our troubles and wants His wisdome is there and his goodnesse O how shall I be delivered How Let faith work and that will tell thee how Why should I thus be troubled Why Let faith work and that will tell thee It is in very faithfulnesse saith David And It is good for me that I am afflicted No child of God thus Nay let faith work and it will cleare all That a good condition is not exempted from afflictions and that though God had one Son without sin yet he had no Son without sorrow 3. Our incouragements are more then our discouragements and our helps exceed our oppositions therefore faith is not to be restrained The Prophet healed up his servants doubtings 2 King 6. 2 Kin. 6. 16 Elâ—shaes servant 16. Feare not for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them And so Christ to his perplexed Christ to his Disciples and doubting Disciples about those exigencies and casualties to which they were exposed Feare not little flocke A Kingdome opposed to temporall safety it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome q. d. Be not so disquieted so anxious for your lives for your safeties Though you be a flock and a little flock and the wolves are many yet let the worst come to the worst you shall have a Kingdome Oppose that to this and you need not doubt and feare So S. John 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are 1 Joh. 4. 4. Gods Spirit opposed to Satans Antichrists of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Once more S. Paul Rom. 5. Rom. 5. 20 Grace opposed to sin 20. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound And 21. As sinne reigned unto death so grace reignes through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord. So againe for outward troubles Esay 41. 14. Feare not thou Esa 41. 14 Help to trouble weakness And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also c. 2 Cor. 4. 17 Our light afflictions c. work for us a far more exceeding waight of glory worme Jacob q. d. Thou art a weak creature contemptible creature a worme yet thou art Jacob and therefore fear not for I will help thee saith the Lord. Though Jacob be weak yet the God of Jacob is strong So for outward losses 2 Chron. 25. 9. said Amaziah to the man of God But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Israel The man of God answered The Lord is able to give thee much more then this From all which we see that Faith hath the better grounds to rest on there are more with faith then against it for none can be against it except the evill creatures and he who is for it is the mighty Creator All his power and his goodnesse and his Christ and his My Father is greater then all saith Christ Spirit and his Word of Truth is for it He is greater then all so that faith may have singular matter to work upon in all occurrences It is on the better side and on the greater side on that side which will carry it and beare downe the contrary Satan is against me But greater is he is that Ob. Sol. Spirit of Christ in me then he that is in the world Sin is against me But greater is Christ who is Ob. Sol. for me then sinne which is in me Grace hath much more abounded Men in their power are against Ob. me But greater is that Almighty God before whom the Nations Sol. are but as the drop of the bucket and lighter then a dust in the ballance Troubles are upon me Ob. Sol. But my comforts are greater then my sorrows and the glory which I expect infinitely exceeds the trouble which I suffer Wants are upon me Ob. Sol. But my supplies are exceeding I have a provident Father And though I have not a large portion of earth yet I have a sure Kingdome in heaven Beloved if we would but often consider of this that faith is still on the better on the surer side we would quit all our doubtings we would Note not feare what man can doe unto us what Satan can doe unto us our owne infirmities would not disable us nor afflictions for still faith falls to the surest partie and therefore give it scope Faith pitcheth upon no weak causes upon no weak helps upon no weak stayes it stayes upon the Name of the God of Iacob O how might faith out-face the greatest oppositions and trample-under all our affronts and losses and doubts if we did let it get out unto its encouragements could we once come with faith to be perswaded indeed that they who are for us are more then they who are against us Brethren in our spirituall combats we have the better cause and the better strength what help heaven can afford we have Therefore in all our distresses let us hearten our selves and incourage our faith Let us as Iehu in another case look up and say Who is on my side who and then wee may even say what the Psalmist spake Psal 124. 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our Psa 124. 1 side now may the Beleever Israel say 2. If it had not been the Lord c. 7. Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare c. 8. Our help is in the Name of the Lord c. 5. A fift spring of doubtings was speciall and particular sins after conversion These like a strong disease do shake the very heart and spirit of the Christian and stagger him on every side and like a cloud fold up all our comfortable communion with God like a dead fly they fall in all our services If thou dost ill sinne lies at the doore said God to Cain And so you shall find it that speciall sinnes after conversion doe much interrupt us in our approaches and in our confidences Now the way to cure this spring is 1. To renew our sorrowes to set upon the fountaine David David did so after his great sins and so did Peter the one did Peter water his couch and his teares were his meat day and night and the other went out and wept bitterly Bitternesse of sorrow you read of it in Zach. 12. 10. imports Bitternes what it imports 1. Anguish 1. an anguish of spirit As David said for his Ionathan My soule is distressed for thee so here the falne Christian is distressed for sinning thus against his God for losing his God There is oft times a very tearing and renting in the soule 2. A sensible fulnesse of 2 Fulnesse of griefe griefe As Ioseph was full of compassion and his bowels could hold no longer upon the oration of Iudah so the falne Christian is full of holy meltings his heart
Conscience condemns thy person I confesse thou hast no reason to beleeve mercy for thy selfe If thy conscience tels thee to the face of God thou art in a foule sinfull course and hast been called upon by the voice of the Word and its voice to come out of it and thou dost not leave it nay art resolved to pursue it and to insist on it now God is greater then thy conscience and will assuredly condemne thee 2. If conscience condemns thy actions onely then thou mayest notwithstanding that condemnation beleeve on mercy My meaning is this Though the conscience by its discerming light represents unto thee much sinfulnesse in thy nature and former course and though it doth condemne these to be vile and most fit to be crucified abhorred and forsaken this condemnation hinders not the right of beleeving Nay no man indeed should beleeve unlesse his conscience doth condemne sin in him not onely shew him his sinnes but assure him that they are evill and unworthy his love nay most worthy of his detestation and mortification 2. Secondly you must distinguish of times when conscience doth condemne a man there are two times of a Christian 1. Some are open and free He is himselfe and besides that he heares both parties as well what is for himselfe as what is against himselfe yea and weighs matters in controversie in the right ballance of Gods Sanctuary not in Satans ballance of cunning suggestions Will conscience condemne thy person at such a time and under such circumstances Nay will not the Word of God acquit thee at such a time against all feares for the substance and reality of a pious condition 2. Some are clouded darkned either with melancholy or afflictions or temptations wherein the Christian seeth his face through a false glasse just as a Title is made by a deceitfull cunning Lawyer not according to truth not all of it but some of it What is past heretofore for action and affection or what hath falne out not in the course of life since a mans conversion but onely in case of surprisall and captivity Now perhaps conscience may condemne thee but this is an illegall sentence it is a corrupted judgement and is reversible God will not judge of thee as Conscience in such a case doth Nay he will repeale it and disanull it 4. A fourth cause of doubtings is a feare lest a man hath sinned that great sin against the holy Ghost And the main inducement to credit this is a sinning against cleare knowledge which is one ingredient in that sinne Now this is my condition saith a troubled soul I have not onely sinned but sinned against light shining in the Ministery and working on my conscience therefore I may rather conclude then question it Mercy belongs not to me To help a conscience thus Sol. inthralled I would wish that such a person would 1. Be informed 2. Be directed 1. The Information which I would commend in this case is fourefold First that the sinne against the holy Ghost is not any sin which a man commits through ignorance Whatsoever the sinne or sinnes have beene whereof the party stands guilty whether against the Law or against the Gospel suppose it be one or many hainous sinnes yet if the person be in a state of blindnesse and ignorance if there is a nescience of the fact if hee knowes not what he doth this ignorance priviledgeth the sinnings thus far that therefore they are not the sin against the holy Ghost Secondly the sin against the holy Ghost is not any sinne against the Gospel which is elicited and acted through a mis-beliefe or mis-perswasion If the sinne be a sleighting of Euangelicall doctrines nay a persecuting of them and of the professors of them yet if these acts of opposition depend totally on error in the judgment on a judgement mis-perswaded i. rather beleeving them not to be truths rather thinking those wayes to be false wayes I say this mis-beliefe preserves such sinnings yet from being sins against the holy 1 Tim. 1. 13. Ghost because the sinne against the holy Ghost supposeth light even to conviction and approbation See Heb. 6. 4. 5. Thirdly the sin against the holy Ghost is not every sinning against knowledge These are not reciprocall propositions every sin against the holy Ghost is against knowledg and every sinne against knowledge is the sin against the holy Ghost The former is true but the latter is not for many a converted man sinneth against knowledge who yet never sinneth the sin against the holy Ghost In two cases a man sinning against knowledge doth not yet sin that sin against the holy Ghost One is the case of a strong and violent temptation Another is the case of a sudden and turbulent passion It is the same with Peters case against his knowledg denying and forswearing his Master If Paul before his conversion had had Peters knowledge he had sinned this sin against the holy Ghost And if Peter in his denyall had had Pauls malice joyned with his knowledge he had also sinned that sinne but the mis-beliefe of the one before his conversion and the infirmity of the other after it preserved from this sinne Error mis-led the one and sudden feare surprised the other Fourthly there are three horrible sinnings which doe attend that sinne against the holy Ghost and the Scripture which wee were best exceeding warily to follow in resolving this case expresly delivers them 1. One is totall Apostasie from the truths of Jesus Christ knowne and tasted The truths of Christ must 1. be knowne and apprehended 2. knowne and tasted they must be approved 3. And then the person falls from these 4. Nay his fal is not particular which is incident to the best it is a totall fall not a falling in the way but a falling from the way of truth Heb. 6. 4. If they were once inlightned and tasted c. If ver 6. they shall fall away 2. A second is a malicious oppugnation of that truth which was once knowne and tasted and from which now the person is falne called Heb. 6. 6. A crueifying of the Sonne of God afresh And Heb. 10. 26. A And despiting the spirit of Grace wilfull sinning after that we have received the knowledge of the truth And it was evident in the Pharisees who saw and knew the light but hated and persecuted it unto the death 3. A third is finall impenitencie Whosoever sinnes the sin against the holy Ghost he neither doth repent nor can repent He is so justly and for ever forsaken of God and given up to a reprobate sense and a seared conscience that he cannot repent though perhaps he may see his course to be evill yet it is impossible saith the Apostle in Heb. 6. 6. to renew him to repentance FINIS
ready to sit downe and to give the day to Satan never considering that God gives his Soldiers his Armes never considering that the quarrell and battle is the Lords he is engaged in the fight for all is for his sake We think that God looks on onely and beleeve not how much he curbs Satan and sustains us As if Satan might doe what he pleased and God left us alone to grapple whereas the Lord makes manifest his power in our weaknesse and 2 Cor. 12. his grace is sufficient for us and Rom. 16. he will bruise Satan shortly under our feet A fift cause of doubtings The fift cause of doubtings may be particular and speciall sins after conversion Which are like water dropped Simile into a candle making it to burne flat and dull with a black snuffe at the top and catching as it were going up and downe for hold or as a rheume a salt rheume faln into the eyes which intercepts the sight and darkens it for a time So doe our speciall sins after conversion they do dim and darken the soule and like those inclosed spirits of the ayre in the bowels of the earth they cause many fearfull shakings and tremblings as is evideÌ„t in David after his great David Psal 51. sins of Adultery and Murder they did exceedingly weaken his spiritual condition and wiped off all his comfortables Beloved these sinnes they must needs be a strong spring of doubtings if we do but consider 1. That it is their nature to Foure things here about speciall sins set us off from the shoare and harbour You know that a Ship which lies quiet in the harbour or by the shoare thrust it out lanch it into the Simile sea it is tossed againe Now in all knowne sins which wound the conscience after conversion wee loosen the Anchor and put off The Promises and Christ upon which our confidences Speciall sinnes though they loose not the estate yet they loosen our hold were anchored doe now seeme to give they will leave they will withdraw But suppose in their sensible virtue they should not which yet they do neverthelesse we cannot fasten now for the very temper of the soule is injured our spirit is wounded You know though the staffe Simile doth stand where it did and as it did yet if my hand be wounded I cannot claspe it nor use it as formerly Now what think you must not the soule needs be filled with feares and with doubts which hath thrust it selfe thus from such a gracious harbour as the mercies the loving kindnesses the sweet and blessed promises of God may it not say now as David once Psal 77. 3. I remembred God Psal 77. 3. and was troubled and well mayst thou be troubled who wouldst for such a sin pull away thy hand from such a God 2. God doth really take these sinnes ill very ill from those upon whom hee hath conferred such fruits of his love For this is a truth that Gods goodnesse aggravates our sinning in case of offences Love and Bounty can give in the strongest and heaviest aggravations As in that of David 2 Sam. 12. 7. I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of 2 Sa. 12. 7. the hand of Saul 8. And I gave thee thy masters house and gave thee the house of Israel and Iudah and if that had beene too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to doe evill in his sight c. Observe how the Lord pleads it and aggravates it upâ—â— David Now when a child Simile knows that he hath committed a fault concerning which his father gave him a speciall charge See thou doe it not and withall he knowes that his father is fully acquainted with all the businesse it is likely we find it so that feares and doubtings gather within the breast of the child Hee dares not keep off and yet he is afraid to come in he knows that his father hath taken it ill at his hands So it is with us after our speciall sins we know that God hates them he hates them Note Sin in any hated of God not personally but naturally not because in such persons but because in any persons Their nature is repugnant 〈◊〉 his as we hate poison 〈◊〉 Simile selfe and therefore â—et it 〈◊〉 a Toad or in a Princes 〈◊〉 we hate it still and they 〈◊〉 have falne upon such sins 〈◊〉 have incensed a gracious 〈◊〉 ther what notable fears what strange misgivings what appalings get up now upon the heart Where is my Father saith the offending child He is within saith one away hee runs or he is abroad and then downe he sits and weeps and bewailes his losse I shall never gaine his favour againe Thus it is with us after our speciall sins If God seeme to draw towards us we are ready to fly from him I heard thy voice saith Adam and was afraid and hid my selfe And if he doth not draw towards us we sit downe wring our souls and fetch many a deep Ah Ah what have I done Ah mee 〈◊〉 Where am I now I 〈◊〉 provoked my God and 〈◊〉 afraid to come unto him c. 3. God doth not easily open 〈◊〉 favour unto those who thus abuse it There was free intercourse twixt God and the soule before but now the doore is shut which before was open and God himselfe will keep the key so that nothing no meanes or wayes shall open unto us untill hee doth please You remember how David kept his distance David to Absolom from Absolom for his lewdnesse he kept him off a long time he might not see the Kings face And David himselfe for his sinnes against his Father could not without And God to David long suings see the face of God as before Psal 51. Psal 51. And now thinke you it strange that the soule should doubt Assuredly great desires Note delayed and prorogued doe cause great feares yea it breeds singular suspitions May be I shall be still put off will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Ps Psal 77. 7. 4. Nay now the soule being made sensible and having weighed all circumstances can and doth teach it selfe many Tender wounded hearts apt to multiply exceptions against theÌ„selves arguments and reasons to keep off It is apt enough to fall upon it selfe and to keep downe any readinesse which it observes to give on upon God or Christ It is some time before faith can find a way to ingratiate this offending soule and to espie a sufficient medium by and through which it may close with God for pardon and favour And when faith hath found it out then our mis-giving hearts beat us off and as our weak children pluck Simile down the bird soaring up with a string so do our weak hearts
and contributes unto it It is granted that the Radicall principle of thy doubts is originall sinne but then the immediate principle of it is remaining Infidelity Out of it immediately come all thy staggerings and reelings and questionings and doubtings That is it O weak beleever which disables thy apprehension of the Covenant of Christ of the Promises of thy Title That is it which perverts thy judgment and mis-perswades it with cunning reasonings so that either thou canst not discerne the full truth of Gods Promises or thou canst not see prevailing reasons to perswade thy selfe that they belong to thee Therefore let the main care and work of thee be to strike at unbeliefe Be humbled much for it beseech the Lord to cure thee more and more of it to remove the ignorance of the Covenant out of thee and to cast downe carnall and proud reasonings which give the lye to the way of Gods free and full Grace which would have thee to be first and of thy selfe that which thou canst never be without Christ and to doe and bring that which God never imposed on thee to doe or to bring but hath told thee plainly the working of it in thee belongs onely to himselfe and hee is also really and graciously willing to bestow upon thee 3. As for the third demand What way thou mayst take for the mortifying of all this sin I answer 1. Generally touching all of it Do but insist in the ways on which already thou art falne Did any vertue in the death of Christ laid hold on by faith did that heretofore help against sinne It will doe so still Did any love of God help thee the more to hate sin It will doe so still Did any assurance of a reconciled God in Christ freely and abundantly pardoning of thee weaken sin in thee It will doe so still Did solemne confessions of sin selfe-judgings speciall mournings sufficiently help thee with conquest of sinnes They will doe so still Did the humble application of thy self to the Ordinances of Jesus Christ through which he is pleased to reveale his arme confer any strength against thy sins It will help still Did any holy feare any tendernesse in conscience any declining of occasions Did vehement wrestlings with God in Prayer Did serious meditation and consideration Did close society with the Saints Did studies of farther holinesse Did frequent reviewings of thy condition and renewings of Covenant with thy God in his strength Did holy watchings Did resistings of the first births of sin Did these any of these all of these or any other spirituall course besides these cause thy sinfulnesse to be vile unto thee to be abhorred by thee to be cast downe in thy judgement to be cast out in thy affections to be cast off in thy life Goe on with these and sinne will then be more and more mortified and doubts will be more and more weakned the more that thy conscience is thus sprinkled from dead works the more shalt thou be able to draw neere unto God in assurance of faith 2. Particularly for the mortifying of remaining Infidelity doe three things 1. Study exactly the Covenant of Grace in the Author of it foundation of it matters contained in it and all the adjuncts and termes of graciousnesse sutablenesse fulnesse faithfulnesse c. appertaining to it 2. Study JESUS CHRIST throughly know him distinctly in the person of a Mediator and offices and effects and works Then 3. To much meditation in these abound in Prayer that God in particular would cause thee by faith to set thy seale unto them But more of this will follow in answering some other causes of doubtings 2. The second spring was weaknesse and imperfection in faith The cure and remedy of which is to perfect and strengthen faith put more strength more growth more ripenesse into faith and your doubtings will be lesse The Simile more purely the fire burnes the lesse smoke it hath and when the light and heat of the Sunne are greatest then the clouds and misty vapours are fewest Faith and Doubtings are like a paire of scales where the waight of the one beares away the other The Disciples I remember prayed Lord increase our faith and so did he of whom you heard in Mark 9. Mar. 9. 24. Lord help my unbeliefe You will say No man can Ob. deny that if his faith had more strength then his heart should have lesse doubting But how may that be done How may faith be strengthened I answer Sol. 1. God who gave faith can strengthen it for every grace depends upon him not onely for birth but also for complement his strength must lead us on frō strength to strength from faith to faith he who is the Author is also the finisher of it And therefore if thou wouldst have a strong faith thou shouldst goe to a strong God and beg of him Lord increase my faith My knowledge is dim lighten that candle open mine eyes yet more that I may see thy truths My assents many times shaking but do thou establish and comfirm my heart in thy truths My embracings applications very trembling and broken and interrupted but doe thou guide mine eye to look upon my Saviour do thou guide my hand to lay hold on him doe thou Doe thou perswade me and I shall be perswaded enable my will and affections to embrace all the goodnesse of thy selfe of thy Christ of thy Word It is Gods method to lay in at the first weak faith that we might beg for more faith and give him the honour of all Had we it strong at first he should not heare of us but he dispenseth it by degrees that in all our gettings and in all our victories over doubtings c. his strength may-have the glory Therefore goe to God and say Lord I would have more faith thou wouldst have me to perfect it but all perfection is in thee and I cannot by my meere strength ripen what thou givest but thou canst water what thou plantest though it be sowne a weak body yet thou canst make it rise a strong body though faith at first be but as a graine of mustard-seed yet thoucanst cause it to blossome and to spread it selfe into a high measure Therefore thou who alone canst doe it doe it for thy weak servant Thou must take charge of thine own graces and if thou givest my faith more strength my beleeving will bring thee in the more glory c. 2. The studying of Christ and the Promises more will bring more strength and perfection to faith It is with the Christian as it is with the Scholar let the Scholar study Simile more the objects of knowledge and then his knowledge will grow to be more large So let the Christian study more the matters of faith and his faith will rise to be more full Hence the Apostle prayes that the Ephesians Chap. 3. 19. Eph. 3. 19. might know the love of Christ that they might be filled
is ready to break and like a full vessell it must have vent Many a time he must and doth consider this vile sin and hies him alone to poure out his grieved heart before the Lord and shames himselfe before him and confesseth with confusion of face his treacherous and unworthy dealing against his God There is you know a naturall Three sorts of sorrows sorrow as for the losse of children and a politicall sorrow as was that for the good King Josiah and there is a spirituall sorrow which is for our sins This must now be exceedingly renewed and you may raise it by consideration of mercy O Lord what have I How to raise our sorrow done Why have I done this Thou shewedst me mercy in opening my eyes in changing my heart in calling me to holinesse in pardoning of former sins yet after all this I have sinned against thee I have wounded my heart dishonoured thy Name turned thy grace into wantonnesse lost thy favour broke my peace injured my Christ grieved thy Spirit turned away thine eare given advantage to Satan and deserved for ever to sit in darknesse c. Beloved if you find your hearts unhumbled you shall finde your hearts still to be unbeleeving For besides that great sins are great provocations to our Note gracious God they are also til we are humbled for them great impediments to faith faith cannot do service for us it cannot uphold us it cannot bring a comforting Promise unto our hearts untill our hearts are humbled for our sins God comforts none but mourners and faith cannot fall in with him untill our hearts fall out with our selves And here take heed you be not sleight and too quick if you be you shall have your doubtings againe God doth seldome or never speak easie peace after a great sin If you skin up a sore it will break out againe If your sorrows be not deep and sound your fears will be fresh and multiplyed but let them be pious and serious and then the soule will after a while recover it selfe and plead and find mercy with God and be able to answer and silence all the doubtfull reasonings which will rise against faith in its wonted communions and applications But you will say If wee Ob. should sorrow thus yet wee should still doubt of mercy and Gods favour I answer Sol. 1. Thou hast now to answer A great current wil bear down the dam and true sorrow will carry away our doubtings thy doubtings True I did sin thus but I have truely grieved for this sinne and though I might not apply mercy because I sinned yet now I may because I am grieved 2. See Gods disposition to Ephraim Ier. 31. 18. I have surely Jer. 31. 18. heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe c. ver 19. I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did beare the reproach of my youth But then ver 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Though God be offended with our sins yet he is delighted in our sorrows and nothing melts him more then to see us come melting before him The mournfull behaviour of Iosephs brethren moved him and the returning Prodigals The father likes the sons submissions though not his rebellions falling downe to his Father and cryings out went to the heart of him And it is not without cause that David prayes Regard my teares that fall And Are not my tears registred And Put thou my teares into thy bottle Melting teares doe melt a tender God and Father 2. To renew our repentance in which I would comprehend both detestations and forsakings These sins must be made very hatefull to the soul you must imbitter them you must purge out all the sweetnesse of them all the liking of them Nay you must set upon them as on things most abominable Hence that phrase of loathing your abominanations Ezek. 36. Ezek. 36. S. Iohn Rev. 2. 5. adviseth decayed Rev. 2. 5. Ephesus to remember from whence she was falne and to repent Beloved this is not a condition to stay in This water is deep and drowning is possible if we lie in it But if wee rise out of our sinnes then our doubtings will fall It is with our consciences as it is with water in a pot if you put no Simile fire under it it is quiet but if you kindle a fire the water will boyle and bubble it hath no quiet So though conscience be quiet and kind and molests us not if yet fire come under if any notable sin come in and kindle in the heart now the boylings now the feares and doubts of the soule And in these tumblings the way to cease them is to remove the fire and then you shall see how the water grows to a stilnesse again and by degrees The sea will be calme if the winds cease leaves fuming So will our soules come to a pacified temper to a setlednesse if once our sins be removed leave the Esay 1. 16 17. Cease to doe evill learne to doe well 18. Come now and let us reason together c. sins and ordinarily the doubts will leave the sinner For as sinne is our unquiet sea so Repentance is our secure harbour Any knowne sinne unrepented still puts in and inlivens doubts in us but Repentance plucks out the venome and the rage An amended child comes againe before his Father and a reformed Christian and penitent may * Loc. cit yet be confident 3. Sue out a speciall assurance You may see by Davids disposition after his speciall sins that a generall acquitance would not serve the turne for speciall sins you must sue out speciall assurance of pardon Your consciences will never be quiet else Nay this will not satisfie thee that yet they are pardonable that they are such as doe not exclude thee out of the Proclamation thou wilt never be quiet untill God speaks peace untill he doth put his seale to acquit thee of particular sins Sin will rise it will lie uppermost thou shalt feele it so it will fly in thy face it will come up in serious times untill thou repent of it and sue out thy discharge therefore be earnest with the Lord for pardon of it for a speciall acquitance If the Lord Jesus did seale his blood upon thy heart thy doubtings would cease But you will say There is Ob. now no hope though wee should grieve though we should repent though wee should sue for pardoning mercy there is now no hope for these are sins after conversion and they are great ones too and besides we find no particular promise to ease our souls upon Let me answer this doubt Sol. fully for it is a folded one there are many in it Consider therefore 1. The promise of pardon Three things The pardoning promise
is exclusive in respect of sinners but inclusive in respect of penitents not all sinners but all repenting sinners shall be pardoned is indefinite to repentance and I beseech you mark this point God doth not say I will pardon sins simply but if men repent and forsake sins they shall have mercy So againe in promising pardon to Repentance he doth not promise it respectively and conditionally but absolutely and fully What is that That is God doth not say If you repent of such or such sinnes then you shall have pardon but hee saith simply and absolutely If you repent So that let the sins be never so great never so many yet if they be sinnes of which thou now truely repentest they are assuredly pardoned Esa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake Esa 55. 7. his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Here you see a promise of abundant pardon to be made unto the penitent though he hath had thoughts though he hath had wayes yet if he forsakes them the Lord will pardon and shew mercy Againe because that pardon is promised to actuall repentance indefinitely therefore let the sinner be what he will let him be a person who was not converted before or let him be a person already converted yet if he begins true repentance or the other renews his true repentance they shall be pardoned And the reason is because it is not sinne simply in such an estate which God pardons but it is sinne repented of which God doth promise to pardon And therefore if an evill man whose life hath been a course of sins repents and leaves his sins he shall have mercy Or if a good man fall accidentally into sin upon his repentance he may confidently plead out Gods promises of pardon for he shall have mercy upon his repentance as you may see Prov. 28. 14. He that forsakes his sinnes shall find mercy Ezek. Pro. 28. 14 18. 32. Turne your selves and Eze. 18. 32 live See ver 21 22. If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes ver 21 22. they shall not be mentioned unto him Whence we may infer that if God will forgive his enemies he will then upon the same repentance forgive his children If a King will pardon a returning Traitor wil he not Simile receive then a returning son It was a pious speech of S. Chrysostome Si Deus promittat gratiam nobis offendentibus quid faciet nobis poenitentibus If he promiseth grace unto us when we are sinning what then will he confer on us if we be repenting 2. Christ is of great vertue stil and as able to put away the sins after conversion as well as before therefore is he called the same yesterday to day and Heb. 13. 8. for ever And the Apostle reasons it in the Romans If when Rom. 5. 10 we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son how much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life We must think of the pacification by Christ of the atonement of the propitiation of the satisfaction not as confined to any one sinne or to any one estate but in respect of its sufficiency reaching over both estates and all the sins in both What is that That is the death of the Lord JESUS was not onely to reach the sins thou didst commit in thy unconverted estate and the rest afterward in thy converted estate thou art to satisfie for by thine owne power some other way What is this but that Popish leaven that self-justification those humane satisfactions What is this but to divide our salvation twixt Christ and our selves What is this but to restraine either the sufficiencie or the efficacie of his death No Christ is unto us in respect of sins before and sins after conversion as the Lord was to the Israelites a pillar of a cloud and a pillar of fire Jesus Christ is a cloud in the Christ a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire day in the time of conversion to cover our sins upon our repentance and a pillar of fire by night for the times of former darknesse upon our repentance to consume away our sins c. The difference of our estates doth no way adde or diminish to the strength and efficacie of his death His bloud can cry as loud now as heretofore and is not lesse effectuall to get pardon for our falls in the way then for our sinnings when we were not in the way as is evident in the sins of Paul before his conversion and in sins of David and Peter after their conversion for Christ is our continuall Mediator and everliving Intercessor But you will reply These Ob. sins cut off all our interest in Christ and all relations and therefore no hope now I answer though the comfortable Sol. No sinne that thou cāst grieve for cuts off our communion interest interest be cut off untill the time of sound repentance yet the radicall interest is not As the leprous person was debarred the use of his house untill he was cleansed yet he was not debarred the title and right of his house and therefore thou mayest upon thy repentance sue unto the Lord by the bloud of thy Saviour the pardon of these sinnes 3. The Lord is mercifull still unto repentants You shall read in Psal 136. that his Psal 136. mercy is set downe 26 times with the adjunct of everlastingnesse His mercy endureth for ever And Psal 86. 5. Thou Psal 86. 5. Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee So ver 13. Great is thy mercy towards me And ver 15. Thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth So Micah 7. 18. Who is a God Mica 7. 18 like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy 19. He will turne againe he will have compassion on us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea Mercy is not strange unto God it is his nature it is his delight and repentance will not be hid from his eyes if it be not hid from our hearts He calls us to repent and causeth us to repent that he might shew us his mercy and everlastingnesse of his mercy 6. A sixt spring of doubtings was indisposition unto or about spirituall duties Whence we feare the truth of grace which is active and lively and doubt our acceptance with God by reason of our dulnesse and deadnesse For the curing of this consider 1. That dulnesse in holy duties is possibly incident to men truly sanctified Beloved there is a great difference betwixt a dead heart
wifes debts are charged upon the husband and if the debtor be Simile disabled then the creditor sues the surety Fidejussor or surety and Debitor in Law are reputed as one person Now Christ is our Fidejussor He is made sin Heb. 7. 22. Iesus was made a surety of a better testament for us saith the Apostle For us i. vice nostra or loco nostro i. in our stead A surety for uâ— one who put our scores on his accounts our burden on Fidejussor his shoulder So the Prophet Esay 53. He hath born our griefs Esa 53. 4 5 and carried our sorrows How so He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities i. He stood in our stead he took upon him the answering of our sinnes the satisfying of our debts the clearing of our guilt and therefore was it that he was so bruised c. You remember the scapeit â—ev 16. 21 â—â—â—at Vpon his head all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins were confessed and put And the Goat did beare upon him all their iniquities c. What is the meaning of this Surely Jesus Christ upon Christ whom ouâ— sins were laid and who alone died for the ungodly and bare our burdens away Therefore the Beleever in the sense of guilt should run unto Christ and offer up his bloud unto the Father and say Lord it is true I owe thee so much yet Father forgive me remember that thine owne Son was my ransome his bloud was the price he was my surety and undertook to answer for my sins I beseech thee accept of his atonement for he is my Surety my Redemption Thou must be satisfied but Christ hath satisfied thee not for himselfe what sinnes had he of his owne but for me gracious Father they were my debts which he satisfied for and look over thy book and thou shalt find it so for thou hast said He was made sin fâ—r us and that he was wounded for our transgressions Now this is a great stay a great comfort that wee our selves are not to make up our accounts and reckonings but that Christ hath cleared twixt us and God Therefore it is said Ephes 1. 7. that in his Eph. 1. 7. bloud we have redemption even the forgivenesse of sins 2. In Justification the beleeving penitent hath an universall discharge What is that That is when a man is in Christ when he is a true beleever he doth not then receive a particular acquitance from such or such sins but an universall discharge from all the sins he hath committed You know the promise Jer. Jer. 33. 8. 33. 8. I will pardon all their uniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me 9. And it shall be to me a name of joy a praise and honour c. Therefore David speaking of Gods fulnesse and extent of pardoning and remitting mercy he saith Psal 85. 2. Thou Psal 85. 2. hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sinne Selah Which covering of all sinne is in sense the same with the Apostles not imputing of sin Rom. 4. and 2 Cor. 5. This is a true axiome Peccata non minuunt justificationem Though sins be different yet justification is not When the Lord God justifies a person the different qualities and circumstances of former sins doe not hinder their pardon and discharge You know that one may with a pen crosse a great summe as well as a little summe and a King can give a pardon not onely for petty Simile offences but also for rebellions and treasons and so he doth many times It is therefore an observable passage in holy Writ that there is scarce a sin in any kind but we may read the blotting of it unto a beleeving Note and repenting person viz. Original sin which was the Justification reacheth all sorts of debts great deluge of our natures and the first fire which inflamed the whole world of mankind yet this sin was pardoned to Adam Drunkennesse another sin which the Apostle in 1 Cor. 6. 8. raiseth to the height of eternall separation yet was it pardoned to Noah a beleeving penitent Lying another sin which is of it selfe apt to lock the gates of heaven Rev. 22. 15. yet was it pardoned to Abraham the father of the faithfull Incest that unnaturall commixture yet pardoned to Lot Murder a crying sinne and Adultery a fearfull sinne yet both pardoned unto a repenting and beleeving David Idolatry that angâ—ing and provoking sinne a sin which unthrones God and makes a god yet pardoned unto Solomon What should I mention more Impatience a sin yet pardoned to Job Passion a sin yet pardoned to Jonah Denyall of Christ against knowledge and resolution a high sin and such as a Donatist upon no termes would admit as capable of a re-acceptation yet graciously pardoned to Peter Persecuting of the Gospel of Christ blasphemy and compelling of others to blaspheme i. injuriously and despitefully to oppose Jesus Christ his word his members O how piercing and bleeding a sin yet pardoned to Paul he obtained mercy Oppression and covetousnesse by which a man doth suck the bloud and life of others yet pardoned to Zacheus Nay yet once more as you And all sorts of debtors may see pardon in Justification releasing all sorts of debts so you shall find it releasing all sorts of debtours Take one place for all in Levit. 4. where the Lord goes over all sorts and divisions of sinners and appointed offerings for them all and proclaimes pardon to them all viz First the Priests ver 3. Then secondly the whole congregation ver 13. and 20. Then thirdly a Ruler ver 22 26. Then fourthly any one of the common people ver 27 28 31 c. Under which foure ranks he draws in all sorts and conditions of men and not onely appoints a sin-offering for them all but also accepts of the same By which what is else meant but the power and efficacie of the bloud of Christ by which all sorts of sins are pardoned to all sorts of beleeving and repenting sinners Ah Lord will many a person Ob. cry out Why What is the matter Why art thou so heavy Why such and such a sin heretofore I reply Is there not a Justification Sol. Yes And how comes sin to be pardoned Is it not by the bloud of Christ Yes But these were great sins And did Christ die for the expiation of little sins onely What did he satisfie for infirmities only not for enormities also And doth Christ indeed leave the greatest debts for us to cleare Or cannot faith receive the accuitance of great sins as well as indeliberated sins Was not the sin-offering for all sorts of persons And have not all sorts of sinnes come within the Proclamation No no my brethren Justification without all doubt crosseth the book Thou art a debtor saith God I am
Lord saith the penitent I acknowledge my sins and am â—orry for my transgressions but I intend to run on the score no longer Thou art a debtor saith God I am Lord saith the Beleever and thou hast said If any man 1 Joh. 2. 1. sin he hath an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for sins and I beleeve on him Lord I take him to be my sin-offering and in his bloud onely I seek for pardon and redemption from all my sinnes This were the way to support our selves against our many and strong doubtings about pardon of sins Yet the Lord knowes I have repented of them and I doe beleeve in Jesus Christ for the pardon of them I heare and know that he is the Mediator of the New Testament and that his bloud satisfies for all sorts of debtors and debts too Though one sin may differ from another yet his meâ— it and satisfaction differs not from it selfe but is all-sufficient and therefore I acknowledge the debt and rest on his bloud for a full discharge 3. Discharges in Justification are not repealed they are not called in againe Peccata non redeunt i. Subsequent sins and falls doe not nullifie and evacuate former grants and pardons for as much as 1. Pardon of sin springs from speciall love and mercy which alter not their consigned acts 2. It is founded in an unalterable and absolute and constant satisfaction for sinne is not pardoned for any dignity in the person In the person pardoned there is no reason or cause of pardon but that is in the bloud of Christ which bloud alters and lessens and abates not though our carriages doe Hence it is that pardon of sin in Justification is styled the blotting out of the hand-writing Col. 2. 14. If a writing be blurred a little and somewhat blotted yet it may be read but if it be blotted out it is no more legible and who can be called to account upon record when the writings are obliterated The same phrase is used Esay 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sinnes Where me thinks something else falls in to our comfort viz. That God himselfe doth blot out Though an under-officer should blot out an indictment that perhaps may help nothing but when the King doth it who is chiefe Judge then the indictment cannot returne Now it is the Lord himselfe who doth blot out transgressions he doth it who onely hath power of life and death of condemning or absolving In like manner there is another phrase Mica 7. 19. Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the sea If a thing were cast into a river which might be fathomed then it might be brought up againe or if it were cast upon the sea onely yet it might be discerned and taken up againe but when it is in the depths cast into the depths the bottome of the sea now it cannot be fathomed up againe By which Metaphor the Lord intends to expresse unto us the powerfull energy of pardoning mercy that our sins shall rise no more against us He will cleare them so that they being once forgiven shall come on the account no more He will drowne their guilt that it shall not come up against us before him the second time Therefore Paul discoursing of Justification Rom. 4. hee useth another phrase to expresse this point ver 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Covered Covering is such an action which is opposed to disclosure and judiciall evidences and to be covered is to be hid so and closed as not to appeare with a judiciall guilt upon it Now the Lord here is said to cover sinne in Justification What is that That is the Lord will look on those sinnes no more with a judiciall eye he will not call them to account any more that is the meaning of the phrase As when a Prince reads over many Treasons and meets with such and such which he hath pardoned he reads on he passeth by he now takes no notice of them he is not stirred he sends not our against those whom he hath pardoned So c. This is for God to cover sin viz. not to looke on the sin pardoned with a judiciall eye It is not as some most empty and dull heads fancie it God doth not see sin at all and he cannot Of all the opinions in the world this is the most ridiculous and childish to men who beleeve an All-seeing God But to cover sin is not simply not to see it but to look it over as it were and not to sit or stand upon it with a judiciall eye i to account for pardoned sinnes no more Hence in the New Covenant God promising to justifie or to pardon sin he saith not onely I will forgive their iniquity but addes I will remember their sin no more Jer. 31. 34. What is that That is if I once As the Gospel needs to be giveÌ„ but once so a mans sin needs but once to be forgiven once is enough because if once then for ever forgive their sin I wil not forgive it againe it shall not need againe to be forgiven once shall serve the turne I will remember it no more The meaning is it shall quite be forgotten I will no more plead with them for what I have once pardoned I confesse that the sense and fruit and assurance of a sin pardoned this may redire Note returne this may be lost and got and the acts of faith concerning the particular pardon The apprehensioÌ„ of pardon is variable and yet the pardon it self is immutable of a particular sin may doe so but Gods justifying act his pardoning act is a free and constant act Otherwise if he pardoned 〈◊〉 respectively upon an absolute Incessation about sinne there were no flesh living that could be justified 4. Discharges in Justification reach not onely to the guilt but also to the consequents of guilt For it is a true And remissa culpa remittitur poena rule Justificatio tollit poenalia Therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus You know that if the body falls then the shadow which attends the body that falls too and if the debt be discharged the prison is discharged We have by the bloud of Christ the forgivenesse of our sins and therefore the remission of all satisfying punishments Why else doth the Apostle say Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us As Christ is said to be made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. so is he here said to be made a curse for us He is made sinne for us by taking upon him the guilt of our sinnes and he is made a curse for us by bearing that wrath and punishment which was due to us because of our sinnes Nay let me
forbids and therefore absolves or binds No subject you know hath this power to release or bind of himselfe but that is the royall prerogative of the King It is true if the Word condemnes us then our consciences may doe so too and if the Word absolves us so may our consciences too But this is virtute prima not virtute propria It is because the Word doth it not because Conscience of it selfe without the Word can doe either rightly Whence two things arise to informe and direct us viz. 1. Satans judgment of our Satans judging is but usurped estate is but usurped It doth not belong to him to sit upon our soules It is against the Law of Nations that the same party should be witnesse and Judge And we may say to him truly what the Pharisees proudly objected to Christ By what authority doth he these things Or as they to Moses who made thee a Judge over us Assuredly the enemy of our salvation is not to be the Judge of it he being so maliciously vowed against our happinesse it is most unfit for him to decide it and therefore though he usurps a judgement upon Christians yet as David spake in another case Thou Lord wilt not leave the righteous when he is judged No assuredly Satan shall one day be judged for taking upon him the judging of Gods people And doe you thinke that Satan will give a true judgement unto us of our spirituall condition who dares give in false evidence before God himselfe of Job and who is said to accuse the brethren before God day and night 2. No testimony is to be admitted which is contrary to the judgment of the Word Beleeve not every spirit 1 Joh. 4. All judgement of our estates being contrary to the Word is false 1. but try the spirits whether they are of God The Word must judge us another day therefore it is to judge of us now Satans judgement is usurped and our owne is oft times erroneous as in wicked and presumptuous sinners who sentence well for their safety although God doth proclaime and pronounce bitter woes unto them And as our judgements are oft times erroneous so are they in the times of distresse suspicious and hasty We doe not testifie of our selves with judgements cleared and totally informed by the Word of all our estate but with judgments affected and distempered as David in his fit I am cast out of thy presence God did not cast him off but his distempered judgement did cast him out 2. Maintain the judgment of the Word against all judgment When a man hath throughly viewed and pierced into the secrets of his heart and wayes by the informing light of Gods blessed Spirit and takes his flesh and spirit asunder I meane his sinnes weaknesses graces and dispositions and layes these with all he knows of himselfe before the Lord in a most sincere ingenuity so that if he were now to die he durst venture the eternall salvation of his soule with his God that hee keeps nothing back either of what is his owne by nature or of what is Gods by grace If now the Word decides for him that his condition is heavenly his heart is upright hee is indeed one who is truly interessed in Christ this man or woman should now uphold this decisive testimony of the Word lay it up as the great copy of his eternall salvation and in case of opposite verdict and testimony not to molest himselfe with reasoning and doubting but to preserve the authority of Gods testimony by beleeving and most upright walking with God in all the powers of duty There yet remaine two springs of doubtings to be cured and then I have done with that subject 13. The thirteenth spring of doubtings was the new rising of old sinnes This I told you could not but amaze the soule to see the dead rise out of the grave againe and to reade the debt as if it were not yet crossed It doth exceedingly disquiet us about our spirituall condition Now consider 1. There are five times Five times in which former sins may revive when we and our sinnes doe meet 1. One is the day of our legall humiliation when the Law like searching physick enters deep stirs up the evill humour casts our sins into our very faces and sets them in order before us and reproves us for them with undenyable conviction and horrour 2. Another is the day of our piercing afflictions when the Lord doth send his messengers unto us of wrath cuts off frō us our delights tears away our joyes crosseth us in our aims and we see God hewing our friends from us our children from us our earthly delights and contents for miserable evils are oft times a cause to make us see our sinfull evils We doe many times come to perceive our faults by our punishments As Pharaoh did when the plagues were on him I have done evill in not letting the people goe And Balaam when he saw the Angel and heard him threatning I will now returne And so the children of Israel then saw and confest their murmuring and stubbornnesse when God sent evil Angels amongst them i. some messengers of his wrath and displeasure 3. A third is the time of some horrible and common judgement whether it be upon particular persons or a Nation interessed in the same guilt of sinne with our selves For this is a time of common fire which raging and flying up and downe makes men run into their closets and bring out their concealed jewels so doe common and extraordinary judgments return us into our selves and gives up unto us those our hidden sins which we feare will draw the same fire of judiciall wrath upon our owne persons I doe not doubt but at the last great Plague many of the sinfull botches broke out upon a fear lest that judiciall botch should have broken in upon your bodies and houses 4. A fourth time is the time of death For though sin and a sinner really meet in all their course of life yet sense of sin and a sinner doe not alwayes meet untill the day of death for death is a strict and unavoidable summons to give up our accounts and then the unjust steward must look about him how he shall answer his most just Lord and Master This time of meeting evidently manifests it selfe to our owne experience who though we have kindled our sinnes in the time of our health and strength yet have we not met with the flashes of them but in the times of sicknesse and weaknesse 5. A last time of meeting is the day of Judgement and this is a most certaine and infallible time It is possible for a man to escape the legall meeting by conviction and the miserable meeting by afflictions judgements and death it selfe for some die like Nabal they live wretchedly and die senslesly but at the day of Judgement they and their sinnes must meet and shall because then the secrets of all hearts shall
be disclosed and Gods righteous judgement shall be evident to the hearts of all the world Whence it is that in this day of meeting they shall cry unto the mountaines to fall on them and the rocks to hide them but in vaine from the wrath of him who sits upon the throne 2. There are severall causes of the rising of sin Some are Divers causes of sins rising afresh on Gods part some on our part some on Satans 1. For Gods part God doth many times cause our former sins to rise by the power of his mighty spirit in the ministery of his Word For whereas the sinner would hush his fears and griefs and conscience asleep yet the Lord will not have it so He doth rub the sore and gall the conscience makes it sensible of the guilt and wounds Hee doth pierce by the two-edged sword of his Word even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and discernes the very thoughts and intents of the heart He meets the person oft times many years after the commission of the sinnes and most expresly revives and remembers them in all the acting circumstances which the sinning person either had or would have buried in silence and forgetfulnesse 2. For our part Thus there is double cause of new rising of old sins One whereof is good and the other is bad 1. A new commission of the old sins which brings back upon us the sting of the old guilt for relapses into the disease occasion a relapse of the burden and ache Cut thy finger againe and it will smart againe fall into thy ague againe it will make thee shake againe Relapses have ever this judgement with them that they make a fresh wound and the old also to bleed againe You know in some Wells there are two buckets put downe the one and you bring up the other so the falling into the same sin againe brings up the old burden againe Though we may not revive sinne to practise it yet we may to mourn for it 2. Renewed humiliations for then we doe voluntarily look back upon our former accounts that thereby we may more humbly sue out a totall discharge Though wee may sin the sin over no more yet we may weep it over and over and though the acting of it may be no more yet the bewailing of it should last us ever 3. On Satans part who like an envious and malicious wretch never gives over to throw unto us our errors and failings though corrected with truest reformation So Satan who is the great cause and incentive to sin will not cease after our truest repentance to vexe and sad and if he could to despaire our hearts with the fresh memory of former and forsaken sins so that we seldome or never lay hand on a blessed promise or gaine our selves into the comfortable favour of God or delight our selves in the sweet peace of conscience but he falls in and checks and troubles us with the representations of former sins and perchance makes us let goe our gracious hold with the feares and suspicions and chargements of former guilts 3. Now according to the variety of the causes fetching up upon us our former guilts must we deliver unto you severall helps and remedies Consider therefore on Gods The ends of reviving of sin part there are severall ends in respect of severall persons why he brings on the sinnes againe 1. To make the ground-work more deep and sure We make our tents too short for our wounds Wee sinne much and defile our selves much and we think that a little washing will serve the turne O! this businesse of self-tryall of laying the axe to the root of the tree of diving into the secrets of sin of applying the corrasives unto the core heart of our natures this goes against us wee are quickly weary of it Indeed some trouble and some bitternesse we grant to be convenient but to be still accusing our selves before God still to be lashing and wounding our hearts for wounding of God Ah this this goes against us You shall see people sometimes very sensible of their diseased bodies O now some physick were good they find such aches such distempers surely some physick were good and some they take which makes them excessively sick but then away with it no more physick yet at length the disease comes upon them againe and the Physitian prescribes more physick even that which must goe to the root of the disease which though it makes them more sick yet it procures their safety and better health Beloved God would have men perhaps a longer space to sit upon their sinnes they stint themselves after great sins and make themselves friends with God prefently Now the Lord knowes that this skinning of the sore will spoile all and therefore after a short time he returnes them their sins againe makes Conscience to startle at the guilt againe and deales with us as the skilfull Chirurgion with a man whose leg is broken and ill set he breaks it againe that it may be well set So doth the Lord he breaks our soules againe with the guilt of sins He will make us know that wee must bring him more broken hearts we shall know what it is to sinne against him and shall not make a reall and lasting peace without a sound and solid humiliation And truly this is the great mercy of his wisdome to work thus for hereby he makes our foundation low and sure and hereby he prevents subsequent stirs and makes way for our surer and more comfortable apprehensions and applications of his love in Christ You know that a wise Schoolmaster when a boy skips from a hard lesson to that which is more easie he puts him back againe and makes him say it over and over ere he takes it forth Men think to be catching at Christ however they love to lay load on him and throw their vile burdens upon him though perhaps they never yet weighed their vile sinings and dishonourings of God But the Lord will turne them back againe he will take off these pragmaticall presumers and set them to learne their first lesson better He will make them more sensible of their vile hearts and waies and actions they shall not so easily come off from their accursed transgressions the Lord will hold up the comfortable answers of his favours and the sweet tasts of the Lord Jesus Christ and make them againe to sit downe in bitter sorrow for piercing the Lord Christ and shedding his bloud and grieving of his Spirit and all that men might be more humbled and more really fitted for Christ 2. To make us more humble I assure you oft times our very victories make us proud and that very grace which should be a cause to abase us occasionally and accidentally is a means to puffe us we rise too often above our selves beyond measure And therefore as to Paul there was given a sting to abase him
lest And that we might bestow our tears not our tongues on others sinning he should be over-exalted so to many Christians the Lord doth returne unto them the sensible sting of some notable guilt to abase their hearts to put them in mind of themselves For this reduction of former gilt it gives up unto us our base and treacherous natures and the births of our owne hearts Ah! faith such a person this heart this nature of mine what was it what is it if the Lord leaves it See here the grapes the sowre grapes of this wild-vine little reason have I to be so highly conceited of my self as long as I perceive such loath some accounts and issues from my selfe And veriâ—y it makes us oft-times to despise our selves to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes And this is one great Our present graces make us good and the sense of former sins keeps us humble end and use which the Lord makes of former sins To keep the heart in a very humble frame We must have something or other still put unto us of our owne which will let us see how foolish we are by nature that is Davids phrase and how brutish we were that is Solomons phrase 3. To make us more carefull For the sharp remembrance of sinne doth in a godly heart work stronger detestation and stronger watchfulnesse God doth make their Remembring the gall the wormwood Lam. 3. new considerations to be our present preventiâ—â—s Future commissions of sinâ—â—e are many times prevented by new impressions of former sins What should I sinne thus again saith the humble heart have I not reason to crush these births to crucifie that bitter root to pray against it to watch against it to resist it to deny it which hath beene and is now a sword in my conscience But now consider that there is a double carefulnesse wrought by the new rising of sinne 1. One respects the guilt of it and here our care is to get our acquitance renewed and inlarged O how doth the Lord by these risings of sin soone cause the soule to rise up in suing out his grace and favour It causeth many a teare many a prayer many a wrestling with God many pressings upon the promises many an earnest beseeching to have our pardon and discharge more fully sealed unto our consciences by the bloud of Jesus Christ and testimony of the Spirit 2. Another respects the sins themselves in their corrupt qualities and inclinations and motions and this is a greater study against them firmer resolutions strengthning of covenants confirmations of grace of circumspection of detestation of resistance of any thing or way by which the powers of sin may be more subdued and cast downe 4. To make us more thankfull Perhaps the Lord hath pardoned those sins which rise anew in thy heart they doe not alwayes rise because God hath not discharged their guilt but because thou hast not discharged thy new debt they arise as a debt for the discharge of a debt as we use to put men in mind of their former miseries not that thereby they are made miserable but because thereby they should be made thankfull Beloved to have former sins discharged it is mercy I say mercy yea and a rich mercy greater then to give a condemned person life or to give an imprisoned person liberty far greater No such mercy as that which blots out our sins which saves a soule from hell and gives it pardon and life Now great mercies should be answered with great thankfulnesse Thou didst in the sense and sting of thy guilt go with an heavy heart with bitter sighes with deep oppressions O that I had mercy O this burden O this wound O this sinne Yea and with deep protestations If the Lord will but pardon it If he will shew me mercy If he would receive me graciously he should have the calves of my lips I would love him indeed I would serve him I would praise and thank him I would speak good of his name I would say Who is a God like him that forgiveth iniquities transgressions and sins and passeth by the sins of his people Well the Lord hath shewed himselfe like himselfe a God very gracious and mercifull but we perhaps have shewed our selves like our selves in distresses earnest and full of promises but in our exemptions flat and full of forgetfulnesse Now the Lord doth exceedingly dislike this vanity and doubting of heart he loves that mercy should be still acknowledged to be mercy he would have us to look back as well as to look up and to give him thanks for that mercy for which not long since wee would have given all the world and our soules too And therefore doth he cast unto us our accounts he lets us thereby see what they were and what he hath done that wee may confesse our error for not answering great mercy with great thankfulnesse But perhaps you will inquire Ob. What if we our selves for our part be the cause of reviving of former guilt and sting of former sins I answer If it be by way of Sol. humiliation to seek the pardon and to make confession to the God of mercy and to get victory over them this should no way discourage us for this is no more hurt or prejudice to the soule then the after laying open of the wound to the Chirurgion to dresse and cure it is prejudiciall to the safety and welfare of the body But if it be by way of commission either by relapsing into the same sins or multiplying of sinne in another kinde both which will dig up again our buried and fore-past guilts then I know no way of peace and safety no way to allay these renewed accusations and stings but by renewed sorrow and repentance And verily what I delivered unto you heretofore about recovery from relapsing that is the course presently to be taken here O let us haste in before the Lord with hearts trickling down with tears of bloud for old and present wounds the very abundance of sorrow the bitternesse of griefe the art of self-affliction I cannot say that sorrow of sorrow that hatred of hatred that indignation of indignation that revenge of revenge that repentance of repentance which are here necessarily required and that too with longest continuance Doe what thou wilt shuffle off cut to thy selfe a peace thou shalt never have it thy sinnes shall ever and anon gall and vexe and wound thee untill thou hast renewed thy bitternesse of most humbled sorrow for renewing thy filthinesse and basenesse of thy audacious sinning But then suppose that Satan Ob. through his malicious art doth revive our former guilt by his accusations for our greater interruption and disquietment what is now to be done I will shew you here briefly Sol. two things 1. One is how you may know that the reviving of former guilt be from Satan or no. 2. Another is what is then to be done by us 1. You may know that
How to know whether Satan revives former sins your sins are revived by Satan from two effects 1. One is from the desperate issues of their reviving you may know whether a man be a friend or a malicious enemy who doth revive the errors and failings amongst men a friend hee revives them that you may be bettered either to reforme if the thing be evill or to be circumspect whether the thing be true or false but the malicious enemy he revives them onely to make you odious and loathsome Now Satans reviving of former sins is ever odious it is of evill for evill his end is desperate What is that That is that we might give up all possible interests in mercy all hope of pardon and acceptance Whence it is where he revives sins former sins hee bends the heart to some present mischiefe to renounce all hope of mercy and to selfe-murder and such desperate issues both which are against the ends of God and the desires of an holy heart which upon their reviving of sinne doe ever propose mercy and betterment unto the soule 2. Another is from the filthy issues which is this Hee revives the sting of sinne that he may make us more bold and mad in sinning He revives sin unto sin there is no hope of mercy of recovery therefore as good to goe on as not Whence he inclines the heart to a leaping into the water to a wallowing in the mire to a greedinesse in the course of sinning which hee doth the more easily win from the evill hearts of evill men by those temporary allayments and cessations of stinging guilt which they observe in themselves by their furiousnesse constant and hardning revolutions or exercise of the same sins So that if you whose hearts are tender have been humbled for former sins and are so upright as still to hate them if former gâ—â—ilts be revived with an inclination either to give up all mercy or to give over your selves now with licentiousnesse to the same or other sins here is Satan in this Satan now revives thy guilt and now another course is to be taken 2. The course then is this and I beseech you mark it 1. Strengthen thy heart with more detestations of the sins The more he revives the guilty accusation the more doe thou revive thy upright detestations And as he poures out malice to disturb thy conscience so doe thou poure out revenge to sub due the grounds of it And if he vexeth thee doe thou goe and vexe thy sinnes 2. Beleeve not a malicious Thy case is not wicked because a wicked devill saith so accuser Satan doth oft times serve a Writ in the Kings name without the Kings seale he forgives where God doth not and he binds where God hath released And this know It is God that justifieth who then shall condemne If the King himselfe hath pardoned thee how unjust is it for the under-officer to arrest and challenge 3. But in case of frequent inquietations when Satan will not be answered but still chargeth now make thine appeale The Christian must appeale from him to God and if he charge thee in the Court of Conscience remove it wisely to the higher court of heaven let God once more have the hearing and the deciding And now Satan what hast thou to say unto me Thou hast sinned heretofore saith Satan and thy Judge doth know the truth of this indictment I have Satan I confesse it and my God doth know the truth of my sorrow and repentance Lord dost thou not know my teares my returnings my judgings of my self my feeling of mercy grace Lord thou hast knowne it and hast knowne my soule with thy pardoning and accepting mercy 4. Rest the soule and fasten it unto the bloud of Christ which will alwayes cry downe the testimonies and clamours of guilt Nothing but that wil satisfie God and vanquish Satan and then by faith not onely lay hand on mercy but hold out the stability of mercy The Kings pardon will serve twenty years hence in case of suit Satan may often trouble question but Gods accepting of thee into mercy will I am sure it may quiet and uphold thee 14. The last spring of doubtings was silence in the conscience long silence there For the closing of this spring and with it this subject of doubtings observe these particulars in a word 1. The speech of conscience what that is 2. The speechlesnesse of conscience what and how 3. To make conscience speak againe what required 4. To support our selves in the times of its silence what can and may 1. The speech of conscience The speech of conscience what This is no more then its testimony for us or against us for conscience is intimate with our secret frames and intentions and motives and actions By its naturall light it can tell much by implanted light more by renewed and sanctified light most of all Now the speech of conscience for us is nothing else but an approbation of our estate answerable to the Word acquiting us against all feares and objections that we are the sons of God that we are truly changed that we sincerely love him beleeve in Christ and walk before him for really the voice of Conscience is but the eccho of the voice of the Word and saith that unto us touching our particular what the Word delivers in the generall It s voice is but the Assumption and the voice of the Word is but the Proposition The Word saith that should be and Conscience saith here it is The Word requires such and such things in a man to be saved and who is in favour with God and Conscience brings them out and answers for the person 2. The speechlesnesse or silence The speechlesnesse of conscience what it is of conscience is the suspension of its determining and acquiting acts touching our estate in generall or touching some particular doubts Sometimes conscience calls upon us and sometimes we call upon conscience In matters of direction to practise or forbearance we usually heare a reall and inward word Do it not or Thou mayst do it In after doubts we call upon conscience for its testimony In the uprightnesse of my heart did I it and my conscience doth beare me witnesse Now of all the silences of conscience that is heaviest which befalls us in our spirituall combats and tryals wherein our gracious condition is questioned but cannot be issued because conscience holds up and doth not testifie for us by any sensible approbation and acquitance which is caused diversly 1. Sometimes through particular Silence in conscience diversly caused mis-behaviours against the directing voice of conscience these hold in the acquiting voice of conscience for conscience will not speak for us if we presume to sinne against it 2. Sometimes through disregard to the voice of God in the Ministery for Conscience takes not that well which the Word takes ill and therefore God doth usually make us know our