if you rise to be doing it will not be better is there no hope left for our Souls must we pine away under our sins and the wrath of God for ever God forbid There are yet other directions remaining to guide you out of these entanglements Wherefore 5. Ponder seriously on what hath been spoken of this way of approaching unto God Consider it in its own nature as to all the ends and purposes for which it is proposed of God Consider whether you Approve of it or no do you judge it a way suited and fitted to bring glory unto God doth it answer all the wants and distresses of your souls Do you think it excellent safe and Glorious unto them who are entred unto it or have you any thing to object against it Return your Answer to him in whose Name and by whose Appointment these words are spoken unto you If you shall say we are convinced that this way of forgiveness is the only way for the relief and deliverance of our Souls Then 6. Abhorr your selves for all your blindness and obstinacy whereby you have hither to despised the love of God the blood of Christ and the Tenders of Pardon in the Gospel Be abased and humbled to the dust in a sense of your vileness Pollutions and Abominations which things are every day spoken unto and need not here be repeated And 7. Labour to exercise your hearts greatly with thoughts of that abundant Grace that is manifested in this way of sinners comeing unto God as also of the Excellency of the Gospel wherein it is unfolded Consider the Eternal Love of the Father which is the Fountain and Spring of this whole dispensation the inexpressible Love of the Son in establishing and confirming it in removing all hindrances
and obstructions by his own blood bringing forth unto beauty and Glory this Redemption or Forgiveness of sin as the price of it And let the Glory of the Gospel which alone makes this discovery of Forgiveness in God dwell in your hearts Let your minds be exercised about these things You will find effects from them above all that hath as yet been brought forth in your souls What for the most part have you hitherto been conversant about when you have risen above the turmoyling of lusts and corruptions in your hearts the entanglements of your Callings business and affairs what have you been able to raise your hearts unto perplexing fears about your Condition General hopes without savour or relish yielding you no refreshment Legal Commands Bondage-duties distracted Consciences broken Purposes and Promises which you have been tossed up and down withall without any certain rest And what Effects have these thoughts produced have they made you more holy and more humble have they given you delight in God and strength unto new obedience Not at all Where you were there you still are without the least progress But now bring your Souls unto these Springs and try the Lord if from that day you be not blessed with spiritual stores 8. If the Lord be pleased to carry on your Souls thus far then stirr up your selves to choose and close with the way of forgiveness that hath been revealed Choose it only choose it in comparison with and opposition unto all others Say you will be for Christ and not for another and be so accordingly Here venture here repose here rest your Souls It is a way of peace safety Holyness beauty strength power liberty and glory you have the Nature the Name the Love the Purposes the Promises the Covenant the Oath of God the Love Life Death or Blood the Mediation or Oblation and Intercession of Jesus Christ The Power and Efficacy of the Spirit and Gospel Grace by him administred to give you Assurance of the excellency the oneness the safety of the Way whereunto you are engaging If now the Lord shall be pleased to perswade your hearts and souls to enter upon the path marked out before you and shall carry you on through the various exercises of it unto this closure of Faith God will have the Glory the Gospel will be Exalted and your own Souls shall reap the Eternal benefit of this Exhortation But now if not withstanding all that hath been spoken all the Invitations you have had and Incouragements that have been held out unto you you shall continue to despise this so great salvation you will live and dye in the state and condition wherein you are why then as the Prophet said to the Wife of Jeroboam Come neer for I am sent unto you with heavy Tydings I say then 9. If you resolve to continue in the neglect of this Salvation and shall do so accordingly Then Cursed be you of the Lord with all the Curses that are written in the Law and all the Curses that are denounced against Despisers of the Gospel Yea be you Anathema Maranatha Cursed in this World alwayes untill the comeing of the Lord and when the Lord comes be ye cursed from his presence into Everlasting destruction Yea Curse them all ye holy Angels of God as the obstinate Enemies of your King and Head the Lord Jesus Christ. Curse them all ye Churches of Christ as despisers of that Love and Mercy which is your portion your Life your Inheritance Let all the Saints of God all that love the Lord curse them and rejoyce to see the Lord comeing forth mightily and prevailing against them to their everlasting ruine Why should any one have a thought of compassion towards them who despise the compassion of God or of mercy towards them who trample on the blood of Christ Whilest there is yet hope we desire to have continual sorrow for you and to travail in soul for your conversion to God but if you be hardened in your way shall we joyn with you against him shall we preferre you above his Glory shall we desire your salvation with the despoyling God of his honour Nay God forbid We hope to rejoyce in seeing all that vengeance and indignation that is in the right hand of God poured out unto Eternity upon your Souls Prov. 1. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Rules to be observed by them who would come to stability in Obedience The first Rule Christ the only infallible Judge of our spiritual condition How he judgeth by his Word and Spirit That which remaineth to be further carried on upon the Principles laid down is to perswade with Souls more or less intangled in the depths of sin to close with this Forgiveness by Believing unto their Peace and Consolation And because such persons are full of pleas and objections against themselves I shall chiefly in what I have to say endeavour to obviate these Objections so to encourage them unto believing and bring them unto settlement And herein whatever I have to offer flowes naturally from the Doctrine at large laid down and asserted Yet I shall not in all particulars apply my self thereunto but in Generall fix on those things that may tend to the Establishment and Consolation of both distressed and doubting Souls And I shall do what I purpose these two wayes First I shall lay down such General Rules as are necessary to be observed by all those who intend to come to Gospel peace and Comfort And then Secondly shall consider some such Objections as seem to be most comprehensive of those special reasonings where with distressed persons do usually intangle themselves I shall begin with General Rules which through the Grace of Christ and Supplyes of his Spirit may be of use unto Believers in the condition under consideration RULE I. Be not Judges of your own Condition but let Christ judge You are invited to take the comfort of this Gospel Truth That there is Forgiveness with God You say not for you so said Jacob My way is hid from the Lord Isa. 40. 27. and Sion said so too chap. 49. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But did they make a right Judgement of themselves We find in those places that God was otherwise minded This false Judgement made by Souls in their intanglements of their own Condition is oft-times a most unconquerable hinderance unto the bettering of it They fill themselves with thoughts of their own about it and on them they dwell instead of looking out after a Remedy Misgiving thoughts of their distempers are commonly a great part of some mens sickness Many diseases are apt to cloud the thoughts and to cause misapprehensions concerning their own nature and danger And these delusions are a real part of the persons sickness Nature is no less impaired and weakened by them the Efficacy of Remedies no less obstructed than by any other reall distemper In such
build upon it unto any comfort to themselves or usefulness unto others And the Reason is because they will be mixing with the foundation stones that are fit only for the following building They will be bringing their Obedience duties mortification of sin and the like unto the foundation These are precious stones to build with but unmeet to be first laid to bear upon them the whole weight of the building The foundation is to be laid as was said in meer Grace Mercy Pardon in the blood of Christ. This the soul is to accept of and to rest in meerly as it is Grace without the consideration of any thing in its self but that it is sinfull and obnoxious unto ruine This it finds a difficulty in and would gladly have something of its own to mix with it It cannot tell how to fix these foundation stones without some cement of its own endeavours and duty And because these things will not mix they spend a fruitless labour about it all their daies But if the foundation be of Grace it is not at all of works for otherwise grace is no more grace If any thing of our own be mixed with Grace in this matter it utterly destroys the nature of Grace which if it be not alone it is not at all But doth not this tend to licenciousness doth not this render Obedience Holiness Duties Mortification of sin and good works needless God forbid yea this is the only way to order them aright unto the glory of God Have we nothing to do but to lay the foundation yes all our daies we are to build upon it when it is surely and firmly laid And these are the means and waies of our Edification This then is the soul to do who would come to peace and settlement Let it let go all former endeavours if it have been engaged unto any of that kind And let it alone receive admit of and adhere to meer Grace mercy and pardon with a full sense that in its self it hath nothing for which it should have an interest in them but that all is of meer Grace through Jesus Christ. Other foundation can no man lay Depart not hence until this work be well over Surcease not an earnest endeavour with your own hearts to acquiesce in this Righteousness of God and to bring your souls unto a comfortable perswasion that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiven you all your sins Stir not hence untill this be effected If you have been engaged in another way that is to seek for an interest in the pardon of sin by some endeavours of your own it is not unlikely but that you are filled with the fruit of your own doings that is that you go on with all kind of uncertainties and without any kind of constant peace Return then again hither bring this foundation work to a blessed issue in the blood of Christ and when that is done up and be doing You know how fatal and ruinous it is for souls to abuse the Grace of God and the Apprehension of the pardon of sins in the course of their obedience to countenance themselves in sin or the negligence of any duty this is to turn the Grace of God into wantonness as we have else where at large declared And it is no less pernicious to bring the duties of our obedience any reserves for them any hopes about them into the matter of pardon and forgiveness as we are to receive them from God But these things as they are distinct in themselves so they must be distinctly managed in the soul and the confounding of them is that which disturbs the Peace and weakens the Obedience of many In a confused manner they labour to keep up a life of Grace and Duty which will be in their places conjoyned but not mixed or compounded First To take up Mercy Pardon and Forgiveness absolutely on the account of Christ and then to yield all obedience in the strength of Christ and for the Love of Christ is the life of a Believer Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. RULE VIII Take heed of spending time in complaints when vigorous actings of Grace are your Duty Fruitless and heartless complaints bemoanings of themselves and their condition is the substance of the profession that some make If they can object against themselves and form Complaints out of their conditions they suppose they have done their duty I have known some who have spent a good part of their time in going up and down from one to another with their objections and complaints These things are contrary to the life of Faith It is good indeed in our spiritual distresses to apply our selves unto them who are furnished with the tongue of the learned to know how to speak a word in season unto him that is weary But for persons to fill their minds and imaginations with their own Objections and Complaints not endeavouring to mix the words that are spoken for their relief and direction with faith but going on still in their own way this is of no use or advantage And yet some I fear may please themselves in such a course as if it had somewhat of Eminency in Religion in it Others it may be drive the same trade in their Thoughts although they make not outwardly such Complaints They are conversant for the most part with heartless despondings And in some they are multiplied by their natural Constitutions or Distempers Examples of this kind occur unto us every day Now what is the Advantage of these things what did Sion get when she cried The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me or Jacob when he said My way is hid from the Lord and my Judgement is passed over from my God Doubtless they did but prejudice themselves How doth David rouse up himself when he found his mind inclinable unto such a frame For having said Why dost thou cast me off O God why go I mourning because of the oppression of mine enemy He quickly rebukes and recollects himself saying Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God Psal. 4. 2 5. We must say then unto such heartless Complainers as God did to Joshuah Get you up why lye you thus upon your faces Do you think to mend your condition by wishing it better or complaining it is so bad are your complaints of want of an Interest in forgiveness a sanctified means to obtain it not at all you will not deal so with your selves in things natural or civil In such things you will take an industrious course for a remedy or for relief In things of the smallest importance in this world and unto this life you will not content your selves with wishing and complaining As though industry in the use of natural means for the attaining of natural Ends were the Ordinance of God and diligence in the use of spiritual means for the obtaining of spiritual Ends were not Do not consult your
time of Temptation Satan as we have shewed will not be wanting unto any appearing Opportunity or Advantage of setting upon the soul. When Pharaoh heard that the people were intangled in the wilderness he pursued them And when Satan sees a soul intangled with it's distresses and troubles he thinks it his time and hour to assault it He seeks to winnow and comes when the Corn is under the flail Reckon therefore that when trouble cometh the Prince of the world cometh also that you may be provided for him Now is the time to take the shield of faith that we may be able to quench his fiery darts If they be neglected they will enflame the soul. Watch therefore and pray that you enter not into Temptation that Satan do not represent God falsly unto you He that durst represent Job falsly to the All-seeing God will with much boldness represent God falsly unto us who see and know so little Be not then ignorant of his devices but every way set your selves against his interposing between God and your souls in a matter which he hath nothing to do withall Let not this make-bate by any means inflame the difference 5. Learn to distinguish the Effect of natural distempers from spiritual distresses Some have sad dark and tenacious thoughts fixed on their minds from their natural distempers These will not be cured by Reasonings nor utterly quelled by faith Our design must be to abate their Efficacy and Consequents by considering their Occasions And if men cannot do this in themselves it is highly incumbent on those who make Application of relief unto them to be carefull to discern what is from such principles whereof they are not to expect a speedy Cure And 6. Take heed in times of peace and ease that you lay not up by your negligence or careless walking sad provision for a day of darkness a time of Afflictions It is sin that imbitters troubles the sins of peace are revived in the time of distress Fear of future Affliction of impendent troubles should make us carefull not to bring that into them which will make them bitter and sorrowfull 7. Labour to grow better under all your Afflictions lest your Afflictions grow worse lest God mingle them with more darkness bitterness and terrour As Joab said unto David if he ceased not his scandalous Lamentation on the death of Absolom all the people would leave him and he then should find himself in a far worse condition than that which he bemoaned or any thing that befell him from his youth The same may be said unto persons under their Afflictions If they are not managed and improved in a due manner that which is worse may nay in all probability will befall them Whereever God takes this way and engageth in afflicting he doth commonly pursue his work until he hath prevailed and his design towards the afflicted party be accomplished He will not cease to thresh and break the bread-corn until it be meet for his use Lay down then the weapons of thy warfare against him give up your selves to his Will let go every thing about which he contends with you follow after that which he calls you unto and you will find light arising unto you in the midst of darkness Hath he a cup of Affliction in one hand lift up your eyes and you will see a cup of Consolation in another And if all Stars withdraw their light whilst you are in the way of God assure your selves that the Sun is ready to rise 8. According to the Tenor of the Covenant of Grace a man may be sensible of the respect of Affliction unto sin yea unto this or that sin in particular and yet have a comfortable perswasion of the forgiveness of sin Thus it was in general in Gods dealing with his people He forgave them but he took vengeance on their inventions Psal. 99. 8. Whatever they suffered under the vengeance that fell upon their Inventions and that is as hard a word as is applied any where unto Gods dealing with his people yet at the same time he assured them of the pardon of their sin So you know was the case of David His greatest Trial and Affliction and that which befell him on the account of a particular sin and wherein God took vengeance on his invention was ushered in with a Word of Grace that God had done away or pardoned his sins and that he should not dye This is express'd in the Tenor of the Covenant with the seed of Christ Psal. 89. 31 32 33 34. Objections against Believing from things internal The person knows not whether he be Regenerate or no. State of Regeneration asserted Difference of Saving and Common Grace This difference discernable Men may know themselves to be Regenerate The Objection answered Another head of Objections and Despondencies ariseth from things internal things that are required in the soul that it may have an Interest in the forgiveness that is with God Some whereof we shall speak unto and these respect first the state of the soul and secondly some actings in the soul. First As to the State say some unless a man be Regenerate and born again he is not he cannot be made partaker of Mercy and Pardon Now all things here are in the dark unto us For first we know not well what this Regeneration is and it is variously disputed amongst men Some would place it only in the outward signs of our Initiation unto Christ and some otherwise express it Again it is uncertain whether thou that are Regenerate do or may know that they are so or whether this may be in any measure known unto others with whom they may treat about it And if it may not be known we must be uncertain in this also And then it may be for their parts they neither know the time when nor the manner how any such work was wrought in them and yet without this seeing it is wrought by means and springs from certain causes they can have no establishment in a not-failing perswasion of their Acceptance with God by the pardon of their sins in the blood of Christ. This is the Head and summ of most of the Objections which perplexed souls do manage against themselves as to their state and condition Hence indeed they draw forth reasonings with great variety according as they are suggested by their particular occasions and temptations And many proofs taken from their sins miscarriages and fears do they enforce their Objections withall My purpose is to lay down some General Rules and Principles which may be applied unto particular occasions and emergencies And this shall be done in answer to the several parts of the General Objection mentioned before I say then First It is most certain that there are two Estates and Conditions that divide all mankind and every one that lives in the world doth compleatly and absolutely belong unto one of them These are the state of Nature and the state of Grace
because he hath more opposition more Temptation Isa. 41. 17. And sense of the want of all is a great sign of somewhat in the soul. 2. As to what was alledged to the nothingness the selfishness of Duty I say It is certain whilest we are in the flesh our duties will taste of the vessel whence they proceed Weakness defilements treachery hypocrisie will attend them To this purpose whatever some pretend to the contrary is the Complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 6. The Chaffe oftentimes is so mixed with the Wheat that Corn can scarce be discerned And this know that the more spiritual any man is the more be sees of his unspiritualness in his spiritual Duties An outside performance will satisfie an outside Christian. Job abhorred himself most when he knew himself best The clearer discoveries we have had of God the viler will every thing of self appear Nay further duties and performances are oftentimes very ill measured by us and those seem to be first which indeed are last and those to be last which indeed are first I do not doubt but a man when he hath had distractions to wrestle withall no outward advantage to further him no extraordinary provocations of hope fear or sorrow on a natural account in his duty may rise from his knees with thoughts that he hath done nothing in his duty but provoked God when there hath been more workings of Grace in contending with the deadness cast on the soul by the condition that it is in than when by a concurrence of moved natural affections and outward provocations a frame hath been raised that hath to the party himself seemed to reach to Heaven so that it may be this perplexity about duties is nothing but what is common to the people of God and which ought to be no obstruction to peace and settlement 2. As to the pretence of Hypocrisie you know what is usually answered it is one thing to do a thing in hypocrisie another not to do it without a mixture of hypocrisie Hypocrisie in its long extent is every thing that for matter or manner comes short of sincerity Now our sincerity is no more perfect than our other graces so that in its measure it abides with us and adheres to all we do In like manner it is one thing to do a thing for vain glory and to be seen of men another not to be able wholly to keep off the subtle insinuations of self and vain glory He that doth a thing in hypocrisie and for vain glory is satisfied with some corrupt end obtained though he be sensible that he sought such an end He that doth a thing with a mixture of hypocrisie that is with some breaches upon the degrees of his sincerity with some insensible advancements in performance on outward considerations is not satisfied with a self end attained and is dissatisfied with the defect of his sincerity In a word wouldst thou yet be sincere and dost endeavour so to be in private duties and in publick performances in praying hearing giving alms zealous actings for Gods glory and the Love of the Saints though these duties are not it may be sometimes done without sensible hypocrisie I mean as traced to its most subtle insinuations of self and vain glory yet are they not done in hypocrisie nor do not denominate the persons by whom they are performed hypocrites Yet I say of this as of all that is spoken before it is of use to relieve us under a troubled condition of none to support us or incourage us unto an abode in it 3. Know that God despiseth not small things he takes notice of the least breathings of our hearts after him when we our selves can see nor perceive no such thing He knows the mind of the spirit in those workings which are never formed to that height that we can reflect upon them with our observation Every thing that is of him is noted in his Book though not in ours He took notice that when Sarah was acting unbelief towards him yet that she shewed respect and regard to her Husband calling him Lord Gen. 18. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. And even whilst his people are sinning he can find something in their hearts words or waies that pleaseth him much more in their duties He is a skilfull refiner that can find much Gold in that Ore where we see nothing but Lead or Clay He remembers the duties which we forget and forgets the sins which we remember He justifies our persons though ungodly and will also our duties though not perfectly godly 4. To give a little further support in reference unto our wretched miserable duties and to them that are in perplexities on that account know that Jesus Christ takes out whatever is evil and unsavoury out of them and makes them acceptable When an unskilfull servant gathers many herbs flowers and weeds in a Garden you gather them out that are usefull and cast the rest out of sight Christ deals so with our performances All the ingredients of self that are in them on any account he takes away and adds Incense to what remains and presents it to God Exod. 28. 36. This is the cause that the Saints at the last day when they meet their own duties and performances they know them not they are so changed from what they were when they went of their hand Lord when saw we thee naked or hungry so that God accepts a little and Christ makes our little a great deal 5. Is this an Argument to keep thee from believing The Reason why thou art no more Holy is because thou hast no more faith If thou hast no holiness it is because thou hast no saith Holiness is the purifying of the heart by faith or our Obedience unto the Truth And the reason why thou art no more in duty is because thou art no more in believing the reason why thy duties are weak and imperfect is because thy faith is weak and imperfect Hast thou no holiness believe that thou maist have hast thou but a little or that which is imperceptible be stedfast in believing that thou maist abound in Obedience Do not resolve not to eat thy meat until thou art strong when thou hast no means of being strong but by eating thy bread which strengthens the heart of man Object 4. The powerfull tumulating of indwelling sin or corruption is another cause of the same kind of trouble and despondency They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof But we find say some several corruptions working effectually in our hearts carrying us captive to the Law of sin They disquiet with their power as well as with their guilt Had we been made partakers of the Law of the Spirit of Life we had ere this been more set free from the Law of sin and death Had sin been pardoned fully it would have been subdued more effectually There are three Considerations which make the actings of indwelling sin to be so perplexing to
holy God whom ye have provoked all your dayes and whom you yet continue to provoke who hath not the least need of you or your salvation who can when he pleaseth eternally glorifie himself in your destruction should of his own accord send unto you to let you know that he is willing to be at peace with you on the terms he had prepared The Enmity began on your part the danger is on your part only and he might justly expect that the message for peace should begin on your part also But he begins with you and shall he be rejected The Prophet well expresseth this Isa. 30. 15. Thus saith the Lord God the holy One of Israel in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength and you would not The Love and Condescention that is in these words on the one hand on the part of God and the folly and ingratitude mentioned in them on the other hand is inexpressible They are fearfull words But you would not Remember this against another day As our Saviour sayes in the like manner to the Jewes You will not come unto me that ye may have life Whatever is pretended it is will and stubbornness that lye at the bottom of this refusal Wherefore that either You may obtain Advantage by it or that the way of the Lord may be prepared for the Glorifying of himself upon you I shall leave this word before all them that hear or read it as the Testimony which God requires to be given unto his Grace There are terms of peace with God provided for you and tendred unto you It is yet called to day harden not your hearts like them of old who could not enter into the Rest of God by reason of unbelief Heb. 3. 19. Some of you it may be are old in sins and unacquainted with God some of you it may be have been great sinners scandalous sinners and some of you it may be have reason to apprehend your selves neer the grave and so also to hell some of you it may be have your Consciences disquieted and galled and it may be some of you are under some outward Troubles and Perplexities that cause you a little to look about you and some of you it may be are in the madness of your natural strength and lusts your breasts are full of milk and your bones of marrow and your hearts of sin pride and contempt of the wayes of God All is one This word is unto you all And I shall only mind you That it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God You hear the voyce or read the words of a poor worm but the Message is the Message and the Word is the Word of him who shaketh Heaven and Earth Consider then well what you have to do and what answer you will return unto him who will not be mocked But you will say Why what great matter is there that you have in hand why is it urged with so much earnestness We have heard the same words an hundred times over The last Lords day such a one or such a one preached to the same purpose And what need it be insisted on now again with so much importunity But is it so indeed that you have thus frequently been dealt withall and do yet continue in an Estate of irreconciliation my heart is pained for you to think of your wofull and almost remediless condition If he that being often reproved and yet stiffeneth his neck shall perish suddenly and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. how much more will he do so who being often invited unto Peace with God yet hardeneth his heart and refuseth to treat with him Methinks I hear his voyce concerning you Those mine enemies they shall not taste of the Supper that I have prepared Be it then that the word in hand is a common word unto you you set no value upon it then take your way and course in sin stumble fall and perish It is not so slight a matter to poor convinced sinners that tremble at the Word of God These will prize it and improve it We shall follow then that counsel Prov. 31. 6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of an heavy heart We shall tender this New Wine of the Gospel to poor sad hearted conscience distressed sinners sinners that are ready to perish to them it will be pleasant they will drink of it and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more It shall take away all their sorrow and sadness when you shall be drunk with the fruit of your lusts and spue and lie down and not rise again But now if any of you shall begin to say in your hearts that you would willingly treat with God oh that the day were come wherein we might approach unto him let him speak what he pleaseth and propose what terms he pleaseth we are ready to hear Then consider Secondly That the Terms provided for you and proposed unto you are equal holy righteous yea pleasant and easie This being another General Head of our work in hand before I proceed to the further explication and confirmation of it I shall educe one or two Observations from what hath been delivered on the first As 1. See here on what foundation we preach the Gospel Many disputes there are whether Christ died for all individuals of Mankinde or no if we say No but only for the Elect who are some of all sorts some then tell us we cannot invite all men promiscuously to believe But why so we invite not men as all men no man as one of all men but all men as Sinners And we know that Christ died for Sinners But is this the first thing that we are in the dispensation of the Gospel to propose to the Soul of a sinner under the Law That Christ dyed for him in particular Is that the beginning of our Message unto him were not this a ready way to induce him to conclude Let me then continue in sin that Grace may abound No but this is in order of Nature our first work even that which we have had in hand This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the voyce of one crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. There is a way of Reconciliation provided God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself There is a way of acceptance there is Forgiveness with him to be obtained At this Threshold of the Lords house doth the greatest part of men to whom the Gospel is preached fall and perish never looking in to see the Treasures that are in the house it self never coming into any such state and condition wherein they have any ground or bottom to enquire whether Christ dyed for them in particular or no. They believe not this report nor take any serious notice of it This was the Ministry of the Baptist
and they who received it not rejected the counsel of God concerning their salvation Luke 7. 10. And so perished in their sins This is the summe of the blessed invitation given by Wisdom Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. And here men stumble fall and perish Prov. 1. 29 30. 2. You that have found grace and favour to accept of these terms and thereby to obtain peace with God Learn to live in an holy Admiration of his condescension and love therein That he would provide such terms That he would reveal them unto you that he would enable you to receive them Unspeakable Love and Grace lyes in it all Many have not these terms revealed unto them few find favour to accept of them and of whom is it that you have obtained this peculiar mercy Do you aright consider the nature of this matter The Scripture proposeth it as an object of eternal admiration So God loved the World herein is love not that we loved God but he loved us first Live in this Admiration and do your utmost in your several capacities to prevail with your Friends Relations Acquaintance to hearken after this great treaty of peace with God whose terms we shall nextly consider as before in generall they were expressed 2. The terms provided for you and proposed unto you are equal holy righteous yea pleasant and easie Hes. 2. 18 19. They are not such as a cursed guilty sinner might justly expect but such as are meet for an infinitely Good and Gracious God to propose not suited to the Wisdom of man but full of the wisdom of God 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. The poor convinced wretch thinking of dealing with God Micah 6. 6 7. rolls in his mind what terms he is like to meet withall and fixes on the most dreadfull difficult and impossible that can be imagined If saith he any thing be done with this Great and most high God it must be by Rivers Thousands and Ten Thousands Children first born whatever is dreadfull and terrible to Nature whatever is impossible for me to perform that is it which he looks for But the matter is quite otherwise The terms are wholly of another nature it is a way of meer mercy a way of free forgiveness The Apostle lays it down Rom. 3. 23 24 25. it is a way of propitiation of pardon of forgiveness in the blood of Christ the Terms are the Acceptance of the forgiveness that we have described Who would not think now that the whole world would run in to be made partakers of these terms willingly accepting of them But it proves for the most part quite otherwise Men like not this way of all others It had been something says Naaman if the Prophet had come and done so and so but this Go wash and be clean I do not like it I am but deluded Men think within themselves that had it been some great thing that was required of them that they might be saved they would with all speed address themselves thereunto but to come to God by Christ to be freely forgiven without more adoe they like it not Some rigid austere penances some compensatory obedience some satisfactory mortification or Purgatory had been a more likely way This of meer pardon in and by the Cross it is but folly 1 Cor. 1. 18. 20. I had rather saith the Jew have it as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9. 32. and Chap. 10. 3. This way of Grace and Forgiveness I like not So say others also So practise others every day either this way is wholly rejected or it is mended by some additions which with God is all one with the rejection of it Here multitudes of Souls deceive themselves and perish I know not whether be more difficult to perswade an unconvinced person to think of any terms or a convinced Person to accept of these Let men say what they will and pretend what they please yet practically they like not this way of Forgiveness I shall therefore offer some subservient Considerations tending to the furtherance of your Souls in the Acceptance of the Terms proposed 1. This is the way these are Terms of Gods own choosing He found out this way he established it himself He did it when all was lost and undone He did it not upon our desire request or proposal but meerly of his own Accord and why should we contend with him about it If God will have us saved in a way of meer mercy and forgiveness If his Wisdom and Soveraignty be in it shall we oppose him and say we like it not Yet this is the language of unbelief Rom. 10. 3 4. Many poor Creatures have disputed it with God untill at length being over-powered as it were by the Spirit have said If it must be so and God will save us by Mercy and Grace let it be so we yield our selves to his will and yet throughout their disputes dreamed of nothing but that their own unworthiness only kept them from closing with the Promise of the Gospel Of this nature was that way of Sathan whereby he deceived our first Parents of their Interest in the Covenant of works the terms of it saith he as apprehended by you are unequal Yea hath God said ye shall eat of every Tree of the Garden but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil ye shall not eat lest ye die come you shall not dye for God doth know in the day you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened There is no proportion between the disobedience and the threatning The Issue cannot be such as is feared And by these means he ruined them Thus also he proceeds to deprive Souls of their Interest in the Covenant of Grace whereunto they are invited The Terms of it are unequall how can any man believe them There is no proportion between the Obedience and the Promise To have pardon forgiveness life and blessed Eternity on believing who can rest in it And here lyes a conspiracy between Sathan and unbelief against the Wisdom Goodness Love Grace and Soveraignty of God The poyson of this deceit lyes in this that neither the Righteousness nor the Mercy of God is of that infiniteness as indeed they are The Apostle to remove this fond imagination calls us to the pleasure of God 1 Cor. 1. 27. It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching that is by the Gospel preached which they esteemed foolishness to save Believers He suffered men indeed to make tryall of other wayes and when their insufficiency for the Ends men proposed to themselves was sufficiently manifested it pleased him to reveal his way And what are we that we should contend about it with him This Rejection of the way of personal Righteousness and choosing the way of Grace and Forgiveness God asserts Jerem. 31. 31 32 33 34. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah Not according to the Covenant